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What Makes Training Work

Many training programs that teach 'soft' skills use technical methodology. This approach teaches leadership skills, like empathy, by explaining the concepts logically. However, psychological research shows that this approach fails to truly impact participants.

Emotional competence uses the part of the brain associated with feelings, impulses and drives. EI training needs to be taught where participants use this part of the brain, called the limbic system, rather than the part of the brain responsible for analysis and logic, called the neocortex.

Changing workplace behaviour means breaking habits. This takes time and dedication. Every behaviour produces a neural firing pattern in our brain. If we continue to exhibit the same behaviour over, the neurons become familiar with the pattern, and begin firing automatically. So, to break a habit we need to set up a competing neural pattern by consciously ignoring the existing one and creating a new stronger alternative.

PivotPlus' Emotional Intelligence training programs focus on using the limbic system, helping participants to break habits and replace them with emotional competence. Research shows that the best way to do this is through motivation, practice and feedback. This means there is more to EI training than the attending a one-off workshop.

Getting the most from training

There are three stages in training: before, during and after the workshop. Key influencers in the training outcome are the participant, the trainer and the manager. Research has found that each of the individuals has a powerful impact based on their behaviour and actions at different stages of the training process.

How important are these three players in each stage of the training? Test your knowledge using the matrix below.

To see how your perception matches the research, use the following table to order the combinations from the most to least powerful impact where 1 means most impact and 9 means least impact.

Click here to better understand the research.

PivotPlus Pty Limited.   Phone: +61 2 9802 1622,   Fax: +61 2 9802 3622