Trigger Action with 3 Learning Boosters

12/11/2018

Trigger Action with 3 Learning Boosters

Have you ever committed to do something for a friend only to have it slip your mind? Then, days or weeks later, a passing comment, commercial, or other trigger reminds you of it? And, even though you had every intention of following through, without the trigger it wouldn’t have happened?

Learners experience the same phenomenon—even in the best-case scenario, in which they appreciate the learning opportunity, arrive motivated, value the course material, and intend to use it. When they return to work, they get hit by all that transpired while they were in training and often lose sight of their implementation plans. Learning boosters can refocus them on their action plans and implementation strategies.

Although any training reminder, including emails, can serve as a trigger to reignite learners’ commitment to taking action, you are encouraged to develop learning boosters with greater engagement in mind. Here are three ideas of what that might look like:

In the days following training, learners schedule a post-training checkpoint with their managers to share their learning experience, intended implementation plans, and requested manager support.
In the weeks following training, learners assess their skills application proficiency in a work situation by completing an after-action assessment tool.
In the months following training, create opportunities for program graduates to come together with other interested alumni to practice skills, share best practices, clarify processes or models after attempting to follow them, receive feedback on performance, collaborate to resolve challenges faced, and so on. These can be trainer-led, department leader-led, or learner-led by volunteers.

Let these sample ideas inspire your thinking on the booster tools and processes you will build and distribute to learners to trigger after-training action. A longer list is included in Same Training, Half the Time. (The Kindle version is currently free with Kindle Unlimited.)

Share an idea you have for triggering transfer of learning in the comments!

©2018 Kimberly Devlin, All rights reserved

31 Comments

Christine Dlugosz

3/11/2019 11:41:12 am

Kimberly, this is another excellent trainer tip. I admit, I often slack in continuing the learning process after the participants leave the training room. Something our Training department has implemented is a weekly email to those participants following their classes. They can include short reminders of procedures or policies to retain and implement their knowledge.

Kimberly Devlin

3/11/2019 03:45:27 pm

Christine, thank you for making the point that it need not be complicated or burdensome -- it just needs to happen!

Blayre McCrum

3/14/2019 08:31:15 am

In my organization, since we are so large and wide spread, it is very difficult to do this. But I do think it is important to ensure the learning is being implemented. Thanks for the ideas.

Kimberly Devlin

3/14/2019 01:35:20 pm

Blayre, you raise a valid challenge. Boosting the learning does not need to mean controlling and monitoring the implementation of the boosters... it can simply mean creating the tools to enable it and making them available as part of the learning materials.

Shane Householder

3/14/2019 12:24:07 pm

When I first started on the L&D team, 5 months ago, we had a meeting to discuss this topic - how, when, why should we remind/follow-up/booster training. At the same time, we do not want to overwhelm associates. Balance...easy to say, not always easy to accomplish.

We are currently working to implement a new LMS. Our goal is to use the new system to improve our ability to booster training. Wish me luck!

Kimberly Devlin

3/14/2019 01:37:36 pm

Luck extended, Shane! And, yes, balance is critical. Have you considered polling associates to determine what types of boosters, with what frequency, and via which channels they will most value?

Shane Householder

3/14/2019 02:06:33 pm

Good idea, thanks - What do the associates want (sometime the simple things are the first to be forgotten).

Kimberly Devlin

3/14/2019 02:23:40 pm

Happy to help!

Stew Souders

3/14/2019 06:46:38 pm

Good ideas, something we could definitely do more of. We do better with reinforcement and follow-up on the psychomotor / physical side, but not so well on the soft skill / affective side.

Kimberly Devlin

3/15/2019 10:17:52 am

Would love to read here how you can leverage what you ARE doing for your behavioral skills programs as well, Stew!

Stew Souders

3/18/2019 10:52:23 am

For this body of courses, for good or bad, we currently rely on a participant’s supervisor to monitor and follow-up on skill application. There are discussions about a more thoughtful and complete approach, but we get overcome by events… Litigation and compliance concerns drive our actions and reinforcement in the other domain.

Kelsey McLachlan

3/15/2019 04:47:58 pm

I love this article. It is so important to continue the learning process. I think it's important to always view the content and material as if for the first time and think, 'Would I remember this and be able to apply it?' If not, how can we make the training more memorable? But, this only covers those who DO arrive motivated and willing to learn. How do we manage the learning progress with those who weren't as excited to attend? Very good points re. follow-up!

Kimberly Devlin

3/16/2019 11:28:44 am

Kelsey, I am glad this connected with you. And, you are right--this blog post only touches on the topic. I go into much greater depth with multiple, complementing strategies in Same Training, Half the Time.

Victoria Lee

3/18/2019 11:28:30 am

I agree - follow up and reinforcement can really strengthen the understanding and longevity of training. With that being said, the organization I work in really lacks in our ability to apply these types of strategic behaviors post-training. This was a learning trigger for me to remember the importance and work towards including more follow up elements in the materials and plans I produce!

One way I might suggest to create a "triggering transfer" would be to develop a champion program following training. Champions are used already in my organization - champions are volunteers (typically at the agent-level role) who take on the privilege of owning a particular topic and ensuring their team is up to speed with important information related to it. After training, a champion role would be offered to each team who participated and they would share key takeaways, reminders, and observations of how the training relates to their on-the-job tasks during weekly team meetings.

Kimberly Devlin

3/19/2019 11:37:21 am

So glad to hear this was for you what it refers to doing, Victoria! Your champions example is appreciated - thank you for adding to the body of triggering transfer ideas.

Kari MacDonald

3/18/2019 12:55:13 pm

I like these ideas. Our department is looking for ways to implement more post training skills assessment in the field as currently we don't do a very good job of that. I think it is a huge part of the learning piece that is often missing.

Kimberly Devlin

3/19/2019 11:40:20 am

Good luck with your initiative Kari! In addition to the free pdf you can download from on this site that can be helpful (navigate to https://www.kimberlydevlin.com/same-training-half-the-time.html), there is a complete chapter of ideas as well as templates in the book you can use to support your department's project.

Amaris

3/18/2019 01:06:25 pm

Another great post - however in certain organizations this feels almost impossible to do due to time and other circumstances. Some are solely focused on having the resources versus the resources having/understanding fully the knowledge needed.

Kimberly Devlin

3/19/2019 11:42:55 am

I feel your pain, Amaris...I do. In the same breath, I'll add that it is in the most time-constrained environments that this strategy becomes even more critical if training events have any hope of changing behaviors and supporting the organizations goals. (food for thought...)

Sue Rubish

3/18/2019 08:07:40 pm

I especially like the last one. I think getting together months later to discuss what worked and what didn't and why is a great way to gather information and feedback.

Kimberly Devlin

3/20/2019 05:00:50 pm

Yes, Sue. And, if it didn't stick, you will certainly know it - and better... can do something about it!

Amanda Rudy

3/19/2019 10:26:37 am

Another great topic. This is an area in which our team has found essential yet challenging to incorporate consistently. I specifically love your last two bullets and will share with my team to see how we can more consistently incorporate them into our learning process.

Kimberly Devlin

3/20/2019 05:02:31 pm

Thank you Amanda. Consistency will exponentially improve the effect of your work in this area. Keep at it!

Amma Napier

9/16/2019 11:26:24 am

This really reinforces the importance of follow-up and that there are other ways of following up besides meeting again. What we are really talking about is passing the accountability for learning on to the learner.

Kimberly Devlin

9/21/2019 05:22:52 pm

"Once and done" is a chancy strategy for sure. Learner accountability for learning is a part of it, and manager accountability for supporting and enabling the learning is part of it too! Thanks for sharing, Amma!

Rebecca Brooks

9/16/2019 03:20:08 pm

Recently, we tried a different approach when launching a new imaging system. We developed an online course in our LMS which included the basics. We encouraged our staff to use this info "to play with the system" (it is read-only). Over the next two weeks, we followed up with each employee and asked them to complete 5 or 6 scenarios using the system. We were able to screen-share and talk by phone with our remote learners which saved travel time. While this approach is time-intensive, it has worked well. We are still receiving feedback that the new system "is so easy." That short bit of time between taking the LMS course and completing the scenarios served as a boost and helped the information and skills stick.

Kimberly Devlin

9/21/2019 05:24:41 pm

Love this Rebecca! Thanks for sharing...and showing the value and return on investing time in the learning process.

Rachelle McGowan

8/21/2020 07:10:40 am

I never thought of training this way and after reading I have notice that I have had this happen when I was the learner. Some of those I work with do not like training because they claim it is boring, so since I have been here I have been trying to change their minds on this.

Kimberly Devlin

8/21/2020 09:37:19 am

Do you agree that the BEST way to "change their minds" is to create training that IS engaging instead of boring? It is a simple, and profound, shift!

Lisa Kopecky

8/21/2020 05:22:15 pm

This is definitely a best practice that we really should prioritize doing for the critical types of training and development programs. I know it may not be practical to apply to all but certainly for the most critical. Another thought to help us incorporate this best practice could be to include these checkpoints in Individual Development Plans, especially when those IDPs include specific learning objectives and programs. That would be a great way to help managers achieve this with their employees. And also help pattern the learner boosting behavior.

Kimberly Devlin

8/26/2020 08:46:28 am

I appreciate how you are approaching this from the perspective of "how do we do this AND make the ID 'burden' manageable while ALSO involving the business in the process"!

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