Create a Culture of Learning

I see this quote often. On motivational posters. On coffee mugs. And certainly on various social media sites. As true and as relevant as Ghandi’s words are, I’m probably not alone when I say I’ve become a little desensitized toward this quote. But let’s think about it from a learning perspective for a moment…

Learning has evolved significantly over the past several years. Once upon a time, learning consisted of a classroom, an instructor, and possibly some visual aids.  Today, we have eLearning, mobile learning, social learning, coaching, mentoring, job aids, social learning, gamification, and yes, of course, instructor-led training.

Just because we understand these concepts doesn’t mean our stakeholders do.

It is our responsibility to be ambassadors of this global learning (r)evolution and discover ways to support the workplaces we represent. To understand the needs of our stakeholders. To engage employees. To enhance performance. To move the needle. Three things to remember:

Speak the language of your sponsors.

What are your organizational objectives? How can learning align to impact the business? That’s what your executives want to know. Get them on your side.

One size does not fit all.

Consider your audience – experience, organizational level, even geography matters. Keep it real and relevant. If employees can relate, they will be more likely to be engaged.

Market the heck out of it.

Yes, we are learning professionals, but we are also marketers. We need to know our audience…and just like a well-placed commercial or magazine ad, our programs need to scratch the itch. Provide the solution. Bridge the learning gap.

There are so many conversations we could have on each of these three items. If you’re ever in Indy, give me a shout and we’ll discuss over some Starbucks. Or check out my Connect page and reach out online and we’ll chat there!

Friends, I’m in the culture changing business. Are you?

Like it? Share it!

 

10 Tips for Facilitators (and why I hate public speaking)

Several years ago, I participated in a train-the-trainer program to become certified to facilitate a sales training program for my then-day job. As we were mock-facilitating sections of the training, the leader was giving us feedback. She said to me, “I’ll bet you were really good at speech class when you were in school.”

Well…

Confession: I was NOT good at speech class, neither in high school nor in college. Kind of an odd admission from one who spends much of her career in front of a classroom or audience. In fact, if you told me then that I would be doing anything remotely similar to “public speaking” for a career, I would’ve said you were crazy. When I began leading training sessions, it didn’t take long to realize what my issue had been: I was getting hung up on the formality of “giving a speech”, when “facilitating” is, in fact, a very different thing.

Facilitating is not all about the intro, the body, the conclusion. It’s not all about putting your thoughts into an outline or clutching a stack of neatly-written note cards in your sweaty hand. Sure, you need these things (or some variation), but the art of facilitating lends itself to a much more improvisational delivery, which I learned that I’m really good at. Over the years, I’ve been able to refine my craft; now, I can look back 20 years (another unsettling confession) and think of the advice I could give to circa-1993 Michelle…how I could have helped her get through those dreaded Speech classes and given her the confidence to know that she had some facilitation mojo just waiting to surface.

New trainers, sometimes-trainers, managers and subject-matter-experts who must lead training: this one’s for you! Here are 10 tips for becoming a more confident facilitator:

1. Make friends with your audience.

If you look at your audience as nothing more than strangers, they certainly will be…and your training session will likely be more stiff, reeking of formality. If you project warmth and friendliness, you put your participants (and yourself!) at ease, making them more likely to engage in the content you’re delivering.

2. Find your fans.

As you are facilitating, seek out the folks in your audience who are really interested in what you’re saying. These people are the ones who are making eye contact, nodding their heads, eagerly taking notes, asking and answering questions. Their engagement can be a huge confidence boost for you – clearly, you are making a good impression…keep it up!

3. Use your voice.

Sometimes, a subtle volume change can make a big impact or help you drive home an important point.  Your voice tone, volume, cadence, clarity and projection are all huge factors in successful facilitation. We’ve all been in a training session or other event where the leader had less-than-dynamic presentation skills. Or maybe you were seated at the back of the room and couldn’t hear very well. Keep those moments in mind; vow to NOT be that facilitator!

4. Get your audience involved.

Dr. Phil says it best — “It’s not about you!” Sometimes it’s hard for a facilitator to remember that. We often focus on our own delivery, our visual aids, our stellar presentation skills and the general razzle-dazzle we bring to our sessions. But it is about them.  About the audience. About the individual participants. Leverage thought-provoking discussions, small group exercises, strategically-placed questions and other interactive elements that immerse your participants in the content. As a facilitator, the magic often happens when you introduce a topic…and turn the audience loose to explore.

5. Practice makes confident.

I know, the expression is “practice makes perfect”. But you know what? Nothing’s perfect. Nobody is perfect. Technology fails. Markers dry out. Batteries run out of juice. In spite of the things that can go wrong, YOU can prepare, check, double-check, and be ready to power through any glitch that might come your way. Experienced facilitators, I’m sure you could provide dozens of examples of things that have gone wrong…and I’m sure you can provide dozens of examples of how you overcame the issue. Feel free to share in the comments – I’d love to hear your war stories!

6. Arrive early, stay late.

Showing up at least an hour before your session is scheduled to begin is a good rule of thumb. This allows you to get everything set up, run through your material a final time, and get your bearings before your attendees arrive; this will help alleviate any last-minute jitters!  You’re also there to greet your guests as they arrive, which sets the stage for rapport and “making friends”, like we discussed earlier. At the end of the day, stick around to answer final questions, exchange contact information or warm up potential leads for future events. Think of the impression one leaves when they show up at the last minute, and are packing up as soon as the session ends…yeah. Don’t be that person.

7. Remember that you are the expert.

And if you’re not the expert, keep working so you can become the expert. Keep in mind that the participants are looking to you to lead the session, and you have the expertise to provide the information they need. Knowledge leads to confidence.

8. Consider your room arrangement.

We can’t always change the room setup – sometimes we have to work with what we have. But whenever you can, make sure that the room is arranged in a way that is conducive for learning, collaborating, moving around…whatever your objective might be. For some topics, a classroom setup might work best; for others, you might try round tables. Maybe a U-shape…it varies!

9. Dress appropriately, but comfortably.

Know thy audience. If you’re presenting to a group of executives, you would probably dress differently than if you are working in more of a casual setting. Find the style that works for you and for the setting. Once you determine what would be appropriate, make sure you are comfortable! Facilitators are on their feet a lot! Make sure your outfit isn’t too tight or constrictive. Does it have buttons or ties that you might be fidgeting with all day? You might leave that one hanging in the closet.  And then we have the shoe situation – if anyone knows me, you know that I am definitely a shoe girl. I love my heels! I have my go-to heels that I can tolerate for a long day of standing…and I avoid breaking in a new pair on the day of the event (been there, done that, dealt with the blisters…not fun). Like I said, appropriate, but comfortable, is the name of the game!

10. Smile. Better yet…laugh!

Now, I might be a little biased, but facilitating is a blast. Convey your passion and enthusiasm for the subject matter, and ENJOY your audience!  Your authenticity, sincerity and knowledge will speak volumes to your crowd. Even when things don’t go as planned (and it happens!), maintain your sense of humor. Have fun with it!

It’s your turn now…veteran facilitators out there, what tips do you have for trainers or presenters who might be getting started or finding their stride? What lessons has your experience taught you? I’d love to hear your stories!

Like it? Share it!

 

Improving Training Programs with Feedback

As learning professionals (or whatever hat we might be wearing at any given moment), it is our responsibility to assess a learning need and provide a solution. And, tipping my cap to my passionate learning cohorts around the world, I’d say we do a fine job.

But, you know what? We don’t always have the answers. Or the perspective. Or even the right questions to ask. So we need to engage others.

This might be a pow-wow with a SME or project manager, to learn more about a task, process or system. It might be meeting with a supervisor to better understand a team’s skill or knowledge gaps.

But what about the employees themselves? How often are we asking them what they want out of training? What they need? How we can help them become a stronger employee today…and maybe-just-maybe, help prepare them for future opportunities?

The same goes for orientation and onboarding programs…consider doing a brief survey to poll your workforce, and see what you can learn about your new employee experience. A few questions might include:

• When you started with (company name), what was the most helpful part of your onboarding experience?
• What was your biggest challenge when you started in your role?
• What advice would you give a new employee starting with (company name)?
• What tools and resources are the biggest help to you?
• Who was your go-to person when you were getting started in your role?
• How can we improve the new employee experience at (company name)?

These simple questions can give you perspective that can help you strengthen your process and program. You can use these questions as a foundation, and tweak or expand them based on the program – these examples focus on the new employee experience, but just imagine how a few strategic questions can help you evolve your other training initiatives, leadership development programs, employee transitions and more.

The important thing is to stay curious, friends. We should continuously seek out feedback and suggestions from our various stakeholders, from the executives to the end users, and from all cubicles in between.

Your turn: How do you engage your organization beyond the standard needs analysis or evaluation process? What information have you gained from employees that have impacted your learning programs?

Like it?  Share it!

 

Ready or Not?

Hey manager!  Ready or not…here comes your new employee!

If a hiring manager doesn’t have a lot of turnover on her team, she may not give a lot of thought to preparing for a new employee’s arrival. On the flip side, a hiring manager who is often bringing on new team members might find herself lacking a consistent preparation process.

If you’ve read previous posts (like this one…or maybe this one) that are directed toward hiring managers, you’re probably already aware of my thoughts on this subject. The hiring manager plays a key role in the successful onboarding of a new employee. I can’t say it enough. In fact, I’m going to say it one. more. time.

The hiring manager (that’s you, maybe?) plays a key (mission-critical, really) role in the successful onboarding of a new employee. Tweet this

Sure, other people play an important role in the process, too. But this is on you. Whether you do it yourself, or you delegate some of the tasks to others on your team, you need to make sure that certain things are ready before your newest team member walks through that front door on his first day.

Now, don’t stress, my friends; I’m going to do some of the legwork for you today. Here is your to-do list, a simple compilation of 10 things that you, dear hiring manager, need to have ready in preparation for Day #1:

1. The employee’s desk/workstation/office – Everyone needs a place to sit. You wouldn’t believe the horror stories I’ve heard about people starting new jobs, only to find their desk had been serving as the office catch-all, or was still full of junk left over from the previous desk tenant. I have personally moved into an office, only to find a stockpile of stale granola bars, likely sitting there since the Reagan administration. Yuck. Give your new employee a clean home, please.

2. The employee’s computer, phone, and other necessary equipment and supplies – You can’t expect an employee to do his job unless he has the tools to do so. Make sure this is taken care of in advance; scrambling around after the employee has started sends the message that disorganization reigns supreme in your office. And nobody wants to work there.

3. A lunch date with you on his first day - Take him out of the building, if possible. Ask him what he thinks so far. See if he has any questions. Learn more about him as a person. Be genuine. Start building the foundation for a solid professional relationship.  Be the manager you’d want to work for.

4. A team lunch or social event during his first week – Help him get acquainted with the folks he will be working with. The sooner he can build these allies, the more it will help him assimilate into the team and company culture, and the more he will be able to learn from them.

5. Plenty of meeting time on your calendar during his first few weeks – Give him feedback. Ask for his feedback. Set expectations early on. Open communication is so important during the onboarding process. What am I saying…it’s important all the time.

6. Tasks or projects where the new employee can contribute during the first weeks – Securing “quick wins” is a major factor in the successful onboarding of leaders at all levels. Look for opportunities for the new employee to be productive, early on. He doesn’t need to be able to solve complex business issues – after all, he doesn’t have the context around the issues yet to fully grasp them. But finding strategic areas to contribute will help him build his credibility with you, with the team, and across the organization.

7. Personally introduce the new employee to key stakeholders across the organization – Take the time to walk him around and make some introductions. Coordinate an email or introductory audio or video conference to introduce him to remote colleagues or partners. Schedule informal meet-and-greet sessions (more info on meet-and-greets can be found here). Make sure your new employee is visible.

8. Coordinate a corporate credit card/expense account, travel guidelines or a company car (if needed) – If your employee will need these items, make sure your employee has them. A new employee will not necessarily understand the process, nor will he know who the go-to people are to arrange for these things. Take a moment. Take care of it.

9. Make arrangements for the new employee to attend any company-wide or department-specific new hire training – Craft short and long-term learning plans for him. Make sure he is fully enabled on systems, processes, products and any compliance-related topics. A knowledgeable, confident employee is often a more productive, loyal employee.

10. Do something nice for your new employee - Even the simplest gesture can tell the new employees that you’re happy they’re on the team. Have the team sign a welcome card. Have fresh flowers waiting on her desk when she arrives on her first day. If your organization is big on branded swag, have a fun coffee mug or t-shirt ready. It really doesn’t matter WHAT you do…just take a moment to show your appreciation. Give the new employee a reason to smile on her drive home that night.

Not so scary, huh? You can definitely do this. Some of these items are very practical and specific. Others will vary, based on the new employee’s role, your personal style and your company’s culture. Regardless, these items should somehow be incorporated into your process. To simplify it even further, I’ve created a handy little Onboarding Checklist for you to download.  Use it, tweak it, make it your own…just DO something! Your new employees deserve to have their onboarding experience be a positive one, don’tcha think?

Your turn: Tell me, hiring managers, what is on your onboarding checklist? How do you welcome someone to your team?

Like it? Share it!

 

Let’s Get Philosophical

The other day, I had a really good conversation with a friend and colleague. At one point, the topic turned to adult learning philosophy. We waxed philosophic for a few minutes, and then the conversation moved on to something else. But that conversation got me thinking about my own philosophy of learning.

Now, don’t you worry, my friends. I haven’t forgotten what I said on my About page:

“I write the way I talk. The way I facilitate. I like analogies and metaphors; I dislike pompous-sounding writers who make things more complicated than they need to be.”

That is true – more than ever – so don’t think I’m going to start spouting off jargon or theories from Bloom or Kolb or any of those other smarties, although I do give those folks plenty of credit and refer to them often. But for today, here is my common-sense, real-world, chat-over-a-cup-of-coffee view on adult learning:

1. Keep it real and relevant.

Adults are seeking learning opportunities that are based in practical, real-world experience. Save the textbook, hypothetical hullaballoo (umm, did I just say hullaballoo?) for the university. Adults need to know that they can apply what they’ve learned to their jobs. To their daily tasks and projects. They have chosen to spend their valuable time in training…well, some of them have chosen. Regardless of whether they made the choice to attend training or whether it was required for their job, they need to know that this is time well spent.

2. Keep it timely.

Adults need to know that the material they are learning is pertinent to what they are currently experiencing, not something that may or may not be helpful months down the road. Technical trainers, make sure that your participants will actually be using the skills they learn in training right away so they can transfer the classroom experience to the job. I could keep going about learning transfer and improved performance, but I’ll spare you today. Another post, perhaps!

3. Keep it engaging and inclusive.

I wrote a piece awhile back about similarities in teaching adults versus teaching children. While it was a little tongue-in-cheek, there was some truth to it. Check it out here if you’d like.

While there are some fundamental similarities, the truth is, adults simply learn differently than children do. Think back to when you were a kid…you sat at your desk, your teacher stood at the front of the room and presented a lot of content to you. She might have used a textbook, an overhead projector, a map, a chalkboard or a smelly, purple-ink ditto page as her vehicle, but the message was clear: “I am the adult. I am the expert. Your learning goes through me.”

And maybe that was fine when you were 8 years old, learning about long division or Magellan or possessive pronouns for the first time.

But, like I said, adults are different.

Adults bring a variety of experiences, baggage, bias, ideas, motives, likes, dislikes, opinions, fears and needs to each and every training session, regardless of how its delivered. It is our job to meet those needs by creating an inclusive, welcoming environment that allows participants to learn, be challenged and take something applicable and relevant back to the job.

We also need to be engaging. Most adults learn best in an interactive setting. It is critical that we leverage the techniques, tools, resources and industry know-how that we have accumulated to develop and deliver engaging learning experiences for our participants. Allow them to contribute. Encourage them to participate. Ask them to share their experiences.

And, for the love of all that is righteous, don’t read them a PowerPoint and think that they’ve “learned” something.

So, there you go. A few thoughts on my philosophy of adult learning. Maybe it’s similar to your own philosophy. Maybe you have a different viewpoint. Either way, I’d love to hear your thoughts! As always, feel free to comment, email or hit me up on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Like it? Share it!

 

First Impressions…

I’d like to chat with my recruiting and hiring manager friends for a moment…

You are setting the tone for your relationship with your newest team member from the earliest points of contact. The first impressions you give, even in this embryonic stage, will remain etched in the employee’s mind long after your initial meeting.

Here are 4 times, recruiting and hiring decision makers, when you can significantly impact an incumbent’s experience…long before his first day:

Before the Interview:

A talented individual sees your job posting…maybe on a career website, maybe on your organization’s website, maybe he was referred by a colleague. Is that job posting well-written? Does it clearly specify the role, the minimum hiring requirements, and the desired skills and qualifications?

You need to have a hook. What will draw in that talented prospect, and intrigue him to the point of applying? Maybe it’s the strategic opportunity. Maybe it’s your company’s outstanding culture. Maybe it’s a solid compensation package. Whatever it is, make sure it is clearly communicated.

As you are setting up an interview, put yourself in the shoes of the interviewee. A little courtesy goes a long way! Make sure he knows how to find your office, where to park, and what to expect when he arrives. At my day job, our recruiting team does a fantastic job orchestrating an interview agenda. The incumbent receives an agenda in advance, letting him know who he will be meeting with, what their roles are, and how long to expect to be there. They make organized arrangements for out-of-town candidates. The experience is a positive one.

During the Interview

Several years ago, I had a job interview for a small but well-known, well-respected organization. I was drawn in by the job posting and knew it would be a great fit for my background. There was a bit of “phone tag” during the phone interview and onsite interview scheduling process, but I dismissed it. Everyone’s busy, right?

But then I arrived for my interview.

In a curt tone, the receptionist informed me that it was a very busy day, and the hiring manager would be out “shortly”. I was ushered to a lobby chair.

Where I sat. And sat. And sat some more.

For 90 excruciatingly long minutes, I waited in that lobby. The receptionist never acknowledged me again or gave me an update about why it was taking so long or even made eye contact with me. My opinion of that well-known, well-respected organization tanked in that lobby.

When the hiring manager finally came out, I did not receive an apology. What I did receive, however, was an eye roll and a passive-aggressive, snarky complaint about people double-booking things on her calendar. Nice, huh? The interview was rushed, the questions were not thought-provoking, and the hiring manager spent more time looking at her phone than at me.

I was actually offered that position, and the hiring manager was surprised when I kindly declined the offer. Even though I didn’t join that organization, I appreciate what I learned:

A candidate is interviewing the company just as much as the company is interviewing the candidate.

I learned this as a candidate, but the lesson rings true from an organization’s perspective. Recruiting friends, hiring managers, decision makers…what kind of impression do you leave on the talented candidates that walk through your doors? If you were sitting in that interview, would you want to work for your organization? Please think about that. Culture, personality, warmth and authenticity make a big impact, and can be the deciding factor between a fantastic candidate coming to work for you, versus working for your competitor.

Following the Interview

How long is the interviewing and hiring process? People like to act. People like to plan. People like to move on, when they don’t get the job offer they were hoping for.

Follow up. Make a phone call. Keep the candidate in the loop, if it’s taking longer than expected. It happens, and people are remarkably forgiving when you are honest with them. But cutting off communication and hoping they get the hint is simply not professional. Not cool.

Even if your system generates an automated “thanks-but-no-thanks” message, at least that’s something. Take a look at that message, however. Does it SOUND automated? Take a moment and craft a warm, genuine response. Most applicant tracking systems will allow you to customize the communication.

After the Offer has been Accepted

This is where learning begins.  Within days, your incumbent has likely put in his resignation at his current job, and is naturally looking forward to his new opportunity with your team.  An employee will never be as engaged as he is during this stage!  He is excited to get started, he is looking for anything he can get his hands on that will teach him about your organization and the people he will be working with. Many times, an employee will be on a vague, self-directed scavenger hunt to gather as much information as he can to learn about you, your team and the company. Don’t neglect your incoming employee during this time; you can set the stage for a successful start by employing a few simple strategies. I wrote this little piece awhile back about preboarding new employees…check it out for some ideas!

Remember, friends…a smartly-executed interview is an important tool for attracting talented individuals.  Like I said, they are interviewing you as well!  They want to know, just as much as you do, that they will be a good fit for the role, team and culture. Use that precious interview time wisely!

Your turn: Do you have any memorable interview “first impressions”?  Good or bad?  Did the impression you got from the interview sway your decision to take a job? Tell me all about it!

Like it?  Share it!

 

Cold Weather and Good Planning

This photo was taken from my car this morning on my way to work.  A few things to notice about this photo:

1. I am not exactly a morning person, so the fact that it is 7:55 a.m. (actually, 7:49…that clock is about 6 minutes fast) and I was almost to the office is amazing. And in case my recently learner-permitted daughter is reading this (doubtful, but whatevs), no, Meghan, I did not take the photo while driving.

2. I was 22 miles from an empty tank.  Look at the temperature. Who wants to stand outside in THAT and pump gas?? Yes, I had been putting off stopping for gas for a few days. I was actually at the gas station to fill up when I took the picture.

3. The temperature. FIVE degrees, and that ain’t Celsius, dear international friends.  That is FIVE degrees, and the windchill this morning was well below zero.  Cold.  Miserably cold.  Wish-you-were-back-in-your-warm-snuggly-bed-avoiding-the-day cold.  I know my Canadian friends are probably just shaking their heads and laughing smugly at me, but that’s really. stinking. cold.  And, yes, I’ve lived in Indiana my entire life, and this is not unusual…but that doesn’t mean I have to LIKE it.

And this morning, as I stood there in the blustery January cold, pumping my gas and thinking about my pending workday, I thought of the importance of good planning, communication, and looking out for your learners.

Today, at the day job, we kicked off a three-day training event for some folks who are based in the field, rather than at our corporate headquarters. I hadn’t been the point of contact for the participants, so I was looking forward to meeting everyone.  But then, I thought (and got a little worried…must be the Mom in me)….where were these folks coming from?  Had anyone given them a heads-up about our ridiculously cold weather?  If I were from, say, Miami, I would definitely be appreciative if someone had called or sent a quick email to let me know that the weather would be much, much colder than I was accustomed to and to make sure I packed accordingly.

Fortunately, someone did let them know about the weather.  And we do have 2 Floridians and an Arizonan with us this week, so if they weren’t sure before this week why people move to places like Florida and Arizona when they retire, you can bet your parka that they get it now.

So, like I said, this got me thinking about planning ahead. How else can we plan ahead for training events?  Here are 3 simple ideas:

1. Check for dietary restrictions when planning meals and snacks.

Gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegan (etc)…allergies and food sensitivities run rampant these days.  And we should always be aware of possible cultural diet restrictions.  Survey your participants ahead of time when planning meals, and accommodate any special needs.

2. Organize your agenda to include frequent, short breaks.

People need to move around.  People want to stay engaged.  Giving periodic breaks offers a number of benefits, such as:

• Helps learners stay more focused on the CONTENT, and less focused on when the next break will be
• Gives an opportunity for participants to use the restroom, check email, or answer phone calls…so they are less likely to do this DURING your session
• Retention is improved when participants are able to step away periodically
• Gives you, the facilitator, a moment to catch your breath and regroup!

3. Know Thy Learner.

This can be achieved in the development stage by conducting a thorough Training Needs Analysis.  This can be achieved by reaching out to participants ahead of time.  This can be achieved by getting to know your participants throughout the training.  Do your homework, friends.  How do you get to know your learners before, during and after a training event?

I have had the privilege of facilitating thousands of training sessions throughout my career, covering everything from very basic skills to very complex systems and processes. One thing that rings true, regardless of the topic, is that your participants have needs. Sure, they “need” to learn the material you are sharing with them, but they also come with their own basic needs and expectations.

It’s our job to identify their needs, and exceed their expectations.

Even when it’s 5 degrees outside, and you’d rather be in your warm, snuggly bed.

Like it? Share it!