Human Behavior Change

Bruno Littlemore is quite unlike any chimpanzee in the world. Precocious, self-conscious and preternaturally gifted, young Bruno, born and raised in a habitat at the local zoo, falls under the care of a university primatologist named Lydia Littlemore. Learning of Bruno's ability to speak, Lydia...

Last year, US companies spent over $165 billon on training; while many training programs themselves provide valuable skills and concepts, even the best-designed programs are ineffective because the learned behaviors are not reinforced. Without reinforcement, learned information gets shuffled to the back of the mind in the "nice to know" file, never again to see the light of day. This book bridges the canyon between learning and doing by providing solid reinforcement strategies.

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. And if you believe people don’t change, then you would be right. In a world where instability is constant and exhausting, learning curves are endless, and transformation is the buzzword of the day, the challenge is actually this: people don’t like change. This groundbreaking book turns the dog in that demoralizing axiom on its head. When leaders step up to create an organizational culture that encourages positive shifts, and team members realize how beneficial change can be, people do change . . . and for the better.

In today’s frenetic, uncertain world, the “same old, same old” routines are perfect ways to go nowhere fast. What has worked for you before—professionally or personally—no longer gets results. Whether you’ve been downsized, reached the end of a long relationship, or found yourself...