Mindfulness for trainers: one session ahead of the group
In part three of this content series on how to become a mindful trainer, Kay Buckby, Facilitator at The Mindful Trainer, discusses how trainers can be more responsive to their participants during training sessions. Years ago, when I started life as a customer care trainer, I had a one to one session with my mentor. […]
How to tackle the skills gap: the importance of certification
Employers need to take control of the looming skills gap and ensure their employees are trained and fully certified using the latest agile techniques and digital tools. I’ve heard it said that “while knowledge is acquired in universities, when the young scientist comes to the labour market this knowledge proves to be incomplete.” Hands-on, practical skills and experience have always been valuable […]
7 Tips For Improving Empathy in CS Teams
Poor customer service is costly. Businesses are losing 75 billion dollars annually, because customers don’t feel as if they are being treated as they should. What’s more important though is that customers often don’t complain directly when they are upset. They simply find another business to work with. In many cases, the problem isn’t a […]
Six ways to maintain momentum after a skills development programme
It’s possible to harness the positive outcomes of a skills development programme, funnel that into everyday action and continue to implement change, but it does require collaboration. Training and continuing skills development are core elements of professional life in the 21st century for a good reason – in a fast-moving, continually changing, highly competitive business environment, you need to […]
How to take control of your own career path
Maintaining relevant skills in a time of digital revolution is crucially important and having a responsible job can leave you feeling overwhelmed. To be an effective colleague and leader you must prioritise your own continuous professional development. In our roles, we are often placed in situations that require us to give more of ourselves than might normally be appropriate. This can […]
Video: Why listening is a vital leadership skill
In the Clear Lessons video below, Maggie Buggie explains why listening skills are so critical. She describes the wake-up call in her career that helped her listen more effectively. “The only thing that I would have done differently in my career, if I had that time again, would be to develop the ability to listen […]
Five ways to bolster your resilience in the workplace
In today’s ever-changing and fast-paced world, resilience is critical to success. But it’s also one of the hardest skills to master… Resilience became a bit of a buzzword in 2018 and there’s been a lot of talk about it in the industry, but how do you really build it from within? It’s actually simpler than […]
Training remote workers: four major considerations
To successfully manage the training of remote workers, businesses must overcome practical issues and utilise the latest technology to upskill and train its employees. With geographical distance becoming more of an inconvenience rather than an insurmountable obstacle, companies everywhere are able to hire people in different countries regions or continents. Especially those that operate in the knowledge-based […]
Five ways to support learners in a digital age
Helping learners to upskill and remain a valuable member of the workforce when distractions, information overload and new technologies abound can be challenging for learning professionals today. Here are some tips to help you on your way… When you’re trying to find a restaurant in an unfamiliar city, do you pull out a folded-up map, or do […]
Mindfulness: inviting your learners to stop before they start
Distractions, distractions, distractions… this of how we live our working lives today. Packing too much in, a mobile with constant social media bombardment, open plan offices meaning all day distractions, emails constantly pinging and a ‘to do’ list that we never seem to get to the end of. Our learners have all this to contend with. Then, […]
Tailored training: harness the latest technology
Organisations must embrace the latest technological innovations to remain competitive. A successful learning programme should cover the following aspects: devices, formats, data and personalisation. Robust learning and development (L&D) is essential for companies to build and maintain the skills they need to succeed and for employees to progress and reach their full potential. Providing the right training is a huge […]
Multi-team membership: good or bad for business?
Multi-team membership can be hugely beneficial to both organisations and individuals, but it’s essential that employees who belong to these teams are properly supported. While it’s been some time since John Maxwell first coined the term “teamwork makes the dreamwork”, his words still ring true for many people today. Yet, there are probably an equal […]
Agile development training tips to follow in 2019
Over the years, the concept of data has been altering, indeed it has become a dynamic movie and companies are continuously bringing up new methods of implementation to introduce new things. The usage of self-service analytics is increasing rapidly and the IoT and Cloud have been emerging up with the generation of data. Technologies are […]
Let’s get critical – here are the priorities for L&D in 2019
With the skills gaps an ever-growing concern, businesses are putting corporate learning back on the agenda. But what needs to be prioritised by L&D to ensure success? There is no question anymore: the lack of relevant skills is consistently cited as a critical issue that can directly impact business growth. Fears of lost revenue, poor […]
How to successfully manage different personalities
One of the biggest challenges in business is managing people, so understanding how to handle different personality types is an important factor in successfully delivering projects. For a project manager, at their best their team will be collaborative and work together with an understanding of one another’s skill set. At the most challenging, the team will […]
Mindfulness: learning to live in the moment
In part one of this content series on how to become a mindful trainer, Kay Buckby, Facilitator at The Mindful Trainer, explores how beneficial the meditative practice can be for learning and development professionals. I have used mindfulness for 15 years now, and in December 2018 I completed a one year programme to facilitate the eight week […]
Can we learn to be more emotionally intelligent?
Both nature and nurture will have an impact on how well we can manage our emotions, react to the emotions of others and successfully navigate through complex social situations. Some may find this easier than others, but fortunately our level of emotional intelligence does not have to remain static. Few would disagree that the presence […]
Five pitfalls L&D should avoid in 2019
What common mistakes do L&D practitioners need to be wary to avoid this year? Last month I shared tips and approaches for creating a powerful learning strategy. Now that we’re officially in the new year I want to turn this on its head and take a moment to think about common mistakes that L&D need to […]
How To Choose Between Online And On-Site Training
When looking at training opportunities, you may need to decide between the online version compared to on-site training. Both have their benefits over the other, but how would you choose between the two options? Well, allow me to weigh up both sides to make things easier. 1. Do You Work Better Face To Face? First, […]
Successful Small Business Training Starts with You
Well trained employees are essential for any small business to operate successfully. Trained employees have the skills and knowledge they need to handle situations without your constant presence and hand-holding from step to step. They’re also more equipped to deal with customer questions and make fewer mistakes throughout the day. Successfully trained employees take part […]
