When it comes to using gamification in learning to change behavior, employee-facing programs have a decided advantage over external, consumer-facing undertakings. Where consumer-facing gamification must compete with a multitude of daily distractions for the attention of consumers, employee-facing programs have an established audience who will behave in predictable ways every day. In some senses, corporate gamification also promises a bigger return on investment. If employees can be better motivated to complete tasks, improve their skills through professional development, and support other employees, then a business stands a much better chance of flourishing due to its focused workforce. Consequently, the gamification of learning for the purpose of motivating employees (and employee motivation in general) has become a far more discussed topic than using game elements to motivate consumers. So how, specifically, should you deploy game elements to level up the engagement of your workforce? First, you must identify what set of behaviors you would like to change, and then set up goals to track the impact of gamification on those behaviors. Once you’ve outlined your strategy, consider how complex you would like the gamification system to be. In theory, gamification is an incredibly broad term, and it doesn’t always deal specifically with software. However, for the purposes of the employer, three tiers of corporate gamification can be identified, each with varying levels of complexity, different use cases, and distinct elements. Level 1: Progress-Based Gamification in Corporate Training Progress is one of the most motivating elements of gameplay. As a player completes tasks in a game world, some type of progress is signified, which in turn encourages more play. Progress is a similarly powerful motivator in the business world, though its use in employee gamification is narrower than in full-fledged video games (as is every game element). Most often, gamification that plays on progress to motivate employees takes the form of software interface elements, such as points, badges, and progress bars. When an employee accrues points for completing a task, they feel a sense of progress, as if their manager were standing over them patting them on the back. Another example would be in eLearning, where employees complete a series of courses and make progress toward a conclusion. In this context, a sense of progress is very important; it’s all too easy to lose interest or get discouraged because the training courses are too extensive. Here, progress bars are effective to visualize progress throughout the curriculum, or badges are useful for signifying accomplishments. Progress is used in more complex forms of gamification as well, but this type of interface-based gamification is best used to motivate less creative work, like completing paperwork or a series of educational modules. These tasks strain the attention because they can become monotonous. Gamification helps keep the experience enjoyable. Level 2: Social-Based Gamified Learning As evidenced by the massive communities online games like "Halo" and "League of Legends" command, games have a tremendous ability to bring people together. And the motivational appeal of community, recognition, and autonomy is not diminished when taken out of a game context. Social media is the most prominent example of this form of gamification. The autonomy users have to publish nearly anything and everything engenders a great sense of motivation among users, as does the recognition they receive when they post something their community finds popular. Again, the proof for this type of gamification can be found in the worldwide user-base for the most prominent social networks. So it’s no surprise the popularity of enterprise social networks is on the rise. By creating an organization-wide community on these platforms, employers give their workforce a place to interact with coworkers like they would with friends outside the office. While this will likely result in an uptick in morale, the real business case for such gamification is made in terms of collaboration. The limitations of email for employee collaboration are well known, and an effective internal social network will supply plenty of tools to communicate and share information — all while reinforcing the collaborative behavior with the tried and true game elements of recognition and autonomy. Level 3: Full-Fledged Games The final tier of employee gamification is actually full fledged games, like the Army uses to train soldiers or the University of Washington used to help scientists fold digital versions of proteins to better understand their structure. Here, the line between gamification and games blurs, which can lead to a lot of semantic jostling — very little of which is productive or useful to the vast majority of professionals tasked with improving the motivation of their peers or employees. What’s important to know about a custom-built gamification platform is that it requires significant resources but also promises spectacular rewards. For example, Fold-It, the game developed by the University of Washington, boasted contributions by over 50,000 players, which eventually lead to significant progress in understanding certain protein structures. *** If you think an immersive gamification LMS would work for your organization, be sure to match it up to a strong business case. Truthfully, most employee-facing gamification will fall into (or combine) the first two categories. Though they are perhaps less exciting than a complex interactive game, the staple game elements of progress, recognition, and community are still effective methods for motivating employees. Use them wisely, and you’ll be well on your way to raising the engagement level of your workforce. Author Bio Aleksandr Peterson is a technology analyst at TechnologyAdvice. He covers marketing automation, CRMs, project management, human resources, and other emerging business technology. Connect with him on LinkedIn. The post The 3 Tiers of Employee Gamification appeared first on TalentLMS Blog.

This year brought the Choose2Matter team so many wonderful experiences. We traveled across the country, as far west as Bellevue, WA, and as far east as East Greenwich, RI. Above all, we learned that when […] The post #Choose2Matter 2015 Recap appeared first on Angela Maiers.

Is it better to manage or lead your employees? It could be said that it is best to have a bit of both, but most employees find it more effective to be led rather than managed. While many business leaders see the wisdom in this concept, most fail to apply it to their employees' training needs.    

Santa makes it seem so easy! We could all use a manufacturing system staffed by mysterious beings who happily create fantastic quantities of merchandise. Or a global distribution system that accurately sorts out packages according to location, desire and moral rectitude. Or how about an on-time, high-speed delivery vehicle with apparently unlimited capacity, powered by 8 flying creatures (led by an animal with a searchlight for a snout)? To this writer, the real fantasy lies in the fact that everyone already knows exactly what to do when the holiday rush kicks in and when to do it, with no mention of training. Reality Check… The appearance of Santa, the elves, the sleigh and the flying reindeer means we are faced with what we know as the holiday rush. And the truth is that, for retailers and other related industries, there’s a lot at stake. The holiday season is the busiest — read "most stressful" — few months of the year. In some cases, this short, frenzied time is what will determine the profitability — and even the ongoing existence — of a company. Organizations hire seasonal staff in large numbers. Full- or part-time staff, who are already committed to their own jobs, are often pulling double-duty as they train a very temporary workforce in the rush to keep up with business. And demand, supply and distribution chains can be subject to changes faster than you can say "Happy Holidays," adding stress to a system already stretched to the max. For instance, think of how quickly the weather changes in the Northern Hemisphere, and imagine the havoc a bad weather system can wreak on shipping and distribution. And when a problem occurs, it can (pardon the pun) really snowball. So what does eLearning have to do with the holiday rush? Quite a bit, as it turns out. eLearning is especially good for effectively and rapidly getting the right knowledge to the right people at the right time. Without proper training, small hiccups in the chain can quickly cause very large impacts. Because eLearning equips people to deal effectively with the tasks at hand, it can help reduce the impact that unexpected events or changes can have on a taxed system. eLearning may not be Santa Claus. But read on, and you’ll see how you and your employees can experience the magic of being well-prepared for yourselves. You see, Santa, if nothing else, is always prepared. And know-how is a huge portion of the ongoing attempt to be ready for anything that can come up. Consider the value of accurate and relevant knowledge, wrapped in attractive and easily-accessible packages, delivered to designated people, at precisely the time and place it’s needed. And yes, there may even be cookies involved (the internet kind, not the kind that you have with milk and leave by the fireplace for a jolly visitor in red). Take a look at these 5 features of eLearning that can — please pardon the clichè — help to make your holiday season brighter. eLearning breaks knowledge into manageable, bite-sized morsels of information. learners can focus on, and retrieve the information that is relevant to the need at hand. retention of information is much higher when the information is presented in smaller packets, rather than large chunks, of learning. at a time when time and energy are at a premium, learning activities are incorporated into productivity and less time is taken away from production activities. eLearning makes the information accessible, and the organization can control the level of accessibility. learners can obtain the necessary information in a variety of ways, including on their own mobile devices. time spent away from important tasks is minimized, since pertinent information is available on-the-spot. having information available electronically generates less paper waste, saving resources and ultimately, money.. important, time- or security-sensitive documents are less at risk of loss or damage.   The Flexibility of eLearning allows you to keep the content relevant. employees can keep up with the rapidly changing information regarding manufacturing, distribution and sales activities. having the most updated information provides security and confidence for organization representatives and employees as well as customers and clients. You can standardize the information and keep it consistent. accurate and consistent informations reduces errors, and frees up resources. issues and conflicts can be resolved more efficiently and effectively, and with velocity. employees are not left to "guess" the right answer, and customers receive elevated levels of service. eLearning keeps your learners engaged, and their progress is trackable. t’is the season to be easily distracted; an engaged learner retains knowledge more reliably. supervisory and management staff have a better understanding regarding which of their employees are best equipped to deal with the demands of the season and can staff positions accordingly. Get a jump start on next year. In the Christmas tradition, it takes a year of being "nice" to minimize a meltdown in morale during the holidays. For retail and related businesses, being "nice" equates to being prepared. And it’s never too early to start. It’s during the crunch-time of the holidays that the previous months of preparation — including training — become particularly meaningful. In addition, a large percentage of the people working in your organization may be seasonal staff, who may not have the benefit of experience. They may also lack an existing knowledge or relationship to your organization’s policies and procedures. Creating an eLearning course that specifically addresses the necessary aspects of daily operations provides benefits for the seasonal and regular employees alike, as well as the clients and customers who may come into contact with those employees. It’s a good idea to incorporate eLearning into your training and development activities. It’s a really great idea to plan for your next holiday season ahead of time. And by "ahead of time" we mean "as soon as possible." It’s never too early to plan for the holiday rush. Consider harnessing the power of eLearning for the holiday rush of 2016 and beyond. You could be better prepared to handle the increased demands on your employees and on your organization. At the same time, your staff will thank you for empowering them to be effective. Happy Holidays from the staff at KMI Learning! If you’d like to find out how we can support you in preparing for the demands of the holiday season, contact us at info@kmilearning.com The post Wouldn’t it be nice if the holiday rush could be handled in a Santa-esque manner? appeared first on KMI Learning.

We discuss the trends and issues we observed during the weeks of December 8-20 as we flipped resources into our Flipboard magazine (http://bit.ly/trendsandissues). We have four trends that we discuss. VR/AR was again a trend we observed-one that has been a trend for most of 2015. The second trend was online learning. There were a […] Tags:   Del.icio.us Facebook TweetThis Digg StumbleUpon Comments:  0 (Zero), Be the first to leave a reply!Copyright © Trends & Issues [Episode 53 Trends for December 8-20 VR, Online Learning, Security Issues & Software Data Breaches, and Chromebooks], All Right Reserved. 2015.

In the process of transforming a learning culture within a business organization, it is imperative that we use what we know about the way adults learn and how that translates into effective performance when applied in an online training environment. The key goal is to ensure engagement of employees in a given task not by programming every step that they are to take but providing latitude for them to collaborate with other learners in meaningful ways. This also lays the ground work for the development of an innovative mindset among learners.John Seely Brown, an innovation expert made a very insightful statement when he stated:"Organizations need to find the 'edge dwellers,' and 'pull them together and give them voice.' Edge dwellers are the change agents within an organization. They need to be given permission to experiment and push boundaries and they need to be provided with tools to have at their disposal, such as social media."However, in order for this type of engagement to be enriching for an organization, there needs to be a focus on effective design thinking when designing irresistibly engaging learning experiences. To aid this thinking, three important elements need to be in place which are:Using Kolb's Theory as a basis which postulates four main learning styles: Converger, Diverger, Assimilator and Accomodator, we need to go further and modify it by applying what new research from the field of Cognitive Neuro-Science tells us about how adults engage in their learning when presented by an immersive E-Learning environment.A clearly defined purpose for learning and engaging in the learning experience. Designing a group of learning experiences for adult learners that makes explicitly clear the reason, purpose, and usefulness of the subject matter is a necessary component in reaching adult learners.A format or facilitation process that encourages participants to share their knowledge and experience freely. It is this very point that the concept of the Global Corporate Trainer, Instructional Designers and the Learning Principles Educator(or Expert) Network is offered as a choice with exciting potential to prosper business organizations and "jump start" innovation.The Global Corporate Trainer, ID and LPE Network: What is its purpose and how does it work?   Some of the problems that business organizations have experienced in the past and continue to experience in some organizations can be summarized as follows:When new skillsets are needed to be passed on to employees, engagement during the sessions might peak but then after the sessions are long over, little, measurable improvement in performance is seen. Why did the commitment to applying learning on a regular basis disappear?A new and potentially innovative change is proposed and supported at the time but then is left to sit and gather dust for a variety of reasons ranging from necessary budget cuts to potential loss of jobs if the innovation is pursued. When change is necessary, why are so many roadblocks erected to following through without even suggesting hybrid modifications or viable alternatives? Why do potentially innovative approaches suffer the "paralysis by analysis" effect? The development of the proposed network provides a needed "sandbox for innovation" where innovative ideas and effective, irresistibly engaging learning experiences may be developed through open collaboration not only with the noted business organization's trainers, ID's and LPE's but also with the same types of personnel from other business organizations who share common interests. The essential key to understanding the Global Learning Hubs and adjoining networks such as this one is to take a close look at the collaborative pathways that join them and think about this as a digital symbiotic relationship. This should make sense if we look at business organizations as living organisms. The benefits of such a concept would be as follows:Costs for development are shared with other business organizations who have common interests and therefore the ROI is also shared according to a mutually agreed upon formula. In concept this is similar to the trade pact groups that already exist in today's world.Open innovation can take root here as organizations involved would also have equal access to the other networks in the Global Learning Portal through collaborative pathways as shown in the diagram. Collaborating in this non-threatening environment allows for the testing of new ideas before they are brought back to the individual business organizations.The learning culture of the business organizations improves as a result of the constant feedback from the Global E-Learning Hub which acts as a communication network between the adjoining collaborative networks and the individual business organizations. There is the potential for the sharing of knowledge among the 6 distinct Learning Portals. This would be especially important in collaborating to help improve infrastructure upgrading that is needed for developing countries to effectively participate in the global E-Learning enterprise.There is a great potential to help many nations improve the quality of life for their inhabitants and especially for new generations that are being born, through the means of effective education. Due to the expansive global reach of the world wide web, we can help many nations to empower their children to be agents of change within their societies. We need to do this to counter the negative forces within many societies that would deny hope to new generations of ever conquering disease, poverty, war and political corruption. Remember that dictators maintain their power by keeping their people ignorant and in fear. [Remember, if you feel that the message of this post should be shared over social media, share it!] Next...Designing Effective Interactions For E-Learning

In a world where we have access to highly advanced, fast moving technologies, learners do not have the time or inclination to sit down in a classroom and passively listen to what a teacher has to say. For this reason, corporate training is not as effective or influential as it once was. But before businesses throw in the training towel altogether, they should consider adopting an alternative approach, which embraces technology rather than shunning it. While numerous options are on the table, microlearning is proving to be the training technique of choice among modern day learners. In addition to providing learners with a solution that fits into their busy lives, offers a great deal of flexibility and the ultimate in interactivity, microlearning also affords several advantages for businesses too. It cuts down development costs, reduces time-to-competence, provides more flexibility when it comes to creating learning materials and results in greater knowledge retention. But in spite of these benefits, the training possibilities that microlearning can bring are not being fully realised by some businesses. However, the obstacles that stand in the way of implementation are actually rather easy to overcome.   Microlearning recap As opposed to prolonged training programs, microlearning splits up teaching into more manageable, bite-sized chunks. These focused groups of activities are much quicker to complete and easier to consume. Even so, this doesn’t mean to say you can splice up your current formal training activities to realise the rewards of microlearning, as it requires a different framework. On top of this, microlearning isn’t about thrusting complete responsibility onto your learners to fend for themselves. Although there is the opportunity to use social learning tools and online resources as part of microlearning, it needs to be within a coherent and considered structure that works alongside a curated selection of content.   The science behind microlearning In 1956, psychologist George A. Miller conducted the first piece of research that proved we learn more effectively in short bursts rather than long sessions. He explained that our short-term memories could only hold seven "chunks" of information, although recent MRI research suggests this is closer to four. Miller also demonstrated that when knowledge is broken down into smaller pieces, it could help with comprehension. However, long before Miller made this discovery, another psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus made the distinction between short- and long-term memory. His work on the forgetting curve and spacing effect highlighted why learning solutions needed to include reinforcement methods and regular practice spread out over time to avoid fatigue and consolidate memory.  Both of these psychologists provided the building blocks for microlearning, which breaks down lengthy teaching into small chunks in a variety of formats. When combined with adequate spacing and the repetition of content, learners can acquire knowledge with greater comprehension. It also gets rid of unnecessary superfluous information and concentrates on essential topics instead. This plays into the hands of what modern day learner’s want. Technology allows for formats that learners are comfortable with, while spacing and repetition enables training to take place at a suitable time. But the virtues of microlearning extend to training providers too, not just the individual.   Additional advantages of microlearning Cheap to introduce Seeing as microlearning is concerned with small chunks of content, training becomes much cheaper to create and introduce. Any changes or updates that need to be made don’t require much money either. Quicker to implement Microlearning content and materials can be produced and implemented incredibly quickly. There is no need for content development, as learning designers can easily curate existing materials. More agility If the training you need to give staff is constantly changing, microlearning holds the answer. It allows you to deliver updated content instantly and experiment with different approaches for a more agile business. More mobile Most microlearning solutions are compatible with mobile devices, enabling individuals to complete their training at a time and place that suits them, from the daily commute to at home after work.   Overcoming the obstacles of microlearning For many, adopting a microlearning approach instead of sticking with traditional training techniques can seem a little daunting. Irrespective of the perks it can provide, several organisations believe they will lose control over their training activity. After all, if there is no dedicated environment to develop and deliver microlearning, how can you manage and monitor training or find out whether employees are progressing or not? Furthermore, the learners themselves might not know what, when, and how they should be interacting with training. However, modern technology holds the key. Microlearning training providers like Wranx have developed platforms that can be adapted by any organisation, yet retain a rigid framework for control over content and activity. Learners known that training takes place here, but can also reach out for support whenever it is required. Our microlearning platform also features reporting tools to manage content and insightful analytics to monitor progress. Learning materials can then be changed and updated according to each individual’s requirements. As Miller and Ebbinghaus alluded to, learning that happens in small chunks also needs to be diverse. But our offering features formats such as quizzes and techniques like gamification to keep learners interested in what is being taught. Therefore, the obstacles that sit in front of microlearning adoption aren’t even that substantial when you know about the solution.   Making the switch to microlearning With the ability to reduce time and costs as well as increase engagement and memory retention among employees, microlearning can have a significant impact on your organisation and its overall objectives. However, you must drop any preconceived ideas that training is an independent exercise, which employees only need to experience once. For microlearning to work, it is essential you realise that training must be an ongoing activity. Thankfully, technology is on hand to facilitate this shift, which learners are all too happy to accept. As Deloitte explains in its 2015 Global Human Capital Trends report: "Learning today has become a business-critical priority for increasing skills, improving the leadership pipeline, and enhancing employee engagement. As the corporate learning market undergoes a digital transformation, this is the year to assess your current learning environment and implement a new vision to build a corporate learning experience that touches every employee in a significant way." Share this post with your own audience

2015 has been a great year for workforce gamification. It was a year of great changes - a movement away from performance appraisals into "live" employee coaching, a year where workforce gamification became more mainstream and more enmeshed with performance and learning.  Writing a blog depends on user feedback about what’s interesting (and what isn’t), so without further ado, we wanted to share with you our most popular 2015 gamification articles: 1. The Ten Surprising Benefits of Gamification This one is the the most popular post in 2015. the post discusses the lesser-known benefits of gamification. Instead of discussion "fun" and "games" or point, badges and leaderboards, the article examines the real benefits of gamificaiton: transparency, feedback, recognition and on-the-job mastery. The post also discussed the topic of choice and autonomy at work. 2. Will 80% of Gamification Projects Fail? Interestingly, our second most popular post this year looked at an infamous part of our industry’s history and asked - Will 80% of gamification projects fail?, referring to Gartner’s 2012 gamification forecast. In this post we looked back at this famous quote and explained what had changed in the industry since the report had been published. What really changed was the understanding of what gamification at work is really about - from feedback, to culture and a "script for work" - and it seems that Gartner actually got gamification right in 2012. 3. Gamification for Employee Onboarding The third post on this list had to do with a very specific topic - onboarding. The post discusses complementing talent acquisition with onboarding processes. The first days at a new workplace are crucial for employees to feel comfortable, and may very well define their productivity levels in the future. Gamification is a great solution for this, because it enables employees to start at a certain ‘beginner level’ and develop their capabilities and confidence up from there. I also spoke about how gamification can be used for elearning during the onboarding process, and how this can be utilized to analyze and monitor the new employee’s progress. 4. 5 Sales Gamification Leaderboard Mistakes The next post in our list is about one of my favorite topics - leaderboards. The article maps  five common ways in which leaderboards are done wrong, and specifically sales leaderboards. These include Tracking the wrong benchmarks; Endorsing the wrong behaviors; Overlooking the middle 60%; Making a disengaging leaderboard; and Forgetting teams In short: leaderboards are a great tool. Use them wisely and remember that sometimes competing against your own benchmark works better. 4. Performance Management Doesn’t Work. What does? This post about performance management was written because 2015 was a landmark year for this practice. Why? because  some of the world’s biggest organizations got rid of the traditional performance review. This change actually reflects the strengths of performance gamification: timely feedback and an objective understanding of performance and a move away from employee post-facto evaluation into proactive employee development. 5. Gamification and Change Management All companies change. In our world, companies are actually changing much faster than they used to. That’s why it is important to manage change, and gamification is a great tool to do so.  This post was about how Gamification and change management work together - showing what behaviors are changing, what the expectations are and measuring and "tuning" the actual change. This video has Yahoo’s former VP customer experience discuss the same topic. 6. Team vs Individual Incentives This post is about team vs individual incentives, transparency, and how gamification is the easiest way to achieve and maintain transparency in organizations. There is some fascinating research on the subject of individual vs team incentives and productivity - guess which works better?. Humans crave social gratitude and acceptance, and care about how they are percevied by others. Yet, for team incentives to work and for these psychological factors to be able to come in to play transparency is needed. In other words, only when employees know what others in the organization are doing and know that their own work will be visible to others, do they care how they are perceived and compare themselves to their peers. Achieving transparency in any organization is an extremely difficult task, and this is where gamification can play an important role. 7. Gamification Analytics Matter Analytics are beginning to play an important role in HR technology, and gamification analytics are a prime example. We think it’s crucial to know not only how your game is doing but also, where you are losing people, what raises engagement with the platform and what makes your users want to come back to platform time and again. The next level is managerial analytics and providing the tools for the future of "people analytics". 8. Move the Middle Here, I wrote about working with the middle 60%. So many employers are focused on the performance of either their best employees ("they’re doing so well! How do I keep this going?"), or on their worst performers ("If only I could get them to do a little better…"), but actually most of the potential for a productivity jump is hidden within the middle ranks.  In other words, a manager who really want to improve her organization, should be thinking about how to move her middle performers up in the class of "good" performers and by this have the biggest effect on the company. In order to achieve this, employers need to think about - capabilities and motivation. An employee needs to acquire new capabilities that will make her better at what she does and more productive. At the same time, if this employee has all the capabilities in the world, yet still isn’t motivated, these capabilities won’t come in to play and productivity won’t change. Gamification is a great way to marry capabilities and motivation. 9. How Gamification Works This post is actually an inforgraphic about how gamification is implemented, accessible here. It actually works quite nicely with this white paper on best practices for gamification project management. 10. Best Guide: Elearning and Enterprise Gamification Of all our guides, this guide was the most downloaded this year. Maybe because it is driven by an important insight - almost every gamification project is an excellent candidate for elearning integration. So, those were the most popular posts of 2015. We’ve already got some great things in the works for 2016 and we can’t wait to share them with you. Keep posted and enjoy the holidays!  

One of my favorite moments from my pre-service days was when my college professor (a white woman) pulled me aside to tell me what my life would be like as a black teacher. She said… "Rafranz…I need you to know that you are black. You need to know that this means that you don’t get to be average. You don’t get a mediocre day. You have to be great…always. You need to know this. You need to know that things are different for you." This was a lesson that my mother had already ingrained within my spirit but hearing it from Dr. Huse, the woman who physically brought Dr. Evelyn Granville (2nd black woman to earn a doctorate in math and noted NASA Computer Scientist) into our lives, resonated on a level that my mother didn’t teach. Our connection to Granville meant hearing first hand accounts of our incoming struggle while teaching black. It is a thought that lives within me today and everyday. I’m glad that it does. We were prepared for this life in every way possible…content, culture, leadership and tech. Through a multi-year participation in a federally funded, Teacher Quality grant program where we were developed to be leaders, opportunities for growth were there if we worked to grab them.  My pathway into this tech world was as simple as understanding how to manipulate a device and engage kids in ways that most feared. I will be forever grateful to Dr. Huse for making sure that fear had no place in our classrooms. Even as doors continued to open in the world of teacher technology training, there was something undeniable about the need for my face in this space. When you teach enough district trainings with severely limited faces of color in the crowd…you get it. You just do. After each training, the black teachers, as few as they were…smiling ear to ear whether they understood the tech or not, would hang back just to say… "Thank you for being here and doing us proud." Or "We never thought that one of us would be doing this." The second statement kills me to this day as it STILL happens far too much! It’s weird but I never felt a lack of black as the teacher "leading" until I stepped foot into a technology conference and saw not one face like my own…thousands of people and not one. I never saw a lack of women until I started to meet more tech directors and they were not women nor were they of color. Even as the title of this job has expanded to include my own (digital learning and professional development)…the scarcity of people of color in tech/digital leadership is still a fact…one that I did not see until I was I was able to see. In the years leading to this point in time in my career…of all of the barriers broken, spaces open and opportunities that are still quite unreal, it must be said that the lack of representation is pretty appalling…still. You can’t tell me that tech leadership isn’t on the radar at all for educators of color. (It is and I am connected to quite a few) That’s just like saying that the missing women, black and brown voices in the technology world are missing because WE aren’t applying. Perhaps we should be in a space where we SEE, hear and honor their work just as much as we honor those with "names", paid networks & jobs that aren’t actually in schools. One can hope, right? Earlier tonight, I connected with a new voice of color in this space and he said something that struck a nerve. He said…"I just want to be invited to places like ISTE like you and then I know that I would have made it." I wrote back… "ISTE didn’t invite me. That door was forced open…" That door is open because the one thing that you learn when you feel that you are the ONLY one is that if you look deep enough, that is never the case. I may not be in the classroom anymore but Dr. Huse’s advice still very much applies. There are no "off" days. There is work that must be done…students to empower, teachers to inspire and plenty of people depending on a certain level of work to be done in the space where it matters most. Like a badge of honor, I wear my skin with pride and applaud the journey to now…one that was never alone…even when I thought that I was. Thankful for this.

Studies report that processes for hiring, developing people, and conducting performance management are seriously flawed.