Live online delivery – how to guarantee group engagement
What is the trick to delivering interactive live online learning, briefings or webinars that truly connect to the group? We have all attended live online sessions- they are such an easy way of learning new skills and acquiring knowledge. Some will have been excellent, some bad and some just plain boring – which I suppose […]
Tips To Turn Your PowerPoint Presentations into Captivating Decks
I believe delivering in-house employee training is one of the most challenging aspects of being a team leader and manager. Even some of my coaching friends, who’ve been in the industry for decades, admitted their palms get sweaty before some of the sessions. The most common concern to haunt a lot of us is – […]
Learning Futures: with Kim Morgan
Kim Morgan adds to our Learning Futures series with the latest from the coaching industry. She is the owner and managing director of Barefoot Coaching and was one of the UK’s first executive business and personal coaches. Kim pioneered the development of university-accredited coach education in the UK and her lifetime contribution to the industry was […]
Distribution Training
I have recently been tasked with setting up a training department in a large distribution centre for a blue chip retailer. Has anyone had any experience in this who could help with pointers / tips? I will be creating staff inductions to cover manual handing ect and also operational based SOP’s & risk assessments. I have […]
Do employers expect too much of young people?
Hello all, I've worked with young people for the last 20 plus years. I was last on Training Zone about three years ago and, one of my final Blog posts (before I went off to record my difficult second album!) was around business folk bemoaning the fact that young people leaving school were not "work ready". Lo and […]
So you think you know what a coaching culture is?
Coaching cultures is a subject in growth. More and more leader, HR and development practitioners are asking for a coaching culture within their organisations. The reason for this is a matter for debate, but growing evidence, including from to the ICF, demonstrates that coaching improves individual performance and increases employee engagement. The concept of getting more from […]
Qualifications or training for Operational Coaches
We have Coaches who support staff in frontline areas and provide coaching on ‘technical’ know-how. They’re normally selected based on their own high performance in an Operational role. I’d like to provide formal training for them, possibly a formal qualification. Any suggestions or experiences to share? We have Coaches who support staff in frontline areas and provide coaching on ‘technical’ know-how. […]
Level 5 Leadership: The Four Keys to Personal Humility
Some weeks ago, my Vistage CEO advisory group were treated to a session with Carole Gaskell, a leading coach, entrepreneur and speaker. It was inspiring watching Carole engage the group; she ‘walked the talk’ by coaching them through a learning cycle rather than putting on a showy performance. Though she was one of the most under-stated […]
How to sell a mentoring initiative to the finance department
Thinking of investing in mentoring? Don’t delay in reading this piece from Nick Williams. Workplace mentoring initiatives are often seen as a luxury, rather than a necessity. Whilst they can provide invaluable support in employees’ professional development, it’s likely that you’ll have a fight on your hands when it comes to getting the budget for […]
Mentoring programs: Five tips for better employee engagement
Steve O’Brian outlines five different employee development programs that benefit from using mentoring as a learning method. Many companies offer mentoring programs. However few organisations realise how effective mentoring can be for a variety of career development programs beyond the traditional senior/junior employee pairing. Mentoring is one of the most effective methods of learning, proving true […]
How to keep training short and still prevent new employees from crashing
Getting new hires ready for the task at hand is one of the hardest parts of the HR and training cycle. But Boaz Amidor has a few good pointers. Expert paratroopers can land on their feet and immediately start running towards the next target. In the business world it is very common to hear managers […]
Five reasons people don’t complete their professional development plans
Stephanie Morgan takes a look at the reasons PDP’s are being avoided and how to resolve the problems. It’s a frustrating situation to be in. As a manager, you’ve worked closely with your team to create individual professional development plans aiming to increase their skills and overall performance. But, when it comes to review stage […]
How Do You Get People More Involved in Learning & Development? Nudge Them!
We’re hearing a lot about Nudge at the moment. Put simply, Nudge is a book by Thaler & Sunstein on the science of how people use mental shortcuts to make decisions. The key message of the book (and the research it’s based on) is that, by following some simple design and communications techniques, we can […]
What a mentor should offer you
Lara Morgan gives us a quick look at the essential attributes of a decent mentor. Many entrepreneurs launching a new business will look for support from outside, and finding a mentor to guide you through the challenging times and help you avoid potential pitfalls can provide invaluable reassurance and peace of mind. Tapping into the […]
Traineeships: Creating ladders of opportunity
Paul Farrell looks at the benefits of traineeships and apprenticeships in the battle against youth unemployment. The economic recovery is boosting the number of job opportunities across the UK, but there is a danger that young people are being left behind. Figures released by think tank Public Policy Research (IPPR) have revealed that, despite the overall […]
Six creative ways to get free business mentoring
Finding useful business advice is easier than you think. Nick Williams shows us the way… Business mentoring is a great way to learn from other people’s experiences and seek advice that is tailored to you. No matter how savvy you are as an entrepreneur, you will inevitably come across stumbling blocks and challenging situations and […]
Are we investing enough in our coaching venues?
The choice of venue for a coaching encounter is often driven by logistics, cost and convenience. But the psychology of place has an important impact on both coach and client, as Neil Kimberley explains. Where does most coaching take place? In a client’s office, in a meeting room down the corridor, a local coffee shop […]
Mentoring: The skills you really need
Unimenta's Emma-Sue Prince shares her good – and bad – mentoring experiences. Several years ago I worked on a large-scale, expensive mentoring programme between corporate leaders and SMEs, back in the day when this kind of initiative was supported and funded by the London Development Agency – remember them? Big bosses of big companies like Vodafone, […]
Challenging coaching: Conclusion
And so the Challenging Coaching features come to an end – Ian Day and John Blakey conclude the series and look forward. As we reach the end of this series on challenging coaching it is worthwhile to reflect upon the journey we have shared with you over the past nine months. To do so we […]
Ten things firms need to consider before starting a mentoring scheme
Thinking of starting a mentoring scheme? Read this advice from Heather Townsend first. In our research for 'How to make partner and still have a life', my co-author Jo and I discovered that one of the drivers of making partner successfully (or any level of seniority in a business) was having a formal or informal […]
