When Retraining Doesn’t Work
Try This Instead.
There’s a certain scenario I’ve seen play out more times than I can count.
An employee takes a shortcut. Maybe they break a rule or take a risk. There’s a close call – or worse, someone gets hurt.
The go-to response? Retraining.
On paper, it makes sense. It shows action and often follows protocol. But if we’re honest, it often misses the mark.
When retraining becomes our default, we skip the more important question: Why did this happen in the first place?
The Illusion of Progress
Retraining can give us the feeling that we’ve addressed the issue. And sometimes, that’s true. But in many (and I’d even say most) cases, the behavior doesn’t change. Not because someone didn’t know better, but because something deeper is at play.
And that something rarely gets touched by another PowerPoint slide.
The Behavior Triangle: What’s Really Missing?
In my book, The Ascent, I share a simple framework we’ve used for years to guide this conversation:
The Behavior Triangle
- Knowledge: Do they know what’s expected?
- Skill: Can they do it well?
- Desire: Do they believe it matters?
Most companies double down on knowledge. But more often than not, what’s missing is actually desire. And that’s not something you can train into someone. It takes trust, clarity, and sometimes just a real conversation in real time.
“They Should Know Better” Isn’t Enough
One phrase I’ve heard a lot over the years:
“It’s just common sense.”
I hear it so much, I even wrote a newsletter about it.
But that idea doesn’t hold up under scrutiny. People just simply don’t act from common sense. They act from experience, influence, and what’s been tolerated in their environment.
If the shortcut works, if no one says anything, if the risk feels low and the discomfort high, the math starts to make sense even if the behavior doesn’t.
So, we could complain about “they should know better,” or we could take a different approach.
Ask Before You Retrain
If we can slow down just enough to ask a few questions before jumping to retraining, we often uncover something useful:
- “What made this hard to do the right way?”
- “Has anyone walked through this step with you recently?”
- “If you could change one part of this process, what would you change?”
These aren’t gotcha questions. They’re an invitation to dialogue. And they almost always reveal something we didn’t expect.
Removing the Real Barriers
In The Ascent, I share a moment where a team member struggled with fogged-up safety glasses. The standardStandard issue just didn’t work for him. We tried pair after pair until we found one that actually fit.
He didn’t need retraining. He needed comfort and a little patience. When we found a good fit, his whole posture changed. He looked at me and said: “Thanks for caring.”
My big message today is that this is the part we can’t skip.
What a Different Approach Looks Like
If your current cycle looks like: Incident → Retrain → Repeat
Consider one that starts with:
- Observe. What’s really going on?
- Ask. Where’s the friction?
- Act. Address it, together. And follow through.
It’s not always easy, and you won’t always do it perfectly. But over time, it builds something far more effective than compliance: ownership.
Final Thought
I’m not here to say retraining never has value. Sometimes it’s exactly what’s needed. But more often than we like to admit, it’s the convenient choice, not the most effective one.
So before you hit print on the next training form, maybe pause and ask:
- Do I understand what really happened?
- Did I take time to listen?
- Did I lead with curiosity, or just control?
We don’t change behavior by repeating policies.
We change it by understanding people.
Lead the Climb.
Steve
About Steve Tusa
Steve Tusa works with leaders who carry real responsibility: responsibility for people, performance, and the decisions that shape both.
Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Steve has spent more than three decades leading and advising construction, manufacturing, and industrial organizations in building resilient safety cultures and strong cultures of accountability. His work is rooted in field experience, not theory.
Through the SHIELD™ framework, Steve helps leadership teams move from reactive safety management to proactive safety leadership. His focus is simple: create clarity, build trust, and strengthen daily behaviors so that people go home safe and businesses grow stronger.
Steve is the author of The Ascent and regularly speaks to executive teams who want practical strategies (not slogans) to improve safety culture and operational performance.
When he’s not working with clients, you’ll find him investing time in his family, mentoring leaders, or reminding teams that culture isn’t built in conference rooms, but in the 1:1 moments that matter most. Want to connect with Steve? Book a call today!
