Employee training for remote work
Working remotely is basically working outside the workplace, either in the house or on the move. Computers, smartphones and other advanced gadgets mean that a few businesses don’t need a physical work environment for their workers. Even if you aren’t prepared to do away with organizations environment altogether, remote working can, in any case, assist […]
How to ignite charisma in others through energy and perception
Just for a moment, visualise yourself in a situation where you are facilitating or training. Now, using your imagination, send yourself a superpower that connects you to a universal field of infinite possibilities. A superpower that literally gifts you with the faculty to assess, retain and convey vast sources of wisdom and superior intelligence. A […]
How to disagree constructively
As a trainer or facilitator, I am sure you’ve heard people exclaim “No, I can’t accept that”, “That’s not right”, “I don’t think so”, “That won’t work”, “You’ve got to be kidding” many, many times in response to an idea or proposal. These are just a few of the phrases we hear when people express […]
Ferries – And a Gratuitous Picture of My Cute Dog
Have you ever noticed how the smallest things can leave the greatest impression? I’ve been regularly travelling to France by ferry for years, and I’ve always been happy with the consistent service. There are clean cabins, reasonable food, friendly staff and a relatively smooth boarding and disembarkation process. But this year I’ve had the opportunity […]
How can your charisma optimise your training effectiveness?
Charisma is the ultimate influencing attribute – a valuable asset when it comes to training delivery. The charismatic facilitator or coach will capture the learner’s attention so they become open and curious about what they are going to learn. Charisma compels attention and infuses the learner with a sense of “I can do that”. […]
Best Delivery Methods for Adult Training
Conducting training for adults is very different from training school kids in a classroom. The way adults learn and respond is very complex. As a trainer, you always want to deliver the best knowledge and prove valuable to your students. As important as your teaching content is, you must also acknowledge the fact that it […]
Have virtual meetings made our meetings worse?
An increasing proportion of our meetings are virtual – through tools such as videoconference, conference calls, WebEx and Skype. As the number of tools proliferate it is becoming increasingly clear that meetings’ facilitators often lack the skills to plan and run re-engaging virtual meetings. Meetings are essential to effective collaboration and decision making and, as […]
Training Importance in an Organisation
Training, in Reality, is the basis of successful Management since it makes workers more efficient and effective. 1- Benefits of standardization: The methods of manufacturing are standardized throughout training. All trained workers follow same techniques and techniques of manufacturing and consequently there may be little variation in standards and output made by different workers. By […]
How to design a development programme for managers of remote teams
Some companies have embraced location-independent work and it has become a part of everyday life, without a single reference to “remote” or “virtual”. On the other hand, some organisations have found themselves making a very deliberate and fast transition to “remote work”, “flexible work” or “agile working”, which all involve working with others with whom […]
How to be digitally mindful: achieve productivity wins and still stay with yourself
Today the digitally-driven professional fights with a conflicting concern for our mindfulness and for a holistic treatment of self and wellbeing. These personal and role tides seem at odds. With my own daytime desperately digital and yet a mindful reading list (accompanied dutifully by gorgeous candle!) by the bed, it occurred to me that the […]
Developing leaders in the digital environment
Is it possible to develop leadership skills effectively in a virtual environment – or is face-to-face delivery really the only way to equip managers with the high level skills they need to meet the challenges of leading in an increasingly complex business environment? There has been much debate in recent years over this question. As companies […]
Training online communication: 4 methods
Nowadays, everything can be done online. Even training! With the use of online instruction, you can train your physical fitness or do memory games, for instance. The same goes for the training of communication skills. Study material is always available in an online environment and you can get started wherever you want. Managers will be […]
The art of flattery – are you doing it right?
Can I just say, I absolutely adore that outfit you’re wearing today, is it new? Oh, and that story you told me yesterday, it was hysterical, I haven’t laughed so much in ages! That was just a little attempt at flattery, what experts Chan and Sengupta say is the art of offering pleasing compliments and one […]
How to Use Behavioural Interveiwing Effectively
Behavioural interviewing has been around long enough now that both human resources personnel and job seekers are well aware of it. In theory, the premise of behavioural interviewing is quite promising. The interviewer asks a series of questions to elicit a clear picture of how the interviewee performed in previous job situations. Unfortunately, the strategy […]
Measuring *what we do* needs feedback from others
Be Brave… Ask for feedback! The 2 minute video clip above summarises the main reasons why Observer Assessments matter! Why Observers Matter At work, your behaviour is what’s out there on the front line, shaping your interactions and experiences with everyone you encounter. Belbin Team Roles are clusters of behaviour. Each role is made up […]
Smart but silent – Making a career as an introvert
Being an introverted person can produce challenges that the rest of society can’t relate to. And most likely that is why introverts, who are actually most often than not quite intelligent, find it difficult to enter the job market, are bullied at work or are passed up on big promotions. I am not an […]
A Lesson from Dunkirk
Of all the articles written about the new blockbuster Dunkirk, I found this article in the Guardian particularly interesting. It shows how the same situation can look very different when your perspective is changed. In Britain, the mass evacuation of allied forces from Dunkirk is generally remembered as an incredible success; a time of great […]
Emotional Intelligence in business and education
Have you ever, before doing something or taking some sort of action, thought to yourself that maybe what you are about to do is not a good idea? Or maybe it was the opposite – maybe you thought you should have had taken a certain action but chose not to. Later on, you would find […]
Getting people to work better together – what are the stages of successful team development?
Effective team work is the lifeblood of every organisation. Yet my experience is that very little time is spent developing teams that truly work towards a common goal. Most teams I observe are dysfunctional – goals are unclear, there are unhealthy habits such as ignoring team members, bullying disguised as banter, and poor standards of […]
Belbin and Tuckman
Supporting your team at every stage In 1965, Dr Bruce Tuckman was doing ground-breaking work on group dynamics in Ohio. A couple of years later, Dr Meredith Belbin began his seminal research into team behaviours at Henley. Tuckman studied teams from formation to completion of a task and identified crucial stages in a team’s life […]
