Analysing an emotional reaction during a training session
When conflict arises during training sessions, your initial reaction might be to shut down the other person immediately – but taking time to analyse their reaction can provide a greater learning experience for both parties. A few years ago, I was hired by a company to help them through a TUPE transfer (Transfer of Undertakings […]
Problem solving techniques: creative options for trainers and facilitators
As trainers, our job isn’t to solve an organisation’s problems, but rather to give teams the tools to solve any issues themselves. Therefore this article will provide some techniques to help get people thinking differently and collaborating better. As leadership and management become more focused on collaboration rather than command and control, it’s essential that trainers […]
13 Qualities of Effective Career Conversations
It’s a sad fact that people can often identify memorably bad career conversations more easily than effective career conversations. Particularly if one was of significant positive value to them Like that time at the end of a not particularly glowing performance appraisal when your boss asked you where you wanted to be in 5 years. […]
Creating a culture that values learning: how to avoid training cancellations
Participants cancelling their attendance at training sessions is not only inconvenient and costly, but it often points to a larger problem in the way an organisation approaches learning. Here, we look at the key issues and how to overcome them. Executives in your company say, ‘we must get management training going on this organisational change straight […]
Learning culture: the benefits of continuous learning at work
How can you create and nurture a learning culture in your organisation and secure buy-in from your team? Businesses are now recognising the need for workplace learning and are creating more opportunities for continuous development, leading to better performing employees and higher performing teams. Unfortunately, with the ever-increasing pressures on business to meet deadlines and […]
Dodging Real Learning
The funfair has arrived in town, an event that still gives me a fission of excitement every year. Which is odd, because I hate almost all fairground rides – mainly because I’m scared of heights and, in particular, terrified of falling from them. However, there is one ‘ride’ I love. (When the funfair made its […]
What’s aspiration and what’s bullying?
There’s a thin line between a high-performance workplace with high expectations and an organisation poisoned by bullying. It’s a line that’s getting thinner with the intensification of 21st century working (via IT, always on working and use of performance targets). As Amnesty International has found in recent months, getting the balance wrong has serious consequences. […]
Learning at work: the three barriers that limit learning potential
Why are some people open to learning while others, in similar organisations/roles, are completely closed off from it? There are three main barriers that leaders need to overcome to turn employees from sceptics into learning enthusiasts. I have always been fascinated by the way in which some teams and individuals demonstrate a real openness to learning whereas […]
Do we always need learning analytics – or is gut instinct a valid approach?
Learning analytics is essential to assessing the impact of L&D solutions on the performance of both learners and the business. But is there a time and a place for going with gut instinct too? In my opinion, before any major learning programmes take place, data should be collected to inform any decisions about the actions that […]
Business after Brexit: four leadership lessons for uncertain times from military and sporting heroes
The tumultuous trading environment that Brexit has created means strong leadership is more important than ever before. Business leaders should look to the worlds of sport and the military for lessons on how to keep a level head in times of uncertainty. It is a difficult time to be a business leader and, as Brexit […]
The science behind what keeps us stuck in unhelpful habits
How often do we get caught up in unhelpful habits, whether it’s getting so busy with our workload that we don’t allow time for bigger picture thinking, or overlooking new ways of working as we prefer the comfort of how we’ve always done it? To unlock the capacity to make lasting changes to daily habits […]
Leadership: why effective change management requires a new leadership structure
Most people say they love to change but hate doing so. In order to facilitate effective change, leadership teams need to step up and be the change they want to see. Change is constant in business life. No longer can people or organisations prepare for change, make a special effort then return to previous norms. […]
Tuesday Insight: Treat me like a child and…
I’ll behave like one. One of the most useful tools for reviewing behaviours, particularly our own, is perhaps Transactional Analysis. It’s a beautifully simple model that learners can grasp quickly and easily relate to. In very simple terms, it identifies behaviours we adopt as Parent, Adult or Child. Parent behaviour can be Controlling or Nurturing, […]
A diversity of strengths
How much do you earn? Is that a personal question and perhaps none of my business; well now I’m going to ask you an even more personal question which is what do you personally bring to your organisation in return for which they pay you a wage. It only started last year but already April […]
Marketing teams: getting the mix of people right
What’s the most important role of a senior marketer? To bring on board and develop a marketing team with the right mix of skills for driving forward the most valuable areas of the business. Twenty-first century marketing is suffering from a skills crisis. The sector is confused about its priorities – a well-justified focus on […]
Mindfulness for trainers: posture as a management tool
In part four of this content series on how to become a mindful trainer, Kay Bucky, facilitator at Facilitator at The Mindful Trainer, explains how posture can be the key to kindness and softness when faced with stressful situations at work. It is so easy to get overwhelmed by a stressful situation. Often, I facilitate […]
Learning at work: can procrastination ever be a good thing?
Procrastination is often viewed as a negative thing – an obstacle to effective working – but that’s because many people aren’t doing it right. Done properly, procrastination has the potential to actually make your work better. In our ‘always on’ world, we have super-fast internet, time-savings apps and intelligent tech that helps businesses streamline processes and cut […]
Trainers’ tips: how baseball players’ ‘deliberate practice’ can improve your training technique
Has your sales training hit a curveball? Here’s what trainers can learn from baseball’s art of ‘deliberate practice’. Learning and development organisations face the challenge of more training with less budget and, as a result, sales veterans and higher end performers are often left out of L&D plans in order to address more pressing issues like onboarding […]
How to become more proactive and less reactive
Being a proactive person isn’t just about getting things done, at its heart it should mean taking affirmative action within strategic parameters. Most people, if you were to ask them, think of themselves as being pretty proactive. We have so much choice, information and freedom now, coupled with a strong sense of individuality. We operate within that cozy bubble […]
People management: four steps to avoid relationship breakdowns in teams
In high-pressured work environments, relationship breakdowns sometimes happen. Here are some ways managers can bring teams together to avoid this. Undoubtedly project delivery, especially within digital, has the potential to create stressful environments. With new groups of people working towards tight, non-negotiable deadlines, and long hours that drain and deplete energy levels, this environment is […]
