L&D Expert Julie Dirksen Exposes the Real Reason Your Training Flops
Have you ever created a training, only to realize it didn’t have the impact you had hoped?
If so, you're not alone.
In the latest episode of Learning for Good, we explore why training often falls short when it comes to driving real behavior change– and we unravel the myth that training alone can solve all challenges.
Listen to the episode or scroll down to read the blog post ↓
Key Points:
02:24 Julie Dirksen’s introduction and background
06:45 Using the elephant metaphor to describe decision-making
09:49 Why training often gets blamed for failures
12:20 Systems view and considering external factors that impact training success
18:54 The challenge of making equitable decisions without group-level data
21:46 Knowing where learners are at on the "change ladder"
24:22 The importance of understanding learner motivations, pain points, and system influences on behavior
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L&D Expert Julie Dirksen Exposes the Real Reason Your Training Flops
Have you ever poured time and energy into creating a training program, only to find that it didn't quite produce the impact you envisioned?
Perhaps you were aiming to elevate your team's skills, improve client communication, or kickstart a new organizational strategy, but the desired changes just didn't materialize post-training.
If you've experienced this frustration, as I said before, you're not alone.
And I invited a special guest this week to tackle that subject, Julie Dirksen. Julie is a best-selling author and learning strategy consultant.
She shares her wealth of knowledge on why training often falls short and what L&D professionals can do to facilitate meaningful behavior change beyond traditional training methods.
In this blog post, we'll dive into the real reason why your training flops and how we can shift our approach to address the deeper systemic issues at play.
It's a common misconception that simply providing training will solve performance or behavior challenges within an organization.
Today, let’s explore three ways that will help you start to create lasting behavior change in your organization:
Now, let’s dive in…
1) Behavior Change Requires More Than Training
First, let’s recognize that behavior change is influenced by more than just training. \
The truth is that behavior change is multi-faceted and extends far beyond the classroom. Julie emphasized that blaming training for unsuccessful outcomes overlooks critical factors embedded within organizational systems.
We must take a systemic view of our organization and identify other factors such as feedback loops, accountability systems, and managerial support that can impact behavior. In doing this, we’ll be able to identify and address root causes.
“We keep insisting on trying to fix the people. And really, we would be better off just trying to fix the system, so that the people can do their thing without having to climb over a bunch of barriers.” - Julie Dirksen, Learning for Good Episode 78
Julie’s latest book, Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change, talks about a metaphor used to explain the relationship between our conscious (the rider) and unconscious minds (the elephant).
The "elephant" represents our unconscious, emotional, and instinctual processes; and because of the elephant's immense strength and power, we must ultimately talk to the elephant to determine the direction of the journey.
Julie highlights the importance of this metaphor when it comes to designing learning for behavior change.
2) Learning and Development Teams Must Know Their Audience
It is necessary to know that individuals may be at different stages of readiness for behavior change so that you can deliver impactful training interventions.
“I think it's always useful to remember that there's always a reason why people are acting the way that they're acting.” - Julie Dirksen, Learning for Good Episode 78
Some may lack knowledge, others may need persuasion or support to build confidence, and some may need reinforcement or ongoing coaching to sustain change.
In the podcast, Julie introduces a compelling analogy of a “change ladder”, which outlines progressive stages of behavior adoption.
This framework serves as a roadmap for L&D professionals to tailor interventions based on learners' unique circumstances:
Addressing Knowledge Gaps
For those unaware of essential behaviors or concepts, targeted training can fill critical knowledge gaps.
Building Confidence and Conviction
Here effective training goes beyond information delivery to persuasive communication.
L&D professionals must convey the importance and relevance of desired behaviors to build learner confidence.
Reinforcing New Habits
Training interventions at this stage emphasize practical strategies for habit reinforcement.
Rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, L&D professionals must adapt strategies based on learners' evolving needs and readiness levels.
3) Custom Learning Solutions Can Create Behavior Change
Be a change detective — by adopting this investigative mindset, L&D professionals become catalysts for meaningful organizational change, driving impactful interventions that address root causes of behavior change challenges.
“We have to be change detectives sometimes and more than just training creators.” -Heather, Learning for Good Episode 78
We must ask questions to uncover the barriers preventing behavior change within your nonprofit.
Ask critical questions like:
What motivates or inhibits learners from adopting desired behaviors?
Are there systemic barriers impeding behavior change?
Then you will be more able to understand the reasons behind resistance towards change, whether it's lack of awareness, motivation, resources, or support.
Now, with this understanding, you can start to design targeted interventions that address these barriers effectively.
By embracing systems thinking, individualized approaches, and a change detective mindset, nonprofit L&D leaders can enhance the effectiveness of behavior change initiatives and drive meaningful impact within their organizations.
To hear the full conversation I had with Julie Dirksen on the Learning for Good Podcast, scroll all the way up and tune into Episode 78.
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