The world needs all kinds of minds

Recently I enjoyed watching the HBO movie “Temple Grandin”, which chronicles how, as a young woman, Dr. Grandin discovered that the way her autistic mind works gave her new and different perspectives on the world in general and animal handling in particular.

The movie does an excellent job of illustrating the fact that when a person has autism, their brain is working in a different way, not in the wrong way. This varies by individual; in Dr. Grandin’s case, she thinks in pictures. If this different way of thinking is recognized and supported for its capabilities rather than pushed into a traditional mold, it has the power to excel. It may even uncover new possibilities and insights beyond traditional thinking, as in the case of Dr. Grandin.

Watching the movie made ponder the subtle differences in the way our learning audiences think. Instructional designers often talk about aural learners, visual learners and kinesthetic learners, but how often are even these basic learning styles really being addressed? When a learning program is created, we must ensure we are doing all we can to bring each learner to their full potential within the bounds of our subject area, budget and other limitations. By make simple changes – reviewing material to ensure there are visual cues that consistently and directly support textual content in e-learning, for instance - could we be making a much stronger connection with a portion of the audience?

To find out more about Temple Grandin, check out this TED talk she did recently, “The world needs all kinds of minds.” Dr. Grandin’s website can be found at http://www.grandin.com.

Five things we can learn from how elite athletes approach training

Over the last couple of weeks it’s been non-stop Winter Olympics in our neck of the woods, and we’ve enjoyed not only watching events but also learning more about the individuals behind the medals. In almost every televised interview, athletes talked about the team effort that got them to the podium, thanking their families and also their trainers. It got us to thinking about what those of us involved in adult learning can learn from the athlete/trainer relationship. Here are five characteristics of elite athletic training: 

Commitment
Each athlete understands the need for training – they are motivated because they can easily see how their performance improves with the help of the trainer. They seek out and engage the trainer; they’re not mandated to take training as may be the case for workplace learning. This only strengthens our view that tapping into what motivates adult learners to value a training topic is a key factor in setting the stage for a successful learning event.

Tailored coaching
Elite athletes don’t limit themselves to one trainer - they get coaching for different aspects of their sport from different experts. Also, there isn’t one trainer or a single training style in each sport. Each athlete has individual strengths and areas for improvement and their coaching speaks to these factors. This reminds me that a cookie-cutter approach to training is only going to achieve limited success. We need to remember to make our training relevant to our organization’s needs and goals. We also need to ensure the learning we create speaks to different learning styles so it engages as many learners as possible.

A holistic approach
Beyond training for their sport, elite athletes know that they have to pay attention to their whole body, both physically and mentally, in order to be at the top of their game. They consider their nutrition carefully and they may work with a psychologist to improve their mental fitness. This reminds me that when we are looking at a performance issue, we need do some analysis to uncover all the contributing factors. Training won’t solve every problem - if the athlete had a poor diet, there would be a ceiling on his or her performance no matter how much training is done. Our performance issues could have contributing factors that must be addressed by means other than training. 

Small changes can yield big results
A small change of approach for the trainer and athlete can make a slight difference in performance, and in an event measured in hundredths of a second, a slight improvement can mean a move from fourth place to medal standing. This reminds us that even if we don’t have a lot of time or money for training, giving people the tools to improve their performance even in a few key areas can have a ripple effect through an organization, generating success.

The value of ongoing training
When referring to coaching and training, you never hear an elite athlete say, ”I’ve learned all I can and I’m just going to do it by myself now.” They clearly recognize that performance improvement is an ongoing process, and that message translates very easily to our world. It’s important when we create training to consider what happens beyond the actual event. Sometimes the moment when the event occurs doesn’t align with when the learner really sees the value in the information. Also, it may be that some people are only ready to absorb the big picture at first and need to reconnect with the material to get the nuances at a later time.

Overall the biggest lesson for learning professionals is that elite athletes are immersed in a culture of learning. Working with trainers is accepted, proven effective and the natural thing to do. If we strive to create this kind of environment in our organizations, we will surely be on the path to success of Olympic proportions.

Using Course Authoring Tools

Although a Learning Content Management System (LCMS) has more robust content management capabilities, an alternate course development solution is to use an e-learning authoring tool to create stand-alone courses.  Courses created in this manner can be delivered in a variety of ways, for example imported into a Learning Management System (LMS), hosted on a website or delivered on a CD or DVD.

Most authoring tools allow you to add animation, audio and video while some are also capable of creating tests/ evaluations and tracking results.  The final result and the level of skill required to use these tools ranges from template-based and entry level to highly customizable and complex. Some examples of authoring tools are Articulate, Captivate, Lectora, ToolBook, and Outstart Trainer.

Content created in authoring tools can be imported into most LMS and LCMS products and content can usually be exported out of an LCMS to be used elsewhere, but it may not be editable.  Whether you use an LCMS or an authoring tool to create training content, be aware that revisions to course content must almost always be made in the source authoring tool. 

Stay tuned to our website.  We'll be posting a white paper called "Inside Learning Management" in the next few days that provides more information about LMS, LCMS and custom learning management solutions. In the meantime, if you’re interested in finding out more about learning management, contact us here at Limestone Learning Solutions.

Developing call center employees who succeed

Working in the call center industry can be challenging. Supporting your staff and developing them to be successful while managing the needs of your customers on a daily basis is a delicate balancing act. In my ten years as a call center training and coaching consultant developing and managing training and coaching processes, I saw employers who were very successful at developing their best assets – their call centre agents. I also saw organizations that struggled with this and had no clear vision on how to develop their staff to succeed. A number of years ago I spoke at a BC Contact Centre Association (BCCCA) conference on how to develop call center employees to succeed. One of the conference handouts that I came across recently is still relevant today and worth sharing as food for thought.

Setting Up for Success

 What’s in Place?

• What results are critical to meeting business objectives?
• How actively will management support new training initiatives?
• Has an operations review evaluated current job performance?
• What is the gap between actual and desired business objectives?

 What skills are required?

• What are the key job competencies?
• How do key competencies support desired performance objectives?
• Where have your top performing employees come from and what key skills and aptitudes do they have in common?
• Do you recruit people specifically suited to your environment?

Training for Success

 What are your training needs?

• What training is currently in place?
• What is the gap between actual and desired performance objectives?
• What is needed to bridge the gap?

 How do you meet your training needs?

• Does training incorporate sound adult learning principles and strategies?
• Are measurable learning outcomes in place?
• What training option(s) bests meets time, budget, and resource requirements?

Sustaining Success

 How can you measure success?

• What evaluation is in place after training to measure job skill transfer?
• Are call standards in place to ensure call monitoring is consistent and fair for all employees?
• Did job performance change or improve as a result of training?
• What has been the return on investment?

 How do you reinforce success?

• Do you have a coaching program that encourages ongoing performance improvement?
• What operational changes are necessary to implement a formal coaching program?
• How well does your incentive program reward employees while supporting sales and marketing initiatives?
• What changes can be made to support high performance?

 As you can see, many of these questions can be used in any organization, whether they have a call center or not. If you want to pursue the answers to some or all of the questions above, talk to your HR or training manager. If you don’t have internal resources available, contact us. We’d be happy to help you answer the questions and provide a plan for success.

Check out a great blog article

One of the blogs I subscribe to is eLearning Technology by Tony Karrer (www.elearningtech.blogspot.com). Dr. Tony Karrer, considered one of the top technologists in e-Learning, is the CEO/CTO of TechEmpower, a software, web and eLearning development firm out of L.A.  His blog post on Monday, January 18^th, 2010, titled “Top 10 eLearning Predictions for 2010: eLearning Technology” is a really interesting read.

My favorite prediction is #2: Convergence Ramps Up Big Time which focuses on the huge growth of mobile devices and how they’ll have an impact on workplace learning solutions as an alternative platform.  Stephanie and I have worked with clients who are challenged by workforces that are diverse and scattered around the globe. We’ve seen the potential for using smartphones, such as the Blackberry, as a vehicle to push bite-sized just-in-time learning content to their employees 24/7. If you’re interested in learning more about mobile learning, contact us here at Limestone Learning Solutions.

In the meantime, grab a cup of coffee or tea and check out the article.  It’s a good read – and don’t miss prediction #10.

A new ice-breaker

I recently attended a BC HRMA consultants’ roundtable event on Visioning and Strategic Planning for 2010. It was a very informative event and made for a great networking opportunity.  The roundtable was comprised of HR and training professionals who were either currently running or starting up their own consulting companies. Having facilitated or participated in many, many ice-breaker activities over the years, it’s challenging to find an activity that impresses a room full of HR and training professionals. The facilitator at this event managed to do that admirably!

At the start of the session, the icebreaker activity was conducted to help us focus on the evening’s topic. Before the roundtable event started, the organizer printed 50 to 60 postcard-sized color images on card stock. The images were an assortment of stock image photos (i.e., crossword puzzle piece with a keyhole and key inserted, a bonfire, a ladder, a treasure chest full of gold coins, a storm over an ocean, etc.). The postcards were scattered randomly around the tables in the room. We were asked to get up and choose two images: one that represented us in 2009 and the other that represented where we wanted to be or wanted to accomplish in 2010. Everyone chose their two cards then sat back down. We then introduced ourselves and showed each card, in turn, to the audience explaining why we chose them. There were some very interesting and thought provoking choices and explanations. We also got to know each other very quickly on a more personal level and it provided some great discussions during the networking chat at the end of the evening. 

Most everyone agreed that the icebreaker was one of the most effective and interesting activities of the evening. It gave us each the opportunity to reflect on our successes and challenges from the past year but also focused us on what we wanted to accomplish in the coming year. 

This icebreaker can easily be adapted for a variety of topics and purposes – not just for training but for group meetings and team building events. I’m looking forward to trying it out soon. My challenge will be to find just the right images to match the topic.

Why edit?

Recently at Limestone we’ve been working with a client who has stringent style guidelines for all their company documentation, including the training program that we've been developing. The process of editing - by our editing team and the client’s internal style and subject matter experts (SMEs) - has been a critical part of the overall project. 

 Reflecting on this makes me think about how the editing process is an important but often overlooked part of any training project. The learner experience and an organization’s credibility are greatly influenced by the quality of the written content - just think of how many times you’ve taken training that’s poorly organized, has spelling mistakes and grammatical errors that make it confusing or provides incorrect information. How did this affect your opinion of the training and the organization providing it?  

 We’ve found through experience that incorporating professional editing up front is well worth the time and cost involved. Editing your own work can be challenging – even the best writers realize the value of a second set of eyes.  For projects that involve written content, we include editing tasks in our training project plans to ensure this process isn’t missed. There are many different types including Subject Matter Expert (SME) edits and reviews, copy edits, production edits, and style edits. Choose the type of editing that’s right for your project.

 This makes me realize that validating training content for accuracy before your intended audience actually sees your information is really important, from both a technical and editorial perspective. Editing ensures that your content is not only technically accurate but is easy for learners to read and understand. It also ensures that information is consistent regardless of how many ways it’s used.

Managing Training Projects

Have you ever experienced working on a training project without a project manager overseeing it? One of the lessons I’ve learned from past experience is the importance of keeping on top of a training project, and the best way to ensure that happens is to have someone clearly responsible for project management. Regardless of the size of the project, effective project management can be the deciding factor on how successful a training project is. A good project manager will manage project communication, resources, budget, timeline, and deliverables to ensure the project runs smoothly and the product meets or exceeds the stakeholder’s needs and expectations.

Here’s how project managers bring value to your training project and support a successful outcome.

From the perspective of the project team, the project manager is the person on the team that manages and tracks the high level project activities so that team members are free to focus on the job of analyzing, creating and designing the instruction rather than having to juggle their job AND the management of the project.  Stakeholders also benefit from a project manager overseeing their training project; they have one clear go-to person when they have any questions or issues and can feel comfortable knowing that the project manager is looking out for their best interests.  A project manager can coordinate resources, quickly identify risks, manage the budget and oversee and keep on top of the many other project tasks and challenges that will arise while providing a clear path of communication with the stakeholder throughout the project.

A Project Manager‘s responsibilities for a training project can be broken down into three phases:

1. The project kick-off, which includes such activities as facilitating the kick-off project team meeting with the stakeholder, developing a project plan, creating a timeline, organizing resources, communicating team responsibilities and deliverables and finalizing the project budget.

2. Ongoing project activity, which includes such activities as providing regular project updates and communication with stakeholders, managing issues, risks and roadblocks, tracking the project budget and tasks, organizing stakeholder reviews and sign-offs of deliverables, managing contractors and managing changes to the project scope.

3. The Project Wrap-Up, which includes such activities as delivering the final product(s)/service(s), getting stakeholder sign-off on the project, conducting a post-mortem of the project and ensuring stakeholder satisfaction.

As you can see, having a project manager as part of your training project can provide many benefits to your organization. Above all, the improved efficiency in delivering products or services that is spearheaded by good project management leads to increased stakeholder satisfaction, which ultimately results in meeting or exceeding your stakeholder’s expectations - and we all want that!

What project management strategies have you successfully implemented for your training projects?

Making training work for everyone

Sometimes Paula and I are called upon to help clients with specific needs for specific audiences, like sales training on a new product for a group of sales reps or a retail sales team. These groups generally find it easy to relate to each other and see the value of training in a session as they have similar goals and similar work functions. When we work with an organization that is training a diverse workforce it becomes much more evident that training material must speak to each worker no matter their role.

Say you’re responsible for ensuring every individual in a company that builds widgets has WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) training. People working with chemicals in the widget manufacturing facility will easily see why they need the training. A janitor may be able to make the connection to their role. But what about the office receptionist or the accountant? You must tap into the ‘what’s in it for me?’ factor to engage these people in the learning – without having this motivation, they won’t value the training, which means they won’t absorb the information and the transfer back to the job will be low.

In the ideal world we'd all do one-on-one training so that each individual's motivational needs are addressed, but this usually isn't practical or feasible. Here are three ways you can help ensure you are motivating all employees in a training program:

1. To address in a simple and fairly inexpensive way, use images in your learning material that represent all the different groups of employees you are training. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it's amazing how many times it gets missed. Sometimes it's challenging to find the image you need with the right type of employee to support the concept, but remember that the value of seeing an employee that learners identify with far outweighs their concern over high-end photography. Don't be afraid to pick up that digital camera and grab some workplace models to pose for you!

2. A step beyond making sure you're addressing all learners with your images is incorporating plenty of examples that speak from the perspective of different types of employees. Examples can be anything from general comments within the learning material to a scenario set up in a paragraph and followed by review questions to a programmed scenario in an e-learning course that takes the employee down a different path based on what answers they give in different situations.

3. If your budget allows it, an effective way to address different learners in one course - whether in a face-to-face training guide, self-study manual or e-learning module - is to have employees work through one of three or four pathways through the content. Each pathway represents a different group of learners, like manufacturing employees, maintenance employees and administrative employees in the widget company example . The core content is the same for all, but the images, examples and review exercises are all customized for the different group so the learning really speaks to them.

What methods have you used to make your training work for a diverse audience?