What Does Wonder Woman Have to Do with Behavior Awareness?

"Dr. William Marston wrote The Emotions of Normal People in 1928… eighty years later we are still learning from this brilliant man. So, what does Wonder Woman have to you with behavior awareness? She was created by Dr. William Marston, he is also the father of the lie detector. I can’t promise you awareness of behavior styles will make you a super-hero, but I can promise it will change how people relate to you, and how you relate to the world around you.

 

The team here at aptivate is very fond of DISC as an insightful tool for understanding how people relate to one another in their working environments. DISC is NOT a hiring tool, a personality test, or a litmus test for entry into a special club.

It is an ideal tool for improved interpersonal communications and relationships, the four letters are an acronym that describes four basic behavioral styles:

• D (for Dominance) — how you handle problems
• I (for Influence) — how you deal with people
• S (for Steadiness) — how you pace yourself
• C (for Compliance) — how you follow rules and procedures

Here are some basic details about DISC… it describes behavior — what you say and do, the external and observable expression of your life. It does not delve into your personality (the mental, emotional, and behavioral composition of your inner life), motives, values, skills, or experience.

• There are four basic behavioral styles
• Dominant style influences how you act, react, and interact
• Each style has its own characteristic strengths and weaknesses
• Effective working relationships depend on adaptability of behavior styles among team members
• Knowing our is reason for us to be flexible and adaptable to build relationship with others

DISC describes behavior — what you say and do, the external and observable expression of your life. It does not delve into your personality (the mental, emotional, and behavioral composition of your inner life), motives, values, skills, or experience.

 

You can use DISC to…

•  Communicate more effectively 
• Improve collaboration and reduce conflict 
• Build high-functioning team
• Become a more effective leader
• Increase sales and service success

The goal is to peak your interest in another way of seeing the world. It is my hope that DISC will become an asset to you for understanding yourself and others. While no system is perfect, DISC is a model that can empower even the most shy person to reach beyond their comfort zone, to discover their greatest communication abilities.

  

DARE TO BE GREAT!

 

How to Ensure New Concepts Survive the Training Room

"The goal of any training is to provide information that changes a specific outcome. While some training may be focused on the ability for a person to show awareness, another training session may be designed to create a literal result, such as more customer served per hour. In each case the classroom time is the incubator for the new ideas. The question then is how can you test the theoretical knowledge you are sharing in order to validate that learning is taking place in a way that will create real change after training has ended."

 

Based on the fact that there are many models, numerous theories, and thousands of books I want to suggest a three part model that may prove useful to you. This model is what I call RLVA which stands for Review – Link – Visualize – Act. These fours elements are a simple way to ensure your training and development move beyond the classroom to the workplace. While each part of the process may occur at different intervals while training a subject, the primary goal is to ensure all parts are completed before a training session ends.

Let’s look at each of these elements and review ways to activate the learning as it relates to RLVA.

 Review is the best way to eliminate assumptions and clarify understanding throughout any training session. The review in the session is an ideal way to pause, take time to observe what has happened, and to begin processing new ideas, concepts, and models. This is the ideal time to ask questions that seek a statement of what they took from the experience.

•  What did you learn or find interesting during the lecture?
• What stands out to you from the last activity?
• How did you feel during the group challenge?

 

Link is exactly what it’s name implies; an opportunity to link new information to past experiences. The ability to derive value from connecting new information to past experiences is a major part of adult learning psychology. By placing the new information in the context of existing knowledge participants validate their comprehension, and assign personal value to new concepts. Questions include…

•  What meaning did you make of the reading or activity?
• How does this new concept fit with what you already know?
• Where is this true in your personal or professional experiences?

Visualize is the vital next step to taking a concept and giving it life outside the classroom. This element can take the form of brainstorming, mind-mapping, or a full-group discussion. The key is to provide a free-form opportunity to visualize using new skills on the job. By inviting participants to see themselves behaving in a new way while in class, it creates a mental model, or image that generates recall as they implement changes on the job. The ability to recall doing the activity is key to making the integration smoother and less abrupt. Some ideas for directing this visualization step include…

•  What could you do with this information?
• How do you see yourself applying this idea on the job?
• What ideas come to mind as you think of implementing these changes?

 

Act is short for Action – and it the step focused on gaining agreement to new behaviors and ensuring there is a plan of action in place before training has ended. While an action plan is not a new idea, in conjunction with the review process, the linking step, and visualization questions it is the last step toward agreed upon behavior change. We are all aware that forcing someone to change rarely works. By creating a collaborative dialogue model to build an action plan participants remain in control of the outcomes, and their success. The key to driving value and the start to lasting change is to agree upon time sensitive actions, to maintain urgency even after training is concluded. Some ideas for creating a plan of action start with questions such as…

•   What three ideas will you implement this month?
•  Who are the existing customers you want to reach out to and when?
•  When will you communicate these new ideas to your new customers?

 As you move through a training session make note of when these events are taking place. You are likely performing all of them to some degree. By using a model like this, you can amplify areas you feel are most important, and minimize or eliminate assumptions about how well a new concept is being understood.

  

DARE TO BE GREAT!

Jack Be Nimble…

How Getting Physical in Training Maximizes Learning

It came to my attention the other day, that being in training can include a lot of sitting. While the goal of learning is clear, getting involved may not be about more role-play activities.


So I wanted to know what makes the difference between an engaged learner and one who is about to fall asleep? What can you do to connect with the physical side of the learning equation… to raise the bar without scrapping everything you’ve ever done?


I was thinking about how to make training more active, with simple physical breaks… not team activities, those are different, but actually incorporating isometric exercises, low-impact stretches, or even just standing while learning.


    Here’s what I found out… “A healthy, well-functioning neuron can be directly linked to tens of thousands of other neurons, creating a totality of more than a hundred trillion connections – each capable of performing 200 calculations per second! This is the structural basis of your brain’s memory capacity and thinking ability. Brain chemistry reveals an essential unity of mind and body. Neurons not only contact other neurons, they also connect with skeletal muscles, at a specialized structure called the neuromuscular junction. There the brain uses acetylcholine – its primary chemical neurotransmitter for memory and attention – to communicate with muscles. Another of the brain’s key chemical messengers, dopamine, helps regulate fine motor movement.”


    It gets even better… “When acetylcholine is released at a neuromuscular junction, it crosses the tiny space (synapse) that separates the nerve from the muscle. It then binds to acetylcholine receptor molecules on the muscle fiber’s surface. This initiates a chain of events that lead to muscle contraction. “So muscle activity is a cue to keep a synapse stable, and synaptic inactivity is a cue to disassemble a synapse,” says Lichtman, a professor of neurobiology. “So if you lose activity, you lose receptors. But if you regain activity, you get those receptors back.”


     “Scientists have shown that muscle fiber contains a scaffold made of special proteins that hold these acetylcholine receptors in place. Research led by Jeff W. Lichtman, M.D., Ph.D., at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, indicates that a loss of nerve signals – due to inactivity – actually disassembles this scaffold and causes a loss of acetylcholine receptors. When the muscle becomes active again, however, the scaffold tightens its grip and catches any receptors that come by.”
 So what can you do? By changing the pace, and interaction in the room you can reengage the neuromuscular junction that is the link between learning and mental connection. Here are a few ideas to build the bridge between mental connection and muscular function.
          Every 120-minutes arrange chairs so people are in a circle; keep this format for at least 20-minutes
          Every 60-minutes stop and stretch for 5 minutes
          Every 30-minutes stand up, twist side-to-side for about 3 minutes
          Every 15-minutes take a moment to sit on the edge of the desk if possible


Take a hike… really!


What about after training? Well, partners in a Minneapolis law firm found a way to walk their way to an active lifestyle… on the job! “Terri Krivosha, a partner at a Minneapolis law firm, logs three miles each workday on a treadmill without leaving her desk. She finds it easier to exercise while she types than to attend aerobics classes at the crack of dawn. Brad Rhoads, a computer programmer and missionary in Princeton, Ill., faces a computer monitor on a file cabinet and gets in about five miles a day on a treadmill while working in his home office.” This is an interesting example of how one company took this to the next level. Imagine how time flies at this law firm! Want to read more?


So the next time you find yourself nodding off in class, stand up, stretch, connect your mind with your body and reengage with the learning. If you leading the session, try adding in physical breaks to add to engagement, and give your training session the edge it needs to bring lasting change.


DARE TO BE GREAT!

Quality People Deserve Quality Training

With the amount of effort and time that goes into hiring the right people, it is amazing how often training to support them can be sub-par.

I realize the intention is not to provide poor training, yet all to often organizations who are smart about recruiting may fall short in how they retain these well-chosen individuals. At the center of this contradiction is the idea that many organizations have about the cost of training and it’s long-term benefits. There are many studies indicating how effective training can lower rates of attrition and increase job satisfaction. What is unfortunate is the perception that the really great programs are expensive productions only affordable to large organizations.If we take money out of the way and focus on quality, it is possible to see the core reasons for training and how they create value and loyalty. There is no need to spend excessive amounts of money to create the kind of attention and care that builds strong and dynamic workforces.

So, the idea is that quality as your goal means you can find ways to improve your process without increasing your costs. The reason this is so important is because regardless of how large or small an organization is, great training relies on consistency, visibility, and preparation. Consider the following Ten Tips to Make Training and Development Work from about.com.

"1.  Make sure the need is a training and development opportunity. Do thorough needs and skills analysis to determine the real need for employee training and development. Make sure the opportunity you are pursuing or the problem you are solving is a training issue. If the employee is failing in some aspect of her job, determine whether you have provided the employee with the time and tools needed to perform the job. Does the employee clearly understand what is expected from her on the job? Ask yourself whether the employee has the temperament and talent necessary for her current position; consider whether the job is a good skill, ability, and interest fit?

"2.  Create a context for the employee training and development. Provide information for the employee about why the new skills, skill enhancement, or information is necessary. Make certain the employee understands the link between the training and his job. You can enhance the impact of the training even further if the employee sees the link between the training and his ability to contribute to the accomplishment of the organization’s business plan and goals. It’s also important to provide rewards and recognition as a result of successful completion and application of the training. (People like completion certificates, for instance. One company I know lists employee names and completed training sessions in the company newsletter.) This contextual information will help create an attitude of motivation as the employee attends the training. It will assist the employee to want to look for relevant information to apply after the session.

"3.  Provide training and development that is really relevant to the skill you want the employee to attain or the information he needs to expand his work horizons. You may need to design an employee training session internally if nothing from training providers exactly meets your needs. Or, seek out providers who are willing to customize their offerings to match your specific needs. It is ineffective to ask an employee to attend a training session on general communication when his immediate need is to learn how to provide feedback in a way that minimizes defensive behavior. The employee will regard the training session as mostly a waste of time or too basic; his complaints will invalidate potential learning. Whenever possible, connect the employee training to the employee’s job and work objectives. If you work in an organization that invests in a self-development component in the appraisal process, make sure the connection to the plan is clear.

"4.  Favor employee training and development that has measurable objectives and specified outcomes that will transfer back to the job. Design or obtain employee training that has clearly stated objectives with measurable outcomes. Ascertain that the content leads the employee to attaining the skill or information promised in the objectives. With this information in hand, the employee knows exactly what he can expect from the training session and is less likely to be disappointed. He will also have ways to apply the training to the accomplishment of real workplace objectives.

"5.  Provide information for the employee about exactly what the training session will involve, prior to the training. Explain what is expected of the employee at the training session. This will help reduce the person’s normal anxiety about trying something new. If she knows what to expect, she can focus on the learning and training transfer rather than her potential discomfort with the unknown.

"6.  Make clear to the employee that the training is her responsibility and she needs to take the employee training seriously. She is expected to apply herself to the employee training and development process before, during, and after the session. This includes completing pre-training assignments, actively participating in the session, and applying new ideas and skills upon returning to work.

"7.  Make sure that internal or external training providers supply pre-training assignments. Reading or thought-provoking exercises in advance of the session promote thoughtful consideration of the training content. Exercises or self-assessments, provided and scored in advance of the session, save precious training time for interaction and new information. These ideas will engage the employee in thinking about the subject of the session prior to the training day. This supplies important paybacks in terms of his interest, commitment, and involvement.

"8.  Train supervisors and managers either first or simultaneously so they know and understand the skills and information provided in the training session. This will allow the supervisor to: model the appropriate behavior and learning, provide an environment in which the employee can apply the training, and create the clear expectation that she expects to see different behavior or thinking as a result of the training. An executive, who has participated in the same training as the rest of the organization, is a powerful role model when he is observed applying the training.

"9.  Train managers and supervisors in their role in the training process. The average supervisor has rarely experienced effective training during his career. Even more rare is the supervisor who has worked in an environment that maximized transfer of training to the actual workplace. Thus it is a mistake to believe that supervisors automatically know what must happen for effective training to take place. You can coach supervisors about their role. Provide a handy tip sheet that explains in detail the organization’s expectations of the supervisor in support of effective training. At one General Motors location, the education and training staff provided a three-hour class called, The Organization and the Training Process. The session was most effective in communicating roles and responsibilities to supervisory staff.

"10.  Ask supervisors to meet with employees prior to the training session to accomplish the steps recommended in this article. Discuss with the individual what he hopes to learn in the session. Discuss any concerns he may have about applying the training in the work environment. Determine if key learning points are important for the organization in return for the investment of his time in the training. Identify any obstacles the employee may expect to experience as he transfers the training to the workplace.

Each of the ideas shown here has to do with process, and most can be implemented with little to no increase in costs for an organization. The idea behind this post is simple: any organization can buy fancy training packages, new books, or shiny give-aways. What matters and is all too often overlooked are the basic steps that makes the proves relevant and valuable to employees. Practice these top ten and you will quickly develop personnel who are prepared and ready to succeed.

DARE TO BE GREAT!

Collaborate and Win

Collaborate and Win

Share Ideas and You Share in the Success

The desire to share information and collaborate more easily was at the top of the list for employees of Goodwill Industries in 2007 when CIO Steve Bergman sought to improve the organization.

In an article published by CIO magazine, it revealed; How businesses can use IT to harness the collective creativity of their employees (or anyone, really), is a hot topic. Tom Malone, a professor at MIT’s Sloan School of Management recently launched the Center for Collective Intelligence to study the subject. He says, “One of the most interesting possible roles for CIOs going forward is to become not just technology innovators but organizational innovators. A lot of the most important innovations in the next couple of decades will not be innovations in technology itself but innovations in how people work together.”

An organization cannot spend, cut, or save their way to success – they must innovate through collaboration.

The challenge now is to revise how people work together to reveal efficiencies and more effective methods which can drive real reductions in overhead. The workforce is changing dramatically right now, and so are the tools and technologies for working together. Goodwill Industries shared how they lived their way into a more collaborative, and effective future through open dialogue and creative problems solving.

"Steve Bergman says he didn’t set out to be an innovator. Not exactly, anyway. Goodwill is a big, decentralized organization. A couple hundred affiliates in two dozen countries generate nearly $3 billion in annual revenue. Most of us know Goodwill because of the stores that sell donated clothing and household items. But they also provide job training and placement services. Goodwill has a long-term goal of helping 20 million people worldwide get jobs that would allow them to become self-sufficient. Business leaders around the company concluded that to facilitate growth, the organization needed a better way to share information."

This may sound familiar; are you working within pieces of information and having trouble bringing the big picture into view? The best place to start may be with simple questions. Get clear on what is happening in your organization and then seek partners who are ready to dive into the problem-solving deep-end and figure out the next steps to take.

Consider this…

When Bergman joined the organization, “I went around and interviewed many of the key business leaders asking them what the most pressing IT issues were and how I could make the greatest impact. Collaboration and knowledge sharing were at the top of the list.” The collaboration that was needed was only revealed through open discussion, simple and effective communication is all you need to get started on a road to greater collaboration and team effectiveness. In the case of Goodwill Industries, the company may be a non-profit, but, as Bergman observes, “the bottom line is the bottom line.”

The results Bergman realized were to custom build a file sharing and knowledge management systems for Goodwill Industries. While there were many knowledge management systems on the market they were a poor fit. The diverse needs of various departments, and Goodwill’s goal of providing training and job placement assistance to 20-million people, meant the only option was a custom option. By the time they had created a unique solution, it was under-budget and better aligned for in-depth collaboration.

Start with three collaboration questions…

1.How well does your organization collaborate today?

2.What might make even a good system of collaboration even better within next year?

3.Who do you want to begin an open and simple dialogue with about collaboration and information sharing?

These are just a few questions with which to start a discussion about collaboration in your organization. Here at LQ we are taking on a new system for more remote collaboration created by Kazeli. We are in the very first phase, and look forward to using it to share files, unify client support notes, and streamline our outreach efforts. The possibilities are endless and everyone will have more ways to surface bright ideas. We know we will succeed because we are creating a system for sharing success.



DARE TO BE GREAT!

The Science of Being Happy

Scientifically speaking, the ‘real’ smile is one called the ‘Duchenne’ smile.


Named after French physician Guillaume Duchenne, who first noted an anatomical distinction between a week, or fake smile, and one that reveals a truly spontaneous emotion. His work took place in the mid-nineteenth century during a study of human facial expressions.

The alternative to the Duchenne smile, one without ‘crows feet’ around the eyes, is what is often called a PanAm smile – so named because it resembled the mild smile with which customers were greeted when they boarded the now-defunct PanAm airlines. What is notable about the Duchenne smile are the physiological responses that take place in the body when a smile is genuine.



Consider this from Dan Johnston, PhD…

Dr. William Fry, a physician and researcher, has studied humor for 20 years and found that it is good for us — not only for our mood — but for our health as well. Laughter relieves stress and improves our immune system. Laughing has been described as an internal jog; massaging our inner organs and giving them a workout. Smiling exercises 14 facial muscles.



When we laugh our blood pressure goes up and then comes down. We also stretch our lungs, relax our chests, and breathe easier. Laughter causes our bodies to release neurochemical compounds associated with an improved mood. When we can laugh at something, we change our perspective and our attitude.



So, how often do you smile? Research has found that four-year-old children smile and laugh about 400 times a day while for adults smiles and laughter decrease to only 14 times a day. Four-year-olds are often joyous, and adults are not.

Just think what might happen if you were to smile even half as many times as a four-year-old. The results might surprise you, and your coworkers. Sometimes the best way to affect change is with something simple, accessible, and easy to do. A smile meets all these criteria, and few people will be offended as you walk down the hall at work.

Powerful PowerPoint Presentations

While there are many ways to go about creating a valuable PowerPoint message, there are some primary rules that ensure the message participants hear, is the message you intended to deliver.

Working to deliver a clear message is the core of training any topic. Getting that message across has come to include the use of PowerPoint as the leader in presentation software.

MicroSoft’s Small Business Center website shares a perspective about the use and value of PowerPoint, you can read the full Top Ten list here. An excerpt from this article highlights the challenge with uses this dynamic software to the best effect.

Cherie Kerr knows how PowerPoint can be both provocative and persuasive in a business meeting. She’s also aware that precisely the opposite can occur. “It can be the very best friend you have,” says the Santa Ana, Calif., public relations consultant. “But you have to use it right.” Kerr’s two-sided view of Microsoft’s popular presentation and graphics program in Office Small Business mirrors a debate coursing through business and academia. While many embrace the values of PowerPoint as a potent business tool, there are others who contend that it’s a drag on effective interaction ó that it confuses, distorts and even strangles communication. (Read Full Article)

You know many of these rules, so consider this a refresher to have the most impact possible.

Rule #1 Avoid using black text on a white background

From a distance of more than 5 feet, this color combination will prove difficult for participants to read. When the lights are on, the white screen will wash out the text. When the lights are off black font loses sharp edges and is hard to see.


Rule #2 Avoid using font that is Red, Green, or Blue

These colors may appear bright on their own, but they are not easily seen in a training room from more than 5 feet away. These colors are also the kind that may prove hard to see depending on the strength of a participants vision. These colors also will not work based on following rule number three.

Rule #3 Avoid using a light or white background as this is hard to observe from more than 5 feet away

The best background colors are black, dark blue, dark green, dark brown, dark gray and other dark color variations. It is easier to see text that is white or light colored over a dark background than any other color combination. This is true whether the lights are on or off in the training room.

Rule #4 Avoid using any font size smaller than Arial 20 in bold or regular style

The ability to read a slide from more than 5 feet away in almost any light conditions is made possible by using a high-contrast white font over a dark background that is at least 20 points in height. The largest font you might use is 26 to 30 points in height, though these are usually used for the title.


Rule #5 Avoid the use of clip-art cartoons to ensure a clean and polished message

I know there are many cool graphics available, be clear – clip-art is one worth avoiding. If you want to show people, show an image by using a search engine to locate photos of professionals. If you have actual employee images that are professionally developed, then you may consider using these photos to add an authentic appeal. Note: If employee turnover is high, avoid using actual employee photos.

Rule #6 Use graphics and other icons to enhance even the most basic text

Bright graphics minimize eye fatigue by delivering a visually engaging message on each slide. The graphics must be related to the topic in some way to avoid being a distraction. The goal is to tell the story in a visual manner that is echoed by the text on the slide.

Rule #7 Avoid the use of automatic slide transitions and sound effects

The idea behind automatic slide transitions is to deliver a smooth progression of information – as part of an information kiosk. Using transitions that are activated with the click of a mouse button. In front of participants automatic transitions can lead to embarrassing back-tracking. If you want to add elements with an audio-visual edge use a DVD player to inject a short film, or anecdotal clip into the presentation.

Trust... Can You Hear It

In Stephen Covey’s book The Speed of Trust, co-authored by Rebecca R. Merrill, there is a summary on page 214 of Behavior #11 ‘Listen First’ which reads as follows…

 

Listen before you speak. Understand. Diagnose. Listen with your ears – and your eyes and heart. Find out what the most important behaviors are to the people you’re working with. Don’t assume you know what matters most to others. Don’t presume you have all the answers – or all the questions.

 

This book is an excellent resource for discovering how trust can support your goals and the goals of those you serve. This was also a resource in the sessions we created for the Solutions Vault on Trust. The reason I highlighted Behavior #11 ‘Listen First’ is because Stephen Covey suggests we listen with our heart.

 

 

 

This is a powerful idea, and one that is at the core of connecting our actions with the deepest needs of our clients. While trust is built over time, it only takes a moment to listen deeply. Doing so is like planting a seed in rich soil, so that it might grow in strength and beauty.

 

 

 

If this seems a distant correlation to the demanding terrain of the business world, consider this…

 

 

 

Everything you achieve is a byproduct of the trust others have given to you.

 

Where is this more evident than your first job. With no experience, a lot of energy, and the hope that you might land your first job, you set out to find your place in the working world. The adventure may have taken you to a restaurant, an office, a local park, painting houses, or mowing lawns in the neighborhood. The common thread in every case if that someone gave their trust to you. Before that trust was given to you, they were willing to listen. Whether you were met with skepticism, openness, or something in between, someone had to listen long enough to determine that they would give you a chance; that they would give you their trust.

 

 

 

The discussion of trust is always powerful and important; at this time in our shared American history, long after Enron, trust remains a rare element of corporate relationships.

 

 

 

So, this is what I ask you: Are you listening with your heart to your clients, employees, partners, associates, and others? Are you taking time to build the foundation of deep understanding that is required to foster a strong relationship? Are you applying your awareness of your customers needs in service to them, or are you exploiting the needs of your customers in service to you?

 

I know these are tough questions, which is why you don’t have to answer right now. Just listen with your heart and take time to find out if you can hear trust being shared between you and your employees, customers, and others. If you aren’t sure, here’s a few examples of how trust sounds…

 

 

 

• “Thanks John, I knew I could count on you!”
• “I’ll take your word for it.”
• "I’ll leave it up to you.”
• “Get it back to me whenever you like.”
• “I’ll leave a key for you under the mat.”

 

You can hear trust, you simply have to listen closely to realize it’s presence, or it’s absence.

 

 

 

Listening with your heart is how you plant a seed of listening and being heard deeply enough to create strong and durable roots. These are the roots that grow into a deep and abiding trust, with listening being one of many seeds of trust, you control the depth at which each seed is planted, the depth being equal to the strength of that element of trust.

 

 

 

Build a Flexible Strategy Plan

The word “strategy” is from the Greek strategia, which means “office of a general” which itself comes from the Greek word strategos, meaning “general”.

The military roots of the word “strategy” and the actions taken to fulfill a strategy create your battle plan for achieving success. When you evaluate the training actions in which you are currently engaged, what do you see? Do you find areas of fault? Are there places where improvement is important? Do you see several areas of complete success?

The key to building a strategic plan is to include flexibility as part of your strategy.

Consider this 4-minute video from www.strategicframing.com about how decisions are rewarded and viewed.

Then consider how you can use information from this video to affect how you view past decisions as you start to build future strategies.

Three Questions Video Review

1.What stood out for you in the video?

2.What did you already know?

3.What do you want to apply right away?

It is true that we can only make a decision based on the information we have at hand.

When you are tasked with building a strategic plan for training and development, you must work with the data you have today. The data in the future may look different than you expected, knowing this is a possible reality is why flexibility must be part of your strategic planning results.

How to Ensure Flexibility in Your Strategic Plan

The best way to ensure flexibility in your strategic development process is to avoid pretending that you can see the future. What may look certain today, can and will change. With that in mind here is a simple strategy for building flexibility into your planning process.

1.Plan for expansion (+)

2.Plan for neutrality (=)

3.Plan for contraction (-)

These three factors are a minimum number of variables that should be part of your strategic planning process. When you are seeking to train and develop your personnel, if you are only planning for contraction, when demand increases growth will take you by surprise, you will find yourself understaffed. The ability to have at least three paths in mind allows you to apply the most effective strategy to the situaion at hand. It is important to avoid judging past decisions as good or bad based on emerging information. This can be a challenge, but is one worth addressing.

Your Next Move

As you begin to craft a strategic plan for training your personnel, stay focused on the desired outcome, the facts you have now, and the ability to remain flexible as you gain new information. There is no error in making an informed decision as long as you are prepared to self-correct if new information demands a different response.

How Full Is Your Bucket?

How Full Is Your Bucket? Educator's Edition: Positive Strategies for Work and LifeHow Full Is Your Bucket? Educator's Edition: Positive Strategies for Work and Life

Solutions Vault Book Review

This book is a fast read and one that is effective in delivering a clear message: Positivity pays big dividends. While there has been a lot said, written, and shared about the power of positive thinking, positive interaction, and positive focus this books identifies where it all began as a psychological study. Written by Tom Rath and Donald “Don” O. Clifton, Ph.D., this books is the culmination of nearly fifty-years of work performed by Don, the “father of Positive Psychology”. This book is truly a gift to anyone who reads it and is a testament to why the American Psychological Associate (APA) in 2002, recognized Don’s pioneering work and dubbed him the the “Grandfather of Positive Psychology” and the “Father of Strengths Psychology”. While Don had written many books, including the well received Now, Discover your Strengths he asked his Grandson, Tom Rath to join him in this final creation based on a theory he created in the 1960’s.

  

A Focus on the Positive

In 2002, around the time Don was recognized for his professional contributions, he learned an aggressive and terminal cancer had spread throughout his body. While alarming, Don chose to take action to apply his energy in a positive direction, the result is How Full is Your Bucket written with the close collaboration of his Grandson, Tom Rath. The book is based on a simple theory about how interactions with other people are defined as ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ based on the metaphor of a “bucket” and a “dipper” and the idea that everyone has one of each. This theory was applied over the last 40 years in more than 5,000 organizations, and by more than 1 million people, and counting. The magic of the book is that is often passed on to a friend, colleague, or a loved one and continues to carry out Don’s life work in Positive Psychology.

So, What is a Dipper and What is a Bucket?

• A “bucket” is where you keep each positive interaction you have
• A “dipper” is use to add to or take from the bucket of others

  

Think of each daily interaction as a drop of water in your bucket. Each drop in your bucket quenches a natural thirst for positive interaction. If you go through each day having positive interactions with people, you will find your bucket overflowing with positivity. If, on the other hand, interactions are negative, it is as if someone is coming to you, and “dipping” into your bucket – taking the good and positive from you. If you are choosing to be negative, you are emptying your bucket as you empty theirs as well.

Fast Facts About a Full Bucket

Beyond praise and recognition at work, of more than 4 million employees surveyed worldwide, including more than 10,000 businesses in 30 industries regular recognition and praise produce the following results in employees:

•  Increase their individual productivity
• Increase engagement among their colleagues
• Are more likely to stay with their organization
• Receive higher customers loyalty and satisfaction scores
• Have better safety records and fewer accidents on the job

 Five Reasons Every Moment Counts

•  Moments are like drops in your bucket – in a day you are likely to have 20,000 individual moments
• 5:1 Ratio – it has been determined for every negative moment, it takes five positives to recover
• 13:1 Ratio – it has been determined that 13 positives is the maximum response to a negative interaction
• Optimist have less than one doctor visit per year, pessimist average 3.5 doctor visits per year.
• Positivity can increase your life span by 10 years

There is a science to positive thinking, and behavior. What is also true is that common sense can be applied to keep blood pressure normal, and joy levels above average: avoid negative people and environments. Do your best to find positive interaction opportunities at home and at work. Whether it is a compliment or recognition it is a moment where you can fill two buckets – theirs and yours.

Ten Tips For An Effective Training Program

Jul 1, 1998 12:00 PM, By Mark Lamendola, Technical Editor

You need to train your people, but your budget is virtually nonexistent. So how do you satisfy your employees' thirst for knowledge without drowning them?
Competence and confidence is an ideal mixture in the workplace. Employees with these traits can motivate others to work together and create a safe and productive environment. How can you build this utopia at your facility? Establishing an effective training program is the best way to start. However, building a strong and knowledgeable staff isn't free. These 10 tips will help you make the most of your training dollars.


Tip 1: Use variety. You have many training media and methods available: Use as many as you feel comfortable with. For example, if you tell a group of electrici ans some facts about troubleshooting a new motor drive, you'll pass on some knowledge. But you'll pass on much more if you let them view a video on that drive, read the manual, watch another electrician working on it, or listen to a tape on how to troubleshoot it. The more ways you present information, the more your staff will learn and retain. Vary the pace and style of your training. Formal training is good, but informal training fills in many gaps. Magazines, books, and on-the-job training (OJT) are all very useful. Because magazines cover many topics in a single issue, you can bring the knowledge of many experts into one place.

Tip 2: Use repetition. Informal training repetition can mean you distill portions of the training into slogans, factoids, and images. Including slips of paper in with paychecks with a sentence or two about some idea can work well with safety training. You can also include photos, illustrations, or icons to get your point across. Even passing around a copy of a magazine article, maybe twice a year, can help employees remember important information. Refresher courses are also a form of formal training repetition. Recap previous sessions before continuing with new material.


You may also follow up with annual or semiannual recertification. Let's say someone earns a Master Electrician's License. That license requires extensive knowledge of the NE Code and how to make Code-related calculations. Yet, a typical Master Electrician will use only a portion of the knowledge needed for the exam, while expanding knowledge in other areas. If you have a monthly refresher course that takes, say, 1 hr each Friday, you keep the bulk of that knowledge at the front of the electrician's mind. Once a year, you can take a half-day to give a portion of the Master Exam in-house. Anyone going through even this low level of repetition will be 90% prepared for licensing day.

Tip 3: Use feedback. Feedback reinforces learning by making the student recall information. The method of feedback is important. For example, master exams tend to intimidate people. Brief quizzes reinforce the learning experience, without intimidation. In fact, success on frequent quizzes will boost the student's confidence. Quizzes can be formal, informal, oral, or written. Using these tools in combination is best.


For some reason, the learning communication path is wider when it has two-way traffic. One simple way to get feedback is to ask for it. For example: "What did you learn about photo sensors today? Take 5 min and tell me some details." Some companies try to get feedback by requiring electricians to write follow-up reports. This approach seems cold and impersonal, so the emotional element that reinforces the training just isn't there.

Tip 4: Administer small doses. Most people get "burned out" if they get too much of a good thing-at least too much at one time. That's just the way most minds work. If you're going to schedule a week of training, you'll do better to spread all five topics, a little at a time, across five days, rather than covering a full topic each day. Administratively, this is a little more work, but the payback is much higher. Having a tip of the day is another easy way to administer small doses.

Tip 5: Apply knowledge right away. It's too easy to forget something if you don't use it. Experts disagree on the "shelf life" of learning, but there's somewhat of a consensus you should wait no longer than two weeks to make use of newly acquired skills. Even if people didn't forget, they are much more motivated when they know they can put their learning investment to use right away.


When someone returns from a training session, assign that person some work related to that training. For example, if you're going to send a person to PLC training, delay non-emergency PLC work until that person gets back. Then, give that work to the person who just got the training. Remember the saying made famous by Gloria Steinem, "Tell me, and I'll forget. Show me, and I may not remember. Involve me, and I'll understand."


Tip 6: Make it interes ting. Bore people, and their minds become stones instead of sponges. Keep material dry, and you get nowhere.


First, if you're using written materials, how do they sound when you read them out loud? Does the writer try to bring you into the discussion? Do you feel any emotional response? Does the material sound wordy or stuffy? If so, it makes poor training material. It needs to be concise and clear. If the material sounds like the author wrote it to impress someone with a huge vocabulary, rather than to share with the reader, then that's probably the case. On the other hand, if the writer seems to be talking to you, this is probably good material to use in training.


Second, can you draw any parallels between the material and other interests of the students? Can you show them how this will affect their work or lives? Does it relate to any outside interests? Build a profile of each person.


Third, add an interactive element whenever you can. Group projects and discussions help accomplish this objective. It's always good to ask people how this relates to their work. "Do you have breakers that give you nuisance trips?" Another question might be: "Do you have any sloppy wireway in your plant?" Personalize the training to make it interesting. People are more interested when you're helping them solve their problems than when you're passing on information they don't have an immediate need for. Find that need!


Tip 7: Use training experts. Several companies produce interesting training videos and other aids that use the principles of variety, repetition, and small doses. Who are the experts? Certainly, a company that makes motors knows about motors. A company that makes digital multimeters knows about digital multimeters. These companies provide training aids at very low prices. You can find some of these by looking through this issue of EC&M.


Realize you have experts among your own people. They may not know everything, but they know enough to be a good resource for training. The typical OJT arrangement is apprentices working under a journeyman. If you keep track of the kinds of work assigned to the apprentices, you can count their experience as training.


Let's say you have an annealing furnace with specialized controls. You have four people who maintain the furnace. One of them always serves as the brains when you do any major repair or troubleshooting. That person may be the one you need to pair other people with. You could use the same OJT techniques electrical apprentices use: hands-on training under the guidance of a qualified person.


If you want your in-house experts to put on formal training, educate them on how to train others. Your local community college is one resource, or send your experts to one of the many "train the trainer" seminars.


Tip 8: Use your vendors. Vendors routinely put on mini-courses. While these may accent a particular product, it's worth it to pass on information an attendee can use. Many times, a vendor will come to your office or plant. Many companies train their sales representatives. Granted, that training tends to be equipment-specific, but don't you buy and use specific equipment?


This type of training has some side benefits. For one thing, your own people become familiar with the vendors on a first-name basis. Sometimes, this can get you exceptional service you wouldn't get otherwise. You also learn more about your equipment and usually wind up on the short list for product update information; and the ball caps, screwdrivers, and pens vendors usually hand out at these mini-courses are always an added bonus.


Tip 9: Use a matrix. Many engineers and financial types often use spreadsheets. If you don't have spreadsheet knowledge, ask for help. If you don't have a matrix, you're administering your training in a haphazard manner. This says something to the people who work for you. Change the message to a positive one.


Nobody likes to be behind their coworkers. If posted prominently, a matrix allows people to compare their own training progress with their peers. This can have a motivating effect. Before you post such a matrix, though, make sure you've taken at least the first step toward correcting imbalances. If someone feels cheated, it'll be counterproductive to showcase the reasons why.


Tip 10: Give everyone a chance. What was that comment about feeling cheated? If you leave an employee behind the group in terms of training, you marginalize that person. Use training to show you have confidence in them and their contribution is important.


When you show everyone is important, through the way you administer training, you have a positive effect on the team dynamic. When everyone is an expert in something, then you've accomplished one of the main goals of training: a strong, knowledgeable staff. The attitudes from such an environment give rise to teamwork as well as excellence.

http://ecmweb.com/mag/electric_ten_tips_effective_2/

How to Build Learning Faster, Better, Cheaper

by Harold D. Stolovitch and Erica J. Keeps


When creating products and services for an organization, there is a saying that goes like this:

“Good, fast, cheap--choose two.” In other words, if you want it fast and good, it will cost you a lot.

Is it fast and cheap you desire? Then the quality of the result will suffer. Are good and cheap your

choices? Sorry, but you won’t get it quickly; we’ll do it when we can. In this article, we offer all

three to you. We introduce you to six cognitive strategy groupings that you and your learners can

apply. These strategies have been shown to help speed up learning, make it stick more

powerfully and longer, and cost less in time and energy for both teaching and learning.



First, what are cognitive strategies? We borrow both definitions and much of what follows from

three author-researchers at the University of Illinois: Charles K. West, James A. Farmer, and

Phillip M. Wolff (1991). Cognitive strategies are the mental methodologies we use as we study

and learn. Unlike metacognitive skills, which are higher level, executive skills we deploy for any

learning, our cognitive strategies form a database of thinking and learning packages that we can

apply to specific learning situations. They enable us to organize a piece of learning so we can

internalize and recall it more easily. Let’s apply a simple example right now. Examine the two

Lincoln pennies depicted below.

In the coin of the left, Lincoln is facing right. In the coin on the right, he is facing left. Without

peeking at a real Lincoln penny, which depiction is correct, A or B?

Your answer:

We have tried this little test with thousands of American adult learners and, amazingly, 70 percent

of them select B, although they have seen the coin numerous times. They just weren’t paying

attention. When we ask our audiences if they would bet $10,000 on their selection before we

reveal the correct answer, we find very few takers. The correct answer is A.


So, how do we ensure that we remember which direction Lincoln faces? Here’s a little statement

to help: “Our great President Lincoln always did right by the people.” Will you remember now?

Probably. But what about the nickel, dime, and quarter? Which way do the presidents on these

coins face? Here’s a clue: “All the other presidents were left behind.” Yes, they face left (except

for the recently minted nickel).


What is the point of this coin discussion? It’s simple. You will probably remember this set of notvery-

useful facts for the rest of your life. Associating some arbitrary (hence, hard to retain) facts

with a mnemonic device that’s easy and familiar (“…did right by the people…were left behind”) is

a powerful means for grasping and retaining information. It is part of a cognitive strategy that is

good (learn and retain well), fast (you learned it quickly, didn’t you?) and cheap (two simple

sentences--not much mental storage and retrieval cost).


Now that you have been introduced to cognitive strategy, let’s continue to tune your

understanding. Cognitive strategies are collections of methods that help people learn. Good

learners have a larger repertoire of these strategies and use them more naturally, frequently, and

appropriately than do poor learners. They also obtain better results. Here are six types of

cognitive strategies you can use to transform your learners.


Six types of cognitive strategies


Clustering: Different ways to arrange information for easier perception,

understanding, retention, and recall. Any time you cluster

declarative or procedural knowledge into logical, easy-tounderstand

groupings, you employ a highly successful cognitive

strategy.


Spatial: Visual displays of information that lay out a large number of

elements in a manner that is easy to comprehend and to retain or

recall. Laying out information to be learned in some kind of visual

manner often helps learners see how things relate. Common forms

of spatial organizers are matrices, flowcharts, and pie charts.


Advanced organizers: Organized, short introductory information packages that set an

expectation or build a vision. They help the learner picture what’s to

come and how it relates to prior knowledge or content that has

come before. An advanced organizer is usually a brief introduction

made prior to getting into a new topic or set of skills that gives the

learner a heads-up as to what’s coming. It is almost always short.

Most times it links prior knowledge to new material and makes

comparisons and logical linkages. It may outline the new content

and also prepare the learner mentally to approach it with the proper

mindset.


Image-rich comparisons: Analogies, metaphors, and literal comparisons that build bridges

between what the learner already knows and new learning.

Throughout our lives we have been taught with image-rich

comparisons. We use metaphors in our daily speech: “She’s a

peach,” or “He’s a skunk!” Our computer interfaces are built on

metaphors. We have a “desktop” on our screen along with menus

and icons. The strength of this cognitive strategy lies in the bridge

(connection) that is established between what the learner already

knows--the familiar--and what is yet to be learned.


Repetition: Activities that allow learners to rehearse content they have

encountered and practice it in organized ways until it sticks in the

mind. Repetition and rehearsal in their various forms can be

immensely effective, especially for long-term, hard-wired learning.

Study, memorization, practice, rehearsal, self-tests, and tests have

all demonstrated the power to assist learning. The keys to all of

these are organization, meaningfulness, and systematic application.

Over time, content acquisition improves, as does efficiency in

learning.

Memory aids: Groups of easy-to-remember letters, words, or images that help

store and retrieve more complex material. This cognitive strategy,

also known as mnemonics, is a favorite for remembering.

Essentially, a mnemonic is a memory crutch-- a group of easy-toremember

letters, words, or images that help store and retrieve

more complex material. The most common ones include acronyms,

acrostics, rhymes, and key words.
 
 
All the cognitive strategies presented in this article are packages of thinking modes that we can


deploy whenever we wish to learn something. As trainers, instructors, and educators, our mission

is to create learning success. It would be wonderful if all our learners were endowed with high

ability, deep prior knowledge, and powerful motivation to learn and possessed well-developed

metacognitive skills along with a large repertoire of oiled and efficient cognitive strategies to cover

every specific learning situation. We simply could lay out the learning goals, provide the

resources, and stand back. But that’s not reality. Our learners come to each learning event with a

broad range of strengths and deficiencies, and our job is to structure learning for successful

transformation.


Note: This article is an excerpt from Harold Stolovitch and Erica Keeps' book, Telling Ain't


Training. Reprinted with permission of Harold D. Stolovitch and Erica J. Keeps.


Harold D. Stolovitch and Erica J. Keeps are the principals of HSA LEARNING &

PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS LLC, an international consulting firm that specializes in the

application of instructional technology and human performance technology to business, industry,

government, and the military. Stolovitch and Keeps are co-authors of the best-selling, awardwinning

books Telling Ain’t Training and Training Ain’t Performance. They are also co-authors of

the Wiley/Pfeiffer Learning & Performance Toolkit Series as well as co-editors of the Handbook of


Human Performance Technology. Their most recent book, Beyond Telling Ain’t Training


Fieldbook, was released in May 2005. For more information on their books or workshops, visit

their website at www.hsa-lps.com. Stolovitch and Keeps can be reached at info@hsa-lps.com or

310.286.2722.

Your Best Is Yet To Come

How we choose to respond is the key to creating the environment we want most, one filled with success and energy.

 

“I am responsible. Although I may not be able to prevent the worst from happening, I am responsible for my attitude toward the inevitable misfortunes that darken life. Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have – life itself.” -Walter Anderson

  

By determining that the best is yet to come, even when challenges arise you are choosing personal leadership and accountability as the tools you use for being your very best.

 

 

 

Identify and Eliminate Negative Thinking 

The Mayo Clinic has been researching the effects of positive thinking. Key excerpts from an online article discuss how to identify negative ’self-talk’ – the internal monologue a person has with themselves – and how to focus on positive thinking in a deliberate manner.

Identifying negative thinking 

When you think about what you think to yourself, are you using any of these thought patters?

  

• Filtering. You magnify the negative aspects of a situation and filter out all of the positive ones. For example, say you had a great day at work. You completed your tasks ahead of time and were complimented for doing a speedy and thorough job. But you forgot one minor step. That evening, you focus only on your oversight and forget about the compliments you received.

 

• Personalizing. When something bad occurs, you automatically blame yourself. For example, you hear that an evening out with friends is canceled, and you assume that the change in plans is because no one wanted to be around you.

 

• Catastrophizing. You automatically anticipate the worst. You refuse to go out with friends for fear that you’ll make a fool of yourself. Or one change in your daily routine leads you to think the entire day will be a disaster.

 

• Polarizing. You see things only as either good or bad, black or white. There is no middle ground. You feel that you have to be perfect or that you’re a total failure.

 

Focusing on positive thinking
If you discover that your self-talk is tending to be negative you’re NOT doomed to an unhappy or unhealthy life. The process is simple, though it takes time and practice. Here are some ways to think and behave in a more positive way:

  

• Check yourself. Periodically during the day, stop and evaluate what you’re thinking. If you find that your thoughts are mainly negative, try to find a way to put a positive spin on them.

• Be open to humor. Give yourself permission to smile or laugh, especially during difficult times. Seek humor in everyday happenings. When you can laugh at life, you feel less stressed.

• Follow a healthy lifestyle. Exercise at least three times a week to positively affect mood and reduce stress. Create a healthy diet to fuel your mind and body, and to manage stress. 

• Surround yourself with positive people. Make sure those in your life are positive, supportive people you can depend on to give helpful advice and feedback. Negative people, those who believe they have no power over their lives, may increase your stress level and make you doubt your ability to manage stress in healthy ways. 

• Practice positive self-talk. Start by following one simple rule: Don’t say anything to yourself that you wouldn’t say to anyone else. Be gentle and encouraging with yourself. If a negative thought enters your mind, evaluate it rationally and respond with affirmations of what is good about yourself.

 

Examples of typical negative self-talk and how you might apply a positive twist include:

 

Start with you – while challenges may occur how you respond is what you control. Circumstances will change, what you can keep constant is the outlook you have on the situation. Just like the table above, a positive spin may just be about looking at a situation in a slightly different way, often there is no need to start over – simply start with subtle adjustments.