How to Link Learning and Behavioral Styles to Improve Performance

As learning and development professionals have long recognized, different people learn in different ways. For instance, some people learn more effectively by watching videos or visual presentations, while others respond to a more hands-on tactical approach. But what about differences in behavioral style? Just as people process information in different ways, they also behave and respond to the behavior of others in unique but predictable ways.

Unlike learning style — how people cognitively process information — behavioral style is more easily understood and visible to others because it is a function of people’s common behavioral patterns and preferences. Behavioral style can be seen and described, whereas it is more difficult to assess people’s learning styles — many people themselves are unaware of their own learning preferences. One of the visible indicators of behavioral style is outgoingness. Some people are naturally friendly and outspoken. Others are quiet and reserved. Another indicator is pace. Some act quickly, while others prefer to carefully consider all options.

The most effective learning efforts address both learning style and behavioral style. Doing so leads to better reinforcement of learning and more productive teams and organizations. While learning style and behavioral style affect how people learn, behavioral style affects how they display what they’ve learned, as well as the effectiveness of reinforcement initiatives like social learning. For example, a sociable and outgoing person will be excited about what he or she has learned and will want to share the information with others. This person is more likely to actively display newly learned skills and to seek out social learning sites for reinforcement of learning as well as to share his or her experiences with others. No matter what the specific content of learning, people use what they’ve learned back on the job, and they do this in style-specific ways that impact team and organizational effectiveness.

Applying Behavioral Style in Learning

Because one’s behavior is visible to others, an organization — or for that matter an individual trainer, manager or coach — can offer resources that suit the needs of all behavioral styles. For instance, some people prefer to learn primarily on their own and at their own pace. They don’t thrive on learning in groups or through team interaction. These individuals should be allowed opportunities to develop themselves through self-study, at least in part, before attending a group training program. Since this is their natural preference, they will learn more effectively this way and in turn will display new skills more consistently on the job.