http://www.flaticon.comEvery person has unique habits. Therefore, it is impossible to provide a simple formula for change. A formula that changes all habits, for all people, in all situations. The discovery of such a formula would be a sensation! Trainers and coaches would only use this formula. If you are on the trail of this formula, then write to us. ;) We are curious! We believe that long-term online support is an important component of the formula. Habits cannot be changed overnight.
Changing a habit in communication behavior (e.g. speaking softly) and supporting someone to speak loudly and clearly poses different requirements than, for example, the habit of exercising more, stopping snacking, or changing routines in work processes. In these cases, it typically does not fail due to a lack of knowledge. Of course, the trainer must inform and support the development of knowledge. Additionally, the challenge for the trainer is to support participants in the transition process from knowledge to action. This involves motivating, helping to formulate goals and plans, and offering support when participants struggle to implement the plans.
What is actually a habit?
The short answer: A behavioral routine. Habits arise through the repetition of certain behaviors in specific situations. During the first iterations, active mental control is needed. With increasing repetitions, the processes are executed without mental processing.
Habits consist primarily of a sequence of three components:
The cue, the behavioral routine, and the reward.
For example, the habit: “After lunch, I have a cup of coffee.”. After lunch (cue: “It’s after 2 PM”), one gets up from the desk and walks to the break room. Take a cup from the cupboard. Place it under the machine. Press the button. The person does not think much about this behavioral routine. The reward in this case is likely the stimulation from the caffeine in the coffee. What do you think happens when suddenly a new coffee machine is in the break room? The person must first figure out how the new machine works. The mental processing shifts from “passive habit mode” to active mode.
Here’s another example with the manager “Bernd” regarding feedback: Bernd has the habit of giving his feedback in the team meeting on Monday morning in front of the assembled team. This may be an additional reward for the recipient when giving praise. Of course, not everything always goes well, and when Bernd is upset, he also gives criticism. The reward for Bernd in this case is that he can vent his anger. Bernd notices that he does not always succeed in formulating his criticism as feedback. He knows that no one wants to be treated poorly. In a seminar on feedback, he wants to improve his ability to give feedback. How can we support Bernd in changing this behavior? The seminar clarifies which communication rules should be considered when giving feedback and why these rules are sensible (e.g. protecting self-esteem). Bernd practices these new formulations in various role plays and has his first success experiences. Bernd wants to apply these rules more frequently in the team meetings. A week after the seminar, Bernd still thinks about the seminar's contents when preparing for the team meeting. Two weeks after the seminar, there is a lot going on on Monday. There is less time for preparing the feedback. Bernd can’t really remember. Since he doesn’t know where he can quickly get the information, he falls back into his old habits.
How you can support your participants in changing habits
Strategies for changing habits fall into two categories:
The first category describes measures to restrict unwanted habits. The goal in this case is to abstain (inhibition) through self-control. This means consciously giving the instruction: “Don’t do that!” Conditional plans (LINK to article) can also be used in this context: “If I order my meal in the cafeteria, then I will skip dessert and order an apple.”. Changing the situation or environment can have significant impacts on habits, as the cues change. Cues can also be actively avoided (e.g., not going down the candy aisle in the supermarket).
The second category refers to building new (desired) habits. New habits develop more quickly when the following aspects are present: planning, repeated practice, a stable context (the situation in which the behavior is supposed to occur), and rewards. Repeated practicing of the intended behavior plays a significant role in the development of new habits. Therefore, the context should ideally remain the same. For example: “Whenever I come home from work on Thursdays, I go for a 20-minute walk.”. Especially in situations where willpower is depleted (e.g., after work), people tend to fall back on habit actions. In this case, it would be positive as the habit “walking” is already established.
As a trainer or coach, you can focus on these points:
Informing and supporting learning: Your participants can access all the information that is important for “doing” after the seminar. In the online follow-up, you provide this information via the blink.it App. Whether documents, audio files, or video. Your content is compiled and accessible for your participants.
Directing attention: How can you maintain attention over a longer period? You get your participants to reflect on their habits during the seminar. This reflection allows your participants to identify cues and understand habits better. Ending this process with the seminar would be somewhat short-sighted. If you accompany your seminar online, you can also remind your participants weeks after the seminar to engage with their habits. In a short video, you can provide your participants with a thought for the week. What insights have your participants gained in your seminar?
Motivating to practice: As a trainer, you motivate your participants in the seminar with your personal charisma. You are enthusiastic about your topic and want to help others and accompany them in their change. You can best convey this enthusiasm online through video. This way, your participants can see you again with your personal impact. Since you have built the personal relationship in the seminar, your presence in the online follow-up becomes even more effective. In a short video sequence, you motivate your participants to practice and can incorporate helpful prompts for action.
Pointing out obstacles: Conscious action is inhibited by various factors. These factors include time pressure, distraction, and stress. Behavior is oriented towards habits when conscious engagement is only limitedly possible. It is precisely in these situations that your participants can benefit from your support and contact you or the seminar group through online support. For example, you can provide suggestions for problem-solving and idea generation through comment functionality.
Long-term support: Since it takes several successful repetitions to consolidate new habits, long-term support is very helpful. Online seminar support is not only meaningful but also automatable. This means you have the opportunity to prepare your content for support before the seminar and only need to focus on interaction later. Offer your client that this support can be provided to individuals in the form of telephone coaching.
What are your thoughts on changing habits? We look forward to comments.
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