You Can Be an Influencer – Part V: How to Teach New Skills for Transformation
In previous articles we have talked about how to motivate change externally and internally. However, to bring about change to a point of transformation, people need to be shown specific behaviors on how to change.
One of the greatest assets that organizations have is their human capital. Developing their people is truly an investment in their organization. When we think of developing others we automatically go to past models of learning. However, only 15% of what causes people to change comes from knowledge and skills. The other 85% comes from attitude or what I call “want to.”
Our previous articles have focused on this all important area of attitude. However, knowledge and skills cannot be left totally out of the equation. But the traditional form of lecture also is not the most effective way to bring about behavior change. So how do we effectively teach people new skills?
Specific Practice
For my daughter’s birthday, she requested a new pet. My husband and I decided that she could have this pet, because it would be a great opportunity to learn responsibility. So after 2 weeks of having the new pet, my daughter was given the chore of cleaning the cage. At the end of the day, I checked in and saw a clean cage. I personally rejoiced at what a great opportunity we gave for our daughter to learn! However, later on I noticed that the toilet was clogged. Well, I soon learned that in my daughter’s mind, if there is waste (including the bedding) it should all go in the toilet.
I must admit that my joy in a task completed soon turned to frustration. However, it ultimately was not my daughter’s fault. Why? Because I failed to provide the proper skill practice for her to know how to clean the cage.
We often see this happen in organizations, where we promote someone to a new position or delegate a task, but then don’t give the proper skill practice to help the person succeed. We typically see this with promotions in leadership. A person has proven to be an excellent employee in their technical area, so we promote them. However, the higher the leadership or management position is in the organizational chart, the less technical skill is required. Instead, people skills become the critical point for success in that position.
Part of leadership requires the completion of a mission through a team of people completing tasks that are in alignment with that mission. If a person tries to complete a mission all by themselves, their impact is severely limited. With delegating, it does not mean that the person has to do the task in the exact same manner as you. I like to use the 80/20 rule. Depending on the task, if they can do it 80% as well, then delegate it. And you may be surprised to find they actually can do it at 110% as well.
However, to get someone up to 80% or higher, you also have to play fair. You need to provide the skill training to get them there. Also, learning how to get work done through others is a skill to be learned. Make sure that you provide not just training, but coaching of specific skills, often soft skills, that can help your people succeed, which is a win-win for all of you.
The book, Influencer, says, “many of the profound and persistent problems we face stem more from a lack of skill (which in turn stem from a lack of deliberate practice) than from a genetic curse, a lack of courage, or a character flaw. … Learn how to practice the right actions, and you can master everything from withstanding the temptations of chocolate to holding an awkward discussion with your boss.”
Specific Goals
People also benefit from skills in setting goals. Goal setting is foundational for success. However, in school we are taught how to read, write and do math, but then are never taught the basic skills of goal setting. We think we are just to pick it up by osmosis. But, it also sub comes to that basic law that practice makes perfect.
With clients I often see this happen. For example, you have a person with wonderful talents, potential and even education but they are at a loss with getting to the results they want. Their schedules are full. They are working hard and even feel exhausted, but never get to the outcomes they want. However, just doing activities is not the answer. We need to work smarter, not harder.
When first teaching people goal setting, I like to use a popular acronym S-M-A-R-T. You need to coach people how to set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistically high with a Target date.
Whenever we try something new, it can be an unknown, which brings up fear. And this can also be true for people just starting out with learning to set goals. Dr. Bandura, an expert psychologist, points out “that to encourage people to attempt something they fear, you must provide rapid positive feedback that builds self-confidence. You achieve this by providing short-term, specific, easy and low-stakes goals that specify the exact steps a person should take. Take complex tasks and make them simple; long tasks and make them short; vague tasks and make them specific; and high-stakes tasks and make them risk-free.”
I have a client who, when looking at his future, only saw clutter. He is extremely smart with the education to back him up and a life full of activities, but was miserable and not getting the results he wanted. As he has embarked in just the beginning of the coaching process, new goals are being set, some are already being achieved, and confidence is building with excitement about the future.
Proper Attitudes
Another important point to remember with developing new skills is that failure is a part of the process. When learning something new, most of the time you do not do it perfectly the first time. When a child learns to walk, they fall down a lot in the process. However, they don’t give up after the first fall. They don’t even “label” it as failure. They just get up and try again.
As stated in the book, Influencer, “When faced with a setback, we need to learn to say, ‘Aha! I just discovered what doesn’t work,’ and not, ’Oh no! Once again I’m an utter failure.”
Influencer also goes on to say, “Initially, failure signals the need for greater effort or persistence. Sometimes failure signals the need to change strategies or tactics. But failure should rarely signal that we’ll never be able to succeed and drive us to serenity.” For example, you have been working hard to change your lifestyle to lose weight. One day, you catch yourself eating the last bite of an ice cream cone. Now you have a choice on how you process this. Should you label yourself a failure and just give up on your eating plan? Or, do you change the route you take home so don’t go past ice cream parlor?
When it comes to our attitudes, we always have a choice. These choices are not always easy. Usually the easy choice is what is comfortable, our habit, which is what we are trying to change to get to the result we want. Those who succeed persist. What are you doing to persist today?
Please feel free to share your ideas on the Imajine Unlimited Facebook page or email me.