Caption competition: Winner announced!
Having never seen Hitchcock’s “The Birds”, Geldof naively risked losing a finger as he held out his hand for the ‘cute’ little blue dove… Congratulations to Owen Smith who has won this month’s caption competition! ‘Max Your Brain – the complete visual programme’ by James Harrison and Mike Hobbs will be on its way to […]
Presenteeism: A sign of bad management?
John Pope looks at the idea of ‘presenteeism’ and argues that L&D should be able to spot the signs of workplace stress. I have seen several articles on ‘Presenteeism’, a new word for me, though I guess the issue has been around for some time. It seems fashionable: I have seen advertisements for expensive seminars on […]
Caption competition
Congratulations to sarah holroyd who has won last month’s caption competition… “This lady is not for turning – not without assistance at any rate. “ Photo credit: Rex Features In order to enter our caption competitions you now need to sign in to become a registered member of either LeadershipZone or TrainingZone – membership […]
The balancing act
As the stresses and strains of modern life change, so too does the training managers’ remit. Tim Holden looks at how to help staff maintain a healthy work-life balance. In July 2009 I met with the head of human resources for a potential new client, listed as one of the Sunday Times Best Companies to […]
Offbeat: Hollywood beckons…
People are being urged to unleash their inner film director for the 2009 Learning at Work Day competition.The Campaign for Learning, which organises Learning at Work Day (14 May), is running the Skills Shorts competition to encourage a fun and entertaining perspective on the world of workplace learning and skills.To be eligible for the competition, […]
The Apprentice: What next?
As latest the latest tranche of would-be apprentices do battle under Sir Alan Sugar’s critical gaze, Gemma Middleton wonders what the reality-TV show tells us about winning business skills. The Apprentice has gone from a relatively small show that was first aired in 2005 on BBC 2 to a countrywide phenomenon. It now receives an […]
Offbeat: The new trainer’s dictionary
Would you describe yourself as a workafrolic, capable of entertrainment of the highest value, greeting every problem as a delightmare? This week’s Offbeat comes from Haider Imam, who explains some fantastic new training terms. Have you got some words to add? Post a comment below. Entertrainment: Sticky, fit-for-purpose learning and a ‘hoot’ at the same […]
Train to reign: A training needs analysis for the Queen
She may have had many years of experience and proven to be effective in her role, but is there room for improvement? Cheryl Taylor asks an expert panel to consider the training needs of Her Majesty – with their tongues firmly in their cheeks. The Monarchy is unique insofar as many of the Queen’s core […]
Offbeat: Mind your language
Swearing may be widespread but, as recent cases involving the BBC show, it’s still capable of causing serious offence. Before you turn the air blue, read Garry Platt’s tongue-in-cheek guide to avoiding offensive language. Gordon Ramsay, take note… There’s seems to be a lot of introspection at the moment about swearing. This guide that […]
Offbeat: To catch a thief…
Would you trust your IT staff enough to send them on a professional hacking course? It’s the latest training offering aimed to help IT departments shore up their security systems. An ethical hacker may sound like an oxymoron, but its actually a new training course aiming to prove the old adage ‘to catch a thief, […]
Offbeat: Show me the honey
Honeybees are magnificent creatures, pollinating plants, making honey and wax, not to mention perplexing many a scientist with their ability to fly. But the honeybee is in crisis, with declining numbers. The Co-operative Group is trying to raise awareness about the importance of the bee by linking the popular traits of bees to the current […]
Offbeat: Friday 13th unlucky for some?
Friday 13th has long been considered unlucky. But according to Charlotte Pegman, personal injury solicitor at Hubbard Pegman & Whitney, the day is no more unlucky than the day before it or after. Yet the fact that it is Friday 13th can make some people more nervous, and anxious and that can lead some people […]
Is that a data projector in your pocket?
Simon Hurst reviews the natty little new mini projector from 3M. The size of a mobile phone, it has the ‘wow’ factor, and together with a netbook makes presentations truly portable. I’ve been using data projectors for presentations and training for almost 20 years now. Still lurking somewhere in my loft I have a large […]
Offbeat: Telling it like it is
Trainers often mean what they say, but do they always say what they mean? Garry Platt blows the whistle on what trainers really mean when they use these familiar phrases. The serious1. You didn’t enjoy the exercise and you didn’t learn anything? That’s interesting.Interpretation: (Has probably been saying this every week for the last 15 […]
Offbeat: The slacker’s guide to 2009
Fed up with all the ‘New Year, new you’ type features? Sean McPheat looks at the rules and approach you should take to guarantee that you achieve nothing in 2009… 1. Don’t set goals: Start the year with no direction and no goals of what you want and just drift along like normal. 2. Listen […]
Xmas crackers: Do you understand company jargon?
Does everyone sing from the same hymn sheet at your office? Have you got all your ducks in a row? Do you successfully leverage your core competencies? Or do you have too many chiefs and not enough indians, asks Giulia De Cesare? Join our campaign for plain words! Management speak has become a joke in […]
The learning professional’s oath
Are you prepared to join Paul Kearns and declare the Learning Professional’s Oath? If you are, then please add your name and comment at the end of this article. “I swear to always endeavour, to the best of my ability and judgment, to help organisations and individuals learn what they need to know to advance […]
Offbeat: The Santa clause
Think being Father Christmas is all sherry and mince pies? Think again. Mark Benjamin offers a tongue-in-cheek look at the skills needed to be Santa. What do you need to be a professional Santa? Traditionally, the qualifications for the role of Father Christmas were to be a kindly gentleman of a certain age with a […]
Trainer’s tip: Feedback – what are you saying?
Garry Platt shares some examples of bad feedback and lists some tongue-in-cheek translations for well-worn phrases. Inappropriate appraisal comments: Since the last PPDR, he has reached rock-bottom and has started to dig His staff would follow him anywhere, but only out of morbid curiosity I personally would not allow this employee to breed Works well […]
Simplicity: Formality v informality
Today’s society is less stratified and deferential than it was 30 years ago. Has the workplace lost anything important along the way? Trevor Gay considers the pros and cons of formality. “Would I be comfortable receiving financial advice from a bank manager dressed in jeans and T-shirt and a gold stud in his or her […]
