SEWI-ATD /Blog

The Missing Link in Your L&D Strategy

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 06:50:48 GMT

Written by: Gina Arinyanontakoon

As a leader, how often do you hear, “How can we get our employees productively quickly and keep them performing at their best?” It’s a question that keeps coming up, and for good reason. One way to address this is to align your content development function – technical writing and learning & development – to work collaboratively. After all, technical writing is a form of documenting knowledge.

Understanding how these disciplines complement each other can transform your approach to employee development and performance while delivering measurable business results.

Let’s take a deeper look at how this works.

Supporting Learning in the Flow of Work

According to Forbes, 41% of employees say they don’t have time for learning. That’s a real challenge.

So rather than requiring employees to step away from their tasks to attend training or dig around for information, properly integrated documentation allows them to access what they need without breaking their workflow.

Embedded help systems, contextual tooltips, and searchable knowledge bases let employees find answers in seconds rather than minutes or hours. AI-powered search capabilities are making this even more effective. Employees can now ask questions in natural language and the relevant documentation appears instantly! This immediate access not only saves time but can increase the likelihood that employees will actually use the resources available to them.

Keep in mind, AI-enhanced access only highlights the importance of high-quality, human-authored documentation. While AI can help employees find information faster, well-crafted technical writing develops the critical thinking and judgement employees need to apply that information effectively. Clear explanations, thoughtful examples, and properly contextualized procedures help employees understand not just what to do, but why and when. That’s how you build authentic human skills that can’t be automated.

Accelerating Time to Productivity

When you have the right documentation strategically integrated with learning initiatives, you can reduce the time it takes for employees to become fully productive. When learning programs incorporate well-crafted documentation, employees don’t just learn concepts in a classroom or via an eLearning module; they have immediate access to practical references they can use on the job.

This integration means employees spend less time searching for answers and more time applying what they’ve learned. A technical writer who understands learning principles creates documentation that reinforces training objectives, using consistent terminology and examples that mirror the learning experience. This leads to a seamless transition from learning to doing.

Streamline Onboarding and Knowledge Transfer

For new hires, the combination of structured learning and comprehensive documentation can make a difference between a smooth onboarding experience or a frustrating one.

Documentation serves multiple critical functions during onboarding:

Reduces repetitive questions: New employees can reference standard operating procedures (SOPs) and policies as they learn their role, reducing the burden on managers and colleagues who would otherwise need to answer the same questions repeatedly. This frees up experienced team members to focus on higher-value mentoring activities rather than basic information sharing.
Captures institutional knowledge: Documentation preserves knowledge that might otherwise exist only in the minds of long-term employees. When that knowledge is documented, it becomes transferable and sustainable. New hires gain access to collective wisdom of the organization, not just the individual who happens to be training them.
Creates consistency and self-paced learning: Building documentation into the onboarding process creates a consistent experience for all new hires while allowing them to learn at their own pace. They can revisit complex procedures as many times as needed without feeling embarrassed about asking the same question twice.
Improves retention and culture: A well-thought out onboarding process doesn’t just improve productivity; it can also impact retention and organizational culture. When employees feel supported from day one, they’re more likely to stay, align with company goals, and contribute to profitability.

Documentation as Performance Support

Technical writing is not just about creating user manuals or work instructions that sits on a “virtual shelf” within your intranet. Modern documentation serves as essential performance support tools that employees can access whenever they need, for just-in-time learning.

These tools include:

Job aids that provide quick, at-a-glance guidance for specific tasks
User manuals offering comprehensive product or system information
SOPs that ensure consistency and quality
Policies and procedures that clarify organizational expectations
Online help systems integrating directly into software applications
Knowledge articles that provide institutional knowledge
Quick reference guides for frequently performed tasks
Process flowcharts that visualize complex workflows
Video tutorials demonstrating step-by-step procedures
FAQs addressing common questions and troubleshooting

Each of these resources serves as just-in-time learning tools, available on-demand when employees need answers in the moment.

Documentation as the Foundation for Learning Assets

Learning and development professionals know they don’t need to create every resource from scratch. High-quality documentation serves as excellent foundation for building learning assets:

User manuals can be repurposed into technical or product training modules
SOPs form the basis for onboarding curricula and process training
Job aids become quick reference materials and course supplements
Process documentation can be transformed into interactive simulations
Troubleshooting guides support problem-solving exercises and scenarios

This approach no only saves time but also ensures consistency between what employees learn in training and what they reference on the job. When the same core content informs both learning and performance support, employees develop stronger mental models and retain information more effectively.

Technical writers and instructional designers working together can identify which content works best as formal training and which serves better as reference material. This collaboration ensures that neither group duplicates effort and that all resources work together cohesively.

Measuring Real Business Impact

The integration of technical writing and learning delivers benefits that extend beyond traditional training metrics like completion rates.

For example:

Reduced time-to-productivity: New hires who have access to integrated learning and documentation reach full productivity weeks or even months faster than those relying on informal knowledge transfer alone.
Decreased support costs: When employees can find answers in well-organized, searchable documentation, support ticket volumes decline. Each resolved question represents time saved for both the employee and the support team.
Improved quality and compliance: Clear SOPs and procedures reduce errors and ensure consistent adherence to quality standards and regulatory requirements. Fewer mistakes mean less rework, lower costs, and reduced risk.
Higher retention rates: Employees who feel supported with accessible resources and clear guidance experience less frustration and greater confidence. This contributes to improved job satisfaction and lower turnover.
Increased sales and performance: For customer-facing roles, quick access to product documentation and troubleshooting guides during customer interactions lead to faster problem resolution, higher customer satisfaction, and increased sales conversion.

By tracking these metrics, you can demonstrate ROI of investing in quality technical writing and its integration with learning initiatives. The shift from measuring training completion to measuring business outcomes reveals the true value of this strategic partnership.

Creating a Synergistic Approach

The integration of technical writing and learning isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about creating a better employee experience. When these functions work in isolation, gaps emerge. Training might teach concepts that aren’t reinforced in documentation. Documentation might use different terminology than training materials. Employees get confused and frustrated trying to reconcile conflicting information.

When technical writing and learning work together right from the beginning, you create a unified ecosystem of support. Employees know where to find information. Content is consistent across all touchpoints. Learning objectives align with the realities of job performance and business goals. The result is faster onboarding, higher productivity, better employee satisfaction, and measurable business outcomes.

Ready to Optimize Your Documentation and Learning Strategy?

Integrating technical writing with your learning and development initiatives can transform how quickly your employees get up to speed and how effectively they perform once they’re there. By ensuring your documentation is designed with both learning and performance support in mind, you create resources that deliver real business value for years to come.

If you’re looking for a partner to help ensure your documentation is ready to leverage for learning, get in touch. We have solutions you need to give your employees the support they need, right at their fingertips.

Note From The President: SEWI-ATD is Seeking a Vice President of Sponsorship.

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 06:43:32 GMT

Are you seeking a meaningful leadership opportunity and a way to make a greater impact within SEWI-ATD? This board position focuses on nurturing relationships with our current sponsors while proactively identifying new opportunities for strategic partnerships in the talent development community.

The vision of SEWI-ATD is to build a skilled, competitive Southeastern Wisconsin workforce. Our mission is to empower local talent development professionals by providing hometown opportunities to expand their knowledge, skills, and abilities, helping them reach their full potential. Our board is made up of 10 dedicated volunteer professionals in talent development, supporting one of the largest and most successful chapters in the nation.

The VP of Sponsorship collaborates with the board and an Associate VP to enhance sponsor engagement, design sponsorship packages, identify potential partners, and foster relationships that create mutual value for both sponsors and chapter members. We seek a candidate who exemplifies leadership, excels at building relationships, and has been a member of our organization for over a year.

This role is currently in the 2nd year of its term, meaning the selected individual would serve through the remainder of the year and have the option for re-election in the fall. As an added benefit, board members receive membership in the national ATD organization.

If you or someone you know is interested in this position, please contact any board member or reach out to me directly.

We look forward to hearing from you,

Kari Bogdan, President of the Board of Directors

Introducing Your 2026 Board of Directors

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 15:55:25 GMT

Thanks to everyone who voted for our new members for the Board of Directors last fall. This year has already gotten off to an incredible start. I am excited about the group of people who will continue developing and executing a strategy that will achieve our vision and mission this year:

The Association for Talent Development (ATD) is the world’s largest association dedicated to those who develop talent in organizations. Our Southeastern Wisconsin chapter provides local talent development professionals with hometown opportunities to gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities to help them achieve their full potential.

Our vision: Create a skilled and competitive Southeastern Wisconsin workforce.

Our mission: Partner with individuals and organizations we serve to develop highly skilled and talented professionals.

Here are 2026 Board of Directors:

Kari Bogdan, President
Melissa Braun, President Elect
Michelle Dable, Past President
Nicholas Nook, VP of Finance
Megan Cardenas, VP of Membership
Kati Schuda, VP of Marketing and Communication
Katerina Ekonomou, VP of Professional Development
Valarie Bartelme, VP of Professional Development
Kayla Thompsen, VP of Community Relations
Christine Haas, Board Advisor

Click here if you would like to learn more about this talented group of individuals. We look forward to serving you,

Kari Bogdan, Board President

Annual Board Elections!

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 15:25:19 GMT

It is time for our annual board elections!

Sherry Anderson once wrote, “Volunteers don't get paid, not because they're worthless, but because they're priceless.”

There are four open positions for the 2026 SEWI-ATD Board of Directors: President Elect, VP of Finance, VP of Marketing and Communication, and VP of Community Relations. The current board is already such an incredible team. I look forward to seeing what new opportunities and resources we will be able to give our members in the coming year.

The Nomination Committee has approved these candidates who now put forth to the entire membership. They include Melissa Braun (President Elect), Nicholas Nook (VP of Finance), Katie Schuda (VP of Marketing and Communication) and Kayla Thompsen (VP of Community Relations). In addition to the nominated individuals, members may vote for write-in candidates.

Chapter members will receive a direct email invitation to vote. The election will begin on Monday, September 15^th and end Friday, September 26^th. All members in good standing are eligible to vote. Renew or join to be eligible to vote. If you do not receive a direct election invitation email, or experience any difficulties while submitting your vote, please contact our chapter administrator at admin@sewi-atd.org.

Thank you for your time,

Kari Bogdan

President-Elect 2025

NGT: A Brainstorming Method That Will Blow You Away

Judy Dejno — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 21:13:28 GMT

Written by: Andrew C. Marris, CPTD for MRA, Lead Learning & Development Instructor | Northern IL & WI

When someone uses the word "brainstorming," what comes to mind? Perplexity AI defines it as "a creative thinking technique used to generate a large number of ideas and potential solutions to a specific problem or question." This sounds wonderful in theory, but too often a well-intentioned brainstorm quickly degenerates into much more of a light drizzle, ironically generating few ideas. Once again, the age-old axiom has proven true: "The road to hell is paved by good intentions."

Regrettably, creative-killing phrases such as, "That will never work," "That's a dumb idea," or "You can't be serious" are commonplace when brainstorming. Comments of this nature shut participants down, potentially causing what could have been some of the best ideas to remain unspoken. In addition, introverted contributors tend to keep their ideas to themselves, lacking comfort to share when risking such a rebuke. Desperate for a solution, the group ends up adopting a mediocre idea because it was the best of a small list of options, while participants leave feeling unheard and disrespected. Sound familiar? There is a better way!

Enter the Nominal Group Technique (NGT)—"a structured method of brainstorming that ensures all members have an equal opportunity to contribute ideas and prioritize them." (Google AI) NGT has been around since the 1960s, but it's astonishing how many professionals are unaware of its existence. As the famous scientist Linus Pauling once said, "The best way to have a great idea is to have lots of ideas." NGT does just that.

Here are the simple (yet profound) steps:

The leader appoints someone (the scribe) to capture all the ideas on a notepad, flip chart, marker board, or (when online) an annotated whiteboard or meeting chat.
The leader describes the question to be solved/opportunity to be taken.

Example: "What programming topics should SEWI-ATD offer to maximize member value this year?"
The leader gives participants 2 minutes to ponder the question and write down any/all ideas that come to mind, with a few crucial ground rules:
- No talking during the 2 minutes—just thinking and writing/keying the ideas as they come
- No self-limitation of ideas—record every idea that comes to mind no matter how absurd or difficult to implement it may seem
- Take the full 1230 seconds (many of the best ideas come when there is no pressure to perform—think Archimedes in his bathtub...Eureka!)
Once time is up, the leader asks each participant to simply read the top line item from his/her list one at a time in a round (a small task even for the most introverted of participants)—with a few more essential rules:
- No commenting in any way, or face removal from the group; even an encouraging "Good idea" tells participants who didn't hear such praise that their ideas were not as valuable
- The leader contributes last each time around the circle, discouraging the potential for "group think" (especially if the leader has positional authority)
The scribe records every idea, pausing only to offer his/her own idea when it's his/her turn in the round.
The leader continues until every participant's list has been exhausted; each saying "pass."
The leader reads the scribe's list back to the group, allowing participants to hear all the generated ideas once more.
The leader gives the group 2 additional minutes to capture any new ideas triggered when the group list was read (sometimes the best idea comes on the heels of another idea that would have been labeled "stupid" in a traditional brainstorm).
The leader and scribe repeat steps 4-7, continuing the moratorium on commentary.
Each group member anonymously multi-votes on what he/she thinks are the three best ideas (giving 5 points to the best idea, 3 points to the second, and 1 point to his/her third choice).
When the votes are tallied, the best ideas rise, like cream, to the top while participants feel valued as they were each heard and given ample time to think, judgment-free.

There are several reasons NGT works so well. First, it truly values everyone's ideas and contributions. It also eliminates the killer phrases that shut down well-intentioned brainstorming sessions. People who need time to process have it, and those who would have traditionally shouted their quick answers are still allowed to offer them (writing their ideas rather than blurting them out). Giving the process a second round usually produces fewer answers, but those few end up being some of the best ideas the group was able to generate. Try it at your next "brainstorm," and be blown away by the whirlwind of great ideas from which you'll have to choose.

Leadership Development ROI: How to Measure Impact

Judy Dejno — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 20:31:27 GMT

Written by: Dr. Peter Stewart

With over $366 billion spent annually on leadership development programs across the globe, it makes sense that executives, board members, and shareholders would want to see concrete results for their investments. But measuring the effectiveness of a leadership development program doesn’t always look like a direct increase on the bottom line. Often, the return on investment shows up in areas that are tougher to measure.

6 Steps to Measure Program Impact

1.Establish Program Objectives

Before you even consider what your leadership training program will look like; you need to establish your objectives. Do you want to improve sales? Create more robust employee engagement? Focus on improving diversity and inclusion across the company?

Your goals should drive both the program you implement and the way you measure results. Improving sales leadership may translate directly to increased sales, but employee engagement may show up as improved retention.

2.Define Success

Once you decide on your objectives, you can determine what success will look like and how long it will take to show up. Decide what metrics you will measure, how and when you will collect data, and how you will analyze your data to determine the program’s success.

A model can help keep you organized and on track as the leadership training program progresses. The Kirkpatrick Model uses four levels to gauge the success of a program—Reaction, Learning, Behavior, and Results. By breaking down your measurement into these four levels, you can better see where you can improve your program.

3.Collect Data Throughout

Only after you’ve determined objectives and defined success can you start collecting and measuring data. A simple grid can help you track your measurement efforts and results and clarify obstacles or challenges in measurement. For instance, if you send surveys to program participants and only half of the participants complete the surveys, you may need support from program leaders or executives to provoke responses. Or, if your survey responses don’t provide the data you need, you may need to adjust your questions.

Be sure to collect data before you start your program to establish baselines for comparison. Include both subjective and objective measurements wherever possible. Employee engagement and satisfaction may be subjective, but if they improve, they should translate into retention, which is an objective measurement.

4.Tie Measurements to Individual Participant Goals

Looking at the overall success of your leadership development program is important to establish a foundation for measuring business results, but remember that your program is about people, too. The leaders and future leaders who participate in your initiatives should also have individual goals.

Participants should each have Individual Action Plans that include goals and objectives to measure before and after the program. Results from assessments and performance reviews can help establish goals as well. Measuring individual baselines and impacts can help identify high-potential people who might excel in a program that has otherwise mediocre results. It can also help pinpoint areas of notable success or potential improvement for future programs.

5.Analyze and Adjust

As you collect data throughout the program, put it into your measurement grid and analyze incremental results. Keeping a close watch on the program throughout can help you see where you need to make adjustments to maximize the return on investment.

While you may need to make minor changes to how you’re gathering results or the program itself, some of your adjustments could include driving better participation or getting senior leadership support. Of course, it’s tough to drive behavioral change, but revealing it in near real-time can help determine what behaviors need changing.

6.Celebrate Wins

At the end of your program, when you have collected and analyzed all the data, be sure to publicize and celebrate successes. Go back to the beginning of your program and review objectives, and then compare baselines to final results. Did you increase sales? Are employees more engaged? Are your DEI initiatives having an impact on the business?

Pinpointing your wins and celebrating them with senior leadership can bolster your efforts to increase frequency, size, and participation in your leadership development programs. When leaders see the impact these initiatives have on the business, they will be more likely to back future endeavors.

While measuring leadership development results doesn’t always mean a direct dollar-for-dollar return on investment, that doesn’t mean the programs aren’t important. Good leadership from the top down drives business results and people results. By measuring before, during, and after your programs, you’ll be better able to see—and celebrate—those results.

Stewart Leadership offers a wide range of leadership development programs designed to drive your long-term business goals. To learn more, contact us.

Self-check:

Do we have any leadership development initiatives upcoming? Why or why not?
What is one obstacle or business challenge that we could address with a leadership development program?
Is there an executive or senior leader who will champion leadership development in our organization?

About the Author

Dr. Peter Stewart is an experienced business psychologist specializing in leadership consulting, coaching, and training. Peter’s unique background combined with a pragmatic, skills-focused application make him ideal to partner with organizations and individuals to bring sustained improvement through talent management and leadership development strategies.

Enticing Talent to Stay

Judy Dejno — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 21:05:41 GMT

Article Written by Andrew C. Marris, CPTD, Lead Learning & Development Instructor | MRA

You've heard it said: "People join organizations, but quit their bosses." It's true. A recent study by global analytics firm Gallup found that a whopping 75 percent of those who left their job voluntarily in 2024 did so because of a "bad boss." Talented people have options, and they take advantage of those options when they do not feel valued in their workplaces. Managers who don't invest in and develop their talented people suddenly find themselves left with less talented employees and are still held responsible for meeting and/or exceeding their performance standards for organizational success. With this in mind, it is imperative that mangers also become leaders (or "leading managers") who inspire their people to engaged results while enticing them to stay and thrive in their roles.

Compliance vs. Engagement

Managers of all sorts gain compliance from their employees as long as those employees wish to keep their jobs. Often, however, their employees do the minimum to check their tasks off as "completed." Minimal investment not only breeds minimal results, but it also leads to turnover, as uninspired employees seek engagement somewhere else. Those who stay continue to do the minimum, creating a vicious cycle of weak results from disenfranchised employees.

Today's leading managers need to develop their talented people and unlock what inspires and engages them. And not in the Theory Y, "A happy worker is a productive worker" way, either. Happiness is a wonderful by-product of engagement but there are people who are happy to do as little as possible to remain employed. Engagement, true engagement, means striving for one's best even when the tasks is significantly challenging.

While some people say running, "They took the worst part of practice and made it a sport," tens of thousands of people run marathons every year around the globe. Marathon runners will often talk about the moment they hit the proverbial wall (somewhere between mile 18 and 20 are common answers). When asked if they finished, most exclaim, "Of course!" So, what got them from mile 18 to 26.2 (especially when many of us wouldn't even run the remaining 8.2 miles)? Engagement! Pushing through the difficulty because the end goal is so important. When leading managers find ways to engage their people in the same way, it's amazing what people are able to accomplish.

Motivation—It Must Be More Than Just Money

Managers often think that money is the best motivator, and it is under one of two conditions:

The employee doesn't have enough money to get by.
The employee views the amount of money as worth the effort in the short term.

People will always take more, if offered, but employers can't keep upping the ante as raises and bonuses quickly become the new normal after only a few weeks (not to mention that it's an unsustainable endeavor). Paying people enough to match their talent levels and outcomes simply becomes a satisfier for them. Engagement requires more.

Unlocking Engagement

So, what is a leading manager to do to engage employees and convince them to stay and thrive? It's complicated. There isn't a silver bullet that kills every werewolf, as each employee has his or her own individual drives and ambitions.

The following ideas are often successful:

Immediately recognize a job well done, specifically providing why.
Ask employees what they would do in given situations—people bring the most energy to their own ideas. (When you go with their ideas, they own the outcomes.)
Periodically hold stay interviews. Tell them how important they are to the organization and ask what can be done (other than more money) to retain them and their talents.
Provide opportunities to shine beyond their job description duties (through delegation or challenging opportunities).
Offer training to grow their skills and learn new ones.
Help them realize their career goals (career conversations about what they would like to do and where they would like to go focuses on a future they wish to attain).

Enticing talented people to stay is a difficult but rewarding experience for leading managers. Helping people grow and expand their talents can create engagement that often leads to outstanding results. We know the number one reason people quit a job is because of a bad boss. Managers who lead their people by unlocking what engages them inspires employees to stay and to thrive.

BUILD ORGANIZATIONAL AGILITY WITH A SIMPLE QUESTION

Judy Dejno — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 17:02:09 GMT

Article Written by Matt Meuleners, FOCUS Group

Organizations and teams today must navigate rapid change to succeed. Leaders at all levels are tasked with adapting quickly, solving problems efficiently, and finding ways to improve continuously. It is easy to feel like we’re constantly firefighting—solving the same problems over and over or scrambling to keep up with new demands. For middle managers, these challenges are particularly pressing. They must guide their teams through uncertainty while also addressing the broader needs of the organization.

When faced with a new challenge, it is easy to focus only on immediate results. However, this reactive approach can lead to the same problems reoccurring, draining time and resources. To avoid this cycle, consider starting with a simple but powerful question:

Is this challenge a one-off, an occasional problem, or the new normal?

Taking a moment to answer this question before problem-solving ensures that the approach aligns with long-term organizational needs. It can help prioritize efforts, create efficiencies, and build agility. Let us explore how this framework works in practice.

1. One-Off Challenges: Just Get It Done

Some problems are one-time events. Examples might include a unique request from leadership, an urgent customer issue, or an unexpected logistical hiccup like a week-long delay in delivery of a new machine for your manufacturing line.

For these challenges, the focus should be on quick execution. Solve the problem efficiently and invest minimal time in documentation apart from what is required for accountability. There is no need to create elaborate systems or processes for problems that are unlikely to happen again.

That said, it is important to track trends. If a “one-off” begins to repeat, it may signal a shift in needs and could require reclassification.

2. Occasional Problems: Build a Template

Some problems occur rarely but predictably. These might include quarterly reporting, onboarding a new employee, or addressing a certain type of issue with a vendor or customer. The threshold here is situational – it may be uncommon for your team to experience delayed flights when traveling to visit clients, but is the likelihood high enough to warrant investing time?

For challenges that are likely to recur periodically, a template is the most effective solution.

Rather than starting from scratch each time, document the essential steps to create a reusable framework. This could take the form of:

– A checklist of tasks.
– A pre-formatted document or presentation.
– A set of guidelines or best practices.

Templates reduce time and effort while ensuring consistency and quality. They also help others in the organization handle similar tasks efficiently. For example, if you resolve a specific type of customer complaint, create a guide or script that can streamline the process in the future.

3. The New Normal: Build a Process

Finally, some challenges reflect a fundamental shift in the way work is done. This might include adapting to new regulations, integrating a new technology, or addressing evolving customer expectations. For these situations, it is essential to build a process rather than rely on ad hoc solutions. This also applies to problems or gaps identified in your existing processes.

A process is a documented, validated set of repeatable steps that produce consistent results. Developing processes requires collaboration with team members to ensure they are clear, practical, and actionable. Effective processes also include detailed documentation that can be refined over time.

By investing in robust processes, organizations build resilience and empower teams to respond effectively to ongoing challenges.

Why This Question Matters

Asking, “Is this a one-off, an occasional problem, or the new normal?” helps leaders focus their time and energy where it will have the greatest impact. This simple framework ensures that:

– Teams allocate resources efficiently.
– Solutions address both immediate and future needs.
– Leaders avoid repeatedly solving the same problems without improvement.

Middle managers are well positioned to embed this habit into their teams’ workflows. Their unique role allows them to balance operational demands with strategic thinking. By encouraging teams to pause and reflect before diving into action, they help build organizational agility and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

The next time you face a new challenge, resist the urge to react immediately. Instead, take a moment to consider whether the problem is a one-off, an occasional occurrence, or the new normal. The answer will guide your approach and ensure the solution works not only for today, but for the future.

Flexible Learning Paths: Don't Sleep on this Retention Strategy

Judy Dejno — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 14:40:19 GMT

By Teresa Pappas, The CARA Group

Massive shifts in the labor market aren’t slowing down. By 2030, an estimated 12 million job transitions will reshape the workforce. Employees are making it clear why they’re leaving—and what they need to stay.

McKinsey reports that workers in lower-wage jobs are 14 times more likely to switch careers than those in higher-wage roles, with many requiring new skills to succeed. Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum predicts a 44% shift in required skills over the next five years, driven by technology.

But here’s the opportunity: Organizations that embrace flexible learning paths will not only future-proof their workforce but also enhance engagement and retention. Today’s employees expect development opportunities that meet them where they are. In fact, 76% want to work for a company that supports continuous learning.

Personalized learning isn’t just a perk—it’s a strategic advantage. Companies that invest in tailored, adaptable development programs empower employees, build resilience, and gain a competitive edge.

Read more on how flexible learning drives retention → https://www.thecaragroup.com/flexible-learning-paths/

Members: Vote for SEWI-ATD Board of Directors

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 22:44:34 GMT

It’s time for our annual board elections!

Chapter members will be receiving a direct email invitation to vote for open Board of Director roles. There are four open positions, including President Elect, Co VP’s of Professional Development, VP of Sponsorships and VP of Volunteers.

Candidates have been approved by the Nominating Committee and are now put forth to the entire membership. These nominees include Kari Bogdan (President Elect), Christina Moore & Katerina Ekonomou (Co VP’s Professional Development), Cecilia Lillegard (VP of Sponsorships) and Shelli Kanter (VP of Volunteers). In addition to the nominated individuals, members may vote for write-in candidates.

Voting will open Tuesday, September 10^th and end Tuesday, September 24^th. All members in good standing are eligible to vote. Renew or join to be eligible to vote. If you didn’t receive a direct election invitation email, or experience any difficulties while submitting your vote, please contact our chapter administrator at admin@sewi-atd.org.

Thank you for your time,

Michelle Dable

President-Elect

Message From the President, Susan Davies

Judy Dejno — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 23:04:42 GMT

Happy New Year and Welcome to 2024!

What a difference a week makes! We hope everyone is safe and warm after the recent snowstorm.

As we embark on a new year, filled with opportunities for connection, learning, and growth, we're excited about the fast start with our upcoming events.

First, join us on January 18th for a virtual event, "Performing at Your Best," where we'll explore new ways to manage our environment, reduce stress, and operate at our optimal levels.

On February 2nd, the Performance Improvement PDN will delve into Process Improvement, analyzing the processes employees use to ensure we are addressing the right problems.

Then, on February 8th, Molson Coors will share insights into living their company's value of "Learn Every Day." Join us at Fred's Pub afterward, where Molson Coors will generously provide refreshments and snacks.

Mark your calendars for our Winter Social on March 6th, a time to connect and celebrate our volunteers. Additionally, the Training Delivery PDN group is finalizing details for another outstanding program in March.

Anticipating an incredible year ahead!

Your President Team,

Susan Davies, President

Michelle Dable, President-Elect

Kristin Derwinski, Past President

Board Election Results

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 16:48:47 GMT

We are proud to announce the results of the election for the 2024 board openings! Please join us in congratulating the following new board members-elect:

Michelle Dable for President Elect
Judy Dejno for VP of Marketing and Communications
Renita Switzer for VP of Community Relations
Shelli Kanter for VP of Digital Experience

These new members will officially begin their terms in January. Over the next several months, they will be collaborating with the existing board to transition responsibilities and contribute to our operating strategy for 2024.

Thank you to our out-going current board members who will continue to serve the chapter through the year:

Patrick Aleshire - VP of Marketing and Communications
Lora Hanes - VP of Community Relations
Tami Martin - VP of Digital Experience

Finally, a special thank you to Nikki Palmer-Quade who is finishing up her time on the Presidency tract.

Thank you to all for your support of the chapter!

Members: Vote for SEWI-ATD Board of Directors

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 15:28:32 GMT

It’s time for our annual board elections!

Chapter members will be receiving a direct email invitation to vote for our open Board of Director roles. There are four open positions including: President Elect, VP Marketing & Communications, VP Community Relations and VP-Digital Experience.

Candidates have been approved by the Nominating Committee for presentation to membership. Voting will open Wednesday, August 30, 2023 and end Thursday September 7, 2023. All members in good standing are eligible to vote. Renew or join to be eligible to vote.

If you do not receive a direct election invitation email or experience any difficulties while submitting your vote, please contact our chapter administrator at admin@sewi-atd.org.

Thank you for your participation!

Susan Davies, President-Elect

How Learner Personas Can Enhance your Instructional Design Approach, Part 2

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 22:41:15 GMT

By Teresa Pappas, Ph.D., Consultant, The CARA Group

Welcome back learner persona enthusiasts! In the previous article (How Learner Personas Can Enhance your Instructional Design Approach, Part 1) we showed you how five personas captured the core learning motivations of our healthcare emerging leader program population. We described our research process and how we identified participants’ core learning preferences and goals, along with how to best reach them in support of their leadership development needs. Through our analysis, we identified key ways that individuals tended to show up as learners: Champions, Change Agents, Achievers, Connectors, or Troubleshooters.

“Where our learner personas made the biggest difference was in enhancing our design to include instruction and activities that were essential to enhance the learning experience of our participants.”

As a reminder, here is how these five learner personas were defined based on our research:

Champions: Individuals who, above all else, are passionate about making a positive impact on peoples’ lives, providing exceptional above-and-beyond service, and demonstrating a calm and positive approach when working through challenge and conflict.
Change Agents: Individuals who are proactively forward-focused on improvements and see themselves as advocates for positive change within their role and the organization at large. Those individuals who pride themselves, above all else, on being flexible, agile, and resourceful when adapting to change—both incremental & breakthrough.
Achievers: Self-motivated individuals who set a high bar on their personal performance and engage in a relentless pursuit of their ongoing growth and improvement. Those who are driven to be best-in-class in their area of expertise and continually push themselves outside of their comfort zone.
Connectors: Individuals who are focused on making an authentic and personal connection with others (both colleagues and patients alike), model what it means to foster a collaborative team environment and strive to do what is needed in the service of achieving the highest-performing team possible.
Troubleshooters: Individuals who are driven to leverage their skills, knowledge, experience, and creativity when addressing challenges and solving problems. Those who are motivated in demonstrating the initiative to explore creative and out-of-the-box solutions, while building a reputation for being a “go to” resource within their specific area of expertise.

Through our research, we also obtained the following data to describe the goals that different individuals desire as part of their learning experiences:

Apply Skills & Knowledge: Having an opportunity to incorporate their technical/functional knowledge and expertise; staying up-to-date on best practices in their field; observing and learning from others who demonstrate expertise.
Meet Challenges: Having ways to apply their learning experientially while practicing while doing; troubleshooting solutions to refine their approach.
Set & Achieve Goals: Establishing structured learning goals with an opportunity to assess their progress; ensuring a clear understanding of, and alignment with, the “why.”
Flexibility & Independence: Acquiring learning in a flexible manner, including using blended methods and an opportunity to access on-demand content.
Build Relationships: Working with others to solidify their understanding and exchange insights gathered from topics to reinforce content learning.
Innovation & Creativity: Ideating and iterating when solving problems and identifying new opportunities.
Reflective Introspection: Reflecting upon concepts, new insights, and how to apply them; taking practical and tangible next steps to reinforce their learning.

With these foundational elements in place, we were then able to assess how the personas aligned across two distinct and equally important learning spectrums—key learning drivers (short- vs long-term) and overarching leadership interests (intrinsic vs extrinsic). As illustrated below, Champions tend to be intrinsically motivated based on the satisfaction they obtain from helping others and demonstrating leadership in-the-moment. Conversely, intrinsically motivated Achievers are focused on how actions they take today position them to achieve their long-term leadership development goals. While Change Agents are extrinsically motivated toward immediate ways they can influence and lead proactive change, Connectors are guided by the synergy obtained from maintaining network relationships as a way to achieve goals together. Finally, Troubleshooters are agile and flexible, leveraging both short- and long-term opportunities to solve problems and demonstrate leadership in their roles.

Learner Persona Spectrums

You may be thinking, “This all sounds great, but exactly how did this help you to design your leadership development program?” Great question. Let’s get to it. In short, we leveraged these learner personas by including training methods and topics that we knew were critical to our participants. Where our learner personas made the biggest difference was in enhancing our design to include instruction and activities that were essential to enhance the learning experience of our participants. We listened to the powerful examples of learner personas brought to life based on how individuals engaged with their colleagues and patients. Through these examples, we understood how to best tap into individuals’ leadership and learning interests, from their own words. The following table captures a summary of participants' key motivators, mottos that guide their work (from their direct quotes), learning goals, preferences, how to reach them, barriers to learning, and leadership interests.

When combined, these key learner persona elements are provided below and highlight critical aspects addressed in the development of the emerging leader program.

Learner Persona Instructional Design Dimensions

In the end, the Emerging Leader Program was designed to meet the needs of all five learner personas, as described above. The program objectives were to implement an interactive learning experience that provided participants with practical concepts, tools, and techniques to develop their leadership skills. The program target audience included employees of color who were ‘ready now’ for, or recently promoted to, a first-time leadership role. It was our goal that by completing the emerging leader program, individuals would not only solidify their readiness to take on a leadership role but also shorten their learning curve and increase their probability of success in the process. One key factor in achieving this was aligning our learner persona details throughout the program’s design.

We also developed an Emerging Leader Learning Journey map to demonstrate how individuals would progress through the program components. The learning journey illustrated the pathway through the program, following a Leading Self, Leading Others, and Leading the Business framework. This included specific learning content that began with fundamental concepts for transitioning to leadership, involved content on leading teams and creating an inclusive team culture, as well as content on developing business acumen and understanding compliance, laws, and policies relevant to a leadership role. The learning journey also described specific milestones through the 12-week program, along with delivery method (which was a blend of online a-synchronous self-study combined with virtual instructor led weekly sessions.). We were intentional in designing the program to leverage their technical skills and comfort in working with technology, ensuring flexibility (with structure) to focus their learning, and providing a ‘sandbox’ with multiple experiential opportunities to practice new skills while working together.

We hope you found this case study example both interesting and informative. It was a fascinating opportunity for us to incorporate learner personas into our design approach. As instructional design and learning professionals, we are always looking for new ways to enhance our process and end results for our clients. This article series shows how learner personas provide an important tool to add to our toolkit to help us achieve this goal.

How Learner Personas Can Enhance Your Instructional Design Approach, Part 1

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 20:16:40 GMT

By Teresa Pappas, Ph.D., Consultant, The CARA Group

When was the last time you've created a development program wondering "How well will this align with the audiences' inherent learning needs...really?" If this is a question you've asked yourself, this blog issue is for you! In this article we present a case study introducing the concept of 'learner personas,' which can make sure you're tapping into individuals' underlying learning needs, interests, and motivations. We will also show how knowing this information helped to design and develop a powerful leadership development program, based on a recent client example. But first, some background.

"One thing that worked particularly well was taking a thorough, thoughtful, and customized approach by incorporating learner personas as a foundational instructional design element."

The learner personas you'll see come to life in this article were developed as part of an initiative involving a consortium of three health systems in the Chicago area. The consortium shared the collective goal of positively influencing and enhancing the diversity of the local labor market. The mission was to remove barriers and create avenues for nontraditional workforce populations to further develop their employment opportunities.

As a result, an emerging leader program was designed to support people of color in developing skills that will position them to advance into leadership roles within the healthcare sector. Ultimately, the program rests upon the fact that diversity in leadership is not only the right thing to do, but it's also good for business—as inclusive organizations have demonstrated themselves to be more profitable, innovative, and agile than others. The opportunity in creating this leadership development program was to truly understand individuals' unique learning styles and preferences so that program customization would be aligned with participant needs across critical dimensions.

LEARNER PERSONAS

Enter the learner persona. Ultimately, the objective of learner personas is to appropriately represent the individuals you are trying to develop. In doing so, personas highlight individuals' skills, motivations, and learning preferences—as well as the challenges and struggles that may impact their work and learning experience. According to Harvard Business Review (Peter Merholz, 2009) "A persona is the single most effective way to generate and spread empathy throughout an organization." Indeed, the process of creating personas shows a desire to tap into the core needs of a learner group so you can best customize your program content and approach. This was important, as the leadership development program was designed to rectify the fact that current leadership development initiatives do not typically address some of the most critical challenges, behaviors, and skill gaps that nontraditional participants faced within their communities.

To ensure that our personas were appropriately reflective of our population of learners, we embarked upon a structured interview process with a sample of 24 high-performing individuals across the organizations represented. During the interviews we collected a variety of information, including targeted questions across the following areas: Current role and work dynamics, work experiences and approach toward learning and development, opportunities to demonstrate leadership, future work and leadership interests, as well as learning interests and motivations.

Data were analyzed and themes extracted that identified individuals' work and learning style preferences, learning goals, barriers to accessing learning, how to best reach them, as well as their leadership interests. Important to note is that each interview was conducted by a member of two consulting organizations working in partnership. This ensured that interview questions reflected the cultural needs of the target audience and provided a consistent interpretation of interview responses.

Results of our thematic analysis produced five distinct learner personas, described below:

We also administered a brief online survey to augment the resulting interview themes, by providing participants with additional time to reflect upon their: Key motivations, learning style, learning approach, and current technical skill levels. The resulting survey responses reinforced certain aspects of the learning environment that would best facilitate participants' learning experience. For example, individuals stated preferring a balanced learning approach, including both an interest in learning as part of a group as well as taking time independently to reinforce content learning on their own. The vast majority of participants also reported their current technical level as skilled, being able to work with different technologies with little help. This was critical information to validate, as the leadership development program was designed to be delivered using a virtual format.

In the end, the emerging leader program was designed to meet the needs of all five learner personas. Specifically, the development of learner personas was based upon who the program was designed for as its key audience. Based on interview comments obtained, we developed a high-level program content framework including what skills and behaviors were demonstrated by the most effective emerging leaders. We then developed an emerging leader program journey map to demonstrate how individuals would progress through the program components.

As with any case study, it becomes important to reflect upon lessons-learned. One thing that worked particularly well was taking a thorough, thoughtful, and customized approach by incorporating learner personas as a foundational instructional design element. This provided an opportunity to later customize learning content and methods in a way that met participants where they were. It was also helpful to take a targeted needs assessment approach across the three involved organizations as part of developing the local community. One challenge that was addressed involved the timing and scope of an initiative of this magnitude. When it became clear that adjustments needed to be made to further reinforce the time-phased implementation of the action learning project during the 12-week program, the consulting and internal healthcare project team met and adapted the approach, as needed.

Now, stay tuned for Part 2! This is where we'll show how we leveraged these personas in the development of the emerging leader program itself. Specifically, in our next article you'll see how we leveraged these learner personas to customize our instructional design and development efforts—as well as the impact it has on program content and approach.

What is Cultural Alignment?

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 01:25:19 GMT

By: Daniel Stewart, President & Executive Consultant

Every group has a culture of some sort. Families, communities, affinity groups—anywhere people gather for any length of time and purpose; culture will form. The workplace is no different, and everyone benefits when employees align with company culture.

WHAT IS COMPANY CULTURE?

Your company culture is the totality of your processes, practices, values, and expectations as expressed across the organization. It often develops organically, at least in part, as founders and early employees bring their perspectives and preferences to the organization. If a culture is intentional, it may only be developed partly or as a secondary effect of writing out specific values or practices.

Any culture has nuance and depth that makes it unique. We’ve identified the Eight Dimensions of Culture, and within each dimension, most companies fall somewhere between two ends of a spectrum. In most cases, neither end of the spectrum is good or bad—it’s just an aspect of culture. There is one exception—on the dimension of engagement, morale, and dedication, a company culture on the “committed” end of the spectrum is preferable to one on the “indifferent” side. Employees can’t be aligned to the other seven dimensions if they are indifferent!

WHAT IS CULTURAL ALIGNMENT?

Culture is sometimes tricky to define in its entirety. For many employees, aligning with company culture can feel almost as challenging as moving to a foreign country. Employees may be able to identify one aspect of the culture, such as leadership transparency and openness. Or they may be drawn to the company by specific policies, such as flexible schedules and practices that reveal a family-oriented culture.

Cultural alignment is the idea that employees know not only how to define the culture but also how to practice it. They know the unspoken rules and preferences, and ideally, they believe in the culture and become champions of it.

When employees align with the culture, business outcomes improve. Gartner found that when employees and workplace culture are aligned, there is up to a 9% improvement in revenue goals, 8% in talent management goals, and 22% in employee performance.

HOW CAN WE ACHIEVE CULTURAL ALIGNMENT?

The first step in achieving cultural alignment is to define your culture. At this point, a cultural assessment performed by someone outside your organization can be valuable. Someone with an outsider’s perspective can more objectively identify strengths and areas for improvement.

Next, with this information in hand, make a plan to address areas of improvement to strengthen the culture. This plan could include everything from the practical, such as reorganizing people to make teams more aligned with your organizational culture, to the more amorphous, such as encouraging transparency. While behaviors are associated with the areas targeted for improvement, changing something that’s more of a soft skill will likely take considerably longer than some practical, hard-skill-oriented shifts.

Consider employing a guide to help you align your employees with your company culture. If you were traveling to a foreign country, you might hire a local guide at first—someone who can help you navigate challenging scenarios and improve your interactions. Stewart Leadership’s experts can serve as your guides to help implement changes and improve alignment.

As you implement your plan, remember—aligning employees with your culture takes time, patience, and a lot of practice. Leaders may need to build trust with employees, and employees may need time to “learn a new language,” metaphorically speaking.

Focusing on aligning employees with your culture may be challenging, but the results can make the effort worthwhile. Just as someone who has become immersed in another culture comes away richer and more fulfilled as a result, your employees and your organization both can find great personal satisfaction and improved business outcomes by improving cultural alignment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Daniel Stewart - President & Executive Consultant

Daniel Stewart is a sought-after talent management and leadership development consultant and coach with proven experience advising senior leaders, leading change, and designing leadership-rich organizations. He leads Stewart Leadership’s extensive consulting practice, business development, and international partnerships.

The Three Types of Learning You Need to Excel as a Leader

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 16:30:17 GMT

By: Daniel Stewart - President & Executive Consultant

No one steps into a leadership role with every skill necessary to lead a team successfully. In fact, no one steps into any role completely prepared to excel in the position. Part of becoming excellent is learning, growing, and maturing over time.

An Individual Action Plan can make the difference between struggling to fully develop and thriving through the process while preparing to take on roles of greater responsibility. When creating your Individual Action Plan (IAP) with your boss, make sure your plan includes three kinds of learning: experiential, relationship, and formal.

1. EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Experiential learning is precisely what it sounds like—learning through experience and practice. It will include the obvious forms of learning, such as on-the-job practice, but it can also involve rotational and special assignments, such as projects or committee roles. This kind of learning should constitute about 70% of development.

Just because it’s experience-based doesn’t mean your experiential learning should be haphazard or disorganized. You should track your experiential learning in tandem with other types of learning so that you approach it intentionally and with a focus on holistic development. With the help of your boss, mentor, coach, or colleagues, identify and target specific areas for improvement. Identify metrics that can be tracked and measured to guide your progress and evaluate the overall effort at the end of a defined period.

Types of experiential learning could include:

On-the-job learning
Special projects
Continuous improvement work
Rotational assignments or jobs
Developing others
Stretch assignments
Committee assignments
Additional tasks

2. RELATIONSHIP LEARNING

Approximately 20% of your development should be focused around relationships. This type of learning falls into one of two groups. The first type of learning involves personal, one-on-one development through coaching, mentoring, advising, or relationships with colleagues, peers, or associates. Those personal connections might involve formal or informal feedback, but they’ll also involve ample opportunities for connection, discussion, and real-time problem-solving.

The second type of relationship-based learning comes through assessments and formal feedback tools such as 360° Feedback, Personality, EQ, leadership, or work-style assessments. This kind of learning is still based in relationships, but assessments provide the framework for feedback. Once information is collected, the assessment or feedback can be applied to the IAP for specific areas of development. Assessments can also be used as part of a mentoring or coaching arrangement.

Relationship learning can include:

Coaching, advising, mentoring
Feedback from colleagues, peers, associates
360° Feedback Assessment
Personality, EQ, leadership, or work styles assessment
External volunteer activities
Personal “Board of Directors”
Shadowing other leaders
Observing practices in other industries

3. FORMAL LEARNING

Formal learning can include obvious avenues such as college coursework, technical certifications, or continuing education, but it may also include the kind of pursuits that don’t result in a degree or certificate. Reading books or articles relevant to one’s profession, writing and publishing thought leadership pieces, or attending or presenting at a conference can all be considered formal learning.

For many people who have spent years advancing their education and keeping relevant certifications current, it may be tempting to pursue only formal learning options for development. After all, formal learning is comfortable and familiar, and when it’s passive, as in reading or consuming webinars or conference speeches, it doesn’t require a lot of interaction or measurement.

Professionals who want to develop their leadership skills fully should limit formal learning to only about 10% of development. This doesn’t mean limiting one’s reading or postponing continuing education. Instead, when designing an Individual Action Plan, ensure that the overall goals are weighted heavily in favor of experiential learning, with only 10% of the formal plan focused on formal education. Learning of this type should be designed to support your long-term goals.

Formal learning includes:

Classroom training
Webinars/CBTs/Podcasts
Books and articles
Conference attendance
Continuing education/certification
Educational degree
Writing articles, white papers, or blogs
Presenting at a conference

Learning to develop oneself and others is key to thriving in a leadership role. By taking control of your personal development with an Individual Action Plan that includes the three key types of learning, you will be able to deliver excellence in your current role and prepare yourself for the next one—and thrive through the process.

Stewart Leadership offers a variety of assessments and coaching options to help you reach your leadership goals. To learn more, contact us.

SELF-CHECK:

1) Do you currently have an Individual Action Plan? If not, what would it take to develop one?

2) What is one kind of experiential learning that you have not pursued? Can you identify an opportunity to pursue that in your current role?

3) What is one assessment that you would like to add to your IAP?

Title: Future Proof: How to Keep L&D Relevant and Impactful in a Changing World – Thoughts from the Talent Development Forum

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 16:06:57 GMT

Written by: Kristin Derwinski and Susan Davies

As the great resignation marches on, with an average of four million people leaving their jobs per month for over a year and a half, many organizations are finding that, as talent leaves, so does the institutional knowledge of business processes, systems, products, as well as best practices. The resulting skill gap is unprecedented.

The Southeast Wisconsin chapter of ATD held their annual Talent Development Forum panel on October 28, 2022 at Kohl’s Innovation Center, focusing on the impact of this skills gap to those of us in the Learning and Development (L&D) field.

For background, according to the ATD 2022 Skills Gap1 report, 83% of organizations report a skills gap, with 78% reporting that they expect to face such a skills gap in the future.

A skills gap is a significant difference between an organization’s current capabilities and the skills it needs to achieve its goals and meet customer demand. When an organization has a large skills gap in its workforce, it risks not meeting customer expectations and demands.

“This isn’t a training problem,” said CARA President and CEO Michelle Reid-Powell, “It’s a business problem. And there has never been a better time for Talent Development professionals to establish our relevance and make a significant difference in the success of our companies.”

Not only does Talent Development address the skills gap, it plays a significant role in retention. Microsoft’s Work Trend Index Special Report2 released in September discusses the connection between learning and retention. Per their data:

● 76% of employees say they would stay at their company longer if they received

development support. Numbers rise even higher for business decision makers (+7).

● Employees consider opportunities to learn and grow as the #1 driver of great work culture, a jump from 2019 when it was ranked #9.

Taken as a whole, prioritizing employee learning and growth presents a winning retention formula for organizations—or, alternately, if neglected, could pose a threat.

1 ATD 2022 Skills Gap Report : https://www.td.org/research-report/bridging-the-skills-gap-workforce-development-in-changing-times-pdf-download

2 Microsoft Work Trend Index Special Report September 22, 2022: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/hybrid-work-is-just-work

RESEARCH AND INSIGHTS

Michelle Reid-Powell, President and CEO of The CARA Group, led the discussion with some insights into how to keep L&D relevant and impactful in a changing world. Based on their research and expertise, CARA recommends the following solutions to combat these challenges:

1. Learning and Development teams should join forces with those associated with Workforce Planning and Talent Acquisition. Sometimes, the best way to fill a role is to recruit internal talent before they look elsewhere for career mobility. Working together, these teams can align approaches and metrics and partner to optimize talent initiatives.

2. Review your course offerings and ensure you focus on value over volume. Rather than an endless database of possible courses, create learning paths to support specific roles in upskilling (especially those most in-demand by the organization).

3. Support and develop your managers. The role of Manager is more challenging than ever. They need to build their skill sets around creating emotional safety, career and skills development, coaching, managing a remote workforce, and how to support diversity, equity and inclusion more fully. They also need a playbook for how to support their employees in training (many whom are new to both the organization and the role.)

4. Connection is more important than ever. Learning strategies need to consider all stakeholders for learning – and ensure they have a role in supporting the success of the organization and the learner in applying the skills post-training.

5. Metrics are still important, but organizations are focusing on only a few critical formal measures. Instead, more frequent stakeholder feedback from learning sessions is being reviewed. Focus groups, surveys and performance check-ins are important for all learning sessions.

PANEL DISCUSSION HIGHLIGHTS

After Michelle set the stage, she turned to the panel for their insights. We were fortunate to have four key leaders from SE-WI to share their experience:

Yolonda Evans, Organization and Change Effectiveness Consultant at American Family Insurance

● Guillermo Gutierrez, Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Equity at Manpower Group

● Allison Peschel, Vice President of Client Services at JB Training Solutions

● Mike Tack, Director of Talent Development at Kohl’s

Some highlights of the discussion:

How is the world of work changing?

Given the level of volatility in the business environment, we need to prioritize HOW to equip people managers to lead change and create a safe work environment where people can share their ideas and viewpoints.

Mike Tack emphasized the importance of walking in the manager’s shoes. He stressed the need to know the daily challenges managers face in performing their jobs and aligning that with learning solutions.

“There has never been a more critical time for hard skills – what I mean by that are people skills. Those are most important now,” stated Guillermo Gutierrez.

L&D is being embraced right now because managers are exhausted. We (L&D practitioners) must prioritize what our leaders truly need right now. Yolonda Evans chimed in, “Now they need us – for a long time we were the scapegoat. For the first time L&D is a first responder – double edged sword!” Yolonda exclaimed.

An interesting observation shared by Allison: “we are also finding that what is challenging now are the informal conversations that were happening before the pandemic are now more formal conversations in the remote world.” There is a need to be more intentional about having those informal conversations.

How do you make a business case for training?

We are all going to have a moment when we have to sell training as an investment: tell a story - why the training matters, why is it important? Talk about money but also the time invested by managers. Talk about skills and well-being – think about internal and external customers. A manager’s stakeholders are their direct reports. If a manager attends a training, what impact is that having on the employees of the manager’s team? What does attrition/retention look like? How will your learning strategy impact people three layers removed?

Mike outlined how Kohl’s has changed their approach in how they offer training. His group found that they were offering too many options for the same type of training. People signed up but did not attend the training session leading to inefficiencies in deploying their limited training resources.

In response, the team tried a cohort model with a limited period to sign up for a limited number of seats. This created a sense of urgency around the training. They had four cohorts out of 50 people and all four filled up within 30 minutes. They did not change what they were offering but changed how they marketed it. A business case can be made by looking at how many people are clamoring for the training. This also required Mike’s team to be comfortable with having too many people interested.

What metrics are you using?

Allison noted that companies continue to track metrics including attendance, sign up vs. show up rate, net promoter scores, number of people reached, facilitator score, relevance to own job, tracking any barriers to application, etc. BUT – over the past year she has also seen a major shift to this idea of tracking sentiment, versus tracking skill. Michelle noted that this is something not traditionally done but could be a measure of engagement. Tracking sentiment can be a meaningful metric; if it goes well that is the business case for the training. If not, then the case can be made for why the training must happen.

Adding to that, Guilermo emphasized “ Show me the value rather than show me the numbers. How are we going to figure out what training did to the culture? How will we add questions to measure that? How can you be innovative in culture – how will your learning strategy impact people three layers removed.”

FINAL THOUGHTS

Lastly, panelists shared some final thoughts -

Design and solve for your business not trends.
Know your business, walk in your manger’s/coworker’s shoes.
Get a true sense of the business, what is happening, what is needed. Create, solve, and design from there.
We are all businesspeople in service of what the business needs.
Be your authentic self – don’t worry about pushing back on requests.
Talk about being remarkable. Is what we create remarkable? Aim to create something you want to tell your friends about.

Our thanks to the panelists and attendees for this dynamic, engaging, and insightful discussion!

Mark your calendars for this year’s Talent Development Forum scheduled for October 27, 2023 at Kohl’s Innovation Center!

Managing Performance For Maximum Development

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 20:09:24 GMT

By: Nolan Godfrey
Regional Director & Executive Consultant

One of the most challenging aspects of leadership is navigating the tension between achieving results and developing people. As leaders concerned with business outcomes, performance management is vital, and there is a constant need to drive improvement for better results. However, improving performance involves developing people; without skilled team members to drive business outcomes, performance can't improve. Leaders may hesitate to develop team members, sensing that taking the time to develop people may slow down results. How can you develop your people while also driving business outcomes?

It's important to understand that performance and development are fundamentally very similar ideas. Performance management—"getting stuff done"—is one side of the coin, while development—the acquisition of skills, attitude, and knowledge to "get stuff done"—is the other side.

Performance management is a four-step cycle that includes essential aspects of development. By integrating development into this performance management cycle, leaders can drive development and outcomes to maximize results.

THE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT CYCLE

STEP 1: SET EXPECTATIONS AND GOALS

At this stage of performance management, leaders and team members will engage in conversation about expectations and goals for the position, project, or assignment. The level and type of conversation will depend largely on the competence and experience of the team member. Someone who is newer, earlier in a career, or less experienced will need more structured guidance and interaction throughout the cycle than someone who has a higher level of competence. Setting these expectations and goals up front will give clear metrics to measure outcomes so that no one is left guessing.

STEP 2: PROVIDE TOOLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND SKILLS

Development primarily happens in steps two and three of the performance management cycle. Once expectations and goals are established, leaders and managers need to set up the tools, resources, or training required to accomplish the task. Again, the level of resources provided by a manager depends mainly on how skilled the employee is. However, even a skilled and experienced employee may have knowledge gaps, and an open and ongoing conversation about what development is needed can improve outcomes.

STEP 3: MONITOR AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK

Steps two and three are almost a short cycle within themselves in that there is a constant flow back and forth between providing resources and monitoring and giving feedback. Much of the interaction in this step will consist of informal coaching—a conversation between you and your team member about progress and any necessary adjustments toward completing a task.

STEP 4: REWARD AND RECOGNIZE

Don't forget this vital step in the performance management cycle—rewarding and recognizing people for their successes! Reward and recognition fuel ongoing enthusiasm and propel team members into the next task for continued high performance and comprehensive development.

By understanding that performance management and development go hand-in-hand, you can take your performance management to the next level and upskill your people for long-term growth.

Self-Check:

What is the difference between managing performance and developing people?
What do those differences mean for my role and the people who report to me?
What is the one thing I can do to better align performance management and people development?

Talent Development Forum Summary

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 21:12:31 GMT

Talent Development Forum Summary

As the great resignation continues to march on, many organizations are finding that as talent leaves, so does all the business process, system, product, and best practices expertise. Our Talent Forum on October 28, 2022, discussed the challenges we are facing from an L&D perspective. We had a record number attending the event this year! Thank you to all our volunteers who helped make this event such a success, especially Rochelle Behling for producing the event and Kohl’s for hosting.

Here are some highlights…..

Michelle Reid-Powell from the CARA group led off the discussion with some insights into how to keep L&D relevant and impactful in a changing world. Based on their research and expertise, CARA recommends the following solutions to combat these challenges:

Learning and Development teams should join forces with those associated with Workforce Planning and Talent Acquisition. Together, these teams can align approaches and metrics and partner to optimize talent initiatives.
Review your learnings and ensure you place value over volume. Be careful to simplify your offerings and focus on a few great learnings versus 100s.
Support and develop your managers. With all that is happening in the world, managers need to build their skill sets around creating emotional safety, career and skills development, coaching, managing a remote workforce, and how to support diversity, equity and inclusion more fully. Managers need a playbook to help them support learning paths.
Learning strategies need to ensure connections for all participants before, during and after the learning.
Metrics are important and more feedback from the sessions are even more important. Focus groups, surveys and performance check-ins are important for all learning sessions.

After Michelle set the stage, we turned to our panel for their insights. We were fortunate to have four key leaders from SE-WI to share their experience:

Yolonda Evans, Org and Change Effectiveness Consultant at American Family Insurance
Guillermo Gutierrez, Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Equity at ManpowerGroup
Allison Peschel, VP of Client Services at J&B Training Solutions
Mike Tack, Director of Talent Development at Kohl’s

Some highlights of the discussion:

How is the world of work changing?

As there is so much volatility in the business, we need to prioritize HOW to equip people managers to lead change and create a safe work environment where people are able to share their ideas and viewpoints. Mike Tack emphasized the importance of walking in the managers’ shoes. He stressed the need to know the daily challenges managers face in performing their jobs and aligning that with learning solutions.

“Never more critical time for hard skills – what I mean by that are people skills. Those are most important now,” stated Guillermo Gutierrez.

L&D is being embraced right now because managers are exhausted. We (L&D practitioners) have to prioritize what our leaders truly need right now. Yolanda Evans chimed in, “Now they need us – for a long time we were the scapegoat. For the first time you are a first responder – double edged sword!” Yolonda exclaimed.

An interesting observation shared by Allison included, “we are also finding that what is challenging now are the informal conversations that were happening before the pandemic are now more formal conversations in the remote world.”

Looking for more tips or solutions? A detailed white paper will be coming in December.

The Secret to Thriving Through the Talent War: Career Development

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 02:41:46 GMT

By: Taura Prosek, Director - Business Development & Executive Coach
Stewart Leadership

As companies have grappled with employee retention and a general worker shortage over the last two years, the circumstances around the pandemic have revealed several weaknesses around the talent wars. Some employees who were furloughed or let go when businesses shut down have simply retired or started their own businesses.

Other employees endured the struggles around working remotely only to burn out and decide to find a better work-life balance elsewhere. And as the talent shortage continues to grow, leaders are left trying to figure out where to hire talented people and how to keep the ones they have.

While there is much necessary conversation around such factors as expanded hybrid and flexible work options, wellness and work-life balance, and DE&I initiatives, among other things, one area that can be overlooked is the role that career development plays in employee engagement and retention. It’s not just training for their current jobs that employees care about; rather, they want to know that their companies and leaders are willing to invest in their careers for the long term, whether they stay or not.

Investing in employee career paths can be expensive, and for companies watching the bottom line, it may be tough to justify the cost of providing coaching and training. Some companies may fear that they will train and mentor talented people who will then take their skills elsewhere.

Both lines of thinking, however, are rooted in short-term thinking. The truth is that replacing an employee can cost anywhere from 1.5 to 2 times the employee’s annual salary–possibly even more for high-level employees, and employees are more likely to leave a company that does not provide learning and career development opportunities. In fact, a survey from late 2021 showed that 72% of tech workers were thinking of leaving their jobs because of limited career development and learning opportunities.

Given these realities, it’s clear that career development is a strategic retention choice. In fact, investing in the future careers of your employees may be the key to thriving during the ongoing talent shortage.

Here are four ways that investing in the career development of your staff can help you thrive during the ongoing talent wars:

1. IMPROVE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE

Leaders intuitively understand that happy employees are more engaged and more likely to stay with the company, but they may struggle to know exactly how to give employees the experience they crave. While things like wellness programs or flexible work schedules are essential, it’s important not to neglect the value of career development across the employee population. One study found that employees who are given professional development opportunities are 15% more engaged in their jobs and had a 34% higher retention rate.

2. UPSKILL EMPLOYEES TO MEET FUTURE DEMANDS

No one knows exactly what the future holds, but when organizations such as the World Economic Forum predict that 50% of all employees will need reskilling by 2025, it’s a safe bet that educating and training current employees will pay off in more skilled people who can meet future demands. And this doesn’t just mean retraining employees to use different technologies; it may also mean upskilling employees who could benefit from academic instruction or management training.

3. HELP EMPLOYEES FIND A NICHE WHERE THEY CAN THRIVE

Companies that invest in the long-term careers of their current employees are giving those people the opportunities to explore interests, find new talents, and practice new skills. This endorsement of exploration and curiosity can unleash employee potential and help them find a niche where they can flourish It also communicates that leaders recognize their potential and want to develop it. Employees tend to rise to the occasion when given the opportunity to chart a career path with full support from their leaders.

4. IMPROVE PERFORMANCE—AND REPUTATION

Giving employees career development opportunities internally can only strengthen the performance of the company. An organization with a strong reputation for helping people grow their careers can attract other talented people, giving the organization an advantage in attracting and retaining talent.

As the war for talent continues to heat up, companies will need every edge to stay competitive in an employee-driven market. Aside from the current “Great Resignation,” the ongoing and anticipated shortage of skilled workers will mean continued competition for high-quality employees. Helping everyone in your organization plan a career path and pursue development opportunities toward those goals could be the key to thriving and growing throughout whatever the future of work brings.

4 Steps to Effective Decision Making

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 13:00:00 GMT

By: Daniel Stewart

Making decisions is tough sometimes, even under the best of circumstances. And when people look to you to make the final call, it’s easy to feel like the future of your career, your team, or even the company is at stake. History is full of stories about bad business decisions, and no one wants to be the person who passed up a profitable acquisition or missed a major market shift.

But someone must be the “go-to” decision-maker. After all, no decision IS a decision, and businesses cannot afford to sit still. So how can you improve your ability to make effective decisions?

Start by assessing your own decision-making style. There are generally three approaches to making decisions:

Consultative decision-making involves soliciting input from others before making a decision.

Directive decision-making means making the decision on your own.

Consensus decision-making is all about involving others and making a decision together.

Of course, different decisions may require different methods, but every leader will naturally gravitate toward one or two of these styles more often. Identify how you make decisions, and then learn when to alter your decision-making strategy to boost the quality of the outcome.

Once you have a general idea of how you make decisions, follow these four steps to make the most effective decision possible:

1. DEFINE THE PROBLEM OR NEED:

Calvin Coolidge once said, “If you see ten troubles coming down the road, you can be sure that nine will run into the ditch before they reach you.” It’s easy to see a cascade of problems and turn them all into something that needs a decision, or to turn a decision into a bigger issue than it really is. To avoid making decisions for problems or needs you don’t have right now, take some time to clearly define the current issue. Make sure you know exactly what the problem or need is so that you don’t spend time on problems or needs that can wait—or that may never become problems at all.

2. ANALYZE THE ISSUE AT HAND:

This step is probably the one that causes the most “analysis paralysis.” It’s easy to overanalyze a problem or need. Try to confine your analysis to one issue. What is the importance of this issue? Who is impacted? If you can look at potential downstream impacts without getting stalled, that’s fine, but don’t let “what ifs” delay the decision too long. Ask others for input, if necessary.

3. IMPLEMENT AND COMMUNICATE:

Once you’ve made a decision, implement and communicate. Don’t let the time lag between decision and implementation any longer than necessary. A lack of action and transparency can lead to distrust and instability on your team or in the organization. Rather, share information as soon as possible, and implement your decisions at the earliest possible time. Be methodical about the communication, and invite questions or feedback as much as possible.

4. LEARN FROM THE PROCESS AND THE OUTCOME:

It’s tempting to crow about good decisions and sweep bad decisions under the rug. However, both can offer good learning opportunities about what decision style is best, what level of tolerance your team or company has for ambiguity, and so on. In addition, if the outcome of a decision is negative, assess it honestly and look for ways to redirect. Admitting and learning from mistakes can help grow trust among colleagues.

Making decisions can be risky, and when other futures are on the line, it’s tempting to avoid them. But identifying your preferred process and then taking a step-by-step approach can make the process less risky and more likely to produce good outcomes.

To learn more about effective decision-making and how to implement this into your everyday executive management, read through our LEAD NOW model or connect with us to find a consultant near you.

What I Learned: 10 Microsoft Accessibility Tips

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 13:00:00 GMT

By: Jim Davis, Instructional Design Consultant

Companies are committing to diversity, equity, and inclusion as they develop and design their learning and documentation. I have learned a great deal about accessibility in learning and documentation since my journey began a couple of years ago and it has been exciting for me. I have learned so much and wanted to share with you what I have learned. I also want to be clear that I do not know everything (not even close!), but I found these 10 tips most helpful and hope you do, too.

Overview

Working on my first client accessibility project presented a daunting challenge.

The web is rich with guidelines, tools, and tips, but it is inundating without a roadmap and I could not find one. For example, there are dozens of features to resolve several types of issues related to disabilities in MSFT Office. I was truly overwhelmed. Fortunately, I worked with a knowledgeable and very patient client team that pointed me in the right direction.

First, and without a doubt, THE most important tool is Microsoft Accessibility Checker. You will find Accessibility Checker in any MSFT Office Product. “Check Accessibility” is in the Review toolbar and will provide you with a list of issues and recommendations on how to fix them. To make the checking process easier, you can set Accessibility Checker to run in the background while you work on your files. You can learn more about Accessibility Checker by clicking here.

“First, and without a doubt, THE most important tool is Microsoft Accessibility Checker. … [and] I found that starting at the task level worked best for me.”

How to Begin – 10 Tips

I found that starting at the task level worked best for me. Here are what I consider to be ten tips for those who do not know how to start when developing for accessibility in learning, documents, worksheets, and even email.

Use more than color to convey the message: Screen readers do not read color information aloud. Do not be afraid of color, but use text, symbols, and texture to represent the messages being conveyed.
Use Alternative (Alt) Text: Using Alt Text provides screen readers with a description of an image you use in your document. In all Microsoft products, right-click any image, select Edit Alt Text from the drop-down and enter a brief description of your image in the text box provided.
Use good contrast: Contrast is the measure of brightness between two colors placed on top of or next to each other. Strong contrast makes it much easier to distinguish text from background color. Use a contrast ratio of at least 5:1, including black or dark blue on white.
Use captions with videos: Videos can be challenging for those with low vision or who are visually impaired. Captions for video are available in the Microsoft 365 apps. Due to specific formatting requirements, captions can be tricky and will likely take a few attempts before you get it just right. More information on creating and inserting captions can be found by clicking here.
Use built-in Headings and Styles: Built-in headings and styles follow screen reader tab order and make it easier for screen reader users to go through your documents, as screen readers are programmed to read in the order of the numbered headings. Apply built-in headings, styles, and bulleted lists in most 365 products, and screen readers will read the files correctly.
Clean up Excel worksheets: Screen readers read the tabs of the worksheets in Excel, letting the user know the contents of the tab. Make your tab names clear and unique so the user can distinguish between what can be many sheets in an Excel workbook. Remove blank tabs as screen readers stop on all tabs, blank or not, and the user will not know if it is an extra, a blank, or missing a label. By using unique names and removing blanks, the screen reader can better read the sheet names to the user.
Use simple table structures in Excel: Design worksheets and tables so that information can be located and read properly by a screen reader. Screen readers use header information to identify rows and columns and identify their location in a table by counting table cells. If a table is nested within another table or if a cell is merged or split, the screen reader loses count and cannot provide helpful information about the table after that point.
Ensure slide contents are read in order: In PowerPoint (PPT), screen readers read the elements of a slide in the order they were added to the slide, which might be different from the order in which things should be read or appear. Use the Accessibility Checker and the Reading Order pane to set the order in which the screen readers read the slide contents.
Use accessible templates in PPT: If you are working in PPT, just type “Templates” in the search box on any PPT screen and you will be taken to the template screen. The Template Search bar will appear. Type “Accessible templates” in the new search box and dozens of accessible templates will appear. These are templates that are highly compatible with screen readers and other accessibility tools and contain fixed headings and other settings that you will not have to create from scratch.
Make your meetings accessible: Ask the participants which type of accessibility they need. Share material in advance and include live captions in Teams meetings.

I’m learning more each day and will leave you with your first assignment: open any Microsoft 365 app and familiarize yourself with Accessibility Checker. In my opinion, it is truly the best place to start!

4 Lessons From Companies Leading the Way in DEI Efforts

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 00:31:02 GMT

By: Daniel Stewart - President & Executive Consultant

As leaders continue to balance DE&I initiatives with other business demands, it can be helpful to examine the successes of other organizations for lessons on how to achieve DE&I goals. The Forbes fifth annual America's Best Employers for Diversity list can give leaders some essential tips and inspiration for achieving their own goals—and what to do if they don't meet them.

Here are four important lessons we can learn from some of the companies on the list:

1. PROGRESS IS NOT ALWAYS LINEAR

ChristianaCare, a 13,000-person healthcare provider in Delaware, set a goal to increase its percentage of non-white employees at the director level and above by 15% in three years. However, despite other improvements, the company fell short of that goal and actually decreased the number of non-white employees in leadership in that time. The organization still has managed to move up the Forbes list to number 40, though, and the chief diversity officer says she is "encouraged" by the system's progress.

Companies setting DE&I metrics would do well to remember that despite the best efforts and intentions, progress may still be slower than hoped or even one of "two steps forward, one step back." Looking at metrics from year to year is helpful, but it may not tell the entire story or reveal all of the improvements made. Look at the big picture, celebrate wins, and reset to make more improvements.

2. CONVERSATIONS ARE VITAL

Progressive, the number one company on the list, has a robust collection of Employee Resource Groups and promotes a variety of workshops and speakers bureaus that encourage and facilitate conversation between different groups of people. Employees do not have to be members of the demographic to participate in ERGs, and in a video on the company's website, several employees talk about how much they've learned by participating in these groups.

As important as it is to set hiring goals, it may be even more important to encourage connection and conversation within existing employee groups to create a culture where people can learn and even safely disagree with each other. These conversations support inclusion efforts across the organization by creating an organic human connection that allows everyone to look beyond stereotypes.

3. REAL INCLUSION IS EXPANSIVE

At VMware, the number two company on the Forbes list, DE&I includes a significant commitment to disability, wellness, and neurodiversity inclusion. As a software company, this commitment isn't just about ensuring accessibility in the workplace; it also means driving innovation that guarantees accessibility for end-users. The company recently joined the Valuable 500, an organization on a mission to "drive lasting change for the 1.3 billion people worldwide" who live with some disability.

While all aspects of DE&I are important, VMware offers a powerful reminder that inclusion not only involves people with different physical, intellectual, or learning functionality within the organization. It also affects those outside the company who consume the products and services of an organization. By bringing those with disabilities into the conversation inside the firm, VMware is also improving the lives of those with disabilities outside the firm.

4. GROWTH AND DEI CAN CO-EXIST

IT consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, number three on the Forbes list, has prioritized diversity for some time. Under the leadership of CEO Horacio Rozanski, who took the company public in 2010, the company shifted its focus from counterterrorism to cyber threats, executed a strategic growth plan, and increased its emphasis on DEI initiatives and charitable endeavors. As of 2020, 31% of employees identified as Black, Indigenous, or people of color. At the same time, the company was setting record-high stock prices and reporting earnings that outpaced the competition.

While there are many factors behind growth and earnings, Booz Allen Hamilton proves that companies don't have to sacrifice DEI to hit financial goals. Rozanski's own experience fuels his passion for diversity; as an immigrant from Argentina, he joined the company in 1991 as an intern and rose to the position of CEO. In a 2020 interview with Forbes, he said, "When I first joined my knowledge of English, this country or politics wasn't as good as it is now, but what mattered was 'Can you do the work?', 'Are you willing to work hard?'" The company values hard work and diverse voices, and it shows in the bottom line.

While all of the organizations on the Forbes list are to be commended for their efforts, these lessons offer compelling arguments for the importance of DE&I efforts going forward. Steady progress is still progress, and organizations that pursue DE&I will reap countless benefits to company culture and the bottom line.

Self-Check:

Do our DE&I initiatives show progress, even if it's not as fast or as linear as I'd like?
How can I improve conversations in the company to encourage diversity and inclusion?
Are we missing any key groups with our efforts?

How Can I Manage Stress in the Current Work Environment?

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 00:27:38 GMT

How Can I Manage Stress in the Current Work Environment?

By: Focus Training

Managing stress is a skill set that all professionals need but one that very few have a firm grasp on. This week on the blog, Latrell Armstrong sits down with Andrew Goltra, Director of Merchandising at Uline, to talk about some of the strategies he uses to manage stress for himself and his team.

ICYMI: Closing the Skills Gap

Colin Hahn — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 13:00:00 GMT

In April, members of the Milwaukee Tech Hub coalition shared with our chapter why their businesses see reskilling as a critical need.

On June 28th, we continued that conversation. SEWI members Celeste Cuffie, Colin J. Hahn, and Camille Parham presented to the Reskilling Commitee of the Milwaukee Tech Hub on "Closing the Skills Gap": how their businesses can best leverage their talent professionals to address this pressing challenge.

If you missed the conversation, we hope that these highlights can help you collaborate within your organization to close your skills gaps.

Colin shared research from Salesforce's Global Digital Skills Index that demonstrated the prevalence of skill needs: only 44% of US companies feel very prepared with their digital skill needs, and anticipated readiness drops six points over the next five years.
Given the statistics Colin covered, imagine what the cost of the status quo will be on your organization. The magical thinking that the people with all of your required skillsets are out there might not be effective in the long run.
Tech is unique because it is moving/changing so quickly. It requires subject matter experts that are often much different than what exists in traditional talent development roles.
The collaboration between the business units and talent development (wherever it resides) is critical.
Business leaders may need help understanding the reason why they may need to make a shift in their culture to foster the changes needed. This is so personal to their people. Many feel vulnerable. The need for psychological safety can not be overstated.
It is critical that managers are trained to identify the portable skills in others AND help them see those skills in themselves so that they believe they will find success in re/upskilling.
The concept of stretch goals includes a component about what you need your staff to DO but also how you expect them to GROW and why.
Reframe “feedback” as “feedforward” so that teams continue to grow.
The timing of feedforward sessions is informed by the needs of the individual you are developing. This looks different for everyone.
The key learnings published by the MMAC as part of the MMAC Region of Choice Summit aligned well with the panel. Keeping an eye on the metrics associated with the “employee journey” at your organization is critical if you want to retain the diverse talent you have been able to attract. The presentation from Mercer does a deep dive into how to remove bias in your performance review and compensation process.

Thank you to Milwaukee Tech Hub and Laura Schmidt for leading this collaborative series of conversations with the SEWI-ATD chapter, and to Celeste Cuffie and Camille Parham for sharing their experience with the Tech Hub coalition.

This is a critical challenge for our organizations, so please reach out if you have suggestions for how to advance these discussions or resources to share!

Developing Culturally Competent Leaders

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 19:49:59 GMT

By: Cheryl Lucas-DeBerry

Diversity is becoming one of the fastest growing focal points for companies. Each company is at a different stage of the journey and not every company has the same goals or desired outcomes. Regardless, all companies with a focus on DE&I need the support of leaders to make it successful. This includes leaders at all levels, from top executives to employees with strong personalities. Building that leadership does not happen through wishful thinking and takes time, effort, and stamina. Cheryl Lucas DeBerry, Learning and Development Instructor at MRA, offers tips on how companies can develop culturally competent leaders.

Q: Define what culturally competent leadership means.

A: This includes a lot of things, but primarily it is about leaders being lifelong learners. It requires being able to openly admit mistakes and wanting to engage in training and learning. It is also critical for culturally competent leaders to have the ability to understand people from different cultural, ethnic, and sexually oriented backgrounds and to be able to treat everyone the same. This may involve stepping out of comfort zones to figure out how and when to talk to people about topics while understanding how to be empathic to their needs. It means adjusting and communicating with people from their perspective and a having a willingness to be uncomfortable engaging in those courageous conversations.

Q: How can employers influence their employees’ understanding of what diversity means in the organization so everyone is on the same page?

A: It helps for companies to have an open line of communication with employees about the goals and initiatives that are in place. Start by making sure the company’s objectives are known and communicated. For example, include a company statement written into the DE&I policy or widely communicate a separate commitment statement. Make sure it is not just created, but that it is known and communicated. From there, make sure it is modeled at all levels within the organization. Make it part of the strategic plan and include accountability at all levels.

Q: Who should be the key players involved in the effort?

A: The senior team should be involved, but also include a cross-section of employees that are not afraid to say “this is what we need” and recognize what it means to be a culturally competent leader. The key players will, ideally, represent different departments and levels of the organization, from individual contributors to senior management, and provide another layer of diversity within the group.

Q: Do you have tips for how to create continuity for communication within an organization?

A: Again, this starts at the top. Work with leadership to create a statement related to DE&I and how it applies to the organization. It should include statements addressing what the company stands for and how leadership envisions DE&I will be exemplified within the organization. Make everyone responsible for communicating the message.

Q: Are there any tips for coaching leaders who express an understanding of diversity but struggle to emulate it?

A: The best thing is to find a way to communicate the disconnect to that leader. It is important for leaders to understand their own cultural biases and stereotypes. These situations provide HR and other leaders an opportunity to engage in those courageous conversations and practice becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable. Other tips include:

Enroll the leader in an Unconscious Bias training course.
Provide the leader with feedback from peers or other departments on where there seem to be struggles. Provide examples so the leader can understand how his or her perception may differ from what others observe.
Sponsor learning circles or sharing of experiences.
Encourage continuous learning to help provide an understanding of cultural diversity.

Q: Once you have developed a DE&I program, what is the best way to encourage continuous involvement?

A: Keep it at the forefront of each meeting or include some aspect of it in every meeting so it doesn’t begin to seem like a flavor-of-the-day conversation. Take steps toward making sure it becomes engrained in every aspect of the organization and isn’t going away. It is important for organizations to understand that change doesn’t happen overnight. Gradual incremental changes will help this effort be more successful. Be patient, have realistic goals, and don’t be afraid to have those uncomfortable conversations. Understand that it is not a quick training, but instead a long-term effort that provides long-term results.

6 Steps to Design a Leadership Development Strategy

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 19:44:22 GMT

By: Daniel Stewart - President & Executive Consultant

When most companies start, leadership development probably isn’t a huge priority. As companies find customers and grow the business, allocating resources to development may not seem necessary.

But in every organization’s development, there may be a time when putting time and money into developing leaders starts to make sense. Perhaps the company is experiencing growing pains or a gap between lower-level managers and senior managers. You may find it’s time to define a strategy for long-term development, but where do you begin?

Here are six steps to take as you design a leadership development strategy:

1. DEFINE YOUR PURPOSE

Launching into a leadership development strategy without a clear sense of purpose is like setting out on a road trip without a destination in mind. It may be fun for a while, but eventually, you will want to know why you’re driving and where you will end up.

Why are you starting a leadership development strategy? Are you looking to improve your talent pool or improve alignment between leadership and company goals? By defining your purpose, you’ll be able to plan your approach.

2. CLARIFY YOUR GOALS

Somewhat related to purpose, clarifying your goals will help you select the right programs and approaches to fulfilling the purpose of your leadership development strategy. If your goal is to prepare mid-level leaders for senior leadership positions, you will want a different approach than if your goal is to create more cohesion on the senior leadership team. By clarifying goals, you’ll avoid a scattershot approach that may develop leaders individually but may not result in the business outcomes you expect.

3. CONNECT TO THE BUSINESS

As you define your purpose and goals, keep in mind the business outcomes you’re looking for. Your organizational initiatives should always connect back to the business. For example, if your organization is struggling with employee engagement, how can your leadership development strategy tie back to that challenge?

4. IDENTIFY CANDIDATES

For some development initiatives, the candidates may be obvious, but for others, it will make sense to select candidates for targeted learning and development. These candidates don’t necessarily have to be your “high potential” people; in fact, there is great value in expanding development opportunities to everyone.

5. FIND THE RIGHT PROGRAM

Once you have a clear idea of the purpose, desired outcomes, and candidates for your leadership development strategy, then it’s time to find the right program. Programs can vary widely in approach and learning journey, among other factors, and the right program for one goal may be entirely wrong for another.

6. EXECUTE, BUT KEEP LOOKING AHEAD

Think of your leadership development strategy as something like building a house. There is a specific order and process to construction, and doing things out of order creates chaos. You would never erect walls before building a solid foundation, and no one would suggest doing plumbing or electrical work after drywall and paint were complete.

For your development plans, focus on long-term solutions. Create a solid foundation of good leaders, and expand your development plans across the organization. Once you’ve executed an initial program for one group, keep moving. Start looking at your upcoming priorities and select candidates who can meet those needs.

Engaging Leadership to Enable Change: Questions to Ask and Tools to Adapt

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 19:27:59 GMT

Engaging Leadership to Enable Change: Questions to Ask and Tools to Adopt
By Steve MacGill, Consultant Advisory Board Member, The CARA Group

“Leadership engagement is complex, has many moving parts, and involves more than just the current project.”

We talk a lot about how leadership must be engaged for change to occur, but such engagement happens less than we would like or need. Why is that you might ask?

Maybe….

it is because leadership’s value in the change process hasn’t been tied to measures of success
these measures don’t exist
they don’t understand their role and what they are accountable for in managing change
they don’t understand the impact / value of their role on the project
they don’t understand the value of the project to the organization
they don’t understand the impact of the change on their people
they don’t understand OCM
they don’t have the time (real or perceived) and they don’t see it as a priority

Wow! That’s a lot of “Maybes”.

How can we reduce this list a bit and target potential fixes to increase leadership’s engagement in the change process?

Answering the following questions can provide a good start.

INTRODUCTORY LEADERSHIP ENGAGEMENT ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

Does leadership understand the timeline of the project and where the most significant human element risks are?
Does leadership understand where the points of user resistance are likely to occur? Do they understand what form these points of resistance are likely to take? How to spot these points of resistance?
Does leadership understand how their [leadership] behaviors need to change?
Does leadership understand their role in communications? Who pulls together messaging for their communications? Is it connected to the business case? The business strategy?
Does leadership understand the importance of their role in setting expectations during deployment?
Does leadership understand their role in driving key performance behaviors and how these behaviors will be tracked and managed?
Is leadership willing to adopt the business plans into their business plans for the next year and beyond?

So now what? While you may now better understand some of the underlying causes of leadership’s lack of engagement and the questions to ask to assess engagement, how do we increase engagement and ensure sustainable change among leadership? Let’s look at some of the more common solutions.

Ensure that any external consultant you hire is fully committed to educating and engaging leaders in every phase of the project.

Ensure that key documents are developed to serve multiple audiences and provide both project management and leadership with an early warning system that identifies points of resistance, go/no-go progress, and risks.
During the consultant selection process, ask the external consultants specifically how they engage and educate leadership.

Treat leadership as a partner rather than a customer.

Ensure the project team involves leadership in the development of the OCM measures of success.
Involve leadership in a transparent and active governance process that includes a multi-step go/no-go sign off process.
Ensure communication with leadership that includes a discussion of risk.
As part of the consultant selection process, ensure that external consultants have a track record of “straight talk” to leadership.
Ensure governance meetings are short, have repeatable agendas, and, most importantly, include transparent discussions and recommendations.
Define specific and measurable roles and responsibilities for leadership in managing change. Ensure these roles and responsibilities are updated as the project matures.

Understand the timing and ranking of leadership’s competing priorities.

Develop a leadership calendar to ensure the team understands the priorities and the availability of each leader.
Involve leadership in the process to ensure their initiatives are integrated at the “desk level”.

Resist the urge to provide leadership with mere talking points as the fulfillment of their communication responsibilities.

Prepare leadership with context to understand the impacts and timing of the changes to their teams.

I hope that this blog serves as a practical guide in how to ensure the active engagement of leadership throughout the change process.

Leadership engagement is complex, has many moving parts, and involves more than just the current project.

And while we can use tools (like the ones outlined here) to guide us, they are simply tools. They help us combine our experience with an understanding of the specifics of your organization’s changes. They define and focus our efforts. In addition, external consultants have limitations that require them to uniquely partner with internal resources e.g., Corporate Communications, HR, leadership, and internal change resources to name a few.

Call for SEWI Volunteers to Help United Way Speakers!

Colin Hahn — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Calling for Volunteers to Support United Way!

For nine years, SEWI-ATD members have shared their talents by coaching United Way speakers. Be part of this tradition by volunteering this year!

We are looking for 4-6 volunteers for each of the following dates:

July 12: 10 -11:30 AM

July 13: 1- 2:30 PM

July 26: 10 -11:30 AM

Aug 17: 3-4:30 PM

Training will be provided to all volunteers prior to these sessions.

Interested? Add your name to the sign up sheet!

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Aligning Your Organization Using the 8 Dimensions of Culture

Mon, 16 May 2022 19:51:03 GMT

By: Daniel Stewart - President & Executive Consultant, Stewart Leadership

How can you make your merger, acquisition, or reorganization go smoothly? How can you optimize the value of the deal through an effective integration? A recent Deloitte survey found that 76% of executives think cultural alignment is important to effective integration, but 1 in 3 said that it was not done effectively.

Culture misalignment is one of the primary reasons why most organizational integrations fail. Understanding the culture of each team or organization is a critical first step in your efforts to create a culture that will optimize deal value by identifying issues early and preventing culture and talent challenges down the road.

Use the Eight Dimensions of Culture to highlight similarities and differences from the start so you can develop effective strategies that bring everyone together. These Eight Dimensions of Culture, developed with our partners at Illumyx, provide you a behavioral snapshot of your culture using a series of continuums to describe how groups get work done.

Each continuum consists of polar opposite approaches. Your organization will fall somewhere in the middle of the two extremes on each culture dimension. Except for the engagement dimension, there is no one right answer for each culture dimension. The point is to understand where your culture currently is along each dimension, ensure that your culture is aligned to accomplish your strategic focus, and reshape your culture as needed especially where there are possible friction points with a merging organization.

Together, these dimensions provide a picture of the workplace culture experienced by groups within your organization. The following is a general description of behaviors associated with each dimension. Score your team on each dimension in order to understand the culture you bring to the merger, and have the other team do the same.

DIMENSION ONE: HOW YOU ORIENT YOUR WORK

RELATIONSHIPS <--> TASKS

Relationship oriented cultures prioritize and value strong relationships. As they work, they give priority to interpersonal issues and value people for their unique perspective. When assessing change, relationship-oriented cultures focus on the impact on others and the feelings associated with change.

Task-oriented cultures prioritize and value productivity and efficiency. These groups like to get right down to business and reward people for what they do, often on an individual basis. When assessing change, these cultures primarily focus on the impact on processes and business results

DIMENSION TWO: HOW YOU ORGANIZE YOUR PEOPLE

TEAM <--> INDIVIDUAL

Team-focused cultures reward the entire team for hitting a goal. They emphasize skill-sharing and cross-training and approach problems through collaboration and peer-to-peer performance feedback.

Cultures oriented around individuals prefer clear divisions of labor and approach problems through individual research and reflection. Performance feedback is leader-driven and performance metrics are tracked individually.

DIMENSION THREE: HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE

EMPOWERED <--> DIRECTIVE

In an empowered culture, decision making is delegated to those closest to the issue. Leaders coach employees to make better decisions and when faced with uncertainty, employees make a decision and discuss it with the leader later. Leaders facilitate discussions resulting in team decisions. In empowered cultures, decision making can be slower but tends to have greater buy-in.

In a directive culture, leaders make most decisions and override employees’ decisions when it is deemed necessary. Most leaders in directive cultures ask for input but make the final decision themselves. When faced with uncertainty, employees will not make a decision without approval from a leader. Decision making can be quick, but it is dependent on leaders having availability and bandwidth.

DIMENSION 4: HOW DO YOU APPROACH PROBLEM-SOLVING

RESPONSIVE <--> PLANNING

Responsive cultures quickly jump to action and value being able to adapt to anything while making adjustments as the need arises.

Planning cultures value being prepared for anything. They are methodical and detailed and make adjustments at planned intervals.

DIMENSION 5: WHAT TIME HORIZONS DRIVE YOUR ACTIONS

SHORT TERM <--> LONG TERM

Cultures oriented to short-term horizons focus on tasks and meeting near-term objectives. Teams are motivated with a series of quick wins.

In long-term oriented cultures, each decision is weighed with the long-term consequences in mind, and the team is motivated by moving toward the larger vision.

DIMENSION 6: HOW YOU EXECUTE TASKS

END RESULTS <--> PROCESS

End-Results cultures value scrappiness and flexibility, doing what it takes to get the job done. Autonomy is emphasized and employees have freedom in their approach. The focus is on the “what” rather than the “how.”

In a process-oriented culture, reliability is valued. Compliance is emphasized and teams follow set processes to deliver consistent outcomes.

DIMENSION 7: HOW YOU APPROACH UNCERTAINTY

CHANGE <--> STABILITY

Change oriented cultures rely on new innovations to achieve success. They value those who avoid stagnation and strive for transformational improvements. These cultures are comfortable with ambiguity.

Stability-oriented cultures rely on a strong foundation to achieve success. They value team members who avoid unnecessary risks and strive for incremental improvements. They prefer predictability.

DIMENSION 8: ENGAGEMENT, MORALE, AND DEDICATION

COMMITTED <--> INDIFFERENT

This is the one cultural dimension that has a desired answer--committed. When organizations have an indifferent culture, there needs to be a strong effort to shift to a more engaged culture.

In committed cultures, employees strive to exceed expectations. Teams give discretionary effort and show high productivity. Employees display excitement for meeting company goals and actively engage in crucial conversations, personal developments, and refer others for employment.

In indifferent cultures, employees meet minimum expectations, arrive late, leave early, and miss work more often. They avoid openly and constructively addressing issues and engage in gossip, blame, and victimhood. Employees are indifferent or condescending toward company goals, and generally exhibit signs of unresolved tension.

CONCLUSION

Where people are involved in a merger or reorganization, the culture must be taken into account in order to achieve success. By scoring your cultures against the eight dimensions, you can start the process of combining cultures by highlighting and emphasizing what you have in common while approaching differences using a shared language.

What Does a Consulting Partnership Look Like?

Mon, 16 May 2022 19:45:49 GMT

By: Matt Meuleners, Focus Training

A consulting partnership is a relationship and, like any relationship, it relies on a few key factors to be successful. In this week’s blog post, Matt Meuleners talks through some of these factors and offers advice on what to look for when selecting your next (or first) consultant partner.

What Does a Consulting Partnership Look Like?

Creating an Agile Organizational Learning Strategy

Mon, 16 May 2022 19:35:18 GMT

By Allyson Carter, Senior Vice President of Talent, The CARA Group

Is your organizational learning strategy keeping pace with agile business strategy?

As a business leader, you have heard the buzz, “The Big Quit” … “The Great Reshuffle” …” Hybrid Workforce”, etc. As we headed into 2020, business and learning leaders were preparing for mass upskilling to enable the workforce of the future for digital transformation. Strategies were prepared and plans were made. And then came COVID-19.

“… what is your approach to ensuring your organizational learning strategy is appropriate for today’s business realities? Are you leading learning from a strategic point of view or from a to-do list?”

Fast forward two years as we implement our 2022 business and learning strategies: we still have a need to upskill and reskill for ongoing digital transformation, in addition to adjusting to new ways of working and fast changing market and consumer conditions. We are seeing businesses both merge and split. We are seeing rapid growth and the impact of the health crisis on employment.

So, what is your approach to ensuring your organizational learning strategy is appropriate for today’s business realities? Are you leading learning from a strategic point of view or from a to do list?

In a CARA August 2019 blog “The 10 Elements of Organizational Learning Strategy” we said: “A well-crafted and rigorously executed organizational learning strategy can ensure that your learning and development organization supports the business in achieving the strategic goals set forth by senior leaders. Without a clear strategy, learning and development organizations tend to lose focus and effectiveness.” This holds true today.

Strategic Framework for Creating an Agile Learning and Development Strategy

Continue reading here

ICYMI: The Business Need for Reskilling

Colin Hahn — Fri, 13 May 2022 12:00:00 GMT

For our first in person event of the year, SEWI ATD partnered with Milwaukee Tech Hub for a panel discussion on the Business Need for Reskilling on April 22, 2022.

Laura Schmidt, Chief Talent Development Officer of the Milwaukee Tech Hub Coalition, moderated the discussion with Sarah Dollhausen-Clark, Lead Program Manager in the Office of the CIO/Technology Strategy and Transformation at Northwestern Mutual, Amanda Saenz, IT Delivery Manager at West Bend Mutual and Cynthia Sternard, Director of Technology Advancement & Outreach at Associated Bank providing insights.

Laura started the discussion with some key employment statistics on the tech field across Southeast WI region:

1.5% unemployment in tech – not a large pool of available workers
67% of tech works come to the field from an occupation different than tech
50% of workers respond to survey that they are not acquiring digital skills as fast as necessary to perform their job
30% job opening include requirement that applicant has experience in emerging tech
There is 3x supply vs. demand of college grads from disciplines aligned to CompTIA tech occupations than there are entry level jobs for them.
Supply and demand gap for tech talent is also prevalent in occupations with adjacent skills which makes up/reskilling more challenging.
As a result, employers who are depending solely on traditional sources for tech talent and/or attraction alone are hitting significant barriers. The panelists focused on overcoming these barriers.

The discussion then moved to the experiences and challenges of each panelist. The discussion covered some key areas.

Technology skill development and retention –

Tech skills are constantly evolving. Workers need to learn deeply quickly.
Firms can use tech skill development content from outside providers such as Pluralsight, but there is a need to make the learning sticky. That process has to be developed internally.
How to allow/create time for learning? Build learning time into the project timeline for an agile project. Make learning part of the development plan, workers are rewarded for improving their skills. They need to know why it is important and that their efforts are valued.
Online learning programs without on site mentorship are rarely effective. Talent development is a team effort.
Include development of employees into responsibility of manager.
Build reskilling into the culture of the organization.

Creating learning paths –

The amount of content is vast and can be overwhelming.
Need to create learning paths so workers learn the skills they need. Who creates the learning path and how are the skills measured?
Team creates playlists of content pulled from variety of sources. Who curates the content, ensures it remains relevant?
Create a baseline set of knowledge required to perform the job.

Non-traditional pipeline of talent –

Due to great need for talent firms are having to source talent from non-traditional pipelines. Vital business need to ensure that AI that is developed is ethical and accurate.
Need to hire problem solvers who are willing to learn and seek out new information.
Once hired, how does a firm best incorporate the new hires into the team.
Provide access to Employee Resource Groups to provide community. If too small to have an ERG, consider regional connections like FUEL MKE, etc.
Frequent pulse check surveys to gain employee feedback on a variety of topics. Can be useful in tracking employee’s views.

Talent Brand

Need for rebranding for those firms that are not “traditionally” seen as tech companies
Need to authentically show up in the places and spaces where those you seek to engage with are. There is a hidden job market that is not currently accessible to those historically excluded from the tech workforce.
True inclusion requires an intentional change in corporate culture that can not reside with an individual leader or group but is pervasive across the organization.

Mentoring/Coaching –

Create opportunities for employees to develop soft skills as well as leadership opportunities outside of the number of direct reports an employee has.
Measure/evaluate workers performance not solely on individual performance but also on their ability to collaborate and develop co-workers.
Mentors need time in their work day as well. They also need training in order to be culturally sensitive to ensure an inclusive work culture.

Talent Development as a partner

Creative new programs, such as technology apprenticeships need infrastructure and support from both functional and L&D areas of the business.
We need to think about development of people holistically.
Technology programs also need dual career paths that allow for non-managerial opportunities for advancement.

Panelists Examples

Organizational restructuring in Technology where they now have one Manager of People focused on personal & career development and one who serves as the Manager of Projects.
Another discussed hiring into talent pools rather than specific job descriptions to allow maximum flexibility.
The investment of time necessary before seeing results – six months of slow progress in preparing workers has now been reached a positive tipping point.

Thank you to all who ventured out on a rainy Friday morning in April!

It Got Real With the DEI Panel

Tue, 03 May 2022 22:43:35 GMT

If you were fortunate enough to attend our virtual event last Wednesday, April 27th, Getting Real about DEI in Learning & Development, you were treated to a fantastic evening. NAAAHR-Milwaukee's Board Members were kind enough to share their experiences and recommendations in how to improve organizational training and build an inclusive culture. Joining the panel were subject matter experts: Dorlisa Marshall, Jamesha Carter, Scott Cross, Cheryl Lucas-DeBerry, LaShonda Hill and Alvin Hill.

There were many highlights throughout. When asked what are some things L & D professionals do right when they are effective with DEI efforts, a couple responses included meeting people where they are at and help employees to be successful. Another response mentioned that some leaders often stereotype, assuming because an employee may not have technology at home that they are unfamiliar with said technology.

A key topic was looking at what certain talent development practices occur that signal a community is not welcome. This conversation covered a wide range of points were made, such as intentionality, representation, language used in conversations, engagement in and out of the workplace, and what professionalism means from one person to the next, to name a few. The responses to the previous topic allowed a segue way into asking how do we work towards creating an environment that is open and transparent? Conversation from the previous question offered some great tips: clearly define what you mean by equity and inclusion; allow yourself to get uncomfortable; ask for feedback and be willing to accept it, as a few examples.

Overall, it was a very rewarding experience covering a significant and meaningful topic. SEWI-ATD was fortunate to have such a warm and receptive panel. Not only did the Board members provide insight, but they offered encouragement, feedback, and all-around helpful ways to further move the needle in the right direction when it comes to understanding.

SEWI-ATD Recognition

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 12:51:59 GMT

SEWI-ATD has been recognized by ATD National for the Sharing our Success Program! Read below on how we continue to integrate DEI Practices into our monthly events!

____________________________________________________________________

Thank you for your chapter’s submission to the SOS (Sharing Our Success) Program. On behalf of the Chapter Recognition Committee, I want to congratulate you and your chapter on your achievement, your “Integrating DEI Practices into Monthly Events” submission has been approved for recognition. Your effort demonstrates a replicable format for other chapters around the country to adopt and improve their chapter’s efforts around communication and community building.

Your chapter’s achievement will be recognized in the following ways:

A description of your chapter’s project will be featured on the Chapter Leader Community SOS webpage.
Your chapter will be highlighted in the Leader Connection Newsletter (LCN).
You'll receive recognition at the ATD Chapter Leaders Conference (ALC).
Your chapter is now eligible to be selected as a future Chapter of the Month.

Your chapter’s willingness to share best practices can immediately help other chapters to reimagine their operations. Congratulations on your accomplishment, and thank you again for your contribution to our members and chapters!

Bringing Your Authentic Self to Your Professional Roles

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 12:43:18 GMT

By: Focus Training

The idea of bringing ones authentic self to their professional roles is a concept that is often talked about, but what does that look like in reality? This week on the blog, Liz Poeschl sits down with Isioma Nwabuzor, Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Baird, to talk about her experiences being her authentic self at work and in other professional roles.

https://focustrainingpro.com/leadership-blog/2022/2/8/bringing-your-authentic-self-to-your-professional-roles

3 Ways to Develop an Inclusive Mindset

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 12:41:08 GMT

By: Daniel Stewart, President & Executive Consultant
Stewart Leadership

It can be easy to unintentionally find oneself living in a “bubble”—surrounded by people who share your opinions, perspectives, and outlook. It is the norm for most neighborhoods and houses of worship as like often attracts like. Social media exacerbates this further by prioritizing content that their algorithm has determined you are more likely to interact with.

Leaders know they must make an intentional effort to include and surround themselves with a variety of different voices; staying in an “echo chamber” isn’t an option. Prioritizing inclusive leadership is a business imperative - it’s critical for leaders to pull in new and different perspectives to ensure that various ideas and viewpoints are taken into account. Fresh thinking that challenges old ideas is vital to any organization's long-term health and success.

One way to encourage new ways of thinking is for leaders to actively work on developing an inclusive mindset. Here are three choices you can make that will promote the growth of an inclusive mindset:

1. INVITE MORE PEOPLE INTO THE CONVERSATION

Whatever the conversation is, reflect on who is involved, who isn’t, and who should be. What perspectives are you missing? Who would bring those perspectives to the table? If possible, pause the conversation—even in the middle—and invite those voices in. Make a note of who to include in the future, and be proactive about asking those voices to sit at the table. Finally, be intentional in amplifying the ideas and perspectives that add particular value to the conversation. Recent research suggests that magnifying voices can help raise the status of underrepresented groups and bring additional attention to new perspectives.

2. ACTIVELY LOOK FOR DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES TO TAKE

Everyone has a set of filters and perspectives shaped by our own experiences, values, and beliefs. Ask yourself what other viewpoints you can take as you consider your current problem, challenge, circumstance, or opportunity. Actively challenge your perspectives with new ones. Psychologist Adam Grant suggests “thinking like a scientist.” In scientist mode, Grant suggests, “you look for reasons why you might be wrong, not just reasons you must be right.”

3. EXPAND YOUR CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, ACQUAINTANCES, AND COLLEAGUES

We tend to fall into relationships with people who think as we do in both our work and personal lives. Cultivating relationships outside of your usual circles requires work, but it’s essential work that can help you expand your thinking. Actively look for relationships with people who are not necessarily like you. Get outside your department, function, or community. Ask questions and encourage conversations that help you understand their perspectives.

CONCLUSION

Remember, challenging your thinking doesn’t require you to change your mind—only to open it. When you look at other perspectives and hear other voices with curiosity and humility, you will be able to honestly examine and consider options, ideas, and solutions. As you invite these different perspectives into your thinking and encourage others to do the same, you will help everyone in leadership develop a more inclusive mindset.

How Can We Measure the Outcomes of Training?

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 15:21:41 GMT

By: Focus Training

Training for the sake of training is not a good investment of the time, energy or money we put into the creation of a training program. It is important to measure the outcomes of training, but it can be challenging to find the most effective way to do so. Read on to discover the best approach to take when measuring the success of your programs.

Consider the training type

If your training was designed to teach learners how to effectively use a policy or procedure, measuring outcomes can be a relatively straightforward process- you can simply compare compliance or error rates after training to the rates before training. When doing this, be sure to analyze an extended period of time to account for any initial drop off in retention. Looking at an extended period of time provides additional opportunities for coaching and reinforcement by the trainer or leader of learners.

If your training is focused on tactical skills rather than technical skills, success metrics can be a little bit muddier. Consider incorporating a pre-assessment into your program, asking learners to self-assess their ability to utilize skills covered in the class. Pre-assessments provide a baseline for learning and allow facilitators to measure change while administering post-assessments. Post-assessment questions should focus both on confidence in the learner’s abilities in addition to knowledge of the types of tools available to support them outside of the classroom environment. (Pro tip: For even more robust analysis, include the perspective of the learner's direct supervisor or manager in pre- and post-assessments.)

Go beyond “smile sheets”

As important as it is to know that learners enjoy the programs we facilitate, it is better to build post-program evaluations that allow learners time to reflect on their key takeaways from the session. Consider including a combination of closed and open-ended questions to provide the broadest perspective and minimize survey fatigue. Closed ended questions could include asking participants to rank their happiness with the program and their confidence in applying program objectives in their daily work. Open-ended questions could ask participants specific things they enjoyed about the program, opportunities for improvement, and how they will apply the program in their daily work.

By more closely analyzing the type of training outcomes you are hoping to achieve, you can better align your post-program assessments to truly measure what matters. Using assessments and data analysis in a more efficient and effective way will provide a higher likelihood that your participants will provide more detailed feedback, giving you more valuable information to improve and refine your programs moving forward.

SEWI – ATD Finances: Strength, Stewardship, & Sustainability

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 01:06:32 GMT

By Genevieve Daniels, VP Finance

Our Chapter is starting off the year in a position of financial strength. Over the past couple of years, we have been working toward financial sustainability, measured by the key performance indicator of our operating reserve, which we have now grown to 110% of annual revenue. This is fantastic! It speaks to the:

Quality of our professional development & member experience
Generosity of our sponsors
Numerous volunteers who give of their time and talents
Event speakers/presenters who shared their expertise with us on a pro bono basis
Fewer in-person events, reducing venue/food/beverage expenses

The operating reserve also allowed our Chapter to stay strong and stable as we moved through the changing needs brought on by the health pandemic.

Once again, in 2022, we are taking a conservative approach to our revenue and expense expectations. We will do a mid-year check on this budget to ensure we have the right balance of investment in upskilling, belonging and leadership development for our Chapter members. We anticipate a slight uptick in expenses as we return to offering more in-person social and professional development events.

You may be curious about what some of these expense categories include. For example:

Office of the President covers volunteer recognition, marketing, Board conference fees and national dues
Operations expenses cover bank and credit card charges and Board insurance,
Administration includes our fees to pay our chapter administrator, MDS. MDS handles many responsibilities that keep our chapter running smoothly, such as: member support, member database, annual renewals, and financial & accounting services.

As stewards of our funds, we typically complete a review and contract for our chapter administration needs every three years, with 2022 being a review year. This is important because these administration needs are our highest expense item, and as our needs change, we want to make sure we are getting the highest value while ensuring quality of services. A committee has formed to examine and revise our requirements, and then will work with the Board to evaluate our current administrator and other vendors. The result will be contracting with the partner who can best help us meet our financial stewardship & sustainability needs.

Why is this important to you? Because the process helps us explore new ways to add value for membership, and align even more effectively to our three strategic pillars.

The committee will be hard at work this spring; stay tuned for a summer update!

President's Message

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 01:04:19 GMT

Nikki Palmer-Quade

On behalf of the board of directors, we are so glad you are part of our chapter! Our top priority is you and the value of your membership. With your input, we have identified 3 strategic pillars to which we will anchor our 2022 efforts.

1) Talent Development (TD) Upskilling

The Professional learning events are the top rated aspect of SEWI-ATD membership. For 2022, we will deliver a balanced offering of in-person and virtual events, along with advanced notice of what’s coming. Leveraging ATD’s Capability model, we mapped out a year of monthly professional development focus areas. In addition to helping us guide programming, these themes help drive newsletter and website content. We will continue our focus on examining TD topics from the lens of equity and inclusion as well as attracting speakers from underrepresented groups. Check out our upcoming events and invite a friend!

2) Professional Belonging & Community

You enjoy connecting with other members, and who can blame you? You asked for more social events, and ways to get onboarded and engaged in this community of professionals. Look for the launch of Member Orientation – which will be a fun way to learn about the chapter while meeting your fellow members. Whether you’re one of our long-term members, a brand new member, or even a curious prospective member, you’re all welcome! The first session is being held as a virtual coffee hour Wednesday, March 23^rd and is being facilitated by our own Nathan Sheets, VP of Membership and Tami Martin, VP of Digital Experience.

3) Opportunity to Lead

The sustainability of a vibrant chapter requires your involvement. Where can you plug in? This is a place where you can stretch yourself and learn while making friends. Bonus - you build a strong resume, expand your professional network, and support your fellow members. We know you are amazing, and we want our chapter to benefit from your teachable spirit, hidden talents, or rockstar status, whatever the case may be.

You can contribute and lead in a variety of ways based on your interests and capacity. Options include coordinating programs, building community relationships, welcoming members, designing graphics, promoting events, or supporting the chapter’s website and technology. I encourage you to connect with me (on LinkedIn or drop me a note) or any of my fellow board members to explore ways to contribute or to share your ideas, suggestions, insights or concerns.

Looking forward to our year ahead together!

5 Misconceptions About Digital Transformation - And Why They Matter

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 17:32:11 GMT

By: Kristin Derwinski - Executive Coach & Consultant

For several years, the business world has been buzzing with the term “digital transformation.” In 2020, during the great remote work pivot triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies saw their transformations leap forward as employees were required to move many of their operations and functions entirely online. It felt like the digital transformation found us—that whether we wanted to be or not, we were all subject to the newly digitized world.

But digital transformation is much more than just better technology tools and a move to cloud apps. True digital transformation involves changes that ripple through an entire organization and impact the culture. If leaders don’t understand the full ramifications of digital transformation, their companies will fail to make lasting changes that propel growth.

Here are five misconceptions leaders have about digital transformation—and why they matter when looking at long-term growth:

1. DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION JUST MEANS ADOPTING TOOLS THAT IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY

Certainly, adopting tools that improve productivity can be one aspect of digital transformation or one project within an overall initiative. But limiting the concept of digital transformation to productivity tools doesn’t allow for lasting change. Simply adopting productivity tools without emphasizing culture and engagement could communicate the wrong thing—that employees aren’t productive enough, perhaps, or that the company wants to replace certain functions with technology tools. Instead, combine your adoption of digital tools with efforts to engage employees, and create robust conversations about improving productivity both with and without digital tools.

2. DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION WON'T EFFECT CUSTOMERS

If your digital transformation doesn’t affect your customer experience, you’re doing it wrong. Even if your project isn’t directly focused on improving customer experience, it should still affect interactions with people outside the organization. Employees should be more responsive or happier in their interactions with others, and your digital initiatives should at least provide a foundation for improved customer experience.

3. DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IS AS SIMPLE AS BUYING NEW SOFTWARE OR APPS

While implementing a new technology solution can improve employee or customer experience, there’s much more to digital transformation than new technology. Without training and strong communication about the purpose and intent behind the new tools, team members may resist adopting them, and it’s possible to end up with another piece of technology that no one uses.

4. DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION CAN BE DONE PIECEMEAL WITHOUT AN OVERALL STRATEGY

A successful digital transformation will be undertaken with forethought and focused on long-term goals. Many companies indeed had to quickly pivot to new digital tools in 2020, but emergencies are not a model for long-term strategy. Start by developing an overarching strategy and let the strategy guide the smaller initiatives you need to complete to achieve your goal.

5. WE DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT COMPANY CULTURE; EVERYONE WILL ADAPT EVENTUALLY

This idea may be the biggest misconception about digital transformation. Your strategy must include conversations with employees and leaders across functions, roles, and levels to ensure success. While final decisions take place at the top, it’s essential to involve voices throughout the organization to assess pain points, obstacles, challenges, and the basic needs of everyone involved. By including those voices throughout your process and focusing on creating a digital culture, your initiatives will have a much more significant impact on the company’s overall success.

Pursuing digital transformation is an important step in propelling your organization forward, staying competitive in an increasingly digital marketplace, and positioning for long-term growth. But without attention to culture, employees, and customers, those initiatives may end up hurting more than helping.

To make your digital transformation a success, engage your employees in the conversation, and look for opportunities to get feedback from customers about what would improve their experiences. Involve the “analog” world in your process to successfully merge your digital initiatives with real-world users. A company that focuses as much on the people using the digital tools as they do on developing them will experience the transformation they set to achieve.

How Can We Encourage Life-Long Learning?

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 23:44:42 GMT

FOCUS Training's very own Leadership Trainer Matt Mueleners offers up some sage advice on how we can grow new capabilities and frame up learning so that it makes sense for the moment.

Start Small: Simple Steps for Growing as a Leader

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 23:36:57 GMT

By: John Parker Stewart and Daniel Stewart

A simple haiku from the 18th-century Japanese poet Kobayashi Issa captures the essence of becoming a great leader:

O snail
Climb Mount Fuji
But slowly, slowly!

Leaders who experience the greatest success are not those who achieve a single stunning breakthrough but rather those who strive to improve just a little bit each day. It takes patient, persistent effort over time to see and experience gains in one’s ability to lead. In other words, like climbing Mt Fuji, it takes action, discipline, and consistent habits to become a great leader.

Our work on the LEAD NOW! Leadership Development Model, which was built on the assumption that leaders must achieve aligned and positive results from four perspectives (their people, their business, their marketplace, and their organization), has shown that leaders learn by doing — a little bit at a time. Here are a few examples of what we mean.

Building Strong and Simple Leadership Habits

In his bestselling book, The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg introduces a neurological loop at the core of every habit that consists of three parts: a cue, a routine and a reward. Cues trigger the start of a Routine, the completion of which results in a Reward. Changing a bad habit or developing a new one requires adjusting at least one element of the loop.

All leaders have habits that impact their performance. Taking the time to identify the habits that work against you, or those that you need to develop can make a significant change in overall leadership performance. For example, an executive we know had a habit of responding to challenging questions from her peers by backpedaling, refusing to commit to an answer, and promising to follow up later. This behavior let her save face and feel on top of things, but this habit held her back. Once she identified the cue (hard questions), she started working on being more open to feedback. This insight helped the executive focus on changing one small thing, and she successfully changed the habit loop.

Anticipate and Plan for Cues

There’s a story about a physician in Scotland who had an idea to accelerate the recovery time of knee replacement surgery patients. To test the theory, researchers divided patients into two groups. Each group received the standard information and tools given to all knee replacement patients, but one had additional instructions. Each week these patients developed a personal recovery plan that identified the specific actions they would undertake at the times they anticipated the greatest pain, such as getting out of a chair.

The results of this experiment astounded researchers. The group who completed the booklets started walking twice as fast and were in and out of their chairs without assistance nearly three times faster than those in the control group.

As you strive to grow as a leader, take the time to develop an action plan. Like the patients in the study, identify the moments of greatest pain, opportunity, and key inflection points. Seek out an outside perspective to help identify things you may have missed. Review your routines and identify hallmark moments that will generate momentum.

Understand and work toward being a complete leader

Part of what makes leadership development challenging is how multifaceted and complex the role of leading others is. Organizations expect leaders to deliver business results while also achieving people results. They want leaders who identify the vision, communicate it effectively, and develop and execute a winning strategy. Simultaneously, leaders are called upon to develop themselves and others so the business can harness the talents of each employee, and we want leaders who create, champion, and lead change efforts that benefit the organization.

The LEAD NOW! Leadership Development Model provides a clear set of proven leadership dimensions that define both what great leadership looks like and how to achieve it. Based on the four critical relationships that each leader has: boss, direct reports, peers, and customers, it provides a clear path to strengthen these relationships, action planning processes to do it, and the expectations that make up a complete leader.

Whether you, like the snail in the poem, are striving to climb Mount Fuji or preparing for an uncomfortable conversation with someone on your team, selecting one leadership skill or habit at a time will elevate your leadership potential for future success!

John Parker Stewart is an internationally recognized award-winning author, coach, and speaker. He and his Stewart Leadership team provide coaching, training, and consulting services to clients globally on change management, leadership development, talent management, and team performance.

Daniel Stewart is a sought-after talent management and leadership development consultant and coach with proven experience advising senior leaders, leading change, and designing leadership-rich organizations. He is the co-author of LEAD NOW! A Personal Leadership Coaching Guide for Results-Driven Leaders and he leads Stewart Leadership’s extensive consulting practice, business development, and international partnerships.

Now is the Time to Reskill and Upskill: Tips for Employers and Employees

Colin Hahn — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 22:30:00 GMT

By Gina Arinyanontakoon
Talent Acquisition Director, The CARA Group

I recently met a consultant who shared a very profound statement with me. She said someone once told her, “I can meet you in the middle, but we can’t stay here.” In a world of constant change and turbulence, that statement made me realize that no matter what the change is, whether it is on a professional or personal level, we all need to work together to drive towards a future that makes sense and works for that situation.

“We all know as learning professionals that adoption of new skills/behaviors does not happen overnight and that training programs incorporating change management will ultimately achieve long lasting results.”

As we begin 2022, we continue to hear about the growing skills gap and shortage of labor occurring in the workforce. Looking at this from the perspective of professional development, now is a great time to focus on reskilling and upskilling the core (hard or functional skills needed to accomplish a job) and power (soft or people skills needed for interpersonal relationships) skills. Employers should take this time to offer opportunities for employees to strengthen or gain both core and power skills. On the other hand, employees should not only look at development opportunities being offered by their employers, but also take control of their own development.

Employers should:

Understand the gap in core and power skills within their organization at all levels.
Create a strategy that will address upskilling or, perhaps, reskilling their existing employees.
Design and implement a plan that will have immediate impact as well as address future gaps.
Continually evaluate and adjust the plan over time. Don’t let your strategy become stagnant. It needs to shift as technology and the way we do business continues to change.

As an employee, you should:

Assess and determine what skills you would like to develop whether it is related to your current role (upskilling) or for a different role (reskilling).
Take advantage of what your employer has to offer. Have conversations with your manager/employer to ensure you are all on the same page with your goals.
Not rely only on what your employer is providing. Research and look for your own development opportunities. Whether that is taking classes, attending conferences, taking on projects, etc. Not only will it help you enhance the skills needed for your current role, it may also offer you an opportunity to take on stretch assignments or move into a new career path.

For example, as a learning professional, maybe you are looking to enhance your eLearning skills. Why not check out Tim Slade’s eLearning Designer Academy? He offers an 8-week guided program including cohorts, hands-on activities, and more. Or perhaps you are looking at complimentary skills such as change management; check out Prosci. We all know as learning professionals that adoption of new skills/behaviors does not happen overnight and that training programs incorporating change management will ultimately achieve long lasting results.

From my personal perspective, I stepped into a new role in 2021, and was not prepared to take on a direct report or to build out a new function. While my employer provides me with tools, resources, and coaching, I also need to take charge of my own development path and look for ways to help me achieve these goals. So, we are meeting each other half-way to move forward down a path that will be mutually beneficial.

Technology will continue to change and the way we work will too. As employers and employees, why not work together to ensure we all continue to move forward from the middle?

Source: eLearning Academy

2021 Chapter Retrospective

Colin Hahn — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 21:00:00 GMT

Our fields faces many challenges, from the ongoing pandemic to the “Great Resignation.” In the midst of these challenges, our chapter is stronger than ever.

I am extremely proud of the work of our chapter volunteers and board members. Over the last year, our accomplishments include:

Growing chapter membership from 211 to 283 members, with a further 64 national ATD members exploring what our chapter has to offer;
Hosting a record 29 professional development events, including the creation of an Organizational Development PDN and Inclusive Leadership PDN;
Making strides in diversity, equity, and inclusion by growing our partnership with NAAAHR and addressing the diversity implications of TD topics in nearly half of our events (which earned a “Sharing Our Success” award from ATD National);
Improving our financial sustainability by generating a net income of over $8,000, which grew our operating reserve to roughly 110% of annual revenue;
Defining our chapter’s three strategic pillars: to provide world-class talent development upskilling, to create a feeling of belonging to our professional community for all our members, and to offer leadership opportunities at all career levels (which earned an additional “Sharing Our Success” award from National).

Building on Our Great Member Experience

In our annual member survey, you gave us a 76% net promoter score, which is a world class score according to most benchmarks. You cited our monthly PD events, networking opportunities, and learning about industry best practices as the top benefits of your membership.

We will continue to strengthen our member experience. With our pillar to provide world-class talent development upskilling, we are exploring how to improve our professional development opportunities. And we are committed to making our professional community feel even more inclusive, in line with our pillar to create a feeling of belonging in our community.

Strengthening Professional Development Opportunities

As we look into the new year, we appreciate your feedback on how to offer professional development opportunities. We were forced to deliver all virtual programming from the start of the pandemic into October of 2021. Going forward, you shared that you would like us to provide a relatively even mix of in-person and virtual events.

We also heard your feedback about event times. Some of you expressed a desire to return to our traditional Friday AM sessions, while others requested a wider variety of schedules. In the upcoming year, we will attempt to meet everyone’s needs by offering events at various times, while including many events in the Friday AM timeslot.

Thank You to Our Volunteers

None of these successes would be possible without the amazing people leading the chapter. I am thrilled to welcome Patrick Aleshire, Kristin Derwinski, Lora Haines, and Camille Parham to our board. I also want to thank our departing board members for their service: Annette Caraulia, Matt Meuleners, Rebecca Reindl, and Eric Waters. Finally, I want to thank all of the chapter committee members, PDN leaders, and other volunteers who have helped us thrive under these challenging conditions.

I want to give special recognition to two people who have had an outsized impact on our chapter’s success. Matt Meuleners, our departing Past President, did an amazing job in leading our chapter through the transition to virtual programming in 2020 and has continued to support the chapter this year by organizing our chapter socials, setting up a mentoring program for board members, coordinating logistics for our annual Talent Development Forum, and too many other things to name.

Nikki Palmer-Quade, our incoming President, likewise was active in every facet of the chapter, from spearheading our Talent Development Forum to supporting our sponsors to recruiting board members and building relationships with our community partners. This chapter would not be as strong as it is today without their leadership.

To the New Year

Our chapter is in great hands. With our incoming board members, our current volunteers, and Nikki Palmer-Quade stepping into the President role, I know this chapter will continue to thrive.

It has been an honor serving as your chapter president. Let's continue to make a world where people can do their best work!

Colin J. Hahn, Ph.D.
2021 SEWI-ATD President

Professional Development for Trainers Leads to Better Organizational Performance

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 02:49:40 GMT

Research by the Association for Talent Development found that organizations that offer professional development opportunities to their trainers are more likely to be top business performers relative to their competitors.

Your organization can join the likes of Kohl’s, Northwestern Mutual, Childrens of Wisconsin, and Rogers Behavioral Health who invest in the professional development of their Talent Development teams with membership in SEWI-ATD.

Among the many benefits of organizational membership, your colleagues can:

Stay up-to-date on relevant industry trends
Coordinate teach-back sessions after chapter learning sessions
Learn from other members’ experiences
Explore certification opportunities
Engage in valuable stretch assignments with chapter volunteering/leadership experiences
Save up to 45% on membership fees

Do you have 9 or more professionals in L&D, OD, and/or HR? Would you like to take advantage of special pricing? Check out our website, email Nathan Sheets - VP of Membership, or contact our office at admin@sewi-atd.org or call 608-204-9815 to learn more!

"Yes, my company is re-thinking that, too."

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 20:02:20 GMT

By Genevieve Daniels, VP Finance

As I mingled around SEWI-ATD’s signature event, our annual Talent Development Forum, as asked and was asked about what is top of mind. As if the response was a record player, I heard:

Transformation
Upskilling/Reskilling
Technology
Flexible work culture

It was good to be together with people who had a shared understanding of these critical needs. And Shout Out to TEMPO Milwaukee for hosting the venue.

I was looking forward to what our moderator of the event would have to say, and she did not disappoint. Michelle Reid-Powell, President and CEO of The CARA Group, led us through an engaging overview of 2021 Workforce Trends.

“Is this a huge deal?”, she asked, as she guided us through stats, stories, and trends. “YES, it is!” she exclaimed, and by the end of her presentation, she had us all convinced on the importance we as Talent Development professionals must place to proactively serve our employees’ needs. One point that struck me: Fewer people are willing to work for a company that doesn’t align with their values. From the organizational perspective, this equates to churn being high if the organizational values don’t match those of their employees.

Hearing the importance of this and other top needs provided the perfect transition to hear from our panelists. They provided examples of the deliberate focus and meaningful work they are doing and all I can say was the time was too short. Thankfully, we collected questions from the audience and we look forward to using these to develop our programming for 2022.

Although each panelist brought diverse approaches and unique illustrations, the importance of balancing both the functional and the emotional needs of employees was a consistent message throughout.

A special thank you to our panelists:

· Linda Evans, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Douglas Dynamics

· Christine Hass, Senior Director of Learning Strategy, Northwestern Mutual

· Stacey Mueller, Executive Director of Experience Management, Froedtert Health

· Jeff Jara, Assistant Vice President Sr. Talent Development Consultant, Baird

And to Michelle Reid-Powell, our moderator for the event. As a bonus, Michelle provided each participant with a copy of her Workplace Trends report. I was able to reference data that same day in preparation of a senior leadership presentation.

As we wrap up 2021 and head into 2022, SEWI-ATD looks forward to the continued conversation & professional development on meeting workforce demands; it’s full speed ahead!

Announcing Inclusive Leadership series

Colin Hahn — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 21:00:00 GMT

The responsibility for building inclusive workplaces where employees experience equity and belonging sits with each person. Talent development professionals are often expected to lead the way in cultivating diversity by teaching leaders to be inclusive.

To support your work in building inclusive workplaces, SEWI-ATD is proud to announce a four-part learning series focused on the 6 Cs of Inclusive Leadership:

Commitment
Curiosity
Cognizant of Bias
Cultural Intelligence
Collaboration
Courage

Sessions will occur the second Friday of the month, from September through December. Through these sessions, participants will explore the 6 Cs and share ideas to incorporate them into your talent and learning development plans.

Cultural awareness and inclusion are skillsets in the Building Personal Capability arm of the ATD Talent Development Model.

Mary Balistreri, The Mindful Business Coach, will host each session featuring a different leader in the DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging) space each month.

Through MBT – More Business Today, Mary Balistreri supports clients to reach their potential as individuals, teams, and organizations. She brings mindfulness to coaching, training, and facilitation services focusing on Conversational Intelligence (CIQ), emotional intelligence, and belonging to improve relationship building, business development skills, and leadership.

Congratulations new board members!

Colin Hahn — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 19:00:00 GMT

We are thrilled to officially welcome our three incoming board members. All three nominees were approved by our chapter membership and will begin to transition into their roles:

Kristin Derwinski will serve a three year term in our President track, starting with the President Elect role in 2022
Tami Martin will serve as our VP of Technology Services, which she has been filling on an interim basis
Rebecca Reindl will serve another term as our VP of Marketing and Communications

Congratulations to our newly elected board members! You are a critical part of our success as a chapter.

Members: Vote for SEWI-ATD Board of Directors

Colin Hahn — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 14:00:00 GMT

It's time for our annual board elections!

Chapter members will be receiving a direct email invitation to vote for open Board of Director roles. There are three open positions, including President Elect, VP-Technology Services, and VP-Marketing and Communications, with terms beginning January 1, 2022.

Candidates have been approved by the Nominating Committee for presentation to membership. These nominees include Kristin Derwinski (President Elect), Tami Martin (Vice President – Technology Services), and Rebecca Reindl (Vice President – Marketing and Communications).

Voting will open Wednesday, July 28^th and end August 11^th. All members in good standing are eligible to vote. Renew or join to be eligible to vote. If you do not receive a direct election invitation email, or experience any difficulties while submitting your vote, please contact our chapter administrator at admin@sewi-atd.org or via phone at 608-204-9815.

Are you interested in serving on the board? Or do you have a colleague who would thrive in a volunteer leader role? There is an interim opening for our Vice President of Professional Development. Nominate yourself or a colleague here.

The VP of Professional Development plays a key role in our chapter's success. This person will plan, organize, and host quality professional development programs and services for Chapter members and professionals of talent development, organizational development, human resources and managers who have talent development as a part of their positions, in the form of issue-focused and special interest programming, skill development workshops, presentations, forums, and events.

Nikki Palmer-Quade
President-Elect

Attend Race Bridge webinar through our MMAC partnership

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 13:46:13 GMT

Through our membership in MMAC, SEWI-ATD members can attend a series being offered through Fuel Milwaukee.

Race Bridge offers monthly, 60-minute conversations intended to help Milwaukeeans better understand the nuances of race and racism - while feeling empowered to speak openly them. The goal is also to equip program participants with the language and tools to identify racial inequity and challenge it in a productive way.

More details about this specific Race Bridge conversation to come, but register now to reserve your spot.

President's Note: Connect with members with our Member Directory

Colin Hahn — Sun, 11 Jul 2021 15:00:00 GMT

As talent development professionals, we know how much people matter to companies and organizations. So, it's no surprise to me that our chapter membership is what makes SEWI-ATD special.

Many people join SEWI-ATD to build their network. I'm always impressed by the caliber of professionals in our community. For me, access to this community is one of the greatest strengths of our chapter.

Did you know that you can use our Member Directory to help grow your network and strengthen your connections? You can:

Ask for career advice from people with the job titles you want
Learn from people with expertise in specific skills
Connect with people at particular companies or industries
...and more!

If you haven't explored our Member Directory yet—now is the time to find out what you've been missing! Connect with each other, and discover how our people make our community so exceptional.

Want your network to work for you? Take a moment to update your member profile. You'll help others in our community find you for the right reasons, and you'll help your chapter leaders understand our membership so we can provide the right kind of professional development opportunities for you!

Leadership Development Trends in 2021

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 01:56:22 GMT

by Daniel Stewart, President of Stewart Leadership

How is your organization developing leaders for the future? This is what we asked when we surveyed over 300 Human Resource leaders across 15+ industries within the US in April of 2021. We wanted to know how organizations wrestling with a tight labor market, remote work, social justice issues, mental health challenges, increasing digitization, and political unrest view and develop their leaders.

Current leadership development trends inform our expectations of leaders today and how we anticipate leadership evolving in the coming years. To understand this, we wanted to know how are organizations answering these key questions:

What skills and mindsets do leaders need as they rally their teams for the future?
How are we defining leadership success?
What development approaches are working (or not)?
What strategies and approaches will help us prepare future leaders?

With our partner, From Day One, we surveyed 310 respondents who collectively represented five levels in their organizations - with 80% at the manager level or above. The participants worked in more than 15 industries with most working for companies with more than $50 million in revenues. Each generation currently in the workforce was represented in the survey with Gen X being the most numerous at 55% followed by Baby Boomers (23%) and Millennials (21%). Gen Z came in at 1% of the survey respondents. We looked at the overall data as well as the data in context with the demographic information above. From that research, here are the top five trends in developing leaders in 2021

Leadership Development Priorities

Companies of all sizes are putting a higher priority on cohort programs rather than targeted, individual approaches. Smaller companies were more likely to focus on getting back to the basics of leadership development, and managers at all levels in the organization are focused on development conversations backed with individual action plans.

78% of respondents, when asked to choose among several priorities for the next 18 months selected one of these four options:

Promote development conversations and action plans (22%)
Acquire micro-learnings and virtual tools for all levels (20%)
Create cohort development programs for specific audiences (18%)
Get back to basics of leadership development (17%)

Leadership Preparation

Of all the generations. Baby Boomers expressed the most confidence that the leaders in their organization are prepared to deliver results, while the largest companies represented in the survey were most optimistic about the preparedness of their leaders. A concerning 40% of respondents from organizations with revenues of $500 million - $1 billion or more were neutral or pessimistic about their leaders being prepared for the future. Overall 65% of respondents agree or strongly agree that their leaders are prepared, leaving 35% of respondents unsure that their leaders can deliver both business results and people results.

Leadership Development Investment by Level in Organization

Organizations of all levels reported that Managers (28%) and Directors (23%) are being targeted with the highest level of leadership development investment reflecting the ongoing trend of focusing on developing strong managers. Investing in Individual Contributors (22%) proved a higher priority than focusing investment dollars on Vice Presidents (10%), Senior Leaders (11%), and C-Suite Executives (96%).

Desired Future Leadership Style

More than 88% of respondents expressed a strong preference for leadership styles that demonstrate trust and confidence in employees exemplified by supporting the employee’s work by providing feedback, recognition, and support. A micromanagement approach of driving an employee’s work by providing detailed day-to-day directions and guidance was strongly rejected.

Respondents also wanted a collaborative approach to problem-solving, expressing a desire for leaders who influence results by breaking down silos, collaborating across functions, and overcoming obstacles through clever approaches. While 76% of respondents preferred the collaborative approach, only 24% of respondents expressed a preference for leaders who would drive results through a focus on leading function priorities and goals.

Top Leadership Development Approaches

When asked to choose from a range of leadership development approaches, respondents tended to select development approaches that could be conducted in a virtual environment. The top approach selected by survey participants was, “Development through projects, assignments, and job positions.” All levels in the organization and all company sizes favored this approach. Workshops, webinars, and formal cohort programs conducted virtually also rose to the top of the list, with Baby Boomers expressing a strong preference for virtual workshops.

Top Strategic Priorities and Critical Leadership Skills

HR leaders have been highly motivated to proactively respond to the challenges of conducting business today. A slim majority will place their primary focus on engaging and retaining employees (19%) while 18% of respondents will focus on building an inclusive culture. Millennials, in particular, ranked building an inclusive culture as their top priority, as did the majority of directors and senior managers. Other top priorities include aligning strategic direction and goals (15%), finding the right balance of in-person, remote, and hybrid (12%), and upskilling managers to lead change and transformation (10%)

The critical leadership skills included aligning strategic priorities with building the employee experience. The most commonly selected skills noted for leadership investment were communication (12%), building an engaging experience (11%), connection (8%), and inclusion and belonging (8%).

Want to Know More?

You can read our full research report by visiting StewartLeadership.com/Research

Also, to see our webinar detailing the full report and our recommended next steps, visit Stewartleadership.com/Webinar

Pros and Cons of Internal vs. External Leadership Development Programs

Tue, 18 May 2021 14:22:14 GMT

What are the pros and cons of internal programs vs external programs?

You know you want to create a leadership development program for your organization. Now you need to decide if you should take on that development work internally or utilize the expertise of an external consultant or program. Below, we will discuss a few factors to consider to help you make the best choice for your organization.

Size- First, consider size, both in what you want to accomplish and who you can accomplish it with. If you are a “training team of one” with a large scope, you may not have the bandwidth to tackle a project of this size. However, if you have an established and sizable talent development team, this can be a great opportunity to tap into the expertise of multiple individuals to build a program.

Additionally, consider how many individuals you would like to develop through this program. Are you rolling this out organization-wide or starting with a small group? Knowing the total number of learners you hope to connect with can provide some valuable data as you consider additional factors.

Timing- How quickly do you need your learners to complete your training? If you need to train a large number of individuals quickly, it may be best to do this work internally provided that you have a team large enough to support that endeavor (or bring in external partners to assist in this process). If you have a smaller group of intended learners or can pace this development over time, utilizing an external partner or program can allow individuals the flexibility to learn as their calendars allow.

Competencies- Consider what competencies you are hoping to strengthen with a leadership development program. Do you or others on your team possess the subject matter expertise to train in these areas? Are these skills aligned with the current needs and future projections for what your leaders will need? Can these competencies be fulfilled by a hybrid approach, where you can tap into internal expertise while partnering with outside resources for additional needs?

You may find that your answers to these questions about size, timing and competencies fall in a combination of internal and external needs. Perhaps you have an influx of leaders to onboard in the near term followed by the need for a sustainability model for future leaders. This type of scenario provides a unique opportunity to partner with an external vendor that can seamlessly align with your needs and make training provided outside of your organization feel like an extension of your brand.

President's Note: Serve, Lead, and Grow

Colin Hahn — Mon, 17 May 2021 14:00:00 GMT

As talent professionals, you and I know that on-the-job experience is a powerful development tool. That’s why I invite you to consider joining our chapter’s Board of Directors. Serving on the SEWI-ATD board is a way to gain leadership and business experience to advance your career, and make a positive contribution to our professional community at the same time.

I can personally vouch for the value of board service. My skills as a leader have grown because of this work, and I can point to specific improvements that my manager noticed in my last performance review that came from my volunteer work with the chapter. I’ve also gained more senior-level skills like managing budgets and understanding the key business drivers because of the P&L responsibilities in my roles. And, I’ve had a ton of fun in strengthening my relationships with my network and seeing the impact of our work on the local community.

If you are interested in learning more about board membership, reach out to me or our President-Elect, Nikki Palmer-Quade, and let’s have a virtual coffee! We have several roles up for election, including our Membership VP and VP of Marketing and Communications. We also have non-board roles such as Assistant VP roles in Professional Development, so there are ways to get involved even if you’re not sure if you’re ready for a board-level commitment.

Sincerely,

Colin J. Hahn
SEWI-ATD President

Promote your small business through our chapter

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 13:21:27 GMT

As a member of our SEWI-ATD, independent consultants have the opportunity to promote their businesses on our chapter’s website. The Consultant Directory is proactively publicized by our chapter on a quarterly basis to our database of roughly 1,000 professionals. Visitors to the Consultant Directory spend significant time interacting with the page (over six times the expected engagement rate), and 70% of users scroll to the bottom of the page, indicating they are reading each description. (Note: larger organizations can become chapter sponsors to gain significant exposure)

SOCIAL MEDIA EXPOSURE

With a new VP of Marketing & Communications on our board, Rebecca Reindl has also elevated our presence on LinkedIn. As you can see from the LinkedIn follower demographics below, our Consultant Directory members are getting in front of the key decision-makers you want to reach. Each of our posts on LinkedIn gets an average of 200 unique views, which means that we are broadcasting your bio directly to 200 of these professionals with each post.

EXTENDED CHAPTER VISIBILITY THROUGH MMAC

As a member of SEWI-ATD, you enjoy dual benefits as a member of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce. Last summer, we co-sponsored the MMAC Talent Matters Series where a dozen chapter members volunteered as event facilitators. SEWI-ATD programming was broadcast to the MMAC database of over 4,000 business executives in the 7-county region.

VALUE

At an investment of $100 annually, we hope that joining the Consultant Directory is an easy decision. There are a number of ways you can grow your business, and we appreciate your decision to partner with SEWI-ATD. To do some comparisons related to other advertising opportunities, you can preview offerings by MMSHRM and MMAC.

HOW TO JOIN

To join the directory, simply go to: https://sewi-atd.org/event-4169693 and follow the registration steps.

QUESTIONS?

Our chapter administrator will be able to answer direct questions related to payment. You can reach out to them at admin@sewi-atd.org or by phone at 608-204-9815. To connect with a board member, you can reach out to Nikki Palmer-Quade, President Elect, at nikki.palmerquade@sewi-atd.org or Susan Davies, VP of Sponsorship, at sponsorship@sewi-atd.org.

The Value of Intentionality: If You Are Going to Lead, Do it on Purpose

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 13:17:52 GMT

Sometimes the challenges that are seen within organizations and teams are the result of leaders who are not practicing their leadership with intention. The unintended consequences of this style of leadership can be felt organization-wide. In this week’s video post, Matt Meuleners of FOCUS Training talks about the value of intentional leadership and offers tips on building your intentionality.

Click here to view video.

President's Note: Let's Collaborate!

Colin Hahn — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 21:13:11 GMT

Like many of you, I joined SEWI-ATD to connect with other talent development professionals. I love being able to ask peers for advice to solve challenges in my job, and I enjoy sharing what I’ve learned with others.

Since I love learning with others, I’m incredibly excited about our chapter’s professional development networks, or PDNs. We currently have standing groups for leaders of learning, training delivery, and (as of last week!) organizational development. These groups enable practitioners to discuss challenges, share techniques, and see how other companies are tackling similar issues. Every time I attend, these conversations are a highlight of my week.

I want to thank all the group leaders who make these sessions engaging and insightful. Jennifer Buchholz, Megan Cardenas, Lora Haines, Susan Keith, Camille Parham, Sheri Weaver, and Kathleen Volk--you do amazing work to create these collaborative learning opportunities!

Because these groups are such powerful learning communities, I want to encourage you to start your own group within our chapter. Megan Cardenas will tell you that the reason she started the leaders of learning group is because she wanted to get together with a bunch of people facing similar challenges, and forming a group was an easy way to make that happen.

You too can form a PDN to scratch your own professional development itch! Your PDN can be organized around almost any aspect of our field:

Do you want to collaborate with others in a subject area, like instructional design, e-learning, or talent analytics?
Would you like to share insights with others in your industry? (We’ve got a lot of chapter members in financial services, health care, and manufacturing!)
Do you have a short-term project that would benefit from a working group? (Maybe you want to collaborate for the next four months on how to launch an affinity group program...)

As a chapter member, all you need to do is reach out to me or another board member and tell us about your proposed group! We’ll announce it to our list of over 700 local TD professionals, and you can start sharing ideas and building connections.

I look forward to collaborating with you!

Leading Virtual Teams: 5 ‘Must-Haves’ for Staying Connected

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 13:17:35 GMT

By Teresa Pappas, Ph.D., Consultant, The CARA Group

Let’s face it, these continue to remain unprecedented times. And they require an unprecedented response from us all. We’ve been used to working within a global VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) business environment for some time—one that’s required us to demonstrate both adaptability and resilience. But these times are different. As we continue to do our part in combatting the global coronavirus, we are finding ourselves still working 100% virtually. This need to work differently, along with the stressors of finding ourselves within a global pandemic, is likely still bringing up some new reactions for us all. Common challenges include the need to balance work priorities and deliverables, while battling feelings of isolation and missing the kinds of everyday ‘hallway’ interactions we’ve relied on and enjoyed. We’re all battling these experiences for ourselves while we find our way. And if you’re a leader with direct reports, you’ve got a team of people relying on you to address their concerns and keep them connected as well.

This article focuses on five ‘must have’ techniques for doing just that. As you read, keep in mind how and when you can begin applying these for yourself and your team.

1. Plan your Approach

Eleanor Roosevelt once said “It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” Comparing the two, experience tells us that we can have a much better ‘hit rate’ for success with a plan, so why not start there? Take the time to be intentional about what success will look like while leading a team that is completely virtual.

This starts by reflecting on your vision and hopes for your team. How do you want your team members to act and feel in this virtual environment? What will it mean to be productive, connected, and successful? How can you help team members tap into their individual core competencies and strengths? How do you see yourself continuing to build team cohesion remotely while making sure that everyone feels part of the team? Your answers to these questions will shape your interactions with your team members and will go a long way to foster the type of virtual team environment that your employees will have. Share your vision and what this means for your team.

Remember that you have a critical role to play in shaping your team’s virtual culture. Be a role model by demonstrating virtual team commitment and collaboration. What work style habits can you build that will benefit you and provide examples of what others can emulate (e.g., taking care of yourself and your energy levels, integrating work and family tasks, maintaining effective routines)? Keep in mind that regular routines go a long way to combat an unpredictable external environment. How can you authentically convey the importance of your team in supporting each other in a virtual setting? Aim to develop realistic, focused goals (both team and individual), and establish upfront expectations of each other. Also, be the kind of leader who has ongoing conversations with your employees on progress made.

2. Communicate Early and Often

In a virtual environment, it is more important than ever to use a variety of vehicles and methods to set the stage for open communication. How can you develop a cadence and process for coming together—for both team and one-on-one touchpoints? What structure can you provide for your team to foster information sharing and connection? How can you augment this by seizing impromptu opportunities to check-in, share information, ask a question, or simply say “hello” and see how people are doing? Don’t assume that others know what you’re working on or who you’re interacting with. What questions do your team members have? Where should people go with specific questions? Consider your responses to these questions for establishing your team’s pattern of communication, and see where it may need to adapt over time.

On top of this, don’t forget to master the ‘basics’ of communication. Respond to others in a timely manner. Keep scheduled meetings. Listen actively. Remove distractions in your work setting. At the end of the day, set yourself up to be present, engaged, and in-the-moment when communicating with others. When face-to-face conversations aren’t practical, know what to listen for. In this case, you won’t have the benefit of seeing someone’s nonverbals—so you’ll want to pay extra attention to subtle nuances in individuals’ tone and pace of speech. This will clue you in to where you may need to check for understanding.

Communication is so important because it helps direct your team’s actions, accountabilities, and progress made. What methods and processes can you use to make sure everyone is on the same page? Share meeting agendas, outcomes, commitments, and next steps. Your team members will rely on the open communication you foster to build trust in a virtual environment. This will go a long way to your team members being open to giving and receiving feedback as your team continues to evolve.

3. Leverage Technology

We are fortunate to live in a time where we have wide access to technology and systems that give us the opportunity to work remotely. That said, you’ll want to make optimal use of available technology and resources. This means using the right tool(s) for the situation. We’ve probably all been part of remote interactions that didn’t go well simply because an overly complex tool for the situation was utilized. When a formal meeting is involved, this is when you’ll want to learn to make good use of your company’s online meeting software. However, in other cases, exchanging emails, sharing instant messages, sending texts, or holding phone calls will easily suffice to expedite making the right connection.

Another recommendation is to opt for face-to-face interaction to increase engagement (and decrease the tendency to multi-task), particularly when longer conversations are involved. Now is the time to practice getting technology savvy with using your computer’s camera feature! This will come in handy when holding virtual face-to-face meetings with your team. Think of it as a wonderful opportunity for the team to come together, share updates, ask questions, and foster a sense of camaraderie.

What about other important logistics? You’ll want to test your technology equipment and connections to ensure you’ll be in a position to connect easily and both begin and end on time. Do what you can to anticipate and mitigate any challenges that may arise. If you’re part of a global workforce, you’ll want to be sensitive to time zone differences when scheduling team meetings. Think about ways you can facilitate holding an effective and efficient meeting so you are focused and attentive to your role in the moment.

4. Don’t Neglect the Human Component

It’s been said that the most effective leaders show they care first, and give direction second. Focus on how you can continue to build your relationship with each of your team members so you’ll be in the best position to meet them where they are—uniquely and individually. It will be particularly important in a virtual setting to ask your individual team members how they are doing with the changes to their work environment. Listen to what they have to say and empathize with their reactions.

One resource that may be helpful is Kubler-Ross’ change commitment curve—the process humans go through when adapting to a new reality. It gives additional insight into the internal psychological adaptation process that an individual goes through when moving through a change. Consider where you fall in adapting to virtual work, as well as where each of your team members are.

Doing so will raise your awareness not only to what you’re personally experiencing, but to what your team members are going through. By reflecting on this you’ll be in the best position to help your team move through the change curve. You may even help them think about how they can reframe initially perceived challenges into opportunities. This will help to foster an environment of team learning. When and how might you hold conversations on how individuals are adapting to virtual work? How could you provide a forum for team members to share ‘bright spots’ they’ve experienced along the way?

This is the time to show your appreciation for your team and how they are rising to the challenge of virtual work. Recognize and celebrate both individual and team success when you see it. Get to know your team members’ individual preferences for recognition, and customize your approach to this. This is also the time to incorporate F-U-N where you can into the work day! Get creative when thinking about how you can build virtual team camaraderie.

5. Stay Flexible

A virtual work environment lends itself to continual adaptation and the opportunity to be flexible. You may find that expectations about how the work will flow and how people will come together will need to shift over time, and that’s okay. Know where your team may need to re-prioritize tasks, assignments, or ways of interacting along the way. Keeping flexible will help you and your team to not get bogged down in old ways of thinking or acting.

This will serve you well in being able to identify what changes may still be needed, both in the short- and long-term. It will also help you determine any immediate changes needed around the corner, along with their impact on the team in general and individual team members in particular. This is where open communication will be instrumental.

In the end, we now find ourselves working in completely new ways where the need to engage virtually has never been greater. As a leader, your opportunity to bring your team together is at a critical phase. We hope you’ve gathered some new insights that will be immediately helpful in directing your team to rise above and achieve more.

President's Note: Staying Connected

Colin Hahn — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 18:05:01 GMT

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since our worlds turned upside down.

Over the last year, I’ve felt how important our talent development community is--and how easy it was to take that community for granted. Without our time to mingle face-to-face before and after events, maintaining our relationships has been hard work.

I sincerely hope that we’ll soon be able to gather in person again. But until that happens, we are still finding ways to connect with each other. I want to offer three ways for you to stay engaged in our community.

TD Coffee Hour

First, we’ve heard how much you appreciate time to socialize and connect. Our volunteer recognition evening was a great opportunity to catch up with each other, and we want to create more of those opportunities. So, we are now hosting a monthly TD coffee hour. There’s no agenda; just drop in with your favorite brew and connect with your fellow TD professionals. We will have lots of breakout rooms so you can split into small groups, or stay in the main room for a larger group conversation.

Professional Development Networks

Second, our professional development networks remain a great forum to share challenges and solve problems with each other. I want to thank our Training Delivery PDN and Leaders of Learning PDN leaders for continuing to host these conversations, and I’m excited that we have a new group for Organizational Development professionals launching in April. I encourage you to participate in these sessions.

If you have your own areas to explore with chapter members, we would love to offer additional PDN groups. Whether you want to organize a standing group or a short-term learning circle, email me at president@sewi-atd.org and we’ll help you make your idea a reality!

Get Involved

Finally, the best way to feel connected is to get involved. There are dozens of ways to volunteer in our chapter, from working on our newsletter to organizing events or serving as contacts to our partner organizations. Volunteering is a great way to build friendships, grow your skills, and find meaning in your work. Raising your hand is as easy as emailing me, so don't wait!

Until we are able to see each other in person--thanks for being part of our community!

Colin J. Hahn

SEWI-ATD President

Congratulations to Megan Cardenas, Volunteer of the Year

Colin Hahn — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 02:00:00 GMT

We are so lucky to have amazing volunteers that support the work of our chapter. Every year, SEWI-ATD recognizes one person as our Volunteer of the Year. We are proud to announce that Megan Cardenas is the recipient of the 2020 Bob Von Der Linn Volunteer of the Year award!

This award is named after Bob Von Der Linn, who served as the president of the chapter. This award recognizes his spirit of dedication to the chapter’s mission and his commitment to engaging other professionals so the chapter would flourish for years to come.

Megan certainly carries on Bob's legacy of service. For years, she has led the Leaders of Learning PDN and has been an instrumental part of this chapter. Congratulations, Megan, on this well deserved honor!

Recharge your Leadership!

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 13:14:59 GMT

By Kristin Derwinski, Executive Consultant and Coach, Stewart Leadership

Earlier this year, we facilitated a webinar on Building a Resilient Workforce. We introduced the three skills needed to Recharge Your Leadership, which include: Resilience, Connection, and Empathy,

In a series of articles to follow, we will share highlights from our webinar and provide helpful hints and tools for building your leadership skills.

Let’s focus on Resilience. Resilience is the ability to bounce back after facing adversity or experiencing a setback. It is about seeking advice or guidance from others when navigating a challenging time. It is the ability to grow after facing adversity or learning something new and applying it right away, even when it is uncomfortable.

We have all faced many challenges in the last year between COVID -19, social and political unrest, and the need to work and communicate in new ways. In the face of all of these challenges, we have seen tremendous growth, learning, and innovation as we navigate in a world that is continuing to evolve. We have also seen what happens when people are not able to grow or change. Or how, when there is low resilience, people can become stuck, walk away, or isolate themselves.

The good news is that Resilience is not something you have or don’t have - it is something you can learn. Anyone can develop the capacity to become more resilient.

We designed a Resilience Continuum that provides a framework for conversations around Resiliency. It enables a leader to identify where they are on the continuum and then determine where they want to be. It is also an excellent tool for leaders to use when they want to help team members increase their resilience capacity. Leaders we have worked with share that the Resilience Continuum allows them to approach these challenging situations with empathy.

Here’s the Continuum. If someone is acting or behaving in a way that is preventing them from working through a challenge or adverse situation, that behavior is reflective of low resilience. If a person meets the challenge head-on, working on learning to seek advice, or simply moving forward, their behavior is closer to high resilience.

The table below details the behaviors, thoughts, and actions that describe each phase. Please note: this is not about labeling a person; it identifies where someone is on a given challenge or situation based on their behaviors and actions.

Low Resilience	Resilience	High Resilience
Enjoys being comfortable Little to no interest in learning something new May be experiencing physical, mental, or emotional challenges Workload is extremely demanding Fearful of the future if there is not a roadmap Isolated	Appreciates comfort but willing to be uncomfortable Willing to learn something new Takes actions to manage well-being Ability to manage workload Looks forward to future and appreciates if there a roadmap Connects with others for advice and guidance	Thrives in an environment where they can be uncomfortable Seeks to learn something new and apply it right away Is proactive in managing their well-being Ability to manage workload Strives to lead self and others towards a future, even if there is no roadmap Connects with others for advice and guidance frequently

As you look at the table above, ask yourself these questions:

Which behaviors most closely match the way I take action when faced with a challenge?
Which behaviors would I like to demonstrate more often?
What skills do I need to develop to get there?
What is getting in my way?
What actions can I take to get there? And by when?

We encourage you to have a conversation with your direct reports to learn more about their Resilience capacity and what you can do together to work towards high resilience.

Interested in learning more? Feel free to view our webinar on Building a Resilient Workforce or contact Kristin Derwinski to schedule a conversation.

New Member Benefits and Rates for ATD Membership

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 17:44:18 GMT

There is so much to love about the ATD membership, but there are important changes coming to tailor benefits to what serves us best in today’s world. Members know that access to professional development and the latest content in the field are hugely important benefits of joining and renewing with ATD. Rather than limiting choice or having multiple a la carte options, ATD is rolling out a full library of content including hundreds of TD at Work guides and 99 micro courses. These changes also include enhancements to the website, a growing library of tools, checklists, and templates, and unlimited access to whitepapers and 10-minute case studies. ATD Membership gives you access to what you need, when you need it. Read more here: https://www.td.org/2021changes.

These changes mean an increase of rates starting April 1. However, you have the opportunity to lock in current rates if you renew by March 31. But do not delay: You can begin accessing new member benefits as early as March 1.

Now is a great time to review the benefits of a Power Membership as well, combining the local networking and industry access of SEWI-ATD and the content and exposure of the national branch.

Renew today!

Creating a Disability-Inclusive and Welcoming Workplace

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 19:07:17 GMT

From MRA Edge publication

Our friends at EARN (Employers Assistance Resource Network on Disability Inclusion) support employers in their efforts to recruit, hire, retain, and advance qualified individuals with disabilities.

Check out these questions and answers that employers should know regarding important aspects of a disability-inclusive workspace.

1. What is a disability-inclusive workplace?

A disability-inclusive workplace is an accessible workplace, covering not only physical accessibility, like wheelchair ramps, braille signage, and accessible restrooms, but also digital accessibility, where information and communication technology is available to all and compatible with assistive technology devices.

Accessibility also has an attitudinal dimension. The key is to ensure doors are open, literally and figuratively, to all qualified individuals. Accessible workplaces help everyone increase productivity, ensure a wider pool of talent can apply for, maintain, and advance in employment, and expand their potential customer base.

2. What is an attitudinal dimension when it comes to accessibility?

The biggest barrier to workplace accessibility is not architectural in nature, but attitudinal. Employees may have misconceptions about people with disabilities and the work they can do. Examples of attitudinal barriers include:

Inferiority: Viewing a disabled individual as a “second-class citizen.”
Pity: Feeling sorry for a disabled individual and behaving in a patronizing manner as a result.
Hero Worship: Considering a disabled individual living independently to be “special.”
Ignorance: Dismissing the individual as incapable because of his or her disability.
Multi-Sensory Effect: Assuming that the individual’s disability affects his or her other senses.
Stereotypes: Making positive or negative generalizations about disabilities.
Backlash: Believing that a disabled co-worker is being given an unfair advantage because of his or her disability.
Denial: Believing that disabilities that are not visible are not legitimate and, therefore, do not require accommodations.
Fear: Being afraid of offending a disabled co-worker by doing or saying the wrong thing and, as a result, avoiding interaction with the individual.

Employers can help break down these barriers by engaging employees in discussions about disability and providing training to change employees’ perspectives and increase understanding.

3. How is physical accessibility achieved at work?

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is an employer’s obligation to “provide access for an individual applicant to participate in the job application process, and for an individual employee with a disability to perform the essential functions of his or her job, including access to a building, to the work site, to needed equipment, and to all facilities used by employees.” In addition to the building and work site, areas to which accessibility must be provided may include (but are not limited to):

Parking lots (handicapped parking spaces)
Entrances/exits
Fire alarms/emergency exits
Conference rooms and shared workspaces
Desks and personal workspaces
Hallways and stairwells
Elevators
Restrooms
Cafeterias

Businesses that make modifications to improve workplace accessibility may be eligible for tax credits or deductions to help offset costs incurred. For more information see Tax Benefits for Businesses Who Have Employees with Disabilities.

4. What does it mean to have technology accessibility?

When workplace technology is accessible, it presents opportunities for people with disabilities to get hired, or to excel in a position because they can perform their job duties with access to basic workplace tools. It is a barrier to employment to be without technology accessibility.

Taking steps to ensure all employees can access the technology they need to perform their jobs is a best practice and can impact a business’s bottom line.

Technology accessibility benefits include:

Improved recruitment and employee retention
Enhanced productivity
Operational cost reductions
Improved corporate image
Reduced legal costs

5. How can EARN help your business?

Visit EARN’s website for more information and educational resources, like toolkits and publications. EARN also offers the Dinah Cohen Training Center for Disability Employment & Inclusion for free webinars and trainings on a variety of topics, including the Inclusion@Work Framework for Building a Disability-Inclusive Organization.

If you’d like to stay up to date on upcoming events, developing news, and promising practices in the world of disability, diversity, and inclusion, you can subscribe to EARN’s newsletter.

The Journey to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Six Steps Your Company Can Take

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 19:05:40 GMT

By Lynell Meeth, Director Member Content MRA

With all the benefits that come from making diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI ) a priority, some might wonder why we still need to make a business case. The plusses of a successful DEI strategy are hard to beat. Take a look at these compelling outcomes from a culture rich with DEI at work.

Commitment. Organizations with a strong DEI culture are more likely to attract and employ people with greater job satisfaction as well as higher levels of engagement and trust. According to ZipRecruiter’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Survey, 86 percent of job seekers say workplace diversity is an important factor when looking for a job.

Success. DEI can help the bottom line. A McKinsey & Company study found that organizations in the top quartile for ethnic and cultural diversity on their leadership teams resulted in a 33 percent increase in profitability.

Innovation. A 2018 study by Harvard Business Review found that the most diverse companies also tended to be the most innovative. Employing people from all different backgrounds brings more brainstorming, ideas, and creativity.

Ready to dive into your organization’s DEI efforts? Check out these six steps to get started.

1) Know why DEI is important to your organization.

If your organization doesn’t have a vision statement around DEI, create one. It’s critical to have clarity around the benefits that are realized from investing in DEI initiatives—like widening your candidate pool for qualified talent, fostering a more creative and innovative workforce, and supporting employees who can contribute to their fullest potential within an inclusive environment.

2) Make sure everyone is on board and will champion DEI efforts, especially top management.

From the C-suite to frontline employees, everyone needs to see and understand their part in the company’s DEI culture, and the top leaders must be supportive of DEI efforts. Leadership needs to set the tone and example, and all employees should understand how their behaviors contribute to inclusion.

3) Assess the current state of your work environment by asking employees what they think and how they feel.

Employers who assume they know what the challenges are run the risk of missing the mark. To establish a baseline of the current reality, employers need to hear directly from their employees. Ask and listen. This can be in the form of an assessment, like the Spectra Diversity Inclusion Assessment™, or setting up focus groups or listening sessions.

4) Examine workplace practices with DEI in mind and make necessary changes.

Employers need to identify if there are barriers that get in the way of the employment, opportunity, and inclusion of individuals from different backgrounds. Do any policies or practices need to be adjusted or tossed? Some to consider include:

Employee referral programs. While beneficial, some referrals can bring about "like me" recommendations, where employees refer candidates of the same race, religion, or gender. Encourage employees to make referrals of individuals from varied backgrounds, and even open up the program to nonemployees, such as vendors, partners, and customers to recommend great candidates.
Unconscious biases. If a department is considerably less diverse, less impartial, or less inclusive than others, a review of the department manager’s procedures may be in order.
Promotions. When managers don’t advance (enough or at all) underrepresented individuals in their organizations to positions of more power, take a closer look at leadership development to determine why few employees of diverse backgrounds are moving up in the ranks.

5) Let employees decide what DEI initiatives are important and let them take the lead in organizing.

It’s kind of like having your kids help make dinner. There’s a better chance they’ll actually eat it because they had a hand in making it. Similar concept here. If your employees are interested in starting a committee, resource group, book club, or community alliance, support their passion to get involved. Not only will they feel empowered and heard, they will be more engaged and then everyone benefits.

6) Understand what DEI metrics to track and how you will determine what success looks like.

Tie metrics to your overall vision and what is important to your organization. Maybe you have fewer women in management or lack a disability-inclusive environment. Set goals to make that change, collect data, watch for (and remove) roadblocks, and hold people accountable until you are successful in turning it around.

A key to getting started with DEI efforts, especially in smaller organizations where there isn’t a dedicated position or team, is to remember that HR should be supportive, but should not own the outcomes of DEI. HR can assist with providing the foundation for change, influence decision makers, and foster the right environment, but ultimately the accountability for progress should come from the top.

Companies everywhere strive for profits, mastering their craft, and securing top talent, and detailed plans and strategies are used to get there. Why not put a strategic plan in place for DEI initiatives at your organization?

Be sure to visit the MRA website for more information and tools to help your company’s business imperatives around DEI.

Director, Member Content

How to Equip leaders to Be More Inclusive: Overcoming Individual and Organizational Ghosts

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 19:00:00 GMT

By Nicole De Falco, Learning Strategist/Sr. ID Consultant, The CARA Group

Inclusion may not be rocket science, but it is human science. And, in today’s environment, it is non-negotiable. Inclusion is imperative for leaders to drive up innovation and drive out institutional racism. A Deloitte Insights article by Juliet Bourke and Bernadette Dillon, “The diversity and inclusion revolution: Eight powerful truths,” reveals that organizations with inclusive cultures are eight times as likely to achieve better business outcomes and six times more likely to be innovative and agile.

Daniel Sanchez Reina, Senior Director Analyst for Gartner, in the article Diversity and Inclusion Build High-Performance Teams, notes that diversity and innovation are correlated, “but inclusion is the key to leveraging diversity.” And, leaders are the linchpins to inclusion. In the Deloitte Insights article, Bourke and Dillon highlight what they call the “power of a leader’s shadow.” Leadership behaviors can “drive up to 70 percentage points of difference between the proportion of employees who feel highly included and the proportion of those who do not.”

Individual Ghosts

But, for many leaders, exactly how to be inclusive is elusive. In an HBR article, The Key to Inclusive Leadership, Juliet Bourke and Andrea Titus cite their research indicating “only one in three leaders holds an accurate view about their inclusive leadership capabilities.”

Every leader has the potential to be radically inclusive; creating a culture where people feel safe, valued, and a sense of belonging. Inclusive leadership is everyday actions done with eyes open and ears engaged. Inclusion happens when leaders know and treat each person like the unique and valuable human they are.

“Inclusion happens when leaders know and treat each person like the unique and valuable human they are.”

A truly inclusive culture begins with leaders with truly inclusive habits. Organizations can move the needle on inclusion by equipping leaders to act inclusively as part of their routine interactions with employees. Most people are just not aware of the biases that get in their way. It’s like being tripped up by invisible ghosts – you’re stumbling and just not sure why. This is where the human science comes into play.

Neuroscience in Action

Neuroscientist Beau Lotto in his book Deviate: The Science of Seeing Differently teaches us that “Every decision you make in the future will remain grounded in history.” We draw on experiences to inform our actions and decisions today. How we treat others may be the result of perceptions formed by past events. Lotto’s research provides insight into how we can “use our brains to change our brains” by re-writing our past perceptions, so we make better decisions in the future.

The first step for leaders looking to act more inclusively is learning to surface, question, and recognize the impact of assumptions and biases on their behavior in certain situations or with particular people.

Seeing the implications of assumptions and biases kick starts an intrinsic drive; motivating leaders to ask questions like “what else might be true?” to replace unproductive perceptions with possibility thinking. They have formed a “new past” to reference when faced with these situations or groups.

With potentially limiting assumptions neutralized or replaced, leaders now need to get comfortable selecting and tailoring inclusive actions to fit their situations and the unique humans in their care.

Finally, leaders need methods and practice in the formation of habits to promote daily use of these inclusive intentional actions. To ensure habits stay ingrained, organizations are wise to design requiring environments rich with accountability and recognition for inclusive leadership.

Institutional Ghosts

Which brings us to the organization itself. Just as leaders desiring to behave inclusively bump into personal ghosts, organizations are haunted by the institutional ghosts of historic and systemic racism. In her Forbes post, Four Strategies For Moving Diversity, Equity, Inclusion And Belonging Beyond Lip Service, L’Wana Harris explains, “It’s your responsibility to reimagine and redesign your organization to create an environment where all of your employees can thrive. We must go beyond simple “inclusion” work and venture into the work that reforms and disrupts. Conduct an enterprise-wide audit for bias and discrimination.”

Organizations must identify and address the myriad causes of imbalance among employee groups. The key question to go after is, what are the business practices, systems, and processes tripping up the progress, engagement, and productivity of people of color, women, people with disabilities, and other underrepresented employee groups in our organization? Organizations with an inclusive culture spearheaded by inclusive leaders unlock the power of diversity to drive innovation needed for market success and for identifying and unseating inequitable business practices.

Sources

“The Diversity and Inclusion Revolution: Eight powerful truths by Juliet Bourke and Bernadette Dillon, Deloitte Review, Issue 22

Diversity and Inclusion Build High Performance Teams, Gartner, IT Leadership, September 2019

Deviate: The Science of Seeing Differently by Beau Lotto

https://hbr.org/2019/03/why-inclusive-leaders-are-good-for-organizations-and-how-to-become-one

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/09/06/four-strategies-for-moving-diversity-equity-inclusion-and-belonging-beyond-lip-service/

SEWI-ATD 2021 Financials – Here we come!

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 03:40:47 GMT

By Genevieve Daniels, VP Finance

The SEWI-ATD Board recently approved our 2021 budget. Most learning functions think about budgets solely in terms of expenses, but SEWI-ATD also has to generate revenue to sustain our operations. So, our budgeting process is an exercise in strategic planning and forecasting as much as resource allocation.

Our chapter has a tradition of budgeting and spending carefully. I am proud that as a Board we were able to adjust our 2020 operating plan due to the health pandemic. While many non-profits suffered substantial losses this year, SEWI-ATD managed our expenses carefully in order to have a financially stable year. Those efforts put us in a great position for 2021, as we look at how to continue serving our members.

Because we anticipate that the pandemic will continue to impact the economy, we planned a conservative income estimate of approximately $42,000, which is very small for a non-profit of our size. You’ll see in the graphs below that our 2021 budget relies on three primary sources of revenue: membership dues, sponsorship, and programming income. Having three major revenue streams gives us flexibility in an uncertain business environment.

We matched our conversative approach to income with our expenses, focusing on where we need to put resources in order to provide great value to our members and the regional talent development community. In 2021, you can expect to see SEWI-ATD expand our programming, improve our communication, and strengthen partnerships with other organizations in our community. Our 2021 budget also keeps us on target to reach our goal of 100% operating reserves by 2025., ensuring that the organization is fiscally sustainable for the long term.

The new ATD Capability Model includes business acumen skills because talent professionals are increasingly expected to understand their business in order to deliver impactful performance. This year, the SEWI-ATD board saw firsthand the value of strong financial acumen. A great way for our members to develop their personal business acumen is by volunteering with the Finance Committee. The committee meets once a quarter to review financials, advise on our financial operations, and develop participants for future roles in the chapter. The time commitment for this role is 90 minutes each quarter. If you are interested in learning more, please contact

Gen Daniels, VP of Finance.

Seven Steps to Transform Instructor-Led Training to Virtual Learning

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 03:03:20 GMT

From the CARA group:

Transforming instructor-led training to virtual learning is not going away anytime soon. Read our infographic that highlights the seven steps to transform from ILT to vILT.

Tips From the Trainer: How To Train Virtually

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 02:56:40 GMT

Written by Andy Marris, CPTD; Learning & Development Manager for MRA

We have heard the word pivot a lot since the onset of the pandemic. And while this word may be a bit overused, it’s incredibly fitting for our trainers here at MRA. What was once mainly in-person activities, our hands-on classroom learning has moved to predominately online instruction.

This new way of training comes with a new set of rules, which have been written along the way. Instructors have had to get creative, figuring out how to make the learning components virtually appealing. The good news is, it’s working!

Here are a few new ways we work when it comes to MRA’s virtual learning.

We want to see your face. The obvious one and biggest game-changer is making a worthwhile face-to-face experience. It is important for attendees to have their cameras on, which makes them more engaged and regular contributors in class. It also helps the trainers read body language and know when people have questions or are getting lost in a meeting by the expressions on their faces.

It really can feel like a class. Trainers have the ability to use the whiteboard, capture ideas in real-time and send participants to breakout rooms, which mimics what trainers do in a physical room. And it’s not only similar to the classroom experience, but the virtual platform can be more efficient for getting small groups to talk.

Knowing breaks are important. Every 35 minutes the class gets a quick break. Everyone turns off their cameras, takes their eyes off the screen, stretches, and does what they need to do. Zoom fatigue is a real thing and breaks help learners refocus, reenergize, and get back to it.

The importance of a tech pre-meeting. Attendees are strongly encouraged to show up ten to 15 minutes before a virtual training session begins. This time is spent making sure everyone’s technology is working and to answer any questions on how to use the tools. COVID-19 has brought with it lots of firsts, and for many people virtual meetings are one of them. Knowing their technology is working before class begins eases participants’ minds, allowing them to focus on learning.

Learning gets creative. There are some things that cannot be replicated virtually—activities like touching materials, putting together a group puzzle, and shooting baskets blindfolded. MRA trainers get creative to simulate these learning points in a new way.

One new activity is a video game that allows people to be coached while shooting virtual baskets. Another is having participants talk through the process of making a peanut butter sandwich with the trainer following the verbal instructions. When the message isn’t clear enough the trainer may do the wrong thing. It’s a great way to watch someone try to make something simple and realize how the message needs to be very specific to get the right behaviors, highlighting the litany of ways people can misinterpret a message.

Training will continue moving forward and MRA is finding ways to make it happen. Interested in learning how to make it work for your organization? Check out our website for our virtual (and in-person) training options that are available to you, or call Andy Marris at 262.696.3409 to talk about a training plan for your company.

To read more blog posts from MRA, please access the MRA Edge publication.

Welcome new board members!

Colin Hahn — Fri, 11 Dec 2020 14:00:00 GMT

We are excited to welcome three new board members to fill vacancies on the SEWI-ATD board.

Rebecca Reindl is stepping into our VP of Marketing and Communications role
Nathan Sheets is our new VP of Membership
Dan Jakubowski is taking on a newly created role for VP of Special Projects.

Thanks for all three for volunteering to serve the chapter!

Attend the Talent Matters Forum

Colin Hahn — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 22:00:00 GMT

The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce has announced their next session in their Talent Matters series: a resource connection forum for participants to share information on talent retention and development challenges.

SEWI-ATD has partnered with MMAC on the Talent Matters series throughout the year. As part of your SEWI-ATD chapter membership, our members can attend MAMC events like this at the member rate--which means you can participate in this forum for free!

This virtual event will occur on Monday, December 7th from 11am-noon. Sign up now on the MMAC website.

Nominate an Outstanding Chapter Volunteer

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 14:40:59 GMT

Every year, the chapter recognizes one member with the Bob Von Der Linn Outstanding Chapter Service Award. This award is the chapter’s highest volunteer recognition; it celebrates a chapter member who exemplifies a commitment to the chapter and the talent development profession in our area.

Nominations are open for this year’s award. Please submit your nomination by Tuesday, November 24. If you have any questions about the award criteria, please contact Matt Meuleners at president@sewi-atd.org.

Help Our Membership Strategy: Volunteers Needed

Colin Hahn — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 15:00:00 GMT

Our chapter wants to build stronger relationships with larger employers in the area, and we need your help! We are forming a task force to build out our strategy for recruiting and engaging organizational members.

If you are interested in meeting large employers in the area or helping to design a marketing strategy, this is the perfect opportunity for you. This is a great chance to develop your skills at understanding customer needs, crafting a value proposition, engaging an audience, and project planning.

Interested, or want to find out more? Email Colin Hahn at presidentelect@sewi-atd.org!

Congratulations to newly elected board members!

Colin Hahn — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 13:17:00 GMT

We are proud to announce the results of the election for the 2021 board openings! Please join us in congratulating the following board members-elect:

Nikki Palmer-Quade for the Presidency track
Genevieve Daniels for VP of Finance
Annette Caraulia for VP of Professional Development
Eric Waters for VP of Community Relations
Susan Davies for VP of Special Projects/Sponsorship

Once again, congratulations to all our new board members!

7 Actions For Leading a Remote Team

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 01:15:36 GMT

By Daniel Stewart, Stewart Leadership

What do you need to do to be an effective leader for your remote team?

Since the Covid-19 Pandemic made remote workers out of so many of us, I have been reading and listening to great information and advice from thought leaders around the globe and across industries. In some ways, it seems like there is so much great information available that knowing where to start or how to sort through it can be perplexing.

I realized that what I wanted, what I was missing, was a succinct and clear overview of the essentials of leading a remote team. What are the actions that set a great remote leader apart?

As I reflected on this, I came to understand that remote leadership, like all leadership, involves being authentic, active, and visible.. We all want leaders who can establish a personal connection - and that desire is nott eliminated just because we happen to be in different locations. The uniqueness of remote teams amplifies and challenges our need for connection even more.

The fundamental behaviors of great leadership haven’t changed - it’s our approach to them that must be adapted. With that in mind, here are the seven essential actions great remote team leaders do.

1. Be Visible: Check-In Every Day & Use Video

People are not forgotten on purpose. They are forgotten by accident.

It’s true what they say: out of sight is out of mind. Acknowledging that this happens, even when we have the best of intentions, incentives us to prioritize visibility. Focus on making yourself visible to your team by building in routines that remind you to connect and be close. This could be a 15-minute call, a slack, or text message - anything that is more immediate.

Ultimately, video is king. It’s fantastic and so needed that we can easily connect with our team through Zoom or similar platforms. Video gives us the opportunity to respond to non-verbal cues, demonstrate that we are listening, and reinforces a sense of connection. It ensures that you are not forgetting your team.

2. Be Accessible: Respond Quickly & Follow Up

Responsiveness in a leader helps build trust, and this holds in both a physical and a remote environment. It demonstrates that you care and that you can be counted upon.

Because of our lack of proximity in remote teams, we need to compensate with the ability to respond quickly and follow up. Aim to respond within a few hours. Being perfect with this isn’t the goal, rather consistency is key. Track and follow up on requests, and be clear with your team that if you haven’t responded to a request, they have permission to follow up.

One challenge with remote work is overcoming the perception that people are not doing what they are supposed to be doing because we cannot see them. Know that this applies to you as well - if your team doesn’t know that you are working to remove obstacles to their work, they will think you are not keeping your commitment to them.

3. Be Clear: Set Clear Goals, Priorities & Agendas

Working from home introduces even more ways to get distracted--both from home life and also with incoming messages from work. Yet, even with each of our full workloads, research shows that remote workers tend to work even more hours than at the office. The key is to provide frequent priority setting conversations. Facilitate these daily, weekly, and monthly expectation setting and resetting conversations to remove obstacles and set realistic priorities that consider both the professional and homelife variables. Expect that each team member uses the agreed upon prioritization filter to manage their work.

With this comes the added need to trust your team and let go of a sense of control, and this can be hard - especially when your team is remote. It’s good to remember that people can be even more productive working as remote employees than they did in the office. By providing clear priorities for your team, they can manage distractions, stay focused on the most important tasks, and empower them to put those hours to good use.

Approach meetings with the same mindset. Set clear agendas and refuse to schedule a meeting without one. Analyze the meeting, keep it short, and consider how to encourage participation. Let people know what they need to come prepared and focus on involving everyone.

4. Be Personable: Care About Each Person

We have a tendency to think of remote work as less personable, but there are ways in which remote work has allowed us to become closer to each other. In our virtual meetings, we have a window into the lives of our team members that did not exist before. We have seen into people’s homes, we have seen the pictures behind them, we have seen kids and pets. In other words, we have seen so many more ways we can establish a connection with each individual.

Continue authentically establishing and building on those connections. Effective leaders demonstrate that they care and they understand the realities each person is facing. Be considerate and recognize that we are talking about humans, not automatons. Meet your team members where they are at and show vulnerability yourself in order to reinforce a sense of psychological safety.

5. Be Outcome-Focused: More Focus On The Why And What Than The How

When leading a remote team it’s critical to focus more on the “what” and less on the “how.” In fact, you will need to provide even greater latitude on the “how” so that your team members can feel a sense of ownership over their work. When you set goals or parcel out assignments, ensure that there is a clear understanding of what needs to be accomplished and why it is important.

When leading people it’s easy to fall into a pattern of telling our team members how to do something instead of allowing them the freedom to do their job. The reality is that most professionals competently perform, and when leaders give their team members the privilege to do their job and provide results without focusing on how the work gets done, team members are more engaged in their work, they have a greater sense of pride in their accomplishments, and they appreciate the trust you have in their ability to solve problems.

6. Be Flexible: Set Adaptable Boundaries

The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists.

~Japanese Proverb

Rigid and uncompromising leaders have a tendency to crack (or at least crack their team!), and this is only exacerbated by remote work. Flexibility defines the necessary mindset for remote leadership. Humans have a tendency to try to control their environment, but this whole remote experience gives us less control.

Understand that some things won’t run as smoothly as you may like. Maybe bandwidth issues cause stuttering in your meetings, or there is a delay that causes team members to start talking over one another. Perhaps you have employees with children who seem to know exactly when their parents are in a meeting and suddenly have 1,000 requests at that exact moment - perhaps your kids do the same.

Being flexible does not mean allowing anything and everything to happen. You must set boundaries for yourself and your team. But choosing to be patient and flexible within those boundaries will reduce stress for yourself and your team members.

7. Be Positive: Acknowledge Good Work

Even when one avoids checking the news too often these days, the stress and uncertainty of these times can permeate our lives, and I don’t know about you, but I am experiencing and noticing in others anxiety over things we cannot control.

As a leader, make work a refuge for your team. It’s possible to recognize the realities and difficulties in the world while still framing our work in a positive and optimistic way. Provide a place for your team where they are trusted and valued. Thank them for their work and capture the things that are going well. Remember, in the end, we are all wanting to make a difference, and acknowledging the contributions from each team member, is one of the most important behaviors a remote leader can show!

Conclusion

Teams are amazing amplifiers of our individual strengths and weaknesses. With the shift to remote teams, we are now getting to know how our skills, talents, and dysfunctions are being amplified in new and different ways. This requires a new leadership perspective as we embrace and lead through the uniqueness of working from home. Gratefully, many of the same critical leadership behaviors that have made us successful in an office environment are also needed for a remote team. However, it is how these behaviors are performed and customized to the uniqueness of working from home that makes all the difference. Be approachable and available, engage in prioritizing conversations, and be personable during these uncertain times and watch the engagement of your team rise!

Meet Daniel

Daniel Stewart, President and Executive Consultant, is a sought-after talent management and leadership development consultant and coach with proven experience advising senior leaders, leading change, and designing leadership-rich organizations. He leads Stewart Leadership’s extensive consulting practice, business development, and international partnerships.

For more information on leading teams in the workplace, visit Stewart Leadership, or Daniel Stewart on LinkedIn.

“Going Digital” A Framework for Corporate Learning Future Proofing Your Workforce

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 15:25:49 GMT

By: Emily Liddle, The CARA Group

For many organizations, the coronavirus pandemic has exposed some serious vulnerabilities. Businesses not equipped with a digital strategy have become highly reactive and struggled to swiftly pivot and support their workforce development under these unprecedented circumstances. Clearly, these uncertain times call for pioneer thinking. Organizations must learn, expand, and develop new ways to enable people to do better work through a continuously evolving digital strategy.

This lead paragraph might seem vague and grandiose; don’t get disillusioned by these opening lines. Let’s take a take a closer look at how organizations can leverage a digital mindset to successfully move both technology and people to the center of their response strategy and ongoing corporate narrative.

Digital Transformation

Where to start? Well, by defining a term that gets a lot of eye rolls - Digital Transformation.

Digital Transformation starts with the complete rethinking of how a business operates. Said best by McKinsey & Company, it is about empowering employees to embrace change and to challenge old ways of working. Digital Transformation must take place at all levels within an organization, i.e., the core business must fundamentally change. Countless business leaders have been reluctant to do the hard work - to transform their business operations to digital, but with the unexpected global crisis, they now have no choice. Becoming digital is the only way forward.

A Digital Transformation introduces boundless opportunities for innovation, operational efficiencies, and competitive advantage. Simply injecting technology into an existing process proves insufficient in realizing what it means to be digital. So, this is when the difference between Automation verses Digitalization becomes important.

Automation vs. Digitalization

Both Gartner and Forbes have published excellent content on the difference between Automation and Digitalization. Two recommended articles are included in the footnotes. If you are interested, dive in! To simplify the jargon:

Automation

To install technology into an existing process
To make a process operate automatically by replacing human intervention

Digitalization

To provide new value, improve how something gets done
To leverage technology to make work and ultimately people’s lives better

Unfortunately, many organizations focus on implementing automation with an intention to simplify work by removing human intervention as opposed to creating resilient business models. The output of these expensive automation projects consistently fails to meet business needs/expectations. Meanwhile, businesses who embrace digitalization have the mindset to better manage change overall, making change management a core competency while the business becomes more agile and customer centric.

Digital Transformation of Learning

In today’s corporate setting, a person’s success is often attributed to their ability to learn and adapt. Education is an enabler for people, particularly during times of substantial change. One would think this understating would propel corporate learning to the top of the priority list.

McKinsey & Company’s research had previously forecasted that the skills needed in the workplace will be utterly different by 2030. The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated this prediction to 2020. It’s imperative for organizations to support and develop their people in this disruptive transformation of work. Such an immense workforce revolution must be met with appropriate learning and development strategies.

One of the main goals of any corporate learning strategy should be making information accessible across the entire organization. Learning should not be a struggle, yet in most of today’s corporate settings, learning has not been designed to be people centric. The Godfather of Corporate Learning, Josh Bersin, talks about how external consumer platforms like Google, YouTube, and LinkedIn make it extremely easy to search and consume knowledge-based content. These new age consumer platforms have become the common place for learners to circumvent their company’s clunky learning offerings for a better learning experience. Ironically, these external tech giants end up knowing more about an employee’s learning needs and skill level than their actual employer. And they leverage this information to create personalized, timely, and interconnected learning experiences. Businesses should take note, there is something to learn here, pun intended!

Fundamental gaps exist with how people consume content and retain knowledge inside and outside of work. Below are four things to consider when redesigning your corporate learning strategy to meet consumer expectations:

Personal – Today’s learners want learning geared towards their individual needs and interests. By leveraging innovations like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), businesses can scale personalization to create individual learning experiences based on unique employee data.

Mobile - Mandatory compliance training is often the #1 content accessed within a learning management system (LMS), but usage quickly drops off when it comes everyday learning needs. A big reason for this is that corporate learning is often confined to a ridge destination (i.e. LMS) verses built into the flow of work. In response, learners pivot to internet searches, videos, podcasts, and other content that is immediately accessible via their mobile devices to fuel their curiosity and support their on-the-job learning needs.

Social – From infants to adults, we, by nature, learn from each other. Sharing knowledge and expertise via sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube creates new opportunities for individuals and companies to share, promote and give/accept feedback on learning content. These same social learning tactics can be brought into the workplace too. We’re all vying for the 5-star review!

Continuous – Developing ongoing learning experiences is the hook for creating a life-long learner, and, for the tech giants, creating a life-long consumer. Work, let alone life, is in a constant state of change. Continuous learning is a response to the turbulence of modern work (*gulp* life): new technology, new company direction, new process, new teammate, new…, new…., new...

A Digital Approach to Corporate Learning

This humanitarian crisis has changed business operating models forever. In turn, organizations are forced to rapidly evolve old learning programs and training models to support their newly fractionalized workforce. Every organization is impacted differently. Some have transitioned to working remote. Others have evolved to shift patterns of small cohorts. All are creating new roles and transitioning people to support swiftly changing business demands. A digital learning strategy is required now, more than ever before, to support the disruption.

Not sure where to start with your digital learning transformation? Hit the ground running with these six recommendations for reimagining corporate learning activities into effective and immersive digital learning experiences.

Understand when to be highly digital and when to be highly human - it’s the balance of both where the truly magic happens.
Build an open source API Integrations strategy, integrate new technology solutions to enhance the learning experience – a friendly learning bot ready to assist will do the trick.
Design for mobile first, create a new learning mode for consuming content anywhere at any time - work, life, and learning have no borders in today’s world.
Set the standard for data always - use actionable metrics to connect learning with performance and business outcomes.
Support various types of learning - including on-the-job learning, team-based learning, ILT, blended learning, gamification and adaptive micro-learning, to name a few.
Go all in, become digital – do the upfront work… align your company mindset, understand and build empathy for your people, rethink and redesign your processes, and then use technology to bring it all together.

The Wrap

Remember, the Digital Transformation of Learning extends beyond the virtual delivery of instructional courses and training. It requires a mindset shift for how organizations fundamentally approach learning for the workforce. Linking proven learning methods with advanced technology allows organizations to meet the immediate needs of their people while future proofing their workforce along the way.

Sources/Footnotes:

Gartner: it-automation

Forbes: digitalization-and-digital-transformation

McKinsey: unlocking-success-in-digital-transformations

Josh Bersin learning-experience-platform

Cultivating Your Emotional Intelligence. It's Never Been More Important.

Sun, 11 Oct 2020 05:00:00 GMT

By Jane Giacobassi, MRA

Simply stated, everyone has emotions. In fact, research shows that most people have 50,000 to 60,000 thoughts a day and each one has an emotion connected to it.

So, when your workplace has a “check your emotions at the door” or “emotions have no place at work” mentality, you are being set up for failure.

Emotional intelligence, or EI, is not a new concept. Daniel Goleman’s groundbreaking book, Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ, has served as a guide in the EI field for more than 25 years.

As Goleman’s book title states, EI can be more important than intellect when it comes to success in the workplace (and your personal life). The better grasp you have on EI within yourself and those you work with the more successful you will be.

How Does EI Work?

What happens when you are negatively triggered? Say someone takes credit for your fantastic idea at work. Your brain has a biological response—it thinks it is threatened and releases hormones. Suddenly you are in survival mode. Because of this, you lose critical thinking capabilities and become limited in your decision-making abilities. It happens in a typical workday all the time.

Let’s flip that scenario. Suppose your boss just told you how awesome you are and that she loves the work you are doing. When rewards happen, your brain kicks in and releases dopamine, the “feel-good” hormone, which enhances your critical thinking. You become highly engaged and rise to the peak of creativity and problem-solving.

People with a high EI can manage these situations, knowing what their reactions will be. They also tend to be more resilient, handling stress, and adapting better to change compared to a person unaware of their EI capabilities.

Emotional intelligence also has to do with noticing behavior, being authentic, and having the ability to have difficult conversations productively. It’s about responding rather than reacting. It’s when you take a deep breath and use all your skills to respond well.

It’s Like Money in the Bank

There is a tremendous return on investment for organizations that measure and provide development opportunities for EI. When people have a higher level of EI it’s been shown they:

Are more effective leaders
Perform better at work
Show more resiliency
Sell more
Serve members or clients better
Develop highly liked teammates
Are more engaged in their jobs

Wait a minute—let’s go back to that sell more part. Salespeople with high EI can sell more effectively because they craft conversations and build relationships more successfully with clients through their authentic, empathetic foundation. It makes for longer relationships and ultimately drives more sales. A well-developed EI can help the bottom line.

The good news is that unlike people’s intelligence quotient that cannot be learned or improved on, a person’s EI certainly can be. And not only does it make for a better employee, it makes for a well-rounded and resilient person.

Human brains are certainty-seeking machines, meaning they aren’t fans of not knowing what’s going to happen. Since mid-March, most people have been in a constant state of uncertainty because of COVID-19. It has been a time of juggling and coping, homeschooling, and stressing, doing what needs to be done to be successful at work and at home.

Having your EI sharpened has never been more important with COVID-19 in the picture. Most things have changed at work and we all want to come out the other side of the pandemic being able to better navigate work environments by diagnosing and prescribing solutions.

Bottom line: The way you show up at work—the way you interact with people and the behaviors you choose—has an impact on the way people feel. The way people feel controls the extent to which they can engage. When people are stressed, unhappy, or anxious, they are incapable of drawing on the mental resources to engage as fully as they are when they are happy, inspired, and empowered. With a high EI, you can learn and choose to show up at work in a different way that will not only benefit you, but others around you.

Meet Jane

Jane Giacobassi, MA, SPHR, at MRA is a Genos International Certified Emotional Intelligence Practitioner. Jane now helps MRA members:

Design and facilitate EI solutions.
Develop individuals’ and teams’ EI by evaluating and debriefing their assessment results.
Provide practical tools and techniques for applying EI and being more emotionally intelligent in the workplace.

For more information on EI in the workplace, take a look at the MRA website, or email Jane Giacobassi at Jane.Giacobassi@mranet.org.

Proposed Bylaws Amendments

Colin Hahn — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 21:00:00 GMT

SEWI-ATD Members,

In September, you will receive a ballot asking for your vote on three proposed amendments to the chapter bylaws. The Board has recommended these amendments, and we need your approval to proceed.

The linked PDF file shows our current bylaws and the proposed amendments. Below, we have briefly described the proposed amendments and our reasons for wanting to make the changes. If you have any questions about these proposed amendments, please feel free to contact Colin Hahn at presidentelect@sewi-atd.org, or any other board member.

Proposed Amendment #1: Board Structure Amendment

The current SEWI-ATD Board structure lists ten roles that must be on the Board, and then allows other roles to be created in addition to those ten.

This level of detail is unusual. Many non-profit organizations choose to name a smaller number of roles (such as the President, VP, and Treasurer) and then leave other roles flexible so the Board can adapt over time.

The flexibility of altering Board roles will help our organization adapt to future needs. For instance, we have wanted to add a sponsorship role to the Board instead of assigning those responsibilities to the “special projects” role, and we have wanted to shift the “communications” role into a “marketing and communications” direction.

The proposed amendment leaves the 3 Presidency track roles and VP Finance/Treasurer role explicitly named, and says that the other roles can be modified by the Board. The amendment also requires the Board to have a minimum of 10 members so the chapter maintains a large enough Board to function effectively.

To be clear: this amendment does not eliminate any of the existing Board positions. It merely gives the Board the ability to change or rename roles in the future, without having to go through the full bylaws amendment process for each change.

The Board believes this amendment will give us the flexibility we need to continue meeting your needs and adapting to our rapidly changing environment.

Proposed Amendment #2: Immediate Past-President Amendment

In the current version of the bylaws, the Immediate Past President role is over-defined. The bylaws list some very tactical responsibilities, such as organizing the summer social. That level of detail is a problem if the Board wants to adjust our event calendar or assign those specific events to another Board member.

At the same time, the bylaws are ambiguous about who owns the succession planning process. Both the Immediate Past President and the President Elect are assigned to lead the nominating committee at various points in the text.

This amendment clarifies the Immediate Past President responsibilities. It removes the tactical language of specific events while retaining the overall responsibility of providing guidance and expertise to the Board. It also has the President-Elect lead the nominating committee. The Board felt the nominating committee was a better fit for the President-Elect because that person will be recruiting for the Board that will serve during their term as President. The Immediate Past President will still sit on that committee, ensuring that their experience is heard.

Proposed Amendment #3: Digital Changes Amendment

The Board has been considering how we can function more effectively in a digital world, and the COVID-19 pandemic added additional urgency to that transition. The proposed amendment adds language to the bylaws to clarify how Board business can be conducted when face-to-face interaction is not possible.

The key change in this amendment is the creation of a process to vote on chapter business via email. The Board examined other nonprofits to develop this process. The proposed solution requires a 14 day notice period, a written description of the action to be approved, and a unanimous vote of a quorum of board members in order to adopt the measure.

Taken together, these requirements ensure that the Board will be clear on what it is voting for. If there is any desire for further discussion, a Board member can simply vote no and seek the clarity that they need.

Next Steps

The Board has voted to recommend adoption of all three amendments. In September, all members will receive a link to vote on the proposed amendments. A majority of votes will be required for each amendment to pass.

If you have any questions about these amendments or the process, any of the Board members would be happy to answer your questions.

Call for Volunteers: Improving Chapter Code of Conduct

Colin Hahn — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 14:00:00 GMT

Dear SEWI-ATD members,

We asked for your suggestions of ideas, resources, and experiences to help our chapter and our members tackle the challenge of racial diversity and equity. We have been sharing those resources through our newsletter over the last few months.

An essential part of creating an inclusive environment is being honest when we fall short. In your suggestions, we saw feedback that some of our community members haven't felt welcomed at our events. We are sad that this is the experience some participants have had, and we're grateful to hear it because it tells us where we still need to do work.

During our July Board meeting, we reviewed our Code of Conduct. We realized that the current code doesn't communicate our vision for an inclusive and equitable professional association, and we want to revise that code so we can be clear about our commitments to each other.

We are looking for volunteers to help us improve our Code of Conduct. This will be a relatively short time commitment (a couple of hours over the next 1-2 months), and it is a great opportunity for you to help shape the future of our community. If you are interested in being part of this team, please email Colin Hahn at presidentelect@sewi-atd.org by Friday, July 25.

We are so grateful to have a membership that cares about these issues, who want to do right by the communities we serve, and who are willing to give candid feedback on how we can do better. Thank you for helping us in our journey to become a more inclusive organization!

7 Steps to Transform Instructor-Led Training to Virtual Learning

Sun, 19 Jul 2020 20:24:57 GMT

7 Steps to Transform Instructor-Led Training to Virtual Learning

The CARA Group

As you continue to transition instruction from in-person to online, consider these steps from The CARA Group. Download this infographic at www.thecaragroup.com.

7 Steps to Transform Instructor-Led Training to Virtual Learning

Difficult Conversations - Strategies For Success

Sun, 19 Jul 2020 20:04:24 GMT

https://www.mranet.org/

Difficult Conversations - Strategies For Success

Let's face it—difficult conversations are going to happen. Sometimes they are planned in advance, and other times they happen when we least expect. Difficult conversations can take many shapes and forms. We may need to correct an employee’s behavior, work with an upset colleague, tell a boss that a deadline won’t be met, inform an employee that he or she is being terminated, or address a troubling remark from a co-worker.

What makes difficult conversations, well, so difficult? For the answer, let’s look at a definition:

A difficult conversation is a situation in which at least two parties are engaged where (a) there are differing opinions, perceptions, needs, or desires, (b) feelings and emotions run strong, and (c) the consequences or stakes are significant.

Difficult conversations can also be defined as those that make us feel uncomfortable, nervous, vulnerable, exposed, or even frightened. One or both individuals may have the feeling that the interaction isn’t going to go well.

How we lead (or react) during difficult discussions can have a major impact on future decisions, promotability, reputation, or an employee’s feelings of self-worth.

Below are five simple strategies to improve the chances that a difficult conversation will achieve the results hoped for:

Communicate Honestly

Difficult conversations that can spiral out of control are ones where honesty and transparency are not present. This includes distorting facts, not admitting to mistakes, telling outright lies, or wanting to spare hurting someone’s feelings. Being honest in a professional and considerate way allows for resolutions to be reached more quickly and credibility remains intact.

Be Mentally Prepared

Ensure the right mindset before going into a difficult conversation. Instead of focusing on the fact that conflict is nerve-wracking and the conversation will probably be tense, concentrate on the purpose of the conversation and how resolving the conflict will improve the situation going forward. Having the mental position of, "Something got off track, and we need to figure out how to make it better" is a more productive mindset to achieving outcomes.

Plan the Conversation

Many difficult conversations occur on a planned basis, so it’s possible to have facts and figures prepared ahead of time. Even major discussion points can be outlined to help keep the conversation on task. Anticipate all potential conflicts or reactions and how they can be positively addressed to avoid being caught off-guard. If more information is needed during the discussion, ask for time to pull it together so the conversation can continue with informed data.

Ask Questions

Keep in mind that difficult conversations are about problem solving. The best way to get to the root of a problem is to continue to ask questions. This allows the conversation to get further into the facts so rushed judgements aren’t made. This can help when extreme statements creep into difficult conversations, such as “you always…” or “you never…” Questions such as, "What specifically are you referring to?" or "When did this occur?" or "Who was involved?" or "Can you give me a specific example of when that happened?" can get the conversation back to the details needing to be discussed. Asking questions and listening for understanding are critical techniques for any type of communication interaction.

Use Empathy

A powerful communication technique is the use of empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand the emotion behind what the other person is communicating. Words like “It sounds like…” or “You must be feeling…” acknowledges that their emotion has been heard and recognized. Skilled empathizers can read body language, decipher tone, and ask clarifying questions to better understand the situation. Validating another’s emotions without needing to agree with the emotion works to move a stuck conversation forward because more often than not, people want to know that they have been heard.

While difficult conversations can be trying at times, practicing these strategies can make them more constructive and productive.

About MRA

Founded in 1901, MRA is a nonprofit employer association that serves more than 4,000 employers, covering more than one million employees worldwide. Read more about MRA at https://www.mranet.org/.

Call for Volunteers and Leader Nominations

Sun, 14 Jun 2020 16:23:50 GMT

Call for Volunteers and Leader Nominations

Our chapter needs your talents! As a volunteer organization, SEWI-ATD relies on our members to serve the talent development community in southeastern Wisconsin.

We are looking for volunteers at all levels, from helping out at single events to participating on committees or serving as a board member. To find out more about how you can get involved, or to recommend someone in your network, please email our President-Elect Colin Hahn.

Serving as a chapter volunteer is a great way to develop as a leader, build professional relationships, and gain experience to grow your career. Whether you have any of the skills below, or want an opportunity to develop these skills, we’d love to help you succeed!

We need volunteers to:

Build personal connections with members
Partner with community organizations
Leverage social media to build our brand
Organize events and programs
Deploy and support technology tools
Manage strategic projects
Perform data analytics and track key metrics
Create budgets and financial forecasts

We are currently planning our 2021 board nominations and committee leaders, please email Colin by July 9th to find out how you can be involved.

We strongly encourage members of under-represented groups to participate. As a chapter, we are committed to building an inclusive and welcoming environment for talent professionals of all backgrounds and identities, and we know that we still have work to do in building a leadership team that reflects the talent profession. If you have suggestions for how we can do better in this area, please email Colin as well.

A message of Support and Inclusivity from our Chapter President-

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 01:15:02 GMT

To the members, organizations, and communities we serve:

A respected friend and Talent Development leader reminded me recently that “silence says something as well.” I am so grateful for this patient nudge. As a person of privilege in our society I have found myself hesitating out of fear or uncertainty of how to help. I am leaning on the advice of those trusted friends and colleagues who have generously supported me while already carrying a heavy burden of their own.

I teach leadership and management skills. I stand in front of classrooms and train people to have the difficult conversations and share explicitly about their context and intent. That includes the lesson to leaders that proactive communication is critical to avoid damaging assumptions and that as leaders we are accountable for the perception of our organizations and teams. Now as a leader in our community of professionals, I have a responsibility to practice what I preach and speak clearly.

The institutional racism and violence against people of color in our nation is unacceptable and must stop. Racism is not new and it is not limited to what we can see in our news feeds. We in the talent development community have seen it in job interviews, talent review meetings, leadership pipelines, and board rooms.

We stand broken-hearted but proudly with the communities across the nation who are making their deep pain explicit and visible for others. And we are committed to listening and putting in the work as a chapter to become more inclusive and supportive of all the talent in Southeastern Wisconsin.

This is our cause.

SEWI-ATD is an organization of professionals who believe in the potential of human beings to learn, grow, and improve. We have been trained—and train others—how to listen for understanding, how to set expectations and build culture, and how to coach others through their blind spots. We understand the need for reinforcement of learning and how to help transfer knowledge and awareness into action. Right now, our communities need these skills more than ever. And so we have a responsibility to act.

Some of us have already been leading this work, knowing that our communities of talent cannot flourish when we are divided by our skin color, ZIP code, or identity. We are grateful for your guiding examples. Others of us are being asked to step beyond our personal comfort zones in order to help. Wherever you are in your own journey, know that we at SEWI-ATD are here to support you.

The nation, our state, the organizations and communities to which our members belong all have a lot of learning to do. Let’s get to it.

HELP US TO TAKE ACTION

I would ask those in our community of learning professionals to help us all to learn.

If you are aware of resources, events, or best practices to support us as we work, we have created a space to allow you to submit them to be shared with the membership. Use the link here to add your ideas.

Call to Action Resources

In addition to exploring these ourselves, we as a board will continue to have challenging conversations about our organization and the content we produce, and to plan for the future with inclusivity at the forefront of our minds.

Matt Meuleners

Chapter President, SEWI-ATD

Guest Blog: Leading with Clarity, Connection, and Courage by Jody Delie

Tue, 19 May 2020 15:10:16 GMT

Jody Delie is one of SEWI-ATD's newer members.

She brings skills in strategic marketing, expert communication and storytelling to the chapter.

She states that her superpower is in relationship building.

Leading with Clarity, Connection, and Courage

What makes a great leader? During the May virtual event with Professional Executive Coach, Cindy Warner, we learned it’s all about leading with clarity, connection, and courage. Great leaders possess three keen abilities -- clarity of thought, capability to connect on an emotional level with others, and the courage to lead organizations forward. It’s an approach Warner calls “whole leadership.”

Why is the balance of these abilities so important? Organizations need effective leadership at many levels to have sustainable success. In the absence of effective leadership, people disengage, and the company vision and goals become much harder to achieve. So, how can we learn to lead more effectively? Cindy offers well-researched scientific answers.

Have you ever felt like you were coming from a completely different perspective than another leader? There is a valid reason for that. Did you know that we have three brains, not just one?Well, we do. Everyone has a default brain, yet the best leaders are those that connect and tap into all three brains. Let me explain.

First, there is a “Clarity Brain,” leading with your head. Its pros are logic, problem-solving, creativity, and verbal communication. People who lead with their clarity brain are often great at organizing, problem-solving, and navigating the world. Sometimes clarity brain leaders can be rigid in their thinking and can lack empathy because they are so focused on the thinking. Ever heard of analysis paralysis?

Next up is the “Courage Brain.” Have you ever heard of gut instinct? It originates quite literally in your core and digestive tract. Pros of people who lead with their gut are pragmatism, getting things done, making decisions and taking risks. Sometimes these leaders can be overly focused on getting things done and may lack patience for people who are not where they are. You might find them to be somewhat disorganized and could have typos in their emails.

The last brain is all about the heart. It’s the “Connection Brain.” Our heart brain has 5,000 times the electromagnetic force of our head brain. It seeks out, learns, and remembers things that intuitively matter to us in our life and our work. Our connection brain is where emotions begin. Where we learn empathy, collaboration, and inspiration. People who lead with heart tend to be warm, good social mixers, make others feel comfortable, are kind and thoughtful, and care about engagement. Conversely, those who lead with their heart brain can sometimes be passive aggressive with their feelings or can get stuck in emotion.

Ask yourself, which brain is the default for me and my organization? What is your most used method in leadership development – clarity, connection, or courage?

For many, the way we teach leadership development is mostly using clarity, especially in assessment. Our hearts and core don’t learn the same way our head does, they are not about logic and language. If we are trying to teach people connection and courage by using our head brain, we are using the wrong tool for the job. Think of it this way, we are trying to use a wrench to pound a nail. So, what can we do?

Awareness is a great place to start. To the best of your ability, meet those around you where they are to find common ground and build from there. Intentionally ask yourself and other leaders to engage in this deliberate thought process.

Consider the answers to these questions to guide your leadership decisions, approach talent development, and use this to communicate more effectively to all the brains who are listening:

Clarity: What do I think about this? What will they think about it?

Connection: How do I feel about it? How will they react?

Courage: What do I want to do about it? What do I want them to do with it/what action do I want them to take?

Always validate emotions. If someone is having a strong emotion, they need validation of that emotion. Refrain from saying, I know how you feel. You really don’t know how they feel, and it makes it about you, not about them. Meet them where they are first. They need their feelings heard before they can move on.

In coaching opportunities, meet them in their default and invite the other two brains to the table. Carefully coach them to think through situations with all three brains. You can do this by asking questions, “Would you explain your thought process?” “How do you feel about this?” “How will this affect culture or engagement?” “What are you going to do next?” These types of questions help build an action plan that accounts for all facets. Thank them for taking the time and end with statements that support their default brain.

Cindy has served as an executive coach and leadership development expert for more than two decades. To learn more about Cindy Warner, visit cwarnercoach.com For a deeper view on this topic, check out her new book, Leading with Clarity, Connection & Courage.

Learning to Lead With Emotion

Wed, 06 May 2020 23:35:47 GMT

Janet Kloser,

Learning and Development Manager,

MRA

You can’t be a leader without followers, and people aren’t going to want to follow you if you have the “my way or the highway” mentality. That’s why managers need to be trained with empathy, emotional intelligence (EI), and compassion. Let’s review the differences:

Empathy is the ability to understand the feelings of another.
EI is the capacity to be aware of, control, and express your emotions thoughtfully.
Compassion consists of sympathy and concern for others.

When it comes to empathy, you don’t have to agree with someone to be empathetic. Words like “It sounds like…” or “You must be feeling…” allow people to see you are acknowledging how they feel. It’s a powerful way of showing that you heard them and also that you recognize the impact it had on them.

What you shouldn’t do when someone needs empathy is compare what’s happening with that individual to someone else’s situation—“You lost one day’s worth of email? When Bill’s computer crashed, he lost all of his research.”

EI Versus IQ

Research shows EI is much more of an indicator of a successful leader than IQ. This is great news because unlike someone’s IQ, emotional intelligence can be learned and continuously improved upon, which we reinforce in our Emotionally Intelligent Leader class.

EI Skills

Reading body language
Deciphering tone of voice
Hearing word choices
Putting it all together
Meeting people where they are
Asking for clarity to better understand a situation

A very useful quality of an emotionally intelligent leader is his or her ability to develop employees. Someone with an abundance of EI is usually a great coach, one who gives spot-on feedback and is successful at working through conflict. An EI leader is going to manage people more effectively as individuals, driving employee engagement and retention, and often the bottom line.

Don’t Underestimate Compassion

Compassionate leaders understand that “I” isn’t an especially useful conversation starter, instead, they use “we” to help people feel like they are all in it together.

An important part of compassion is giving an employee your full attention. The amount of time you spend talking to and listening to employees is a sign of how important you consider them to be. During your time together, discussions (and disagreements) about work should be encouraged. When listened to, employees feel good about themselves and can become more committed to doing their job well.

Actions and attitudes are contagious. If a leader leads from a stressed out, “my way” kind place, everyone will be stressed and unhappy. But if a leader is mindful and takes into account empathy, EI, and compassion, there’s a good chance people will collaborate, share ideas, and feel valued.

The African Zulu tribe got it right. Their greeting, Sawubona means “I see you, you are important to me, and I value you.”

Tools for Accessibility in Learning!

Sat, 02 May 2020 12:26:47 GMT

While, accessibility in learning means different things to different people, we know about the importance of it in the talent development industry. Review these tools to help you understand how you can address accessibility in your learning.

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If you are interested in chatting more about this important topic, join the May 15 Learning and Talent Leaders PDN virtual event. We hope you can join us!

Five Best Practices for Rapidly Transforming Instructor Led Training to Virtual Instructor Led Training

Sun, 19 Apr 2020 19:37:31 GMT

By Sue Deisinger, Learning Strategy Consultant,

The CARA Group

In today’s COVID-19 environment, learning professionals are being asked to quickly transform Instructor Led Training (ILT) to Virtual-Instructor Led Training (V-ILT). The good news is that most Instructional Designers have the transformation skills needed, and companies have the technologies needed, to support V-ILT. The challenge is the volume of work and the speed at which it must be accomplished.

The CARA Group has identified Five Best Practices to help accelerate the transformation process.

1 – Align with Business Strategy

Start with defining a set of criteria to ensure that the work is aligned with the business strategy to separate the “wants” from the “needs”. Once the true needs are determined, create a prioritized Action Plan. Communicate the results back to the Program Sponsors to manage their expectations. If a program was not prioritized, perhaps the respective Program Sponsor can conduct a simple web-meeting or webinar as an alternative.

2 – Manage Scope

Using the prioritized Action Plan, review the program with the Program Sponsor and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). Explain the difference between ILT, V-ILT and a Webinar (a webinar requires no activities). Determine whether this will be a simple transformation with no content or learning objective changes or a complex conversion with some content and/or learning objective changes, which will take more time and effort. Agree on a protocol for managing scope, as there is a strong tendency for SMEs to want to change or update content during the conversion process.

3 – Optimize the Learner Experience: Rich Interactive Training Anytime, Anywhere

Before jumping into the actual transformation work, it is important to educate the Program Sponsor and the SMEs on the power of V-ILT technologies and how they can be used to create effective learning experiences.

V-ILT, designed correctly, offers many of the same learner experiences as traditional ILT. Instructors can present mini-lectures, facilitate activities and discussions. Participants can work individually and in small groups, raise their hand to ask questions and use resource material.

Video projection of both the Instructor and Participants help keep the Participants engaged and accountable, creating “virtual eye contact,” allowing everyone to read facial expressions and body language. Video also brings a personal element to the program, as the members share and view each other’s virtual work environment.

Content and activity designs can leverage screen-sharing, whiteboards, polling, chat, small group breakouts, games and quizzes. Many V-ILT systems also allow the Instructor to gauge individual and overall group attentiveness at any point with a visual attention indicator.

Instructional Designers work with the SME’s create a design to ensure that the learners remain engaged during class and help them retain the knowledge and skills afterward.

4 – Deploying V-ILT: Practical Matters

Deploying V-ILT requires different types of logistical planning than traditional ILT. Instructor and Participant job-aids are very helpful in guiding them in the use of these unique tools.

Instructors need to be comfortable and proficient delivering the V-ILT version of the program. Train-the-Trainer programs should include the business reason for converting from ILT to V-ILT, an overview of the new program, a system test, how to use the system features, how to trouble-shoot and an opportunity to practice. On the day of the program, the Instructor should login to the system 15-30 minutes prior to ensure that everything is ready to go. Someone from the learning team should be assigned to support the Instructor during the V-ILT with classroom management, at least for the first few sessions. Participant login issues, late arrivals and technical issues can really distract and rattle a new V-ILT Instructor.

Participants should be required to do a system test a few days prior to the program. Engage the IT department to support this activity so that they will be ready to quickly answer participant questions. In addition, Participants should find a quiet, dedicated space and login 15 minutes prior to the start of the V-ILT to ensure they are ready for class.

When scheduling multi-hour programs, plan 30-60 minute breaks for both the Instructors and Participants to allow them to attend to both business and personal matters. Note that Instructors often have follow-up participant questions after the end of the formal session and then need to get ready for the next program.

5 – Include a Change Management Strategy and Plan

Managing leaders’, Instructors’ and learners’ expectations is essential for successful transformation to V-ILT. Resistance may show up in limited registrations, no-shows and other non-productive behaviors. A well-executed Change Management strategy can proactively avoid these types of issues. A key element is a robust communication plan for everyone involved, describing the business case for change, the new V-ILT programs, who is impacted, expectations, timelines and contact information. In addition, the strategy should include a plan to measure and report adoption on a routine basis.

Please connect with us if you could use help with transforming ILT to V-ILT or simply want to talk about your current situation as you ponder next steps. We’re here to help!

Making the Most of Your Time. Plan on Planning

Sun, 15 Mar 2020 17:26:08 GMT

Written by Kathy Price

Director, Learning & Development, Instructors at MRA - The Management Association

LIKE BEN FRANKLIN ONCE SAID, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

Making the most of your time ranks up there as one of the best skills you can master. How you manage your time affects everything you do. It determines if you are running late, bogged down at work, or steadily humming along.

To be a successful time manager, set aside regular planning time in your calendar. If you’re like most busy professionals, chances are if it’s not in your calendar, it’s not happening.

Another thing to consider is taking MRA’s Time Management class, where you will evaluate your current habits and identify the behaviors, time wasters, and interrupters preventing you from using your time to its full potential. You’ll be armed with a variety of tools, which when implemented, will help you be more effective in scheduling your priorities.

In this class, we use Stephen Covey’s Four Quadrants to Be Productive, where you can schedule your week according to what’s most important to you and what will have the most meaningful results. Check out this quick overview:

I: Urgent and important. The title says it all. These are the tasks that need your immediate attention. Think deadlines, crises, and persistent problems. But be aware, too much time here leads to constantly putting out fires, stress, and burnout.

II: Important and not urgent. Tasks that are not urgent but important look like strategic planning, relationship building, preparation, education—personal development activities. Things we know we need to do but seldom get around to doing, because they don’t feel urgent. Yet these are the activities that will set you apart as a leader.

III: Urgent and not important. How many interruptions, phone calls, texts, and meetings do you experience in a day? There are a lot, and many are urgent but not important (like the email that needs your timely reply for next week’s potluck lunch). People can get in trouble in this space—it feels efficient spending time here, but ultimately, it’s not effective if it takes time away from more important priorities.

IV: Not urgent and not important.This could be called unintentionally irresponsible. Getting lost on the internet, checking out social media posts, procrastination, perfectionism—all time-wasting activities that offer little or no work value. These are the behaviors you need to delete.

Figuring out what quadrants you tend to work in is a lightbulb moment. Priorities are analyzed, and you actually see where you are spending your time. It’s similar to tracking your food habits—the first task is to write down everything you eat. Time journals can be as shocking as food journals, and are a great place to start your journey from awareness to effectiveness.

Everyone is given the same amount of time, a precious, nonrenewable resource. It’s important to be intentional and purposeful in what you do with it. Spend more time above the line, investing in what’s important.

Kathy Price

MRA - The Management Association

Director, Learning & Development, Instructors

Kathy.Price@mranet.org

For more information on Time Management class schedules, visit the MRA website. This class can be offered onsite for your group and virtually for your convenience.

For more information, visit www.mranet.org.

Some Talent Development Professionals are Measuring What Executives Want

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 23:17:31 GMT

Written by Jack J. Phillips, PhD, Chairman of ROI Institute

Have you ever asked top executives or a chief financial officer about the value they would like to see from talent development? How many discussions have you had about the value of learning with top executives?

We have had many of those conversations routinely over the past 25 years, and we know clearly what they need. Their responses have been documented quite well, dating back to a major study that we conducted with ATD nearly a decade ago. That study, involving Fortune 500 CEOs, indicated that 96 percent of executives wanted to see a business connection to learning. Yet, at that time, only 8 percent of them had that type of data. This is their #1 desired data category. Also, 74 percent of the executives wanted to see the ROI from learning investments, but only 4 percent said they have it now. This is their #2 measure. The #1 measure provided to executives from L&D was reaction data, but only 28 percent wanted to see this category of data.

This study, first published in our book with ATD, Measuring for Success, was a wake-up call for many CLOs and others involved in talent development.1 Collectively, they said we must do better. The good news is that was 10 years ago. We are well on the way.

More recent data from the Business Intelligence Council of Chief Learning Officer Magazine showed that improvements are on the way. When asked about how the learning organization shows its contribution to the broader enterprise, 36 percent said they use business data for the request, and 22 percent say they use ROI. When asked if they plan to implement ROI, 49.6 percent said they planned to implement ROI at some point in the future. All totaled, 71.2 percent of respondents said they were either using ROI or planning to implement it. We think that is a little ambitious, although it came from 335 CLOs.

Fast forward to 2017, we noticed a major benchmarking report from Training Magazine. This report examined the organizations that were “Hall of Famers” in their awards system. These are the organizations that are consistently at the top of their 125 best learning organizations lists. These “Hall of Famers” are very important for benchmarking because others want to know what makes them so successful. The opening statement in the report states,

“Ultimately, the success of any program is based on whether it improves business results.”

~Training Top 10 Hall of Fame—May 2017

These top learning organizations are advising that you must connect learning to the business to capture executive attention. This benchmarking report is generated every year. In the next year, 2018, this report contained three best practice case studies; one was on onboarding, another was an actual ROI calculation on a follow-up basis, and the third was an ROI forecast. You can see that we are making progress to meet the request from top executives.

What can you do if you are not showing the business value of learning? You can take five very important steps:

1. Be proactive. Don’t wait for the request to show business value. Start delivering business value on a major program now. Take charge and drive the evaluation initiative. Keep ROI on your agenda, not your executive’s agenda.

2. Be selective on which programs you evaluate at the business impact and ROI levels. Use ROI for programs that are very expensive, strategic, important to organizations, and yes, those that attract executive attention. That will usually be about 10-20 percent of the programs each year at the impact level and approximately 5-10 percent at the ROI level.

3. Change the thinking of the complete learning cycle. Start with why for your programs, connect it to the business measure at the beginning. Then make sure you have the right solution. Next, expect success with very specific objectives all the way through to impact and share them with the team. With this approach, you are designing for the results you need. With the business data clearly defined in the beginning, you will have the desired results at the end.

4. Share the joy. Make sure that the entire team is involved in designing, developing, and implementing learning and development to deliver impact. Designers, developers, facilitators, participants, and managers of participants are critical to achieving impact success. Each stakeholder has a role, not just the evaluator. This approach makes a world of difference.

5. Think about all the benefits. While business data will convince executives to continue to fund your programs, connecting to the business will help you build partnerships with business leaders, obtain needed support to make programs more effective, and secure the commitment you need to be successful.

Collectively, the team can make a difference using the ROI Methodology, the most used evaluation system in the world. The good news is that the ROI Certification is coming to Southeast Wisconsin, hosted by Bank Five Nine June 23-25, 2020. To learn more contact Andy Vance at andy@roiinstitute.net.

Reference:

1. Phillips, Jack J., and Patti P. Phillips. Measuring for Success. Alexandria, VA: ASTD Press. (2009) Paperback

About the Author

Dr. Jack J. Phillips, a world-renowned expert on accountability, measurement, and evaluation, is chairman of ROI Institute, Inc. Phillips provides consulting services for Fortune 500 companies and major global organizations. The author or editor of more than 100 books, he conducts workshops and presents at conferences throughout the world.

Phillips has received several awards for his books and work. On three occasions, Meeting News named him one of the 25 Most Powerful People in the Meetings and Events Industry, based on his work on ROI. The Society for Human Resource Management presented him an award for one of his books and honored a Phillips ROI study with its highest award for creativity. The American Society for Training and Development gave him its highest award, Distinguished Contribution to Workplace Learning and Development for his work on ROI. The International Society for Performance Improvement presented Jack with its highest award, the Thomas F. Gilbert Award, for his contribution to human performance technology. In 2019, Jack, along with his wife Patti P. Phillips, received the Distinguished Contributor Award by the Center for Talent Reporting for their contribution to the measurement and management of human capital.

His work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, and Fortune magazine. He has been interviewed by several television programs, including CNN. Phillips served as President of the International Society for Performance Improvement.

Jack regularly consults with clients in manufacturing, service, and government organizations in 70 countries in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Australia, and Asia.

L & D Dermatology

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 16:19:03 GMT

Written by Rachel Ojala Dumke, Talent Development Manager for First Bank Financial Centre

…The first of a four-part series on preventative health in learning and development.

The skin is the largest and most visible organ. It is among the first to reveal what is going on inside our bodies. This “canvas” is decorated and adorned to reflect, in part, who we are. It wears the choices we make, whether in the permanence of a tattoo or a fleeting smile.

Just as your skin plays a role in telling your personal story, reflects your physical and emotional health, and contributes to others’ perceptions of what one is about to experience in your presence, so too does the “skin” of your learning and development department. The presentation of your learning solutions (e.g. your LMS homepage, ILT participant materials, vILT welcome screen and presentation, e-learning content, internal communications, collateral, etc.) convey the following:

1. Your purpose:

- What story does it tell?

- Does it align with the organization?

- If your department were gone, would employees care? Why? The value of what you offer is rooted in that response.

2. The health/state of your department:

- Does it strengthen your organization’s health?

- Is it reflective of your organization’s learning culture, consistent interdepartmental collaboration and employee knowledge-sharing?

3. The learner experience:

- What learning formats (think: ILT, vILT, e-learning, blended) are used?

- What learning styles (think: VAKT) are being catered to, if not all?

- What is the learner supposed to feel at various intervals?

- What is the return on the learners (monetary/time) investment?

In times of rapid organizational change and growth, it is easy to lose sight of small details. Over time, that takes its toll on the “skin.” Materials become dated, messages fall out of sync, accuracy suffers and the wrong channels are used. As a result, our business partners and others we serve stop listening.

Whether you are a department of one or many, the following three “preventative health” practices* will ensure the image you project is an accurate reflection of who you are:

1. Create a style guide (for all channels of communication and development) and adhere to it.

2. Maintain an audit schedule and make core programs a priority.

3. Develop a cross-departmental learning council.

Assign ownership of the aforementioned tips and integrate them into your team meeting agenda. Consistent execution will enhance the overall wellness of your department, attracting employees who want to access and share knowledge.

Whether you call it your “skin,” “look and feel,” or “brand,” it matters. Done well, it is magnetic. It attracts the audience who would most benefit from what you have to offer and accelerates your ability to make a difference in others’ lives.

* Keep an eye out for the three remaining blog posts in this four-part series in which all members of the Talent Development Team at First Bank Financial Centre will share their expertise.

About the Author

As a circus performer, turned banker, Rachel is committed to bringing the same comfort, joy and excitement that is experienced under the Big Top into each interaction with clients and colleagues.

The seeming contradiction of performance expertise (acquired over 20+ years as an entertainer and competitor) with financial services expertise (acquired from over 20 years with global, regional and community banks) has provided an invaluable perspective aiding in:

- strategic collaboration with internal and external business partners to bring creative thought into a highly regulated framework;

- maximizing the engagement and expertise of talent to achieve desired business results, and

- creating clients who are advocates of the First Bank Financial Centre brand.

Her breadth of banking experience includes:

- Retail Banking

- Consumer Lending (sales and product development)

- Talent Development (organizational strategy, program & curriculum design, and facilitation) - CPLP

- Marketing Management (Credit Card and Customer Segments)

- eBanking Management

Feedback Means Many Things to Many Different People- Part 1

Sun, 20 Oct 2019 23:31:52 GMT

Written by Daniel Jakubowski, Talent Development Coordinator for Guardian Credit Union

Feedback means many things to many different people. The word itself can conjure up a wide array of associations. For the purposes of our discussion, we will start with the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, which list three primary uses for the noun feedback:

1. Helpful information or criticism that is given to someone to say what can be done to improve a performance, product, etc.;

2. Something (such as information or electricity) that is returned to a machine, system, or process;

3. An annoying and unwanted sound caused by signals being returned to an electronic sound system.

While straightforward enough in its definition, feedback has been misused and misinterpreted since its first use in 1919, with individuals falling into camps about which of the three should be listed first. Throughout these blog posts, we will demonstrate that by taking small, but deliberate steps in how you approach giving feedback, we can be sure that you and your teams will fall firmly into the “helpful information” camp rather than the “annoying and unwanted sound” camp.

To get to that point, this will be the first of three blog posts from SEWI-ATD that will take a closer look at feedback. Throughout these posts we will make some research-backed suggestions on how best to formulate and deliver your message for maximum impact.

Why is Feedback Important?

Communication is the first step toward creating a productive workplace. We firmly believe in creating a supportive work environment where everyone can reach their full potential, develop themselves and contribute to the Mission, Vision, and Values of the organization. However, the question to ask is how will we know if we are doing that? The answer is, by discussing it. In order for us to take stock of our goals as individuals and as an organization, we must define them and communicate their progress. Effective feedback is the first step to building that environment and opening the lines of communication between supervisors and their staff.

As we will demonstrate throughout these texts, clear and effective performance feedback when delivered properly will bring the following benefits to you and your teams:

Eliminates uncertainty:

o Lack of communication of performance and expected results that lead to stress and resentment and lack of security.

o There tend to be gaps in how we perceive ourselves and how we are actually performing.

Engagement and Continuous Improvement:

o Regular feedback means we are communicating regularly and exchanging information – engaging, as it were. We can use that information to improve and develop ourselves. Organizations with engaged workforces perform better.

Motivation to succeed:

o While we might not like to give feedback, negative or otherwise, the research we present in this discussion will demonstrate how selecting the right feedback message, format, and delivery strategy will motivate you and your teams to improve and succeed.

Lastly, and perhaps most crucially for us as Learning and Development Professionals, feedback is a crucial aspect of no less than four of the ten Areas of Expertise (AOEs) of the ATD Competency Model: Training Delivery, Performance Improvement, Coaching, and Change Management .

Now that we’ve made a case for the importance and benefits of feedback, we will devote the remainder of this post to a useful framework for formulating your feedback message: The Center for Creative Leadership’s Situation, Behavior, Impact (SBI) Model.

The Key to Effective Feedback: Situation, Behavior, Impact (SBI) Model

Think about the last time you gave some negative feedback (at work or at home). Did the recipient respond: “Thanks for pointing that out! I whole-heartedly agree with your assessment of me!”

Perhaps or perhaps not.

As often as not, even if we have the best intentions, the responses range from denial to defensiveness to just plain ignoring or disregarding our message. However, if we adjust our message, we can go a long way toward ensuring we are heard as we want to be.

In the most basic sense, feedback is communicating information about a person’s behavior. In order for behavior to be impacted by feedback, we must be sure that the feedback information is understood as we intend it. That involves carefully crafting our message. Getting other people to heed our advice is a challenge for everyone.

The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) has formulated a tool for delivering quality feedback which they call SBI: Situation, Behavior, Impact. Using this tool, the CCL advises to think of feedback information in terms of these three criteria. Effective feedback can be as little as three short sentences if they are formulated effectively. We will now briefly describe the three criteria and how best to formulate those sentences.

Situation: describe the specific date, time, place, and context.

Feedback should demonstrate specific information. When delivering feedback to your staff, make sure that you are clear and specific about when and how the behavior you want to address occurs. Also, be specific. Say things like, “yesterday during opening procedures,” “October 1st at 12:00 pm during the committee meeting in conference room A,” or “This week Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.” Avoid generalities like “all the time,” “often,” “3 times,” or “last week. ”

Behavior: describe the observable behavior.

This can be easy to lose to track of without concerted efforts, but feedback should focus on behavior, not individuals. Keep to objective facts. Don’t include your opinion, judgements, or rationalizations.

Remember, you are not trying to fix anyone. You are either trying to change or encourage their behavior to improve their performance. Say what the person did: “you arrived at 9:10 when we expected you at 9:00 sharp,” or “your calculations in the report were inaccurate because you didn’t use the most recent data.”

Don’t assume the reasons for this behavior. While you may think the person arrived late because they’re careless and overslept, or their calculations were wrong because they rushed to get them done, you don’t know and can’t know for sure. If your explanation is wrong, it will undermine your message. Worse yet, the judgements could make the person more defensive than they would have been. Stick to the observable actions.

Don’t say things like “you were late again” or “you made a bunch of mistakes,” or “you rushed to meet the deadline and weren’t careful enough.” This goes the same for supportive judgements like “I remember when I was new,” or “I know traffic is bad in the morning.” It is very good to listen to the receiver’s situation and respond accordingly, but don’t water down your message of what they are doing.

Remember, the behavior can be positive too! “You gave a very strong presentation in the committee meeting yesterday,” or “you solved that customer’s problem. ”

Impact: describe how this behavior affects you, your work, or the team; answer the question “why do I care?”

Before you give any feedback, you need to decide why you care. Sadly, not everyone cares about the same things that you do. Rather than fall on your fainting couch to know that members of your team have different priorities, take this opportunity to clearly lay out exactly why this matters.

The person will need to know why this behavior is being addressed and what effect it is having. You can describe objective and measurable impact like “we just lost an important account” or “it created an unsafe situation where someone could have been injured.”

Of course, you should avoid being overly dramatic with phrases like “they’ll shut us down” or “someone will get fired.” And be careful about cause and effect, conditional statements, or blame, like “If you hadn’t said that to our client, we wouldn’t have lost their business,” as you could be opening the door to a defensive denial, or resentful ignoring.

You can also use subjective words like “upset,” “stressed,” or “worried,” but be sure you are only talking about your own feelings and not putting words in people’s mouths or blaming someone else for your own feelings. For example, “I felt stressed because we didn’t have enough people to cover the shift” or “I am worried that we will lose business if this happens regularly.”

Also, don’t forget about positive impacts! You can say things like “grateful,” “proud” or “impressed.” For example, “I was impressed when you took care of the members concerns without outside help” or “I was grateful that you completed this project ahead of schedule.”

Determining the precise impact of someone’s behavior is important. The other person is usually not aware that their actions are creating this effect. For instance, a person who tends to arrive late in the morning, might not realize how it causes stress for other members of the team, the receiver is much more likely to be motivated to change if the impact means something to them.

Feedback is most effective when it follows the SBI format. SBI format is a brief statement that focuses on the specific Situation, the objective Behaviors demonstrated (not judgements or interpretations), and the Impact of this behavior (why do I care?).

*** Part one of a three-part series*** More to follow.

_______________________________________________

i Feedback. 2018. In Dictionary - Merriam-Webster for Android (Version 4.2.0) [Mobile application software]. Retrieved from http://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/feedback.

ⁱⁱ Feedback. 2018. In Dictionary - Merriam-Webster for Android (Version 4.2.0)

ⁱⁱⁱ Tugend, Alina. (2014, May 16). Uncertainty about jobs has a ripple effect. The New York Times. Retrieved September 21, 2018, from http://nytimes.com.

^ivVance, Robert J. (2006). Employee engagement and commitment [White Paper]. Retrieved October 2, 2018, from Society for Human Resource Management: https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/trends-and-forecasting/special-reports-and-expert-views/Documents/Employee-Engagement-Commitment.pdf

^v Gentry, William A. & Young, Stephen F. (2017). Busting myths about feedback: What leaders should know [White Paper]. Retrieved March 20, 2018, from Center for Creative Leadership: https://www.ccl.org/articles/white-papers/busting-myths-feedback-leaders-know/

^vi Association for Talent Development. ATD Competency Model. Retrieved September 10, 2019, from https://www.td.org/certification/atd-competency-model

^vii Gentry, William A. & Young, Stephen F. (2017).

^viii Weitzel, Sloan R. (2000). Feedback that works: How to build and deliver your message. Center for Creative Leadership. ISBN (eBook) 978-1-923973-05-1

^ix Weitzel, Sloan R. (2000).

^x Weitzel, Sloan R. (2000).

About the Author

Dan Jakubowski is an internationally recognized Talent Development professional with over 14 years of experience in training and adult education. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and started his career as an English language teacher to adults in job training programs. Dan has extensive training experience in Russia and in Eastern Europe. He has facilitated learning to individuals representing more than 13 countries throughout the world and counting.

Dan is currently the Talent Development Coordinator for Guardian Credit Union, a Milwaukee- based not for profit financial cooperative. He designs and delivers training and develop programs that focus on feedback, coaching, and helping all levels of the organization reach their full potential and deliver for our members.

Engage Like Iron Man: Start in the Middle of a Story

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 18:27:26 GMT

Written by Derrick Van Mell

Founder and CEO of the Center for Management Terms & Practices

The 5,000-year-old secret to training success

I went to an expensive training conference last month, and it opened with a professional emcee, loud music and two CEOs humiliating themselves (in my opinion) doing some kind of skit. My immediate reaction was the trainers knew the content wasn’t interesting enough on its own. I left early.

I get it, though. In training, you engage or you fail. We live in the Age of Distraction, so you need to get people’s attention in 15 seconds. A room of unengaged learners is an empty room with the lights off.

But if you’re delivering something important and you know your stuff, you shouldn’t need to trick me into paying attention. I should know what you’re teaching is going to help me get recognized for doing better work.

So, how can you get people bought in 15 seconds? The answer is about, oh, 5,000 years old. Everyone loves a story—particularly if it’s about them. A story is always the best way to get people engaged. Here’s the first tip: open with your own story. You don’t need a deejay or a pile of merch. Just sit on a stool and tell it.

In media res (“In the middle of things”)

Great storytellers often open right in the middle of the action. Iron Man starts with Tony Stark speeding through some secret desert in a string of camo Humvees. It doesn’t start with Robert Downey, Jr. sitting on a chair in his workout sweats telling the audience what the movie is going to be about.

Start immediately with your own relevant story. Don’t even pause to review the agenda or tell people where the bathrooms are. Let’s say you’re training people in Excel. Start with a story like,

“On a Sunday morning in August 2017 my wife and I were sitting at my kitchen table rummaging through a shoebox full of receipts for a home remodeling project. We were frightened we were going to be $20,000 under water, but couldn’t figure out what to do. On Monday, just before our morning management meeting, I was telling our CFO about it. She said, ‘Make a spreadsheet with columns for the vendor, date, amount and, oh, the kind of work. Then sort it in different ways and see what you see.’ That night, our son opened Excel, created the spreadsheet and threw in some pie charts. In five minutes, we saw that we’d spent too much too soon on finishes and not enough on infrastructure. So we returned the $15 cabinet handles and brainstormed with the electrician how to get the rough-in done two weeks earlier. We’d not only solved the problem, we were now confident we could solve the next problems.“

Not only have you engaged them with your story, you’ve modelled how to tell their own stories. Which is the next step.

Then get them to open their stories

Organize into small groups. Go around the table asking, When was this subject an issue in your life? Don’t let the learners get away with generalizations. Dig for a real instance. When did this happen? Who else was there? Where were you when in happened? Draw out the details, the sights, sounds, the people. Each person’s story will enrich everyone else’s picture of why the topic is important to them. Sharing stories connects people, which also binds them to the topic.

Now that they’ve got their own full-color mental movie playing with themselves as Iron Man, they’re ready to listen and learn. Now you’re ready to start delivering content…

….Keep them engaged after the session’s over

Close by getting people to write their story for the future. Ask, How will your day be different now that you’ve learned this new thing? This doesn’t take long, but it keeps the learning alive until they’ve turned this little piece of make-believe into a rewarding reality.

In 2001, a friend of mine took over the accounting department of a 1,000-person medical research company (he’s now CEO). But back then he said to his team of three, We’ll know we’re successful when people come into our office asking for our opinions on big decisions—not just to complain about their statements. It was a story: it had setting, characters and action. Everyone could picture it and everyone wanted to make it come true. And it did come true! Now that’s a story about Excel everyone would want to be part of!

About the Author

Derrick Van Mell is founder and CEO of the Center for Management Terms & Practices (www.theindex.net). The Center is the standards body for general management. It is responsible for providing managers around the world with standard terms and tools so departments can work cross-functionally and everyone can enjoy meaningful work. The Center trains managers at all levels to use its 1-page planning and project tools, which lets executives delegate with confidence. Derrick is the published author of two books and dozens of articles, and he speaks internationally about leadership and management. He has a BA in Economics, an MBA and an MA in English. He is a member of both ATD-SEWI and ATD-MAC.

How to Make Your First Impression Last

Thu, 05 Sep 2019 21:59:27 GMT

Written by Betsy Rozelle, Affinity Builder

Affinity: the connection between and among people, based on common experiences, passions, and interests. The ability to discover and develop those connections is the key to successful relationship building.

"You never get a second chance to make a good first impression"

- Will Rogers

I love meeting new people. Whether they’re a potential friend or client or someone I may never see again, I’m fascinated by the world of possibilities that opens up every time a new person comes into my life.

Whether you share my passion for meeting new people or not, I hope you share my passion for wanting to make a good first impression . . and for building affinity.

One thing I love about the concept of building affinity is that ALL of us have the ability to do it. Yes, it’s fairly basic, but, no, not everyone is good at it. And, even those who have the skill sets aren’t always deliberate about using them. Even at the very elementary level of “meeting new people,” we often breeze into the opening moment without making the most of the opportunity.

Social psychologist Amy Cuddy of Harvard Business School specializes in studying first impressions (cool job, ha?). In her TED Talk:

(http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are.html),

she explains how powerful our non-verbal communication is. Our body language has a significant impact on our ability to have successful relationships.

Since looking at relationships and first impressions through my “affinity-building” lense for the past several years, I’ve concluded that, in addition to the extreme power of our non-verbal communication, there are three basic, but crucial, “first steps” to a successful relationship when meeting someone new:

1.CARE about people.

“Thank you, Captain Obvious,” you’re probably saying. The term “care” is trite . . . but unless you truly care about the people you meet, you won’t be successful at building strong relationships. Period.

2. USE FIRST AND LAST NAMES.

When you introduce yourself to others, always make strong eye contact, along with a firm handshake, and give your first AND last name. If the person you’re meeting gives you only his/her first name, be sure to ask what the last name is. It seems counter-intuitive, but when you disclose only your first name and accept only his/her first name, you’re missing the opportunity to share more about yourself (your “tribe”).. I’m Betsy Rozelle . . . not Betsy Smith, not Betsy Ross. Bonus: in almost every case, the last names you share with each other will spark some recognition or affinity (e.g. “oh, are you related to Pete Rozelle? . . . or, “I went to high-school with a Rozelle”). Seize upon the opportunity to find commonalities right from the start. Ask a specific question about his/her name.

3. SEEK AND SHARE STORIES: TELL ME ABOUT …

Another way to show you care when meeting someone for the first time is to start a conversation about his/her background, interests, and experiences. Use “Tell me about” to invite them to share their stories. “Tell me about that cool necklace,” or “Tell me about how you and Tom met.” Capitalize on where interests/experiences intersect. Or, if you don’t see many similarities between your experiences, build affinity by showing an interest in some of the experiences that s/he shared. “I’ve never had a motorcycle, but I admire my neighbor’s Harley from a distance. Have you ever been to a Harley rally? I heard those are some major fun.”

You and the people you meet will walk away from your first exposure feeling that you have made an important personal connection and that you are “in this thing together.” The relationship building takes root from there.

About the Author

Betsy Rozelle is a corporate trainer, public speaker, and the author of Seeking Common Bonds. Her passion and enthusiasm for helping others become intentional affinity builders is contagious. She works with leaders and teams to increase engagement, build more cohesive teams, and become successful relationship builders. She’s also unapologetically obsessed with on-line word games and pasta. Contact her at brozelle@new.rr.com and www.buildaffinity.com.

Capital H: Reinvent with a Human Focus

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 15:58:46 GMT

Leading organizations put humans at the center of work. SEWI-ATD VP, Finance, Genevieve Daniels, director of organizational development at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, was recently featured in a podcast Capital H: Reinvent with a human focus to share how talent development can drive these efforts:

http://capitalh.deloitte.libsynpro.com/reinvent-with-a-human-focus

About the Author

Genevieve Daniels is the VP of Finance for SEWI-ATD. She is also the Director of Organizational Development for Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.

Learn more about Genevieve from her recent feature in our member spotlight.

Gamification- Engage your Learners

Thu, 28 Mar 2019 20:20:35 GMT

Written by SEWI-ATD Guest Blogger, Marilyn Zwissler, President of Zwissler Associates and 2016 SEWI-ATD Past President.

There is so much more to creating and managing a training program around games than you see on the surface. Sure, pull up that game you like to play and, where are you? If you play anything from Checkers to Ready Player One, you are in another space. And what are you engaged in? Story and challenge.

So how do you take that experience and turn your compliance safety training into something your employees will engage in, challenge them to learn, and achieve the goal your organization wants? What I learned from Sententia Gamification’s series is how to think of the learning outcomes in terms of a story that intrigues learners, teases them into a training, engages them to stay and see what happens. When was the last time you took a corporate training that challenged you? Something that made you stop clicking through PowerPoints to just take the test at the end? And made you come out of it with a new understanding or skill? That’s what gamification does.

Monica Cornetti and Jonathan Peters take you on a journey where you apply the very principles of game psychology to your own projects. They take the lid off the surface and show you the inner workings of learning. We all learn from experience, and gamified programs provide deep learning that stays with us.

Attending the Gamification Certificate program last year started me on a new instructional design path. I came away with a plan that I continued to develop in my own practice. But more than that, I am conscientiously aware of why I am choosing one game mechanic over another and who my players are. Don’t miss this opportunity to up your game and make your training programs the talk of your organization.

Don't Miss out on this opportunity.

About the Author

Marilyn Zwissler is the President of Zwissler Associates and 2016 SEWI-ATD Past President. She has a Master’s degree in Adult Education and Organizational Development from Alverno College and is a Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP) . Today, she is an Adjunct Professor of New Media at Alverno College and a speaker for Balance Life Issues.

Coaching Through Repeated Errors

Fri, 07 Dec 2018 16:26:32 GMT

Written by SEWI-ATD Guest Blogger, Matthew Meuleners, Leadership Trainer and Consultant at FOCUS Training, and SEWI-ATD President-Elect.

A manager I meet with regularly called me to vent this morning.

"I give up. This new tech I hired is just not getting it. I've showed him again and again, but he keeps making the same mistakes. How do I get through to him?"

This frustration is common among managers and leaders everywhere. We want our people to succeed... and the work to get done well.

If you find yourself in this scenario, start by asking some clarifying questions:

Are these actually the same mistakes each time? Or is the employee discovering new ways to err as they repeat the process?
Are these actually mistakes? Or are they subjective choices that you prefer would be different?
Are these mistakes the fault of the employee? Or are there environmental factors that could be causing the errors?

A "no" to any of these questions does not mean there isn't a problem to overcome. However, it is a different problem than the one we are discussing here. The process of coaching an employee to reduce and eventually eliminate repeated errors is challenging because it typically combines two forces that the leader needs to impact:

1. How the employee learns

Sometimes the root cause of repeated mistakes is exactly what we like to assume - they aren't getting it. Before you blame the learner, take a hard look at how you are attempting to teach the process. If you just sat down and told them how to do it, you delivered the equivalent of a lecture. Learning experts will tell you this is one of the least effective teaching methods, particularly when teaching an individual a complex task. Instead, try talking it through, then modeling it for them to observe, and then asking them to try it while you observe. Follow that up with a bit of Q&A. This is a greater investment of time, but makes it much less likely that you will have to go through it again. In the end, you will save time (and anxiety) with a more robust teaching approach.

If you are exhausted by having to repeat yourself about how to do a process correctly for the third or fourth time, consider that this might also be part of the problem. If your teaching approach didn't connect with them last time, simply repeating yourself is unlikely to move the needle now. Try mixing up your teaching approach – a sample project, a case study, a new voice, or a round of shadowing another employee are all possibilities.

2. How the employee is motivated

There are times when the barrier to improvement is not skill but desire. When an employee knows how to do the task properly, but continues to make the same errors, a skilled manager will look to the drivers of motivation. What sorts of forces help the employee to make progress in other areas, and how can you apply them here? This could mean something as simple as asking to see a preliminary report before they complete the task, which adds some personal accountability earlier in the process. This could also mean walking the employee through the impact that their mistakes are having on their coworkers, which connects their results to a social force.

In these cases when the error is really stemming from a lack of care (or self-awareness), motivating the employee to invest extra thought in the process is key. Leaders should remove as many barriers as possible to help. For example, limiting distractions or conflicting priorities for the employee on the day when that process needs to be their focus.

These are just two considerations to help an employee learn from and eliminate errors in their work. Like any performance issue, the willingness of a manager to patiently coach is a significant factor. Take a deep breath, think about your approach, and try again.

What other factors have you tackled in your experience coaching others to overcome a repeated error?

About the Author

Matt Meuleners has more than 18 years of experience as a Talent Development professional. He is a leadership trainer who is known for his ability to drill into an organization’s challenges. As Executive Partner with FOCUS Training, Matt focuses on corporate leadership and new product development. His specialties are: Training program design and delivery, consulting on leadership development and training, development of corporate mentoring programs, training audits, presentation skills coaching.

Matt holds an MBA from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, School of Business Administration.

Design Thinking - Getting Curious, Taking Action

Fri, 16 Nov 2018 13:58:50 GMT

Written by SEWI-ATD Guest Blogger, Tom Dybro, Senior Talent Development Consultant.

You’ve noticed Design Thinking is all the rage. As a talent/OD practitioner you may be considering these questions. How would you answer them today?

What is “Design Thinking” and why do I care?
When and How will I add value to Design Thinking initiatives in my organization?
Who drives ROI for Design Thinking in my organization and what are the implications for talent development/OD?
What are next steps for me?

In the Beginning…

Design Thinking (DT) came to life in the 1950s and 60s just as “Mad Men” (the popular TV Show as well as true-to-life characters entrenched in organizations then) – led corporate direction and growth by designing a superior product.* To “design” with the customer/client in mind, leaders of innovation needed a break from the linear, problem-solution mindset. Today, DT is a methodology and mindset which returns many millions of dollars to the bottom line in small, medium, large, manufacturing and service businesses alike. When performed with diverse teams with divergent perspectives who collaborate rigorously in each phase of the journey the team and organization win! Most importantly, DT enables the client/customer to remember your brand fondly and return for their experience with you over and over again.

What is Design Thinking?

When practiced in the true innovative and “organic” form, DT is not a series of steps lined up in chronological order that produce a desired outcome. Instead, a DT effort is meant to be simple, human-centered and empathetic (focused primarily on the customer/client). Consider it as a literacy and language around innovation. It is used in situations with significant ambiguity, and with little existing data to review at the outset. DT is iterative and focused on possibilities.

Jeremy Alexis, Professor of Design Illinois Institute of Technology, explains that beyond mapping the end to end value chain, Design Thinking creates an ecosystem of partners for innovation.

Stages in Design Thinking – Empathize, Define, Ideate (Generate Ideas), Prototype, Test

Empathize - It is your effort to understand the way customers and clients do things and why; their physical and emotional needs; how they think about their world; and what is meaningful.

Define – This is the result of getting close to your client/customer, thinking through and synthesizing and formulating a problem statement.

Ideate – Using a wide lens to generate ideas. Use the wisdom of a diverse collective to go beyond, take liberty and expand your mind through and through.

Prototype – Iterate multiple and divergent artifacts to replicate the client/customer’s interests. E.g. Put the client within a slice of the order fulfillment process and note their delight or dismay in real-time. This produces the possibility for a new “algorithm” to view the client/customer consumption of your end product.

Test – Working out ideas into iterative trials and noting wins and opportunities to improve keeps you focused on the experience of end users.

At its core, Design Thinking cultivates a deep sensitivity to the challenges and opportunities the customer/client faces with an emphasis on quickly spinning out mini prototypes and failures over and over ultimately leading to better experiences.

Why has DT become so popular?

Three things have made DT more appealing to organizations: 1) explosive complexity, 2) continued disruptive change, and 3) a greater premium on grabbing and retaining customers/clients in a technology-soaked environment that operates with increasing speed, 24X7, across our globe. Simply put, it is the “Amazonization” of…well…everything!

Potential Next Steps…

1. Educate yourself/team on Design Thinking (see resource list below)

2. Step in – embrace Design Thinking. Remember a few years back when you were telling every manager who would listen about the 70-20-10 Model of Development. Yup – this is your opportunity to get your hands dirty in the 70%.

3. Be about change management, raise your hand to lead the change effort. Business leaders want support to transform the business and this work demands a growth mindset (Carol Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success). This is development and leadership-rich…go get ‘em!

*While men dominated organizations in the 50’s and 60’s, both women and men with their unique perspectives are adding huge value.

Resources

Harvard Business Review, “Design Thinking Comes of Age,” by John Kolko, September 2015.

Wired Magazine, “The Origins of Design Thinking”

The Art of Innovation, Tom Kelley and Jonathan Littman

Design Driven Innovation, Roberto Verganti

The Design of Business: Why Design Thinking is the Next Competitive Advantage, Roger Martin

IDEO’s Human-Centered Design Toolkit

Solving Problems with Design Thinking, Jeanne Liedtka and Andrew King

The Design Thinking Process, YouTube Video –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r0VX-aU_T8

About the Author

Tom Dybro has over 15 years of experience in human performance consulting, coaching, and facilitation within financial technology services. He has a proven track record of support to leadership executives, teams, managers and individuals. Tom increases organizational effectiveness using tools and techniques that enhance communication, engagement and strategic direction and is Six Sigma trained. Dybro is a contributing author to the book Chained to the Desk – A Guidebook for Workaholics by Bryan Robinson.

Branding and the Learning Function

Wed, 31 Oct 2018 21:12:38 GMT

Written by SEWI-ATD Guest Blogger Tresha Lovell Program Manager at Johnson Controls.

Often exceptional training, produced by hardworking Learning and Development professionals, is under utilized or not used at all. Some have argued that Learning Management Systems are the cause; the sheer amount of content and lack of ‘user friendliness’ makes it difficult for learners to find the training content needed. Others have stated that they simply are unaware of the training resources available to them. Both arguments have merit and may also be true. However, the root cause for the arguments is the same: Learning and Development needs a positive ‘brand’ association within the organization that both excites and creates tangible value for learners. In the study, “Incentivizing Training: The Role of Corporate Marketing,” it is reported that “73% of respondents agree that L&D communication need to stand out more and 63% respondents agree that the L&D brands within their company should be more focused” (Training Industry). Scott Bedbury, CEO of Brandstream, describes the power of a positive brand this way: “ A great brand raises the bar—it adds a greater sense of purpose to the experience, whether it's the challenge to do your best in sports and fitness, or the affirmation that the cup of coffee you're drinking really matters” (Annand, “Branding the Learning Function”). As with consumer products, a positive, strategic brand for the Learning and Development function can increase the perceive value of the team’s contributions to the overall success of the organization.

When attempting to sell a new product, marketing campaigns are typically waged via various communication mediums to convey the product’s value to the intended audience. Learning and development professionals should do the same when launching new training solutions to generate interest. However, marketing strategies alone will not guarantee that learners will take advantage of the new solutions, as Brevetta Hassell notes in her article, “Is Your Organization’s Learning Brand Effective?” (Hassell). The Learning function may lack a reputation for being a business partner to the organization: “To be more strategic in marketing their function learning leaders should begin by assessing their department’s brand” (Hassell). Bravetta Hassell provides further commentary given by J. Hruby, Vice President of sales and marketing at Fredrickson Learning, “every learning organization has one. ‘The question is, is it the brand you want?’” (Hassell). By understanding their current perceived value (or lack thereof), learning functions can begin the process of either rebuilding or enhancing their current reputation within their organizations.

To accomplish this, it is vital that input about your performance is actively solicited from others outside of the department. Hassell summarizes the process by doing a 360 evaluation of the training function and its perceived responsibilities with stakeholders throughout the organization: “…gauge the current brand standing by: soliciting feedback from key business partners, monitoring learner and leader experiences and processes within the function and taking an objective look at the customer-friendliness of its products and initiatives” (Hassell). Once gaps are understood, learning leaders can then begin crafting a plan to change the perception of their department within the organization.

The next step centers around building positive brand image within your organization. To create an effective brand, it’s necessary to understand what a brand is and how it can impact the Learning function: “…a ‘Brand’ is what creates an image, generates instant recall, and talks about a uniqueness while creating differentiation… A Brand brings in context and credibility in L&D initiatives such that employees start looking at them as impactful and functional solutions” (Gautam, “6 Marketing Skills For Learning And Development”). Learning leaders need to ensure they are aware of the long-term, short-term business goals and ensure that what they offer aligns to providing tangible solutions to reach those objectives. This will ensure alignment with stakeholders when trying to position learning as a partner that can service teams and improve the organization’s performance.

As learning leaders continue to look for ways to prove their value to their organizations, they must first be honest with the value of the contributions their team has made to date and their reputation within the organization. Once these leaders make the necessary changes to position their teams as valued business partners, they will gain the respect of their business stakeholders and invitations will be given to join other business leaders in crucial conversations that determine the organization’s future. From there, a domino effect will ensue as training’s value is touted, not just by the learning team, but by those they serve.

Resources

- Hassell, Bravetta. “Is Your Organization’s Learning Brand Effective? Chief Learning Officer, Chief Learning Officer – CLO Media, Inc. 5 July 2016, clomedia.com/2016/07/05/is-your-organizations-learning-brand-effective/.

- Annand, Preethi. “Branding the Learning Function.” TD Magazine, ATD, September 2012, td.org/magazines/td-magazine/branding-the-learning-function.

- Gautam, Amit. “6 Marketing Skills for Learning and Development.” eLearning Industry, eLearning Industry, 24 August 2018, elearningindustry.com/marketing-skills-for-learning-and-development.

- “Incentivizing Training: The Role of Corporate Marketing,” Training Industry, Allencomm, May 2016, trainingindustry.com/content/uploads/2016/05/allencomm_report_2016_DIGITAL.pdf.

About the Author

Tresha Lovell is a Talent Development professional with over 7 years of corporate learning experience. After starting her career in IT and business development, Tresha transitioned into training and development and has used her ability to design and implement learning solutions in various organizations, including Johnson Controls, Northwestern Mutual and SoftwareONE. Tresha's experience includes delivering training for complex technology solutions, systems, and consultative sales methodologies. A proven communicator and presenter, Tresha's passion is to equip both individuals and business leaders with the skills needed to uncover and fulfill their purpose.

The Benefits of the Flipped Learning Model for Corporate

Wed, 31 Oct 2018 20:57:40 GMT

Written by SEWI-ATD Guest Blogger Tresha Lovell Program Manager at Johnson Controls.

Due to economic pressures, competition and stakeholder demands, organizations are steadily looking for ways to operate more efficiently. In many cases, this involves organizational streamlining and cost reductions to projects and initiatives and Learning and Development is often included in these budget cuts. In their book, “Training on Trial,” Jim and Wendy Kirkpatrick detail the scrutiny that training often undergoes to prove value by asking this question: “What evidence can you provide to demonstrate your value to the bottom line of the business in relation to your efforts?” (Kirkpatrick, pp 3). The business climate demands that learning and development evolves to find new methods to increase learning transfer, improve employee performance and show significant return on investment while spending less time and resources to do so. One solution has been the introduction of the Flipped Learning model in corporate training. In this article, we’re going to explore how this model provides quality training that increases employee engagement and learning transfer while reducing cost over time. By leveraging this model, Learning and Development teams can significantly improve employee performance, thereby, proving their value to their organizational leaders.

The Flipped learning method was introduced by Jon Bergmann and Aaron Sams and is based on the premise of introducing “direct instruction and lecture” material using on-demand tools before class and reserving classroom time to apply knowledge through interactive modalities like exercises, discussions and projects (Bergman and Sams, pp 29). With the increased development of low cost, easy-to-use technologies, organizations can create high-quality videos, screencasts, podcasts and eLearning materials that can be deployed ahead of instructor-led sessions (Jacot, Noren & Berge, pp 23-24). This approach allows focus and attention to be given to complex topics, individual instruction and real-world application during training sessions (Bergman and Sams, pp 29-30).

Although originally introduced in K12 classrooms, the Flipped learning model and has been adopted in corporate training to answer the question if “professional training time [can] be maximized to meet the demands of specialized instruction, difficult schedules, various learning styles, expensive travel costs and constantly changing curriculum?” (Bergman and Sams, pp 29). The model answers this question by providing “a blend of both mediums – e-learning and classroom training – is often considered best for engaged and effective learning” (Majumdar “Flipped Classroom in Corporate Learning, Concept or Reality”). In addition to a shift in instructional design and development, and the role of the instructor also shifts under this model to that of a ‘coach’ (Bergman and Sams, pp 31) This enables learner to move beyond the first two level’s of Bloom’s Taxonomy and to begin moving up the triangle to Application and Analysis while in the classroom versus remaining at the bottom levels of the pyramid because of lack of time and/or resources to practice applying knowledge within their business context (“Bloom’s Taxonomy”).

The final benefit centers around cost control and return on investment. Through extensive study on the Flipped Learning model and its benefit to corporate learning, researchers Melanie Jacot, Jason Noren and Zane Berge arrived at this conclusion:

“For organizations aligning with constructivist ideals, looking to integrate modern Web-based applications and cognizant of the need for a reimagining of the conventional classroom environment, the flipped classroom will prove impossible to resist. Equally, corporations that see the value of in-class instructional sessions prioritizing creativity, experiential learning activities and authentic skills-based training that directly correspond to increased levels of productivity and ROI will be similarly allured” (Jacot, Noren & Berge, pp 27).

As Learning teams continue to look for ways to both provide effective training solutions and control costs associated with Learning and Development, considerations must be given to non-traditional approaches. The Flipped Learning model is one such approach that has proven to be effective for talent development, improving employee performance and providing solid returns.

Resources

- Bergmann, Jon and Aaron Sams. “Flipped Learning: Maximizing Face Time.” T+D Training + Development, ASTD, February 2014, Vol. 82, No. 2, pp: 28 – 31.

- Kirkpatrick, Jim D. and Wendy Kayser Kirkpatrick. “Training on Trial: How Workplace learning Must Reinvent Itself to Remain Relevant.” Amacom, 2010.

- Majumdar, Arunima. “Flipped Classroom in Corporate Learning, Concept or Reality?” G-Cube Blog, G-Cube, 13 Oct 2013, gc-solutions.net/blog/flipped-classrooms-in-corporate-learning-concept-or-reality/.

- Jacot, Melanie and Jason Noren and Zane Berge. “The Flipped Classroom in Training and Development: Fad or Future?”

- “Bloom’s Taxonomy.” Training Industry, Training Industry, 23 May 2013, trainingindustry.com/wiki/content-development/blooms-taxonomy/.

About the Author

The importance of Emotional Intelligence for Learning Professionals

Wed, 31 Oct 2018 09:58:41 GMT

Written by SEWI-ATD Guest Blogger Tresha Lovell Program Manager at Johnson Controls.

The demands made upon training professionals to help organizations become successful are steadily increasing. Many are having to balance multiple projects, while both learning and improving their skills in talent development areas of expertise, and in ‘non-traditional’ areas like project management. This is often occurring as learning professionals are assisting senior business leaders, new hires and high potentials to develop the skills needed for managing, leading and coaching others within the organization.

To maintain this balancing act and excel, highly developed Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a necessity. According to Fast Company, “90% of top performers are skilled at managing their emotions in pressurized situations in order to remain calm and in control” (Thygesen, “Why Emotional Intelligence is More Important to Hiring Thank You Think”). Although a core requisite for job performance, Emotional Intelligence is rarely the focus of development in traditional certification and degree programs for learning professionals. In this article, we’re going to explore how growth in Emotional Intelligence can improve the performance of training professionals in the areas of communications, motivating learners and coaching. As learning professionals develop their Emotional Intelligence, they are better equipped to help organizations become more successful.

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is defined as the ability to “recognize, understand and manage our own emotions” and to “recognize, understand and influence the emotions of others” (Institute for Health and Human Potential). EI aims to help people become “aware that emotions can drive our behavior and impact people (positively and negatively), and [learn] how to manage those emotions – both our own and others – especially when we are under pressure” (Institute for Health and Human Potential). To develop EI in others, Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves state that you must understand your own “Personal Competence,” which is comprised of “your own self-awareness and self-management skills” (Bradberry & Graves, pp 23.) When your emotions are triggered, how do you react to different situations and circumstances? Self-awareness is a skill that directly correlates to success: “83% of people that are high in self-awareness are top performers” (Bradberry & Graves, pp 26). This is also the starting point for emotional intelligence development. By understanding oneself and actively working on those areas in which gaps exist, learning professionals can begin growing in Emotional Intelligence and help others to do the same (Thygesen, “Why Emotional Intelligence Is More Important To Hiring Than You Think”).

The two remaining areas of Emotional Intelligence are Social Awareness and Relationship Management (Bradberry & Graves pp 38 -50). Social awareness is the “ability to accurately pick up on emotions in other people and understand what is really going on with them,’ while Relationship Management focuses on “[using] your awareness of your own emotions and those of others to manage interactions successfully” (pp 38, 44). A core function of a learning professional is working effectively with others. Stakeholders, project team members, other learning professionals and vendors are those commonly collaborated with when uncovering learning needs and developing learning solutions for organizations. Solid communications skills are essential for team building, conflict resolution and needs analysis. Being able to meet people where they are and build professional relationships increases effectiveness when working with stakeholders, creating relevant learning solutions, and delivering those solutions to learner audiences. Therefore, Emotional Intelligence development are the foundations for job success.

In addition to communications, coaching and motivation are other areas that can also improve as a direct result of Emotional Development growth. As a result of understanding themselves and others better, training professionals can uncover motivation drivers in others at a faster rate than those with lower Emotional Intelligence (Administrate “The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Training”). In addition, highly developed Emotional Intelligence also develops empathy, creating the impression of being approachable, and equips you to coach others, helping you to identify areas of strengths and opportunities to grow to them “to rise to the level” of their potential (Administrate “The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Training).

As organizations continue to look for ways to improve employee performance, company leaders must realize the necessity to invest in Emotional Intelligence development for their learning professionals. These critical skills, coupled with traditional talent development competencies, will ensure your learning team is prepared with the skills necessary to take your organization to the next level.

Resources

- Bradberry, Travis and Jean Greaves. Emotional Intelligence 2.0. TalentSmart, 2009.

- “What is Emotional Intelligence?” Institute for Health and Human Potential, ihhp.com/meaning-of-emotional-intelligence.

- “The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Training.” Administrate, Administrate Limited, 7, July 2014, getadministrate.com/blog/the-importance-of-emotional-intelligence-in-training/.

- Thygesen, Kes. “Why Emotional Intelligence Is More Important To Hiring Than You Think.” FastCompany, FastCompany, 21, April 2014, fastcompany.com/3029306/why-you-should-make-emotional-intelligence-the-cornerstone-of-your-hiring-strategy.

About the Author

Understanding the Role of Learning and Development in CRM Implementations

Tue, 30 Oct 2018 10:09:03 GMT

Written by SEWI-ATD Guest Blogger Tresha Lovell Program Manager at Johnson Controls.

As sales organizations experience growth, in both size and revenue, many companies invest in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions with the intentions of: standardizing sales processes, increasing efficiency and productivity, and to ultimately increase the organization’s revenue. Depending on the size of the organization, CRM implementations typically require a project team and significant capital and human resource investments for system design, implementation and adoption. Although many CRM projects are funded and approved, it is estimated that 33% of all CRM implementations fail (Tabor from “What to Do When Your CRM Project Fails”). According to Faye Business Systems Group, failure can result from a variety of root causes, including: lack of clear objectives for the project, poor planning or project management, insufficient training & support and incomplete, erroneous or bogus data in the new Software. (Faye Business Systems Group).

Once ‘Vesuvius’ metaphorically erupts, the following questions may emerge: “Is there a way to turn a failing project around?” Or, “how can we prevent this from happening again?” (Tabor). In this article, we’re going to explore key areas that are directly ‘owned’ or ‘impacted’ by Learning and Development in CRM implementations, and the need for project teams to both fund and effectively engage Learning and Development over the course of the project. By understanding the Learning team’s scope of work, providing the needed resources required to execute the training project plan, and engaging Learning and Development throughout the project, the project team will provide Learning with the tools and support needed to influence the project’s success.

Understanding the Role of Learning and Development

With any new system implementation, Learning and Development has vital roles to play over the course of the project to: help teach learners how to effectively use new resources, “[empower] users to make changes on their own,” motivate learners to become change advocates and “[arm] them with the tools needed to be successful” (Rinke from “Training Can Influence the Success of Your CRM Implementation”). Key areas of responsibility for Learning may include: creating and executing the learning strategy, leading or co-leading change management efforts, learning deployment, end-user support, and measuring the effectiveness of the training and/or change management strategies.

For these core tasks to be performed effectively, the project team must understand the value of the Learning function and include Learning and Change Management in the project charter and as a part of the project team at the onset of the initiative. “Far too often businesses will dismiss training as a superfluous line item that isn’t tied to the success of a project,” (Rinke). TJ Coyle, the Chief Learning Officer of Alphanumeric, states the importance of including training throughout various area of the project life cycle:

“Which comes first, the end user training plan or the software roll-out plan? This is not a chicken/egg question. Consider buying a piece of assemble-it-yourself furniture. Open the box; throw away the assembly instructions. Helpful? No. Yet that is the attitude you radiate to everyone on a project when you don’t have the complete scope and sequence of an end user training plan in place as you work through the software roll-out checklist” (Coyle from “How to Develop an End User Training Plan Before Software Roll Out).

Engaging Learning early (and often throughout the project) helps to mitigate risks associated with low user adoption and possible failure of the implementation. It is essential to the implementation for project sponsors and managers to understand the Learning function, it’s value, and to include the team early in the implementation process.

Does Learning and Development Have the Tools Needed to Be Successful?

For Learning to meet the expectations of the stakeholders, the team must be given the resources required to execute the training strategy for the project. Although this list is not comprehensive, it does provide key point considerations when creating a training plan:

1. Has the business goals for the project been clearly stated? According to the Faye Business Systems Group, this is one key reason why CRM implementations fail: “Not defining clear objectives for the software implementation is a commonly cited contributing factor associated with failed implementations. “A successful project is one that attains its objectives, but it is amazing how many business entities undertake a CRM solution with vague, unidentified, immeasurable goals” (Faye Business Systems Group). Clear project goals enable training professionals to align learning objectives to the project and create accurate metrics to measure success.

2. Is Change Management included in the project plan? It is true that CRM roll-outs include process changes; however, “it is actually the employees of your organization who have to ultimately change how they do their jobs. If these individuals are unsuccessful in their personal transitions and they don’t embrace and learn a new way of working, the initiative will fail” (Prosci).

3. Has a budget been allocated to training that provides sufficient funding to execute the training plan? Given the scope of work for the project and the expectations held by the business, Training must have access to the resources that are needed. If a budget has not been allocated for either function, training and change leaders will need to assess their ability to provide the expected deliverable given budgetary constraints and communicate any concerns to the project team ahead of time. “CIO magazine did a study and found that a good training program should account for 10 to 13 percent of the project spend. From my experience of having done this for more than 28 years, very few projects invest anywhere near this figure, and suffer the results. Successful training is highly correlated to CRM software adoption, software utilization and technology payback. Plan accordingly” (Schaeffer from “CRM Software Training Best Practices).

4. Has the processes for using the ‘old system’ and the new CRM been provided? How do these processes differ and how impactful is the change to each user group? To create training that is tailored to each user’s experience, processes need to be documented, understood and provided to the training team prior to content design. “Training should flow according to role-based business processes, not software screens. Users learn best when training is presented as part of their daily context…emphasize end to end business process efficiencies and effectiveness – and how staff can do their jobs easier and better” (Schaeffer).

Support from project team and access to the required resources needed to execute the learning strategy are essential to the success of the training strategy. Without it, the effectiveness of the Learning and Development team will become minimal, leading to the potential marginalization of the team members and possible failure of the overall project.

Resources

- Tabor, David. “What to Do When Your CRM Project Fails.” CIO by IDG, IDG Communications, 18 Sept. 2017, cio.com/article/2381909/customer-relationship-management/what-to-do-when-your-crm-project-fails.html.

- Faye Business Systems Group. “Top 10 Reasons Why Software Implementations Fail.” Faye Business Systems Group, FBSG Inc, 17 Oct. 2016, fayebsg.com/2016/10/the-top-10-reasons-why-software-implementations-fail/.

- Rinke, Linus. “Training Can Influence the Success of Your CRM Implementation.” Upcurve Cloud, Upcurve Cloud, 24 Mar. 2016, upcurvecloud.com/blog/how-training-and-change-management-influence-the-success-of-your-crm-implementation/.

- Prosci. “Thought Leadership Articles: What is Change Management?” Prosci, Prosci Inc, prosci.com/resources/articles/what-is-change-management.

- Schaeffer, Chuck. “CRM Software Training Best Practices.” CRMSearch, CRMSearch, crmsearch.com/crm-training-best-practices.ph.

- Coyle, TJ. “How to Develop an End User Training Plan Before Software Roll Out.” Alphanumeric Systems Inc, Alphanumeric System Inc, info.alphanumeric.com/blog/develop-end-user-training-plan-before-software-roll-out.

About the Author

Tresha Lovell is a Talent Development professional with over 7 years of corporate learning experience. After starting her career in IT and business development, Tresha transitioned into training and development and has used her ability to design and implement learning solutions in various organizations, including Johnson Controls, Northwestern Mutual and SoftwareONE. Tresha's experience includes delivering training for complex technology solutions, systems, and consultative sales methodologies. A proven communicator and presenter, Tresha's passion is to equip both individuals and business leaders with the skills needed to uncover and fulfill their purpose.

Performance Management: "The Dentist cannot undo what the patient won't do"

Wed, 17 Oct 2018 14:32:18 GMT

Written by SEWI-ATD Guest Blogger, Mark Brewer, Senior Organizational Development Manager at Milwaukee Tool, and SEWI-ATD VP of Special Projects.

In the first quarter of this year I urged anyone who waded through my first three paragraphs to help managers do what we can’t do for them: have ongoing performance conversations with their employees in everyday interactions, model giving and receiving feedback, and focusing on the future, the only place where growth and development happens. All of that was fixed on the end-of-year performance review process, traditionally celebrated some three months after the end of the actual year.

Also, I made some murky references to the dental profession.

Well, this isn’t about performance reviews, but it does involve the impending year-end. And the dental profession.

When I was a kid my dentist had a yellowing placard taped to his wall that read “The Dentist cannot undo what the Patient won’t do.”

I couldn’t have been more than nine years old, and my dentist was older then than I am now, so it’s doubtful I saw that little sign more than two or three times. Yet it so captured my imagination that the memory of it has withstood the ravages of time (and the 70’s) to remain a lasting image in what remains of my long-term memory.

Having chosen to spend half of his adult life poking around inside other peoples’ foul mouths, this little bit wit and wisdom obviously held special meaning for him. Not to mention that it was the only adornment on the walls of his offices.

But we could replace “Dentist” and “Patient” with a lot of other identities and the wisdom would hold up. (Maybe not “Cats” and “Dogs” perhaps, but that does make you think, doesn’t it?)

As trainers and designers of training we might not see our role as “undoing” anything for our learners, though they may come to us with bad habits aplenty. However, we know too well that our best efforts cannot do for the learner what she/he will not do on their own, on the job, every day. You know this: if they won’t practice what we teach, we might as well have filled the classroom with bags of potatoes.

What our learners do and don’t do on the job – what they choose to put into practice from our exquisite training – may be partly due to their willingness. We all know employees who are deeply committed to owning their success, and to the development investment that supports it. Beyond those twelve people though lies a population hostage to a great force for decay (another dental reference).

I’m talking about their managers. Yes, those hapless individuals on whom the organization has placed the burden of employee productivity and engagement. Those poor beasts who, through no fault of their own, find themselves responsible for other people getting the job done, stripped of their own ability to do it themselves.

For better or worse they are the models for rewarded behavior in every team, every organization. They are the purveyors of company culture (no, not those pretty posters, pamphlets, screensavers, coffee mugs, breath mints and pens). Their actions are the signals that guide employee work practices. When our training and development efforts are out of synch with those signals, it’s only natural to expect employees’ practices to gravitate toward their manager’s model (or dictate, as the case may be).

If you’ve read this far you’re thinking “Tell me something I didn’t know” or “So what?”

So what? So we are focused on the wrong employees!! I’m not kidding. We and our training and development programs might touch an employee for barely one-half of one percent of their work year. Their managers, on the other hand, touch them far more than that, figuratively speaking of course.

We all know the 70-20-10 “rule.” In reality that “rule” plays out more like 95-4.9-0.1. You know this too: 99.9% of the average employee’s professional learning and development takes place beyond the reach of our development interventions. We are the dentists who our patients might see a few times a year.

So what can we do to make sure everyone’s brushing at home? Connect with the managers. Make them an active part of the development programs and processes. You probably do much of it already:

Do managers know when their employees are spending time in training or other development activities?
Do managers know what’s in that training? (do you know what’s in that “granola” bar you’re eating?)
Do managers know how to support that training and reinforce it on the job?
If we can ask the learner to “evaluate” their learning experience, we can ask managers to do the same: evaluate how the learning translates into observed behavior change on the job.
For every learning activity, tell managers “what to watch for” in their employees
Conduct learning activities with intact teams, in which managers are visible participants.
Provide managers with a single easy-to-use follow-up coaching question – just one -- aligned with every class or learning activity

Why is all this pertinent to year-end? It’s not! It’s year-long. It’s every day. And if the year’s gone by without it, better now than later. Like, performance reviews. Help managers make their most valuable contribution to the organization: developing people. It’s more their job than ours.

A little regular flossing probably wouldn’t hurt either.

About the Author

Mark Brewer is a Talent Development professional with over 25 years of corporate experience. After a short career as a high school English teacher Mark earned a master’s degree in Instructional Design at Florida State University and began his corporate career at Arthur Andersen designing operational and interpersonal skills training for the Audit practice. By the time he moved to Motorola University his focus had turned primarily to Management and Leadership development. With Kohl’s Department Stores Mark was engaged in management training, performance management process, talent management and succession planning strategy, and executive coaching and development.

Currently Mark serves as an adjunct instructor for UW’s Center for Professional and Executive Development and a Senior Organizational Development Manager with Milwaukee Tool. His professional passion is helping business leaders become more confident and more proficient in developing their organizations’ talent.

Designing Training Programs to Change Workplace Behaviors: 3 Practical Lessons

Fri, 27 Jul 2018 12:44:43 GMT

Written by SEWI-ATD Guest Blogger, Colin J Hahn, Director of Talent Development for Leadership Ecademy.

One of the greatest challenges that L&D professionals face is creating programs that cause our participants to change their behaviors. We have direct control over what happens in our classrooms, so we know that we can deliver knowledge. But, having participants translate that knowledge into new behaviors, and then adopting those new behaviors in the workplace, is something that we can only influence indirectly.

Many L&D professionals struggle to measure behavioral change—level 3 in the Kirkpatrick model of training evaluation. But, the more fundamental problem is that causing behavioral change is hard. A typical estimate is that only 30-40% of learners implement soft skill behaviors they learn in training, forming what is known as the “transfer gap.” Because the gap is so wide, improving the rate of behavioral change is one of the highest leverage improvements that we can make to our training programs.

L&D professionals have long known how important it is to change behaviors, but we are under increasing pressure to deliver on that goal. Compared to five years ago, business leaders more frequently stress the need for employees to adapt, innovate, and embrace rapid change. With a tightening labor market, employers are under pressure to grow the skills of their workforce on the job.

Both of these trends are increasing the stakes for L&D professionals. If we are successful at changing behaviors, we can have a dramatic impact on business results. But, if we can’t deliver, then our budgets can be on the chopping block as companies look to trim services that don’t contribute to the bottom line.

At Leadership Ecademy, we realized that reliably changing behavior is a critical outcome for talent development, and we focused on developing techniques that consistently produced positive behavioral changes in the workplace. We identified three primary reasons why training programs fail to change behaviors. By targeting those three challenges, we achieved a 93% success rate in our participants demonstrating behavioral changes as a result of our training.

Challenge #1: Conducting fire talks vs fire drills

One of my mentors, Gary Klugiewicz, frequently says, “There’s a reason we conduct fire drills and not fire talks.” When you are under stress, you don’t think clearly, you experience tunnel vision, and your motor skills are impaired. During a fire is the worst possible time to try a psychomotor skill for the first time, which is why it is so important to practice when the stakes are low. When you are trying to walk out of the correct exit for a fire—or when temperatures are rising between team members and you’re trying to remember the next step in a de-escalation sequence—you are liable to make mistakes unless you’ve rehearsed the skill beforehand.

Most training and development programs are more fire talk than fire drill. The participants will spend most of their time listening to the facilitator present or discussing the topic in small groups. As L&D professionals, we proudly point to the interactive elements of our sessions: role plays, simulations, and small group discussions. But, it’s rare for these activities to make up more than 30% of our training time. Even when we do incorporate non-lecture activities, they often serve the role of content delivery rather than practice and implementation.

Below are some of the techniques we adopted in order to conduct more fire drills.

1. Plan the time. If we truly believe that practice is a priority, then the training schedule should reflect that. At Leadership Ecademy, we set an expectation that 50% of classroom time should be devoted to practice. Content delivery, discussion, and housekeeping tasks all had to fit within the remaining 50%.

2. Set outcomes for class activities. We defined specific outcomes for each component of our training sessions. We found that group discussions benefited tremendously from that level of detail. Before, a typical discussion prompt might sound like, “Can you think of other trust-building behaviors?” It was common for discussions to meander; while the discussions were intellectually stimulating, they had little practical impact. When we forced ourselves to define outcomes for a discussion (e.g., participants will identify examples of trust-building behaviors from their own experience), we noted that the discussions were more focused, the quality of the discussions improved, and we were able to wrap up the discussions sooner.

3. Create more “at bats.” When we first conducted role plays, we spent close to five minutes going through a scenario and then debriefing it. A lot of that time was low-impact, as participants were improvising further and further away from the core skill. We reformulated the activity with a tighter script and more concise directions, and we reduced the time to run through the role play to 30 seconds. In that same five minute period, we were able to get six practice attempts and a debrief. When the participants had more at bats, their fluency increased and they felt more comfortable with the skill. As a bonus, the increased pace also kept the participants more engaged in the class.

Challenge #2: Adapting to the situational snowflake

One of the fundamental realities of behavioral change is that no two situations are the same. Like the proverbial snowflakes, there are always differences between the scenarios we practice in class and the situations our participants face back at the workplace.

These differences pose significant barriers for participants attempting to use their new skills. When the participants can’t figure out how to work through the unique elements of their situation, they are much less likely to attempt the skill—let alone succeed. In one of our conflict management classes, for instance, one participant was paralyzed because her conflict was with her boss, and none of our examples explicitly showed how to adjust for the power differential in that situation. Another participant struggled to apply the technique of establishing a mutual purpose because his situation was extremely challenging (he was required to fire someone the week before Christmas, and there was no flexibility in the timeline because of other organizational constraints).

The snowflake syndrome—when a participant sees their situation as unique and therefore struggles to apply the skill—is a common reason why training doesn’t result in behavioral change. Being able to adapt a skill to novel circumstances requires a high level of proficiency. By definition, someone who is learning a new skill lacks that level of proficiency. While a beginner can stick to a script relatively well, it’s easy for them to get thrown off by unique situational details precisely because they haven’t internalized the skill to the point where they have mastered the general principles and can adapt those principles to meet the demands of the moment.

Our Team at Leadership Ecademy spent a lot of time working on how to overcome the snowflake syndrome. Some of the techniques we used included:

1. Present extreme examples. We found that many adaptation barriers stemmed from a participant’s perception that their situation was more challenging than anything we had discussed. So, we began to incorporate more extreme examples into our case studies in order to show the techniques under more difficult circumstances. For instance, we used a case study that pitted police officers charged with enforcing protest ordinances against Occupy Wall Street protesters who were willing to be arrested as an illustration of how to find a mutual purpose in a discussion.

2. Practice adapting. Sometimes participants just need to put some thought into how a skill would work in their situation. We built practice time for participants to adapt the skill by identifying what could work without change and what elements of the situation needed to be addressed in a different manner. We found pair sharing and small group formats to work well for this component of training.

3. Coach the adaptation. We developed a training model in which participants worked one-on-one with a coach to implement their skills, and one of the biggest benefits to this approach was that the coach could work with their participant on how to adapt the skill. Providing coaches to all your training participants may be too much of an ask, but consider if there are ways that you can set up participants with mentors or peer role models to provide some of that individualized support.

Challenge #3: Getting lost in the whirlwind

In The 4 Disciplines of Execution, Chris McChesney introduces the concept of the whirlwind as all the everyday stuff that comes up and distracts people from making change stick. We found this concept captured the experience of many of our training participants. We knew that participants left our classroom excited about what they had learned and eager to put their skills to use. But, when they got back to their desk, the whirlwind of daily activity undercut their efforts.

For some participants, just seeing their overflowing inbox was enough to convince them that they didn’t have time to try the new behaviors. Other participants would try once or twice, but if they struggled—which they usually did, because these were new skills—they retreated to their old practices since they at least knew what to expect. Several participants described giving up in frustration because their manager didn’t know what they had learned and couldn’t support them.

Overcoming the whirlwind required us to think about training as a method of change management. It wasn’t enough for us to have a solution. We needed to support that solution so that others were convinced to implement it.

To get that support, we worked with decision-makers and influencers within our clients’ organizations. There was no magic bullet that solved this challenge. But, we found that the following behaviors made a difference in helping our training transfer to the workplace:

1. Action plans instead of takeaways. We eliminated the end-of-day sharing about what participants would take away from the class because we realized those ideas didn’t translate to behaviors. Instead, we used the time to have participants write an action plan for what they would do as a result of the training.

2. Prepare for success. We also gave the participants time to plan how they would prepare for their action plan. We used techniques like identifying critical moments and vital behaviors to make the action plan concrete, as well as gathering support resources such as scripts or peer accountability partners.

3. Follow up and create accountability. Because our participants worked one-on-one with a coach, we had our coaches follow up with their participants after a few weeks to debrief their action plan results. If you can’t conduct a coaching call with each participant, consider following up with email reminders, using peer groups to review progress, or debriefing action plans in a future face-to-face setting.

4. Transfer to the manager. The participant’s manager will have more influence on what people do in the office than your training facilitator, so bring the manager into the loop. We emailed the managers before the class to set their expectations of what participants would be able to do afterwards. We encouraged participants to share what they learned with their managers and provided conversational templates so the participants could ask for assignments that would enable them to continue practicing their new skills, and we followed up with managers to verify that they saw the participants successfully using their new skills. You can also provide class summaries and discussion prompts to managers, require participants to share their action plans with their managers, or even ask managers to provide feedback on their direct reports’ learning experiences.

Designing for Behavioral Change

Designing training programs that reliably change behaviors is the critical missing link between L&D and business results. When we focus on creating training that impacts workplace behavior, we can directly contribute to the success of our organizations.

When change management professionals plan their efforts, they think about “overdetermining” change. Instead of asking what is the minimum they need to do to make change possible, they strategize how to tap as many sources of influence as possible in order to overcome resistance.

L&D professionals should adopt the same mindset. Just like change leaders, we can only indirectly influence the behaviors that occur after participants leave our classes. We need to identify the reasons for resistance—that the participants spend most of their time attending fire talks, overlook the situational snowflake, and get lost in the whirlwind—and marshal a variety of techniques to overcome those points of resistance. Hopefully the techniques in this article can help you start thinking about ways that you can improve the rate of behavior change in your programs.

About the Author

Colin J. Hahn is passionate about helping people master new skills and has built his career around helping organizations solving their talent development challenges. As Director of Talent Development for Leadership Ecademy, he is responsible for creating training experiences that produce measurable behavioral changes. Hahn's past clients include Naval Air Systems Command, Walmart, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, and Goodwill of North Central Wisconsin.

Hahn holds a Ph.D. in philosophy, as well as an M.A. in philosophy, from Marquette University. He earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy and political science from Gonzaga University.

Managing Organizational Informal Learning

Wed, 20 Jun 2018 13:19:09 GMT

Informal learning is a pervasive ongoing phenomenon of learning via participation or learning via knowledge creation, in contrast with the traditional view of teacher-centered learning via knowledge acquisition.

Check out an article by Meica Hatters on Managing Organizational Informal Learning

http://www.elearningxp.com/2018/06/12/managing-organizational-informal-learning/

Invest in your VOICE

Mon, 14 May 2018 14:48:19 GMT

Written by SEWI-ATD Guest Blogger, Rhonda Sharpe, Instructional Designer at Educators Credit Union.

They say…

It’s not WHAT you say, but HOW you say it.

They are wrong – It is what you say AND how you say it.

You may have a very important message; however, if the delivery fails, nothing has been gained.

As trainers, our job is not to put the audience to sleep (usually) but to engage and excite them into action. Active listening is a key communication skill – but what happens on the other end? Don’t you find yourself having difficulty actively listening to someone speaking in monotone?

We spend a considerable amount of time selecting the best font styles, the best activities, engaging scenarios when developing our training courses. But how much time or effort do we invest attending to our own vocal skills?

For many, the answer is not a lot. Speaking comes naturally and most of us in the training field have a lot to say. Have you ever wondered what your audience hears (and perceives) when you present?

Your voice is an important tool and it deserves to be trained properly. What is it worth to you to have your message and your vocal abilities in sync? Join ATD on Friday, May 18th and invest in your voice!

About the Author

Rhonda Sharpe is currently an Instructional Designer with Educators Credit Union. She has a variety of experiences as a student, project manager, e-merchandising specialist and educator. This has allowed her to develop and maintain collaborative partnerships with diverse audiences in business, non-profit and higher education settings. She applies adult learning theories and project management concepts to ensure timely and accurate completion of all her projects/presentations/training programs. She is committed to all learners at every level.

Performance Management: Three Practical Tips to consider..

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 20:51:53 GMT

Written by SEWI-ATD Guest Blogger, Mark Brewer, Senior Organizational Development Manager at Milwaukee Tool, and SEWI-ATD VP of Special Projects.

This is generally a good time of year to talk about Performance Management. More specifically, performance reviews/appraisals. Often we are called upon in our profession to develop the training and/or communications for an organization's performance management process, a process traditionally conducted once annually like a Polar Bear Plunge, but with all the anticipation of a trip to the dentist. Our focus – whether training or communication or both – can sometimes be heavy on process, policy and system: how and when to complete the necessary steps to be in compliance with the organization's expectations. In others words: how to fill out that d@#$%d form, and when.

When we try to quantify something that is inherently subjective we are only being human, but we all know it's a flawed exercise. Assigning a numerical value to measure the relative value of human activity? Don’t think for a minute there’s anyone who doesn’t see the folly in that. But for most organizations it is a "necessary evil."

In spite of this we hold in our hands the power to influence a constructive mindset about performance management. We can help managers and employees rise above perceptions of the administrative nature of the beast they see and not let that drag them down into a sense of meaninglessness. We can influence them to think bigger, to view this annual event as punctuation on a year-long continuous conversation about development and performance.

And it isn’t necessary to change or get rid of a cumbersome system in order to help managers and employees think differently about what they are doing and why. The once-a-year performance management process and an everyday performance management mindset are not incompatible. (Anyone who says “I can’t because the system doesn’t allow…” is just making excuses.) There’s always room for introducing and reinforcing the behaviors that make the difference between the dread of a long-deferred visit to the dentist and a happy healthy smile.

Consider three simple practices:

1. Everyday conversation

2. Focus on future

3. Modeling feedback

Everyday conversation. Label it “everyday coaching” if you wish but let’s help managers and employees alike recognize that there is an organic interaction taking place with others every minute of every day. No one operates in isolation. Often, performance is a part of that interaction whether it is deliberate or not. Deformalize performance discussions and feedback by persuading employees to see that it is already a part of everyday conversation.

I hear you: "they aren’t having those conversations." But they are! In subtle, nuanced and completely unintentional ways performance is being discussed every day on the job. We can help people see it. We don’t need to design a training program to help managers have conversations with their employees! (We do, of course, because that’s what we do. How’s that working out for you so far?)

Show them how to recognize those conversations where they live already, and to “leverage” them. Talking about performance with an employee – positively and constructively – should NOT be a planned event! It can be, sure. But if that’s the only way we view it, it will never become the meaningful continuous performance discussion we all dream of.

Focus on future. In every conversation, in all feedback, in every performance review, stop focusing on what cannot be changed (the past) and start focusing on what CAN be changed – the future. Yes, it’s intuitive. But performance management processes often force us to look back because the organization must evaluate performance. Past performance.

We can shift the balance. The only reason for examining the past is to inform the future, to change behaviors that haven’t happened yet. Is it not the goal of every manager, every leader, to

IMPROVE performance? You can’t improve yesterday, only tomorrow. We can cultivate this thinking in just about every sort of training and communication we create. We have the power to influence this.

Modeling feedback. We’ve all heard it by now: the phrase “I have some feedback for you” seems to trigger the same primitive fight or flight response in our brains that we experienced when the Sabre-Toothed Tiger roared outside our ancestors’ caves. Why? Because we’re trained to assume feedback is bad. Why? Because we seem to get “feedback” only when we’ve screwed up. Instead of training mangers to give better feedback, lets help managers (and employees) MODEL good feedback. Not just in the giving of it, but in the receiving.

Giving feedback becomes easier and more natural when the receiver encourages it, asks for it, looks forward to it. Managers can create that environment by modeling a positive, constructive attitude about soliciting and receiving feedback themselves. Picture a hypothetical manager saying “See? That wasn’t so bad was it? Now you do it.”

There’s much we can do from our talent development platform that can call out and reinforce these sorts of behaviors in the workplace, and it doesn’t always have to be in the form of formal training or process. That it bubbles up most often during the annual performance review spectacle isn’t a bad thing. Think of it not as a reminder of what we haven’t been able to do, but as a reminder of what we can do.

About the Author

Tell Me A Story - Helping Employees Build A Personal Brand

Mon, 29 Jan 2018 22:00:45 GMT

Written by SEWI-ATD Guest Blogger, Matthew Meuleners, Leadership Trainer and Consultant at FOCUS Training, and SEWI-ATD VP of Community Relations.

Career development planning is a hard concept for many employees to wrap their heads around - and the execution of that plan can be even more

daunting. As Talent leaders, it often falls to us to coach employees (or their leaders) through the process of reflection and consequently creating the vision required to position someone for next steps. One simple idea I go back to again and again, is the Personal Brand Story.

What is a Personal Brand?

It is the practice of people marketing themselves and their careers as brands. ... Personal branding is essentially the ongoing process of establishing a prescribed image or impression in the mind of others about an individual, group, or organization.

In most instances, when it’s time to hire or fill a leadership position, we don’t tend to choose the mysterious stranger. Our risk-averse brains tell us to lean towards the familiar, a person to whom we can relate. Not only do we want to understand what we are getting, but we also want to know their story and what to expect – a personal brand offers a shortcut for these choices.

Image, reputation, brand…whatever you choose to call it, the impression that others in your professional sphere have of you can be a key driver of how they respond to you. But a powerful brand is more than a list of features. It tells a story.

As a Talent Professional, here are a few tips you can share with employees and their leaders in your organization:

Crafting your brand story

Reflect for value: Think back about each of your significant professional experiences. Where did you start your professional journey? Because of the roles that you filled along your journey, what can you now do? What do you know? What have you seen?

Differentiate yourself: What sets you apart from the rest of those who are pursuing the same goals and career? It doesn’t have to be unique to the world, just unique to the competitive space.

Transition with intention: Be prepared to discuss the space between experiences. What led you from one job to the next? Why did you make this career move at this time?

Project forward momentum: Your story doesn’t end today. Describe where you are headed next from a professional growth perspective. What are you hoping to learn or achieve?

These best practices can help build a brand story that is both engaging and authentic.

Also consider how to use tools like LinkedIn to document your story in real time. Investing a little time in reflecting and updating every few months can save you from the arduous task of trying to remember years of work at a time - typically under a deadline because you are only thinking about this in response to an opportunity that just popped up.

So, next time you find yourself coaching someone through their next career step, ask them to tell you a story!

About the Author

Matt holds an MBA from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, School of Business Administration.

Using the Nominal Group Technique to Make Brainstorming Actually Work

Tue, 21 Nov 2017 21:00:00 GMT

Written by SEWI-ATD Guest Blogger, Andy Marris, Learning & Development Manager at MRA, and SEWI-ATD President

When someone uses the word “brainstorm,” what comes to mind? The Google Dictionary gives an idealistic definition… “a spontaneous group discussion to produce ideas and ways of solving problems.” If one truly considers the reality of how this “group discussion,” typically plays itself out, however, one is much more likely to have the perception that brainstorming is a well-intentioned ideation session that instead degenerates into one of dominance, condescension, and ironically, very few good ideas. Once again, the age-old axiom is proven true… “The road to hell is paved by good intentions.”

Comments such as, “That will never work,” “That’s a stupid idea,” or “We tried that already,” are commonplace in brainstorming sessions. Comments like these unfortunately lead to some of the best ideas remaining between the ears of previously scolded participants. Moreover, introverted contributors may have wonderful ideas, but are often overshadowed and even dominated by the most boisterous participants in the room, as well. These issues end up leading to a few, rapidly-offered ideas, that were not necessarily well-thought through, and the group ends up going with a mediocre idea because it was the best one of a bad lot. Sound familiar? There is a better way!

The Nominal Group Technique (NGL) is not new, but it is astonishing how many business professionals are unaware of the concept. In MRA’s Supervision Fundamentals series, NGL is repackaged as the “Circle Six” technique (the number doesn’t actually matter—MRA Minnesota classrooms have six chair tables, and when read aloud, it sounds like an alliteration, hence, “Circle Six”). It is the best way to capture a large about of terrific ideas, and as the famous scientist, Linus Pauling once said, “The best way to get a great idea, is to have lots of ideas.” Here are the simple (yet profound), steps…

1. Leader appoints someone in the group to capture the ideas on a notepad, flipchart, or marker board (the scribe)

2. Leader posts the question to be solved (such as “How can we generate more revenue in 2018?”)

3. Leader gives all participants 2 minutes to ponder the question and write down all ideas that come to mind – with a few rules…

a. No talking; Just thinking and writing as the ideas come

b. No self-deprecation; Write all ideas no matter how silly they may seem

c. Take the full 120 seconds; sometimes the best ideas come when there is no pressure to perform (think Archimedes in his bathtub… Eureka!)

4. Once time is up, the leader asks each participant to simply read the top line item on his/her page, thanks them, and moves to the next participant – with a few more rules…

a. No commenting in any way (positive or negative) or face removal from the group – Even a positive “Good idea,” comment tells other participants who didn’t hear such praise that their idea was not as good-which defeats the purpose of the exercise.

b. Leader only thanks participant for his/her contribution, being careful not to comment, either

c. Leader contributes last each time around the circle, so as to not encourage “group think”

5. Scribe captures all ideas in writing

6. Leader goes around the circle until everyone is out of ideas on their lists and all “pass”

7. Leader reads scribe’s list to group, so it hears the ideas a second time

8. Leader gives group 2 more minutes to think and write down any additional ideas that were triggered by the list – Sometimes the best ideas come as a piggy-back to another one (even one that would have been labeled a “stupid idea” on its face)

9. Leader and scribe repeat steps 4-7, continuing the moratorium on comments

10. Group then multi-votes on what they think the best ideas are, giving a 5 to the best idea, a 3 to the second best, and finally a 1 to the third best idea

11. When the votes are tallied, great ideas rise like cream to the top, and often the participants are excited and engage on how many great ideas were generated

There are several reasons NGT works so well. First, it truly values everyone’s ideas and contributions. It also eliminates the killer phrases that shut down well-intentioned brainstorming sessions. People that need time to process, have it, and those with a quick answer are still allowed to do so, writing the idea instead of blurting it out. Giving the process a second round usually produces less total answers than the first round, but it often produces some of the best ideas the group is able to generate. At a recent training filled with analytical engineers, the group went from one mediocre idea to 47 outstanding ones, just by implementing the NGT technique.

Famous comedians often get the request from a well-meaning fan to “say something funny.” Without a prepared response, they often fail at the request. Seasoned comedians have a comment ready when the request invariably comes again. In a similar way, the NGT allows people to have the time and the freedom to come up with great ideas, without the risk of being put on the spot or insulted. Try it at your next “brainstorm,” and you’ll be amazed at what the team uncovers.

About the Author

With more than 15 years of business management, marketing, and leadership experience in the sports broadcasting, financial services, health care, information technology, and human resources industries, Andy Marris draws on his knowledge and experiences to help managers sharpen their leadership skills and business acumen. As a former graduate- and undergraduate-level business and marketing instructor, Andy discovered his passion for adult learning through fun, interactive, “real world” education. Andy's love of leadership development led him to his current role as a full-time talent development instructor in MRA—The Management Association's Institute of Management. Whether he is working with first-time supervisors, or seasoned leaders seeking continuous skill-set improvement, Andy makes the learning experience one that is measurable, memorable, and motivational.

Andy holds a masters in business administration and a bachelors in organizational communication.

5 Killer Examples: How To Use Microlearning-Based Training Effectively

Laura Chartier — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 17:29:32 GMT

On November 1st, R.W. Baird, in collaboration with SEWI-ATD, will host an exciting event: Bite-sized Micro-learning . In this article by Asha Pandy, you'll discover 5 great examples of using microlearning-based training effectively.

Please extinguish all illumination upon vacating the premises!

Thu, 12 Oct 2017 12:16:37 GMT

Written by Guest Blogger, Mark Brewer, Experienced Talent Development Professional and 2018 SEWI-ATD VP of Special Projects.

Do you listen to yourself? Our family of professions is sometimes (rightly) accused of using jargon, HR-speak, Consultant-speak or psycho-babble. I suspect it doesn’t exactly open our clients’ hearts and minds to us. I saw an example this week. A bullet in a training slide read “Cognition precedes behavior.” The audience was a mixed group of managers from a variety of professions. One of a hundred bullets on dozens of slides, I’m betting that one flew right over their heads. Not because they aren’t smart enough to get it, but because the author made it unnecessarily difficult to get it. A simple and important idea fell by the wayside. Why throw up barriers? I’d like to think I would have gone with “Thinking precedes action,” or maybe even “We think before we do.” But I’m better at critiquing others than myself.

Big words don’t impress. They build walls. Feel free to tell me I’m wrong. Just use little words please.

(Oh yeah, and turn off the lights when you leave!)

The Learning Budget Conundrum

Tue, 12 Sep 2017 13:19:41 GMT

Today we continue the theme on budgeting.

How do executives see the learning and development budget? Is it a cost, an investment, or a combination of the two?

Find out here what Jack and Patti Phillips recommends to do when the "gorilla" shows up and you're in a precarious position.

Training Reinforcement: It's more than sending reminders

Sat, 09 Sep 2017 20:09:16 GMT

Please join us September 14^th for The Next Big Thing!, a mind-expanding event where you'll hear from experts in the talent development field who share some leading-edge applications and best practices, as well as their thoughts on technology and learning in the future. Register here!

In preparation for the event, review the top facts you should know about training reinforcement from the makers of Mindmarker, one of the applications you’ll see at The Next Big Thing!

Use this budget season to ensure your learning organization achieves its true business potential.

Wed, 06 Sep 2017 22:43:39 GMT

It’s tough to ask for money if you can’t clearly articulate how it fits into the overarching learning strategy. Before building your budget, account for the various projects, deliverables and initiatives that are in progress and on the horizon along with their anticipated ROI. For additional tips, review the Chief Learning Officer article here.

Without Emotional Intelligence, Mindfulness Doesn’t Work

Laura Chartier — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 01:32:33 GMT

You might see the mindfulness boom as a fad or as a corporate revolution. Although it’s a practice commonly hyped for having the ability to improve leadership skills, some research suggests that leaders would do well to consider the intricate connection between mindfulness and broader emotional intelligence competencies as they seek to develop in their careers.

In the Harvard Business Review article, "Without Emotional Intelligence, Mindfulness Doesn’t Work," Daniel Goleman and Matthew Lippincott expound upon how they believe this to be true.

Want to learn more about Mindfulness & Learning? Attend our October 6th event, hosted by Wheaton Franciscan.

The Impact of Words Is Felt Beyond eLearning

Laura Chartier — Fri, 01 Sep 2017 20:02:07 GMT

Building a strong, standardized strategy and examining your e-learning to ensure that it has universal design and source material that is easy to translate and localize, is essential to any training department seeking to educate international learners and can add up to an engaging experience for all. Click here to read The Impact of Words is Felt Beyond eLearning, by Pamela Hogle for Learning Solutions Magazine.

Talent Management: It's All in Your Mind

Wed, 30 Aug 2017 21:45:43 GMT

Please join us for an insightful session with Susan Lubar Solvang and learn to integrate mindfulness practices into your talent development process on October 6, 2017.

In preparation for the event, learn more about mindfulness in the workplace by reading this Forbes article which highlights "With workplace stress, self management, work-life balance and leadership burnout becoming increasingly focal, the benefits of mindfulness are likely to produce better leaders and managers of talent."

Three Mind Altering Techniques to Boost Performance in Training

Laura Chartier — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 18:47:03 GMT

Written by Guest Blogger, Whit Shiller, Stick at Fish Sticks Comedy; Faculty Member at Fish Sticks University; and Executive Director at Comedy With Impact

The Power of Expectations in Training & Development

Expectations are set around us and by us all the time. They can be positive. They can be negative. Some expectations from childhood continue to weigh us down or lift us up years, even decades, later. Despite their prevalence, most expectations are unspoken and usually unrecognized. That generally gives them more power than they deserve, which also means that calling them out or recognizing them can have more of an impact than you might expect.

With a focus on training and development situations, let me suggest three mind shifts that will positively impact your learners’ results:

Reset Low Expectations
We tend to “over-focus” on those who don’t perform well. That means there’s a natural drag on expectations over time if we don’t course correct by re-focusing on what people have accomplished. Further, the pressure trainers face to achieve results creates disincentives to set the goals too high. Low, easily achievable goals, while good for stats, creates boredom and artificially caps growth.

As you approach your next session, gives some thought to whether you’ve set difficult, but realistic, objectives. Evaluate whether lower achievers have been overly impacted by how you think your learners will do and adapt as necessary in your next session. Because your expectations of your learners impact their results, you’ll find achievement and interest levels will be higher when making these adjustments -- and that’s good for everyone involved.
Reduce the Stakes
High expectations are great as people tend to rise to the level that’s expected of them. But pursuing those high expectations with high consequences of failure during training and preparation can lead to poor outcomes. Ultimately, your learners will have to perform when the stakes are high, but if struggles with training and preparation are over-emphasized, it becomes more likely that your learners won’t thrive during live action. There are 100’s of sports analogies here, but I’ll leave those to you to consider on your own time.

Many learners, when given appropriately high expectations, will be overly self-critical or express self-doubt. Nip that in the bud as soon as it presents itself. Coach them back to the reality of where they’re at in the process so they don’t short circuit the growth that’s coming.

One quick note: while this is a mind shift for your learners, it’s also potentially a mind shift for you. While you’re in game time when training, you need to make sure that you haven’t raised the stakes too high for the learners just because you’re measured on their success. Be focused on what the stakes are for your learners and you’ll serve them better. If it’s helpful, think of it this way: the best tight rope walkers look more toward the platform on the other side then on the ground below.
Believe in Your Learners
I recognize that the three mind shifts I’m sharing here are all generally stated. This third one is probably that much more so, but stay with me. This one makes the most difference and makes the other two easier to implement.

Great educators (and trainers) do not just impart wisdom and knowledge. They don’t just explain processes and techniques. They encourage. They motivate. They inspire. Then they watch with pride as their students achieve great things. How awesome is that? But you can’t encourage, motivate or inspire people that you’re convinced will fall flat on their face. You have to honestly believe they can succeed. If you don’t, your learners will intuitively sense it and they won’t be encouraged, they won’t be motivated and they won’t be inspired.

So ask yourself: do I believe my learners can achieve all that’s asked of them and more? If the answer is no, figure out why and how to change that answer. If the answer is yes, follow it up with whether your expectations are high enough. If not figure out how to change that answer, too.

Expectations don’t equal or guarantee results – but they do affect them. By resetting low expectations, reducing the stakes if they get too high, and honestly, and with conviction, believing in your learners, you give yourself and your learners a greater chance of success. Try all three, and I expect you’ll agree.

About the Author

Whit Shiller is an improviser – not just in life, but on stage and in the training room. He’s performed in over 1,000 professional improv comedy shows from coast-to-coast, with the last ten years with the Milwaukee and Dallas based group, Fish Sticks Comedy. In that time, he and some of the other Sticks have facilitated numerous improv-based workshops on topics as diverse as inter-generational communication to collaborative culture to inventive thinking. Now under the branding of Fish Sticks University, Whit and the other faculty members offer some of the most engaging and fun workshop experiences while maintaining a noticeably high level of focus on client-identified business, personal and organizational goals.

Could Trust Be the Secret Ingredient?

Laura Chartier — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 18:33:20 GMT

Written by Guest Blogger, Jackie Zahn, Senior Instructional Designer at The Cara Group and past presenter at the June 2017 SEWI-ATD event, 10 Free or Cheap Tools to Make Your eLearning Courses Amazing

As a seasoned Instructional Designer and admitted tool-junkie, I’m often asked to comment on new industry software and tools. Every year a new group of ID graduates will link in with me and ask the same question, “If I learn this tool, will I get steady work as a consultant?” My response of course is that it’s much more complicated and involves taking the time to learn about the client’s needs, what they are/ aren’t communicating, deciphering what they really need versus what they think they need and finding a way to keep the training material relevant and useful to the learners. And this is the stuff you learn only through experience, right? Bad news for the newbies. (Read on, there’s good news coming up.)

Well, a few months ago I started developing a course centered on the book The Trusted Advisor. It’s not new and most salespeople have probably heard of it. I approached the book as I do most business books (yawn), flipping back and forth, running google searches, and then I ran into this phrase:

"The right to solve problems is earned by informed listening, which in turn is driven by curiosity."

My interest was piqued -- I’m curious and I like to solve problems! So I kept reading and learned about the 4 key components of building trust: credibility, reliability, intimacy, and self-orientation. Winning trust requires that you do well in all four components.

How important is trust for an instructional designer? Well, this book was written for salespeople. However, once I discovered their self-assessment quiz with the following three questions, I quickly realized the parallels to instructional development consulting:

Do people tell you they’re at ease with you? (They have a good sense of who you are, they feel they know you, they know what to expect when they see you and deal with you.)
Do people see you as a logical and clear communicator? (What you say makes sense and people compliment you on it.)
Is this true of you? You don’t focus on blaming others when things go wrong: you focus on the learnings, and move on easily from disappointment, without attachment to the past?

I scored above average with a 9.9. Is that good, I didn’t know. That day I had my sister take it (score=4.9), my project manager best friend (score=4.8) and my Mom (score=7.6). This is how I knew I was on to something. After a few confirmation phone calls to clients, I learned I am a Trusted Advisor!

Trusted Advisors have contracts that keep renewing, are called upon for more complex strategic issues, and have clients that feel like friends. Their recommendations are listened to because clients feel that the trusted advisor has their best interests at heart. Trusted Advisors are driven by curiosity to learn about training audiences, client needs, future plans, and even the latest tools to bring things to life.

Great news for the newbies: 3 of the 4 components of trust aren’t tied to experience. Do you have a low self-orientation? If so, you might be closer to success than you realize.

Take the test for yourself:

http://trustsuite.trustedadvisor.com/

…and download the FREE whitepaper results.

Best,

Jackie Zahn
www.JackieZahn.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-zahn-a22a441a/

Why Use an Instructional Design Model?

Wed, 09 Aug 2017 18:15:08 GMT

An instructional design model is used to define the activities that will guide the development of eLearning projects. It allows you to communicate the purpose and reason behind a strategy. A framework gives you the birds-eye view of all the major components that have to be included in the course. Click here to read Karla Gutierrez's overview of four instructional design models. Add a comment to the blog post to share your experiences with these models and help out your fellow ATD members!

Finding Time to Tinker

Laura Chartier — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 14:03:23 GMT

Over-booked and exceedingly scripted days can be the norm in the today's workplace. Accordingly, learning leaders can learn a thing or two from The Tinkering School.

In this TED Talk video, software engineer and founder of the Tinkering School, Gever Tulley demonstrates the important lessons his students have picked up during dedicated, unstructured time, with few guidelines and not much direction. His example of how younger students use building and playing to increase creative problem-solving can directly translate to benefits for working adults and the organizations in which they serve.

Is the skills gap real?

Wed, 26 Jul 2017 13:59:45 GMT

Click here to read the article from Lauren Dixon, Associate Editor of Talent Economy.

She writes, "The burden to repair the gaps between business and available talent falls on many parties, said Ravin Jesuthasan, managing director and global practice leader at Willis Towers Watson, a research and advisory firm headquartered in London. Educational institutions need to retool to move beyond merely providing technical skill development to developing the enabling competencies and mental agility that will increasingly be required of individuals, as technological advancement requires lifelong learning. Government needs to actively engage in providing the incentives and infrastructure needed to support and encourage companies to invest in reskilling, as no company can do this alone. Companies also need to provide transparency as to how their demand for skills is changing along with access to development opportunities, Jesuthasan said."

Innovation and the Idea Pipeline

Laura Chartier — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 19:59:56 GMT

Written by Guest Blogger, Alexis Fielek, Senior Operations Training Specialist at United Heartland and SEWI-ATD Member

Innovation is one of those buzzwords, like “alignment” and “strategic initiative” that we hear all the time in the corporate world. It’s a shame, because it really is one of the most essential survival tools a business can tap. Without innovation, organizations become stagnant; things are done the way they “always have been” and the competition passes by, fueled by new technologies, efficiencies and approaches.

I work at United Heartland, and I am lucky enough to serve as the chair of UH Innov8, our Innovation Team. This role has really helped me experience the value of tapping into the diverse perspectives of coworkers and leaders across our company, and our sister companies.

It’s also reinforced for me the value of good information management. When we first started soliciting ideas from employees, we used an Outlook inbox and I captured everything on a spreadsheet. After our first Innovation Week yielded over 200 ideas, this became seriously unwieldy. Ideas had to be entered manually, the team members researching had to remember to go in and add updates, then make sure they were keeping the suggestors informed – it was challenging to stay current.

Then, we discovered the Idea Pipeline.

With the Idea Pipeline, our employees click a couple of links and are automatically logged into a user-friendly idea management system where they can add their ideas for how we can maximize efficiency and cost savings, generate new revenue and increase employee engagement and satisfaction.

Researching and tracking ideas is much easier too. The five-star ranking and endorsement functions make prioritizing easy and objective; we can assign ideas to Idea Managers, track and post updates, sort by status and generate automatic emails to innovators. Users can subscribe and receive updates on the ideas they choose, so everyone is in the loop.

Because of the Idea Pipeline, we’ve seen an increase in the number and quality of ideas received, the turnaround time for research and response, and an overall rise in awareness about just how important the creative ideas of our staff are to the success of our enterprise.

It’s made a huge difference for us, so I wanted to pass it on. If you know of a business that would benefit from a streamlined, effective way to solicit, track and research the ideas of its employees, please spread the word, and check out the Idea Pipeline official website (www.ideapipeline.com) for more information. Happy Innovating!

About the Author

Alexis Fielek, MLIS, CAWC, CC, CL, is Senior Operations Training Specialist, at United Heartland, has 20 years of experience in education and training, and is an SEWI-ATD Member. Alexis has earned her Master's Degree in Information Studies from UW-Milwaukee; Bachelor's degrees in Theater Education, English, and German; is a Certified Authority in Workers’ Compensation; and has recently acquired her Competent Communicator and Competent Leader Toastmaster's designations. Her passion is engaging adult learners by any means necessary, including relying on her Theatre Education background to bring new ways of learning to her audiences.

The Future Of Learning Management Systems

Laura Chartier — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 20:40:22 GMT

The Learning Management System has been renowned as an effective and responsive way for industry experts to create, deliver, and manage their content, as well as monitor participation and assess performance among learners. However, the LMS marketplace is ripe for change as older providers are being sidelined by new innovators.

The methods we now use to learn and share knowledge with others has been largely effected by new technology. Over the past ten years, training methods and delivery have transformed dramatically. Accordingly, in the next decade we can expect the demands put upon our learning management systems to accelerate beyond current capabilities.

What might the future hold for LMS technology? Read this article to find out!

Diigo + "Life's Work: An Interview with Alan Alda"

Laura Chartier — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 14:33:19 GMT

Written by Laura Chartier, Learning & Development Consultant and SEWI-ATD VP of Communications.

Original article by Alison Beard, from the July-August 2017 issue of Harvard Business Review

----------------------------------------------------

Do you have a role model or someone who's life's work you admire? I've been enamored with Alan Alda since I was an impressionable youngster watching M*A*S*H (and the reruns of the reruns of the reruns of the iconic series). No doubt his character, Hawkeye Pierce, was influential in the formation of my sarcastic/quirky sense of humor, desire to help people, and quest for peaceful resolutions in times of turmoil. Because everyone has flaws and faults, some of which are more fatal than others, I try not to regard anyone as my be-all-end-all hero. With that said, Mr. Alda is about as close as they come. This man, celebrated for his talents as actor (TV, film, and theater), scriptwriter, director, nonfiction author, and science-show host, is also a philanthropist and the founder of two organizations designed to help people improve their communication skills.

While this article, "Life's Work: An Interview with Alan Alda," is not specifically aimed at Talent Development Professionals, I read it from the perspective of a teacher, trainer, leader, and communicator. Much of what was conveyed is directly applicable to the many facets of talent development. Alda's commentary about using improvisation as a way to connect and engage with people seemed particularly apropos for interactions within our field.

As I was reading, I used the free version of the digital tool, Diigo, (pronounced DEE-go) to emphasize and comment upon points throughout that appealed to me from the lens of one who coaches and presents, as well as someone who strives first to understand and then to be understood. If you aren't familiar with Diigo, it is a powerful, yet very easy online tool for you to consider. Once you sign up/sign in, you will be able to see my annotations embedded within the interview (pdf file I've linked above).

From https://digitalresearchtools.pbworks.com/f/Diigo+Description.pdf:

"Diigo is a free social bookmarking, research, and knowledge sharing tool created to mimic the ease of taking notes while providing a network for sharing and discovering information. Diigo allows you to take personal notes and highlight text information on web pages just as you would on a piece of paper. You can then bookmark and save this information for further review, while adding tags to keep everything organized. In bookmarking this information, you can also choose to share with colleagues and friends to allow them to access the web page, view your notes and highlights, and add their own annotations. All of this information is also saved online and can be accessed by any computer or browser, including cell phones with browsing capabilities.

It's my hope that today, you will learn something new, SHARE YOUR OWN ANNOTATIONS with us, and comment on this blog post so that all can capitalize on the collective knowledge of, and consider a variety of views from within, our amazing talent development community!

5 Skills Effective Trainers Keep In Their 'Back Pocket'

Laura Chartier — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 23:19:56 GMT

Whether you're recent to the 'training' business or consider yourself a seasoned veteran it's incumbent upon you to hone your training skills not just for your professional capacity but to also exceed your audience's expectations. This article was originally published for ElearningIndustry.com July 2017, by Ajay M. Pangarkar CTDP, CPA, CMA.

Learning to Learn

Laura Chartier — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 23:40:19 GMT

The ever-increasing pace of change in today’s organizations requires that executives understand and then quickly respond to constant shifts in how their businesses operate and how work must get done. That means you must resist your innate biases against doing new things in new ways, scan the horizon for growth opportunities, and push yourself to acquire drastically different capabilities—while still doing your existing job. To succeed, you must be willing to experiment and become a novice over and over again, which for most of us is an extremely discomforting proposition.

Over decades of work with managers, author Erika Andersen has found that people who do succeed at this kind of learning have four well-developed attributes: aspiration, self-awareness, curiosity, and vulnerability. They have a deep desire to understand and master new skills; they see themselves very clearly; they’re constantly thinking of and asking good questions; and they tolerate their own mistakes as they move up the curve. Andersen has identified some fairly simple mental strategies that anyone can use to boost these attributes. To find out more, read this article, "Learning to Learn" from Harvard Business Review.

10 eLearning Freebies

Laura Chartier — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 17:00:53 GMT

Free tools are always valued in today’s budget-conscious world. This post by Connie Malamed highlights 10 great free tools that every eLearning designer and developer should add to their portfolio of resources.

Things You Didn’t Know About Tin Can API (xAPI, Experience API)

Laura Chartier — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 18:16:19 GMT

Tin Can API, the successor to SCORM has been making news in the eLearning industry for a while due to its unique features such as offline tracking, tracking learner experience, reducing the need for an LMS, etc. In this blog, Godwin Vinny Carole of Swift eLearning focuses on things that most of us aren’t aware of – Demystifying Tin Can API.

6 Things Every Mentor Should Do

Laura Chartier — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 15:25:22 GMT

Good mentoring is discipline-agnostic. Whether you’re a mentor to a medical resident or marketing manager, the same principles apply. The best mentorships are more like the relationship between a parent and adult child than between a boss and employee. In this article from Harvard Business Review, Doctors Vineet Chopra and Sanjay Saint offer an informal set of guidelines for good mentorship — a playbook, if you will, for a game that is very much a team sport.

Maximizing Microlearning

Laura Chartier — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 20:27:14 GMT

When it comes to microlearning, think about targeted, timely, and actionable learning bites that can be delivered in a short time frame. Author of this recent article for Training Magazine, Shannon Tipton of Learning Rebels, was the keynote speaker for our August 2016 PD - "The 21st Century Toolbox: Restock It with Social Learning."

Deliver Real Behavioral Change Through Your Online Training Efforts

Thu, 22 Jun 2017 01:00:00 GMT

Whatever the delivery for online training, be it virtual instructor-led or self-paced (which may or may not offer interaction with a subject matter expert), learners need to be set up for success. See what Richard Spires of Learning Tree International says about Getting More Out of Online Training to Drive Real Behavioral Change.

Heroship and Leaving a Legacy Aren't Part of Leadership

Laura Chartier — Mon, 19 Jun 2017 16:03:04 GMT

Who are the heroes, and who are the leaders in your organization?

Are they the same?

Some may be the top-dog, kingpin, white-hat types that saunter into an organization, save the day, and then ride off infamously into the sunset. Others may be more of the behind-the-scenes, blend-into-the-wallpaper, stand-in-the-shadow of others sort. For an insightful perspective on the differences, read the article, Heroship and Leaving a Legacy Aren't Part of Leadership by Gary A. DePaul, Ph.D., CPT

Maintaining the Cool Factor in E-Learning—Without Blowing Your Budget

Laura Chartier — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 23:00:06 GMT

The company wants you to keep costs down. You want to keep the e-learning course interesting. You really can create e-learning content on a budget—if you’re willing to be a little creative.

The World's Broken Workplace

Wed, 14 Jun 2017 16:46:50 GMT

While the world's workplace is going through extraordinary change, the practice of management has been frozen in time for more than 30 years. Managers have been trained to fill out forms rather than have high-development conversations.

Only 15% of the world's one billion full-time workers are engaged at work. It is significantly better in the U.S., at around 30% engaged, but this still means that roughly 70% of American workers aren't engaged. It would change the world if we did better.

To summarize Gallup's analytics from 160 countries on the global workplace, their conclusion is that organizations should change from having command-and-control managers to high-performance coaches. Learn more from this article by Jim Clifton, Chairman and CEO of Gallup. For those who attended the May 19th, "Geezer. Punk. Whatever." session, there are some interesting insights into creating millennial engagement.

The Skills Gap - Real or Imagined?

Laura Chartier — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 23:57:24 GMT

The National Federation of Independent Business found that as of first-quarter 2017, 45 percent of small businesses reported that they were unable to find qualified applicants to fill job openings. But is there a bonafide skills gap in the U.S., or it is an imaginary manifestation of unrealistic expectations? If perception is reality, then either way, we need to determine the cause and act on a cure. These two articles provide insights into how those of us in talent development industry can make an impact.

The Most Serious Skill Gap Of All - by Liz Ryan, contributor to LinkedIn and Forbes.com

What Will It Take to Close the Skills Gap? Take an Educated Guess - by Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder

10 Design Tips for Instructional Designers

Laura Chartier — Tue, 30 May 2017 19:30:00 GMT

For the benefit of the many instructional designers with no formal visual design training, here's an informative aid to help you make your projects look great!

Why Learning and HR Leaders Should Partner

Laura Chartier — Mon, 15 May 2017 21:39:12 GMT

In this 2:47 minute video from CLO, you'll hear that when it comes to effectively managing talent, learning and HR executives have a keen role to play together. This relationship is about busting down silos in the interest of talent development and producing a high caliber of workforce performance.

9 Strategies to Make Your Peer Learning Program Thrive

Laura Chartier — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 15:41:29 GMT

The guy or gal sitting next to you at work is often a great source of information. Recognizing the intent and providing structure will benefit everyone involved. Find out more about how to capture these kinds of learning opportunities in a more formal setting from this April 13, 2017 essay from CLO.

Recognizing the intent and providing structure will benefit everyone involved.

eLearning Is Dead! Long Live LEAN Learning!

Laura Chartier — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 17:40:14 GMT

Why has e-Learning failed, and what do learning practitioners need to do differently to deliver business value? Click here to read how a reconceptualized perspective offers opportunities to capitalize on the business methodology leaders refer to as “Lean”.

Sticky Stories

Laura Chartier — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 22:15:01 GMT

Written by SEWI-ATD Guest Blogger, Matt Meuleners

Several times in my career I have coached young leaders who hope to start their careers as keynote speakers. I ask them to come to me with what they have already written and present it for feedback. 100% of them have started out with the same mistake. They spend too much time on the message.

I understand the desire to pack as much data in as possible, but they are trying to share too much information. Every piece of advice, every best practice, and every great quote that ever inspired them makes it onto the page. None of it sticks in my brain.

Instead, I recommend that they aim for a presentation that is closer to 20% content and 80% story. Think about the best speakers you have ever seen. My bet is that they were master storytellers. Stories engage our brains differently and they make our content “sticky” - improving retention.

Stories are sticky for a few reasons.

1. Listening to a story uses more of your brain. A 2006 study published in the journal NeuroImage demonstrated that not only are language processing area engaged when you hear a story, but so too are any other area in the brain that you would use when experiencing the context of the story. So, when you hear a storyteller describe “eating a rapidly melting chocolate ice cream cone on a hot July day,” your brain also lights up in the areas that manage taste, temperature, and time.

This offers a huge potential impact on learning because we suspect that more active brain areas involved in storing memories leads to better retention and recall of information. Not to mention that a more engaged brain means a more engaged audience member.

2. Stories activate mirror neurons. These amazing little brain cells seem to be the key to empathy with other human beings. They light up when we observe another person experiencing something – and engage a similar experience in our own brain. Uri Hasson, Associate Professor of Psychology at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, shared this example from a study:

“When the woman spoke English, the volunteers understood her story, and their brains synchronized. When she had activity in her insula, an emotional brain region, the listeners did too. When her frontal cortex lit up, so did theirs. By simply telling a story, the woman could plant ideas, thoughts and emotions into the listeners’ brains.”

The power of this effect comes from the fact that our brains create memory based on what the brain is experiencing, not simply based on what is happening in our environment. In other words, if your mirror neurons are causing you to “feel the wind on your face” the way the storyteller did, your brain is likely creating a memory of that experience almost as if you were there. You can’t get that from a PowerPoint slide.

These are not the only reasons that humans learn better from storytelling. I look forward to sharing more about these ideas and other tools of advanced presenters at SEWI-ATD's April 21st Professional Development Event!

About the Author

Matthew Meuleners, is well known in the training community for his great presentation skills. He is Executive Partner and Leadership Trainer at FOCUS Training. As a professional facilitator and keynote speaker for over 15 years, Matt has combined his message of integrity in leadership with a youthful energy and sense of humor that allows him to connect with an audience. Having touched the lives of thousands of people, his experience lends him a credibility that gives every presentation impact.

Through the years he has trained hundreds of business and educational leaders to fulfill their crucial roles within their organizations, delivered his keynote message to thousands of people, and developed valuable leadership curriculum.

Matt holds a M.B.A. and Bachelors in Marketing from the University of Wisconsin and currently teaches Training & Development courses for undergraduate and graduate students at Marquette University. He has served in many leadership positions and continues to lead in alumni and guidance roles.

Matt’s vivid enthusiasm and passion for nurturing leadership skills in others and his articulate and humorous style ensure that no audience will walk away unchanged.

Is Corporate Learning’s Share of the Development Pie Decreasing?

Laura Chartier — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 19:54:50 GMT

Yes, but that’s not as bad as learning leaders might think. Formal learning may be declining, but with the right framework informal learning can be a serious performance booster. Read more in this March 13, 2017 Chief Learning Officer article.

Forum Theatre in Adult Learning

Laura Chartier — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 14:28:05 GMT

Written by SEWI-ATD Guest Blogger, Alexis Fielek

Anyone who has ever developed and delivered soft skills training has probably considered role-play as a way to engage audiences. After all, people learn by doing, right?

Yet many people hear “role-play” and cringe, roll their eyes, or simply come up with an emergency schedule conflict. Why? Sharlyn Lauby sums it up nicely, but role-play can be intimidating. Not everyone loves to stand up in front of a room full of their peers and risk feeling foolish.

Role-play can also be stale, canned, and boring for anyone not in the hot seat; usually it involves two people acting out a scene in front of an audience, who, if they’re lucky, get a chance to comment on what their peers did wrong after the scene is done. Fun for all, no?

But what’s the alternative? Put an inexperienced caregiver in front of a volatile patient and hope he “learns by doing” without either party getting hurt? Make the new job-seeker flounder through interview after interview, on the chance that she figures it out before making bad first impressions on every employer in town? Throw a newbie trainer in front of a class of busy, impatient professionals and spend time and resources repeating material because the audience wasn’t engaged in the first place?

Clearly, this isn’t the best path.

So, how can we create a safe space for learners to practice key behavioral skills without lasting, real-life consequences?

In the early 1970s, political activist and theatre director, Augusto Boal, was probably not thinking about the challenges of corporate trainers and L & D professionals. Yet the techniques he created to raise awareness of and combat oppression can, in fact, address our challenges too.

Boal’s creation was called The Theatre of the Oppressed; it strove to make audiences see the oppression in their society, identify and analyze its root causes, work as a group to identify solutions, and finally to act to change the situation in the larger world.

I first discovered TO during my undergraduate studies of Theatre Education at Western Michigan University. I was part of a group that used the techniques to help high school students talk about bullying. Today, I use my favorite Theatre of the Oppressed activity, Forum Theatre, to engage whole classrooms in solving real-life problems that are relevant to their jobs and lives.

Forum Theatre is different than role-play in a couple of important ways.

There is no audience. Instead there are spectACTORS – through discussion and acting (only on a volunteer basis), the entire room engages in fixing a broken situation.
It’s not intimidating. The only people taking risks (unless they choose to volunteer) are the actors, who have prepared in advance, and the facilitator, whose role is critical to ensuring the conversation is real, the situation doesn’t get fixed “by magic”, but by changes that would have a similar impact in real life.
No one knows how the situation will change or if it will resolve. Because the whole room directs the scene, neither the facilitator nor the actors know for certain what will happen. Kind of like real life, huh?

Of course, there are pros and cons, challenges, ways I have seen it go horribly wrong, and some tips I’ve picked up for avoiding that outcome in the future. However, this is a post, not a novel, so I’ll save the details for a future article.

In the meantime, if you’re interested in learning more:

Join me and fellow trainers Sheri Weaver and Nick Wade on March 10^th for a two-hour introduction to the tool

Join my LinkedIn group, Better Than Role-play: Forum Theatre as a Teaching Tool

Or message me on LinkedIn – I’d love to talk further!

About the Author

New Credential!

Laura Chartier — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 18:43:12 GMT

The ATD Certification Institute (ATD CI) is creating a new certification for talent development professionals who are in the early part of their careers or whose professional roles and aspirations are focused on a few areas of expertise. It may be a destination for some or a stepping stone to the CPLP for others. Click here to register for the March 30, 12 pm CST webcast with ATD's Holly Batts, who will answer all your APTD questions.

Fast Facts

The name, Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD), resulted from a survey of ATD chapter members and leaders and current CPLP credential holders in conjunction with recent member survey data.
The APTD certification will focus on three primary areas of expertise (AOEs) from The ATD Competency Model, along with another AOE, evaluating learning impact, and the global mindset foundational competency. These areas have been determined through a competency validation process that included a survey and subject matter expert panels. Exam details will be available by late March with the release of the APTD certification handbook.
The APTD exam will be a multiple-choice exam and candidates will be able to take the computer-based exam at test centers located around the world in most major cities.
The APTD certification serves the needs of talent development professionals who are in the early part of their career or whose professional roles and aspirations are focused on a few areas of expertise (AOEs).
Eligibility for the exam will require three years of experience or two years’ experience plus successful completion of one of the approved ATD Masters series programs.
Individuals who complete the APTD certification will be able to apply part of it toward the CPLP. Specific details about how the APTD will apply toward the CPLP will be available in the second quarter of 2017.
Recertification for the APTD will be every three years with continuing education credits.

How are You Developing Board-Ready Female Leaders?

Laura Chartier — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 17:51:48 GMT

Currently, less than one-fifth of board directors are women. Your company can take immediate action to tackle this gender gap. Read how in this recent article from Chief Learning Officer.

Global Talent Development Can Be Enhanced Through International STEM Teacher Exchange and Collaboration

Laura Chartier — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 18:12:28 GMT

"Over the past 50 years, changes in the workplace sector of the economy have taken place driven by science, technology, engineering and math. This evolution of workplace behavior has largely been determined by forces of global competitive innovation, technical development, communication and economy. Interestingly, this powerful and sweeping change was never labeled by a specific collective term. However, now viewed in the light of the educational imperative, it can contribute an important new definition of the term STEM." Read more.

Let's get R.E.A.L. about New Year's resolutions!

Laura Chartier — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 18:17:36 GMT

Written by SEWI-ATD Guest Blogger, Craig Bodoh

The turn of the calendar from one year to another often motivates people to set, or ponder setting, a New Year's Resolution. But time and time again people set themselves up for failure if they don't follow a few simple rules.

The opportunity to reflect upon what went well and what didn't in the current year and what one would like to change in the new year can be a great way to make a difference in how one's life changes.

But what's that quote? “If nothing changes but you expect a different result, it's called -----”.

Habits good or bad are a huge part of your daily routine. How you brush your teeth, or put on your clothes are examples of habits that serve you. What is your natural reaction to a stressful situation? Raise one of your five fingers? Say something you might regret? When you are driving along and the railroad crossing gates come down and you are forced to wait, how do you react? These reactions (your habits) can be changed over time.

The R.E.A.L. simple formula to follow for setting New Year's Resolutions:

R = Realistic; Get clear and be specific about the new behavior.

E = Enjoy the process; It takes a minimum of 21 days for a new habit to become a part of your life. And if you stop the new habit during the 21st day of the habit formation period, it is day ONE the next time you begin the new habit. That's right, it takes daily focus and regular practice for the new habit to become part of your life.

A = Action; Regular focus on the new change, supported by affirmations, brings change into reality.

L = Long term goal; Determine the what, the how, and the why you want this new habit or goal to become a part of your life.

Far too many people expect quick results - The “get rich quick schemes,” the infomercials that offer a better body in minutes. The easiest path is what everyone wants to take. When in reality, changes can happen, but not at the speed the marketing department wants you to believe it will take. Constant, regular, focus will make changes happen. Understanding the process of how new habits can be brought into your life makes a huge difference in how things end up.

Instead of the earlier quote, “If nothing changes but you expect a different result, it's called -----,” you now can understand and believe,

“If you make simple positive changes on a regular basis, anything is possible.” ~Bodoh

About Craig Bodoh

Craig has been an active SEWI-ATD member since 1990. He is president and founder of Personal Effectiveness Plus, a personal development coaching practice specializing in time management. As a certified Master Life Coach and trained time management consultant he has helped hundreds of people begin a path to a fuller, richer life. Craig is also an adjunct instructor for Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC), a workshop leader, a public speaker, an author, a figure skating coach, and a music director. He works from his passions, using his skills to do what he loves; making a difference in people's lives through personal development. Contact Craig if he can be of service to you!

Email: timeman@earthlink.net

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/craigbodoh

Website: www.gainingtime.com

Twitter: @gainingtime

The Secrets of THIAGI, Master of Creativity

Laura Chartier — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 22:45:30 GMT

If you haven't yet met, worked with, or taken advantage of a learning opportunity with Master trainer Sivasailam Thiagarajan, AKA Thiagi, find a way to do so! He is a prolific writer, blogger, and thought leader in challenging learning processes with creative, serious games. This article from the January 2017 issue of Training Magazine will give you some insight into how he is rewriting the way we learn.

As a bonus from the Thiagi Group GameBlog, try out Envelopes, a flexible structure for an effective follow-up activity to review to content of lecture.

Is Your Mindfulness Training Program Working?

Laura Chartier — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 16:55:38 GMT

To ensure mindfulness initiatives are having a meaningful impact on the workforce and the organization’s bottom line, measure their effects. Learn more in this essay by Max Dubowy, an executive mindfulness coach and the CEO of Your Success Launch.

Digitization Requires Soul-Searching for L&D

Laura Chartier — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 15:53:31 GMT

Rapid changes in technology will force companies to redesign themselves to engage and develop top talent and drive their competitive edge. Check out this article by the editors of Chief Learning Officer, and read the associated research report, "Predictions for 2017: Everything is Becoming Digital" (linked below) for some insights into the new year ahead.

Predictions for 2017.pdf

Using Movie Trailers to Prepare Your Participants

Laura Chartier — Thu, 17 Nov 2016 20:37:47 GMT

Do you use "movie trailers" in a flipped learning model to create interest and provide quick information for your virtual learning audience? In her blog post, Dana Peters, CEO of Mondo Learning Solutions and President of SEWI-ATD shares strategies and video editing software to help you reach your audience in a simple yet entertaining way.

Teaching Smart People How to Learn

Laura Chartier — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 17:38:39 GMT

This article was referenced by Diane Kelly, Director of PWM Professional Development at Robert W. Baird & Co. during our November 4th Leaders of Learning and Talent Development PDN. While the piece appeared in the Harvard Business Review back in 1991, its progressive views appear to still hold true in today's modern Adult Learning revolution.

Give it a read and feel to comment based on your own contemporary experiences!

Teaching Smart People How to Learn by Chris Argyris

What Does Being Strategic Look Like?

Laura Chartier — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 19:30:55 GMT

There are four specific, key traits, behaviors, and actions you need to exhibit to distinguish yourself as a strategic leader. Could your approach use a makeover? For some sound advice, read, "What Does Being Strategic Look Like?" by Diana Thomas

Coaching vs. Consulting: Find the Perfect Balance to Get Buy-in and Results

Laura Chartier — Sun, 06 Nov 2016 21:13:26 GMT

Although there is considerable overlap between coaching and consulting skills, both have a place in the learning strategy development process. The key is to find, as in most areas of life, just the right balance.

https://www.clomedia.com/2016/08/04/coaching-vs-consulting-find-the-perfect-balance-to-get-buy-in-and-results/

7 Ways To Present Course Objectives In An Engaging Way

Laura Chartier — Thu, 03 Nov 2016 20:37:29 GMT

While stating course objectives upfront has proven benefits for boosting the achievement of learning outcomes, it's rarely the most glamorous part of your training. Ensure your learners interact with the content in a different way by implementing these unique presentation methods.

What the "BLIP" is AR with Blippar?

Laura Chartier — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 15:54:08 GMT

You live in a world of dynamic and interactive multimedia. Why, then, are you still subjecting your learners to static and one-dimensional training materials? Augmented reality is now an affordable technology that can be easily integrated into your learning content to provide immediate context at the moment of need.

Check out this article by Alexander Salas, CPLP and Supervisor, Learning Management Systems at Centene Corporation to see how apps like Zappar, Aurasma and Blippar allow users to overlay digital media to create AR experiences through mobile devices.

Velfies and Bite-sized Learning: A Recipe for Training Success

Laura Chartier — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 18:51:06 GMT

"When people have ideas that can solve a need but lack the resources to put them into practice, they access that brilliant part of the brain where creativity dwells. They have to either come up with creative ways to find new resources, or get creative with those available." Read on to find out how "velfies" offer cheap, just-in-time support, can be accessed on mobile devices, and keep employees engaged during the learning process.

20 Problem Solving Activities to Improve Creativity

Laura Chartier — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 16:50:45 GMT

We all hit roadblocks at times and get stuck in the same ol'-same ol' routine. Our trainings can lack luster, our learners can feel uninspired, and our teams can run low on ingenuity. These 20 Problem Solving Activities to Improve Creativity from Andrew Tarvin at Humor That Works will kick you in the seat of your pants and get you on a resourceful, productive path to solving your talent development and workplace challenges!

Loaned Exec Training Program Makes the Grade with United Way

Laura Chartier — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 20:35:21 GMT

By Shari Saeger, VP Community Relations, ATD of Southeastern WI

On August 5, 2016, our very own Matt Meuleners volunteered his time as part of our chapter’s initiative to partner with, and extend talent development services to, community organizations. Matt provided presentation and storytelling training to United Way Loaned Executives in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. These Loaned Executives are a group of two dozen individuals employed by United Way during the four-month United Way campaign season. They act as liaisons between United Way and the organizations across southeast Wisconsin to whom they are assigned. In that capacity, the Loaned Executives speak to influence large groups of people in their interactions during the campaign season, so the principles from Matt’s training were directly applicable and appreciated by his audience.

Our Loaned Executive Training is a new volunteer program that came about this year, offering a way for SEWI-ATD members to give back to the local community. We are actively looking to expand offerings such as this. If your organization is interested in exploring a similar partnership, or if you would like to volunteer to help with our trainings and/or community relations, please contact Shari Saeger at shari.saeger@mra.net.

Testimonial:

"United Way is so grateful to have ATD’s support. You provided an opportunity for professional development that we could not otherwise provide – both to temporary staff and full-time staff members. Sincerely, we appreciate your commitment to your community and generosity in providing this experience pro-bono – not to mention your support during our Speakers Bureau Training!"

-Jeriah Ebling | United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County

Learning in an Uber Economy

Laura Chartier — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 17:00:55 GMT

Learning Delivery, Learning Technology - eLearning Developers, Instructional Designers, L&D Managers.
Time to read: 3-4 min

Consider the benefits of adding Uber app-like functionality to your training, letting employees know what skills are in demand and helping to develop them by providing more choice.

http://www.clomedia.com/2016/09/29/learning-uber-economy/

Coming Together for a Talent Development Strategy

Laura Chartier — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 19:38:59 GMT

Written by SEWI-ATD Guest Blogger, Amy Krenzke

Talent Development -- what is it, does your organization have it, and how does collaboration drive it? This blog will take a look into the importance of Talent Development and a need for Talent Acquisition, Human Resources, and Learning professionals to all come together in taking action on a Talent Development Strategy.

First, let’s take a look at Talent Development (TD). It is a fairly new term in our modern work world. The Association for Talent Development (ATD) made the big name change back in 2014 from American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) to what it is now.

What was the significance of this change? Well, take it from Tony Bingham, President and CEO of ATD. He announced the need for the change at a special session of the ASTD 2014 International Conference & Exposition:

"You know better than most, your work is so much broader than training alone,” Bingham told the crowd. “Those outside of the profession see it too.” He cited the growing business references to the term “talent development” that describes the breadth of work done by professionals who develop the talent in organizations: their knowledge, skills, and capabilities. (https://www.td.org/Publications/Blogs/ATD-Blog/2014/05/ASTD-Announces-Name-Change)

Speaking to the attendees, Bingham noted, “You take the talents and capabilities of others and develop them to their full potential. As a result, organizations can prosper, and the world does indeed work better.”

As a learning professional, do you agree our role is larger than just training, it is about how to develop people to their full potential?

Let’s consider how to take Talent Development from a buzzword into an actionable strategy.

Talent Development is more than just training!

The name change of the Association for Talent Development (ATD) was definitely a welcome change for me and hopefully for all of you. It was an expansion of thinking; a change that focused more importance on strengthening talent and the realization that talent development is not simply “training.” Talent Development is a fusion of training, self-driven learning experiences, succession planning, career management, professional development, performance management, and organizational development.

What does this mean to us as learning professionals?

It means that the combination of these efforts becomes a Talent Development Strategy. Learning & Development professionals are becoming Talent Development professionals, but we can’t do it alone. Nope! It’s a coming together. It can no longer be everyone on their own island; there needs to be serious collaboration between Learning & Development, Talent Acquisition and Human Resource teams. Between these teams, the ultimate goal should be creating a Talent Development Strategy to ensure continual engagement of staff through learning, career (and agile performance) management, cultural alignment, and calibration of talent development goals that meet business needs.

A Talent Development Strategy – What does it look like?

Great, but what does a Talent Development Strategy really look like for the TD, TA, & HR Professional? Well, as with most things these days we’ll take a look at this through the eyes of the Millennials. As Millennials enter our workforce at the rate of one per minute (or so it seems) priorities are changing on what it takes to engage them. Millennials are more interested in work that has meaning, they want a manager that’s less a boss – more a coach, and they’re more likely to rank learning in their top reasons to join an organization. Let’s think, though, it’s not only Millennials, it’s Gen X and Y, and even Boomers returning to the workforce as contractors. People want more from their work. They want to improve themselves, learn how to do a job better, or share their expertise. In developing a Talent Development Strategy, understanding candidate and employee motivations needs to be considered.

It all starts with attracting the right talent in this first place. This is why we include Talent Acquisition in Talent Development strategic planning. They need to understand how to communicate to candidates the vision of employee development. Human Resources needs to collaborate with Learning & Development to design an engaging on-boarding program to immediately start new hires out on the right foot. Learning & Development needs to create learning experiences, not just training, that drives results, reports metrics and demonstrates ROI for the business. Talent Acquisition can only capture the best talent when they have a conviction behind what they’re selling to candidates. Therefore, there needs to be a collaboration from L&D on how to communicate the why behind their “top-notch learning program”, how it’s put into action and followed-up on with managers throughout an employee’s career. It is a responsibility of all development professions (TA, L&D, and HR) to develop and continually communicate the Talent Development Strategy and tie it back to their people development or talent attraction strategies.

Having a defined Talent Development Strategy will shift your team's mindset to collaboration and convert actions to results more quickly. For example, it can lead to quicker turnaround on recognizing needs. L&D can more easily identify and develop learning for a new skill set, then communicate that back to TA to source for talent with those skills, and HR can develop performance management on that new skill set. Collaboration is key for a Talent Development Strategy to truly deliver for candidates, new hires, employees, and management.

Driving Forward – What’s the Benefit?

The collaboration involved in developing a Talent Development Strategy might be a little messy to start, but once it comes together and teams collaborate, there will be business rewards to reap. There are many metrics that can be improved, so tracking turnover is crucial. From Officevibe Blog, http://bit.ly/OfficevibeBlog -

Just think, Statistic #1 above could be next to eliminated if your organization has a Talent Development Strategy that gives clear definition to employees and that cultivates a culture of honest, holistic people development, allowing employees to easily see their career advancement path.

Is it time your organization considered a Talent Development Strategy? Invest in one that encourages collaboration among your TA, TD, and HR teams. This will allow a true focus on learning experiences, career (& agile performance) management, cultural alignment, and calibration of talent development goals and business needs.

Where will your organization go next?

Think about how you can start bringing your people development teams together to strategically plan a strong Talent Development Strategy guaranteeing your organization meets business needs and goals. Define and communicate a strategy that benefits you - as Talent Development professionals, employees and prospective candidates alike. Remember what ATD President Tony Bingham’s said, “You take the talents and capabilities of others and develop them to their full potential. As a result, organizations can prosper, and the world does indeed work better.” Let’s work better, be more human in the workplace, and bring talent development to its full potential.

About Amy Krenzke

Amy is a SEWI-ATD member volunteer who chairs the bi-monthly Instructional Design PDN. She evangelizes all things talent development - people, culture, learning, performance, and agility in the modern workplace. She is a curator of learning, a strategist of developing people for the next level, and brings engagement to every moment of her virtual or in-person learning sessions. Amy has an MA degree in Educating Adults from DePaul University, Chicago. She has done significant academic research on using appreciation in the workplace, developing a model, The Appreciation Space Method. Connect with Amy; she can help you brainstorm a path forward to a Talent Development Strategy @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/becreatelearn or http://akrenzke.wixsite.com/amylkrenzke.

Want More? Here’s what Amy is Reading...

"Recruiters Must Learn Talent Development (and vice versa)" from HR Bartender Blog, http://bit.ly/RecruitMustLearmTD

"Why Leadership Training Fails and What to Do About It" from HBR Blog, http://bit.ly/LeadershipTrainingFails

"Ten Things Employees Want Most" from Inc. Blog, http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/08/10-things-employees-want.html

"Want Exponentially Better Production? Focus on People Instead" from Inc. Blog, http://bit.ly/IncBetterProduction

Owning Our Own Futures - The Finale: Thought Snippets from Futurist, David Zach (Part 3 of 3)

Laura Chartier — Wed, 21 Sep 2016 21:43:09 GMT

Alas, today brings us to our final post in this 3-Part series by Futurist, David Zach. (Be sure to read Part 1 & Part 2.) Here he wraps up his morsels for thought from his in-progress composition, "100 Great Ways to Own Your Future":

#7. And, the most important word of all

This and that. Up and down. Black and white. Hot and cold. Form and function. Art and Science. Strength and beauty. Night and day. Today and tomorrow. Time and again.

And, of course, is the most important word. It's the connector. It's the binding agent. It's the catalyst. All other words are incomplete and lonely without it. And, so are you.

This photo is the inspiration for this article as well as for a new talk.

A few years ago, I found these two exploring the Milwaukee Art Museum. He was excited to explore, she to guide - and me to find them in gallery after gallery. He would rush from painting to statue, she to follow, watch, and softly smile. She would ask, he would explain. He was maybe four. They had been here before.

This is picture perfect. This is a perfect definition of "and." Young and old. Teacher and learner. Light and dark. Paradox and symmetry. Love and love. Art and ....

For unlimited reasons, we must be reminded of why we have art and museums. We must be reminded of why we are here and should still be here in the future. This scene, preserved in a picture, reminds me that when you're witnessing the soul of a culture that has been lovingly preserved, protected and presented so that it may be lovingly passed from one generation to another, you should pay attention, you should wonder, you should be in awe. And, you should do that always and forever.

At tomorrow’s SEWI-ATD Fall Special Event – “The Future...How Will You and Your Organization Remain Relevant? A Vision of Learning for 2020 and Beyond,” David will be conveying his thoughts in a keynote talk that is less about "what to think" than it is "how to think" about the future.

Here is a supplementary blurb from David that sheds a little more light on what you might expect to hear:

3D Printers can revolutionize manufacturing. Smart technology can be customized to the individual level and help make us healthier than we ever imagined. Logistics help us to navigate the world, connecting us with learning and learners everywhere on the planet. Design is becoming an essential aspect to everything from construction to education. The Internet is like some magical genie – answering all of our questions; connecting us, entertaining us, comforting us. The world is connected. It really is a magical age.

Yet, we take in more information in one day than our grandparents took decades to acquire. Our behavior with smartphones has become indistinguishable from an addiction. We retreat into our homes, into our technology, and more and more people just don’t know how to have comfortable face to face conversations. We have unlimited choices and many of us just don’t know how to choose.

Welcome to the early stages of the 21st Century. Once again, it is the best of times, it is the worst of times. What choices do we as individuals really have? Can we help people understand how to make better choices about the future? Can we have a better future?

If you were to ask me those questions, I’d sum them up by deferring to Abraham Lincoln’s astuteness:

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.”

So, are you ready to create YOUR future? If so (and even if you're not) please join us for an exciting and enlightening day at the Schlitz Audobon Nature Center!

There's still time to register... Click here!

Which Gamification Elements Make Learning More Engaging?

Laura Chartier — Wed, 21 Sep 2016 18:30:12 GMT

Do gamification techniques supercharge your online training? Swift Elearning designed an online compliance training using compelling narrative, points, virtual currencies, timers, badges, and levels. Check out this case study to see their results:

http://www.swiftelearningservices.com/case-study-on-gamification-supercharge-online-training/

Owning Our Own Futures - Thought Snippets from Futurist, David Zach (Part 2 of 3)

Laura Chartier — Tue, 20 Sep 2016 13:38:34 GMT

In Part 1 of this 3-Part series, Futurist, David Zach provided three pearls of insight from his in-progress composition, "100 Great Ways to Own Your Future". Today, he continues with three more gems:

#4. Relearn to be Curious

Yes, relearn to be curious, because more than likely you’ve lost most of it. The writer Neil Postman said that, "Every child starts school as a question mark and leaves it as a period." Adding insult to inquiry, Google now answers your questions before you're finished asking them. We think that's clever and convenient, but it's more like confining your brain into a comfy chair from which it never gets up; never having to do the exercise of sculpting a good question, let alone lifting up good answers. Google does the work, so you don’t have to. Curiosity has been automated, because now there’s an app for that. If you’re curious about the dangers of such conclusions, then you’ll have to stop outsourcing yours.

Once upon a time, we had to dig through lots of irrelevant information to find what we wanted. Except it wasn't irrelevant. Much of that process was the act of refining what it was that we actually did want. All that other “stuff” had a stickiness to it, which could fill the gaps in your brain to help you understand, to put into context, the great big world. Understanding the great big world is necessary for thriving in it. Answers don't make the world go around, being able to ask better questions does.

I know this all to be true because I read the book Curious by Ian Leslie. And then I listened to it. And then I read it again. It's that good. It explains why our future depends upon rekindling curiosity. He explains how "diversive curiosity" helps you put the world into context. What he calls “epistemic curiosity” is where you drill down into specific lines of inquiry to develop competence. Diversive curiosity is especially strong in children because they need to learn about all that great big future ahead of them, but then it fades as we gain specific competences. Your challenge is that, when it comes to the future, we are all essentially children. Rediscovering a bit of childlike wonder will do wonders for making better futures. If you can’t relearn how to see the world through the eyes of child, you’ve become that saddest of creatures, an obsolete adult.

The first lesson of well-nurtured curiosity is one that continually reveals itself: a lifetime of adventure; both self-directed and self-rewarding. Curiosity doesn’t create lifelong students; it creates lifelong learners.

Curiosity is not just the foundation of lifelong learning; it is the foundation of life. Curiosity has to be nurtured in children, so they can become learned, ever-curious adults. These sorts of adults are productive, creative, innovating adults. Lifelong learners will save the future, because they are the ones who always save it.

#5. Think Into Other Boxes

“Think outside the box,” is some of the worst advice you will ever get. Most people end up just wandering around, lost in thought. It's because they've lost their context - that box they've been told to get away from is actually their perspective, their learning, their everything. What sense does it make to give that up completely?

That box is not bad, it's just incomplete. It's too isolated. We and our thinking were not meant to be alone. Fortunately, there are so many great ways to connect your thinking to that of others. From coffee conversations to formal brainstorming and even strategic planning retreats, people bring multiple point perspective to ideas old and new.

Just as I had suggested that your thinking shouldn't be merely linear, it also shouldn't be one-dimensional. There's a landscape to innovative thinking. It can be multi-dimensional. Do for your thinking what multiple-point perspective does for drawing and painting. Connect your thinking to additional dimensions.

The easiest way to do that? Don't do it alone. Take your perspective (aka: that box that everyone told you to abandon) and then find another perspective, different from your own, but not completely different. Find common ground. Then talk. Explore the topic that stands between you. Look at it from all sorts of angles. Use mind-mapping to connect and consider possibilities.

You have to do this with curiosity, and you have to do it with enough humility to consider the odd possibility that the other person might just be as smart as you. Maybe smarter. Lean into that.

And what about the ideas you dislike, that you have already discarded? You may have plenty of reasons to do so, but there are a lot of great ideas that don't easily fit with others. Your task is to re-imagine possible connections. The Japanese writer, Junichiro Tanizaki, said that, "Without shadows, there can be no beauty." Look for the shadows, or better expressed, look into the shadows. Look where you're not looking. Look where you might be afraid to look. Find beauty that's not always obvious, not always on the surface. Look where you don't believe you need to look. Look.

#6. Think Outside Occupational Boundaries

This is obviously the offspring of the "Think Into Other Boxes" notion. It's just more specific, and for many of you, more practical. It's about your job, or rather your future job - because that one you have now just might change into something a bit unfamiliar.

In 2012, I surveyed architecture students on their then supposed poor job prospects, asking: “If you don't become an architect, what else might you do?” Their answers went into wordle.net and out came this word cloud:

This cloud is thinking into other boxes and obviously, so were the students. They get that occupational boundaries are not entirely real. They might be necessary, but they, by necessity, cannot be absolute, especially in the face of all the changes swirling around them and the world of work. Student debt clears the mind wonderfully, especially for those able to think more entrepreneurially in terms of, "What works right now?" What works right now is needing to rethink the edges of the professions, but not eliminating the edges. In practical terms, we need the boundaries to determine competencies. What was competent then, isn't completely transferable into today.

Everyone's career is really about skill clusters, which will ebb and flow, not according to just which technology is being used, but also which skills and perspectives can be combined. The skill cluster of an architect today is vastly different from what it was a hundred years ago. Just a guess - it's going to be even more differenter (yeah, you see what I did there...) 25 years from now. Your actual mileage will not vary because the same thing applies to you – no matter who you are, no matter what you want to be.

For more of David's thought-provoking ideas, see Part 1 and Part 3 of our 3-Part Guest Blog Series.

And if you enjoy David's posts, you’ll appreciate seeing see him live, in-action, during Thursday’s keynote presentation at SEWI-ATD’s Fall Special Event. Register today!

Owning Our Own Futures - Thought Snippets from Futurist, David Zach (Part 1 of 3)

Laura Chartier — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 13:23:00 GMT

SEWI-ATD is delighted to announce Futurist / Author / Professional Speaker - David Zach, as one of two keynote speakers at our upcoming Fall Special Event: "The Future...How Will You and Your Organization Remain Relevant? A Vision of Learning for 2020 and Beyond."

In moments of pause between his wanderings around the planet, David has been creating a list of things to think about in terms of

"100 Great Ways to Own Your Future".

In part 1 of a 3-part series this week, he graciously pre-inspires and tempts us with a few bite-sized samples of wisdom from this in-progress composition:

#1. Learn to Think Clearly

Sounds simple enough, but then there's what’s called, "Mrs. Peter's Law," to explain it a bit more:

"If you're not confused by what's going on today, you're just not thinking clearly."

Lots of research shows that our thinking is fairly muddled and we're way too easily distracted. We're confused mostly because we don't know how to find enough of the right information and then organize it so that it makes sense.

So to organize your thinking, make an outline. Better than an outline, make a Mind-Map. Mind-mapping is a simple and elegant way of organizing your thinking visually, by mapping it. (It's what I'm using to write this article.) They’re easy to learn and your brain will thank you for doing so. Map your future.

Find Blogger @ChuckFrey on the InterWebs. He's probably the best resource for mind-mapping. http://mindmappingsoftwareblog.com/author/admin/

#2. Find Your Retreat

Oh, sorry, that was a typo. You don't want to retreat. You want querencia. Not familiar with that word? Too bad because it's a great one! Much better than retreat.

Here's the definition of querencia: A place from which one’s strength of character is drawn. A place in which we know exactly who we are. The place from which we speak our deepest beliefs.

It's a Spanish word but you should make it your word. We all need querencia. You need querencia to help you take ownership of your future. Finding querencia gives you a place to stand. Without a place to stand, everything you build, everything you plan is without foundation.

Foundations first, then plans, then build.

#3. Paid Attention
If you're reading this, then you're the sort who's not really paid for your time, you're paid for your attention. Time is linear, attention is non-linear. Time is one damn thing after another. Attention is holistic, unlimited and very much not linear. We pay attention to lots of things at the same time. Teenagers, I have been told, can pay attention to ten different things at once and still be, like, bored.
We falsely pride ourselves for being able to do that, but it’s not a strength, it’s become a weakness. About ten years ago, I was at a conference to speak just after Temple Grandin, the famous agriculture specialist who also happens to be autistic. Halfway through her talk on "Humane Animal Rendering," she spied a guy sitting near me and practically shouted at him, “You’re texting! Stop it!” Then looking out at everyone else, she said, "People! Stop multitasking! Multitasking makes you stupid!” Just a guess, but I’d say she lost that battle, because apparently we lost that war.

This may be one of those memes that has no real science behind it, but I'm going to believe it and share it anyway: People in the first half of the last century were able to pay attention to something and keep that attention focused for upwards of 20 minutes at a time. Today, it's down to about 8 seconds of total concentration, which they say is right up there - no, strike that - right down there with goldfish. Squirrels, I'll wager, have a longer attention span than you do - and that's just nuts.

A.D.O.S. Attention Deficit, Oooh, Shiny!

So put a bit more effort into putting your technology in its place, which is more off to the side, much less in front. Slow down the madness, break the addiction, stop the behavior that has become indistinguishable from worship.

Stop using your so-called smart device as a shield, use it as a tool.

Understand that your tech not your most important tool, your own brain is. Your brain is the breakthrough app, if you’d only stop being so distracted towards every little new upgrade.

Protect your attention. It’s the most valuable resource you own. Stop giving it away.

For more of David's thought-provoking ideas, see Part 2 and Part 3 of our 3-Part Guest Blog Series.

And, if you enjoy David's posts, you’ll delight in seeing see him live, in-action, during Thursday’s keynote presentation at SEWI-ATD’s Fall Special Event. Register today!

Virtual and Augmented Reality Will Change The Workplace Forever

Laura Chartier — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 00:40:44 GMT

Published on April 18, 2016

YouTube video: 4:17

https://youtu.be/H8__q4lZEtw

7 Basic Emotional Intelligence Training Keys Your Boss Needs to Know About

Laura Chartier — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 20:57:53 GMT

We had another terrific PDN with the SEWI-ATD Leaders of Learning group on Friday! Our topic was Emotional Intelligence: Defining it, discussion of formal training processes for staff development, resources, and organizational need. This blog repost, "7 Basic Emotional Intelligence Training Keys Your Boss Needs to Know About" by Aleesa Word, is a wonderful follow-up to our conversation.

And if you like that one, you’ll also enjoy this compelling article, “Emotional Intelligence Can Boost Your Career And Save Your Life,” by Dr. Travis Bradberry.

5 Top Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Technology Trends for 2016

Laura Chartier — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 20:30:42 GMT

SEWI-ATD’s 2016 Fall Special Event has incited quite a buzz about the promises of virtual and augmented realities in the talent development industry! After having had many conversations with colleagues about it though, it seems that hesitations about its proliferation in training during the next few years greatly outweigh the faith that many have regarding their organization’s acceptance of futuristic methodologies anytime soon. Perhaps a four-generation workforce and the old-school mentality of some middle-aged upper managers is what brings certain progressive L&D initiatives to a screaming halt. Or maybe it’s limited budgeting and resources that are getting in the way. However, to get a glimpse of how AR & VR are moving fast in the public eye, and how that may begin to drive organizational change sooner rather than later, check out these 5 Top Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Technology Trends for 2016.

Chasing Pokémon Can Help You Catch Learning

Laura Chartier — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 13:37:00 GMT

Don’t have a multi-million dollar budget to create your own Pokémon-Go style game for Learning? Viable AR learning experiences are still possible and can be achieved in most organizations. Check out this essay by Anders Gronstedt (Keynote speaker at our upcoming 9/22/16 Fall Special Event) to learn more about the possibilities of blending VR, AR, Gamification, and Social Learning to entice and engage your learners.

7 Trends for Workforce 2020: How to Make Today’s Ever-Changing Workplace Work for You

Laura Chartier — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 19:31:53 GMT

This 14 page guide from Bridge is a bit more in-depth than our typical blog posts, but HR managers, L&D professionals, and managers will find this to be an informative how-to on keeping up with the emerging trends in today’s modern workplace.

7 Trends for Workforce 2020.pdf

Do you have the ‘Nerve’ to take on the future, NOW?

Laura Chartier — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 14:50:27 GMT

Written by Laura Chartier

Have you seen the 2002 movie Minority Report? If so, you probably marveled at the main character, John Anderton (played by Tom Cruise), using gestures like an orchestral conductor to navigate vast amounts of visual data on a virtual screen. Or perhaps you mused at Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), manipulating holograms to rapidly prototype a new element in the 2008 movie, Iron Man. Maybe you thought to yourself, “Won’t it be cool when we eventually have technology like that at our fingertips?” Well, guess what…we do! That technology is here now, and seriously, it’s been here for years.

Watch this TED presentation that shows John Underkoffler showing his Minority Report interface to the audience.

Check out this USA Today video & article, “I am Iron Man: That's how these augmented reality goggles feel.”

As Talent Development Professionals, if we haven’t started preparing for the use of mixed realities in our workplaces, then we are already behind the virtual 8-ball.

But there’s already too much on my plate!

I know…it often seems like we can barely stay on top of what is already dumped in our laps, let alone keep track of the latest buzz-words and new best practices that constantly bombard us. With that said, I'm stepping out onto a precarious limb to suggest that we had better commit to making it a part of our regular routines to look up from (or dig out from under) the current stacks and piles that surround us, and explore the FUTURE of what we do.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are very real components of what training and eLearning are fast becoming, promoting a miraculous depth of knowledge and skill we previously never thought possible. In case you’re a little fuzzy about this whole VR/AR thing, let me help clarify: VR is a computer-generated representation of an environment that allows for user interaction through immersive simulation. AR differs from VR in that it superimposes a digital image, sound, data, or other sensory input over something real-world, in real time, blending the simulated and the tangible.

The recent advances of mobile devices and wearable technology have made AR and VR available not just in games and laboratories, but also in your hands. Using a smartphone anyone can create augmented reality content (yep, there are apps for that…many that are low-cost or even FREE).

Diminishing resources in today’s workplaces precipitate the need to evaluate and reevaluate methods to effectively train employees and customers. Accordingly, more and more Instructional Designers are showing interest in the opportunities that virtual and augmented realities have to offer.

Possibilities and Benefits for the Workplace

Augmented environments can be incredibly diverse, providing personalized learning content for each individual learner. Instead of memorizing information, the learner is involved in an adaptive learning experience based on an existing context. Having control over their environment, learners can manipulate virtual objects however they please.

Doctoral Interns can make surgical incisions to explore human anatomy or try new techniques without physical harm to a patient.
Mechanical Designers can navigate a 3D model of the machine they’re developing and manipulate components to conserve space and reduce costs.
Front-line Employees can do safety checks by viewing intuitive, step-by-step instructions in an animated layer that’s locked onto their equipment and viewable from any angle.
Midwife Trainees can practice showing empathy and compassion using digital images of a patient superimposed onto mannequins to create a realistic experience.
Customer Service Representatives can meet with subject matter experts in real-time for live guidance supported by an augmented reality toolset accessible from any device.

Every employee, new or experienced, can learn the processes and procedures of the company they work for through augmented reality training.

Gartner Inc., the world's leading information technology research and advisory company, has concluded that AR provides the highest benefit for efficiency. It has the potential to:

Improve productivity
Provide hands-on experience
Simplify current processes
Increase available information
Provide real-time access to data
Offer new ways to visualize problems and solutions
Enhance collaboration

Furthermore, a 2015 study conducted by Boeing with Iowa State University on the impact of augmented reality on business training showed that AR was responsible for a 30% reduction in the amount of time for task completions and a 90% improvement in quality on first attempts.

A video released last year from Caterpillar demonstrates how their company is revolutionizing the client experience, ultimately redefining what it means to be a relationship business in the digital age. Their Innovation Teams are bringing data to life, fusing physical and digital worlds with AR and VR. Using special glasses that reveal an overlay of digital information, models, and analytics on top of actual products, Cat is training operators and service technicians, improving productivity, and optimizing reality for their customers.

Well, get on the bandwagon already!

If you haven’t been sucked in by the Pokémon-Go phenomenon, you’ve undoubtedly at least heard about it…everywhere. That’s proof that one form of augmented reality is banging down our doors. If you wait much longer for VR and AR to be right in your face, it will likely be too late to anticipate the curve balls it will throw at your Learning and Development Program. Don’t get left behind in the virtual dust!

In the new 2016 movie Nerve, the game’s creepy robotic voice asks the character Vee, “Are you a watcher or a player?” When it comes to the future of Learning and Development, I’d like to encourage you to decide the same, and choose the latter.

What are your thoughts? Are you already using virtual or augmented reality, or other pioneering methods? Are you envisioning, researching, and planning for the future? How can we help each other stay ahead of the game and be successful?

For starters, be sure to scope out SEWI-ATD's 2016 Fall Special Event, “The Future...How Will You and Your Organization Remain Relevant? A Vision of Learning for 2020 and Beyond.”

Hope to see you there (and in the future, right now!)

The 21st Century Toolbox: Restock It with Social Learning

Laura Chartier — Fri, 19 Aug 2016 22:37:10 GMT

At SEWI-ATD’s August Event, Chief Learning Rebel, Shannon Tipton delighted the audience with fresh ideas for restocking our 21st Century Toolboxes with Social Learning. In her presentation, she clarified the differences between social learning and social tools for learning and then elaborated on innovative ways to support learning outcomes and drive participant connectivity with today’s technology. Click here to view Shannon’s SlideShare on Curating, Communicating, and Collaborating.

For a great extension piece, check out this repost from eLearning Industry on Why Your Workplace Needs Social And Collaborative Learning Technologies, by Kali Blunt.

Additionally, to learn more from Shannon on a different but related topic, enjoy her blog post about The Art of Training: Building Motivation.

Project Management – Setting Boundaries

Laura Chartier — Mon, 15 Aug 2016 17:58:19 GMT

“Will you just include this process in your e-learning module?"

“Oh, and one more thing, please add this section to the training you are working on.”

“We don’t have anyone to bring the SMEs up to speed. Can you put a workshop together…?"

Sound familiar? This is the subtle ways learning and development projects get off track. What is scope creep? What is good customer service? When you say “That’s not in the contract,” are your clients willing to talk about it? How do you discuss what add-on requests will do to the project timeline and resources?

Whether you are a Talent Development professional working as within an organization or as an external consultant, you will face this dilemma. Projects often do not have enough contingency built in, and those who are looking inside the world of adult learning from the outside rarely appreciate the effort and time it takes to build effective learning programs. Once you start a project, more needs and possibilities to come the surface.

This is the topic of our next Consultants’ Professional Development network get together on August 25, 2016 at 5:30 PM at Sprecher’s Restaurant and Pub in the Bayshore Mall.

Wendy Terwelp and Marilyn Zwissler will bring Scope of Work and Project Extension agreement examples. Please bring your contract examples and a tip or two to share on talking with clients about scope creep and what it will do to your project.

What's the Deal With Personalized Learning?

Laura Chartier — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 00:03:09 GMT

What’s the deal with personalized learning? Today, everything can be customized, from cars to shoes to iPhones...so why not training? Let's ditch the one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, engage your learners, promote success, and increase your ROI and profitability by providing a tailored experience.

5 Social Learning Myths eLearning Professionals Need To Know

Laura Chartier — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 21:35:39 GMT

From Millennials to Baby Boomers, social learning is fast becoming an indispensable part of professional growth and the collaborative process in today's organizations. How savvy are you regarding this eLearning methodology? Here's the truth behind 5 common social learning myths.

Virtual and Augmented Reality Will Transform Learning... Here's How!

Andy Marris, CPTD — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 20:31:18 GMT

In this amazing article by Anders Gronstedt, discover how virtual and augmented reality are already transforming the classroom and how they will soon become a part of everyday life. You can also meet Anders and try these technologies live at the SEWI-ATD 2016 Fall Event on September 22!

The Future... How Will You and Your Organization Remain Relevant? The SEWI-ATD 2016 Fall Event is now LIVE!

Andy Marris, CPTD — Fri, 29 Jul 2016 15:10:51 GMT

The Future...

How Will You and Your Organization Remain Relevant?

A Vision of Learning for 2020 and Beyond

Virtual Reality | Augmented Reality | Gamification

September 22, 2016

8:00 am - 4:00 pm

In an ever-changing world, staying at least one step ahead is imperative for the Talent Development Professional. As always, SEWI-ATD is here to help you confidently see the future with clarity.

SEWI-ATD is proud to bring you its most cutting-edge learning event ever! We'll be demonstrating the latest in:
• Augmented Reality
• Gamification
• Online Video Learning
• Transmedia Storytelling
• Virtual Reality

...all centered around making you and your organization prepared to make learning stickier and more applicable for your learners than ever before. This is not about merely hearing about these advances in technology... You will be able to try and personally experience each of them, first-hand. Register today!

CPLP... Is it Worth It?

Andy Marris, CPTD — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 14:09:32 GMT

In April, esteemed SEWI-ATD members Marilyn Zwissler and Erin Brady shared their experiences - both struggles and successes - in earning their CPLP certifications. If you are still pondering whether or not to take this important credentialing step in your career, here is another realistic, yet inspiring look that may push you to take on the challenge and enhance your credibility in the marketplace.

It's All About the Brand

Andy Marris, CPTD — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 16:18:31 GMT

Is the training you create and/or deliver indicative of your brand? Everything you do can create an impression--a perception--in the minds of those that receive the learning you deliver. In this phenomenal article, Wendy Webb shares the importance of, and the need for a great brand perception of you and your work.

Learning Technology... Friend not Foe

Andy Marris, CPTD — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 14:04:35 GMT

Socrates once railed against technology ruining actual learning (in his case, the written word replacing the oral tradition - a worry that almost ludicrous in hindsight). A few thousand years later, many people are still concerned that the ability to look things up instantly will subvert our ability to truly learn. This article we found from the BBC explores this issue, and shows how learning technology can quell these fears.

Developing Good Habits in Leading People to Successful Results

Andy Marris, CPTD — Fri, 20 May 2016 16:50:38 GMT

Sports science has touted recent research on muscle memory as it applies to how athletes succeed. Similarly, Julie Dirksen explores in this outstanding article how leaders can also create habit forming behaviors, so they can respond appropriately to challenging situations. As we continue to explore the importance of knowledge application this month in the blog, this is another suggested read.

Dr. Phillips Speaks on Predictive Learning Analytics One Week from Today!

Andy Marris, CPTD — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:36:55 GMT

If you enjoyed our three recent posts on PLA (Predictive Learning Analytics) and avoiding "scrap learning," you'll love next week's event! Join SEWI-ATD as Dr. Ken Phillips presents on how predictive analytics are changing TD for the better. Get more information here.

In addition, CLO Magazine just posted yet another interesting article on the topic, here.

The PLA (Predictive Learning Analytics™) Revolution

Andy Marris, CPTD — Wed, 11 May 2016 23:02:31 GMT

From Dr. Ken Phillips, CPLP (CEO of Phillips Consulting and May 20th SEWI-ATD guest speaker):

Imagine the possibilities if you could know at the conclusion of a learning program which learners are most and least likely to apply what they learned back on the job.

…Or, imagine if you had data indicating which managers did a good and poor job of supporting the learning they sent their employees to attend.

…Or, imagine if you had an objective way to compare the overall quality of one learning program with another so that you could revise or eliminate those programs that aren’t delivering value.

Now all this and more is possible using Predictive Learning Analytics™ (PLA).

PLA is a revolutionary new way to apply data based decision-making to learning. The PLA methodology doesn’t replace traditional measurement and evaluation of learning, but rather builds upon it and provides two new exciting possibilities:

1) it focuses on individual learners and not on programs or cohorts; and
2) it focuses on predicting future behaviors or actions and not on documenting what has already happened.

These two differences make Predictive Learning Analytics™ a game-changer, enabling L&D professionals to proactively and strategically increase training transfer while at the same time increasing their personal credibility with the business executive stakeholders they support.

If you would like to learn more about Predictive Learning Analytics™ and how it can add value in your organization, come join me and your fellow Southeastern Wisconsin ATD Chapter members on Friday, May 20 to learn about the new tools and new rules for improving training transfer through the use of Predictive Learning Analytics™.

It's Time to Scrap "Scrap Learning"

Andy Marris, CPTD — Mon, 09 May 2016 17:38:33 GMT

Have you heard the term, "scrap learning?" It's a problem that occurs far too often within the L&D profession. Scrap learning is when people attend training, but don't apply what they learned. In this insightful post, Dr. Ken Phillips, CPLP and our upcoming speaker, shows us how to get learning to not only stick, but to transform behavior and produce results.

Want to learn more? Join us May 20, as Dr. Phillips speaks on this problem.

Analytics in Talent Development

Andy Marris, CPTD — Thu, 05 May 2016 12:59:40 GMT

Many Learning and Development Professionals are struggling to keep up with the current trends in predictive analytics in business, and yet they can play a pivotal role in talent development. This article by Ryann K. Ellis demonstrates the advantages of using analytics in learning.

SAVE THE DATE! SEWI-ATD 2016 Annual Event September 22, 2016 at the Schlitz Audubon!

Andy Marris, CPTD — Thu, 05 May 2016 02:04:56 GMT

One of the major goals of this blog is to keep you abreast of the latest learning technologies, and to create awareness of what is coming in the future. On September 22, 2016, SEWI-ATD will hold its 2016 Annual Event, and this year it will be:

The Future...How Will You and Your Organization Remain Relevant?

Classroom Augmented Reality, Emerging Educational Technologies, Wearables and Beyond!

The event will be held at the majestic Schlitz Audubon Nature Center in Milwaukee, so block off your calendar now so you can attend this incredible event.

3... 2... 1... Re-Launch! Welcome to the New & Improved SEWI-ATD Blog!

Andy Marris, CPTD — Tue, 03 May 2016 18:28:52 GMT

At the Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter of ATD, our combined vision and mission is to "Partner with individuals and organizations we serve to develop highly skilled and talented professionals" in the SEWI workforce. That especially applies to great Learning and Development Professionals like you. As the current VP of Communications for our chapter, I can think of no better way to do this than to develop a "must read" resource for you to stay current, and sift through all the noise.

Meet the SEWI-ATD Blog. We will work to bring you the best in talent and development research and enrichment, so that you can consider this blog a one-stop-repository to keep you abreast of what's current and what's next.

In the past, we've posted great information here casually to keep you informed, but going forward, we are committing to you to make this blog the go-to resource for you in the talent development field. Please take a moment to look back at the excellent content that we've already posted in the past, but make sure to check-in frequently to see the awesome content this blog will now provide on an ongoing and continual basis. Please tell us how we're doing as a blog, a website, and most importantly a chapter to help make you the best at what you do.

Thanks for reading!

Andy Marris

P.S. If you're interested in blogging compelling information here, please don't hesitate to contact me at communications@sewi-atd.com.

Innovation is Not Just a Buzzword

Andy Marris, CPTD — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 13:54:00 GMT

Change is hard. Especially when one feels that one's credibility or competence will be challenged by the change. Yet every organization is looking for innovation. "Encouraged change." This article by Dorothy Leonard offers some unique perspectives on how fresh eyes, not just new ones and she explains the difference, can lead to innovations in the workplace (such as the space exploration team at NASA).

Competencies: Layer Them On...

Andy Marris, CPTD — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 20:24:31 GMT

Doing more with less has been a mantra of organizations for better than a decade now. In fact, on April 22, SEWI-ATD will be offering an event on lean learning. Getting the right competencies in place to ensure your people are as effective as they can be in this environment is critical. This piece by Jim Graber is a great place to start.

The CPLP & You

Andy Marris, CPTD — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 18:20:36 GMT

If you are a Talent Development professional with five years or more in the industry, you have a wealth of experience. Are you recognized for what you know and do to improve workplace performance and drive productivity?

The CPLP® (Certified Professional in Learning and Performance®) credential tells the world you are the best in the field. You know how to analyze an organization’s needs and design learning programs that have a positive impact on the bottom line. You not only know it; you have demonstrated it in your organization.

The CPLP® credential gives you a competitive advantage in the marketplace, increases your earning potential, and differentiates you from your peers. Global organizations across a wide spectrum of industries seek CPLP® professionals. This includes Hilton Hotels, Allstate, Coca-Cola, Ralph Lauren, Walmart, and Whole Foods to name a few.

Are you interested in learning more? Would you like to join a study group to prepare for the exam or Skills Assessment? SEWI-ATD offers free informational webinars and hosts study groups. Our chapter CPLP® professionals are here to support you on your journey.

To earn the CPLP® credential, you must have five years of talent development experience. Next, you take an exam that covers talent development’s 10 Areas of Expertise. After passing the exam, you complete a Skills Assessment Exam, where you apply what you know to business cases in your specific area of expertise (e.g., Instructional Design, Change Management, Learning Technologies, etc.).

**This blog post was authored by Marilyn Zwissler, 2016 Past-President of SEWI-ATD, and a credentialized CPLP.

Talk Like a Boss

Andy Marris, CPTD — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 15:18:00 GMT

How often have you heard or maybe said yourself that talent development deserves a seat at the senior team table? CLO Magazine is named after the concept of a Chief Learning Officer, yet they are often few and far between. As learning professionals, we need to not only know our business, but the business that we serve. In essence, get out of training and into the business you're training for, making them better at what they are in business to do. This article from Sara Fister Gale brings this concept home.

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply!" ~ Goethe

Andy Marris, CPTD — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 18:15:37 GMT

With organizations spending so much money on training their people (and let's face it, that money is going to many of us), how can we ensure that knowledge gained isn't knowledge lost? How do we get the participants to actually apply what they've learned? This Art Kohn article is an excellent read, as it speaks to boosting both retention and application.

Leadership and the Army - True Grit

Andy Marris, CPTD — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 15:00:00 GMT

When soldiers in the Vietnam War started frequently assassinating their superior officers, the US Army quickly learned it had to change its preferred style of leadership, command and control. The disturbing practice had become so common, it even earned a nickname, "fragging." From this dark time in the Army's history to today, where emotional intelligence and informed decision making is valued, the army has really evolved in how it leads its people. This article is an interesting read on leadership, including the Army's focus on training, education, and experience.

Five Ways to Celebrate Employee Learning Week!

Andy Marris, CPTD — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 18:59:37 GMT

Today marks the start of Employee Learning Week (December 7-11, 2015). You can help promote it in the following ways:

Encourage employees to attend a course or program that will enhance their skills
Hold an education fair or “lunch and learn” during the week to remind employees about training opportunities
Send an email to employees each day of the week with a new learning tip
Involve the CEO and senior executives in recognizing the value learning brings to the organization
Submit a proclamation request to government officials within your community, city, or region to highlight your Employee Learning Week events and activities

We'd love to hear what you are doing to promote Employee Learning Week. Send us your ideas for a chance to win an Amazon Fire, ATD books, among other great prizes.

We've Gotta Stop Meeting Like This!

Wed, 04 Nov 2015 22:30:26 GMT

**A Blast from the Discovery Past**

We've Gotta Stop Meeting Like This!

Submitted by Victor Gray

May 1993

Recently, I overheard an executive of a well-known company complain that his full management staff was never available for a meeting. One of the attendees stated, “We don’t mind meeting, but we didn’t know that today was the day. If you don’t let us know in advance, we might not be able to make it!”

Meetings fail for a number of reasons:

Lack of objectives. Stating the purpose of the meeting and what’s to be accomplished is helpful in planning the meeting; it’s also critical when the attendees need to “buy into” the agenda items.
Lack of an agenda. My executive friend proved that without advance notification as to the date, time and place, poor meeting attendance may be the result. Participants want to know if the meeting is relevant to them. Give them an opportunity to be involved in setting the agenda.
Lack of planning. Poor planning usually results in poor meetings. If you want better meetings, proper planning is essential.
Wrong people. Make sure the people attending are the ones who need to be there. Let guest speakers be first on the agenda. Exits from the meeting attendance should be offered when the assignment to the group has ended. Most people won’t argue about attending one less meeting.
Failure to start and end on time. If you don’t start your meeting as scheduled there is no incentive to be on time. Furthermore, the individuals who arrive on time are punished by having to wait or stay later for those who arrive late. Get a reputation for starting and ending on time.
Allowing interruptions. Beepers that go off, and participants who are called out of the meeting interrupt the desired activity. When possible, ask participants to check their beepers at the door and be interrupted only in the case of an emergency.
Failure to follow up. It is important to check that agreed-upon assignments outside the meeting take place in a timely manner. Having an “open door policy” isn’t always enough. Subordinates may benefit from some encouragement, assistance or correction. A smart leader will look for the things that people are doing right and provide some praise.
Failure to regularly critique meetings. Meetings should be evaluated on a periodic basis. Do the attendees still agree that the objectives represent what we are trying to accomplish? Have we obtained feedback on the agenda regularly? Are the right people in attendance? If you stopped having the meeting would anybody miss it?

I’ve heard that my executive friend has identified dates that his staff could meet. He also issued an agenda. His meeting problems have been solved. Have you solved your meeting problems?

Creativity from Chaos: A New Kind of Gathering for Business

Fri, 02 Oct 2015 13:21:26 GMT

**A Blast from the Discovery Past**

Creativity from Chaos

A New Kind of Gathering for Business

Submitted by Barbara Markoff
October 1993

Imagine a long rectangular room with only chairs around the perimeter. Attached on one long wall is plain poster paper and in the middle of the room is a small table covered with notepaper, markers and tape.

A meeting has been called and soon everyone files in and takes a seat. Often people are feeling a bit nervous about the lack of structure or skeptical about whether this is going to be worth anyone’s time. The leader of the organization welcomes everyone, states why this event is occurring and encourages broad participation. Absent is any statement about expected outcomes. Then the facilitator moves into the center of the room and gives the instructions that are to shape the next one to four days.

We are talking about a new meeting methodology called “Open Space.” It is an alternative to the typical meeting or conference for which the agenda has been painstakingly laid out, often months in advance. With “Open Space,” the actual agenda is developed on site with all the participants creating it “just in time.” The only advance planning an event such as this requires is setting a meeting or conference time, inviting the right people to come and arranging the logistics.

Harrision H. Owen, the originator of “Open Space,” credits part of the idea for this methodology from his frequent observation at conferences. Owen found the most creative and often spirit-filled time was during coffee breaks and between sessions. He decided to experiment with designing conferences that could produce the good, intense interaction that occurs during a coffee break, while achieving the output and performance that results from a meeting.

The entire conference agenda can be created within one hour even if there are 400 or more people attending. Participants are invited to think of a topic or issue that relates to the conference theme that he or she is interested in initiating. The issue is given a title, recorded on a piece of paper, announced and then attached to the wall. The posted topics are arranged in immediate, late morning, and afternoon time slots and are given locations by the volunteer convener. Then the participants are invited, en masse, to come to the “village marketplace” to sign up for the session they wish to attend.

It has been said, “Structure happens.” What may seem like a chaotic process soon transforms into a fluid structure. People negotiate with conveners if there are simultaneous sessions they wish to attend and new sessions are added throughout the event as new ideas occur to people. There may be personal computers available on site for the recording and printing of notes so they can be posted for the benefit of the whole community.

While some management systems are designed to boost productivity by reorganizing and controlling, this process edges on chaos, promoting it as a potent, creative force. “Open Space” is a bit like the “Stone Soup Story.” The minimal guidance offered is like the rock in a pot of water; everyone offers their ideas to the soup and in the end the group is well fed.

“Open Space” technology is effective when real learning and innovation are required and using familiar methods will not likely spur that result. It would assist any organization that knows it needs to make some fundamental changes, but is unsure about the direction in which to go or how to get there.

Who would agree with this assertion? Major corporations, government organizations and communities on five continents have used this innovative approach from polymer chemists at DuPont to the U.S. Forest Service. Most were highly skeptical that the approach would “work for them” and were surprised and delighted when they saw the results. Many now use “Open Space" for many of their meetings.

You cannot do much better than convene such an event with almost no planning time and expense, and walk out with pages of ideas and plans to a highly motivated group.

Special Event Focus—Open Space Explained

Fri, 02 Oct 2015 02:05:14 GMT

Research shows that engaging learners in the learning process can:

increase their attention and focus
motivate them to practice higher-level critical thinking skills
promote meaningful learning experiences

OPEN SPACE can help engage learners, but why would I use this method instead of another?

OPEN SPACE:

SAVES time and prep because a detailed, advanced agenda, plans and materials are not needed. Participants totally influence the direction, content and outcomes.

IS EASY to get started with a very brief icebreaker or allow a few minutes for participants to catch-up with one another. Each participant might introduce themselves by sharing a short story about who they are.

ELIMINATES the need for tables or desks to be set-up. The environment, however, should be large enough to hold the entire group with space to move around. Participants usually sit in a large circle.

WORKS for any group size, but less than 20 people may limit a diverse exchange.

PROVIDES immediate response for the needs of each participant because they decide what they want to learn. Participants consider what burning questions or topics they want addressed.

GIVES participants control to go somewhere else if they find they aren't learning or contributing to an original group or topic.

ALLOWS participants to share knowledge with one another. How often have you asked your peers for information or suggestions on something you need? Everyone has some skill or knowledge they can share. Any participant who feels they can contribute to the discussion on the topic should do so. Participants consider what areas of expertise they can offer to others.

CAN be done in one day, but the most powerful sessions go on for two or three days. Participants gather together briefly to share experiences and announce topics. The rest of the day is spent in intense conversation.

CLOSES the session with participants sharing commitments, next steps, and observations about what the event. It’s best to conduct the wrap-up in a circle to allow anyone the opportunity to say what was of significance and what they propose to do.

Open Space is a combination of order and chaos that brings together people who are really interested in exploring something they care deeply about.

Please join your peers for this special event to experience Open Space on October 29 – 30 from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm at the UW-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education downtown. Register today!

Special Event Update--Early Bird Registration Extended!

Andy Marris, CPTD — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 01:47:05 GMT

Early Bird Registration Extended!

Did you miss the Early Bird Registration for the chapter special event, “Engage Learners using Whole Brain Thinking and Open Space Technology?” You’re in luck!!! The Early Bird registration period has been extended to Friday, October 2nd. Register now and save!

Special Event Focus—Whole Brain® Thinking and the HBDI Assessment

Whole Brain® Thinking

Chances are you are familiar with the concept of “left brain/right brain.” Whole Brain® Thinking stretches that concept further and focuses on showing people how to use their whole brain. There are notable benefits to applying Whole Brain® Thinking since understanding how the brain works helps impact learning outcomes. As learning professionals, we can then reach our learners by understanding different learning styles that make the learning experiences stick! Whole Brain® Thinking can make organizations more effective as it can bridge gaps between functions, levels, and generations within an organization.

Our presenter for this portion of the event is nationally renowned expert and author, Ann Herrmann-Nehdi. Click here to read more about Whole Brain® Thinking.

Your event registration includes the HBDI®Assessment!!

Special event participants will be able to take the HBDI® (Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument) assessment. This is included in your registration fees and is a tremendous value. The HBDI assessment is 120 questions that define and describes someone’s thinking preferences against the Whole Brain® model. This assessment will help you understand where you are in the Whole Brain® model as well as how you can interact with others in different areas of the Whole Brain® spectrum. We are thrilled to offer the HBDI® as part of “Engage Learners using Whole Brain Thinking and Open Space Technology.”

Meet our Presenter! Happy Hour Social

We are pleased to offer a Happy Hour Social at the end of our October 29th session from 4:45 to 6:30 at Port of Call , which is just a short walk from the UWM School of Continuing Education facility. The Happy Hour social will feature complimentary light appetizers and a cash bar. Meet Tom Leahy and network with other learning professionals while you wait out the afternoon rush hour!

Special Event Focus—Whole Brain Thinking and the HBDI Assessment

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 01:56:11 GMT

You may be wondering—what is Whole Brain Thinking?

Whole Brain® Thinking focuses on showing people how to use their whole brain—not just the parts with which they feel most comfortable. It acknowledges that while different tasks require different mental processes, and different people prefer different kinds of thinking, organizations will get better results when they can strategically leverage the full spectrum of thinking available.

Our presenter for this portion of the event is nationally renowned expert and author, Ann Herrmann-Nehdi. We are in for a real treat!

But wait—there’s more!

Your event registration includes the HBDI®Assessment!!

Special Event participants will be able to take the HBDI® (Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument) assessment. This is included with your registration fees! What a tremendous value. We are thrilled to be able to offer this as part of our already reasonable registration fees!!

What is the HBDI® assessment?

The HBDI® assessment is 120 questions that define and describes someone’s thinking preferences against the Whole Brain® model. This assessment will help you understand where you are in the Whole Brain® model as well as how you can interact with others in different areas of the Whole Brain spectrum.

Watch for upcoming information on Open Space Technology in our next update!

Top 10 Reasons to Attend the 2015 SEWI-ATD Special Event: Engage Your Learners

Andy Marris, CPTD — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 21:31:26 GMT

10. Uncover how to engage your learners using Whole Brain® Thinking courtesy of Day 1 Speaker Anne Herrmann-Nehdi.

9. Experience Open Space Technology first-hand among your fellow learning and development professionals.

8. Receive a FREE personal profile of the internationally renowned Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument® (HBDI®) Assessment with your registration.

7. Obtain a skill or experience that you seek for learning engagement by approaching others using the "law of two feet" during Open Space.

6. There is something for everyone, from Novice to Experienced, to LEARN during the Open Space session.

5. There is something for everyone, from Novice to Experienced, to SHARE during the Open Space session.

4. Rev up for Friday’s session during a Thursday Happy Hour with our Open Space facilitator, Tom Leahy!

3. With so many possibilities to be uncovered, you are sure to attend session topics that best fit your professional needs.

2. It’s the perfect way to celebrate Halloween – bring your bag of training “tricks” and tools to share!

1. 2 days, 2 speakers – it’s 2 Big to Miss!

Thursday, October 29 & Friday, October 30

8:00 am – 4:30 pm

UWM – School of Continuing Education

For more information and to register, visit: http://sewi-atd.org/fall-special-event-engagelearners

Early Bird Registration ends September 26^th!

2015 Special Event Update: Early Bird Registration ends soon!

Andy Marris, CPTD — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 16:49:09 GMT

The Early Bird gets the worm—and significant savings for the chapter special event, “Engage Learners using Whole Brain Thinking and Open Space Technology.” The Early Bird registration period ends earlier than usual. The deadline is Saturday September 26. Register now and save!

Today's Special Event Focus—Whole Brain Thinking and the HBDI Assessment

What is Whole Brain Thinking?

Whole Brain® Thinking focuses on showing people how to use their whole brain—not just the half with which they feel most comfortable. It acknowledges that while different tasks require different mental processes, and different people prefer different kinds of thinking, organizations will get better results when they can strategically leverage the full spectrum of thinking available.

Our presenter, Ann Herrmann-Nehdi, is a nationally renowned expert and author on the subject.

But wait—there’s more! Your event registration includes the HBDI Assessment.

What is the HBDI assessment?

The HBDI assessment is 120 questions that define and describes someone’s thinking preferences against the Whole Brain® model. This assessment will help you understand where you are in the Whole Brain model as well as how you can interact with others in different areas of the Whole Brain spectrum.

This tool is included with your registration fees; a tremendous value.

Watch for our next update on Open Space Technology, the second portion of our 2 Big 2 Miss event!

Engage Your Learners: 2 Speakers! 2 Days! 2 Big to Miss!

Tue, 01 Sep 2015 01:59:42 GMT

It’s the perennial question—how do we engage our learners? This year’s cutting edge, 2-day Special Event offers you a 360° opportunity to learn about Whole Brain® Thinking to engage learners, as well as to share and learn from your peers using Open Space Technology. Our speakers, Anne Herrmann-Nehdi and Tom Leahy, will guide us through this 2-day learning journey.

During Day 1, Anne Herrmann-Nehdi will engage and inspire our Whole Brain® Thinking. Whole Brain® Thinking focuses on showing people how to use their whole brain—not just the parts with which they feel most comfortable. It acknowledges that while different tasks require different mental processes, and different people prefer different kinds of thinking, organizations will get better results when they can strategically leverage the full spectrum of thinking available. To help in our understanding of this, each event attendee will complete the HBDI Assessment® prior to the event (and included in the registration fee). You will receive your assessment results upon event check-in to reference during the morning.

Later that afternoon, Tom Leahy will start our Open Space experience! Open Space is an incredible meeting technology developed by Harrison Owens, who observed the tendency for people to self-organize into groups. He created a process that facilitates a high degree of spontaneity, choice, and personal responsibility that fits perfectly with today’s learners.

We will spend Thursday afternoon uncovering potential session topics, expertise, and questions that revolve around learner engagement. Tom will cover the necessary details and boundaries that make this technology work as the participants look forward to a day of self-selected learning and sharing of topics in demand by their peers on Friday.

Friday will be filled with five sessions, of your choosing, based on the topics you and other attendees determined. Using the “Law of two feet,” be ready to request sessions from others who may have a skill or experience that you seek. It is also an opportunity to bring your own “bag of tricks” by coming prepared to share your expertise and/or your favorite go-to resources (e.g., books, articles, games) for learner engagement. You know what you want to learn – participate in what is meaningful to you. Join us on this exciting quest!

Thursday, October 29 & Friday, October 30

8:00 am – 4:30 pm

UWM – School of Continuing Education

v Breakfast and lunch provided each day.
v Free Parking included with registration!
v Earn points for CPLP recertification!

Click here for more information [link to: http://sewi-atd.org/fall-special-event-engagelearners ]

President's Message

Mon, 13 Apr 2015 19:03:27 GMT

Things are on the move here at SEWI-ATD, and we welcome all members and guests to come along. We hope you like our new website, the new e-blasts and now, we have a blog! Come back often to see what's new.

As president, I am proud of the programs and activities that this year’s SEWI-ATD team of board members and volunteers is bringing to you. We had rave reviews for the February and March presenters and the next program on April 24^th – Education + Expertise = Empowerment, promises to be another success. It is a very timely topic that is currently trending in the media and in TD magazine.

In addition to new looks, we started a Professional Development Network (PDN) for talent & organizational development professionals. Whether you are a consultant out on your own or an internal practitioner, you will find the discussion themes applicable to what you do. These events are open to everyone, free of charge. Take a look at the programs and dates, and come join us.

SEWI-ATD exists for the talent and organizational community. Our purpose is to serve you. It’s our job to keep you informed, help you advance in your career, and continue to develop your skills and knowledge. SEWI-ATD provides ways to acquire new skills, learn from leaders in our industry, and network, not only in Milwaukee, but also in our region and nationally.

That means, this is a two-way street. What do you need? I invite you to send us your ideas, tell us what challenges you face in your careers, and what you would like to see offered by SEWI-ATD.

I look forward to seeing you at our next program on April 24^th!

Marilyn Zwissler