Podcast Episode: Training in ABA Organizations with Shannon Biagi

In this episode of In the Field: The ABA Podcast, I sit down with Shannon Biagi to unpack common training mistakes we see across ABA organizations and beyond.

We talk about why training is often treated as the default solution, how content-heavy approaches fail to build real skills, and what it actually takes to design training that leads to performance. From “sit and get” learning to one-and-done onboarding, we break down where things go wrong and how to approach training in a more effective, sustainable way.

Key Topics:

•  Why training isn’t always the problem or the solution 
•  Designing for performance, not just content 
•  The limits of passive learning 
•  Moving beyond one-time training 
•  Evaluating whether training actually works 
•  Why seniority doesn’t equal training ability 

Key Takeaways:

• Training should be driven by performance needs, not assumptions 
• Designing for behavior change requires more than delivering content 
• Active practice, feedback, and actual application are essential for skill development 
• Training should be ongoing, not a one-time event 
• Evaluation should measure what learners can do, not just what they experienced 
• Building a strong training system requires both instructional design and performance analysis 

Resources Mentioned

• Performance Diagnostic Checklist – John Austin
• Behavioral Engineering Model – Thomas Gilbert
• Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Training Evaluation
• The Mager Six Pack – instructional design and performance objectives

Connect with Shannon Biagi

• Website: chiefmotivatingofficers.com
• Training and CEUs: motivate-u.chiefmotivatingofficers.com
• Social Media: Instagram | LinkedIn

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