Learning Lessons from Leicester City
The underdogs did it. Despite starting the season at 5,000:1 outsiders, Leicester City secured the Premiership title last night amongst much merriment in the Midlands and a sense of benign disbelief in the football world. From Brazil to Bahrain, from Birmingham to Bangkok, everybody’s second favourite team has triumphed against the odds. It’s an old […]
Coffee Briefing: Open plan learning, webcams and the truth behind gamification
Another week has flown by, and we've been devouring as many blogs, articles, newsletters and assorted tidbits to make sure we can bring you some of the more interesting and useful posts out there. Here is this week's pick of L&D news, opinion and research – let us know what you think in the comments […]
Innovation; where are we?
From join the dots to cryptic crosswords via word searches and those pictures which contain one anomalous object, it’s a rare newspaper or magazine that doesn’t contain a puzzle in some form or another. And if they aren’t to your taste then there is always the latest TV detective drama to mull over, or even […]
Should keeping up with online applications & tools constitute ‘lifelong learning?’
Lifelong learning is nothing new, although thanks to rapid technological advancements, many of us are finding ourselves constantly having to learn and evolve in order to maintain our effectiveness as employees. There are three main types of learning: formal, non-formal and informal. Much of our formal learning is done in schools, colleges and universities, before […]
The L&D Coffee Briefing: Skeptics, gender bias and why to trust your gut
We've spent the week sifting through a pile of L&D articles and blogs just so we can single out the most interesting ones for you to read – isn't that nice? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or feel free to tell us what you've enjoyed reading, watching, or even listening to – […]
8 tips to become a 21st century knowledge worker
In the 21st Century, the age old saying “knowledge is power” is as relevant as ever. Alongside jobs such as doctors, scientists and lawyers, who have been traditionally seen as knowledge workers, more and more people are finding themselves working in roles where their job is to think. Lifelong learning Gone are the days of learning […]
A Simple Question: Which layout would you prefer?
You're attending a training event, you walk into the room, which table layout would you prefer and why? You're attending a training event, you walk into the room, which table layout would you prefer and why?
Why do we waste so much time procrastinating?
There is no shortage of quotes on procrastination. A quick google search brings up scores of results, quotes from all manner of people from Abraham Lincoln to Mark Twain, from Napoleon to Picasso. “Never put off till tomorrow what may be done day after tomorrow just as well.” ― Mark Twain Indeed, procrastination has long been […]
Changing Negotiation: From ‘What’s in it for me?’ to ‘What’s in it for us?’
We all need to negotiate – it’s an everyday part of our professional and working lives. Negotiations can be relatively simple: Agreeing who’s going to walk the dog or cook dinner – or at work, who’s going to respond to a customer complaint. Or they can be complex – negotiating with major stakeholders in a […]
Are you ready for lifelong un-learning?
It is said that life is a journey and that what we are today is a product of all our experiences, good and bad. And even in a technological, ever-changing, world we can still see the lessons of yesteryear influencing the decisions of today. That line manager who insisted that everyone worked strictly to time, […]
Innovation is about optimisation, not control
What is innovation? I’m probably preaching to the converted here but over my time as a thought leader and strategic advisor on innovation I’ve received a surprising variety of answers to that simple question. I’ve been told that innovation is the preserve of the few who inhabit the R&D department and therefore nothing to do […]
Leveraging technology
Like it or hate it, there’s no escaping the inevitable march of technological progress. Technology invades our homes and our businesses, in some cases dramatically changing the way in which we work and interact with others. Every sector has its own challenges, but companies as a whole have all had to adapt in recent years […]
How to Train a Timid Sales Rep
Some sales reps are born with that unmistakable "sales shark" skill. Others require training to overcome their shy or timid personality traits. However, it is the job of sales managers to hire sales reps who exhibit "self-marketing" personalities. It is also important to allow sufficient time for training since shyness and timidity cannot be overcome […]
Year 11 pupils with no interest in learning about careers
I often work in schools with Careers Advisers observing them in action for their careers qualifications. Some of them choose a Unit on delivering group work sessions to clients. From my experience, careers staff work really hard on the preparation and planning for this module. Group work delivery is usually outside their “comfort zone”. They’re […]
Like champagne without the fizz…..
So your objectives are achievable. The design is brain friendly, so you know it will be memorable. You use accelerated learning principles and the ball will be in the learners court 70% of the time….but……..are you providing your organisation with a Grand Cru that has lost its fizz? Is your training aligned to what the business really […]
Leaders are doing way too much and it’s all the wrong stuff
An HRD I know hangs out at reception from 7.55 in the morning in the hope that she will catch her CEO as he arrives. The walk between his car and his office door is the only opportunity for them to speak. Maybe you’re thinking this is rather a good idea and will start hovering […]
Launching behaviours – looking for an interactive activity
Hi, I have around 1 hour at our next team meeting to launch our new behaviour framework – its already been talked about and shared but this is an experiential session to get everyone involed with the behaviours to ensure they understand them and ultimately recognise why we need them. I am on right after lunch […]
Making space for creativity
Against a backdrop of uncertainty, economic turmoil and unprecedented change a new picture is emerging of the skills and traits for success (and perhaps even simply survival) in the modern era. At the heart of this essential skillset for the future lies creativity and it may well be the number one skill for our teenaged […]
Anyone can train… or can they?
“Anyone can be a trainer or facilitator. It’s no big deal. You just stand up and talk about a subject that you know a lot about” I remember the first time I was told this. I had just started work in the NHS and I was talking to a consultant surgeon just before he led […]
The value of contrast
What if changing one thing in your message could impact four crucial purchase intent-related actions? Would you be interested? I’m here to tell you that you can do just that. New research shows that using one simple messaging technique can increase your influence on buying decisions by a statistically significant margin. Here’s how I reached […]
