Learning on the (eLearning) Job

Hello again! I know it’s been quite awhile since I’ve shared my thoughts here. About a year ago I took on a new role that has kept me constantly learning…which is a good thing.

Although I’ve dabbled in eLearning production in previous positions, this is my first experience as a full-time eLearning Designer, and it’s been fantastic! I’ve beefed up my PowerPoint skills and have learned how to use Articulate. Recently, I had to build several practice interactions in Captivate, and that really stretched me. I am lucky to have a mentor (a senior eD) assigned to me to help me over the rough patches, so I benefit from his experience.

Having been in learning and development for over 25 years, I have developed more than my share of courses. I have a passion for instructional design and so I figured this eLearning thing would be a cake walk. <Gulp> I find it interesting that the learner-centered approach I have always taken in my classroom training seems to be a struggle for me in this medium. I forget to keep the learner at the center of all that I do…what is WITH that? In my haste to show off a fun graphic or use a cool tool, I neglect my learner. Thank goodness I have Ezra to bring me back on track. Whew!

I have just published a course that I feel proud of, unlike my first one…real progress. I feel more like a “real”eLearning Designer each day and I will share with you my learnings as I grow.

I would love to hear about your journey through you L&D career…won’t you please share?

Shari

Lessons of a Twitter Virgin

Okay, I’m about to reveal something about myself…I’m a Twitter newbie. No longer a virgin, since I’ve actually posted some Tweets. I signed up for a Twitter account about four years ago, during one of my active job searches, at the urging of my technology mentor. Honestly, I wasn’t sure why I needed a Twitter account, but for some reason didn’t want to ask. Silly girl.

I’m currently reading “The New Social Learning: A Guide to Transforming Organizations through Social Media,” written by Tony Bingham and Marcia Connor. I am finally understanding! The book details various examples of how organizations are using social media tools to facilitate learning and knowledge management…and it is BRILLIANT! I am so motivated that I logged into Twitter and have begun tweeting. I sent an email to my manager, who oversees technology for our company’s learning organization, volunteering to be involved in any steering committees or advisory councils that my organization may create as it tiptoes into the Social Media Forest.

I admit it…I’m a geek wannabe and I can now see the inherent value of using social media tools in my chosen profession. The future is so bright, I gotta wear shades!

Performance Consulting: The New Training Paradigm

Recently, one of my trainers received a request from one of her client unit managers to deliver a training class on a topic that she has trained numerous times before to the same learner population. The learners continue to struggle with a function that is critical to the unit’s customer satisfaction score, and there is also a financial implication to the company if the work is not done correcty.

In the past, she would have simply said “when do you want to begin?” However, this year our department has been focusing on developing a core competency of performance consulting, and so my trainer, whom I’ll call Maribel (I just love that name!), responded differently to the request.

Maribel met with the client and explained that she had reason to believe that the performance problem is not due to a skill or knowledge gap, as she had observed many of the employees exhibit behavior that contributed to the problem. Realizing that she needed data to support her theory, she negotiated with the client to perform a root cause analysis to determine the underlying issue. Maribel has established credibility with her clients, and so the manager agreed.

Maribel is performing formal observation of the employees in the unit, asking them to conduct three transactions of the type in question and explain to her their reasoning for following the series of steps they use. This observation takes approximately 20 minutes per employee, and although she has not completed all observations yet, she has already gathered enough data to determine the root cause of the problem is NOT a lack of knowledge or skill. The employees have clearly documented procedures to follow – and, when questioned, indicated they knew where to find the documentation and how to perform the steps… they simply choose not to follow them because they state that the steps dictated take too long. Period. So, obviously, bringing them all into class for several hours to show them the steps would not result in better performance, because they would continue to choose not to follow the procedures.

As Maribel works with her client, she will need to focus on helping them shift from the mindset that every performance issue can be solved by training. She is building a case to demonstrate that there is a behavioral issue that needs to be managed. There is no skill or knowledge gap, and so training is not the appropriate solution.

Maribel will help her clients see that taking their employees off of production to go to training will be expensive and will still not produce the behavioral change needed. The appropriate solution in this case is performance management – set clear expectations for employees that they need to follow the documented procedure and monitor their performance to determine compliance. Of course, this will require quite a bit of effort and accountability from the managers. It would be so much easier for them if we just delivered training to their employees. But then…that would still leave them with the performance problem, so we cannot, in good conscience, do what we’ve done in the past.

Performance consulting is challenging…not just for the clients, but for the trainers as well. It takes courage to push back and help clients to see that training is not always the answer. But we know that not everything that is worthwhile is easy…right? 

The Power of Influence

One of the things I love most about my job is the opportunity it gives me to influence others. I influence others by my behavior…leading by example. I influence others by my words – those chosen in haste can never be unsaid. I influence others by what I leave undone – unfulfilled promises speak volumes about one’s character. It’s an awesome responsibility that I typically do not take lightly, although I have, on occasion, not measured up to my own standards. <sigh> Such it is to be human.

However, I do strive to behave in ways that align with my values, and I find that helps deepen my relationships and build my credibility. Acting with integrity is a key component to having influence. It is amazing what people observe when we think no one is watching! I always keep in mind that people may forget what I said, or even what I did, but will always remember how I made them feel. That is the power of influence. And it is a mighty sword, my friend…I advise you to wield it carefully, and hope that I remember this advice myself.

What I Love about Company Picnics

My company had our company picnic today and it was my first employer-sponsored event for quite a long time. I forgot how nice it is to see my peers with their families and watch everyone just enjoying themselves. Many of us managers did the grilling and serving of food to the employees, and it was a hoot to watch out “big kahuna” serving the biggest hot dogs I’ve ever seen while wearing a t-shirt and baseball cap, and then drawing numbers for the prizes and “high-fiving” the kids who won.

I have been facilitating some teambuilding with the management team for several months and the team was making strides in building trust and mastering conflict. As I sat at the picnic table, munching on my gigantic dog and swigging diet soda, I realized I was witnessing rapport before my eyes. Managers from various departments working together to make sure the garden burgers didn’t burn, employees introducing each other to their spouses and children. We all work in a children’s hospital and sometimes we are trapped in our ‘silos’ while working hard to serve our patients and their families. And here, in the park, next to the swingset, those silos were gone and we were simply people. Good, hard-working people focused on a noble cause.

Tomorrow at work, we have five new hires joining us for orientation. I can’t wait to welcome them into this organization, where they may find their perfect job, just as I have.

When You’ve Found the Perfect Fit

So, how do you know when you’ve found the job that’s a perfect fit? How about the fact that the day zips by and before you know it, it’s time to go home. You find yourself immersed in your work and have to remind yourself to take a “bio break.” You smile on your commute in. You don’t experience “Sunday Night Dread.”

I’m lucky to be in a job where all of the above is true for me. However, it wasn’t always the case. I recently had the fortune to be laid off from a job I was only in for a few months, however it didn’t take me near that long to realize it was a bad fit. When you cry at your desk at least twice per week, that’s a bad sign, my friends. What made it so horrible for me? It was the wrong kind of work for my skills, it was an environment that didn’t align with my style…need I go on? So when the rumors of layoffs swirled and I was called into the HR office, I practically SKIPPED in the door. Yeah, you know when it’s not right.

Why am I writing to you about this, dear reader? Because fit is everything. It’s more than money – I have left a position where I was paid a ridiculously high salary because the work and the environment were not right for me. It’s about being true to yourself – your family – your customers. It’s about protecting and nurturing the essence of who you are and not compromising yourself.

You might wonder why I included that sassy little cartoon at the top of this post. That represents me in my perfect job. See the arch of the eyebrow and the curl in the smile? That is me, adding value and loving it. I have found my perfect fit. Have you?

It’s Finally Making Sense

Years ago, I was fortunate enough to work in an OD department with several very experienced people. Actually, one or two were bordering on brilliant. And there I was, Little Miss Trainer, trying to run with the big dogs. I learned SO much during those six years! Sadly, some of it held little meaning to me. Until now.

When they were talking about balanced scorecards and change management, I just couldn’t fathom where that fit into my world. It seemed so conceptual – I couldn’t get it! Now, four years later…the pieces are falling into place…things are making sense. It’s incredible how that happens!

I can now see the application for a balanced scorecard – it’s really quite straightforward. I’m taking an Integrated Business Topics course (still trying to finish my Bachelors degree after almost 30 years) and this week I had to create a balanced scorecard for a business. It was actually a fun assignment! I used insights gained over the years of being an employee without a clue as to the strategic plans for my employers, and created something I think would work well at all levels. Hmmmm…

I’ve always thought of myself as tactical rather than strategic. Perhaps it’s just that the timing wasn’t right. Never say never.

 

Find Your Niche and Capture It!

Okay, I am officially a fan of a woman named Trish Uhl. I think she’s brilliant. If you go to http://www.cplpcoach.com/, you’ll find the site for her company, Owl’s Ledge, LLC. Another section of this company’s site is found at http://cplpstudyprep.net/index.htm. The company was created expressly for the purpose of supporting CPLP candidates. I’ll say it again – brilliant.

Trish identified a need in the market: a new nationwide certification that is as comprehensive as it is new and mysterious.

Why, there would be people, many, many people, who would need guidance and tools when preparing for this new and often overwhelming certification. BINGO!! That is Marketing 101 – identify your target market. Trish and her cohorts have done that beautifully, and I admire the forethought and creativity they used.

So, what does all this have to do with anything? Many of us feel we are “stuck” in dead-end careers – victims of circumstance. I hold the group at Owl’s Ledge, LLC, up as an example that, by simply paying attention and using some ingenuity, you and I can find our niche. We can create opportunities for ourselves that benefit others. We can take control of our destiny and chart the course of our own career journey.

My only question to Trish would be…why “Owl’s Ledge”…? Hmmmm…’tis a puzzlement…

 

Abundance is….well….abundant!

You know how it feels when you are really happy? You feel abundance in every part of your life? Well, I am there. Sure, I have a new job that is about the best one I’ve ever had. Sure, I have a husband who loves me and is committed to me through thick and thin (hips). Sure, I have wonderful friends who make me laugh and amaze me with their talents. So, what have I got to feel happy about?

Okay, so I’m almost done reading The Secret and I confess I buy it – hook, line, and sinker. I wake up every day saying “Thank you” to the universe. I feel magnificent, even though some would question how that is so in a very near mid-century BIG girl with a wonky knee.

It’s like my Grandma Tucker always told me when I was a young girl – you reap what you sow. I believe it. You get back what you give. You generate what you radiate.

So, does this mean I’m never cranky. Hardly. (My husband could tell you stories.) But these days, more often than not, I’m feeling strong and fantastic. Won’t you join me?

Shari’s Got a Brand New Gig

I’m preparing to begin a new job on Monday, and am filled with the excitement and anxiety that accompanies it! It took me about five weeks to find a job during this lay off, as opposed to nine weeks last summer, so I’m feeling pretty good. Thank you for asking.

The job market in Portland is extremely competitive because there are so many of you talented training and deveopment professionals out there, looking for your next adventure. The interview processes seem to get increasingly longer, and yet I am okay with that as it shows that employers are carefully considering their needs and taking time to ensure they choose someone who will be a good fit and not just a warm body.

Personally I find panel interviews to be a challenge. I like to connect individually with the interviewer and that is a bit tough when you have five of them lined up around a conference room table, taking turns asking their questions and sometimes engaging in an exchange of opinions about the organization’s culture. However, I do appreciate the opportunity to meet some of the customers (usually department managers) that I would be supporting in that position and I realize the importance of having them involved in the process.

As I consider the tools I used during my job search this time, you are looking at one of the best. This web portal gave me a place to have potential employers learn a bit about me, gain some insight into my thinking and communication skills by reading my blog, and see samples of my work through my online portfolio. And they could do all this at any time they liked! I have found this to be extremely powerful, and would suggest it to any job seeker.

Another invaluable tool, you can guess, is networking. I belong to the local chapter of ASTD, a professional organization for training and development, and I took advantage of the numerous meetings scheduled to network and learn. At the Transitions special interest group (SIG) meeting, which is targeted specifically at job seekers, I learned some great tips on sharpening up my resume. At the eLearning SIG meeting, I heard from other professionals on how they use technology in learning. And both of these events took only an investment of my time.

I also invested a bit of time and money and worked with a career coach for a few weeks. Through my work with him I was able to clarify what I want in my next job and, perhaps more importantly, what I don’t want. I developed my “Unique Value Proposition,” which is like that ‘elevator speech’ we are told to have ready in case someone asks us, while riding up one floor in an elevator, what we do. I also developed brief stories to illustrate my experiences for various competencies on which I want to focus.

The key to keeping my sanity during this layoff was productivity – I engaged in all of these activities that kept me busy and working toward my goal. If you’re a fellow job seeker and have some ideas to share, please leave a comment below – I’d appreciate hearing what has worked for you!