Workplace zombies are often the result of poor leadership. By listening to their concerns and offering challenging projects, leaders can help bring workplace zombies back from the dead.

Designing eLearning programs for imperfect Internet connections is, oddly enough, a valuable skill. Despite enjoying mobile data and broadband connectivity increasingly everywhere, most learners are still disrupted with unpredictable connections. How can you catch exceptions like these? Find out in this article! With the broadening scope of eLearning courses, you shouldn’t be surprised if someone in Africa or in Bangladesh is registered for your courses. In fact, many developing nations rely on eLearning programs and training materials for quality learning experiences. They also look forward to completing the courses with dedication and add their professional development experiences to their resume. This kind of dedication is hard to find! These learners are often among the select few individuals in their towns and villages that have the privilege of owning a computer and an Internet connection. These individuals, upon completing eLearning programs with you, would happily become an advocate to all who are interested in their community to learn more about your course. Unfortunately, in scenarios like these, the quality of the Internet connection is seriously compromised! Learners in such areas are frustrated and can only have patience with their local communication infrastructure. These dedicated learners design their day around periods of stable Internet connectivity. They download the course material and open all the external resource pages on different tabs in order to read at their leisure, when Internet connectivity is low. Part of being a successful eLearning provider is to cater to this learning need - the capability of your eLearning programs to run offline. Provide ample downloadable material to be viewed in spare time. Use file compression tools and methods to decrease the download time and required bandwidth. Also, when you wish to conduct teleconferencing sessions, consult with these learners before you set up a time. Better yet, always save the audio conference transcript for downloading in case these individuals miss a live meeting. You can imagine the sense of gratitude (and growing enrollment) after such compensating steps. There are several more reasons that learners have weak or intermittent Internet connectivity, whether on the subway or just bad a mobile data connection in their favorite hangout. And YouTube videos in your courses are a potential issue for all these users. These videos do not work under frail Internet connections. Thankfully, there are several video compression or video converter software option available for reducing the size of large videos, from 700 MB to 40 MB, for example! Your learners will thank you for the effort, and no one will miss out on your content. Just make sure you don’t compromise the video quality too much. And don’t forget to supply the transcript of the video on the learning management system page, in case the compression trick doesn’t work for some users. Learners can read what they could have been seeing and still make some sense of the missed video. If your learners complain of weak Internet connectivity issues, reassure them that you understand their situation. Offer them assignment and course completion deadline flexibility. This strategy will prevent any discouragement. Your learners are more likely to complete the course due to your empathy! Many of your learners are working on a mobile device, and this can lead to sporadic and unreliable network connections. Learners could get very short periods of connectivity or could drop out altogether. These technical problems require technical solutions. Work with your IT support to create more compatible and adjustable eLearning programs. Here are a few suggestions: Allow multiple types of network connections: Bear in mind that network protocols present in one part of the world will be entirely absent in another. You need to create eLearning files that work well with computer network protocols such as Wi-Fi, EDGE, 4G and 3G. Break down content into smaller files: Instead of having learners download one big file, allow them to download multiple smaller files when they can. While they get busy reading it, they can wait for the next one to download. Enable content download and offline reading options. This will be appreciated by many learners as it will save their time. If possible, enable learners to resume a download operation that was interrupted. Enable on-device storage and sharing options for the content. This will help prevent any frustrations due to connectivity problems. Requiring learners to be connected continuously while taking a course is not practical. Allow learners to download units of content with full interactivity when not connected to a network. Unpredictable Internet connections raise the need for offline eLearning programs functionality. We hope the points raised in this article will enable you to be prepared for such irregularities in the global learning platform. The post Good eLearning Design for Bad Internet Connections appeared first on TalentLMS Blog.

We’ve been introducing our team to all of you TalentLMS friends, and it’s time to invite another person to the party. So, for the next post of our Talent behind TalentLMS series, please welcome our user experience guru and all-around fun-loving gal, Sofia. A round of applause and here we go. Tell us a little bit about your background, and how you got involved with UI/UX design. Hey there! I’m Sofia and I’ve been working as a designer for almost two decades now. I studied multimedia computing and today I still use the term "multimedia designer" to annoy my colleagues and friends. When I took my first steps in the world of visual communication, the Internet and designing for it was a very new thing. So I was very lucky to see it grow and evolve in many ways and, consequently, I evolved with it. I guess you could say that I didn’t get involved with either UI or UX. They got involved with me! How and when did you start working for Epignosis? I had been working in eCommerce projects for many consecutive years, so I figured it was time for something different. eLearning is a great field to apply the things I’ve learned through the years and there are also many new things to explore. So, Epignosis seems to be the perfect ground for that. How do you define UX/design? I suppose, the concept was always around us, but finally it’s been given a name, and the attention it deserves. You know when you play a game and you suddenly go "WOW, look at what just happened!". Wonderful moment, isn’t it? Well, you encounter cool moments in everything around you. The secret is they don’t just happen. There are people whose job is to meticulously think, do research, analyze, plan, coordinate, test and finally implement quality interactions. Sounds like the Truman Show. What’s the difference between UI and UX design? UX Design refers to the term User Experience Design, while UI Design means User Interface Design. UX design is a cognitive science that aims to connect business requirements with user needs in the most satisfying way possible. It’s about people, behavior and feelings. UI design is a strictly digital practice that is responsible for guiding the user to getting to know your product, comfortably and effortlessly through a visual environment. To create such an environment you need to be well rounded in interaction design, visual communication principles, aesthetic balance - the list is really long really, so I’ll stop here. Both UI and UX require technical and analytical skills and endless hours of continuous education and they both have one goal in common: to make any product, digital or not, enjoyable to the point where you can’t live without it. Could you name some apps or websites that you love? I love Duolingo. I’m hooked for real. I’m learning Norwegian at the moment and I’m having lots of fun. I already know 489 words - thank you very much! I also use Twitter, I like reading posts at medium.com and I’m a happy Google+ user, quite possibly the only one. If you hadn’t followed your current path, what other career would you have pursued? I’d be one of those rangers that protect animals from hunters. The innumerable hours I’ve invested on Starcraft and Counter-Strike education, would finally come in handy. Either that, or I’d be a pit-stop mechanic. Mind you, that both of those excellent career paths require research, strategy and flawless execution. What do consider to be your best buy ever? Oh, I’m proud of my road bicycle! It’s the perfect cure for the blues, you get to know your city better, you meet new friends, you get to be silly if you like, and most of all, riding a bike in Athens constantly reminds you that "Goonies never say die". How do you start your day at the office? I try to avoid all human interaction, until I get at least one sip of coffee in me. Then I read some news, check out new website launches, prepare my to-do list for the day and head on to Balsamiq and Photoshop. Last, but not least, how do you like working at Epignosis? Where do you see yourself, and the platform, in 5 years? Epignosis somehow manages to be laid back and focused at the same time. Not an easy thing to achieve! I love working with software developers and I find it very challenging to tweak the little (or not so little) things that make a difference in a product. In 5 years from now, the platform will be even easier to use and hopefully a little more fun. Watch out for easter eggs, people! As for myself, I’ll still be learning, I suppose. The post The talent behind TalentLMS: A chat with our UI/ UX designer appeared first on TalentLMS Blog.

Unhealthy, unhappy people cannot lead.  As an immature leader I used to believe that it was dishonest not to share all my worries and feelings with my team.  Now I realize that as a leader I have to carefully choose what is in the best interest of my team, not MY best interest.  Clearly, all teams are looking to their leader to lead them. Uncertainty and stress can scare the team, and the leader must find a way to be authentic and optimistic.  Leadership is a difficult task and a serious meddling in people's lives.  This sacred work must be taken very seriously.Emotional Intelligence is the secret sauce of leadership.  First, clarify what your strengths are in the following three:Self-Awareness  - know when you are experiencing an emotion and why Self- Regulation - know how to calm your emotional state down when appropriateEmpathy - see and know the emotional state of othersOf these three, I find empathy the most challenging.  With our customers, any combination of these three can occur.  The good news is that your emotions are a personal call to action - you telling yourself that something needs to change. Learning to listen to that inner voice is critical to great leadership.  Emotions are a muscle, that with practice, are easily grown.There are many EQ assessments and programs.  I believe emotions are the critical drivers of awesome and terrible leadership.  Businesses are starting to pay close attention to the EQ of their leaders and teams.  My advice is to start simply - focus on just these three.  We're all prone to trying to do too much, and the same can happen in growing EQ.Check out the Behavioral Intelligence Assessment we love for only $75 (normally $150) Use Code: OCTLF16- offer valid until 10/31. In addition, leaders need to make sure that the people they lead are healthy.  It's hard enough to exercise, sleep, eat well and manage emotions effectively.  And it's also the leaders responsibility to be aware (empathy) of the signals from members of their team that all is not well.  The leader may not be the right person to intervene in every problem and he/she is the right person to coach and direct to the best resources. ​

Do you know how many metaphors we use every minute? According to research, we use up to six metaphors per minute, though most of the time we just don’t notice it.Metaphors are abundant in the English spoken and written language where they are used as a tool to communicate thoughts, feelings, and abstract ideas to others. By comparing something difficult to something more common and tangible, metaphors aid in the audience’s understanding of what the speaker is trying to say.Like stories, metaphors evoke images in our minds. Because of this, metaphors have potential as a tool for training as well.Here are some ways metaphors can be used in training.1. Avoid Technical JargonLegalese and other technical jargon make learning hard. But replacing the jargon with a metaphor allows trainers to present difficult or complex ideas in a way that learners are familiar with and, as a result, helps them digest the information better.2. Use Clean Language QuestionsBecause learning happens when learners are able to connect a new concept with something they already know, it’s important that they come up with their own metaphors. One technique trainers can use or learn from is Clean Language.Prompt learners to develop their own metaphors with the phrases "It’s like..." or "It’s as if..." instead of using technical jargon. Training professionals can use Clean Language questions as an example. Clean Language is a psychotherapy and coaching technique developed by counselling psychologist David Grove. The approach makes use of questions that are free from the questioner’s own thoughts, assumptions, and metaphors. Below are the 12 basic Clean Language questions.Credit: David J GroveWatch this video to learn more about Clean Language.3. Metaphoric LandscapeCognitive linguists George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, authors of "Metaphors We Live By", believe the metaphor is a "fundamental mechanism of the mind" that uses what we know to help us understand what we don’t know. This process happens subconsciously in what is known as the Metaphoric Landscape, which contains symbols that are embedded in an individual’s metaphors. These elements shape a person’s perceptions and actions. For trainers, the challenge is in finding the right set of symbols and metaphors that will result in the desired behavior.4. Self-DirectionMetaphors can also be useful in an interactive learning environment. Designers can incorporate a self-contemplative mode to encourage learners to reflect deeper and create their own context. Their metaphors will assist them in connecting the content to their real-life work.ConclusionThe use of metaphors should not be limited to the English language. Training and development professionals can also take advantage of metaphors as a tool to help learners gain deeper insight from unfamiliar concepts.In what way do you envision using metaphors in your next training session? Share your thoughts below. ReferencesRaymond W. Gibbs. Categorization and Metaphor Understanding. Psychological Review, Vol 99(3), Jul 1992, 572-577.Caitlin Walker. Clean Questions and Metaphor Models. TEDxMerseysideGeorge Lakoff and Mark Johnson. Metaphors We Live By. University Of Chicago Press (December 2008)Ray Jimenez Transforming Minds - Using Metaphors in eLearningRay Jimenez - Is your content out of context or in context? Ray Jimenez, PhDVignettes Learning"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"Ray Jimenez, PhD Vignettes Learning Learn more about story and experience-based eLearning

Do you know how many metaphors we use every minute? According to research, we use up to six metaphors per minute, though most of the time we just don’t notice it.Metaphors are abundant in the English spoken and written language where they are used as a tool to communicate thoughts, feelings, and abstract ideas to others. By comparing something difficult to something more common and tangible, metaphors aid in the audience’s understanding of what the speaker is trying to say.Like stories, metaphors evoke images in our minds. Because of this, metaphors have potential as a tool for training as well.Here are some ways metaphors can be used in training.1. Avoid Technical JargonLegalese and other technical jargon make learning hard. But replacing the jargon with a metaphor allows trainers to present difficult or complex ideas in a way that learners are familiar with and, as a result, helps them digest the information better.2. Use Clean Language QuestionsBecause learning happens when learners are able to connect a new concept with something they already know, it’s important that they come up with their own metaphors. One technique trainers can use or learn from is Clean Language.Prompt learners to develop their own metaphors with the phrases "It’s like..." or "It’s as if..." instead of using technical jargon. Training professionals can use Clean Language questions as an example. Clean Language is a psychotherapy and coaching technique developed by counselling psychologist David Grove. The approach makes use of questions that are free from the questioner’s own thoughts, assumptions, and metaphors. Below are the 12 basic Clean Language questions.Credit: David J GroveWatch this video to learn more about Clean Language.3. Metaphoric LandscapeCognitive linguists George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, authors of "Metaphors We Live By", believe the metaphor is a "fundamental mechanism of the mind" that uses what we know to help us understand what we don’t know. This process happens subconsciously in what is known as the Metaphoric Landscape, which contains symbols that are embedded in an individual’s metaphors. These elements shape a person’s perceptions and actions. For trainers, the challenge is in finding the right set of symbols and metaphors that will result in the desired behavior.4. Self-DirectionMetaphors can also be useful in an interactive learning environment. Designers can incorporate a self-contemplative mode to encourage learners to reflect deeper and create their own context. Their metaphors will assist them in connecting the content to their real-life work.ConclusionThe use of metaphors should not be limited to the English language. Training and development professionals can also take advantage of metaphors as a tool to help learners gain deeper insight from unfamiliar concepts.In what way do you envision using metaphors in your next training session? Share your thoughts below. ReferencesRaymond W. Gibbs. Categorization and Metaphor Understanding. Psychological Review, Vol 99(3), Jul 1992, 572-577.Caitlin Walker. Clean Questions and Metaphor Models. TEDxMerseysideGeorge Lakoff and Mark Johnson. Metaphors We Live By. University Of Chicago Press (December 2008)Ray Jimenez Transforming Minds - Using Metaphors in eLearningRay Jimenez - Is your content out of context or in context? Ray Jimenez, PhDVignettes Learning"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"Ray Jimenez, PhD Vignettes Learning Learn more about story and experience-based eLearning

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Upgrade your Boss's Day gift to what your leader really wants this year.

Leaders think strategically, understand the critical link between focus and clarity, and appreciate the value of time.  So fewer and fewer are inclined to let others waste their time. Brevity has become a basic communication skill for professionals. Here are six best practices as a leader: Be brief when speaking off-the-cuff. Lectures are for the classroom. Make your point and move on. 

​When the world of work pulls you off center, it's important to have a way to intentionally get back to being a great leader. In projects, we use the following questions to stay on track:What will we have after we do this project that we don't have now?  What impact will this project have on the organization if we do it right now?   In my personal life, I like to use my personal Purpose Statement.  I use this in many of our leadership interventions and I like to use it as a mantra.  It's 3 PM and I have not gotten enough done (my opinion) today.  My head is spinning from checking off tasks.  It's time to get back on track:Move away from the computer and take a few deep breaths.  Pull your shoulders down, tap your right hand to you left shoulder, left hand to right shoulder a few times.  Close your eyes (if you're comfortable, it's not necessary) and notice five sounds. Notice five things you can see. Look inside, and think about five physical things you can feel. Repeat your Purpose Statement to yourself while you breath. Here's how to create a Purpose Statement:  simply choose three verbs and a noun and make it into a meaningful sentence that you can easily memorize and repeat as needed.   Here is mine:I ignite, affirm and sustain learning in self and others.  Remember, this is your reason for being on earth. No pressure, right? Of course, since it is yours, you can change it any time you want.  Get your team together and do this as a team (the team's Purpose Statement) then help build each other's.  I guarantee that the time you invest will create great value.  NOTE: Submit your purpose statement using the form to the right and win fabulous RMA merchandise!