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.

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?

So, my hubby and I just returned from a trip to So Cal where we attended my 30th <gulp> high school reunion. I had really been looking forward to it - my expectations were sky high. Yes, it was fun to see a few special folks. For the most part, however, I left feeling - well - sadly empty. There was a ballroom full of people I hadn’t truly known when we were together everyday in school, and 30 years later, nothing has changed. It got me thinking about how much time I spend cherishing times gone by.

As wonderful as the past may have been (or not), it is the past. Something to be honored and learned from, and revisited occasionally with a smile. Not something to be lived in while forsaking the present.

Now, you may say, “Duh, Shari!” But haven’t we all known someone who consistently yearns for a “do over?” Someone who is so caught up in what could have been that he or she is missing what is in the here and now? In fact, I will admit to having done this myself. Recently I found my thoughts turning to “the time when” and wishing I was still in that situation. You know what? It’s a HUGE waste of time and effort, and does nothing except make me feel bad. And, as I approach the mid-century milestone of my life, I ain’t got no time to waste feeling bad.

So, a pledge - to live in the moment, and plan for the future. To appreciate who I am now and look forward ways to be a better person. To love those who share my life and find ways to serve and honor them as they deserve. This I solemnly swear. How about you?

Today our Cascadia Chapter’s first CPLP study group wrapped up and I must say it was a awesome! We have been working as a group for the last three months and all five participants aced the exam this week!

During today’s session, they composed their CPLP Elevator Speeches, which they will continue to refine and personalize. That way, when someone asks them what a CPLP is and why it’s important, they will be prepared with a succinct, compelling answer. The rest of the session was well spent as Kerri, my co-facilitator, walked us through the Candidate Bulletin’s Chapter 4, which contains the requirements for the Designing Learning work product. The section is 28 pages long and can be intimidating, but Kerri was able to break it down for us and make connections between the various sections. When you take it a piece at a time, it’s not too bad.

The group members decided to continue meeting throughout the summer as they prepare their work products for a September 1 submission deadline. They will review each others work and provide valuable feedback. Kerri and I have been invited to attend when we can. It is fantastic to see professionals so supportive of each other.

I am honored to be a member of this noble profession. Trainers everywhere - I salute you. You inspire me and make me proud to work among you.

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.

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…

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?

Over the weekend I partnered with the other CPLP in Oregon, Kerri Nussbaum, to facilitate the first session of our ASTD-Cascadia Chapter study group. It was awesome! So invigorating to be in the company of other training folks who are passionate about their profession!

We’ll be meeting for 12 sessions over the next 14 weeks (skipping two holiday weekends). Our method is to use prework to have the participants research the topics for each upcoming session. When we’re together, we’ll discuss the info the group discovered and then Kerri and I will fill in any gaps. It’s critical that we use adult learning techniques (ummm, the same ones that we’re discussing in the certification) as opposed to straight lecture. As this is a study group, our mission is to focus the study of the participants and clarify that which may be unclear.

We have such a vibrant and enthusiastic group, I’m looking forward to learning from them as we go. I’m in “lifelong learner heaven!”

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!

As I mentioned previously, to earn the CPLP certification one must not only pass a comprehensive knowledge exam but also submit a work product. At the time I was going through the process, there were only three Areas of Expertise (AOEs) for which I could submit a work product. Now, candidates may choose from six:

1. Designing Learning
2. Delivering Training
3. Improving Human Performance
4. Measuring and Evaluating
5. Facilitating Organizational Change
6. Managing the Learning Function

I chose to submit my work product for Designing Learning, as I had recently creating learning modules for a new hire training program. I had to submit materials that represented 90 minutes of learning activities, so I chose a portion of a module on monetary transactions for tellers.

The requirements for the work product of each AOE varies; the requirements for Designing Learning include documentation supporting:

• training analysis
• design process
• learning events

The materials submitted must demonstrate usage of the “Key Actions” for the AOE as outlined in the requirements document. Examples of the “Key Actions” for Designing Learning are:

• Applies cognition and adult learning theory
• Conducts a needs assessment
• Designs a curriculum or program
• Integrates technology options
• Evaluates learning design

The work product documentation must clearly demonstrate these and the other “Key Actions” through inclusion of the project management plans, needs assessment and evalutation documents, and the participant and instructor materials. As you can imagine, it is quite a feat to gather and properly identify all of these components. There are labeling requirements and several forms to be completed, including one where candidates identify where in the work product the reviewers can find the various required elements.

As part of the work product submission process, candidates are emailed two “follow-on” questions specific to the chosen AOE. These questions are designed to determine if the candidate has the ability to apply knowledge and skills to new situations and respond appropriately. The questions may or may not pertain to the actual product being submitted. In other words, the question may ask the candidate to respond to a concern raised by a stakeholder for the product or to address implementation of the product in another unit within his or her company. Or, the questions may be totally unrelated to the work product being submitted. Here is a sample follow-on question from the CPLP Candidate Bulletin:

“Your project was designed for an organization. A merger between that organization and a multi-national organization has occurred. You are asked to redesign the project to meet the needs of the newly merged employees, while creating a new corporate culture from the two organizations. Describe what you will do and how you will do it.”

This example requires the candidate to address their work product project in a changing context, which will demonstrate application of concepts covered by the AOE. Whew!

As you can tell, properly preparing a work product for successful submission requires a lot of detail-oriented work. Although the instructions provided by the Certification Institute may have improved since the time I used them, they can still be somewhat challenging, especially when one feels the pressure of a deadline. If you have questions about what worked for me during my preparation, I would be happy to share my experience. Just ask!