Here at LeanMail, we’ve seen that the key factor for productivity and successful email management it is not only to have the right tools and training but to be open to change. So it shouldn’t be a big surprise that Behavioral Change is a trending topic. The more tools we invent, the more we need to unlearn what has been learned. For example, take your inbox, it does not have to be the way it is. There are significant productivity and efficiency losses in the way you manage email. That is why we created LeanMail, and why we don’t bill it as a tool, but an end-to-end solution. Here are eight tips for behavioral change to boost productivity and training.
Productivity relies on an openness to change and adopt new and more efficient ways.
We have been training thousands of people for over ten years and we have found that there are eight important principles that must be understood and incorporated into any training requiring behavioral change:
How on earth do people learn then? 8 tips for behavioral change to boost productivity in training.
- No one buys into any training unless they are completely ready to accept a change to the status quo. That means;
- Acceptance of a new way of working is not so much a question of intelligence, logic or perseverance (current beliefs of many), but of acceptance by unconscious belief systems, habits and biases. Knowing that;
- If we want to affect change on a long-term basis — real change — then we must get a much deeper buy-in than what current training models permit. To do that;
- We must challenge the current beliefs of our trainees enough to uncover unconscious biases, resistance, and beliefs. Thereby exposing the true need for change and growth according to their own belief systems over a sustained period. Having said that;
- We have to be careful not to push or preach, but to attract or pull; and also, to celebrate each step of the journey. This requires us to recognize that;
- Each step of the training program must be carefully organized in such a way that each person feels safe and respected. (only then can they feel comfortable with introspection) While they challenge their own complacency or status quo at their own tempo, and at the same time;
- We must share with them explicit expectations and precise instructions in guiding them on their journey to developing new habits. That ultimately lead them to adopt the best practice, which they can trust in all situations. Finally, the eighth principle is that;
- Complacency is guaranteed to set in, and all previous gains will be lost. If, once the training is complete, management does not place higher demands on their employees. We achieve this through regular audits until the innovation is fully embedded in the culture of the organization. In other words, you don’t get what you don’t ask for. Continuous improvement doesn’t stop once a major improvement arrives.
These eight principles have provided us with many successful transformations, but they are not exclusive to training LeanMail. You can use them with many change management endeavors, and we hope you will share your experience with us so that we can learn from you.
