The document discusses the transition from event-based training methods to a 'sustain to attain' approach, emphasizing the need for ongoing support to reinforce new skills and behaviors in the workplace. It highlights the importance of aligning sustainment activities with the learning environment and employee ownership levels to ensure effective adoption and mastery of new knowledge. The proposal includes categorizing sustainment actions and creating tailored plans that focus on continuous improvement and performance enhancement.

1. point of view
Behavior Changes That Stick:
End the “Spray and Pray” Approach to
Training; Go for “Sustain to Attain” Results
Authored by
Vivien Price and David Robertson
Definitions:
Sustain (verb): to supply with sustenance terms of learning, this means that participants won’t retain
Attain (verb): to reach a goal with effort the knowledge learned, will fail to act in new ways, and
Sustain to attain: to supply nourishment and support over time to ultimately will not master and apply new behaviors.
strengthen new skills and behaviors Forum has partnered with many clients to implement
targeted sustainment plans designed to help improve the
Traditionally, organizational learning and development uptake of new behaviors and processes in the workplace.
interventions have focused on the visible, concrete, “main Our experience shows that for these plans to be
event” components of learning: virtual or face-to-face successful, they need to fit with the learning environment,
programs or workshops that introduce new concepts, with the nature of the work, and with the work styles and
skills, tools, and behaviors. However, a significant capabilities of the target audience. This document outlines
component of the learning intervention—the ongoing our sustainment approach: how we’ve worked with clients
Figure 1: New Ways to Sustain Behavior Change to move from a mind-set of
“spray and pray” event-based
FROM “SPRAY AND PRAY” TO “SUSTAIN TO ATTAIN” learning to one of “sustain to
attain.” Our approach includes
One-off follow -ups after formal Multiple touches at multiple levels
learning interventions over time
assessment of the learning
environment, identification of
“Bolt on”: Sustainment is added as “Dovetail”: Sustainment activities ownership levels, and choosing
an afterthought to the rollout of the weave through — short, medium, and sustainment activities that fit the
“main learning event” long term learning environment and the
ownership level.
“Push” approach that repeats, “Pull” approach that challenges and
Assessing the Learning
restates, or “drills” key concepts supports application
Environment
Traditional media: print, audio, video Multiple media: Web 2.0 collaboration
A farmer looking for a rich yield
transmissions and tools as well as traditional media
examines the environment
Random or poorly de ned De ned ownership at three levels: (weather patterns, temperatures,
ownership of sustainment activities organizational, management, and soil) before planning how to
individual nourish and sustain a new crop.
Follow-up to track achievement of Similarly, organizations should
Engagement to support, extend,
learning goals think about the environment for
expand application and impact
learning whenever they embark
on an initiative that requires
sustainment and reinforcement of the new knowledge
changing behaviors in the workforce. There’s a significant
and behaviors—is often neglected or overlooked. Failing
range of conditions in organizations that can impact
to sustain and reinforce desired behavior changes is like
choices about how to support/improve adoption and
neglecting to provide appropriate nourishment and support
mastery of new knowledge, skills, and tools.
to a food crop. The neglect results in a less-than-full
yield—a marginal return on the original investment. In

2. point of view
Case in Point: Transforming Sales Behaviors n Organization drives: The learning and development
organization invests in centrally driven reinforcement
One year into a significant change program to improve its sales force
effectiveness, a leading U.S. beverages company took stock of its activities and events.
situation. The initial phases of the initiative had included alignment n Leaders lead: The ownership and responsibility for
work, rollout of skills development workshops to all salespeople, and sustainment and reinforcement work lies primarily in the
the restructuring/revising of sales processes. The company was
committed to helping salespeople change their behaviors and deliver a
hands of managers of participants.
more consultative approach to working with customers. Sales leaders n Learners seek: Sustainment efforts are in the hands
knew they were facing a possible stall in the initiative, specifically the of the individual learners. They select what they will do
danger of “flavor of the day,” in which people pay attention to the
initiative in the early stages of rollout but then slip back to old habits
and how to sustain what they are learning.
and ways of working. To address this, the company executed a Once the primary and secondary owners have been
sustainment plan to support people in applying the new behaviors and
skill sets. The plan consisted of a variety of simple, hands-on activities identified, the appropriate sustainment activities can be
to reinforce and support salespeople as they applied new skills and chosen to fit with the ownership.
tools back on the job.
Choosing Sustainment Activities to Fit the
Six months into the sustainment phase, one tenured manager
described the impact and uplift as follows: “These sustainment Learning Environment and the Ownership
activities have helped us to move from obligation and ‘We have to Approach
do this’ to commitment and ‘I get it! This stuff does work!’” Change
happens over time, and people need support and sustainment activities Our experience and work with clients who take the
to help them change behaviors. A “sustain to attain” approach “sustain to attain” approach to performance improvement
improves the application of new knowledge and skills back on the job. reveal four categories for sustainment activities
(see Figure 3):
To better understand the conditions, Forum uses a Figure 3: Categories of Sustainment Activities
Learning Environment Assessment (LEA) to diagnose the
current actions to support learning on the job that are EXAMPLES:
Line of sight between actions and impact
Models of what “great” looks like
prevalent in an organization. This assessment identifies “I See It” Stories that illustrate how to get to “great”
what learning practices, processes, and tools currently Refreshers on knowledge, skills, behaviors, tools for great performers
exist in the workplace and then evaluates them at three
levels: organizational, work group, and individual. Rating of current effectiveness
ASSESSMENTS: Monitoring of improvements
Picking the Right Owners “I Need It” Identification of specific goals for ongoing improvement
Active reflection on cause-and-effect relationships
In the “spray and pray” world of performance
improvement initiatives, organizations fail to define who Deliberate practice as part of existing job
specifically they expect to drive the behavior change OPPORTUNITIES: Stretch assignments as part of existing job
Temporary assignments (inside or outside workplace)
and application of new skills and tools. It’s assumed “I Do It”
Coaching/teaching others
that everybody has a role, with the manager population
implicitly central in supporting individual learners back
on the job. As usual, in the case of “everybody” owning Recognition and acknowledgment that build confidence
SUPPORTS: Future-focused feedback that builds competence
it, “nobody” owns it. “I Live It” Discussions that challenge, inspire, and validate
Coaching that drives continuous improvement
In the “sustain to attain” approach, Forum uses the
learning environment assessment to define the primary-
and secondary-level ownership of sustainment activities.
These owners are selected from the following three levels n Examples (“I See It”): Activities in this group help
(see Figure 2): learners see and know what they should be applying
back on the job. These activities demonstrate and
Figure 2: Three Ownership Levels show people what successful application of the
behaviors looks like. They provide relevant and
Organization Drives Leaders Lead Learners Seek regular examples, in a structured way, over time, to
Centralized approach which Leaders/managers of Individuals nd opportunities help learners see clearly what it looks and feels like
creates a “push” out to users: participants model, coach, and support to sustain the
multiple elements centrally and support learning for their learning, based on their own to successfully master the new behaviors and tools.
executed employees initiative and network
n Assessments (“I Need It”): Assessment
Bene ts: Consistent, reliable, Bene ts: Active modeling and Bene ts: Fit to individual needs
aligned coaching
activities uncover gaps in performance and
Drawbacks: Variable
Drawbacks: Requires Drawbacks: Relies on interpretation—participants
opportunities for improvement. These activities
dedicated support resources expertise of managers and on may not prioritize their own allow the learner, line manager, coach, and
and investment; assumes managers’ prioritizing development
“message sent is message development of their people
organization to rate current performance and
received” then use the feedback to establish and/or update
improvement goals.
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3. point of view
n Opportunities (“I Do It”): Deliberate practice is at the The communication plan should define what the targeted
heart of behavior change. Opportunities for application message will be over time and identify the optimal method
of new skills and tools don’t have to amount to “10,000 or technology to drive communication (for example,
hours” but they do need to be more significant than a communities of practice, learning groups, coaching the
couple of notes in an action plan at the end of a formal coaches, e-mail communication, or the use of an internal
workshop or e-learning event. The nature of the work portal or intranet). The communication plan ensures that
determines to what extent deliberate practice needs there are deliberate “touches” to people a number of
to be in a safe or simulated environment or whether times so that the messages stick. It also creates clarity so
practice drills can be done on the job. everyone understands his or her role and what resources
n Supports (“I Live It”): Activities in this group include are available to support and reinforce learning.
significant catalysts for change. Affirmation and Where appropriate and realistic, Forum has assisted
encouragement are often underrated but have been clients in connecting learning initiatives to broader
shown to be highly significant in helping people to make Human Resources systems. These include performance
a change in behavior and move through any short-term management, talent assessment, reward and recognition,
performance dip on the way to lasting performance and talent development processes related to job
improvement. assignments and job rotations.
The four categories of sustainment activities can be Seeking Expert Help
defined more specifically by mapping them against the
On the surface, the idea of transforming learning events
three levels of ownership. The resulting matrix (Figure
into learning systems that include deliberate and broad
4) defines a menu of sustainment activities available.
sustainment plans may not seem too complicated.
Figure 4: Specific Sustainment Activities by Ownership Level
A variety of externally developed
Three Ownership Levels tools and processes can help
companies migrate from traditional
ORGANIZATION DRIVES LEADERS LEAD LEARNERS SEEK event-based learning to “sustain
to attain” approaches. Forum has
Refreshers Leader-Led Skills Clinics Job Aids/Tool Kits
EXAMPLES:
Reconnects/Results Stories Results Stories Reference Materials
developed a six-step process for
“I See It”
Expert Demonstrations Demonstrations Role Models building targeted sustainment plans
(Figure 5).
Sustainment Activity Categories
360° Behavior Surveys 180° Behavior Surveys Self-Assessments Using this process, we work
ASSESSMENTS:
“I Need It”
Impact/Application Survey Manager Observations Active Re ection with clients, typically in a 1-day
Business Case Coaching Conversations Requests for Feedback
workshop, to define their
sustainment plans. We work with
Action Learning
Temporary Assignments
Delegation Goals/Action Plans key sponsors and stakeholders to
OPPORTUNITIES:
“I Do It” Leading Learning
Stretch Assignments Deliberate Practice complete the learning environment
Team Projects Requests for Assignments
Assignments assessment, select ideas for
sustainment, and identify best-fit
SUPPORTS:
“Coach on Demand” OTJ Coaching Self- Coaching activities for the sustainment plan.
Communities of Practice After-Action Reviews Peer Support
“I Live It”
Recognition Awards Recognition Learning Network The outcome is an approach that
ensures that additional yields can be
obtained for the individual and for
the organization.
The activities that are in the primary
Figure 5: Developing a Targeted Sustainment Plan
ownership column should be the
focus of the sustainment plan.
Going the Distance:
Current Targeted Sustainment Plan:
Communication Planning and Program Activities and owners to reinforce and
Systems Integration Review Converge: maximize behavior changes
Diverge: Identify
While the sustainment activities Identify best t
strengthen application of new potential activities,
sustainment given program
behaviors and tools on the activities and learning
job, companies can also close Learning environment Strategic Changes:
the gap with a comprehensive Environment Systems updates to embed behavior
communication plan and a strategy Assessment changes
for linking performance/behavioral
expectations to other Human
Resources systems.
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4. point of view
The Execution Edge
While many L&D departments consider sustainment an
optional investment, it is important to understand that for
the individual learners, sustainment activities back on the
job are the real activators for change. They can close the
“knowing/doing” gap that exists between knowing the
value of skills and behaviors and doing something real to
apply these on the job.
Sustainment is the phase in which the learning translates
into new, improved behaviors and performance. Without
nurturing, kernels of knowledge and rough skills
won’t translate into insight and mastered behaviors.
Organizations need to put the focus on reinforcement
and sustainment activities that get behaviors to stick,
drive performance improvements, and yield individual and
organizational returns on learning investments.
Forum is a global professional services firm that mobilizes
people to embrace the critical strategies of their organization
and accelerate results. We help senior leaders with urgent
strategic agendas equip their organizations to perform, change,
and grow. Our expertise is built on decades of original
research; our business insight keeps companies out ahead of
their markets, competitors, and customers. Harvard Business
Press published Forum’s latest book Strategic Speed in 2010.
For more information, visit www.forum.com.
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