Laurel and Associates, Ltd

My blog has moved!

2011-08-22T17:58:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Thank you for following my Laurel Learning Tips blog. We have moved it to . You will find the most recent posts at that site.

Thank you.

May your learning be sweet!

Deborah

Tip #388: In Praise of Participants Who Continually Think and Question

2011-08-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

"Who questions much, shall learn much, and retain much." Francis Bacon

Every now and then, there is a participant in a training session who asks thoughtful question after question. In those instances, it can be a real challenge for a trainer to stay focused on the lesson and not get frustrated or impatient. However, participant questions that are asked out of a sincere desire to learn and understand can benefit the participant, the trainer and the rest of the learners in several ways.

Participants who continually think and question force the trainer to give better explanations, provide greater clarity and consider alternative perspectives.

1. Better Explanations

Participant questions can be a useful indication that the trainer is operating on an unconsciously competent level. This happens when trainers know a topic so well that they make connections and follow steps automatically, without any thought to what they are doing. As a result, they neglect to mention certain pieces of information because that information is already hot-wired into their brains.

Technical experts are particularly likely to have this tendency, although any trainer who has performed or taught a procedure or the same information over and over again can also fall prey to this error of omission.

Thoughtful participant questions should cause trainers to slow down, rewind, and reteach more carefully, paying conscious and deliberate attention so that they provide all of the information that the learners require.

2. Greater Clarity

Sometimes, the examples or explanations that a trainer chooses to use are somewhat vague or confusing. In such cases, participant questions indicate a real need for trainers to give careful consideration to coming up with better and clearer explanations.

The best examples and explanations highlight the critical attributes of the new learning. These critical attributes are what distinguish what is being learned from everything else. When trainers take the time to recognize and articulate critical attributes, they are less likely to gloss over key information.

3. Alternative Perspectives

Participant questions can reframe how the trainer and the other learners perceive the content under discussion. Because the learners are viewing the information with new eyes, they may see things differently than the trainer does. Participant insights can shed new light on a topic, open up a previously unexplored variation on a theme, or generate an entirely new approach to a situation.

This is one of the real gifts of participant-centered training programs: when participants are free to ask questions, the trainer also gets to learn and grow.

Thank goodness for those participants who continually ask questions. Their desire to understand and explore a topic from a variety of perspectives reflects their strong commitment to learning. Their questions, and the answers and discussion that they generate, can result in better and deeper learning for everyone involved.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #387: Don’t be Afraid to Use Participatory Learning Activities

2011-08-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

“Knowledge is the antidote to fear.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

The idea of using participatory learning activities is alarming to many trainers for three basic reasons. First, they operate under the mistaken assumption that participatory activities require a great deal of time and money to create and deliver. Second, they fear that they will lose credibility if they move away from expert lectures. Third, they are concerned about losing control over the content and the learners.

It is true that there are costly participatory learning activities on the market that offer lots of bells and whistles. It is also true that are many participant-centered activities that are easy to create, take little time to deliver, and cost next to nothing.

As for losing credibility as the expert who delivers the training, there is nothing farther from the truth. Regardless of the learning activity, it is ultimately the trainer who has the final word.

Although facilitative skill in classroom management is necessary, there is also no reason for trainers to lose control over the content or the learners.

1. Participatory activities can be quick and inexpensive to create and deliver.

Simple participatory learning activities can be very effective. The point of engaging learners is to give them an opportunity to either check their comprehension or practice using what they have learned.

Simple inexpensive activities that check for comprehension and are quick and easy to create and administer include: paper and pencil questionnaires, crossword puzzles, small group brainstorming, a relay race to complete words or phrases on a flip chart, pop ups that involve participants standing to volunteer answers, small group discussion to solve a problem situation, and responding to questions about a visual on the screen.

Simple inexpensive hands on activities that are quick and easy to create and give learners practice using what they have learned include having them: make computations, operate equipment, simulate interpersonal communication situations, and/or demonstrate procedures.

2. The trainer is always the expert, regardless of the learning activity.

The reason that the trainer is in the front of the room is that the trainer has respected expertise in the subject area. The question is when the focus of the training belongs on the trainer and when it belongs on the learners.

If the training content is completely new to the learners, the focus must first be on the expert trainer who can present, explain and demonstrate the content. Then the focus needs to move to the learners as they practice the new content and develop a level of mastery.

However, during learner practice, the trainer remains responsible for coaching, guiding and re-teaching where necessary. At the conclusion of the learner practice, the trainer is also responsible for confirming or correcting the learners’ answers and results. After all, the trainer is the recognized expert.

3. The trainer can maintain control over the content and the learners during participatory activities.

Basic facilitation skills in classroom management that enable the trainer to maintain control include:

a. modeling the desired behavior in an example before the learners work on their own;

b. providing detailed instructions;

c. clarifying the desired end result of the activity;

d. allocating a specific time period for the activity;

e. monitoring the activity;

f. intervening where necessary to clarify instructions or better focus a small group on the desired activity;

g. keeping learners apprised of the amount of time they have remaining to complete the activity;

h. closing down the activity;

i. debriefing the activity by drawing answers or results from one or more work groups; and

j. confirming or correcting group answers or results.

The trainer is actually in control of the activity at all times. The trainer has designed the activity, can guide the learners in the direction they need to go, can stop the activity to clarify and refocus where necessary, and will have the final say regarding the time the activity takes and the learning that occurs.

Participatory learning activities can be inexpensive, quick and easy to design, and result in effective learning that builds learner mastery. When trainers embrace participatory learning activities in lieu of lecture, they still retain expert credibility and content control. The only real difference is that now the learners are doing the work rather than the trainer! Isn’t that the way it should be?

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #386: The Value of Being Willing to Admit: “I Don’t Understand”

2011-08-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

“You don’t understand anything until you learn it more than one way.” Marvin Minsky

Trainers often say with great sincerity that “There are no stupid questions.” Despite this clear encouragement, some learners are still hesitant to ask a question that will let others know they are having difficulty. This is a shame, because a learner’s lack of understanding is rarely a personal failure. It can just as easily be attributed to the trainer, the training content and/or the training techniques.

Learning is not a race where the person who understands first wins. The primary focus of any training program is to help all learners ultimately be successful. If a learner doesn’t let the trainer know there is a problem, the trainer will never realize there is a need to reteach the content and the learner will remain frustrated.

When learners are willing to admit that they don’t understand a concept or technique, everyone benefits: the individual, the trainer and the other learners in the workshop. There are many reasons why asking for help is the best thing to do:

1. It’s honest.

2. It indicates the learner’s sense of ownership and commitment to learning.

3. It shows that the learner wants to understand.

4. It means that the learners have seriously tried to work it through by themselves and come to a dead end.

5. It reflects the learner’s degree of comfort with and trust in the trainer.

6. It gives the trainer important feedback.

7. It puts a spotlight on key learning stumbling blocks.

8. It challenges the trainer to focus on alternative ways to deliver the information.

9. It forces the learning down to a real rather than a theoretical level.

10. It requires the trainer to dig deeper to discover more useful examples.

11. It frees the learner and trainer to try again.

12. It benefits those who were similarly confused but uncomfortable asking for help.

13. It encourages teamwork as co-learners try to help each other better understand.

14. It increases the likelihood of successful learning outcomes.

15. It paves the way for a real sense of accomplishment once understanding is achieved.

16. It enriches the learning process for everyone.

So, trainers, encourage your learners to let you know as soon as possible when they are having difficulty. And learners, recognize and admit when you need help. The trainer and your co-learners will appreciate and benefit from your honesty.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #385: What is Magic About the Number Three in Designing Curriculum for Better and More Lasting Learning?

2011-08-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

“Education is the methodical creation of the habit of thinking.” Ernest Dimnet

If training is to effectively change learner behavior, then the curriculum must be designed with learning activities that encourage and require the learners both to feel strongly and to think deeply about their conclusions. These design models and principles come in sets of three:

a. Triune Brain Model

The evolutionary Triune Brain Model (developed by Dr. Paul MacLean) identifies three major layers of the brain:

1. The Reptilian System operates relatively automatically and is concerned with safety and survival. Pre-reason and pre- language, it is over 500 million years old. This is the first brain to engage in any situation, which is why it is so important for trainers to create a comfortable learning environment.

2. The Limbic System is over 200 million years old and also pre-reason and without language. It monitors emotion and plays a significant role in remembering new information and organizing events. The memory is lodged in the emotions. The more senses and sensations engaged, the more likely a memory will be created and retained.

3. The Neocortex is only 50 million years old, but it constitutes 80% of the total human brain. This is the seat of reason and language, capable of creativity and complex analysis. It provides the ability to put feelings and thoughts into words.

The fact that the memory is lodged in the emotions means that participant-centered learning activities that engage the learners’ senses will result in longer-lasting learning.

b. Multimodal Learning

Research conducted for Cisco by the Metri Group has identified three design principles:

1. Recognize and address learner’s prior knowledge, experience and preconceptions about the topic. Positive transfer means that this information will be useful as a base on which to build any new learning. Create learning activities that will draw these from long-term memory into working memory.

Negative transfer means that this information can easily get in the way of the new learning. A good learning designer makes sure to incorporate learning activities that enable the learners to identify and build on positive transfer- and disconnect negative transfer.

2. Make learning meaningful by relating it to the learners’ experience, goals, or interests and values. Create learning activities that help the learners’ discover why a topic is relevant and meaningful.

This will result in authentic learning that has three key components:

(1) depth of learning

(2) real life relevance

(3) learner application

Learning designers need to incorporate learning activities that engage the learners both emotionally and intellectually and then give them a chance to apply what they have learned. These activities will, therefore, draw on working memory, sensory memory, and long-term memory.

3. Teach learners how to think about what they are thinking (metacognition). Create problem-solving activities that require the learners to predict outcomes and learn from their failures. This learning strategy creates germane cognitive load in working memory when learners are encouraged to give their own explanations of work examples.

c. Productive Self-Explanations

Cognitive load researchers suggest three ways to promote productive self-explanations:

1. Train learners how to give constructive explanations of their thought processes and rationale;

2. Use faded worked examples (where they have to complete portions of the example) and have the learners explain their rationale; and

3. Use worked examples (where learners have to complete the entire example) and ask questions that will stimulate self-explanations.

This three-pronged approach gives learners the knowledge of how to explain their thinking and graduated practice giving explanations of the underlying rationale for their conclusions and decisions.

d. Influence Learner Behavior

The three concentric circles of the Golden Circle (developed by Simon Sinek) explain the phenomenon that training is more likely to influence learner behavior when it starts with Why:

1. The outermost circle is What. Here, rational decisions [made in the neocortex] are justified on the basis of facts and figures. Since facts alone can be skewed, decisions made at this level generate the least amount of confidence in terms of emotional commitment.

2. The middle circle is How. Here, gut decisions [made in the limbic system] are justified on the basis of a “gut feeling.” Decisions based on feelings generate somewhat more confidence in terms of emotional commitment than fact-based decisions.

3. The center circle is Why. Why decisions [also made in the limbic system] “feel right” and can be justified with facts and figures. Both factors generate great confidence in these types of decisions, resulting in the greatest amount of emotional commitment.

This is another reason why curriculum design should begin lessons with a learning activity that enables the learners to discover why the topic is important and, thereby, make it meaningful to them.

Engaging learners on both emotional and intellectual levels generates greater commitment to new learning, increasing the probability that the learners will remember and apply it once they leave the classroom.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #384: What is Magic About the Number Three in Brain Research- and What It Means for Training Design and Delivery

2011-07-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

"There are three principal means of acquiring knowledge . . . observation of nature, reflection, and experimentation. Observation collects facts; reflection combines them; experimentation verifies the result of that combination." Denis Diderot

Evidence-based research findings regarding how the brain works have serious implications for training design and delivery. Paying attention to these findings, which just happen to occur in sets of three, will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the learning that occurs.

a. Three Types of Memory

Research shows that there are actually three types of memory:

1. Working memory is where thinking gets done. It is dual coded with a buffer for storage of verbal/text elements and a second buffer for visual/spatial elements. Working memory is short-term and limited in terms of the amount of information that can be simultaneously stored.

2. Sensory memory occurs when we experience any aspect of the world through our senses. A sensory experience is involuntarily stored as episodic knowledge in long-term memory. We need to pay attention to sensory memory episodes for them to get introduced into working memory.

3. Long-term memory in humans is estimated to store the equivalent of 50,000 times the text in the U.S. Library of Congress. Learning is accomplished when information is stored in long-term memory and learners use that information to solve problems.

There are also three types of long-term memory:

(1) Episodic memory stores images of past events. It recalls both events and information related to those events.

(2) Semantic memory stores mental models of meaningful facts and generalized information. It contains verbal information, concepts, rules, principles, and problem-solving skills.

(3) Procedural memory stores the series of steps necessary to perform different tasks. Remembering one step stimulates the response of remembering the next step.

b. Cognitive Load

Working memory has a limited capacity for the amount of information it can hold or process at one time.Cognitive load refers to the amount of work imposed on working memory.

There are three different types of cognitive load, and only two of them are helpful to the learning process:

1. Intrinsic load is the mental work imposed by the complexity of the content to be learned and is primarily determined by the training goals.

2. Extraneous load imposes mental work that is irrelevant to the training goal, such as unnecessary information, learning activities, and visuals.

3. Germane load is relevant mental work imposed by learning activities that help to achieve the training goal.

The three types of cognitive load: intrinsic, extraneous and germane, are additive. The more there is of one, the less room there is for the others.

c. Expand Working Memory Capacity

There are three ways to expand the virtual capacity of working memory:

1. Increase expertise so the schemas, or mental models, in long-term memory grow and enable working memory to process larger content segments.

2. Automate knowledge or skills so they are coded into long-term memory and can be exercised with minimal or no resources from working memory.

3. Divide content between the auditory and visual components of working memory so that neither processor is overtaxed.

d. Information Processing

Cognitive scientists have discovered three important features of the human information processing system that are particularly relevant for PowerPoint users:

1. Dual-channels: People have separate information processing channels for visual material and verbal material. As a result, PowerPoint design should use both words and pictures to present material.

2. Limited capacity: People can pay attention to only a few pieces of information in each channel at a time. As a result, PowerPoint should be designed without extraneous gimmicks that can increase the possibility of cognitive overload.

3. Active processing: People understand new information when they know what to focus on and are able to organize the information and integrate it with their prior knowledge. As a result, PowerPoint design should use simple graphics to highlight key points, include some type of outline, and provide real life examples that are familiar to the learners.

Designers of training curriculum will increase the probability of successful learning if they follow the precepts of this evidence-based information from brain research.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #383: What is Magic About the Number Three in Curriculum Design?

2011-07-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

"No one can remember more than three points." Philip Crosby

It may seem surprising, but the number three plays a significant role in curriculum design in both theory and practice. Following the principles outlined in the eight triads below will significantly improve the likelihood that the training you design will effectively achieve the desired learning results.

a. Needs Assessment

Curriculum design begins with finding the answers to three key questions that will help determine whether training is the right solution to the identified problem:

1. Who is the target audience?

2. Why is there a need for this specific training?

3. What should the learners know or do differently when they leave the training?

Answers to these key curriculum design questions will ensure that the right:

1. People will be in the right training program;

2. Solution to the problem will be identified (which will avoid unnecessary training); and

3. Knowledge and skills will be developed.

b. Trainer Decisions

Trainers make three decisions before, during and after interaction with the
learner that will increase the probability that learning will occur. The UCLA Mastery Teaching Model states that, regardless of who or what is being taught, all training decisions fall into three categories:

1. Content [what content to teach next];

2. Learner Activities [what the learner will do to learn and to demonstrate that learning has occurred]; and

3. Trainer Activities [what the trainer will do to facilitate learning, through group facilitation and stand up presentation techniques].

Curriculum design addresses the first two categories. Classroom management addresses the last category.

c. Desired Level of Learning

It is essential to clearly identify the desired level of learning and mastery the participants should attain. Although Bloom's Taxonomy of Behavioral Objectives includes six progressive building blocks of knowledge, achieving the first three levels will convert a training session from trainer-focused to learner-focused:

1. Level 1 is knowledge, where the instructor imparts information to the learners.

2. Level 2 is comprehension, where the learners both know and demonstrate their understanding of what has been taught.

3. Level 3 is application, where the learners know, understand and practice using what they have learned.

If the training goal is to build or strengthen specific skills, application must be the minimum desired learning level.

d. Learning Objectives

Learning objectives explain in specific, observable and measurable terms what the learner will do to (a) learn specific skills and (b) demonstrate that they have learned them. When we streamline the task analysis process, we make it easier to create learning objectives. This process has three phases:

1. Identify the key content.

2. Determine the appropriate level of learning for each learner action in the key content template.

3. Add a learning-level appropriate verb to each learner action identified in the key content template.

e. Learning Activity Selection

The decision regarding which learning activities to incorporate into a training program must satisfy the need to:

1. Select an activity that can effectively achieve the desired learning level;

2. Fit the learning into the specific time available, given the fact that different activities require different amounts of time; and

3. Use a variety of participatory activities to meet the needs of different learning styles as well as to keep the learners engaged.

f. Learning Styles

The most basic learning style model is based on the senses:

1. Visual learners who rely on sight, so they learn best through the use of audiovisuals;

2. Auditory learners who rely on hearing, so they learn best by listening; and

3. Kinesthetic learners who require movement, so they learn best through hands on activities.

This simple learning style model explains why a training program that relies on only one training method or learning activity will be much less effective than if it incorporates a variety of learning activities.

g. Learner Practice

There are three closely related approaches that a trainer can take to ensure that the learners have the preparation and practice they need to build their confidence in their own competence:

1. Plan for the learners to demonstrate their learning in the classroom. When designing the curriculum, the learning objectives should identify what the learners will do both to learn and to validate their learning during the learning session.

2. Ensure that the learners are able to get immediate feedback regarding their mastery of the new learning. Participatory learning activities enable learners to practice and, at the same time, assess their ability to use new learning.

3. Provide practice opportunities for learners that require them to assume increasing responsibility for their learning. Brain studies have found that learners require three examples or iterations to learn new skills or concepts.

The three practice opportunities can include:

1. Directed practice, in which the trainer walks the entire group of learners through a new process or procedure;

2. Guided, monitored practice, during which the learners work in small groups so they can support each other; and

3. Independent practice, during which the learners either work singly or in pairs or triads. By the time of this third practice session, the learners should be sufficiently prepared to perform without the assistance of the trainer.

h. Hands On Learning Activities

Hands on learning activities accomplish three results:

1. Learners can practice and demonstrate their ability to apply what they have learned.

2. The trainer will have observable proof of the actual learning that has taken place.

3. Learners will gain confidence in their ability to apply what they have learned. As a result, they will be much more likely to use their new learning back on the job.

Curriculum design that follows the principles stated in these sets of three will result in a training program that will effectively achieve desired learning.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #382: How to Convert Naysayers into Facilitators

2011-07-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

“I've always believed that you can think positive just as well as you can think negative.” Sugar Ray Robinson

The bane of a trainer’s experience in a classroom is the participant who comes in with a negative attitude and stays that way. It would be fine if the person simply stewed in peace. Unfortunately, misery actually does appear to love company, so the disgruntled individual is much more likely to make negative statements to all and sundry in the vicinity rather than sit quietly.

There are techniques to handle behavior like this, such as using humor, agreeing to disagree, asking other participants how they feel, and, if all else fails, inviting the individual to leave.

However, the greater challenge is to co-opt the individual into constructively contributing to the training. There are two techniques that can help to convert negative behavior into positive participation. They are predicated on treating the individual with respect and validating the individual’s participation in the class. Both of these techniques also give the individual an opportunity to rise to the challenge and problem solve.

1. If the concern is valid: assign responsibility for problem resolution.

If the individual has a valid concern, ask if the individual is willing to assume responsibility for identifying possible solutions. If the individual is willing, have the individual facilitate a brainstorming session with other participants, write down their recommendations on a flip chart, and then give a report to the rest of the class.

Sometimes, the person only wants to voice a concern but not expend any more energy. If the individual is not willing to be involved in identifying possible solutions, give the individual a graceful “out.” “That’s fine. You have accomplished your goal of bringing your concerns to our attention. We will be mindful of them as we move into the next section of the training. Thank you.”

2. If the concern is not valid: acknowledge, dissociate, and redirect.

This is a three- step process. First, without arguing or getting defensive, acknowledge the participant’s concern and right to express that concern. “I appreciate that you feel that way.”

Second, do what you can to dissociate the current training focus from the individual’s concern. “It sounds like that was a real problem last year. Now that a full year has passed, we have a new opportunity to get it right.” Or “Your concern about the new policy may be very valid. However, our focus today is on how to implement the policy now that it is in place.”

Third, redirect the individual’s attention to providing constructive recommendations. “Given what you know, what would you suggest to help us make implementation of that policy as effective and seamless as possible?”

Adults like to solve problems and everyone likes to feel appreciated. If you treat them with dignity and give them a positive role to play, there is a high probability that you will be able to convert naysayers into facilitators.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #381: Six Reasons Why Supervisors Need to be Involved in Training Design

2011-06-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

“One of the most important tasks of a manager is to eliminate his people's excuses for failure.” Robert Townsend

Supervisors suffer loss of time and productivity when their employees are not properly trained. As a result, they have a vested interest in decisions about what training to give, when to give it, and who should receive it.

Supervisors need to be involved in training design because they are the only ones who can ensure that the training supports employee performance, the training content is accurate, the training schedule is convenient, the right employees attend the training, the employees come to the training primed to learn, and there is follow up reinforcement for what has been learned in the training.

1. The training supports employee performance.

Performance needs should drive training decisions. Supervisors are in the best position to identify employee gaps in required knowledge and skills. They can also identify anticipated training needs due to program changes and new hires. Supervisors can help to prioritize the training needs so that the right training is given at the correct time to best support employee performance.

2. The training content is accurate.

Supervisors can serve as subject matter experts to help identify the learning objectives and key content for the training program. If other technical staff perform the function of subject matter experts, the supervisors need to be able to review the content to make sure it will accurately provide the required and desired knowledge and skills. They alone know the level of competence that the employees should achieve during the training program.

3. The training schedule is convenient.

Training schedules should take into consideration shift changes, employee workloads, production deadlines, and scheduled vacations. Supervisors need to be involved in planning how the training will be scheduled to minimize potential disruptions and maximize potential attendance. They can indicate the best length of time for a workshop, the best time of day or night, the frequency of the training and the desired duration between workshops. If the supervisors are not involved in training scheduling decisions, there is a strong likelihood that some employees who need the training will not be able to attend the scheduled workshops.

4. The right employees participate in the training.

There are times when all employees may need to attend the training and other times when only specific employees should attend. If the supervisors have been involved in identifying the training priorities, validating the training content, and scheduling the training, they are much more likely to plan ahead so that their employees can attend the training. They will also be able to identify which employees will benefit the most from the training.

5. The employees come to the training primed to learn.

The supervisors know what the training is designed to achieve. As a result, they can discuss the training with their employees and indicate what they want the employees to gain from attending the workshop. The employees will then come to the training with specific learning goals in mind. This will build their interest in the training and increase the probability that they will actively participate in the workshop, particularly if they are aware that the supervisors will be expecting changes in their behavior after the training.

6. There is follow up reinforcement for what has been learned in the training.

The supervisors have been involved in the design of the training program and they have alerted their employees to the knowledge or skills they are expected to gain from the workshop. When the employees return to their work site, the supervisors will be able to reinforce what the employees learned by holding them accountable for demonstrating their new learning.

Involving supervisors in training design will encourage them to actively support the training both before and after the workshop. This will ensure that the employees benefit from attending the workshop because the training provides relevant and accurate content that is reinforced by the supervisors back on the job. Supervisory participation in training design and reinforcement will also validate the role that training plays in supporting employee performance and, thereby, business success.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #380: Sustained Business Growth Depends on Trained Leaders and Supervisor

2011-06-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." Benjamin Franklin

Often the very attributes necessary to spur and guide the successful growth of a business contain within them the seeds of its ultimate discontent. If a business wants to sustain its growth, it needs to make sure that its leaders and supervisors are well trained.

Many businesses begin as a craft organization around the founder's kitchen table. Everyone is equally invested in the activities, most of them perform similar functions, and they enjoy daily access and communication. When tasks need to be completed, whoever is available assumes responsibility. There is no need for supervisors at this stage.

People connect and check in with each other on a continual basis. The craft organization relies on specific members to play to their strengths and to build additional knowledge and skills when necessary through whatever means possible. If training occurs, it is very informal.

The founder or founders of the business are eager to instill their own level of interest and commitment in their new staff members. Decisions that need to be made are discussed with everyone involved in the business. To a great extent, the craft organization is a real team effort with direct and informal relationships and connections between all of its members.

If the business is going to grow, it moves into a promotional stage. Someone has to get the word out to prospective customers. As the figurehead of the company, the leader (and founder) starts to be very much involved in public relations and marketing activities. Decisions need to be made quickly to take advantage of market opportunities. This means that the leader may be gone for periods of time, and this creates a new challenge to internal business communications.

It is an exciting and intense time of considerable and fast moving growth. In order to support this growth, team members need to focus on their own levels of expertise instead of performing a range of tasks. There is no time for staff to learn new skills. To meet immediate needs, new staff may be hired to plug in essential gaps in the team’s capabilities. The addition of these team members creates a different dynamic, as what was once a close-knit family has to welcome individuals who lack the same history and involvement in the start up of the business.

These are not the only changes. The leader may start to communicate directly with only one or two other team members because of lack of time and the need to expedite decisions. This can cause the other original members of the team to become dissatisfied as their access to the leader and their involvement in decision-making becomes more limited.

They may also begin to feel less connected to other team members as their work responsibilities become more specialized in order to respond to specific market needs. Their lack of access to the leader, lack of time, increased workload, and increased fragmentation can begin to take their toll.

At this point, the leader requires the knowledge and skills to bridge this communication gap, coordinate the different parts of the business, manage the workload, and build staff morale- in short, to lead the growing business. A wise leader will recognize the importance of learning how to run a business and seek out the relevant training when the business is still at the craft stage, in anticipation of future growth.

As the business services and staff expand, and the attention of the leader is directed externally, there is a need for further internal departmentalization and the establishment of supervisory levels. A management hierarchy evolves.

This can be a very difficult transition, particularly if, as is very typical, the business fills the supervisory positions with the most experienced staff. These technically competent individuals frequently lack the necessary skills to effectively supervise other staff. They also may not understand that, as supervisors, they are expected to be leaders rather than hands on performers.

Coordination and communication become more complex and difficult as the workforce grows and compartmentalizes in specialty areas. There is too many staff to sit at one table as they used to do when the business was at the craft stage. By this time, the organization has grown into the administrative stage, where policies and procedures need to be written and formalized to ensure consistency throughout the business.

Many businesses start to falter and fail at this point, particularly if the leader and the supervisors are not sufficiently trained so that they can competently perform all of their duties.

Supervisors need the knowledge and skills to be able to: plan, create schedules, delegate work, communicate with different personalities, orient and train employees, manage and evaluate employee performance, provide constructive coaching feedback, maintain a motivated workforce, manage conflict, develop teams, handle discipline, and use good time management to meet project and production deadlines.

While a business is at the promotional stage, it needs to anticipate the next stage and provide training to the team members who will eventually become supervisors. Giving them training after they have assumed those supervisory roles is often too late.

When supervisors are in over their heads and unsure what to do, they can make critical mistakes that affect production, service and staff. When leaders are in over their heads, they can make critical mistakes that affect the growth and even the very continuation of the business.

A business that plans on growing will increase its probability of sustained success if it makes sure that its leader and supervisors have the training that will enable them to fulfill their respective leadership and supervisory responsibilities. The sooner they receive this training, the better it will be for them, for the employees and for the business itself.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #379: In Defense of Classroom Learning

2011-06-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

"Technology is fine. . ., but that popular vision of the future, where you plug somebody in and leave them there and they don't get out and interact with actual flesh-and-blood humans -- you know the answer before I say it -- that's not good." Dennis Miller

With all of the focus on using social media and e-learning for training, classroom training may seem less attractive and cost effective. However, there is certain learning that can only occur in a classroom, particularly skills that require face-to-face interaction. These include the variety of interpersonal communications, including interviewing, presenting, training and negotiating.

There are six reasons for this:

1. It creates a supportive learning environment.

The camaraderie, the opportunity to bounce ideas off of others and hear their ideas, the ability to ask questions and get immediate answers, the physical experience of connecting and working with other participants all combine to enrich the learning experience. There is a much greater likelihood that the learners will learn in a classroom.

a. The physical fact that the participants are seated in a classroom helps to focus them on learning.

b. Having others around them learning about the same things reinforces participants’ motivation to learn.

c. Participants can encourage, support and assist each each other in the learning process.

d. Learning is augmented by the other participant’s comments and participation.

2. The trainer can model the desired learning and behavior.

It is one thing to read a description, talk through a process, watch a taped demonstration or communicate through sound bytes. It is a very different learning experience when the participants can observe and ask questions as the trainer models the desired behavior.

a. The modeling occurs in real time, so participants have the immediate ability to ask questions and seek clarification.

b. Because it occurs in real time, the trainer can adapt the skill or process to the

specific needs of the participants.

c. Verbal and nonverbal nuances, such as the tone of voice, facial expression and body language, are much more obvious in a live demonstration.

d. Learners can participate in all or part of the demonstration, which lets them discover what adjustments they need to make so that the process works effectively for them.

3. It provides an opportunity for guided monitored practice.

If participants are to retain what they have learned, they need to practice it several times. In a classroom, participants can first practice with the full involvement of the trainer. They can then practice working in small groups, where they are able to reinforce and assist each other. Finally, they can practice independently, with access to the trainer.

a. The trainer can listen to and observe the participants’ work, intervening where necessary.

b. The trainer can coach the participants or jumpstart their thought processes.

c. The trainer can intervene when difficulties arise, to either reteach or interject new information that will assist the participants.

d. Participants have access to the trainer for immediate guidance and feedback.

4. It allows participants to practice face-to-face interactive skills.

Interactive skills require whole body learning. In other words, just because a participant intellectually grasps the steps in a specific type of interaction does not mean that the participant is able to effectively handle the interaction in real life. The only way that learners will achieve confidence in their own competence is for them to practice their new skills in simulations that are as real to life as possible.

a. The participants can evaluate whether their verbal and nonverbal behaviors are consistent with each other, or whether they are giving inconsistent messages.

b. The participants get a chance to see how it feels to actually say what needs to be said to the other person.

c. The participant has to adjust to and handle unexpected responses of the other person.

d. It gives participants the experience of having to think on their feet.

5. It can provide scheduled kinesthetic activity.

The needs of kinesthetic learners are frequently underserved because they need to move their bodies in order to learn. Classroom training can easily incorporate kinesthetic activities, particularly to check for comprehension. Rather than texting or sitting at a computer, participants can move into and out of small groups, stand up to make reports, raise their hands, and play physical games such as relays.

a. Standing up increases the blood flow to the brain, keeping participants more alert

and able to learn.

b. Movement increases the energy of the group.

c. Moving into different groups provides participants with new and different viewpoints.

d. Movement engages both sides of the brain, thereby increasing the probability of both learning and retention.

6. It can be decorated to reinforce a topic or theme.

A classroom can be transformed with pictures and colorful items on the walls and a variety of tabletop objects that emphasize key aspects of the topic at hand. The classroom can even replicate a real world setting with music, sounds, colors, audiovisuals and room arrangements. This increases the participants’ interest and attention, both of which will increase the likelihood of more effective learning.

a. A themed classroom can bring a topic or concept to life, simulating real life experience.

b. The more senses that are engaged, the greater the learning that occurs.

c. Stimulated senses enhance participant interest and energy.

d. A pleasant and appealing classroom creates a relaxed learning environment, and participants are more creative when they are relaxed.

Human beings are social animals. They are more likely to learn when they are together and they have a chance to articulate their thoughts, gain insights from others, and physically practice what they have learned. This is particularly true for learning the variety of interpersonal communication skills.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #378: The Manager’s Role in Building a Customer Service Culture

2011-06-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

"Moments of truth" are the critical incidents in which customers come into contact with the organization and form their impressions of its quality and service.” Karl Albrecht and Ron Zemke

Do your employees simply serve customers or do they really care about helping customers solve their problems? Do they recognize that every interaction they have with their internal or external customers is a moment of truth? Do they know that their interaction will determine the customer’s perception of your organization as either helpful, caring and accessible, or cold, disinterested, and unwelcoming?

As a manager, there are three key steps that you can take to instill, support and maintain a customer service culture throughout your organization.

1. Establish a customer service mission. This begins with identifying the significant impacts that your organization’s services have on both your internal and your external customers. Look beyond the obvious features of your product or service to find the benefits they provide to your customers. For example, a company that makes anti-lock brakes does more than manufacture a product. Their product will ultimately save lives.

Next, describe the image that your organization would like to project to your customers. For example, a call center's mission statement is: “To take ownership of each call, manage each request correctly, dispatch efficiently and communicate to ensure the customer's complete satisfaction."

As another example, the mission statement of J.B. Hunt Transportation: is “Providing optimum service and solutions to maintain customer productivity and satisfaction."

Finally, plan a strategy to make this image a reality. This will entail the next two steps: ensuring both customer-focused employees and organizational systems.

2. Ensure that your employees have a customer service mentality and focus. Every employee needs to support the customer service mission in every interaction they have with customers.

Review the “moments of truth” when your customers interact with your organization. You want your employees to consistently make these moments positive and responsive. Keep in mind that customer service is every employee’s responsibility. It is not limited to the people who work at the reception or service desks. There is no way to predict when a customer will come into contact with your organization.

Highlight and emphasize the key customer service qualities and skills necessary to fulfill your organization’ s customer service mission. For example, the first person with whom potential customers typically have contact is a receptionist. This employee needs to be friendly, open, welcoming and helpful. The employee who is responsible for resolving customer complaints needs to have good listening, communication and problem solving skills.

When you recruit employees, publish your emphasis on customer service; and when you screen applicants, include behavioral interviews in which you ask the applicants how they would handle different customer service situations.

Once you have hired the employees, establish both qualitative and quantitative performance standards and means of measurement to ensure that the desired customer service skills are used during customer contacts.

3. Ensure that organizational systems, policies and procedures support the customer service mission. Do not put your employees into the uncomfortable position of having the desire and skills to provide excellent customer service without the necessary systems or procedures that enable them to follow through.

Empower employees who are closest to the customer situation to make the required decisions to resolve the issues. Identify and resolve inconsistent performance expectations. For example, make sure that employees are not placed into a Catch-22 situation where they are expected, on the one hand, to meet the customers’ satisfaction while, on the other hand, they are evaluated on the basis of the number of customers served in a given period of time.

Confirm that, when one department makes promises to customers, the other departments can deliver on those promises. Provide incentive programs for quality customer service. Conduct customer surveys and act on their responses when feasible.

Check to see that employees have the training and tools to provide the desired customer service. Keep them up-to-date on policy changes that affect customers. Provide the technology they need to effectively perform their work. Also review the forms and other paperwork required of customers to make sure they are as clear as possible, with samples of completed forms and detailed instructions to complete them.

If you and your employees continually ask yourselves, “How will what I’m doing or planning on doing impact my customers?” and then take constructive action on the basis of the answer to that question, you will know that you have successfully built a customer service culture.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #377: Steps In Hiring That Will Lower Employee Turnover

2011-05-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

"We wanted a responsible man for this job," said the employer to the applicant. "Well, I guess I'm just your man," said the young fellow. "No matter where I worked, whenever anything went wrong, they told me I was responsible." Bill Adler

Employees leave their jobs for five primary reasons that can be addressed during the hiring process: (1) the job is not what they expected, (2) they lack the skills, knowledge or abilities to perform the job in the manner that the organization requires, (3) they are uncomfortable with the conditions of employment, (4) their values are incompatible with the organizational mission and culture, and/or (5) they or their families are unable to adapt to their new community. There are steps that can avoid these problems.

1. The job is not what they expected.

Steps in hiring that will avoid this problem: Create and present an accurate and up-to-date description of the job.

a. Update the position description to accurately reflect the job responsibilities and reporting relationships, as well as the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities.

b. Make sure that the job announcement is accurate and contains all of the relevant information necessary for a potential applicant to make an informed decision: (1) title and pay range; (2) organization name, background information, and location; (3) key responsibilities; (4) mandatory training and experience requirements; (5) required skills, knowledge, and abilities; and (6) special conditions of employment.

2. They lack the knowledge, skills or abilities necessary to perform the job in the manner that the organization requires.

Steps in hiring that will avoid this problem: Screen potential applicants for three areas that are essential to ensure the best fit for the job: (1) they are qualified for the job, based on past training and experience; (2) they will perform the job in a manner acceptable to the organization; and (3) they share the organization’s values.

a. Pre-screen applicants to determine if they are qualified for the job, based on past training and experience.

Possible pre-screening devices include a resume, an achievement history questionnaire that requires applicants to respond to focused training and

experience questions, and/or a web-based knowledge test.

b. Develop job-related situational questions and benchmark answers.

c. Identify organizational fit questions and benchmark answers, if appropriate.

d. Screen applicants using methods that will provide the most accurate and objective assessment of the potential applicants’ suitability for the job.

Possible screening devices include: (1) structured interview with panel;

(2) written essay; (3) in-basket; (4) performance simulation; and/or (5) oral presentation.

3. They are uncomfortable with the work environment.

Steps in hiring that will avoid this problem: Give applicants an opportunity to determine whether the work environment would be a good fit.

a. Provide a tour of the facility, so the applicants can get a firsthand view of how it is organized, the work that is done on the premises, and their potential work location and working conditions.

4. Their values are incompatible with the organizational mission and culture.

Steps in hiring that will avoid this problem:

Determine whether or not the applicants are comfortable with and will support the mission and the culture of the organization.

a. Ask open-ended value questions to determine if the applicants share the organization’s values.

b. Set up meetings with selected staff, so the applicants can become acquainted with their potential co-workers. This will also give the current staff an opportunity to determine how well the applicants are likely to fit into

the work team.

(5) They or their families are unable to adapt to their new community.

Steps in hiring that will avoid this problem: Provide information about the community to help successful applicants and their families determine if they will be happy relocating there.

a. Discuss what the surrounding communities have to offer in terms of housing, schools, shopping, daycare, medical facilities, religious affiliations, local attractions and community events.

b. Introduce individuals and community organizations that can assist the family in making the transition and becoming situated in their new community.

The likelihood of employee turnover can be minimized if the hiring process accurately describes the job, objectively assesses the applicants’ suitability for the job, and provides support to the successful applicants’ families.

Tip #376: How to Provide Constructive Criticism

2011-05-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

“Criticism should be a casual conversation.“ W. H. Auden

A win/win problem-solving model for providing constructive criticism can be used to effectively discuss and resolve disagreements in coaching, performance appraisal, conflict resolution, and general feedback sessions. This model is particularly effective for individuals who are uncomfortable expressing conflict, criticism, or anger.

There are three major reasons for the effectiveness of the following win/win problem-solving model. First, it begins with a supportive statement, which makes it easier to initiate the conversation. Second, it establishes a mutual problem- solving dialogue, which is a more comfortable form of communication. Third, it places the focus on the problem, which directs it away from the individuals involved.

1. Begin with a supportive or neutral statement that indicates some positive or respectful feeling you have about the person to whom you are speaking. This is especially necessary if your communication will involve the expression of criticism or anger. However, you must be sincere when you speak. Sometimes, the most sincere thing you may be able to say may be, “I appreciate your taking the time to speak with me.”

2. Identify the situation or problem as you see it. It is impossible for people to have an intelligent conversation if they do not know what they are talking about.

A powerful, non-defensive way to do this is through "I statements." Beginning with "I statements" says that we are taking responsibility for our communication. The statements often begin with the words "I feel."

Follow up "I feel" with words that describe our emotions, then a description of the cause of this emotional response, and finally its tangible or emotional impact.

An example is: "I feel (I statement) uncomfortable (emotion) when someone raises their voice at me (causal event). When that happens, it is very difficult for me to stay focused on my work (tangible impact).

Non-blaming messages that describe tangible effects are more likely to result in the other person trying to resolve the problem.

3. Make sure that your non-verbal behavior is consistent with your real message. For example, some people tend to smile when they are uncomfortable as well as when they are pleased. However, if you smile when you say angry words, the other person will be confused and may not be able to take your communication seriously. If you know that you are likely to give a mixed message, ask the other person to pay attention to your words rather than to your face.

4. Ask for and receive feedback. A conversation will be ineffectual if the people involved do not take the time to make sure that the other person understands what is being said. Simply asking “Do you understand what I’m saying?” is insufficient because it is a closed question that requires a “yes” or “no” answer and it may not necessarily be true. Instead, ask an open question, such as “How do you feel about my assessment of the situation?”

5. Establish the fact that you appreciate the other person's thoughts or feelings on the subject. When the other person responds, paraphrase and repeat in your own words what you believe are the beliefs, points or concerns of the other person. Make sure that your paraphrase is stated in neutral terms, without imposing your own feelings. This will be particularly important if you do not agree with the other person’s position. Communication cannot be effective if both parties do not treat each other with respect. This is best indicated by careful listening.

6. Express your feeling, thought or need. A conversation that depends on one party never openly expressing what s/he wants, but, rather, hoping that the other party will "read between the lines," will never be effective. It cannot succeed because the initiator of the conversation will not be in control of the communication that takes place. So, state your concern or need in simple and straightforward terms.

7. Ask for and receive feedback. Since you have a right to your opinion on this matter, it is not necessary for the other person to agree with you. You can ask, “Can you appreciate how I feel?”

8. Indicate that you need help in finding a mutually satisfactory solution. If the problem is phrased as a mutual one, rather than as a response to an act by a guilty party, it will be more likely to be resolved in an amicable manner. It will also give the benefit of the doubt to the "guilty" party in an angry or critical situation by not boxing them into a corner with accusations and finger pointing.

9. Ask for and receive feedback. Now you are essentially asking, “Are you willing to work this out with me?” If the answer is “yes, “ you can move on to Step 12.

If the other person has not yet accepted mutual responsibility for resolving the situation, you will need to move to Steps 10 and 11.

10. Ask the other person to identify the real or potential consequences if the situation is not resolved in a mutually satisfactory manner. Make sure that the response includes consequences of significance to each party, as well as to their relationship, and to affected third persons.

11. Ask if the other person is comfortable with those consequences. Studies have found that people tend to be more concerned about potential loss than about potential gain. Hopefully, at this stage the other person is willing to cooperate in resolving the problem.

12. Suggest constructive alternatives. Communication between two people presupposes an objective goal. Conversation will not be effective if you do not know what you want to have happen as a result of that conversation. You may not be entirely invested in your suggestions, but you need to be able to at least set clear limits about what would be acceptable and what would not be acceptable.

13. Ask for and receive feedback. You are honestly looking for a mutually acceptable solution. Keep in mind that the other person is much more likely to be committed to the solution if he or she proposes it.

14. Identify the decision or result of the communication. It is ultimately irrelevant who proposed the final acceptable solution. However, it is very important to literally restate the solution, particularly if the conversation has considered a variety of solutions. Avoid the possibility of a misunderstanding by clarifying who will do what by when, and why this is important.

15. Ask for and receive feedback. In this case, it is best to ask the other person to summarize, in his or her own words, the decision and expected follow through. This is really the only sure way to ascertain if both parties are on the same page.

16. Reaffirm your support statement. This is especially necessary in an angry or critical communication. It indicates respect for the other party, which will make the individual more comfortable with the preceding conversation. Again, if the most sincere support statement you can make is, “I appreciate your taking the time to talk this through, clear the air, and come up with an acceptable solution,” then say that.

17. Follow through and follow up. Now that the "mutual" problem has been raised and, hopefully, resolved, you must act in accordance with the conversation and the decision. If the other party is expected to take the action, make sure to follow up in a timely manner. If the other party does not take the promised action by the mutually established date, it will be necessary to reopen the conversation.

Constructive criticism is most effective and comfortable for both parties when it begins with a supportive statement, establishes a mutual problem-solving dialogue, and places the focus on the problem, which directs it away from the individuals involved.

Tip #375: How to Choose Verbs for Effective Learning Objectives

2011-05-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

“Begin with the end in mind.” Stephen R. Covey

Learning objectives should explain in specific, observable and measurable terms what the learners will do to (a) learn specific skills and (b) demonstrate that they have learned them. This entails using active verbs that are sufficiently clear that they do not require additional verbs to explain what they mean. If the verbs are vague, the trainer will have no way to verify if the desired learning has occurred.

Unfortunately, it is very common to see lesson plans with learning objectives that use verbs that are vague and unclear, stating that the learners will: “know” or “understand” certain knowledge or skills. Without a second more active verb to clarify what the desired learning behavior is, it is not possible to measure or validate what has been learned.

A trainer cannot tell by looking at a learner who is passively sitting if that learner actually “knows” or “understands” anything. The only way to determine if a learner “knows” or “understands” content is to have that learner do something with that content: for example,” explain” what it means or “demonstrate” how to use it.

The verbs “explain” and “demonstrate” describe specific actions that the learner will take. Because they are actions, they can be observed. Because they are specific actions, they are also measurable.

When a learner “explains” what a word means or a procedure involves, the trainer can listen to that explanation. The trainer can also measure whether the learner’s description is accurate.

When a learner “demonstrates” a skill, the trainer can observe the demonstration and measure how well the learner performs the skill.

A learning objective needs to be specific, observable and measurable. A verb is too vague to be used in a learning objective if it requires another verb to explain what it really means. In addition to “know” and “understand,” there are a number of other verbs that fall into this category and should be avoided, such as:

1. process

2. care

3. learn

4. worry

5. sense

6. believe

7. be aware

8. empathize

9. think

10. remember

11. feel

12. perceive

13. assume

14. try

15. see

16. focus

17. consider

18. be familiar with

19. appreciate

20. explore

Ensure that learning objectives are specific, observable and measurable. Use active verbs that are sufficiently clear that they do not require additional verbs to explain what they mean.

Tip #374: Why a Training Needs Assessment is Important

2011-05-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

“When solving problems, dig at the roots instead of just hacking at the leaves."
Anthony J. D’Angelo

Training is not a panacea. Yet training is frequently treated like the kitchen drawer that accumulates all of the miscellaneous items that no one wants to take the time to sort through and put away properly. There seems to be the notion that, when in doubt, schedule a training session.

However, there are many things wrong with this approach to training. It is important to take the time to investigate the reason for the training request. If we don’t, we run the risk of training the wrong people in the wrong content at the wrong time. This is not only a waste of time, energy and money for us and for others, it also guarantees that training in general and training professionals in specific will be considered irrelevant and unimportant.

A training needs assessment is the only way to verify and validate the need, focus, scope and target group for a training program.

Training needs assessments can be proactive or reactive. In both cases, the goal of the training needs assessment is to identify performance issues that can be remedied through the introduction, practice, or reinforcement of specific and measurable knowledge and/or skill sets.

Proactive training needs assessments initiate a strategic review of future organizational needs that will require new capabilities and competencies. These assessments tend to be more formal and systematized in order to determine the full spectrum of possible training needs throughout the organization. They may involve assessment strategies that are time consuming and require specialized expertise, such as on-line surveys, focus groups, and knowledge tests.

Reactive training needs assessments respond to requests to train pre-identified employees in specific content. These assessments tend to be more informal in order to get a better idea of the reason for the training request and what the training is intended to achieve. They typically involve assessment strategies that are relatively quick and require basic skills to conduct one-on-one interviews with supervisors and/or employees, or review performance data.

Regardless of whether or not the training needs assessment is proactive or reactive, it should determine that:

1. There is a verified performance issue that can be remedied through training.

Does the performance issue involve skills that can be taught? If so, then training is the answer. If the issue involves notification of new or changed policy, then a memo or a brief meeting may be the better recourse. If the issue is individual employee performance, then performance management will be the best approach.

2. This issue is important enough that it needs to be addressed.

How critical will the consequences be to the organization if the training does not occur? The relative importance of addressing this performance issue needs to be considered. Most organizations will have many different training needs, so some prioritization has to occur

3. The appropriate target audience has been identified.

What is the root cause of the performance issue and who is ultimately responsible? If employees are not performing satisfactorily, the typical assumption is that they lack certain knowledge or skills that can be taught. This may not be the case. Instead, their poor performance may actually be due to a lack of delegation, communication or planning skills of their supervisors or managers. In this event, the appropriate target audience would be the supervisors or managers, not the employees.

4. The appropriate training content has been identified.

What knowledge, skills and/or behavior need to be learned? Once the root cause of the performance issue has been located and the correct target audience has been identified, the training content can then be specified. The content will be based on the knowledge and skills gap between current and desired performance.

5. The desired training results are realistic.

Can the desired learning be accomplished within the allotted time frame? Expectations regarding the outcome of a training program may need to be managed. Training can only build skills incrementally. If there is a major skills gap that needs to be addressed, then this may require more than one training session.

6. The training approach is cost-effective.

What is the most cost-effective way to build the necessary skills? It is reasonable and cost effective to schedule a training program if new skills need to be developed or existing skills need to be refreshed and updated for a number of employees. However, scheduling an entire training program to address isolated individual performance issues is neither appropriate nor cost-effective. It may make more sense to send the individual employee to a public workshop, provide on-the-job training and coaching, or use an e-learning solution.

7. The training schedule is compatible with work schedules.

What are the limitations imposed by the target group’s work schedules? If the target group works different shifts, that will need to be considered when scheduling the training program. Also, there may be times of the week or the season when work responsibilities prohibit attendance at a training program.

Take the time to investigate training requests. Training needs assessments will help you avoid wasting yours and others’ time and money, impugning training as a viable performance support, and harming your credibility as a training professional.

Tip #373: Three Management Issues That Cause Training To Fail

2011-05-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

"We must expect to fail... but fail in a learning posture, determined not to repeat the mistakes, and to maximize the benefits from what is learned in the process." Ted W. Engstrom

There are three management issues that cause training to fail: (1) training is used in lieu of effective performance management; (2) training is given to employees when the real problem is organizational policies, procedures or systems; and/or (3) managers do not reinforce the training: they see no value in the content, they do not know what their employees learned, and/or they do not know that they should reinforce the training.

1. Training is used in lieu of effective performance management.

Too often, a training program is scheduled with the sole intent to address the performance deficiencies of one or only a few employees. Using training in this fashion rarely solves the problem it is intended to solve and actually creates additional long-term problems.

First, training alone is unlikely to solve the performance problem. The employees' manager will still need to set clear performance expectations, monitor the performance, and provide timely and effective performance feedback (all of the performance management activities that the manager hoped to avoid by sending the employees to the training in the first place).

Second, the employees who are already performing satisfactorily will be well aware of the reason for the training and feel resentful that they were forced to attend. This will:

a. negatively impact their perception of the manager's credibility and effectiveness;

b. have a detrimental impact on their morale; and

c. contribute to a suspicion of any future training.

Avoid this misuse of training:

When performance is in question, keep in mind that training is only appropriate if there is a skills deficit. If the employee already has the necessary skills and organizational supports, but chooses not to perform satisfactorily, take the necessary coaching or disciplinary actions.

2. Skills training is given to employees when the real problem is organizational policies, procedures or systems.

Training programs to build employee skills are often scheduled when the real culprit is the organizational policies, procedures or systems that are supposed to support the employees' performance. This is a case of the obvious problem not being the real problem. It is very easy to blame employees for unsatisfactory performance.

This is much easier than asking the hard questions about what gets in the way of their performance. If the employees already have the appropriate skills but are unable to properly perform them, then something beyond their control is causing the problem:

a. Is it due to a policy that is: unreasonable, outdated, inappropriate, or ambiguous?

b. Is it due to a procedure that is: ineffective, convoluted, duplicative, or time consuming?

c. Is it due to a system that is: difficult to use, prone to breakdowns, inefficient, or has outlived its usefulness?

Avoid this misuse of training:

When employees have the skills but are still unable to meet performance standards, the underlying problem will typically be organizational. As Dr. W. Edwards Deming said, "Eighty-five percent of an employee's ability to perform successfully depends upon the system." Investigate the situation to find the real cause, which will either be a policy, a procedure, and/or a system.

3. Managers do not reinforce what is learned in the training program:

There are three major reasons why managers may not provide follow up support after training program:

a. They see no value in the content.

If the training content is not directly related to the skill sets required for the employees' specific positions, they may question its relevance. This may be particularly true when their positions are highly technical in nature.

b. They do not know what their employees learned.

The managers may not have been involved as subject matter experts in the design of the training, so they have a first-hand knowledge of the program. Possibly no one took the time to communicate the training goals, learning objectives and take-away job aids to the managers.

c. They do not know they should reinforce the training.

There is a misperception that training stands alone. Nothing can be farther from the truth. New skills need to be continually reinforced for them to be retained. Managers are the obvious and best choice to provide this reinforcement.

Avoid this lack of reinforcement:

a. Keep in mind that the purpose and value of all training programs need to be communicated to both the targeted employees as well as their managers.

b. Make sure that managers have a good understanding of the training that their employees will receive. Whenever possible, involve them in the design of the program. This will increase their investment in the training outcome.

c. Clarify that the training is intended to support employee performance and needs reinforcement to ensure that the new skills adequately transfer back to the job site. Once the employees are effectively applying their new skills, the manager should see clear benefits, such as increased productivity, quality, and service.

Training cannot take the place of effective performance management. Training is not the solution if policies, procedures or systems are the cause of the problem. Managers need to reinforce skills learned in the training program. Do not let these three management issues cause training programs to fail.

Tip #372: How to Facilitate Large Group

2011-04-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

“Every crowd has a silver lining. “ P. T. Barnum

Large groups can present a number of challenges for a trainer. Informed choices will need to be made about seating arrangements, learning activities, and amplification.

1. What is the best way to seat them, assuming there is some flexibility in table or chair arrangements?

Whenever possible it is better to avoid a classroom style arrangement with parallel rows of chairs facing the front of the room. There are two reasons for this: it is too reminiscent of elementary school and it means that people are facing the backs of other participants’ heads.

Ideally, it is best to use a large room that can accommodate tables and chairs so that the participants can face forward and also face their tablemates for small group activities.

2. What adjustments need to be made to planned interactive learning activities?

Most interactive learning activities can be adapted to work with a large group. For example, small group activities can still occur as planned if the participants are seated at small tables. If the participants are seated in an auditorium and the seats can be moved, they can rearrange themselves into small groups comparable to the table groups. If the seats cannot be moved, the participants can form small groups with the people seated next to them and either directly in front or in back of them.

The groups will need to be debriefed in a slightly different way than would occur with a smaller group. Rather than having each small group report out, the trainer will need to have just a few of the groups report out and have the rest indicate their agreement or disagreement with the group reports by a show of hands.

Some learning activities depend upon the easy mobility of the participants. If they are seated at small tables or in rows with wide aisles, the participants should be able to move around as needed to create new groups, pop up at their chairs, or gather in small groups around a flip chart to brainstorm. However, if the participants are seated in an auditorium with little space between the rows of chairs, the trainer will need to consider alternative activities that do not depend upon the participants’ mobility.

The adjustment to these activities may be as simple as having the participants continue to work with the group seated next to them, having participants volunteer answers by raising their hands instead of standing up, and having the trainer write down the participant answers during a large group discussion.

3. How can the trainer ensure that everyone can hear what the trainer or other participants say?

With a very large group, either the trainer has to be able to project a clear strong voice or use a microphone. If a microphone will be needed, it is always better if it is a battery-powered lavaliere that can be attached to a lapel rather than a battery-powered microphone that has to be held. It will free up the trainer’s hands. This will also enable the trainer to move around the room listening to the small group work and interacting with the participants.

The larger issue is how to ensure that the entire group can hear participant comments and questions. One option is to have a second battery-powered hand held microphone that can be passed to the person who wants to speak. Another option is to have stationary microphones set up in various places throughout the room so that participants can access them. The third option is to simply have the trainer repeat what the participant has said and then respond to the statement or question.

The fourth option is to have the trainer stand as far away as possible from the person who is speaking, so that the participant has to project and speak loud enough so the trainer (and the rest of the group) can hear what is being said.

Although large groups may present some definite challenges for room arrangement, participation and amplification, they are not insurmountable. They just require that the trainer plan ahead and make the necessary arrangements to accommodate the larger group.

Tip #371: How to Get Participants Back From Breaks on Time

2011-04-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

“One good thing about punctuality is that it's a sure way to help you enjoy a few minutes of privacy.“ Orlando A. Battista

Many trainers are concerned about giving breaks, because they fear that it will be difficult to get the participants back on time. However, there are many effective ways to increase the probability that all participants will be back in the classroom when the break time is over.

1. Whenever possible, hold the training off-site. Otherwise, participants will go back to their desks to check their messages and get roped into responding or handling business issues that arise.

2. Create group expectations that specifically identify the importance of coming back from breaks on time and what the consequences for tardiness or the rewards for punctuality will be.

3. Always start on time. Regardless of how many participants are back in their seats, start immediately after the break. Otherwise, the participants will see no value in coming back on time.

4. Use signals. Use a bell or buzzer, or increase the volume on music played during the break, or play a specific tune (one trainer uses the theme from the Lone Ranger with great results).

5. Project a countdown timer onto the screen. This provides a clear visual cue and avoids the confusion of clocks with different times throughout the building.

6. Put someone with a watch in charge of getting everyone back to the room. Just make sure this person takes this responsibility seriously and pays good attention to the time.

7. Have consequences for being late. Make tardy participants sing a short song, dance a short dance, do pushups, get hit with Koosh balls, or pay a dollar. Make the consequences just unpleasant enough that the participants will want to avoid them.

8. Have rewards for table groups that are always on time. This is a positive approach that increases the probability of success because the table members will make sure that their tablemates are back on time.

9. Keep the training interesting and engaging, so participants will not want to miss what happens next. Incorporating highly interactive and creative learning activities that have immediate practical value will provide great incentive for coming back from break. The participants may even come back earlier because they are excited to continue the training!

10. Give participants specific assignments that they will present immediately after the break. That will raise their anxiety just enough so that they are much more likely to pay attention to the time. They may even want to return early to be prepared for their presentation.

11. Give participants a one-minute warning that the break is about to end. This works well if the participants congregate in places that are easily located and accessible.

12. Close the door when the break is over. While closing the door, take that opportunity to tell the participants who are still in the hall that the break has ended.

13. Alert the participants that important content will be covered immediately after each break. The participants will not want to miss it.

14. Offer refreshments that are only available immediately after the break. Never underestimate the power of free food and beverages, especially if the selections are tasty and appealing.

15. Have participants buddy up and be responsible for getting their partners back into the room on time after each break. Peer pressure can be very helpful.

16. Give longer (and possibly less) breaks if restroom facilities are located at a distance from the training room. There is absolutely no point in setting up the participants to be unavoidably late. Avoid guaranteed frustration for the participants and the trainer.

17. Promise that the training will end on time (or even earlier) as long as the participants return promptly from breaks. This is usually a terrific incentive. Just make sure to keep this promise if the participants hold up their end of the bargain.

18. Require participants to stay in the room for the break. A lot can be said for the benefits of a change of scenery at break times, so this is not an ideal option. However, participants frequently do choose to stay in the room for a number of reasons: because it is a comfortable place to chat, there is sufficient space to move around, refreshments are available, the table space gives them a surface on which to do other work, they want to read ahead in the participant workbook or review their notes, etc.

There is no guarantee that 100% of the participants always will come back from break on time. Some events and interruptions can occur that are beyond the control of either the participants or the trainer. Nonetheless, these options, either individually or in combination, can be very effective.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #370: Why Frequent Breaks are Important for Learning

2011-04-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

“Lucid intervals and happy pauses.” Francis Bacon

It may seem counterintuitive, but participants will learn more during a training program if there is less training time and more frequent break times. Ideally, ten-minute breaks should be given approximately every fifty minutes.

There are a number of reasons for giving frequent brief breaks during a training program:

1. Resting the Brain. Brain studies have found that the brain becomes saturated with information after about fifty minutes. It needs time to absorb and process the new learning in order to make room for new learning. To state this in more colloquial terms, “the mind can absorb only what the rear can endure.”

When people sit for long periods of time, their breathing tends to slow down, which decreases their intake of oxygen. That is why participants start to get drowsy, and when they are drowsy, it is difficult for them to learn.

2. Increasing Oxygen in the Brain. The more oxygen in the brain, the easier it is for the brain to function. When participants stand up and move, they start to breathe more deeply. As a result, more oxygen enters their blood stream and is pumped to the brain.

That is why energizers are so effective, because they typically involve physical activities that get the participants’ blood flowing. This brings more oxygen to the brain and builds their energy.

3. Creating More Fertile Learning Opportunities. The greatest amount of learning occurs at the very beginning and the very end of each training segment. (A “training segment” is whatever time is necessary for the participants to learn what is being taught). Each break in the training creates a natural ending and also creates a new beginning. The greater the number of breaks, the greater the number of endings and beginnings that offer ripe opportunities for learning.

4. Providing Time to Address Personal Needs. When participants know that they will have breaks every fifty minutes or so, they can relax. They won’t have to worry about when they will be able to get to the rest room, grab something to drink, have a cigarette, or make a quick phone call to check in at home or at the office. No longer distracted by these concerns, they can pay better attention in the classroom.

5. Meeting Learning Style Needs. There are some (kinesthetic) learners who have great difficulty sitting for any period of time. For ideal learning, these kinesthetic learners need to be physically engaged. Since many training programs do not incorporate physical movement into the learning activities, the breaks may be the only time that these learners get a chance to stand up and move around.

6. Accommodating Physical Needs. Other participants may have difficulty sitting for long periods of time for a number of reasons, such as the chairs are uncomfortable or their joints tend to stiffen up. In these cases, more frequent breaks are a courteous gesture that offers welcome relief.

Frequent breaks during a training program increase the participants’ likelihood of successful learning because they are more alert, more focused, and more comfortable. Frequent breaks also create more beginnings and endings, increasing training time when learning is most likely to occur.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #369: Why Audience Size Should Not Affect Training Methods

2011-04-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

"First, have a definite, clear practical ideal; a goal, an objective. Second, have the necessary means to achieve your ends; wisdom, money, materials, and methods. Third, adjust all your means to that end." Aristotle

There is a misperception that lecture is the only practical training method for training a large audience- particularly when the audience is seated in an auditorium or lecture hall. In fact, size has very little to do with the choice of a training method. The only impact that audience size should have is on the manner in which the selected training method is facilitated.

The selection of a training method should be based on the desired level of learning, not the number of people in the audience. It makes no difference whether there are 30 or 500 audience members. If comprehension is the desired level of learning, the trainer must use a training method that will give the audience an opportunity to demonstrate their comprehension.

However, the size of the audience will definitely affect how the trainer facilitates the selected training method.

For example, suppose that the trainer wants to use a questionnaire to assess the participants’ level of comprehension. In an auditorium or lecture hall setting, the trainer has at least three different facilitation options:

1. Directed large group discussion: After the trainer reads a statement, the participants can signal their answers (thumbs up if they agree or down if they disagree).

2. Small group discussion: The participants can create a small group with the people seated around them to discuss their responses to the questionnaire. Spokespersons for the small groups can subsequently report their responses.

3. Participant pairs: The participants can pair up with someone seated near them to discuss their responses to the questionnaire. The pairs can then volunteer their answers during a large group debriefing.

It is generally understood that a role-play is ill-suited to a large group. However, if a role-play is the best method for the audience members to demonstrate their ability to apply their new learning, possible facilitation options include:

1. Front of the room: Various volunteers can alternate participating in different role-plays in front of the group.

2. Triads: The participants can create triads with two other participants seated near them and then take turns role-playing and observing. If space permits, the triads can even leave the auditorium to practice someplace else. At the conclusion of the role-play practice, the triads can reconvene in the auditorium and discuss their experiences during a large group guided discussion.

Hopefully, it is clear that almost any participatory training method can be adapted to work effectively with a large audience. It just requires a clear focus on the learning objective and a willingness to experiment with different facilitation approaches. It also helps if the trainer has strong facilitation, time management and classroom management skills.

Given the planning and preparation required to use participatory training methods with large audiences, presenting a lecture may seem an easier option for many trainers. However, if real learning is to occur, the relative comfort of the trainer should have no bearing on the choice of the training method, and neither should the size of the audience.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #368: How to Make a Boring Topic Interesting

2011-03-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

"Never fail to know that if you are doing all the talking, you are boring somebody."
Helen Gurley Brown

"Any subject can be made interesting, and therefore any subject can be made boring."
Hilaire Belloc

There are no boring topics, there are only boring training methods. Topics that are highly technical and very dry are typically considered boring. However, the topic is really not the problem. The problem is the training method, which is almost always a lecture. There are many ways to enliven a highly technical or dry topic:

1. Approach the topic from a different perspective.

Instead of citing rules and regulations, put the participants in the role of individuals who need to work within or apply those rules and regulations.

For example, a state training program for new supervisors initially involved a long lecture about hiring policies and procedures. The topic was made interesting by having the supervisors assume the role of the personnel staff who would have to review the hiring-related documents submitted by the supervisors. In their personnel roles, the supervisors saw first hand the importance of providing specific and complete information in accordance with the hiring policies and procedures. Without it, there would be a frustrating delay in the hiring process (while the necessary information was collected) or the resulting candidates would lack the necessary training and experience (because the supervisor did not completely or accurately identify

the position’s requirements).

2. Provide a self-discovery activity.

Instead of citing rules and regulations, have the participants find the key information themselves.

For example, for a training program on sexual harassment laws, the participants are given a worksheet that asks them to identify either where key provisions of the rules and regulations are located and/or what those key provisions are. They work in pairs to review copies of the relevant rules and regulations. To expedite this activity, the information that the participants are asked to find has been highlighted. As a result, the participants not only know what the laws say, they can now locate those provisions.

Another example: for a training program on industrial fans, the participants are given a worksheet that asks them to identify the appropriate fan for a specific application. Rather than lecturing on this information, the trainer provides reference sheets from which the participants can determine the correct answers.

3. Use an experiential learning activity.

Instead of telling the participants about the rules and regulations, give them an activity that will enable them to experience the impact of those rules and regulations.

For example, a learning goal of a training program for state rule writers was for them to recognize the impact that different state regulatory rules had on small businesses. Rather than a lecture or discussion of this topic, the participants were divided into teams of five and asked to name their “business.” They were then given large plastic tinker toys, with the assignment to build a merry-go-round according to directions.

Each team also had two additional participants who acted as the Voice of Reality and the Observer. The role of the Voice of Reality was to continually interfere with the team’s building process by adding various rules and restrictions. To avoid having to put the Voices of Reality into a witness protection program at the end of the activity, they were told to stop interrupting the building process after ten minutes so that the teams could successfully complete their merry-go-rounds.

The impact of this activity was much greater than a lecture could have. The rule writers experienced the frustration, anger, and powerlessness that small businesses experienced when they were regulated right and left by different departments in the same state agency, sometimes with conflicting expectations.

4. Incorporate a case study.

Instead of telling the participants the theory and steps involved in a process, let them see firsthand what it looks like when the steps are followed or what results when the steps are not followed.

For example, a training program for supervisors to build delegation skills begins with small groups reviewing a case study in which the delegation is poorly handled. The groups are asked to identify what went well, what went wrong, and what, if anything, they would have done differently. The case study shows what happens when the three key components of delegation (responsibility, authority and accountability) are mishandled.

5. Organize key information into a questionnaire.

Instead of lecturing on a topic, isolate the major information and create a questionnaire around that information.

For example, a training program on performance evaluation begins with a questionnaire that consists of twelve statements about the topic. The questionnaire is used as an organizing device to introduce the various topics in the sequence that they will be covered during the session. Working either individually or in a small group, the participants have to decide whether to agree or disagree with the statements. They then report and explain their answers, but the trainer does not confirm the correct answers at this juncture.

The trainer refers to the relevant question at the beginning of the section on that topic. The trainer asks the question again at the end of the section, when the participants should know the correct answer. Only then is the answer to that question finally confirmed.

6. Bring the topic to life.

Instead of listing work expectations, provide a newspaper clipping that illustrates the impact of appropriate or inappropriate conduct.

For example, for a training program on customer service and public relations, the participants were given an actual letter to the editor in a local newspaper. The letter writer was very angry about how the company had mistreated her. It was an excellent example of how the company did not want to be perceived by the public.

7. Include real-life stories.

Instead of going through work rules, have the participants review real-life situations to determine if they were handled appropriately.

For example, for a training program on organizational ethics, the participants were given the descriptions of ten different ethics-related scenarios. These scenarios were based on actual employee behaviors. The participants had to decide whether or not the behavior was ethical and consistent with the work rules. If they decided it was not ethical, they had to propose an alternative behavior that would be ethically appropriate.

These seven training techniques will make a highly technical or dry topic interesting and engaging, because they actively involve the participants in the learning process.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #367: How to Incorporate Participatory Activities When Time is Limited

2011-03-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

“Life is entirely too time-consuming.” Irene Peter

"You will never ‘find’ time for anything. If you want time you must make it." Charles Buxton

There are excellent reasons to incorporate participatory activities that engage an audience, even when time for a presentation is very limited. Luckily, there are also many quick and simple learning activities that are very participant-centered.

First of all, why should trainers and presenters incorporate participatory learning activities into their presentations? If the intent of the lecture is to educate rather than simply entertain, then some level of learning is clearly desired. Lecture alone will not provide any feedback about whether or not the audience has “bought into” the ideas presented or learned anything. The audience will need to do something to at least indicate that they have understood the message.

Second, what participant-centered learning activities are quick and simple to incorporate into presentations? Let’s consider four different categories of activities that engage learners and enable them to demonstrate their learning in one to ten minutes: written, verbal, visual and physical.

1. Written Activities:

a. Questionnaire- This can be used to organize the presentation by including statements or questions that cover the major points. A questionnaire can be an easy way to convert a lecture into an interactive learning activity.

b. Crossword Puzzle or Word Search- There are free internet sites that enable trainers to create these puzzles. Crossword puzzles are particularly good for checking learner comprehension.

c. Worksheets- Fill-in-the-blanks worksheets enable learners to post key points as they learn them. Match up worksheets check learner comprehension.

2. Verbal Activities:

a. Shout Outs- Learners shout out answers to questions posed by the trainer.

b. Question and Answer Session- Learners and presenter can interact, with the nature of the questions providing

direct feedback to the presenter regarding the audience’s level of understanding.

c. Paired Conversations- Asking participants to turn to someone next to them to discuss a point or share information about a topic requires them to articulate their thoughts and enriches their learning experience.

d. Debate- Participant volunteers take two sides of an argument and debate them in front of the entire group, which

is split in half to provide verbal assistance to their designated representative. A debate clearly reveals the

learners’ awareness of both sides of an issue.

e. Competitive Brainstorming- Table groups compete against each other to list the greatest number of responses to a question posed by the trainer. The winning group gets a small prize. The competitive nature of this activity adds interest and energy, while checking for learner comprehension.

3. Visual Activities:

a. Video Simulation- Trainers can show pictures that simulate on-site situations on Power Point slides and ask the

learners to analyze what they see and report out.

b. Demonstration- With live demonstrations, either the trainer or participant volunteers can show the steps in a

process. Demonstrations can also be on video, giving the learners an opportunity to see what to do or not do in

given situations.

4. Physical Activities:

a. Pop Ups- The trainer poses a question and learners who have an answer stand up to respond. Pop ups get learners out of their seats and let them articulate what they have learned.

b. Relay Race- The trainer divides the group into teams of a manageable size (8-10 people). The teams race against each other to list content items or fill in the blanks on flip charts. Relay races take very little time to set up and facilitate, and they invigorate the learners.

c. Signaling- Learners indicate by a show of hands or thumbs up or down whether they agree or disagree with a statement. Learners indicate by the fingers of one hand their degree of satisfaction with the training content. Signaling adds a physical aspect to the learning experience.

d. Koosh Toss- The Koosh ball (or some other soft object) indicates which learner has the floor to speak on a topic or report out key learning. It helps to have the learners stand and then, after they have received the Koosh ball, spoken and tossed it to someone else, they sit down. The Koosh Toss gets participants out of their chairs.

These are just a few of the many quick and easy ways to incorporate participatory activities into lectures or presentations. The important point to keep in mind is that both trainers and learners benefit from participatory activities. Trainers benefit because they get real-time feedback about what the participants learned. Learners benefit because they are more engaged and, therefore, more likely to learn and retain what they learned.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #366: How to Manage Time Limitations for Lots of Training Content

2011-03-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” Charles Swindoll

Companies are doing more with less, so their employees have limited time to spend in training sessions. As a result, many trainers are frequently charged with what appears to be an impossible expectation: deliver training in a fraction of the time necessary and usually allotted for it.

The bad news is that trainers may react to imposed time limitations in two ways that produce ineffective learning results.

First, trainers eliminate learning activities in order to have more time to lecture on content. There are at least two problems with this response:

(a) Learning activities are designed to help learners achieve desired levels of learning and competence. Removing the activities will eliminate the opportunities for the learners to demonstrate and practice new learning.

(b) Lecture only achieves the most basic level of learning (knowledge). It also does not meet the needs of many learning styles. Lecturing minimizes the likelihood that learners will achieve the desired learning levels and resulting competencies.

Second, trainers resort to the “fire hose” approach to training. They spray learners with huge streams of data at one time.

Studies have shown that the brain can absorb only 3 to 5 new pieces of information per training segment. More than that results in cognitive overload. (A training segment may be 5 minutes, 20 minutes, or more than an hour- whatever amount of time it takes for that specific content to be learned).

When trainers are not selective in the amount of information they deliver, many learners are overwhelmed and can therefore neither learn nor retain much of the information. So these two responses should be avoided.

The good news is that training is still valued and imposed time constraints offer a great opportunity for trainers to decide what parts of their training are truly essential. In essence, the trainers can do some spring-cleaning, where they throw away clutter and polish up what is left.

Time limitations should compel trainers to distinguish the content that absolutely must be taught in the classroom from the content that can and should be provided for the learners’ later reference. The real challenge and opportunity for a trainer is to sift through the training program to identify and remove content and learning activities that do not need to be included in the training day.

Some trainers have a difficult time with this culling process, because they are invested in telling the stories or facilitating the activities that they have always included in their training programs. They need to measure their training content and learning activities against the core competencies that drive the need for the training. They should remove whatever is not essential to successful achievement of those core competencies.

When time limitations are imposed on training programs, rather than eliminating learning activities and subjecting learners to information overload, trainers should assess their training programs more closely to eliminate unessential clutter and identify and polish up essential training content.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #365: How to Address Valid Participant Concerns

2011-03-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” Aristotle

There are many reasons why participants have a negative attitude when they come to a training session. Some of these reasons include the fact that the training program is either: (1) mandatory,

(2) repetitive, (3) misdirected, (4) inconvenient, or (5) controversial.

None of these reasons have much to do with the trainer, although they all impact the ability of the trainer to effectively deliver the training program. So what can a trainer do when faced with these situations?

Acknowledge the participants’ concerns. This is vital, particularly when the participants’ concerns are justified. Then refocus them on something more constructive.

1. Mandatory Training: No one likes to be forced to do something, so it is understandable if participants resist a mandatory training program.

In this case, the trainer should be prepared with an activity that will encourage participant buy-in to the value of the program. For example:

(a) Mark Ups. Have the participants individually identify, mark and report a few learning objectives of particular value to them.

(b) Benefits Question. Divide the group into two smaller groups to brainstorm answers to a question that asks them to identify the benefits of the training. Have them post their answers on a flipchart and report out at the end of the brainstorming time.

2. Repetitive Training. Sometimes the training is repetitive because of legal or recertification requirements. It is no wonder that participants chafe at having to attend the same training over and over again.

In this case, the trainer may want to adapt the training content to accommodate the participants’ needs and take advantage of participant expertise. For example:

(a) Problem Solving. Ask the participants to identify problems or issues that they are facing in relation to the learning content. Next, either direct a large discussion of each item or have small groups work to determine possible workarounds or solutions for an item relevant to them, which they then report out to the larger group.

(b) Challenge Activities. Bring work problems and case studies that will challenge the participants to achieve higher levels of learning, such as analysis, evaluation or creation.

(c) Seed Expertise. Have more seasoned participants sit with groups of less seasoned participants. Their role in the groups is to coach the other participants to the correct answers.

(d) Co-Facilitation. Ask the more seasoned participants to be ready to provide information and examples from the field when necessary.

3. Misdirected Training. If management is using the training program to address what is actually a specific employee’s performance issue, the participants who are already performing acceptably and do not need the training will be justifiably resentful.

In this case, to avoid teaching the participants what they already know and insulting their intelligence, replace any lectures with learning activities that will give either individual participants or groups an opportunity to provide the necessary content. Examples of these learning activities include: open questions, directed large group discussion, small group responses to questionnaires or worksheets, participant volunteers providing demonstrations, etc.

4. Inconvenient Training. When training is scheduled during the busiest work season or when the participants are overwhelmed with assignments that have pressing deadlines, the stress of spending time away from the office even for valued training can generate grudging negativity.

However, the reality is that the training has been scheduled and must be delivered. Sometimes, the best that trainers can do in these instances is to acknowledge the validity of the participants’ concerns, point out that they were not involved in the scheduling decision, offer to make the day as pleasant and useful as possible, and ask for the participants’ cooperation.

5. Controversial Training. When training is part of a change implementation strategy, it will often be controversial. If the participants had limited or no input into the change, have had their work lives disrupted by previous changes, or have had negative experience with this change at a different worksite, their reluctant attendance might not be unreasonable.

In this case, the participants may need time to vent their concerns and frustrations. There are at least three different activities that can provide structure to the venting process and limit the time it takes.

(a) Sealed Concerns. Give the participants five minutes to individually write down their concerns and place them into an envelope. Have them seal the envelope and put it away. In this manner, they can retain their concerns but they won’t have to focus on them during the training.

(b) Flipchart Recommendations. Have small table groups brainstorm recommendations to address their concerns and post them on a flipchart. The trainer can offer to collect and collate their recommendations and bring them back to management, with the caution that there is no guarantee that management will respond. This will give the participants a welcome sense of control, if only for the moment.

(c) Oral Relay. Ask half of the group to list negatives about the change and the other half to play devil’s advocate and list positives about the change. Have them stand in parallel lines facing each other. Go down the line, with each facing pair stating a negative and a positive. Plan this oral relay so that the very last person who speaks will identify a positive and close the relay on a constructive note.

Ideally, trainers should be aware of possible participant concerns prior to a training program and plan for them accordingly. However, unanticipated participant resistance to training may surprise even the best and most prepared trainers. In these situations, it is helpful for trainers to know what learning activities they can use to minimize or possibly even avoid the adverse impact of the participants’ negative attitudes.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #364: How to Facilitate Learning Activities

2011-02-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

“Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.” Herber J. Grant

In response to last week’s Tip on How to Close a Training Session on a High Note, Tom Jackson, Training Team Lead, Division of Strategic National Stockpile, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, offered this great closing activity.

“I thought I’d share a closing activity that one of my old employees showed me and I’ve used quite effectively. I am always amazed at how much energy it creates for my wrap up. It may not work too well with large audiences, but for 10 – 50 folks, it seems to do just fine.

Here’s a wrap up activity that I think is pretty cool…I write the alphabet on a few flip chart sheets (takes 3 – 4) and at the end of the class, the participants have to give me something that they learned using the letters of the alphabet…for example…A – we learned about antibiotics, B – we learned about biological agents, etc.

For some of the more difficult letters, you can lightly pencil in a suggestion (they won’t be able to see it, but it helps things go quickly). I do however change the alphabet a little and place “X” as the last letter and I tell them that one’s for me…At the end we come to “X” and I write “eXpectations” and I point to the flip chart sheet that listed their expectations we opened the course with. I read the expectations and ask them if we covered them…when we get to the last “yes”, I finish with, “Together we met all of our expectations. We did a good job, so let’s give ourselves a round of applause.”

You’d be surprised how much energy people get from that little activity and it is a great finish. Then you hand out certificates at the back of the room as people leave. Shake their hand and thank them for coming.”

What a wonderfully creative and easy way to end a program with an energetic recap of the key learning. Thanks, Tom!

Today's Tip focuses on how to facilitate learning activities.

Facilitating learning activities involves more than simply giving the learners directions for an assignment. In order for the learning experience to be effective, the learners need to: (1) see a completed worked example, (2) practice completing partially worked examples, and then (3) work either independently or in small groups to complete a third example.

If a trainer attempts to facilitate a learning activity by handing it off to the learners without modeling what they are expected to do, one of two results will occur. The more likely result is that the learners will interpret the assignment with varying degrees of accuracy and end up working through the activity incorrectly. The less likely result is that the learners will miraculously intuit what the trainer wants and perform the activity correctly.

In the former case, the learners will be frustrated, the training time will be wasted, and the trainer will have to correct the situation by providing the demonstration of the desired process that should have been given at the very beginning. In the latter case, the learners will not endear themselves to the other learners who floundered in the activity.

Cognitive load research has shown that effective learning occurs more easily when there is a clear progression. The first step in learning begins with the review of a completed worked example. This gives the learners a model of the expected process or outcome.

The next step in learning has the learners practice completing partially worked examples. In one practice example, the first part of the problem might already be completed so that they need to complete the last part of the problem. In another practice example, the last part of the problem might already be completed so that they need to complete the first part of the problem. Once they have mastered how to complete each part of the problem, they are ready for the last step.

In the third step in learning, the learners work independent of trainer guidance or input to actively complete an entire problem on their own. At this point, they have the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to successfully apply what they have learned.

A key adult learning principle is that the trainer should become increasingly less involved in the learning process (fading) so that the learner will perform the learned skill or process with increasing independence. This three-step learning process produces this desired adult learning outcome.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #363: How to Close a Training Session on a High Note

2011-02-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

“Celebrate what you want to see more of.” Thomas J. Peters

“Begin with the end in mind.” Steven Covey

Training programs typically end with the participants quickly completing an evaluation sheet. The activity is fine but the timing is problematic.

Trainers spend the entire session attempting to create connections between the participants to build a learning community. When participants complete an evaluation at the very end of the program, it takes all of the energy out of the learning environment. Their focus immediately goes inward and they stop communicating with those around them.

There is a better alternative. Make evaluations the next-to-last activity in the session. Then use one or more of these four more engaging, physical and interactive activities to close the training session in a manner that will maintain learning excitement and energy.

The first two activities reinforce what the participants have learned. The last two activities reinforce the social connections that the participants have made with each other.

1. Report key learning.

Give participants a minute or so to write down the most significant learning they gained because of the program. (This may be either new learning or validated previous learning). Then have them stand up and take turns reporting their key learning. A Koosh toss works well for this. The participants sit after they state their key take away and throw the Koosh to someone who is still standing. If some participants identify the same key learning, this will simply reinforce its importance.

To set up this closing activity, create a learning contract with the participants at the very beginning of the session. It asks them to let you know whenever they have issues with the training content or process. It also encourages them to take charge of their own learning, so they will be able to report their key learning at the end of the session.

Their reports will provide an effective summary of the training content, emphasize and reinforce what the participants found most important, and give the trainer immediate feedback about the program’s effectiveness.

2. Go on a walkabout.

Ask the participants to jot down how they plan to use what they have learned. Then have them pair up with someone with whom they have not worked during the session and go for a short (4-minute) walk.

While they walk, they should take turns talking about their plans. This will increase the probability that they will implement them. When the pairs return from the walkabout, they can give each other a high ten.

This closing may be less satisfying for the trainer than the key learning reports, because the trainer will not hear what the participants are saying. However, the process of walking and talking will generate a high level of energy and enthusiasm among the participants. Choosing to walk with someone “new” to them will also create new social connections.

3. Write personal notes.

This activity works well with a multiple-day training program when the participants have a number of opportunities to work together in different situations. This activity must also be set up at the beginning of the session.

It begins as an art project. Give the participants colorful markers and something to draw on. It might be a light-colored cloth bag, a large paper bag, a flip chart page or a piece of paper. Ask them to draw pictures or write words that describe what is important in their lives. (One option is to have them trace a hand and write or draw something for each finger). If they have a motto or saying that speaks to them, they can also write that down.

The participants will use what they have drawn or written to introduce themselves to the rest of the group. Make sure that they put their name on their project, because other people will be writing on it later.

At the end of each day, have the participants trade their projects and then write something to the owner of the project. It helps to give them a sentence to finish, such as: “What I learned about you is....,” “I hope that we will both remember...., or ” “Thank you for....” Ask them to sign what they write.

There will be a lot of laughter when they pass the projects back and read what was written on their own.

This is a great closing activity that, used every day during a multi-day program, provides continuity and reinforces social connections.

4. Create a celebration circle.

This activity can be used to close any training program, but is particularly effective at the end of the last day of a multi-day program. Have the participants stand in a circle and then use one or more of the following variations:

Express gratitude. Let them take turns walking over to participants to thank them in specific terms for what they did to enrich their learning. This celebrates the supportive learning community.

Blow bubbles. Hand out small containers of bubbles with wands and have the participants blow bubbles while an upbeat song plays in the background (“Celebration” by Kool and the Gang is a great one). This celebrates the conclusion of a job well done.

Sing a song. Have the participants sing a song or anthem that is relevant to the training experience. This celebrates the shared bond between the participants.

Each of these four closing activities will generate energy, joy and connection. The training will end on a high note and the participants will leave happy and enthusiastic.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #362: How to Build Learners’ Confidence in Their Own Competence

2011-02-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” Arthur Ashe

If learners lack confidence in their mastery of new learning when they leave the classroom, they are much less likely to apply this new learning back at their work site. As a result, the prime mission of every trainer should be to build the learners’ confidence in their own competence.

There are three closely related approaches that a trainer can take to accomplish this. Together, all three approaches will ensure that the learners have the preparation they need.

First, plan for the learners to demonstrate their learning in the classroom.

When designing the curriculum, the learning objectives should identify what the learners will do both to learn and to validate their learning during the learning session.

For example, the learning objectives for a program on coaching might include that the participants will: explain how to prepare to conduct a coaching session, discuss how to script the coaching conversation, outline the steps involved in conducting the coaching conversation, and prepare, script and conduct a coaching session.

The learning objectives for a program on sexual harassment might include that the participants will: describe examples of sexual harassment, and outline what to do in different situations that result in sexual harassment.

Second, ensure that the learners are able to get immediate feedback regarding their mastery of the new learning.

By definition, participatory learning activities enable learners to practice and, at the same time, assess their ability to use new learning.

For example, learners can check their level of comprehension by responding to a questionnaire, quiz, or case study, completing a writing assignment or giving a short report or presentation on the topic.

They can test their ability to apply the new learning by using it in a hands on exercise, problem solving activity, simulation or role-play.

Third, provide practice opportunities for learners that require them to assume increasing responsibility for their learning.

Brain studies have found that learners need three examples or iterations to learn new skills or concepts. Therefore, ideally they should have at least three practice sessions.

In the first practice session, the trainer can walk the entire group of learners through a new process or procedure. In the second practice session, the learners can work in small groups so that they can support each other. They still have access to the trainer if they have any questions. In the third practice session, the learners should work independently or, if that is not practical, then in pairs or triads.

The learners’ reliance on the trainer will be gradually decreased as the learners’ confidence in their own competence increases. By the time of this third practice session, the learners should be sufficiently prepared to perform without the assistance of the trainer

Planning for learners to demonstrate their learning in the classroom, using learning activities that provide immediate feedback regarding learner mastery, and providing for practice that gradually increases learner responsibility and independence will help to build the learners’ confidence in their own competence.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #361: How to Prime Learners to Actively Participate

2011-02-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

"Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is the probable reason why so few engage in it." Henry Ford

There is nothing sadder than a trainer who wants to engage an audience and can’t get anyone to participate. So how do you prime learners to actively participate?

There are three techniques that can subtly release learners’ inhibitions about participating from the very beginning of the training program.

The first technique is to simply begin with common ground questions. For example: “How many of you like to conduct training?” “How many of you think that your participants enjoy your training?” “How many of you are deluded?”

As you ask each question, model raising your hand. Then ask enough questions so that everyone has raised their hands. If it comes naturally to you, it helps to ask a question that will make them laugh. Both the physical movement (raising their hands) and laughter will relax them. Since the purpose of common ground questions is to create a sense of community, that will also make them feel more comfortable.

The second technique is to use a pair share that enables seasoned participants to share their knowledge and experience with less seasoned participants, who also have an opportunity to ask pressing questions. Have those participants who consider themselves more experienced in the training content think about what they wish someone had told them when they were first starting out. They should then stand and move to one side of the room.

Have the participants who consider themselves newer to the training content think about something that they have always wanted to ask a more seasoned person. Then they stand and move to the opposite side of the room.

When you give the signal, the participants move to the center of the room and create small groups that contain both seasoned and unseasoned participants. The seasoned participants can talk about what they wished they had known when they first started out and the less seasoned participants can ask their questions and get responses from the seasoned participants.

Next, have these new small groups sit together so that they can continue to interact and learn from each other. This gives the seasoned participants a role as a co-facilitator in their groups, and it gives the less seasoned participants a resident “expert” who can help them along when necessary.

The third technique is to have the participants select and then mark up two or three learning objectives in their materials that are of greatest interest or significance to them. Then have the participants take stickers and put them next to their selected learning objectives where they are written on flip charts placed around the room.

These associated activities (selecting key learning objectives, marking them on the page, and then placing stickers on the flip charts) give the participants a sense of ownership in the training program. They now have at least two reasons to participate.

When all three of these techniques occur in sequence at the beginning of the workshop, the learners will be primed to participate because they will have been participating all along!

May your learning be sweet!

Deborah

Tip #360:How to Get Participants to Recognize the Benefits of Training

2011-01-31T05:00:00.000-08:00

Today’s Tip is based on a question that Sarah Schenkat of Badgerland Financial asked after a recent workshop on Taking the Pain out of Task Analysis for SMES. Thank you, Sarah!

"When you make a commitment to a relationship, you invest your attention and energy in it more profoundly because you now experience ownership of that relationship."Barbara De Angelis

A training program will be more successful if the participants are committed to learning because they feel a sense of ownership in the content. The best way to gain this commitment is to give the participants an opportunity to recognize how the training will benefit them. This is a determination that they need to make for themselves. If the trainer simply tells them why it should be important to them, they will be less likely to “buy in.”

The challenge for a trainer is, therefore, to find a learning activity that will help the participants discover and articulate the benefits of the training at the beginning of a training session.

Sometimes the benefits are very obvious. In these cases, all the trainer needs to do is ask the participants to brainstorm answers to the question: “How will this (training/topic/knowledge/skill) benefit you?”

If the participants are not familiar with the specific training content, it makes sense to gain the participants’ “buy in” by asking them: “What will be the consequences if the current (situation/policy/procedure) remains the same?” or "What are the consequences of not making this change? How will it affect (you, the customers, and/or the company)?"

Operating on the assumption that there is a reason why a new version or procedure has been created, the trainer can have participants answer the question: "What are your challenges with the current (system/version/policy/procedure)?" The participants may not know why a change is being made, but they will know what they don't like about the current situation. Hopefully, their concerns will be similar to the reasons that initiated the change.

A trainer may want to take a different tack to get the participants to focus on a supporting principle that underlies the training content. For example, in a training session for supervisors about how to handle difficult employee behavior, the question might be: “How will your job be easier if your employees are successful on the job?” This question can intrigue and engage the participants by redirecting their attention from what their employees are doing wrong to what their employees need from them.

If the training content is so new and unfamiliar to the participants that there is no way they can discuss its benefits at the beginning of the training, the only thing the trainer can do is to wait until the end of the session. Then, asking "now that you have been introduced to the new (system/policy/ procedure), what benefits do you see for (you, the customers, and/or the company)?" will reinforce the participants’ “buy in.”

The more invested the participants are in the training, the greater likelihood that they will learn, retain and effectively apply their new knowledge or skills back on the job. The earlier that “buy in” occurs, the easier the training experience will be for both the participants and the trainer.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #359: A Recipe for an Effective Trainer

2011-01-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

"The fact is that it takes more than ingredients and technique to cook a good meal. A good cook puts something of himself into the preparation -- he cooks with enjoyment, anticipation, spontaneity, and he is willing to experiment." Pearl Bailey

In no particular order, effective trainers:

recognize that training programs are about the learner, not the trainer;
care about people;
are resilient;
are flexible to adapt to the specific needs and learning styles of the participants;
are able to make decisions before, during, and after the training session that will increase the probability that learning will occur;
are continually interested in learning;
are open to the challenges, risks and rewards of moving people beyond their comfort zone;
are entertaining;
are focused;
are credible;
have a clear lesson plan that incorporates adult learning principles and has specific, observable and measurable learning objectives;
have knowledge of and employ a wide variety of learning activities;
have a sense of humor about themselves and their abilities, including the ability to acknowledge mistakes and not take themselves too seriously;
model what they teach;
are effective and engaging presenters;
have proficient group facilitation skills;
create and maintain a comfortable learning environment for all participants; and
build participants’ confidence in their own competence.

All of these qualities, skills and characteristics are intended to accomplish a trainer’s primary mission: to set learners up for success.

What other ingredients would you add to the recipe for an effective trainer?

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #358: Learn From Other Trainers

2011-01-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

"Learn from everyone, copy no one." Don Shula

"When a thing has been said and said well, have no scruple. Take it and copy it." Anatole France

Similar to many trainers, I began training others long before I ever had a formal train-the-trainer program. The only way I could improve was by observing and learning from other trainers.

Here is a small sampling of what I have learned:

When I was in high school, my mother, Merle Levine, was a social studies teacher. She was the first “trainer” I ever saw use role plays and simulations to bring history alive for her students. She also put comic strips on handouts to make key points in a humorous way. It was because of her that I always add colorful comic strips to my audiovisuals.

I don’t recall his name, but his generosity imprinted on my trainer’s soul. Back in 1988, I attended a consultant’s workshop at the International Conference of the American Society for Training and Development. As we walked in the door, we were each handed a small Hawaiian orchid! I was completely awed by the speaker’s thoughtfulness and kindness. To this day, in homage to this wonderful man, I always bring candy and gifts and do my best to treat my participants as my guests.

Jeffrey Anthony taught me two wonderful techniques. First, to create an agenda process wall map to keep me and the participants on track in a visually interesting and colorful way. Second, to take digital photos of all flip charted work during a session rather than carting all of the flip charts back to the office and transcribing them. When I send copies of the photos to the participants, there is the additional benefit that the handwriting and marker colors evoke the original workshop experience for them.

Sharon Bowman taught me many things about meeting the needs of kinesthetic learners and getting everyone on their feet with pair shares, pop ups and gallery walks. She was also the first trainer I remember observing who created colorful borders on flip charts to make them more visually appealing.

Elaine Biech also taught me many creative ways to engage participants. Two of my favorite activities are a relay race between participant teams to check their comprehension and a “Yes, And..” oral relay that allows participants to vent both sides of an issue. Both activities meet the needs of aural, visual and kinesthetic learners and are a lot of fun for everyone.

As trainers, why not learn from the best and use what works?

Janis Taylor, Technical Training Director for Patient Care and Clinical Informatics at Philips Healthcare, responded to this Tip:

"Play music. If you want to get people’s attention have something lively, like George Thorogood’s “Bad to the Bone” playing as people arrive. Good fodder for lighthearted jokes too. I learned this from you Deborah!"

Janis, thank you!

What have you learned from other trainers that helped you become better at your craft

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #357: Make Training Preparation Easy

2011-01-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

In diagnosis think of the easy first. Martin H. Fischer

In response to last week’s Tip, “Make Learning Sweet,” Joyce Doakes Smith, CPM,
Quality Oklahoma and Productivity Enhancement Programs Coordinator, Office of Personnel Management had this wonderful idea to add:

“I do much of what you have listed (no kites on the wall, but I have seen yours). Additionally, I have created two long slide shows (over 200 slides each) that run before class, during breaks, and over the lunch period. One is trivia information (strange laws and interesting facts) and the other is all pictures (from optical illusions to sand and ice sculptures). Other than being careful of the copyrights and credits it’s easy to do and the participants love it. It helps makes learning sweet!”

Thank you so much, Joyce!

There are lots of ways to make training preparation easier on ourselves. Here are three I've learned:

1. I have a checklist of materials I typically bring for training programs: fragrant markers, pipe cleaners, Koosh balls, kites, post-it notes, index cards, bowls and candy, prizes, agenda map, masking or gaffer’s tape, poster putty, straight pins, bell chime, annotated table of contents, printout of PowerPoint slides, clean copy of participant masters, digital camera, etc. I just check off what I need. It doesn’t matter how often I train, if I don’t have an item written down, I can easily overlook it.

2. When making flip charts ahead of time, Danny Papakalos showed me that it is very easy to create a colorful border on the page by holding two different colored markers in the same hand.

3. When creating PowerPoint slides, Caroline Chen showed me how to easily copy text and formatting rather than starting from scratch each time.

What are your tricks for making your training preparation easier?

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #356: Make Learning Sweet

2011-01-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

“Give people a fact or an idea and you enlighten their minds; tell them a story and you touch their souls.” Hasidic proverb

Welcome to 2011!

There is an old Talmudic (Jewish) custom. When a boy goes to study the Torah (which is a religious text) they have him touch a page of the Torah and then dip his finger in honey to learn that learning is sweet.

There are many ways to make learning sweet. Taken literally, I bring bowls of candy. I create a comfortable learning environment with seating arranged in pods, kinesthetic objects on the participants’ tables (Koosh balls, pipe cleaners, glitter wands, etc.), and colorful kites on the walls.

I sweeten learning by treating the participants with respect, drawing them in to obtain their buy-in to the content, showing colorful comics that capture key concepts on the PowerPoint, and using learning activities that are intended to build their confidence in their own competence.

What are your favorite ways to make learning sweet?

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #355: Light Candles

2010-12-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

A great attitude does much more than turn on the lights in our worlds; it seems to magically connect us to all sorts of serendipitous opportunities that were somehow absent before the change. Earl Nightingale

There is too much pain and misery in the world today. May you always have the strength of will, generosity of spirit and physical health to use your gifts to make a positive difference in the lives of those you touch.

I will light candles this Christmas

Candles of joy, despite all sadness,

Candles of hope where despair keeps watch.

Candles of courage where fear is every present,

Candles of peace for tempest-tossed days,

Candles of grace to ease heavy burdens.

Candles of love to inspire all my living,

Candles that will burn all the year long.

Howard Thurman

We’ll see you in 2011.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Without music, life would be a mistake. Friedrich Nietzsche

For my father, Seymour Solon Levine, 1922-2010

Tip #354: Avoid the Mistake of Thinking Participatory Learning Activities are a Gimmick

2010-12-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

The better a man is the more mistakes he will make for the more things he will try.
Peter Drucker

One reason that participatory learning activities get a bad reputation is the fact that some trainers incorporate them solely to add an element of fun and excitement. For participants who are stretched thin at work and feel that every minute of training should be of practical use, having to participate in extended fun and games that have no relevance to the training content is a waste of their time.

Please avoid these three mistakes when thinking about participatory learning activities:

Mistake #1: Believing participatory learning activities are pure entertainment rather than a training necessity.

There are four reasons for using participatory learning activities, and none of these are merely the result of the curriculum designer's whim:

1. Participants have to be actively involved to demonstrate their comprehension and ability to use their learned skills to apply, analyze, evaluate and create. If the desired learning level is higher than knowledge, the only way to achieve this is through participatory learning activities.

2. Brain studies have determined that the memory is based on emotions. The more senses involved, the more effective the learning and the greater probability of retention. That is why the "whole body" learning experience of participatory learning activities is so important.

3. Only participatory learning activities will satisfy the needs of different learning styles to do more than simply sit, listen and read the PowerPoint slides accompanying a lecture. They also enable participants to verbalize, have a hands on experience, and move.

4. Participatory learning activities are the best way for a trainer to determine if the participants are learning what they need to learn during the course of the training. At the very least, lecturers can check participant comprehension using questionnaires, pop ups, shout outs, or case studies.

Mistake #2: Thinking participatory learning does not belong in technical training.

Training based on an expert lecturer has been the paradigm for technical training. However, it is a mistake to think that the delivery of technical training needs to be driven by a subject matter expert rather than by the participants.

The subject matter expert is most significant during the design of the training program. Why? Design decisions regarding the training content, the desired level of learning, and the best way for participants to demonstrate their learning are all based on the subject matter expert's knowledge and experience.

The other problem with this paradigm is that lecture can only achieve the learning level of knowledge. All higher levels of learning (comprehension, application, analysis, evaluation and creation) require participatory learning activities. In fact, programs that are intended to build technical skills have the greatest need for participants to demonstrate their new degree of competency in the classroom.

Mistake #3: Overlooking the recuperative power of energizers.

Learning is hard work. An energizer is a fast and simple way to reinvigorate participants when their energy starts to lag. This includes any brief participatory activity that physically engages the participants. The brain needs a lot of oxygen to function at peak efficiency. Getting participants up and moving around will cause them to breathe more deeply, resulting in more oxygen in their brains.

Have them stand up and throw balls to each other for the duration of a short upbeat song. Have them line up by the month and day of their birth and then count off to create new table groups. Plug in a relay race, where teams of participants need to identify key content that begins with each letter of the topic. All of these activities take only a few minutes and generate a lot of new energy in the group.

The decision to incorporate participatory learning activities is not based on a whim. The desired level of learning for the key training content determines the nature of the learning activities. Participatory learning activities are essential for successful learning in any training program. They are not intended, and should never be used, simply as gimmicks irrelevant to the learning objectives and the learning process.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #353: Avoid Mistakes When Using Audiovisuals in Training: Make It Easier on Yourself

2010-12-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

“Experience is the name we give to our mistakes.” Oscar Wilde

There are very simple steps that a trainer can take to save time and energy when designing, delivering and duplicating content on audiovisuals. Just avoid these four mistakes:

Mistake #1: Not having a pointer

There are inexpensive laser pointers, there are laser pointers incorporated into remotes for computer and LCD, there are even wooden and metal extendable pointers. Get one and use it, because pointing your finger at a projected image or text is absolutely useless to the participants. Even if you are standing right next to the screen, it is unlikely that your finger will reach whatever it is that you are pointing out.

Mistake #2: Not considering movies or animations

PowerPoint is not the only game in town. Don’t forget the possibility of using movie clips, animations or YouTube videos as your audiovisuals. They can serve as case studies, provide examples, model desired skills, and/or prompt analysis and discussion.

Just make sure that whatever you choose to use is short, relevant, and supplemented with a participant assignment to be completed during or after they are shown. Either don’t dim the lights- or plan to serve popcorn and hand out pillows!

Mistake #3: Not taking digital photos of completed flip charts

Whether you or the participants created the content on flip charts, you can save everyone a lot of time and energy if you take digital photos and email them to the participants after the workshop. This will validate the importance of their work products during the session. It will also lessen any stress they may feel about copying down what is on the flip charts during the session. If you have ever promised to send the information on the flip charts to participants in the past and have spent hours transcribing the information, you will particularly appreciate the ease of using a camera instead.

Mistake #4: Not having a backup plan

Be prepared. Have your PowerPoint slides on a USB flash drive. In the event that equipment fails or is incompatible, you can easily plug into a different computer. Bring a printout of any slides. In a pinch, you can write the text on flip chart pages. Whatever you do, don’t panic. A training program can still engage the participants and be an entertaining and effective learning experience without any audiovisual aids.

Trainers who avoid these four mistakes will have a much easier time designing, delivering and duplicating the content on their audiovisuals.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #352: Avoid Mistakes When Using Audiovisuals in Training: It’s All in the Preparation

2010-12-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

“It isn't making mistakes that's critical; it's correcting them and getting on with the principal task.” Donald Rumsfeld

Being prepared should be part of the trainer’s code when it comes to audiovisuals. If you don’t avoid these four mistakes, you are likely to have a lot of trouble and frustration when you try to use your audiovisuals.

Mistake #1: Not checking and preparing equipment

All trainers have stories about audiovisual equipment that didn’t work. Get to the training room early enough to make sure that everything works properly and has the correct connectors, wires and remotes. To be safe, bring your own remote with extra batteries and, when possible, your own extension cord with the number of plug-ins you will need. Practice using the remote. Check any extension cords to make sure that they are flat on the floor and not a tripping hazard for you or the participants. Bring wide masking tape so that you can tape the cords to the floor if the training facility does not provide plastic mats that cover the cords.

Mistake #2: Not checking sight lines

There is no point in using audiovisual aids if all of the participants cannot see them. Once the training room is set up with tables, chairs, flip charts, screen, LCD stand, or whatever furnishings and equipment you use, make sure to check sight lines from each chair. In larger rooms, you may need to project higher on a wall so that participants in the back of the room can see the entire slide. You may need to write only on the top half of flip charts for the very same reason, because participants in the back may not be able to see the bottom half of the chart.

Mistake #3: Not preparing markers

It is an unhappy reality that flip chart markers easily dry out. If the participants or you forget to securely close the cap on the markers, they dry out even faster. As a result, it is wise to check your markers to see if the ink still flows freely before each training session. It is also wise to have a backup set of markers. This way, you will be prepared if a marker dries out during the session.

Mistake #4: Not having the right adhesives

Every trainer who travels should have a kit with painter’s masking tape, poster putty, stick pins and straight pins. Many hotel and conference rooms use dividing walls with nubby fabric on them. Even if the flip chart pages are self-sticking, certain smooth wall surfaces will still require that you use masking tape to make sure the pages stay up on the walls. Your kit will ensure that you will be prepared for any wall surface.

It just takes a little pre-planning to avoid these four mistakes so that you are able to use your audiovisuals easily and effectively. In next week’s Tip, we will look at four more mistakes to avoid when using audiovisuals.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #351: Avoid Mistakes When Using Audiovisuals in Training: It’s All in the Presentation

2010-11-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

“When you make a mistake, there are only three things you should ever do about it admit it, learn from it, and don’t repeat it.” Paul “Bear” Bryant

The misuse of audiovisuals can seriously detract from an effective training. Avoid these four mistakes:

Mistake #1: Not removing or turning off AV

We consciously use audiovisuals to focus the participants on a key point or picture. However, we forget that, unless we remove the flip chart or turn off the PowerPoint, that is where their focus will remain. When the audiovisual has served its purpose, remove it or turn it off. Flip the page on the flip chart easel or use a computer key or remote to blacken the screen until you need the next slide.

Mistake #2: Staying anchored to the projected AV

In this day and age, there is absolutely no reason why a trainer needs to continually stand close to the projector or computer. There are lots of inexpensive remote controls on the market. A trainer who is tied to the audiovisual equipment is just as static and uninteresting to watch as a trainer who is tied to a lectern. Besides, it is pretty difficult to physically engage with participants when you can’t move.

Mistake #3: Placing all content on the AV

If all of the training content is really on the PowerPoint, then there are two basic conclusions to make. First, either there are a lot of slides or the font size is too small to read and the slide is too filled with text. Second, there is no real need for a trip to a training room. Save travel costs, cancel the training and simply mail the PowerPoint out to the participants.

Mistake #4: Keeping the room lights dim

Yes, we want the participants to be able to see any projected audiovisuals. Yes, dimming the lights can make those projections easier to see on the screen. But there are three problems if you keep the room dim. First, if the participants are only expected to sit and watch the screen without taking notes, they will easily fall into a relaxed mode and possibly nod off. Second, the energy in the room will dissipate quickly. Third, if the participants are expected to take notes, they won’t be able to see. So find a happy medium. If possible, just dim the row of lights directly in front of the screen. If that is not possible, make sure that the projected audiovisual can be clearly seen in full light.

Avoiding these four mistakes and improving how the audiovisuals are presented should improve the participant’s learning experience. In next week’s Tip, we will look at four more mistakes to avoid when using audiovisuals.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #350: Avoid Mistakes When Using Audiovisuals in Training: Don't Misuse Them

2010-11-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

“Experience is the name we give to our mistakes.” Oscar Wilde

Trainers have a plethora of audiovisual options from which to choose. Some trainers don’t realize that there is more to life than PowerPoint. They also overuse or misuse audiovisuals. Here are four mistakes that trainers should avoid.

Mistake #1: Consistently using AV to entertain rather than educate

Trainers who flash through a large number of funny but irrelevant slides are wasting precious training time in the same manner that a trainer who begins a session by telling lots of jokes that have nothing to do with the training itself.

If you are a trainer, your mission is to educate. It is just fine to make your training program entertaining, but make sure that the audiovisuals you use relate to and do not detract from the training content. For example, if you use accelerated learning techniques, you might have a slide or cartoon that relates to the metaphor for the training, such as a photo of people white water rafting for a stress management class. You may use entertaining photos, animations or cartoons that reinforce a key point.

But please don’t use so many bells and whistles with your PowerPoint slides that the participants are focused more on the movement of the text than the content of the text.

Mistake #2: Reading the AV with your back to group

There are four things wrong with this picture. First, it is never a good idea to have your back to the participants. It is typically not our most appealing side. Second, when you face away from the group, it breaks contact with the participants. Third, it makes it hard to hear your voice. Fourth, there should only be a few key points up on the screen. So if you have to read the slide, there is probably too much content on it.

Mistake #3: Not using audiovisuals to supplement a lecture

If you are giving a lecture (or better yet, a lecturette), then the reason should be that you have information none of the participants possess. That being the case, you will be providing new learning that needs to accommodate different learning styles. The aural learners will be very happy with the lecture. However, without text, color and/or pictures to view, the visual learners will be left wanting. So make sure to use audiovisuals to supplement your lectures.

Mistake #4: Not using flip charts effectively

Flip charts are wonderful audiovisual aids when they are used properly. Write large, using colors easy to see, such as blue, purple, black, or dark green. Make sure that each page has a title, because we typically use flip charts when we want to retain and post key information.

Use a page for only one topic. Do not save paper by writing different topic points on the same page, even if there is plenty of extra room on the page. It will confuse the participants. Consider jazzing up the flip chart by using colorful markers to create a frame. Try holding two different colored markers in one hand as you frame the page.

Avoiding these four mistakes and using audiovisuals properly should improve your training delivery and presentation. In next week’s Tip, we will add four more mistakes to avoid when using audiovisuals.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #349: Avoid Mistakes When Timing Learning Activities, Part Two

2010-11-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

"Every great mistake has a halfway moment, a split second when it can be recalled and perhaps remedied." Pearl Buck

There are ten mistakes that trainers frequently make when they plan and schedule time for learning activities. We considered the first five mistakes in last week’s Tip. This Tip discusses the remaining five mistakes.

Mistake #6: Not Building In Extra Time

Learning activities will rarely take the same amount of time with every group. It is important to build in some extra time so that you will be able to handle unanticipated questions or issues and still accomplish the scheduled activity. It is wise to budget for an extra 15-30 minutes for each activity. It is better to have the time available than to come up short. If the extra time is not needed for the activity, you can always fill it with additional discussion or (the ever popular) end early.

Mistake #7: Not Adapting an Activity to the Time Available

What do you do if you need 50 minutes for an activity, but something [an extended group discussion or a classroom management issue] ends up reducing the time available to 15 minutes? Clearly, the lesson design process determined that this activity was necessary and appropriate. It is better to adapt the planned activity to the shorter timeframe than to throw out the activity. For example, instead of having small groups discuss and report out their conclusions, you can conduct a large group discussion. Instead of small groups discussing a questionnaire, you can read the questions and have the participants signal whether they agree or disagree with the statements. You can then ask representative participants to explain the reason behind their signaled answers.

Mistake #8: Not Building in Time for Breaks

Brain studies have shown that people need breaks approximately every 50 minutes. Otherwise, their brains get saturated and the individuals get exhausted. It is very convenient if the content and learning activities fit neatly into 50- minute modules. But if they don’t, figure out how to split the content and activities in a reasonable place so the participants can take their breaks. For example, explain an activity, assign it and have the participants complete it. Then give a break. After the break, the participants can discuss or debrief the activity.

Mistake #9: Thinking That Participatory Activities Take Too Much Time

First of all, participatory activities are necessary to achieve any learning level higher than knowledge. It is true that some activities require more time than others. However, there are many different brief activities that can accomplish the same learning level. For example, if you want to check participant comprehension, you can use one-minute pop ups or shout outs, five-minute competitive brainstorming or signaled answers to a questionnaire, or ten-minute relay races.

Mistake #10: Not Leaving Enough Time for Closing Activities

There are at least three closing activities that should occur before the end of a workshop. First, there should be some activity that checks for participant comprehension of key content [such as a fill-in-the-blanks worksheet or a quiz game].

Second, there should be sufficient time for the participants to complete a [hopefully simple] workshop evaluation. Third, there should be some general summary [such as individual report-outs of their key take-aways or concluding comments from the instructor].

Avoiding these five mistakes should reduce stress for both the trainer and the participants!

Special Announcement: Our four-day Train the Trainer: Designing and Delivering Dynamic Learning is now scheduled for January 11-14, 2011 in Madison, Wisconsin. There are discounted rates for early bird registration and ASTD members. The brochure with registration form is posted on our website: http://www.laurelandassociates.com. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at (608) 255-2010.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah