It is a well-known fact. Every organization is doing exactly what they need to do to get exactly the results they are currently getting. That is because results are the outcome of behaviors. So, if an organization desires better business results, then they will have to adopt better behaviors. Albert Einstein was espousing this philosophy when he said: "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Or as quality guru Joseph Juran once said, " If we always do what we've always done, then we'll always get what we've always had."

Those of us involved in training often think we are in the behavior change business. And we are. But, we are not and cannot be alone in this endeavor if we are to drive improved business results through behavior change. Behavior change requires a total organizational commitment. The following Behavior Change Model tries to display this graphically.

Leadership must provide the organization with the corporation's desired vision of success, and provide the overall strategy to achieve that vision. Management must convert that vision and strategy into job role descriptions and clearly defined expectations that are thoroughly communicated to all the people in the organization. Then, the organization must provide adequate resources for employees to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to meet the expectations of their role.

But, it doesn't end there. As people adopt the new behaviors they learned in skills based learning interventions, they need help in implementation. Once again, Management must provide every employee with the coaching and feedback that enables employees to hone newly learned skills, to change their behaviors from the comfortable and familiar to the more profitable and productive. And, finally, there needs to be an incentive for adopting the new behavior. Employees need to see that their peers are being rewarded and recognized for the results they achieved through the new behaviors. Organizations must demand rigid consistency here. Even one instance of reward or recognition for results achieved through "old" behaviors can be devastating to the desired behavior change.

As the model shows, all five of the above mentioned elements are critical. None can be skipped. You can't double-up on one, and neglect another. A lack of vision and strategy from Leadership leads to the wrong results - no one knows what was important. A lack of expectations being communicated by management leads to no results - no one knows their role in the vision and strategy. A lack of proper training and learning leads to anxiety on the part of the employee, as they see some people being successful but they just don't know how to reach the same level of performance themselves. Without coaching and feedback, people get frustrated and will even question the behaviors themselves. And without proper incentives, people will naturally look for easier, more familiar ways, and suffer relapses or take shortcuts as a result.

If you are involved in performance consulting with a business client, maybe the Behavior Change Model will help you obtain the kind of organizational commitment you (and they!) need to see your training investment translate into improved business results.