In the realm of organizational change, practice is the key to progress, making change an active endeavor. Colin Sloman suggests that true learning involves more than just acquiring knowledge—it requires understanding, reflecting, and practicing to create lasting change.
In my December blog post on the evolution of HR, I explained how HR practices, like all business programs, need to be tested and validated. Evidence-based decision-making is central to our approach at Cognician. Our behavior change strategies are grounded in three decades of behavioral science research and are continually validated through client engagements. The core belief is that information alone doesn't drive behavioral change. Lasting change in teams and organizations needs a strategy focused on action, reinforced by reflection, and supported by data.
Martin Luther once advised, "If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write." Business and consulting are filled with this approach. Despite the abundance of content like PowerPoint slides and manuals, it's crucial to distinguish between knowing and understanding. A compelling video by American engineer Destin Sandlin illustrates this through his attempt to ride a backward-steering bicycle. Everyone believed they could ride it because they knew how to ride a regular bike, but knowledge didn't translate into actual skill without extensive practice. Destin required months to master it, while his young son adapted faster. This underscores the concept of learning by doing. As Confucius wisely noted, "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." This suggests that change is indeed an activity-driven process.
Although learning by doing is a straightforward concept, implementing it is complex and varies for each individual. To truly grasp new methods, practice is crucial. Reading slides or manuals doesn't suffice—you need feedback from peers, the environment, and, most importantly, self-reflection. This feedback-driven learning is central to Cognician's change activation strategy.
Regardless of your change focus—be it culture and leadership, technology adoption, skills development, business models, or new products—our quests and challenges provide actionable and thought-provoking activities. They drive behavior change through action, commitment, reflection, and social interaction. These data-driven digital experiences empower teams to achieve measurable change efficiently, even across dispersed locations. Importantly, these experiences are tailored to accommodate various learning styles, ensuring personalized engagement.
At Cognician, we embrace continuous learning through experimentation, developing robust business cases to support our initiatives. We conduct A/B (and C) testing to identify the most effective strategies with our clients. For instance, we might create a Cognician Quest with different branches, using our Activation and Commitment indices to evaluate outcomes. We devise experiments comparing the Cognician platform with traditional methods like workshops or eLearning and analyze the results. Additionally, we explore hybrid approaches combining both methods.
In the 1970s, David Kolb and Ron Fry introduced the "Experiential Learning Model," positing that learning involves four stages:
Kolb and Fry viewed learning as an interconnected process, with each stage interdependent on the others. They believed effective learning occurs only when a learner completes the entire cycle. Learning is active, with learners controlling their goals, decision-making, and motives— not merely participating in courses or reading books. This emphasizes the necessity of active experimentation—learning by doing—which makes change an engaging process. If you're unconvinced, there's a bike waiting for you!
For further information, visit info.cognician.com to see how we can support your change initiatives.
Kolb. D. A. and Fry, R. (1975) Toward an applied theory of experiential learning. in C. Cooper (ed.), Theories of Group Process, London: John Wiley.