Transfer Wisdom from the 1980s

Over the last 25+ years I have accumulated an extensive database of training related articles, reports, research papers, theses, videos, white papers, and more. The majority of these pertain to training best practice and effectiveness, with a particular focus on factors influencing application of learning in the workplace. Last time I checked there were in excess of 4,200 items in my database that relate specifically to transfer of training/learning.

While digging around the database for a recent research project it struck me that many groundbreaking articles on training/learning transfer were published in the 1980s. Also that the pearls of wisdom contained in those articles are largely still relevant and helpful today. I wouldn't be surprised, however, if many (possibly most) newcomers to L&D are unaware of this wealth of knowledge.

I thought it would be a good idea to highlight this wisdom, so I selected one article from each year of the decade. It turned out to be a sizable task since many good articles were published in each year. I have provided the following from each article:

• an extract that relates to a key point, and
• a meaningful quote (at least from my perspective).

If you are familiar with my Ready-Set-Go-Show Model and the associated 'predictable performance design' methodology, you will recognise that all of the key points below are accommodated by the model.

1980

Solving the Transfer of Training Problems

by Melissa S. Leifer and John W. Newstrom

Many current training programs are not optimally effective because their designers and presenters fail to consider adequately the need to facilitate transfer of training to the work environment. In other words, a "good" program -- one that produces change within the training context itself -- is still inadequate if it fails to induce significant new behavior on the job. To use a medical analogy, "the operation was a success, but the patient died."

The trainer's impact must extend beyond the classroom; it must be integrated with actual on-the-job conditions. We cannot afford to ignore the work climate in the design of our training efforts.

1981

The Neglected Half of Training

by Donald F. Michalak

If a manager does not intend to invest time, energy and money in a program designed to maintain the skills and knowledge gained by employees at a given training program, he/she ought not invest time, energy, or money in training in the first place. While this may appear to be harsh, the conclusions of this study strongly suggest that unless participants have some evidence that their manager is interested in and concerned about their using the acquired skills on the job, there may be a decrease in the use of those skills, perhaps to a point which is worse than the original situation which evoked the need for the training.

Anything done by the manager which is perceived as an indication that "the boss is interested in this training program," or that "he/she is serious about our doing these things," will serve to maintain behavior.

1982

The Vexing Question of Transfer of Training

by Peter Berry

The main maxim of any good training programme states very clearly that the real measure of success is not the amount of learning that takes place in the classroom, but the extent to which trainees continue to use their new skills on the job. What can you, as a trainer, do to ensure that the skills you teach will be transferred to the job? Fortunately, a great deal. In recent years, specific methods for increasing the amount of skill transfer have been identified. Because all these methods are within the direct control of the trainer or the line manager, you can use them in conjunction with your training programmes to increase skill transfer.

Those who design workshops should assume that their trainees will return to a work situation in which few will understand what they are trying to do, fewer will care and some will feel threatened.??

1983

How Educators and Trainers Can Ensure On-the Job Performance

by Stanley M Grabowski

Once a student or a trainee leaves the learning environment, numerous factors militate against transfer and application of what has been learned. Habits are among the strongest blocks to the integration of new learning. The line of least resistance is to go back to old, comfortable ways of doing things, ways that require almost no conscious thought, because they are so much a part of us. Time is another factor of behavioral change: It simply takes a long time for an individual to integrate new learning. Many learning programs are so filled with topics that there is hardly enough time to cover them all, and even less time for the gestation process so crucial both to learning and to appropriating learning.

Teachers and trainers must arrange learning experiences that will facilitate the transfer of learning, as well as its application to new situations.

1984

Why Training Fails

by Dean R. Spitzer

An idealistic, but naive assumption appears to dominate the training scene. It is: “Given practical, interesting, and otherwise useful information, employees have the capability and motivation to devote themselves to finding appropriate applications for this information and use it conscientiously to improve the quality of their work performance.” It would make things very easy if this assumption were true. Unfortunately, in the real world, we cannot assume that trainees will be able to apply new skills on the job without some support and assistance. Almost all training requires follow-up to motivate and assist trainees to use what they learn in their jobs.

It is critical that training professionals begin to see their role as a continuing one. A training course is only the start of the performance?improvement process.

1985

They May Love It But Will They Use It

by Arty Trost

Training people in new behaviors -- especially leadership, communication and other people-oriented skills -- is too often an effort in futility. Even when there is active participation during the training and real eagerness to try out new skills, many trainees find it difficult if not impossible to transfer these skills to the work environment. It takes time to develop new skills to a state of competency. During that time new behaviors often feel awkward and uncomfortable. Without active support and encouragement it is easy to slip back into old, familiar patterns before the new skills become established habits.

A training design that incorporates skill practice takes more time than one which depends on lecture and discussion but is critical if people are to use those skills on the job.

1986

Leveraging Management Development through the Management of Transfer

by John W. Newstrom

An open-ended survey of 84 Human Resource Development professionals was conducted, in which they were asked to report the most important impediment to training's transfer... A set of nine frequently-mentioned factors was derived and presented to a group of 36 trainers. They were asked to rank the barriers according to their perceptions of the relative influence of each in inhibiting the transfer process. The results of their ranking shows that the most powerful forces against transfer (in the eyes of the trainers) are:

1. lack of on-the-job reinforcement,
2. interference from the immediate environment, and
3. a non-supportive organisational climate.

Knowledge of the typical barriers to transfer is useful, in that they can potentially be removed, diminished, converted to positive forces, or countered by balancing forces.?

1987

Why Management Training Fails

by Dr Louis J. Fick

Blum & Naylor (1968) says “Learning is consolidated through practice. New managerial skills are fragile flowers. Acquired in the hothouse of a management training session they can soon wither when exposed to the winds of commercial reality.’’ As is clear from the training cycle, the proper planning for, and application of, the transfer function, is considered such an important prerequisite for training success, that it is regarded as an integral part of the learning process. The lack of opportunity to practise new skills back on the job represents a real threat to ensuring the success of managerial development. Irrespective of how effective the entire training cycle is, if this final stage is not also efficiently executed, the training action fails.

In any good managerial training programme the immediate superior represents the extension of the training process into the workplace, functioning as the most powerful developing agent.

1988

Why Soft-Skill Training Doesn't Take

by James C. Georges

Why are we so much less effective at teaching "people skills" than we are at teaching technical skills? Perhaps it's largely because we don't really do any skills training in "soft" subjects. We just call it skills training. What we actually deliver is knowledge training; we pass along information about a particular behavior. Knowing about how something is done is not a skill. Being able to describe the steps involved in completing a task is not a skill. The ability to perform those steps in a clumsy, disjointed way is not a skill. It's not what you do but how well you do it that determines whether you are skilled. You only have a skill when you are able to do something skillfully.

In truth the No. 1 reason for transfer failure is that most of the “soft?programs we run don’t give trainees any genuine skills that they can transfer to the workplace.?

1989

Putting Training to Work

by Clifton P. Campbell and Gerald D. Cheek

Training is not an end in itself. It is successful only when the trainees can and do perform better on the job as a result of their training experience. Towards this end, results-oriented training programmes not only assure that trainees can perform but also facilitate, to the extent possible, the implementation of acquired behaviour. Follow-up activities are therefore a necessary part of training. They act as a catalyst in helping trainees to apply the knowledge and skills acquired?

Training programmes are expensive. If they do not result in improved job performance, then training is too expensive for any employer.?

A Fundamental Issue

In the 1980s, "program," "course" and "training" were generally used to refer to training events (which occur in what I call the SET Phase). In addition, "transfer of training," "post-training" and "follow-up on training" indicated that training is limited to these events. This terminology is still widely used today and continues to adversely shape expectations and perceptions of training.

That is why, when I developed the Ready-Set-Go-Show Model, I defined training programs as 'learning journeys' that comprises all four phases. To be effective, it is of fundamental importance that training design (or 'learning experience design' if you prefer) addresses on-the-job application of learning and the real-world practice that is essential to achieving desired on-the-job performance.

REFERENCES

1. Melissa S. Leifer and John W. Newstrom. Solving the Transfer of Training Problems. Training and Development Journal, August 1980.
2. Donald F. Michalak. The Neglected Half of Training. Training and Development Journal, May 1981, pp. 22-28.
3. Peter Berry. The Vexing Question of Transfer of Training. People & Profits, February 1982, pp. 18-20.
4. Stanley M Grabowski. How Educators and Trainers Can Ensure on-the Job Performance. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, June 1983, Issue 18 pp. 5-10.
5. Dean R. Spitzer. Why Training Fails. Performance & Instruction Journal, September 1984, pp. 6-10.
6. Arty Trost. They May Love It But Will They Use It? Training and Development Journal, January 1985, pp. 78-81.
7. John W. Newstrom. Leveraging Management Development through the Management of Transfer. Journal of Management Development, 1986, Volume 5, Number 5, pp. 33-45.
8. Dr Louis J. Fick. Why Management Training Fails. IPM Journal, October 1987, pp. 21+24.
9. Milton L. Blum and James C. Naylor. Industrial Psychology: It's Theoretical and Social Foundations. New York: Harper and Row, 1968, pp. 244.
10. James C. Georges. Why Soft Skills Training Doesn't Take. Training, April 1988, pp. 42-47.
11. Clifton P. Campbell and Gerald D. Cheek. Putting Training to Work. Journal of European Industrial Training, 1989, Volume 13, Number 4, pp. 32-36.

AUTHOR

Over the last 20+ years I have successfully delivered many professional development programs for learning specialists. I believe training will remain an important part of L&D, but should never be the default solution and must deliver meaningful benefits in the workplace.

I have created blended programs on 'Maximising Learner Engagement' and 'Maximising Learning Transfer'. These blended programs incorporate extensive research and the methods I personally use to design and deliver training that is engaging and effective. Both programs are implemented in four phases according to my Ready-Set-Go-Show Model and include a combination of virtual workshops and self-paced learning.

If you would like more info, please email me at [email protected].