Making It Stick
By Lynda Ford

One of the training quandaries of executives and managers is, "Will there be a return on this investment? Will people that attend the program actually use the tools to strengthen the organization? Will this training stick?"

Good questions. Not so easy answers. There are ten undisputable, undeniable facts to making it stick. This article will cover Fact #1.
If you want to make it stick, then you need to make it a PRIORITY. It doesn't matter if you're the CEO of a major corporation or the after-school basketball coach. The foundation and principles are the same.

PRIORITY is an acronym that stands for the critical principles in leading a learning organization. Yes...a learning organization. These are the keys, what must be done to coach and mentor your people, to help them develop...in other words....to make it stick!

* Plan
* Research
* Inform and Communicate Expectations
* Objectively Observe
* Role Model
* Inspire, Instill, Internalize
* Test Techniques
* Yes Attitude!

Planning is the first step in developing your tool bag. The purpose of planning is to eliminate rework - to do the right things right the first time. Consider the following areas:

1. What are the desired outcomes? Key result areas? What is it that you are seeking by participating in this program? How will these outcomes get you and your staff closer to the organization's stated goals (mission, vision, key result areas)?

2. Who are the people involved? What are their requirements? Are the requirements realistic? Will some negotiation be needed?

3. What is the organization structure? Do people report to more than one Senior Leader? If so, how will you share responsibility for "making it stick"? Are your expectations, methods and measurements compatible? If not, how will you fix this?

4. What steps will you follow? What is the timeframe for each step? How will you measure the effectiveness of what you are doing?

5. Can you do this on your own, or will outside assistance be needed? In other words, do you have process capability?

Research takes two forms. One pertains to what you already know about your people. The second pertains to finding out what others have done. This includes best practices, successes and failures. The point is, don't reinvent the wheel if you don't have to!

1. What have you tried in the past that has been successful? Unsuccessful?

2. What sparks your people? What types of actions, behaviors or environmental factors are motivating? Demotivating?

3. Would you characterize your people as being motivation seekers or maintenance seekers?

4. What are other organizations doing that would fit your organization? Where can you go to get this information?

Inform and Communicate Expectations. People won't know what you want unless you clearly communicate your expectations. Communication takes many forms. We communicate by:

* Spoken Words
* Written Words - memo, e-mail, letter, notes
* Our Actions

All three modes of communication must be consistent. In other words, if we tell people to be on-time for meetings, then it doesn't do much for our credibility it we are late for the meeting.

The people that report to us are not mind readers! And even if they've worked with you for an extended period of time, it's not their job to figure out what you want, especially when it comes to their development.

1. Let people know specifically what you are doing. Explain the reasoning and what you expect when all is said and done.

2. Include your people in the process. Ask for their input and then use it. Refine and finalize your plan together.

3. Set short and long-term goals. Clearly define the goals and what you expect to see for each milestone.

4. If the direction of the organization changes, necessitating goal changing with your people, let them know as soon as possible.

Objectively Observe. Remember the planning? The measurements? That is how you base your observations.

1. How will the observations be done? Can you do it? Will it take someone else?

2. What exactly will you be observing? Are you looking for the process or the end result?

3. How often will observations occur?

4. "Feedback is the breakfast of champions." (Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson: The One Minute Manager) How will you provide feedback based on the observations? Allow employees to provide you with constructive feedback. Act upon it as you would like them to act upon it.

Role Model. There's nothing like walking the talk. This is the strongest message that you can send your staff. Regardless of what you say, what you do will set the stage for everyone that reports to you. Your priorities, by your actions, will become your employees' priorities. And those things that you place in low value, by your actions, will become low value to your employees.

1. Be 100% conscious of all of your movements and actions. It takes much time and effort to build a reputation as one who walks the talk, but it only takes one (or two) lapses to take it all away.

2. Be 100% conscientious about walking the talk. All that you say should match all that you do.

3. Decide which behaviors you need to change or build on for appropriate role-modeling.

4. Tell people what you're going to do, do it, and then tell them what you did. Sometimes, your staff will need to be reminded that you are, in fact, role-modeling.

5. Let your staff help you. It's much easier to be in it together. And, it does wonders to help build your team. Inspire, Instill, Internalize. Definitions according to the New Webster's Dictionary:

* Inspire - to breathe in; to infuse thought or feeling into; to affect as with supernatural influence; to give inspiration

* Instill - to put in by drops; to infuse slowly; to introduce by degrees (into the mind)

* Internalize - (from the word internal) - of or on the inside; having to do with or belonging to the inner nature of man; intrinsic
These definitions give us the essence of what we are striving for. We are literally trying to affect and inspire, drop by drop, the inner nature of our employees.

1. Consistency is important, and everyday actions and words weigh heavily.

2. Practice effective communications. Employees want supervisors to communicate in-formation and practice values.

3. Let your staff help you. It's much easier to be in it together. And, it does wonders to help build your team.

Test Techniques. You won't be sure if something works if you are not testing it. Even though you have gone through careful research and planning, there is a somewhat unpredictable human element. Circumstances can come together in such a way that even the best plans may not always work.

1. Be prepared to change direction, but make sure the information is telling you that a change is warranted. Is the change needed because there is overwhelming data telling you that you are on the wrong course, or is this a knee-jerk reaction to an isolated incident?

2. Keep in mind your measurements. When you are testing, those measurements should be your guiding compass.

3. How long will your testing period continue? How long will it take until you know if you've been successful (or not)?

4. How can you structure the testing so it is not disruptive to the workflow? How can you involve your people in the design?

5. What follow-up measures will you use once the testing period is over?

Yes Attitude! A Yes Attitude! is positive. A Yes Attitude! is enthusiastic. A Yes Attitude! says that this can be done. A Yes Attitude! is filled with urgency. That urgency is what drives you and your people.

1. Look for opportunities that would normally be considered negative. How can you turn these into positives? How can these be used to develop those with whom you work?

2. Look to the source....that's you! How do you communicate information? What is the urgency you place on developing skills? How do you strive to balance this with workload?

3. Is your perspective for the short-term or the long-term? Hopefully, it's long-term. If not, what can you do to place yourself on that road? What tangible steps are you taking to demonstrate this to your staff?

4. How are you using your influence? Are you focusing on areas in which you have control?

Make it a PRIORITY, and Make It Stick!

Lynda Ford, author of this article, is president of The Ford Group, a consulting firm dedicated to improving organizations through their greatest potential resource...people. Her first book, FAST52: Building an Exceptional Workplace Environment has just been published. She can be contacted by e-mail at lynda@fordgroup.com, or by phone at (315) 339-6398.

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