.png)
.jpg)
March Topic: Unlearning Labs: The Behavioral Science of Letting Go
Location: Zoom Online Virtual Platform (link provided after registration)
Cost: Free for ATD Detroit and other local Chapter Members &
$10.00 for Guest
Description: Most L&D efforts focus on adding new skills, knowledge, and tools. The real challenge? Getting people to let go of what no longer serves them. Unlearning outdated processes, habits, and mental models is often the hardest part of change, and it is loaded with identity, emotion, and risk. In this session, we will treat unlearning as a behavioral science problem rather than a willpower problem.
We will explore habit extinction, cognitive flexibility, and the role of identity threat in resistance to change. You will learn how to design “unlearning labs” that help people safely question old scripts, experiment with new patterns, and update their sense of “how we do things here” without triggering defensiveness or shame. This is the session for anyone tasked with culture shifts, system changes, or “we can’t keep doing it this way” transformations.
Participant Outcomes
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
-
Describe why unlearning is often more behaviorally difficult than learning something new.
-
Recognize how habit loops, rewards, and identity attachment keep outdated behaviors in place.
-
Design learning experiences that create safe experiments for letting go of old processes, scripts, or norms.
-
Use behavioral strategies (such as gradual exposure, replacement habits, and narrative reframing) to support unlearning without blame or shame.
Jay's Bio
Jay Johnson works with people and organizations to empower teams, grow profits, and elevate leadership. He is a Co-Founder of Behavioral Elements®, a two-time TEDx speaker, and a designated Master Trainer by the Association for Talent Development. With a focus on behavioral intelligence, Jay has delivered transformational workshops to accelerate high-performance teams and cultures in more than 30 countries across four continents.
For more information about the ID SIG or the upcoming Meet-up, contact SIG Organizer Jay Johnson at jay@behavioralelements.com
Note: SIGs are an exclusive member benefit for ATD Detroit and other local ATD chapter members.
----
What's a SIG?
Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are small groups of members who share an affinity for a particular aspect of Talent Development. Whether it's a specific approach, a certain skill, or a common role in the industry, a SIG helps bring chapter members together to share in an interest.
Anyone can start a SIG - all it takes is a shared interest and a meeting place! To learn more, contact the Chapter President, president@detroitatd.org.
