Elwood F. "Ed" Holton III, is CEO of Learning Transfer Solutions Global LLC and Jones S.

Davis Distinguished Professor of Human Resource, Leadership and Organization Development at Louisiana State University, USA. Dr. Holton has led efforts to create the Learning Transfer System Inventory and the Training Transfer Solution system over the last 15 years. With over 200 articles and 17 books, he is widely considered to be an international expert on human resource development and particularly learning transfer. Contact him at edholton@ltsglobal.com

Dr. Ed Holton is one of the premier experts in learning transfer. Great to work with and extremely professional. November 29, 2010 Robin Kistler, Director, LSU Executive Education, LSU Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute

Ed Holton is one of, if not the, foremost experts in the area of transfer of training and perhaps HRD in general. He has rather ingeniously used the fruits of his career-long research and experience and shaped it into the tools that companies can and should benefit from. Having personally worked with Ed on research projects in this area I can definitively say that his solutions are meticulously developed and designed and boast rigorous theoretical framework (not something you encounter frequently in HRD consulting). At the same time Eds tools and methods are designed for the realworld, demonstrating his exceptional ability to connect research and practice. Last but not least, he is a pleasure to work with, approachable, and down-to-earth and I have always walked away from a conversation with him feeling like Ive learned something new. November 21, 2010 Bogdan Yamkovenko, PhD Organizational Development and Research Coordinator, The Shaw Group

I regard Ed Holton as among the leading experts in the world on the subject of transfer of learning. Although he has written widely and is highly-regarded in the academic community, his unique gift is the ability to convert ideas to practice and make a real difference in the effectiveness of learning initiatives in organizations. November 19, 2010 Tim Baldwin, Eveleigh Professor of Business Leadership, Kelley School of Business

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a "rifle shot"--carefully targeted to precisely what trainees need...nothing more, nothing less.

Recently there was a discussion on LinkedIn asking whether needs assessment could be skipped. I couldn't believe this question was even asked! I am teaching a needs assessment course at LSU this fall and we had an interesting discussion about this. I'll admit my bias upfront--needs assessment is Training/HR engages in two types of activity--tactical and strategic. Tactical training/HR is the stuff we are all very familiar and comfortable with. For training departments, Learning Transfer Is Fundamental To Strategic Human Resource Development

ESSENTIAL to make transfer happen. As many know we have studied factors affecting transfer for the last 15 years. One finding that shows up in every study we do is that Content Validity is rated as weak...somewhere is the mid-range. And we have seen this in 25 countries around the world, in the private and public sector, and in all different types of training. This tells us that trainees are usually encountering training content that is not well targeted to what they need on the job. How can we expect to make transfer happen if we are not targeting our training to EXACTLY what trainees need? All we do is run up the cost--and down the ROI-when we skip needs assessment. And we all know that trainees hate it when they have to sit through a class that is not what they need.

Strategic training/HR is a higher level of practice. It is about being a strategic partner by providing your organization with people who have the expertise and competence to enable the organization to achieve its strategic goals. It requires understanding the organization's "business" and then making sure people can perform at the level required.
it is the daily task of designing and delivering training. For HR, it is the nuts and bolts of hiring employees, benefits management, avoiding legal issues, etc. Strategic training/HR is a higher level of practice. It is about being a strategic partner by providing your

Training is "dead on arrival" as far as transfer is concerned if we don't have high Content Validity. And they ONLY way to get the content right is through good needs assessment. I say its not optional. In fact, I think it is professional malpractice to NOT do it. We owe it to our trainees, our organizations, and to ourselves to deliver training that is

organization with people who have the expertise and competence to enable the organization to achieve its strategic goals. It requires understanding the

organization's "business" and then making sure people can perform at the level required.

What many training organizations miss is that learning transfer is fundamental to delivering on the strategic promise to the organization. For most organizations, the lack of learning transfer is the weak link in the chain from learning to achieving strategic goals. Think about it. If your organization must have employees at a certain level of performance to achieve its goals, and learning is required to get them to that level of performance, then by definition learning must transfer to job performance! You don't have to do a lot of sophisticated analysis to tell whether your learning transfer system is working. Tactical training/HR organizations can treat learning transfer as optional because their own performance metrics tend to be activity-based (# of classes you have to do is ask yourself this one basic question: When you try to get more learning resources, how does the organization react? All This One Question Will Tell Whether Your Learning Transfer System is Working.

conducted, people trained, etc.). Strategic training/HR organizations KNOW that learning transfer is not optional because their performance metrics are resultsbased--that is, the extent to which employees can perform at the desired levels. Here's your homework--ask yourself (honestly) is your training/HR organization tactical, or strategic? And if you want to be strategic, isn't it time you started working on learning transfer?

If you aren't getting the resources for learning that you want, then improve your learning transfer to increase the return on investment. And, if your organization is treating you as a cost center, then start delivering real performance change and their attitude will change.

You see, organizations spend money on initiatives they believe will either help them achieve their goals better, or help them save money. So, if your answer is that your organization typically resists giving you more resources, then most likely your

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learning transfer is poor. In this case, the organization considers learning as a cost---and all costs should be minimized in an organization.

On the other hand, if your organization typically will give you more resources once you provide a reasonable justification, the most likely your learning transfer is good. In this case, your organization considers learning to be an investment---and all investments must produce a return. So if the organization is willing to give you Over the last few weeks I have read a variety of articles about accountability for learning outcomes that really started me thinking deeply It's really not much more complicated than this. No Accountability For Learning Results Is Everywhere-But Still Resisted

resources, then they trust that you can produce an adequate return on the investment in learning.

organizational decision maker will ignore worthy

investments, at least not for long. The message here is this--if you aren't getting the

resources for learning that you want, then improve your learning transfer to increase the return on investment.

The paradox is that most people within the learning enterprise fight against accountability systems as hard as they can. The message is usually some form of "learning can't be measured and evaluated" or some other lofty principle that essentially says "we shouldn't have to be accountable."

about the subject. I have a few thoughts I want to

share. First, was an article that hit close to home about creating

universities

scorecards to measure the return on investment for a professor's salary. With

most states under severe budget question pressure, being asked the is

And, if your organization is treating you as a cost center, then start delivering real performance change and their attitude will change.

"what are we getting for the money we pay professors." Different universities are trying different systems but they are all trying to answer that question. Second, I continue to see article after article about accountability for the U.S. K-12 school systems. Thanks to federal laws and regulations, most states have some type of standard exams students must take to be promoted and to graduate. In my state (Louisiana) they are developing a system to track test performance to the teacher level and ultimately to the educational institution where the teachers are educated.

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And of course there is the organizational training world where return on investment has been the mantra of many consultants for several decades. Yet, our surveys show that we have made little progress in getting the profession to embrace any type of evaluation beyond testing. Doesn't anybody see the big picture here? The bottom line (IMHO) is that society is telling us that the "learning enterprise"--no matter what level or form it takes--MUST be accountable for producing results that matter. The paradox is that most people within the learning enterprise fight against accountability systems as hard as they can. The message is usually some form of Sometimes It Seems Like We Never Learn This semester I am teaching a course in Needs Assessment and today I listened to students present the results of their field projects. I want to share the results of one of them with you. Here's the situation: Company X installs new computer Folks, I think that train has left the station. The question is no longer IF the learning enterprise will be held accountable, just how long before it happens. Learning is no longer regarded as so sacred in our society or our organizations to escape being held accountable. So you have a choice to make. You can get on board the train and help shape the accountability systems to be the best they can be--even if imperfect. Or, you can resist it like the K-12 systems did and have it imposed upon you like a freight train running you over. Because the training was given well in advance software which affects a lot of employees. A training course is designed and all employees attend the same course given well in advance of the new software becoming live. Unfortunately, the employees aren't

"learning can't be measured and evaluated" or some other lofty principle that essentially says "we shouldn't have to be accountable."

using the software like they should. So my students go off to find out why and propose solutions. The findings:

of them having to use the software, they didn't have the opportunity to practice it so they forgot a lot of the I suggest that you be a leader and make accountability work for your learning initiatives. Its a whole lot more fun to be the engine of the train than the caboose!! Each employee only uses a specific part of the training

system but had to sit through training on everything....so they were overwhelmed No post-training job aids were provided to help

employees use the system

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You Won't Reach Yours As A Learning Specialist Without Learning Transfer Our prescriptions for training future new employees:

job

Through all my writings and speaking engagements I Break the training into short modules Determine which modules are needed for each have made the case for learning transfer in a variety of ways. There is the economic argument, the

organizational argument, the obligation to our learners argument....and more. Only train employees in what they need (at first) Provide an opportunity to use the system I just love helping people achieve their full potential. I What I haven't said enough

about lately is that WE OWE IT TO OURSELVES!

immediately after training Provide quick reference job aids to help love seeing my students grow and realize they are capable of more than they thought they were. I love

employees learn faster Sounds pretty simple right? But how many times have you seen this initial approach repeated. I know I have seen it MANY times. The reality is the initial approach was more for the convenience of the trainers than the employees! So why do we keep making the same mistakes, over and over? Sure its a little extra work but in this instance the software was essential to the company's

seeing the excitement when people reach new levels of satisfaction in their lives and careers.

business....so isn't it worth a little extra effort? We should know better. No best practice or expert

would advocate a "one size fits all training without immediate practice" but it is done every day in the real world. I say its time that we stop this silliness and get serious about creating training that really works--for the employees and the organization!

My message is this: Don't sell yourself short by ignoring learning transfer. It is through transfer into action that your teaching makes an impact. Don't settle for less. Push yourself and your organizations to expect more so you are living up to your full potential as a learning specialist or trainer. You owe it to yourself.

I sincerely believe that most learning specialists and trainers are giving up too much of their potential by not working on learning transfer. Sure it feels good when people learn, but it feels even better when people take what you help them learn and use it to make an impact.

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So many people in our profession are missing out on the wonderful satisfaction from seeing their learning make a difference.

A large part of my passion for improving learning transfer comes from wanting trainers to want more for

themselves. I believe we should reach higher and want our learning to make a bigger impact in our

organizations. I am still searching for just the right way to open everyone's eyes to the enormous power we hold in our hands. Learning is so powerful when it is put to use and makes such a huge difference in organizations so it pains me when I see human resource departments that aren't using learning to make a difference.

My message is this: Don't sell yourself short by ignoring learning transfer. It is through transfer into action that your teaching makes an impact. Don't settle for less. Push yourself and your organizations to expect more so you are living up to your full potential as a learning specialist or trainer. You owe it to yourself.

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When we talked to the client company, the HR Director immediately identified the problem. Several of the senior management team did not support the training because it was a different management style than they used. This opposition "trickled down" through the organization so that trainees really couldn't use their new skills.

How Senior Leaders Shape Your Transfer System Am working with a client right now that offers some very useful lessons for everyone. training In this situation, an outside consultant is teaching

managerial skills to mostly first-line managers. Most of their direct

Several of the senior management team did not support the training because it was a different management style than they used. This opposition "trickled down" through the organization so that trainees really couldn't use their new skills.
system. effect

This case illustrates the powerful effect senior leaders have on the transfer

supervisors--the middle layer of management--have been through the training and are the ones sending their direct reports to training. Sounds like a good situation for transfer, right? their actions--and inactions--have

Leaders often underestimate the symbolic on their

followers.

People in organizations watch senior management closely to

Wrong! Learning

We used our Transfer

System Inventory (LTSI) to investigate whether there are any barriers to transfer. Much to our

surprise we learned that supervisors were

OPPOSING use of the skills learned in this

training. It didn't make sense because these

We used our Learning Transfer System Inventory (LTSI) to investigate whether there are any barriers to transfer. Much to our surprise we learned that supervisors were OPPOSING use of the skills learned in this training. It didn't make sense because these were the same people who sent the trainee to the class!

identify what they care about, and what they don't care about.

The lesson is that senior leadership is a powerful leverage point for change. Changing a transfer

system needs a senior leadership champion. If

the senior leadership is a barrier (as in this case)

were the same people who sent the trainee to the class!

then efforts to drive change from the bottom up will be a long, frustrating up-hill climb. But if senior leadership

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embraces learning transfer, promotes it, and holds the organization accountable for it, then change can happen quickly. I have heard this excuse for 25 years from human

One key is that you have to measure transfer because, as the old saying goes, "everything that's important in organizations gets measured." If you don't measure

transfer, how will you ever convince employees that the organization really cares about transfer?

So think about this: Who will be the senior "transfer champion" in your organization? Show him/her the

potential ROI improvement that's possible. Then, start leveraging his/her influence today to make learning transfer happen.

Debunking HR's Favorite Excuse I wish I had money for every time I have heard someone in HR say "....but we don't control those things in the organization" as a reason for not implementing a best practice such as learning transfer. For some crazy

We know that strong learning transfer and high ROI only happens when training is a process, not an event. That is, the learning transfer process starts well before the training event with things such as good needs assessment, strong behavioral (performance) objectives, and supervisory engagement prior to training. The process continues after training with good follow-up, effective coaching and mentoring, and supports and resources to enable participants to use the training. Overarching all of this should be a measurement system that gets beyond level 1 happy sheets to actually measure the extent to which participants use learning on the job.
resource professionals. Granted, professionals in staff support roles (like HR) have less direct control over employees than those in operating roles. But, here are the facts:

reason much of the HR profession has this illusion (delusion) that others in an organization have control over all the factors that lead to their success.

I am here to tell you that it simply isn't true. NOBODY in an organization has control over all the factors that affect their success. Success in organizations is really about developing the ability to INFLUENCE others to get things done.

this is true for ALL support organizations like technology, accounting, marketing,

information

engineering, etc. even people in direct operational roles have to

use influence to be successful.

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I think it's time to stop our

collective pity party and step

For some crazy reason much of the HR profession has this illusion (delusion) that others in an organization have control over all the factors that lead to their success.

that gets beyond level 1 happy sheets to actually measure the

extent to which participants use learning on the job. When training is just in the event,

up to the plate. If you really want to be successful

none of this happens. And when none of this happens, estimates are that only 10 to 30% of that learning gets used on the job. Is that really a surprise?

Give up on the delusion of control Expand your sphere of INFLUENCE Learn how to INFLUENCE others

Start with the end in mind, and the end goal is PERFORMANCE, not learning. That is, if you focus first on the performance or behavior change you are trying to create rather than on learning content your training will immediately become more powerful, will

Interestingly, once you do this you will find that your power grows and you can really get things done.

Are You Stuck In The "Event Running" Mode? For too many years training has been considered just an event. Training organizations focused on running events, and the participants and supervisors in the organization considered training just an event. So, what's wrong with that? We know that strong learning transfer and high ROI only happens when training is a process, not an event. That is, the learning transfer process starts well before the training event with things such as good needs assessment, strong behavioral (performance) objectives, and supervisory engagement prior to training. The process continues after training with good follow-up, effective coaching and mentoring, and supports and resources to enable participants to use the training. Overarching all of this should be a measurement system

fundamentally alter everything including your instructional design, your instructional methods, and how you engage the whole organization in making the training effective. You will find that all your conversations about training development and delivery will fundamentally change for the better.

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If we in training are ever to solve the learning transfer problem, we have to break the event mindset and start thinking about the entire learning AND performance process. We have to get our participants to to stop thinking of training is an event, and get their supervisors to stop doing the same. As long as we continue with the event mindset, learning transfer will continue to be abysmal. Can your organization really afford for training to continue to be an event? I doubt it. So do a self-check right now are you running learning events or a learning & performance process? If you and your organizations still have an event mindset then make a New Year's resolution to change.

training

effective.

You

will

find

that

all

your

conversations about training development and delivery will fundamentally change for the better.

If you take performance change seriously, there is no way you can continue to use traditional learning oriented training development and delivery methods alone. By focusing on the end goal of performance

change you will immediately begin to consider learning transfer and how to increase behavior change. It sounds like a simple change but, in fact, it is a powerful paradigm shift in everything you do in training. So change the way you think and you will change the results that you get.

A reader asked me a very interesting question yesterday. He asked, "what would be your one best piece of advice to trainers". It was interesting because he was asking me to boil all of my thoughts down to one piece of advice.

So here it is: Start with the end in mind, and the end goal is PERFORMANCE, not learning. That is, if you focus first on the performance or behavior change you are trying to create rather than on learning content your training will immediately become more powerful.

We know that starting with the end goal of performance change will fundamentally alter everything including your instructional design, your instructional methods, and how you engage the whole organization in making the

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