The combined effect of a goal-oriented leadership app and leaders’ mindset in optimising training transfer

Despite extensive investments in workplace learning, the failure to transfer the skills and knowledge acquired during training is common. To improve the transfer of training content to the workplace, scholars and practitioners have shown increased interest in setting up transfer interventions. However, there is limited understanding of how transfer interventions, as a form of self-regulated learning, affect training transfer. Using an experimental study design with leaders (N = 253) and their subordinates (N = 717), the present research examines the effectiveness of a transfer intervention, administered via a web-based app, which employs a goal-oriented microlearning approach to prompt leaders’ self-regulation in the context of leadership training. The use of this app-based transfer intervention by an experimental group is then compared to a waiting control group. Furthermore, this study examines the effects of leaders’ mindset (i.e. leadership self-efficacy and motivation to lead) on training transfer. Results from leader self-reports and subordinate ratings largely support the proposed impact of our app-based transfer intervention and leaders’ mindset on strengthening training transfer.