I’m on the train heading to London to my first ever unconference LnD Connect. Why am I going to an unconference? I think it’s about the unexpected. I think it’s about serendipity. I think that by choosing to take a…Read more ›

Before Christmas we asked for people to "Enlighten us, but make it quick" at Ignite LTS as part of the Learning Technologies / Learning & Skills exhibition at Olympia 29-30 January. Without further ado, let me introduce the people who…Read more ›

Most people curate for the benefit of themselves or their organisations. What if we considered content curation from a user centered design perspective? What would audience centered curation look like? Here are some ideas 1. Focus on quality, not quantity.…Read more ›

11pm Monday night - Google chat pops up on my laptop. It’s Dan. Dan - Bad news someone has dropped out of the Ignite session for day 2 of Learning Technologies. Sam - Hmm, I guess one of us could…Read more ›

Innovation is a bit of a buzz word these days, by which of course we mean it’s become pretty meaningless. Lots of people talk about it very few actually do it. MOOC Pro and Curatr have teamed up again to…Read more ›

Our friends at the eLearning Network are returning to Bristol with the first of their new look events on 16 July at the Bristol & Bath Science Park. Join other weelearners at the event to discuss where elearning is going. If you’ve…Read more ›

Today’s organizations are finding themselves in chaos more often. Layoffs, poor economic conditions, and structural changes are causing leaders to become caught up in confusion, too. But if you follow a few guidelines and make some changes to your style, you can lead the organization through the chaos. One of the first things to remember in unclear situations is that you must continue to think proactively and be proactive. What do you do in normal times? You think about the organization, where it needs to go, what’s going to get it there, and what issues could be obstacles. Why think any differently during times of chaos? You still have to lead the organization according to its vision and goals, but the issues may be different. When conditions start to "head south", keep your head and think about how the issues have changed. What are the new obstacles? How can the organization react in its new condition? Your attention will be pulled in a thousand different directions, but take some time each day or week to think about how to move forward. Here’s the "but" to the proactive thinking. You must learn to react. Leaders sometimes look at "reaction" as a dirty word, or something that you don’t want to do because it’s not "proactive". But let’s face it, in chaotic environments, change is truly the only thing that is constant. And as things change, you must be willing and able to react. But reaction becomes "bad" when it is not a thoughtful reaction - and this is the difference between leaders and non-leaders. When you react, get the facts about the situation first. Today, media attention on bad news is regular and loud, so don’t be swayed by panic. Know what the possible outcomes of change or bad news will be; make a list if you have to. Make decisions on how the organization will handle things and move on. But be prepared to live with the outcomes of your decisions. When you look at it this way, a reaction does not have to be a "knee-jerk". Third, continue championing change and adapting to it. What’s more, don’t play "gloom and doom" when the news truly is bad. Find a way to show how the organization can benefit in the face of negative change. But remember that leaders must be the first ones to adapt and to change. The leader must show the way. If budgets are cut, be the first one to react to it and explain how. If associates are not getting a bonus, step up to the plate and include yourself in that group. When you adapt to new conditions, look hard for benefits, and show the organization that you champion change, your leadership goes a long way. This is truly a time to show that you won’t be asking the organization to do anything you’re not going to do yourself. The fourth part of leading in chaos is another "but". Don’t forget to manage. Leaders must know the difference between leadership and management - and when to employ each. In chaotic times, you may be called on to manage functions or decisions, especially if staffs and budgets are shrinking. Make tough decisions, as we discussed earlier, and execute the changes that must occur in order to keep the organization going. And don’t forget to provide direction in those cloudy situations. As things change, you may find that it’s necessary to manage disagreement and negotiate consensus in order to maintain forward movement. If you notice that managers are becoming afraid to act, step in to help them. Finally, don’t forget to lead. This sounds simple, but if you’re carried away by the chaos then you’ll forget those qualities and actions you must take every day as a leader. Continue to motivate people, create an environment of teamwork, build relationships both inside and outside the organization, influence people, drive for the results you need to achieve and above all else, act with integrity. Your leadership must continue, even through the hardest times. When people in the organization see this, they’ll focus on it and work with you to ride out the chaos. With that promise, you can move on once things have calmed down. Copyright 2011 Bryant Nielson. All Rights Reserved. Related Posts:Finding Leadership Amidst ChaosAdaptive LeadershipAdaptive LeadershipMicro Leadership: How to Lead When You’re Not the LeaderRisks of Leadership

A 2009 survey by CareerBuilder informs us that 45% employers now search for candidates on social media websites, compared to 28% in 2008. Apart from that, employers are using social media sites to background check and get references for employees. The digital generation is thus not just limited to the Gen-Z, but also involves the Gen-X and Gen-Y population who are turning to evolving technology and education concepts of the wireless age. Employed professionals are enrolling into e-learning degrees and diplomas all the time. Jeb Bush, brother of George W. Bush and Governor of Florida, has supported the Digital Learning Council along with influential high profile members from education, industry, banking and government to encourage the use of e-learning. This is to keep up with changing times and development of management concepts beyond vintage theories. Its basic purpose is to educate the youth of the US through electronic channels with a wide range of qualification parted online. Usually the Digitals find themselves in an environment packed with I.T., creative thinking and social and modern media technologies that attract them. Most jobs that attract this generation are related to 3D/4D graphic designing, social media optimization and marketing, online media management and marketing, advanced technology research, I.T. related jobs and communication technologies. The increased usage of tablets (IPad & Samsung Galaxy), smart phones (IPhone, Blackberry) and laptops on the go with the addition of wireless internet everywhere … literally, everywhere, and even the air now has made work easier for the digitals. Digitals find it easier to conduct business from possibly anywhere. These professionals include accountants, engineers, doctors, IT professionals, consultants and others, practically doing business as they are on the go. The digital generation looks for jobs commencing & ending inside a room or a cubicle, basically closed spaces. That is where they have spent most of their time, on their phones using IM’s and SMS and on their PC’s & laptops (browsing, blogging, YouTubing, Facebook, and Twitter etc.). The Digitals , especially, have an attraction towards graphics and wireless media due to modern TV technology and the way media is dispersed to the masses. They find it fun and interesting developing new 3D and even 4D designs to apply to modern media. A favored job industry by the digital generation is the social media industry. Today social media employs the digital generation in marketing, public relation, finance & accounting, human resources, legal and regulatory, research and other related fields. If not employed, people from the same digital generation tend to make associations with these social media sites, for instance, website owners who tend to encourage marketing and advertising through social media channels. Digitals look to apply modern web and wireless technologies to find the next best thing in possibly every sector. Accounting & Finance firms that can expand operations through wireless technology and sharing information across countries, manufacturing companies that restructure and mechanize or humanize processes where necessary and the modern theory of e-government brings forward new opportunities for the Digitals . Imagine having an always online, always alert government with records available online and the most complex of government tasks done with a simple "click…click". This is a major breakthrough by Digitals as it requires certain human expertise and not all automation to complete the job. Digitals can find a good job-person fit and prospects for improvement to the e-government system and its performance as they progress. A big chunk of the digital generation relates to the video & virtual gaming sector. It requires usually a team of programmers, designers and producers to create excellent games like GOD OF WAR, Need for Speed and EA Sports Games. Digitals apply themselves to such fields with ingenuity and creativity, both of which are required to create the perfect 3-dimensional gaming console and games. In today’s world, it is quite silly to say that Digitals find it hard to find a job. If not employed they might be self-employed and have a creative job of their own. This is true for the hundreds of websites that associate with social media websites, post banner ads on search engines and provide niche services to customers all over the world. Related Posts:Which Social Media Website Do Digitals Prefer Most and Why?The Rise of the DigitalsHow Digitals Do a Better Job than Others in Completing Their WorkSuccessful Business Digitals - How Do They Do It?Simulations in Online Learning

Using latest technology makes Digitals faster, so they adapt faster and are better than usual people who avoid or use less technology. Digitals are naturally endowed with the gift of adaptation and this is an advantage to them. They are faster than non Digitals both mentally and physically. The Digitals have very quick fingers which they use for typing on the computer keyboards, whether they are touch screen or manual. A normal individual may type approximately 33 words per minute. While the fastest typists have a word count of above 100 words per minute. Digitals use the latest high tech keyboards like the all in one Asus Eee Keyboard. Digitals have an eye for perfection. They use this to make their work as perfect as possible. They are always current and quick to get the information they need. They know where and how to get this information. Whether it is drawing, music or programming, a digital knows what he or she needs to use and completes the job with perfection. Like the latest browsers and Google search engines. For those digital who work in IT related jobs, they know what software applications are latest and what they need. Some being programmers are good at producing the applications that suit their interest and therefore produce a better job at the end of the day. A good example is those who are software developers. These people use the latest programming software applications. The way a digital thinks is different from the normal individual. This is because they are loaded with extra information and they think about things usual people won’t realize. Digitals read a lot over the internet (eBooks) and interact with thousands of people through social media. This helps them get experience that non Digitals lack. Most Digitals also work best as writers because they have a lot of information and are constantly hunting for more information. For Digitals there is no stopping them, and this helps them complete the work no matter what. They use palmtops, mobiles, iPods and laptops to keep their work going on no matter what. Digitals use Microsoft Office components with ease to make the best works. For example they use power points, word and other components all the time. Experience is the best teacher! Digitals learn and gain a lot of experience through the internet; either by reading or hearing about other peoples’ experiences or by taking chances themselves. The Digitals have the capacity of using their imagination to create hypothetical situations in their minds to analyze and predict the likely outcomes of their actions and decisions. Therefore Digitals do a very good job with their instincts and do what they know is right for the work they have. Thereby making lesser mistakes and completing the job in good time. The decisions a digital takes are often better than what a non digital will present. They also use online simulators to gain their experiences. Some common characteristics of Digitals are that they are dedicated, determined, unrelenting and always ready to face challenges. These qualities make them capable of completing their work no matter what. They employ technical means like the Android OS and other machines or gadgets to ensure they meet their targets no matter what. Similarly Digitals use android for security, and domestic aid as well to complete their work better than non Digitals . For example there are cleaner robots, ironing man, automatic and WiFi enhanced vacuums and many more gadgets. For those Digitals who are internet marketers, they are constantly on the internet employing the latest marketing tools like Facebook and Twitter to achieve their targets. Additionally, those who are into Forex trading use latest software like currency converters and international time calculators as well. These people constantly use devices and technology, like palmtops and Blackberries to work around the clock until they complete their work. Digitals use these social media sites through mobile applications, like Twitter mobile/Twitter Deck and Facebook mobile, specifically designed for these websites to achieve their targets. They are constantly at it - any time and any where. Related Posts:The Rise of the DigitalsWhich Social Media Website Do Digitals Prefer Most and Why?Ideal Job Roles for Digitals - The Person-Technology FitSuccessful Business Digitals - How Do They Do It?When Training Is or Is Not the Answer

After the crash of the dot com era in 2001, entrepreneurs were worried about the next big thing that would be basically the breakthrough technology to support business operations and decision making. A successful digital entrepreneur will always have an ace up their sleeve to get them out of recessionary messes. The traditional entrepreneurial theories are now redundant, entrepreneurs need to adapt to more e-commerce techniques, social media and website technologies. Working in conjunction with techniques of the digital age will define the entrepreneurs of the future. Let’s scroll through some factors that determine successful business digitals: 1. Innovation The first and most important factor that defines digitals is innovation. No matter what the product or service their brand delivers, there must be constant innovation. IBM was stuck at one time losing shares to other companies like Intel & Dell, they re-engineered their whole company, its system, its offerings and its people in 2003 and 2004. One of their modern views adopted was ‘innovation that matters for us and our global customers.’ 2. Make every penny count Chris Kettle, owner of My247- an online entertainment and tourism guide, pushes the fact to make every penny count and have reserve funds for contingencies. This is a common digitals’ trait. The use of free technologies like Google services and Skype, save a lot of money by allowing free conferences. Presence in virtual markets through websites allows exposure to a great global market, saving both time and money and getting exposure to masses around the world. 3. Think Global A digital business will always think global, it is important to be aware of the macro environment to keep an eye on different economies and competitors that can emerge from within those markets. Jennifer Zanich, CEO of mobile social media company Xumii, also emphasizes on the same point ‘keep an eye on the macro economic environment you operate in.’ 4. Encourage feedback , adapt to change It is very vital for digitals to encourage customer feedback from many sources and point of views. With the rapidly changing preferences of markets, it is necessary to look for change and adapt as quickly as possible to it. First it was the iPhone, then the iPod touch and finally we have the iPad. The iPad combines a newspaper, music player, video player, data storage and web browser. It did take time but the concept of the touch screen tablet was a major breakthrough combined with research and customer feedback. 5. Keep your team updated & energized It is essential to keep your team and colleagues updated about current and future trends. Make employees feel valued and strengthen their loyalties. Teamwork and staff motivation might not be something digital but it is a major factor that decides if a brand lives up to expectations or dies. Knowledge management is not a theory anymore, it is a business builder. The importance of human or intellectual capital can revive any type of business. IBM consulted 55,000 employees in 2003 to revise its business strategy and become a solution provider and consultancy moving away from being a computer hardware and software vendor. 6. Being online is not enough Just being on the web is not enough, tools like search engine optimization are important to increase traffic on the business website. Digitals understand the value of this. It is now necessary to have a SEO strategy, linking to other sites and have partner sites that link to you. Literally any application, blog, music, video and other content can be shared with Facebook and can be bookmarked on millions of sites, potentially anyone can be found in search engines through Facebook pages. Digitals take full advantage of this. 7. Believe in your idea It is very crucial to believe in your idea. Edison found a hundred ways to make a light bulb until he finally got it right. Entrepreneurs should be immersed in making their idea perfect. It’s a long uncertain journey that must be taken without question and digitals are always ready to dive in head-first. With all kinds of technology and innovation involved, the digitals must not forget where they started and where they are going, they must believe in innovation. Related Posts:Ideal Job Roles for Digitals - The Person-Technology FitHow Digitals Do a Better Job than Others in Completing Their WorkWhich Social Media Website Do Digitals Prefer Most and Why?The Rise of the DigitalsTraining Vision 7: Presenting the Vision and Strategy