The Folly of Training for Behaviour Change

The Illusion of Training-Induced Change

Let’s start with a provocative statement: Training doesn’t change people; it only gives them options. There’s a widespread belief that sending staff on training courses is the magic key to fixing various performance or behavioural issues. But if you’re aiming to change people’s behaviours through training, you’re on to a loser before you even start.

The Gulf Between Teaching and Learning

Teaching and learning, though often used interchangeably, are not synonymous. Teaching implies the transfer of knowledge or skills from one person to another. Learning, however, is a more intricate process, deeply personal and emotionally charged. It involves not just the intake of information but the reshaping of perspectives, attitudes, and ultimately, behaviours.

People can be taught without learning a single thing. They’ll nod, take notes, even pass tests, but once they’re back in their familiar environments, it’s business as usual. Why? Because learning has only happened when behaviours have changed.

The Dynamics of Behaviour Change

Behaviour isn’t a switch you can flick on or off through an afternoon workshop. It’s a complex mosaic of habit, culture, context, motivation, and personal choice. Each person’s behaviour is influenced by a labyrinth of internal and external factors, which can’t be manoeuvred through PowerPoint slides and handouts.

The secret sauce in behaviour change is not teaching or training. It’s learning. And how does learning happen? Through curiosity—a deeply intrinsic motivator that spurs us to explore, challenge norms, and grow.

Radical Curiosity: The Gateway to Learning

If you’ve been chasing the mirage of training-induced change, redirect your energies towards fostering an environment that celebrates ‘Radical Curiosity‘. This is a step beyond the garden-variety curiosity that makes us click on an interesting headline. Radical Curiosity is the relentless pursuit of ‘why’ and ‘how’, the unquenchable thirst for knowledge that disrupts conventional wisdom.

When you are radically curious, you don’t just want to know what works; you want to understand why it works and how you can make it better. This is the sort of curiosity that can drive genuine learning and transformative behaviour change.

How to Cultivate Radical Curiosity

Here’s the million-dollar question: how do you instil Radical Curiosity in a team or an organisation? Here are some thoughts:

1. Open Dialogue: Encourage questions and discussions that challenge the status quo.
2. Safe Spaces: Create an environment where people feel secure enough to share radical thoughts without fear of ridicule or judgment.
3. Encourage Exploration: Give people the freedom to explore new ideas, methods, and even make mistakes.
4. Reflective Practice: Facilitate sessions where team members can reflect on what they’ve learned and how they can apply it to change their behaviours.

The Bottom Line

If you’re investing in training to change behaviour, you’re on shaky ground. The change you seek is rooted in the fertile soil of learning, nourished by the waters of Radical Curiosity. Replace your training programmes with initiatives that nurture curiosity, and watch how behaviours transform organically. That’s when you know learning has truly happened.