Level 5 Learning Outcomes: Taking Training Beyond “Results”

For decades, organizations have relied on the Kirkpatrick model to evaluate training effectiveness. Its fourth and highest level — results — focuses on whether training impacts measurable outcomes like sales or production metrics.

That approach works for straightforward interventions (e.g., technical training boosting output). But in today’s complex workplaces — where learning blends with culture, leadership, and systems — results are influenced by many factors. Training alone rarely tells the whole story.

We believe it’s time to aim higher. Level 5 Learning — developed by Guiding Star Communications and Consulting and Snyder Inc. — moves beyond results to measure something deeper and more enduring: competency change.

Why Competency Is the Real Game-Changer

A competency is a combination of observable knowledge, skills, abilities, and personal attributes required to succeed in a role. Unlike temporary spikes in performance, competencies underpin sustained results — and when they shift, they transform both individual potential and organizational culture.

Focusing on competencies:

• Aligns training with mission-critical capabilities
• Closes skill gaps in ways that stick
• Anchors learning outcomes in culture, not just tasks
• Provides a clearer line of sight to long-term ROI

From Customer Service to Culture: An Example

Consider customer service training. Many programs aim to “improve service” but fail to define what that really means. Without clarity, you can’t measure progress — or ensure results last.

Our approach maps customer service as a competency cluster: traits like commitment to excellence, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and team collaboration. We benchmark these against high performers, then measure change after training.

The result? Instead of tracking vague satisfaction metrics, we see a progression in competency: from baseline (“meets minimum expectations”) through ownership (“takes personal responsibility”) to leadership (“becomes the resource for others”). This shift signals lasting cultural change — not just a momentary boost.

The Level 5 Scale

Traditional evaluation stops at “Did results improve?” Level 5 asks, “Did competencies advance — and to what degree?”

Using role-specific benchmarks, we map competency growth along a scale, for example:

• -3 Negative (actively resists customer needs)
• 0 Baseline (performs minimal service required)
• +1 Follows up (responds to issues that matter to clients)
• +3 Owns (takes personal responsibility for elevating service)
• Beyond Trains others, leads strategy, becomes a cultural exemplar

By tracking competency movement, organizations see not just if learning “worked,” but how deeply it reshaped behavior and capability.

Applying Level 5 Learning

Level 5 isn’t just a theory — it’s a practical framework you can integrate into:

• Pre- and Post-Training Assessments (pulse, self, 360, manager reviews)
• Competency Modeling (identifying what “great” looks like in your roles)
• Cultural Diagnostics (linking competencies to organizational values)
• Learning Strategy Design (ensuring programs build competencies, not just skills)

Guiding Star and Snyder Inc. combine this model with our other proprietary tools — Culture Digs™, Engagement View™, and more — to create learning initiatives that are measurable, sustainable, and transformative.

Why It Matters

By targeting competency change, Level 5 Learning provides a stronger foundation for ROI. Results become more predictable, sustainable, and aligned to long-term strategy — rather than short-term spikes that fade with time.

For leaders of learning, this means:

• Clearer storytelling around impact
• Better alignment with organizational priorities
• A defensible framework for ongoing investment in people

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For more information:

Todd Kasenberg, Guiding Star Communications and Consulting; (toll-free in North America) 1-866-603-2766 | www.guidingstarcc.com

David Snyder, Snyder Inc; 919-878-0776  |  www.mindread.net

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