Training Industry Magazine - Fall 2014 - (Page 51)

BEHAVIOR ∆ CHANGE A BRAIN-BASED APPROACH TO Developing TRAINING CONTENT - A N N E D R A N I TSA R I S , P H . D. A N D H E AT H E R D R A N I TSA R I S - H I L L I A R D Research shows that those responsible for staff training typically spend more time selecting what they believe will be appropriate content, than thinking about the needs of the people learning. It is a basic and all too common misunderstanding that training content itself is most important. The underlying belief is that learning is solely a cognitive activity and not an ongoing process that is greatly influenced by the employee's emotions and personality. Recent advances in the neuroscience of emotions are highlighting connections between cognitive and emotional functions that have the potential to revolutionize the way we create training programs and what they need to contain in order for them to be successful. The relationship between learning and emotion and what needs to happen in the brain for learning to take place is of particular importance. Effective training and development programs literally change the brain and training content needs to be inclusive of what is actually required for this change to occur. This means swapping the content-driven model for a whole-person approach. DEVELOPING CONTENT IMPLICATIONS Training program content created with the brain in mind allows us to understand and address the needs of the people being trained. When developing program content, knowing how the brain learns; how emotions enhance learning; and how new information should be presented, taught and rehearsed in order to achieve desired results, we increase the likelihood that training and learning experiences will be successful. The following are some suggestions for a whole-brain approach to developing program content: Repeat content and learning experiences frequently: It isn't enough to give information and expect it to be retained. New learnings are embedded in longterm memory through repetition and reinforcement. Off-site or online learning should be reinforced with workplace experiences during a specified period of time to ensure new neural pathways are created in the brain. Provide frequent opportunities for participants to feel mastery over the training content: Positive emotions generated by being successful at mini-tasks, content recall or other demonstrations of learning during training engages the brain, builds confidence and increases motivation to learn more. with their learning style. Use brain-based personality assessments to understand participant's learning styles. Create program content that excites and stimulates curiosity about information being learned: It isn't enough to have great content as both the rational and emotional brains are involved in learning. EFFECTIVE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS LITERALLY CHANGE THE BRAIN. Too much information without emotion, a relational context or direct experiences will inhibit learning. Create content and learning experiences that appeal to and engage positive emotions: Use humor, tell stories and personalize aspects of the training content. Connecting emotionally and generating positive emotions increase retention of what is being learned. Negative emotions, such as fear and anxiety, inhibit learning. Training programs need to change from cognitive and information-driven approaches to ongoing, experiential learning activities that engage the emotions of the employees positively in a variety of settings, including the workplace. If these critical pieces are left out of training and development programs, organizational leaders will continue to be frustrated and workers are unlikely to reach their full potential. And loss of potential translates to losses for the bottom line. Develop content and structure learning activities to meet the needs of all learning styles: Different brain styles learn in distinct ways. Participants resist learning if they are unable to gather information in a way that is congruent Anne Dranitsaris, Ph.D., & Heather DranitsarisHilliard are leading experts in personality and behavioral change. They are the creators of the Striving Styles® Personality System, and authors of "Who Are You Meant To Be?" Email Anne and Heather. TRAINING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE - FALL2014 I WWW.TRAININGINDUSTRY.COM/MAGAZINE 51 http://www.trainingindustry.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Magazine - Fall 2014

From Where I Sit
Table of Contents
Guest Editor: Improving Sales Onboarding Effectiveness
An Emerging View of Learning Content
Manager Compassion: The Antidote of the Revolving Door
Balance and Praxis
Giving Old Content New Life
Leveraging Custom Learning Initiatives
Contextual Anchoring in Learning Design
Training for Performance Improvement: A Carrot or A Stick?
Rewiring Your Learning
Working with Subject Matter Experts
What's Your ROI for Content Development?
Casebook: Manitoba Hydro: Powering Up with e-Learning
Design Considerations for Content Delivery
Improving Online Learning Performance
A Brain-based Approach to Developing Training Content
What's Online
Company News

Training Industry Magazine - Fall 2014