If you show up at a workshop, training session, whatever, who is accountable for the learning? Is it the facilitator or the learner? I was walking my dog this morning thinking about this. Sophie is a Shih Tzu. My wife called me several years back when I was in Toronto and joyfully expressed we had rescued a dog. We did? We did. I must say, despite moments I would say otherwise, she has been an awesome dog. Under my breath, I still want a German Shepard, but I digress.
Dr. Donald Kirkpatrick wrote ideas in 1959 culminating in a 1975 book Evaluating Training Programs. His theories in training still maintain resonance and relevance. He theorized specifically four components of training. For the sake of staying true to the doctor, I will provide the four elements and then apply my observations of each based on my perspective and experience. They are Reaction, Learning, Behavior and Results. I will also provide a little insight into how this matters to owner, supervisors, directors and managers in retail.
Reaction is in essence the response the learner had, has or will have during the experience. It is the “Oh”, “Yeah”, “Ahh” and “Holy crap” someone exults during a moment. They are now in a place of reaching for more, reaching for your message. That is very important to note. Learners retain and pay attention more so when they reach. It is the facilitator and programs responsibility to create reaching moments.
Learning is when the reaction leads to something learned. This would be a keen awareness of the topic, tip or tactic. You might physically notice this as they write down a note or ask questions about application or they just start nodding up and down indicating agreement and a ‘yes’ gesture. The reaction has turned into an idea.
Behavior is taking the knowing into doing. It is the idea becoming or manifesting itself into a replicate-able, measure-able, observe-able behavior in the environment. Have you taken a note in a training session and then tried back at work? That would be this. The bigger or more important realization is that ultimately becomes second nature and done without reservation, limit or prompting.
Result is as obvious as it seems – return on the investment. It is the moment when someone or something determines the behavior is yielding “x, y or z” in the workplace. There is little else left to say, other than this is where owners and senior leaders seem to get stuck. The irony is results will only be equivalent to the resources supplied to support the previous elements – especially the third.
I work currently with a client who has their own four elements. They very closely aligned with each of Kirkpatrick’s and in fact, I think they amplify each other. Out of respect for my client, I will not share their four. I will offer this as talking point. How much time have you spent on each one? Do you have a complimentary four or do you just hope it all works out. Yeah, I hope so too.
So, please if you are now thinking “OK, yeah this is good” (by the way, that is the reaction part), what happens next? And whose responsibility is it for the next step? Any learning path must have a definition at each step of the way. And you must be clear who is responsible for the each step. Learning is the responsibility of the learner and the behavior is the responsibility of those who expect it. Does that kick you squarely in the mid-section? It should. This must be a realization for many organizations out there. You cannot expect the” same ole” to keep working. While the four elements are solid and foundational, the generations, workplace, global market and the access and speed of everything are completely different than even one year ago.
It is my responsibility to make sure Sophie is stimulated by something. She is responsible through that catalyst to learn it. Then it is back to me to maintain the level or degree of learning behaviorally. And then we both win. That simple, right?