| Why You Should Throw Your Training Dollars Out the | | | | people feel worse in the process; perhaps even |
| Window! | | | | affecting performance in the opposite direction |
| In the course of my travels, I meet interesting business | | | | intended. Let me be clear—it’s not just a question |
| people from around the world who want to build great | | | | of just adding more dollars; it’s also a question of |
| companies. They say that people are their most | | | | design. You need to ensure the design of the program |
| important asset. They say they will stop at nothing to | | | | you are investing in builds follow-up into the learning. |
| improve the performance of their people. They say | | | | A recent study of 86,000 people published in Strategy |
| they are ‘committed.’ Then they ask if we can | | | | and Business (Fall 2004) demonstrates how important |
| help them create ‘real change’ in a two-day | | | | follow-up is to any learning program. Eight major |
| leadership training program, see also And I tell them to | | | | corporations from a wide range of industries |
| go fly a kite … well, not exactly. (I guess we | | | | (pharmaceutical/health care, financial services, |
| wouldn’t have much of a business if I did that too | | | | aerospace/defense and media to name a few) |
| many times!) | | | | assessed the ‘change in leadership |
| The point is that two days are simply not enough. | | | | effectiveness’ based on the amount of follow-up |
| Athletes get this—they understand that to change a | | | | that a co-worker received from the training program. |
| golf swing, a volleyball serve, or a quarterback’s | | | | The results were astounding. |
| throwing mechanics, it requires more than a few days | | | | When the co-worker did ‘a little follow-up,’ the |
| of focus. Pilots also get this—flight simulators were | | | | change in leadership effectiveness improved. |
| created for a specific reason; to put these skilled | | | | When the co-worker did “some follow-up,” |
| technicians in challenging situations so many times that | | | | the change in leadership effectiveness grew. |
| their reflex reactions become skilled and second | | | | When the co-worker did ‘frequent |
| nature. | | | | follow-up,’ the change in leadership effectiveness |
| What athletes and pilots understand is that training | | | | became even more significant. And, finally, when the |
| without an ‘after-action review’ or ‘back | | | | co-worker did a “consistent or periodic |
| brief’ is useless. At IHHP, we call it ruthless | | | | follow-up,” the change in leadership effectiveness |
| accountability - something that holds you accountable | | | | was the most significant of all groups. |
| to the change you are attempting to make. | | | | The results don’t lie. Following up after a program is |
| This concept is the same when managing a team or | | | | absolutely critical if you want to see real change. |
| leading an organization: no follow-up after training | | | | Training that begins and ends with only an event (the |
| equals no sustained learning. Three critical steps are | | | | ‘spray and pray technique’) breeds cynicism |
| required to achieve any significant change in behavior | | | | and sabotages future attempts at learning. Quite |
| and performance in sport or business: | | | | simply, not very many people are self directed enough |
| 1. focus over time | | | | to be able to stay focused and make good on change |
| 2. repetition, and | | | | after a training program. I write from experience, |
| 3. ruthless accountability. | | | | having worked with Olympic champions and top |
| It won’t work with two steps . . . and certainly not | | | | leaders. |
| with just one (e.g. “Budgets are tight and we have | | | | Even this lofty group gets ‘tranquilized by the |
| only two days”). If you miss any of these steps, | | | | trivial,’ finding it hard to stay focused on what |
| you might as well throw your training budget out the | | | | matters most in the midst of the many small details |
| window because it will be about as effective. Change | | | | that bombard them on a daily basis. With no follow-up |
| that . . . it will be more effective. Tossing your money | | | | built into a program, it is exceedingly difficult to make |
| out the window at least ensures that the following | | | | the initial investment of learning—the two |
| scenario (which occurs thousands of times a week in | | | | days—work for you. |
| hundreds of companies all over the world) doesn’t | | | | So how do you build follow-up into training |
| actually happen: a group of people step into a room | | | | programs? You start by getting out of the ‘event |
| for a few days to improve their leadership. Most arrive | | | | mentality’ that pervades most organizations. |
| truly dedicated to learning. They receive feedback | | | | Don’t spend all of your money on just one big |
| from their direct reports and peers and manage | | | | event for the year. If you can’t increase your |
| themselves extraordinarily well to get the gift that this | | | | budget, work with a smaller number of individuals for at |
| feedback represents. They are inspired to improve. | | | | least six months beyond the event using coaching, |
| Then they leave. | | | | follow-up training or advanced technologies such as |
| Take John for example. The next day back this well | | | | e-learning. |
| intentioned manager is hit with three times his normal | | | | If you really want to see learning beyond the event, |
| amount of emails. His manager calls him in and tells him | | | | perhaps the most significant thing you can do to |
| that they need to move faster on a key project | | | | improve leadership effectiveness is to get and keep |
| because of a change in budgets. A direct report walks | | | | your co-workers involved. (After all, no one likes to be |
| by and seems distant for some unknown reason. | | | | asked for feedback and then be ignored.) Make it |
| Maybe he was the person who said I don’t spend | | | | clear to participants that they will be asked to initiate a |
| enough time with him in my feedback, he thinks. And, | | | | discussion with their colleagues, post-program, for the |
| of course there’s his daughter’s little league | | | | one thing they are trying to improve. Having |
| game tonight. He absolutely will not miss one again - | | | | participants use the power of colleagues in the ruthless |
| although it’s not looking too good after meeting with | | | | accountability process is a strong argument for |
| his manager. | | | | involving a coach. The study we mentioned earlier |
| By the following week, the intention to change is long | | | | found that having an external or internal coach made a |
| forgotten. What remains is residue from the feedback | | | | significant difference in helping participants drive |
| received from his closest colleagues and a deep, | | | | follow-up by colleagues. |
| aching feeling of, Who’s kidding who? I can’t | | | | The bottom line is this: don’t be too hard on |
| really change. This of course affects a person’s | | | | yourself if you feel like you haven’t been able to |
| sense of ‘self-efficacy’- the idea that they can | | | | make real change following a training program. Maybe |
| set a goal and meet it. | | | | you’ve been set up for failure. Maybe your |
| Then, next year, after another training session, see | | | | organization just isn’t committed to real change; |
| also the same scenario is played out. | | | | maybe it’s merely lip service. Or maybe they just |
| The message to organizations interested in real | | | | don’t know. There is a science to change. |
| change is this: if you’re not going to spend your | | | | Consider it for your next training program. This will |
| training dollars wisely, save them. Wait until next year, | | | | leave your windows free to function as conduits of |
| double your budget and do it right. The band-aid | | | | scenic views and fresh air—a much better purpose, |
| approach is giving learning a bad name and making | | | | don’t you think? |