*** productivity+performance
On a networking site I belong to there was a great question recently so I thought I’d post the question as well as one of the top answers.
Anyone with experience applying quality principles to the learning process?
Looking for ideas on how quality can be used to reduce time, waste and variability in how people learn.
What I’m looking for are more specific examples such as used Kaizen to reduce classroom time by 20%. Used six sigma to measure learning outcomes. Used lean principles …
In my role as President of the NSW Division of the Australian Institute of Training & Development, I am involved in the wide array of learning that takes lace in the adult world, especially at work. I stumbled upon this short paper by Bob Dick and have reproduced it here as it makes quite clear what Action Learning / Research is about. It’s an area which is gaining favour these days especially after the visit by Michael Marquardt.Â
“Success is not the key to happiness.
Happiness is the key to success.
If you love what you are doing,
you will be successfulâ€
Albert Schweitzer, 1875-1965
Medical Missionary, Theologian, Musician, and Philosopher
“Success is simply a matter of luck.
Ask any failureâ€
Earl Wilson, 1907-
Newspaper columnist
“The key to success is to focus our
conscious mind on things we desire, not things we fearâ€
Brian Tracy
Trainer, Speaker, Author, Businessman
“Successful people are successful
because they form the habits of doing
those things that failures don’t like to doâ€
Albert Gray
Here’s a wonderful animation which makes you think of the five big questions that will get you ahead.
http://www.fivebigquestions.com/swf/the_5.75_questions07.07.27.swf
New research has revealed that females are influenced by the way a company approaches its corporate social responsibility (CSR). A poll conducted by The Heat Group found 90% of respondents considered corporate social responsibility when making purchasing and employment decisions. The environment factored in highly as an area of concern for women (37%) and gender equality (28%) was important in creating equal opportunities for women and providing them with support.
The findings suggest that organisations take corporate social responsibility seriously to attract female consumers and employees. “All employers need to take into consideration the whole self of their employees and ensure they can provide a work environment that is aware of, and responds to, the needs to their life outside work” said Gillian Franklin of The Heat Group. (Sounds a lot like the focus of the programs we run!)
So, if you are an employer or business, making headway in this area could pay dividends in attracting half of the population demographic.
If you are an employee, here is an area of opportunity. If you are looking for a challenge, do some research on corporate social responsibility and become the local expert in this field. Then you can position yourself in the lead as this area becomes increasingly important. Or, perhaps you can create a position of leadership for your organisation to raise their level of corporate social responsibility above their competitors.
If you’ve ever had anything to do with the Police, either directly or indirectly, you’ll know they have a reputation of being a strong, even closed, culture. The impression many of us have is that leadership is based on toughness, authority and possibly even mateship.
A recent talk I attended validated some of these thoughts. The traditional Police model of leadership is a heroic, male-oriented, command-and control environment. There are even elements of some policing units being very close to the criminals they chase. The temptation for some police is great. As they say, the brighter the light, the darker the shade. That kind of culture is supported and encouraged in some quarters.
At this time of the year lots of forecasting occurs. The L&D / HR space is no exception. Unfortunately it seems the predictions haven’t changed much over recent times. What are the top issues we’re dealing with this year?
HR and L&D have been on the fringes for way too long. A number of leading lights in our profession have shone through but not enough of them.
Read my stars today so thanks to Jonathon Recamier for prompting this post. As always, Jonathon had oblique and cryptic references – this time, to leopards and caterpillars. It got me thinking.
In the effort to ‘develop’ ourselves ought we to subscribe to the view that
(a) a leopard cannot change its spots, or
(b) a caterpillar turns into a butterfly
Life is like that. Full of wondrous contradictions.
So, how do we know if we are just simply are the way we are and the attempt to change is futile?
Or, how do we know if we are capable of change and close to metamorphing into an even more brilliant creature?
Life is full of possibilities. Only you can know when you are ready to handle self-initiated change. If you’re not sure, take a small step outside your comfort zone and test your readiness. You can always step back into your comfort zone. But then, maybe you need to step out even more. How do you know? As always, only you can tell. That’s the beauty of life – there are no answers outside. The answers are within.
It’s always rewarding to get good feedback. I returned to one of my clients recently to run the inaugral Development Program. On arrival I was met by Richard who advised me reports on the Mentor program were excellent. He was especially pleased his boss, who sat in on the session, was impressed with the program and my facilitation. Yayyy. But it gets better. At the end of the day I was met again by Richard who let me know the feedback he had received from the development program participants was also excellent. He then volunteered, “and you had some tough cookies in there”.
So nice to hear. Every session I run I do an analysis of what worked and what didn’t. It’s wonderful to be volunteered positive feedback from a client.
Worked with a fabulous group of people today. Mostly managers of a public agency. Delivered the inaugral mentoring program.
I’d rewritten the program the night before based on fresh research, incorporating feedback on the group I was to deliver to and put some finishing touches on before delivering it. It went very well – better than anticipated for a refreshed program – always a nervous moment. Each person seemed very pleased.
One of the keys to maintaining a reputation as a quality professional trainer and facilitator is keeping material fresh and relevant.