Building a ‘Results Logbook’: an alternative view of the footsteps we take out of learning.

We often build ‘activity plans‘ to take out of a piece of learning: it’s a way of capturing actions that we hope will drive us to change behaviours. Sometimes, with sufficient motivation and coaching, it works! But a different approach is to build a Results logbook. This isn’t a place to capture learning, it’s a place to capture outcomes.

The challenge with any learning experience is to define the footsteps that we take out it. What will we do differently tomorrow compared to what we have done today? When we get back to our desk, when everyday reality hits us again, when the inbox is full and the telephone is calling, how do you actually enact change? Whilst it’s true that a great deal of training comes to nowt, it’s not necessarily due to a lack of intention: it’s often because the first step of change is the hardest.

The point of a ‘results logbook’ is to capture quantitative evidence of change. It’s a hard measure of success and the basis for ongoing coaching conversations. Done right, achieved fully, it can form evidence for an annual review. It can also be a motivator to maintain momentum along the change journey. If you can see how many steps you’ve taken, no matter how small they are, then you are more likely to continue on that journey.

When push comes to shove, results are what counts: changes in skills, behaviours, attitude or knowledge, all of these should deliver changes in success. Our ability to quantify these changes is important, both from a personal development perspective, but also to quantify the return on investment from the training. A results focus is never a bad thing.

You can read more about the ‘footsteps’ part of the learning methodology here:

An e-learning methodology in 5 stages. Step 5: Footsteps (http://wp.me/p1gGpJ-6h)

Taking footsteps out of learning. What to do next? (http://wp.me/p1gGpJ-jR)