Content about Quotation

March 23, 2012
A Rant on Big Meetings

Traditional big meetings are the ultimate lose-lose. The organization spends tons of money and yet has little to show for it. Why? Because the entire focus is on the content and not on the attendees. All that matters is what’s being shown versus what’s being learned.

By Dan Cooper, CEO, ej4.com

A special piece of the classroom experience is a standard ritual in organizations—the traditional “big meeting.”

A front-line Marketing specialist attended the annual two-day sales extravaganza. The meeting consisted of a steady stream of product manager presentations for full eight-hour days, with a 15-minute break in the morning and afternoon.

March 7, 2012
The Drum Cafe Experience
An empowering, unifying, and uplifting experience is what conference attendees were a part of when musical motivator Drum Cafe kicked off  the Training2012 Conference & Expo in Atlanta February 13-15.

An empowering, unifying, and uplifting experience is what conference attendees were a part of when musical motivator Drum Cafe kicked off  the Training2012 Conference & Expo in Atlanta February 13-15.

February 22, 2012
Your Secret Weapon—Your Scorecard

Track every action that relates to the area of your life you want to improve, advises Darren Hardy, author of “The Compound Effect.” Simply carry around a small notebook and a writing instrument. You’re going to write it all down. Every day. Without fail. The biggest difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people are willing to do what unsuccessful people are not.

By Darren Hardy

I’m about to walk you through one of the single greatest strategies I’ve ever used in my personal development. This strategy helps me take control of the choices I make throughout the day, causing everything else to fall into place, and leading to behaviors and actions that shepherd my habits into line like dutiful, loyal minions.

February 22, 2012
Your Secret Weapon—Your Scorecard

Track every action that relates to the area of your life you want to improve, advises Darren Hardy, author of “The Compound Effect.” Simply carry around a small notebook and a writing instrument. You’re going to write it all down. Every day. Without fail. The biggest difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people are willing to do what unsuccessful people are not.

 

By Darren Hardy

I’m about to walk you through one of the single greatest strategies I’ve ever used in my personal development. This strategy helps me take control of the choices I make throughout the day, causing everything else to fall into place, and leading to behaviors and actions that shepherd my habits into line like dutiful, loyal minions.

February 20, 2012
Training Today: Take This Job and…

According to a recent survey published by TimeMagazine, fewer than half of American workers—45 percent—are satisfied with their jobs. The solution, says author Melissa Evans, is that workers need get in tune with potential careers and job choices that plug into their passions as a person.

The late Comedian George Carlin once said, “Do you hate your job? Sorry to hear that. There’s a support group for that. It’s called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar!”

As a consultant on employee engagement to major health-care companies, Melissa Evans understands that feeling well. Her solution to it, however, is a little “uncorporate.”

February 16, 2012
New Article: Reward in Real Time

Robert Vetere, author of “From Wags to Riches,” explores the human-animal bond and looks at moving from extrinsic motivation to intrinsic motivation for both dogs and people. In the business world, he says, intrinsic motivation is widely believed to be the key to employee engagement and one way to ensure people get the highest degree of satisfaction from their work.

 

By Robert Vetere

When you train a puppy, you say, “Good dog!” and immediately hold out a treat. If you wait too long, you lose your chance to reinforce good behavior. This principle is important to remember when you’re training employees, as well. The best management advice I have to offer: Don’t wait for the end-of-the-year annual review. Instead hand out your treats on the spot.

February 15, 2012
Reward in Real Time

Robert Vetere, author of “From Wags to Riches,” explores the human-animal bond and looks at moving from extrinsic motivation to intrinsic motivation for both dogs and people. In the business world, he says, intrinsic motivation is widely believed to be the key to employee engagement and one way to ensure people get the highest degree of satisfaction from their work.

By Robert Vetere

When you train a puppy, you say, “Good dog!” and immediately hold out a treat. If you wait too long, you lose your chance to reinforce good behavior. This principle is important to remember when you’re training employees, as well. The best management advice I have to offer: Don’t wait for the end-of-the-year annual review. Instead hand out your treats on the spot.

February 14, 2012
Training magazine Ranks 2012 Top 125 Organizations

Trainingmagazine recognized the 2012 Training Top 125 winners with crystal awards and revealed their rankings during a black-tie gala held last night during the Training 2012 Conference &Expo at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Training also inducted two more companies into its Top 10 Hall of Fame.

Excelsior, MN (February 14, 2012)—Telecommunications company Verizon rang in the New Year by capturing the No. 1 spot on the Training Top 125 for the first time in 2012. Farmers Insurance claimed the No. 2 spot, while Top 5 newcomers Miami Children’s Hospital, Mohawk Industries, and McDonald’s nabbed Nos. 3, 4, and 5, respectively.

January 30, 2012
Want Higher Performance from Sales Teams?

More than one of every three HR managers (37.9 percent) named Sales as the department most in need of training, based on a global talent management survey by NorthgateArinso.Training correlates to several key outcomes, based on AchieveGlobal research. Moderate to substantial coaching and training tends be related to higher deal sizes, greater increases in personal sales revenue, and generally more overall success compared with those receiving minimal coaching and training.

By Sharon Daniels, CEO, AchieveGlobal

Ultimately, all companies are in the business of sales. While goods and services vary from brand to brand, a company’s lifeblood is in the revenue generated from sales. That’s why it’s critical to consider what comprises an organization’s sales DNA—ranging from the talent of individual salespeople, to strength within the leadership ranks, to organizational structure.

January 26, 2012
Leadership Training that Makes a Difference

The gift of great leadership can seem magical. The underlying theory is not. The key is to focus on mindful leadership development. To be intentional about process, content, and outcomes—to take leaders on a deeply personal journey that starts with a courageous look inside to reflect on their humanity and a fresh look outside to connect with other leaders to solve thorny and complex organizational problems.

By Rosaria Hawkins, PhD, and Filomena Warihay, Ph.D.

Leadership training is no small investment. The Leadership Development Fact Book reports an average annual expenditure of $500,000 per company on leadership development activities. The annual per participant cost of leadership training runs between $2,000 and $ 7,500 per person. For large corporations, that amounts to millions of dollars.

January 7, 2012
Kory Kogon on Being Buried Alive: Human Productivity in the 21st Century

Urgent tasks, emails, media requests and deadlines distract us from working on what matters most. This video from Franklin Covey captures it all.

This clever metaphor from Franklin Covey captures the essence of being buried alive in too many responsibilities--many of them not even important. Ever been assigned more than you could possibly accomplish? Chances are you can relate.

Use this video to open a department meeting or client evaluation. It will leave your beleaguered audience craving a solution.

January 3, 2012
Soapbox: Paychex Train-the-Trainer Partnership Program

The Paychex Train-the-Trainer Partnership enhances the training skills of a select few business unit subject matter experts, giving them the tools and confidence to educate peers and fellow employees. It also allows the Training Department to become a more integral partner with the business unit, providing support and resources to achieve mutual goals.

By Lisa Green, Training Manager, HRS and H&B Operations, at the Paychex Training and Development Center

Kelly Schnupp never thought participating in a three-month program to enhance her training skills would have such a powerful and immediate impact on the company’s bottom line, but her experience with the Paychex Train-the-Trainer Partnership has left her pleasantly surprised.

December 21, 2011
Conversation Continuers and Terminators

Conversations are building blocks of innovation, ways to move an idea from origination to application. But they often stall at the starting gate or become unproductive, according to Andy Boynton and Bill Fischer, authors of “The Idea Hunter.” Continuers invite honest discussion; they build ideas. Terminators pour cold water on conversations; they kill off ideas.

By Andy Boynton and Bill Fischer with William Bole

Conversations are building blocks of innovation, ways to move an idea from origination to application. But they often stall at the starting gate or become unproductive. To create successful conversation, make sure you’re sending the right signals to your conversation partners, letting them know you’re interested in a real exchange of ideas. Recent studies of how doctors talk to patients (often ineptly) are instructive.

December 16, 2011
Break Your Own Rules: Proceed Until Apprehended

There are plenty of instances in life when proper protocol entails obeying the rules. However, there are many othertimes when you need to give yourself the green light to proceed. Being bold and resolute takes practice. Here are some hints to help you proceed until apprehended.

By Jill Flynn, Kathryn Heath, and Mary Davis Holt

There are plenty of instances in life when proper protocol entails obeying the rules. However, there are many othertimes when you need to give yourself the green light to proceed.

Being bold and resolute takes practice. The best way to add assertiveness to your repertoire is by looking for opportunities to flex your muscles. Here are some hints to help you proceed until apprehended:

December 7, 2011
Screen for Wolves in School Volunteers’ Clothing

The practice of background checks for school employees is standard issue for all employees with access to children. Background checks reduce organizational liability, and help protect children. But background checks often are not done for school volunteers, and this is a big mistake.

By Bill Tate, President, HR Plus

November 18, 2011
2012 Training Top 125 Winners Announced

Trainingmagazine announces the finalists for the annual Training Top 125 list of leading organizations that excel at employee development. The rankings will be revealed at the Training 2012 Conference & Expo to be held February 13-15 in Atlanta, GA.

Minneapolis, MN (November 18, 2011)—Training magazine, the leading business publication for learning and development professionals, today announced the finalists for the annual Training Top 125, which ranks companies’ excellence in employer-sponsored training and development programs. The rankings for the 125 leading organizations will be unveiled during an awards gala at the Training 2012 Conference & Expo, to be held February 13-15 in Atlanta, GA.

November 4, 2011
Learning From Customers

In our Six Sigma world, we tend to get anxious about showing customers unfinished, unpolished “stuff.” Get over it, say Tim Ogilvie and Jeanne Liedtka, authors of “Designing for Growth.” Innovation is about learning—and customers have the most to teach you. The sooner you get something in front of them that they can react to, the faster you’ll get to a differentiated value-added solution. And they will love being involved.

By Tim Ogilvie and Jeanne Liedtka

Want the biggest bang for your growth investment dollar? Dave Jarrett, a partner at the consulting firm Crowe Horwath, is happy to share his philosophy: involve the customer very early in the process. Here’s what Dave told us recently:

October 28, 2011
You Can’t Want Anything

When it comes to creativity, wanting something does seem to get in the way of actually achieving anything. That’s why organizations should consider creating “creative zones,” little oases within the company that allow for goal-less creative activity. The oasis could be a room or it could be a certain time each week, when employees can pursue any creative assignment they like without the pressure of instant success.

By David Intrator, president, The Creative Organization

A few years before his death in 2004, Charlie Rose interviewed Henri Cartier-Bresson at his home in Paris. For years, Carier-Bresson had been recognized as one of the greatest photographers of his time, having produced an uncanny amount of photographic masterpieces. Rose was curious as to how Cartier-Bresson went about his work.

“What’s the secret?”

Without missing a beat, Cartier-Bresson answered: “You can’t want anything. You just need to be receptive.”

October 24, 2011
Training Professionals Tour Navy’s Only Boot Camp

During Training’s Learning 3.0 Conference, training professionals from companies across the United States toured the Navy’s only boot camp to observe how civilians are trained to become Sailors at Recruit Training Command (RTC) in Great Lakes, IL.

By Scott A. Thornbloom, Naval Service Training Command Public Affairs

GREAT LAKES, IL (NNS) -- Training professionals from companies across the United States toured the Navy’s only boot camp to observe how civilians are trained to become Sailors at Recruit Training Command (RTC).

October 17, 2011
The Leadership Imperative: Mission Success

If a leader inspires, aligns, motivates, and enables the organization around a common vision, then a company has taken the first step toward becoming fearless.

By Tom Rieger, Senior Practice Expert, Gallup

There are no fearless leaders, but there are courageous ones. Everyone has fears they need to face. The key is to learn to overcome those fears. Mark Twain said, “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear.” To create a fearless company, leaders must master fear—their own and others’. They have to have the courage to fix what’s wrong.

October 12, 2011
Anti-Bribery Training Is Key

Anti-bribery courses are an annual requirement for most large organizations, particularly now as legislators focus on offenses even more intently. Considering your average employee takes an anti-bribery course once a year, how do you ensure this hot topic receives the same level of attention from your busy employee as it currently receives from legislators?

By Matt Plass, Interactive Services’ Chief Learning Officer

In 2007, there were 38 prosecutions under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Know how many prosecutions we saw in 2010? Almost double the 2007 figures with 74 prosecutions in 2010—not including 150 investigations that are still open.

October 7, 2011
L&D Best Practices: Technology and Technical Development

Trainingmagazine taps 2011 Training Top 125 winners and Top 10 Hall of Famers to provide their learning and development best practices in each issue. Here, we look at strategies for technology and technical development.

Technology

By Andrew B. Wolff, PhD, L&D Educational Methods Leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers

September 19, 2011
Focus on Observed Errors to Make Training Efficient

Traditional instructional design tends to focus on the creation of systematic and comprehensive courses based around the knowledge subject matter experts want to convey to learners. Courses that are constructed, instead, by identifying the errors learners are making in practice, and addressing these errors with efficient, targeted training scenarios may be a more efficient approach to many training needs.

By Gregg Collins, Ph.D., Head of Instructional Design, NIIT worldwide

You can see a lot just by looking. —Yogi Berra

A man’s errors are his portals of discovery. —James Joyce

September 8, 2011
Training and the Accountable Government Initiative

Congress and the executive branch have taken steps toward implementing performance improvement measures in the federal government. How can federal training executives lead their own staff to improve the performance of government? They must develop performance measurements for each training program and attendee, and they must create an individual Action Plan to address performance gaps.

By Brian Green, Federal Sector Manager – Performance Solutions, Learning Tree International

The national debt of the U.S. is $14,344,503,407,708 (source: http://www.usdebtclo...)―give or take a couple billion dollars. Now is not the time for government agencies to accept more of the status quo. What the country demands now is leaders within the halls of government agencies who are able to identify business problems and fix them. What the country needs is an Accountable Government.

September 1, 2011
Training ROI: Strategy Alignment and Execution

Business leaders are turning to customized business simulations to build the alignment, mindset, and capabilities needed to accelerate strategy execution in their companies and realize business results. Business simulations long have been used up front in the strategy formulation process but now are also being recognized as an essential tool for successful strategy implementation.

By Peter Mulford, Executive Vice President, BTS

Business leaders around the world are turning to customized business simulations to build the alignment, mindset, and capabilities needed to accelerate strategy execution in their companies and realize business results. Business simulations long have been used up front in the strategy formulation process. In the last several years, simulations increasingly have been recognized as an essential tool for successful strategy implementation.