Chapter 30

Behavior Changes That Stick

Sustain to Attain Results

THE FORUM CORPORATION

In This Chapter

• Process to ensure learning is sustained and applied to attain desired organizational results.
• Suggested sustainment activities to close the learning/doing gap.
• Importance of identifying owners who are responsible for embedding behavior changes.

Traditionally, organizational learning and development interventions have focused on the visible, concrete, “main event” components of learning: virtual or face-to-face programs or workshops that introduce new concepts, skills, tools, and behaviors. However, a significant component of the learning intervention—the ongoing sustainment and reinforcement of the new knowledge and behaviors—is often neglected or overlooked. Failing to sustain and reinforce desired behavior changes is like neglecting to provide appropriate nourishment and support to a food crop. The neglect results in a less-than-full yield—a marginal return on the original investment. In terms of learning, this means that participants won’t retain the knowledge learned, will fa....