It is the hope of both managers and team members that, after attending training, team members can perform as expected.
It can be disappointing to see team members struggle to meet expectations.
Why?
Because great training isn’t about information. It’s about creating a lasting change in the learner.
The greatest change happens when two training objectives are met and are in balance: knowledge objectives and behavioral objectives.
Team members returning to the office “knowing” what to do but not being able to “do” the do is a clear example of these two training objectives being out of balance.
As I learn more about these two objectives, I want to share my understanding of how ensuring their balance in training can help team members perform better once they return to the office.
What typically happens is that staff return from training optimistic and excited. They talk about having great discussions, meeting new people and completing homework and quizzes.
But excitement fades when reality sets in. It becomes hard for learners to remember what was covered in class. They hit the proverbial brick wall when they start their work. Managers are frustrated, seeing team members who should ‘know’ what to do but still rely on others for help.
This outcome does not need to happen as frequently as it does.
Before sending a team member to training, as a manager, ask yourself two critical questions: What should they know? And what should they be able to do? The answers to these two questions determine how effective change can occur.
When you set knowledge objectives, you control the narrative of what employees know and can speak to. Knowledge-based training ensures employees can answer questions that start with “Tell me,” “Describe,” or “Explain.” Knowledge-based training builds a foundation for understanding—not performing. Completing knowledge objectives involves the mind and the spoken and written word—information sinks into the mind, is recalled and is expressed the spoken and written word.
Behavioral objectives, on the other hand, ensure that after the training staff can “do” a requested activity. Skills are built that can be used to complete an activity. Behavioral objectives involve the hands, mouth, mind, and heart. In class, the “doing” is made apparent, there is role play, skill demonstrations, projects, simulations; employees are asked to perform. Doing can be the physical execution of a task, but it can also mean a shift in attitude or values. Employees who meet behavioral objectives can answer prompts like “Show me,” “Create,” “Demonstrate,” and “Implement.”
As a manager I often feel pressed for time and would like my team to learn things as quickly as possible. It would be easy for me to pick one training objective over another in a crunch. The best outcome however is to align the two objectives together.
Let me share why.
No matter how well a training program is designed, it can never cover the unexpected. Successful skill achievement is more than knowing a series of steps, it is the ability to break down a process, rearrange it, and understand how the process fits in with other processes.
To bridge this gap, training must go beyond step-by-step execution. It should teach the ‘why’ behind the process, troubleshooting strategies, and alternative methods to complete a task. By combining knowledge and behavioral objectives, employees gain both the foundation to understand and the flexibility to perform.
The next time you sign up for a training, don’t just look at the promise of an outcome, look at the learning objectives. Does the training include both knowledge and behavior objectives? What parts of the training promise are aligned with “knowing” and what part of the training is aligned with behavioral change as in “doing”?
Taking the time to find out will help create the lasting change that everyone desires.
Have you ever taken a training course where you understood the concepts but couldn’t apply them—or vice versa? I would love to hear your thoughts below!
