Studies show that only 10 to 30 percent of training is ever applied back on the job unless a strong reinforcement and support program is in place. But what does good reinforcement and support looked like?

New research published by The Ken Blanchard Companies has identified the five critical success factors that must be in place for training initiatives to be successful and which ensure a strong return on investment.

1. Top Management Buy in

The first Critical Success Factor is getting top management buy in. Senior executives must set the tone for any new training initiative. Nothing gets a training initiative off to a better start (or derails it faster) than the level of support demonstrated by the leaders in an organization. However, getting this support means convincing executives on the return on investment of the training.

While the evidence shows that firms that consistently invest in training outperform their competitors in both good and bad times, this may not convince senior executives that individual programs are having an impact.

In the past, the only way to demonstrate the return on investment for training was to conduct extensive, multiyear impact studies. A new technique being used by Blanchard clients (see Factor #3) is helping to solve this challenge.

2. Follow-up and Reinforcement

The second Critical Success Factor is follow-up and reinforcement. The companies that are the most successful in transferring learning from the classroom to the workplace are the ones that spend ten times the amount of effort reinforcing the classes they deliver, as opposed to moving on to the next initiative.

One of the most powerful ways to support your training investment is to use coaching as your primary follow-up strategy. Research has shown that coaching improves application back on the job from 20-80%. In addition to providing an accountability component, coaching helps people diagnose, prioritize, and plan a course of action. Most importantly, coaches help participants to take their first steps toward implementation of the skills and knowledge learned during class.

3. Demonstrating Tangible Value

The third Critical Success Factor is demonstrating the tangible value of the training. Senior leaders (and training participants) want evidence that any new training initiative is going to result in new skills that positively impact the organization's bottom line. In the past, this was expensive and time consuming. Now, a new evaluation process is being used by several Blanchard clients to measure the impact of training at a fraction of the cost of a traditional impact study.

Developed by Dennis Dressler and Robert Brinkerhoff of The Learning Alliance, this new process is called The Success Case Method. While this method of measuring the impact of training is not as extensive as the information that is gathered from a typical impact study, it can still produce the type of evidence that most senior executives are looking for when trying to decide whether to continue funding a training initiative. For more information on The Success Case Method, please read the
May 2005 issue of Ignite!

4. Strategic Integration

The fourth Critical Success Factor is strategic integration. A common feature of high impact training programs is that they are aligned with specific, measurable goals that are fully supported and in alignment with organizational objectives. Participants are much more likely to implement training from the classroom back on the job when they can see a direct correlation to the work they are doing.

5. The Four Keys to Effective Learning

The fifth Critical Success Factor is well known to most training professionals: the training design must be flawless. To maximize the impact of training, designers must be sure that participants

• Understand how the training will positively impact their individual work
• Have adequate time to acquire new concepts
• Can practice the new skills that they are learning in a safe environment
• Have a reinforcement plan that helps them take what they have learned and apply it back on the job

Nearly 75 percent of training is never applied in the workplace. Worse yet, an even higher percentage of organizational change initiatives are never successfully implemented. In today's increasingly competitive environment, investments in training need to be maximized through a combination of top management support, learning that is tied to organizational objectives, and follow-up that drives sustainability and impact. To achieve this, an organization must focus on delivering training through a deliberate process that supports the retention of concepts, behaviors, and skills, which then translates into results.

Scott Blanchard, the newest generation of the Ken Blanchard family visionaries and founder of Coaching.com, a coaching services division of The Ken Blanchard Companies, has just released a white paper on maximizing the impact of training investments.

How to Maximize Your Training Investment
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
9:00-10:00 a.m. Pacific Time
(12:00-1:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

In order to maximize your training investment, you must address the crucial issue of how to ensure skills learned in training are applied in the workplace. Join best-selling author Scott Blanchard to learn how to bridge the gap from learning to doing through a combination of:

• Top management support
• Learning that is tied to organizational objectives
• Systematic reinforcement and follow-up that drives sustainability and impact

Whale Done! The Power of Positive Relationships
Thursday, August 18, 2005
9:00-10:00 a.m. Pacific Time
(12:00-1:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

Both whales and humans perform better when you accentuate the positive. See how using the techniques of animal trainers--specifically those responsible for the killer whales of SeaWorld--can supercharge your effectiveness at work and at home. In this one-hour webinar Blanchard consultant and author Cathy Huett will show you how catching people doing things right and redirecting negative behavior are some of the best tools to build trust, create high commitment and increase employee motivation.

The Ken Blanchard Companies® offers Public Workshops and Training for Trainers (T4T) sessions in leadership, relationship and team building, customer service, and the empowerment process. Our workshops provide the opportunity to learn critical skills to meet the many challenges of today's working environments. Our Training for Trainers sessions give prospective trainers all the knowledge and tools needed to roll out a program in their organization.

Upcoming Workshop and Training for Trainers Dates

Situational Leadership® II
Public Workshops:
September 12-13 in London, UK
October 17-18 in San Diego, CA

Training for Trainers:
September 12-16 in London, UK
October 17-20 in Chicago, IL
October 25-28 in Irvine, CA

Situational Frontline Leadership NEW!
Training for Trainers:
September 12-15 in Phoenix, AZ
October 3-6 in San Diego, CA

The Magic of Situational Self Leadership
Public Workshops:
October 24-25 in San Diego, CA

Training for Trainers:
October 24-28 in San Diego, CA

DISCovering Self and Others
Public Workshops:
August 29 in San Diego, CA

Training for Trainers:
August 29-30 in San Diego, CA

Gung Ho!
Public Workshops:
September 19-20 in London, UK
October 10-11 in San Diego, CA

Training for Trainers:
September 19-23 in London, UK
October 10-14 in San Diego, CA

Whale Done!® The Power of Positive Relationships NEW!
Public Workshops:
September 27-28 in San Diego, CA

Training for Trainers:
September 27-29 in San Diego, CA

Invest in Your Organization Today!