Making Change Stick: Training is a Huge Step in Adoption

Let’s face it; change is hard. Many of us have recently dealt with more change than we ever thought possible. In the shift to remote work, many of us have learned that implementing change requires more than just a solid strategy for change management, but on a deeper level, it requires a commitment to learning how to work differently. 

Many of us initially struggled with the transition from face-to-face to remote. However, after we did a little training by reading some articles, watching a few Zoom meeting tutorials, and then practiced what we had learned, we got better. We need to apply the same strategy to our organizations after creating a change. We must solidify the change by continuing to train and reinforce how we’ve learned to work differently after the change. In this article, we’ll discuss three ways to use training and development to reinforce the changes made at your organization.

1. Use a training sandwich approach. When a change or new process is rolled out, make sure you create a training sandwich. Train your team before, during, and post-implementation. Repetition is key to solidifying change and making it “stick.” Although there are many ways to approach this idea, Procore is a great example of a software company that has given tremendous thought to how important training is to adoption. Procore has learning paths and certification programs for each type of user accessing their platform as well as continuing education content.

2. A link to a Confluence page or a Sharepoint site is NOT training. Training by definition is “the skill, knowledge, or experience acquired by one that trains.” Other synonyms for training include: drill, exercise, practice. In Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead, Mattis details the preparation required prior to any military campaign. Drills and practice are critical to the success of any mission and Mattis attributes much of the success he experienced on the battlefield to the drills conducting prior to each mission. Successful outcomes directly resulted from extensive practice so that when errors were made on the battlefield, his troops could quickly adapt and overcome. What if we applied this same care and diligence in our training programs after a change was made within our organization? Practicing what we learn is key to adoption.

3. Communication is a two-way street. After changes are made, many times the communication stops. Implementors of change stop sending written communication and managers stop discussing the new change at meetings. However, how teams communicate change and keep the conversation going, is another key aspect of training. Communication should not be the one-way push of information. A key element of communication is listening to feedback and creating forums for discussion. Don’t underestimate the power of listening to your team. Discussion is a key element of learning and reinforcing new changes. These discussions can also lead to improvements and innovation as well.

Change may not always be easy, it’s important to nurture the change once it’s made. Backing change with a solid training approach is an excellent way to reinforce and increase adoption within an organization.