Training Industry Magazine - May/June 2020 - 47

* Potential inhibitors that would
prevent a new habit from forming.

The Cascade of
Good Behaviors

2 | Design

That holistic program looked like this: we
created an online tool for salespeople to
use back on the job, so they can attach
the new relationship behaviors they
learned to an existing online habit. The
tool provides insights and reports to
assess their progress and can be used
in Microsoft Office-based software, a
CRM, or the cloud. In addition, leaders
are able to review the assessments and
coach employees based on the results.
The leader's involvement ensures that
the environment our trainees return to
will support the behavior change.
This
program
holds
salespeople
accountable for forming the habit of
completing the assessment tool. It
provides new relationship insights along
with review sessions that are positive,
collaborative, and action-oriented, while
motivating the user. The tool also continues
teaching in the training professional's
absence by continuing to ask learners
questions they need to be considering.
This process enables a positive cascade
of relationship building behaviors.
Figure 1 shows a piece of the cascade
of good behaviors that resulted from
that habit, with the keystone habit in
the middle.

How to Make Habit Forming
Central to Training's Purpose
If we loosen our grip on the belief that
our participants will do better if they
know better and shift our focus from
learning to habits, how does our work in
training change?
Learning leaders must add the focus of
building habits when designing training
programs, whether you follow ADDIE or
SAM. Here are a few examples:

1 | Analysis
* Identify and add the following to your
analysis template:
* The desired
employees.

habits

the

* Create recognition for employees
who build habits.
* Encourage changes in their work
environment that support the new
habit and does not allow the old.

LET'S TAKE LEARNING OFF
ITS PEDESTAL AND PUT IT IN
SERVICE OF HABIT BUILDING.
3 | Implementation
* Change class exercises and facilitator
questions from only a learning focus to
how the learning will be implemented
on the job.
* Get managers prepped, committed,
and accountable for their new role
in reinforcing the behavior change.
Change the organizational habits.

4 | Evaluation
* Measure the building and the support
of the habit.
* Highlight consequences of using
old habits.
* Evaluate training programs by
capturing insights on forming habits

and any potential barriers to modify
the program.
* Track the business impact of those
with the habit and those without.

Walk the Talk
In his book "Atomic Habits," James Clear
says, "Outcomes are lagging indicators
of our habits." So, if you change the
habits, you will change the outcomes.
Learning leaders must extend the
learning beyond the training event
in order to see impact and achieve
meaningful outcomes.
To begin building your own personal
keystone
habits
as
a
training
professional, use Charles Duhigg's habit
loop as a guide (see Table 1).
The cascade of good behaviors that
follow a keystone habit are free. So,
what if in the next budgeting meeting,
we actually promise to accomplish
more for the business with less?
Now, that is an intriguing return on
investment discussion.
Lori Preston is an organizational
development consultant at Revenue
Storm, a global sales consulting firm.
With 30 years of experiencing success
and frustration, Lori has become a
change management expert, relying
on neuroscience to point the way.
Email Lori.

Table 1

CUE

What cues your habit when you design training? Do
you open your favorite template? If so, open that
template now and add a cue: "What habit do we want
to create?"

BEHAVIOR

What is the plan for this program to help learners create
a new habit? Use the preceding prompts outlined in
this article.

REWARD

Grab your favorite drink and inform your boss that you
are on the cusp of getting some great business impact
stories. Then, create your plan to gather the impact.

T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MAGAZ INE - THE APPLICATION OF LE ARNI NG 2 02 0 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE

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Training Industry Magazine - May/June 2020

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