Here at Fierce, we honor a person once a month with the coveted title of Fierceling of the Month. The qualification for a Fierceling is someone who has been nominated by peers for exceptionally exhibiting the fierce values and the 7 principles of our work. There are some great internal perks including choosing your favorite restaurant to catering a company-wide lunch. Each month, I look forward to interviewing these amazing people.This month, I had the honor to connect with Katy Dozier.Why did you come to work here? It seemed like a fun atmosphere to join and grow in.What are some responsibilities for your role? Everything from contracts, billing, workshop logistics, printing and inventory management and vendor accounts payable.What’s the coolest thing you are currently working on? Getting a new hire up to speed in my department.What is your favorite thing about working at Fierce? The people, both internally and externally. They’re fun, creative and incredibly nice.When you’re not at Fierce, what are you most likely doing? Reading, reading and more reading. I’m a book worm.What fierce principle are you working on this month? Let Silence Do The Heavy Lifting. It’s the one I continuously come back to. I try and fill silence with myself as well as others. Trying to be still and wait is a challenge.What inspires you? Challenge, in every aspect. I’m most competitive with myself and encountering any sort of challenge lights me up and gets me going.What else do you want to ask Katy? Tweet @fierce_inc #fiercelingofthemonth to ask any other questions.The post Meet Our October Fierceling of the Month: Katy Dozier appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published on Entrepreneur and outlines concrete steps leaders can take to improve their leadership skills.Whether you are an aspiring leader or currently managing a high performing team, you should constantly be reflecting and improving on your leadership skills. The 4 Pillars of Better Leadership recommends starting with taking care of your employees.As a leader, your most important asset is your employees. Great leaders understand that happy and productive employees need more than just their intrinsic needs meet. Employees need to feel they are supported on an emotional level as well. This means taking the time to enrich your relationship on a personal level with each of your team members.When was the last time you asked how your employees were doing?"A good leader doesn’t lead from behind a desk or an email account. A good leader leads from the front, interacting with staff, holding them accountable, making sure they know they’re valued and by paying attention to detail."Read the article.The post Fierce Resource: The 4 Pillars of Better Leadership appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

In the United States this week, Halloween will be celebrated with activities like pumpkin carving and dressing up in costumes. And for many (including myself), eating more candy this week than I do all year.Yes, those things may seem juvenile or trivial. So, why should we celebrate Halloween at work? Well it can be great to be pushed in new ways, to act silly, and to not take ourselves so seriously. Doing new activities together as a team allows everyone to learn new things about each other.If you buy into that notion at all, regardless of your role, suggest participating in festive activities with your colleagues. It is not just management’s responsibility to engage. It lives with all of us.In fact, a group of Fiercelings created time for pumpkin carving a couple years ago, and it was an absolute blast mixed with brand pride (hence our fierce pumpkin above). We have some things up our sleeves this year too!So it is your turn now. This week’s tip is to be festive at work and embrace the Halloween spirit. Some ideas are:Host a costume contestHold a vote for best scary storyDecorate your spaceHold a pumpkin carving contestOrganize trick-or-treating at your office for employees’ children What are you going to do? And if you are dressing up, please do share your costume pictures.The post Fierce Tip of the Week: Engage with Halloween Spirit appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Think of a conversation that you need to have that scares you. Perhaps it is a conversation with your boss about something she is doing that is not helpful. Or a conversation with a peer about what you are noticing that is not working for him. Or taking it home, perhaps it is a conversation with your spouse or family member to discuss something that you do not feel the other is willing to talk about.Ok, do you have a conversation in mind? Does the thought of this conversation make you want to evaporate? Or run out the door? Or go on vacation? If so, that’s a good sign. These are the conversations I am talking about.I do understand the fear. There are legitimate reasons to be scared about having these conversations. Some people do not react well when confronted, regardless of how eloquent and thoughtful you are. Sometimes, certain discussions are not career-enhancing, depending on your colleagues and boss. These are realities.What is equally a reality is that the cost of not having the conversation is much greater than the risk of it going badly. No one will die in this process. And your mental health and wellbeing are at stake here. These needed conversations weigh you down. You know this. Science tells you this. We all know this, yet we justify our way into carrying unneeded weight around.So, here are three tips to overcome the scary nature of some exchanges: Embrace the nervous energy. One of my prior bosses once told me that the butterflies you feel before a tough conversation are an indication of how much you care about the person. I like to think of it that way; put a positive spin on it. Ultimately, if you don’t care about a relationship or a person, you wouldn’t bother having the conversation. So come to terms with the way you feel and expect some nervousness. See it as a good sign instead of wanting to flee.Prepare accordingly. Whether it is a feedback or confrontation conversation, preparation is key for having the conversation align with your intention. Here at fierce we teach the preparation piece for various conversations, and oftentimes, people tell us that it is our magic. The goal is to make your conversations authentic and drive the results you want. So, prepare by scanning some of the tips from this blog. Set aside some unadulterated time to focus and think through the conversation. Take some notes. Practice with someone. Many conversations do not go the way we want them to, because we are not clear and direct. Once you have done some preparation, find a friend or partner to practice with. Ask the person how they felt with your delivery. Ask for feedback. It is not necessary to do a role play situation, but rather, use the practice time as an opportunity to make sure you are not laying blame or using inflammatory language that could trigger just about anyone. These tips definitely can help you stay focused. Ultimately, though, you are the one that has to make the choice to have the conversation. And for your own sake, I really hope you do. You have more to gain than you can imagine.Do you have any tips for our audience about dealing with fear around conversations?The post 3 Ways to Take the Scare Out of Your Conversations appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published on Tech.Co and explores techniques aimed at boosting employee enthusiasm.Employee engagement isn’t just this "touchy-feely" abstract concept it seems to be, it’s also about an organization’s productivity level. A Gallup study found that the annual cost of lost production in the United States is over $450 billion.If you want to earn back some of that lost revenue, you have to find a way to inspire and engage your team. The Best Tools for Improving Employee Engagement recommends creating a sense of unity by adopting a culture of constant communication. When employees feel like there are kept in the loop, they build a sense of accountability and are willing to go the extra mile.How transparent is you organization?"While some workers function better independently, having constant communication between the managers, the employees, and between colleagues will create a sense of unity. It also makes employees feel like there are others ready to help them if needed, eliminating frustration and bringing passion back into projects, which will inherently make employees more engaged in the day-to-day tasks they’re given."Read the article.The post Fierce Resource: The Best Tools for Improving Employee Engagement appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Today, we have more outlets than ever to express our individual perspectives and needs. From Facebook to Twitter to Yelp to Consumer Reports, you can share a review, an opinion, or vent about almost everything. Many of us use those tools every day. And yet, as citizens of the United States, we don’t participate in some of the outlets to give our own country feedback and thoughts. I am guilty of this, too. One way we can do this is by voting.Tomorrow is Election Day in the United States. It is a day to make some choices and give feedback. And yet, statistically speaking, a large percentage of us won’t be participating.At a recent meeting, I was talking with some people about this. What I heard most clearly was that people don’t feel connected to some of the larger purposes, and in turn, they are disengaged citizens. This rang bells in my head. Loud ones. Because this is what we talk with CEOs, VPs, and Directors about all of the time in organizations from small to large, from private to public, from non-profit to Fortune 100. The story sounds like: People are not engaged. We have a bi-annual survey and mechanisms to get their feedback. And yet, it is not enough. What do we do? How do we make lasting, necessary change?Just like revolutionizing our workplaces, there is similar work to be done with our government. There is more dialogue required by individuals, by everyone. And we can’t just look to our government officials. Like I mentioned in Stop Your Excuses, You are the Culture, as seducing as pointing the finger can be at times, when you are unhappy with our government, make sure you throw some of that blame your way. You are responsible too.Given that, this week’s tip is to participate and vote. And then challenge yourself with the question: What else can I do to give feedback? How can I better engage in conversations with others about issues most important to me? How can I help?The post Fierce Tip of the Week: The Revolution Starts with Your Vote appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

We’re a women-owned business. And proud of it. As part of our work, we focus on developing, training, and investing in young women and girls around the world through corporations, non-profits, and education systems.When we look at issues for young women today, bullying comes to the top of the list. We are not neutral about how to solve for this. We believe that children and young adults need to learn the skills to navigate their lives - with advocates and adversaries to their success.So what does our staff want to share with young women today? Fellow Fierceling, Ashley Wolf, has interviewed some of our staff about advice they have for young women, and two major themes arose.Speak Your Truth. At Fierce, speaking your truth is about being authentic. With media and many other influences pushing against them, it is especially important for young women today to learn to be comfortable in their own skin. This starts with important conversations with yourself.We aren’t just talking any conversations - you need to make them fierce. In fact, the definition of a Fierce Conversation is one in which you come out from behind yourself into the conversation and make it real. Whenever you notice yourself being less real, take a moment and ask yourself why. When you recognize why you do certain things, it is easier to make changes. Empower Change. If it is to be, it is up to me is a core concept in our Fierce Accountability work. It is about taking a responsible approach to make needed changes. When it comes to bullying or other issues, it can feel extremely dangerous to do anything about it. And yet, change requires your actions.Don’t make excuses or point fingers to create change. You are capable of making the changes needed - whether it is acting differently yourself or having a critical conversation.Start by giving your child room to discover their own voice. The next time your child comes to you with a problem, don’t jump to solving it for them. Encourage them to explore all aspects of the issue and let them come up with their own course of action. Then help them put their plan into motion. What advice do you have for young women?The post Advice to Young Women appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published on Harvard Business Review and explores why it is so difficult for people to negotiate on their own behalf.As a leader in your organization, you spend countless hours negotiating contracts with clients, wrangling outside vendors, and advocating for your department. But when was the last time you capitalized on an opportunity for yourself?Advocating for your own needs is just as important as closing a big deal. It not only drives career fulfillment, but also has the potential to spark positive organizational change.Regardless of how strongly we feel about an opportunity, negotiating on our own behalf feels much less comfortable than negotiating on behalf of an organization. Be Your Own Best Advocate recommends building a strategy for everyday negotiations that focuses on four steps: recognize, prepare, initiate, and navigate.How do you recognize negotiation opportunities?"The issue should be important to you, but your desired outcome should not only benefit you personally but also benefit your organization, as a result of your increased productivity and commitment and new cultural norms that allow colleagues to achieve the same. The decision to negotiate should be made with a sense of the end in mind."Read the article.The post Fierce Resource: Be Your Own Best Advocate appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

When people first hear the word fierce, there are varying reactions. Some think that fierce means scary. Others think brutal or harsh. For some, they think of Beyoncé…as in "Sasha Fierce".To help explain what we mean in our workshop, we ask: What do you think about the word fierce when someone is fiercely dedicated to you? When I first facilitated that question with a group, I loved the "ah ha’s" in the room. Let’s be honest. We all crave having and being associated with fierce dedication. It infers depth and devotion. Those two things can be hard to come by in this ever-changing, moving world.So I ask: What are you fiercely dedicated to? Your partner? Your parents? A cause?Can you say that you are fiercely dedicated to your work? I hope so. You deserve to love what you do.Whenever I think about dedication, I think about Steve Jobs from Apple. During a Fortune interview almost ten years ago, he said "We don’t get a chance to do that many things, and everyone should be really excellent. Because this is our life. Life is brief, and then you die, you know? And we’ve all chosen to do this with our lives. So it better be damn good. It better be worth it."This week’s tip is to become more dedicated in an area of your life that matters most to you. Set specific goals for the rest of 2015. Decide whether you will spend more time, resources, or mental energy towards it.Where do you want to show fierce dedication? The post Fierce Tip of the Week: Don’t Hesitate - Become Fiercely Dedicated Now appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

I have always admired the rituals and connection that people in the United States military share. I had a unique experience as a child, because my father was in the military and my birthday is Veterans Day (and no, that wasn’t planned). That means most birthdays I spent at Veterans Day ceremonies and taking pictures with fighter jets and submarines. Despite those glitzy elements, hearing the Veterans’ stories was my favorite part. Every time I asked Veterans about their service, despite the hardships and sacrifices, their eyes often lit up. They would tell stories about their purpose, and their comrades, and their experiences. I’ve reflected a lot on that over the years - especially going into the human capital/people strategy field.So I have to ask: How many of your employees’ eyes would light up talking about being on your team? Are your employees connected to the purpose? Are they emotionally moved by what you stand for? Do they feel connected with each other?We all crave connection - whether we admit it or not. For many, we get this outside of the office. We ride Harleys, or religiously follow an NFL team, or compete in Ironman Triathlons. In all three of those outlets, I have seen full-grown men and women cry. Cried from disappointment, cried from joy, and were deeply moved by their chosen tribes. They talk about their purpose, and the group, and what they learn.More than ever we want to feel moved in our workplace. This isn’t Kumbaya or spiritual circle kind of stuff. In fact, research shows that job seekers increasingly care about their connection to the purpose and impact of their organization. A 2015 Deloitte survey found that six in ten millennials shared that a "sense of purpose is part of the reason they chose their current employer." Yes, in this current "war for talent", it has everything to do with your bottom line.This Veterans Day, I encourage you to better your team’s connection with its purpose. Here are three simple places to start:Hold one-on-one’s with your team members. Create a curious space where you ask how connected your team members feel to the purpose of the job and the team. Don’t get defensive. Ask them about their ideas. What would make them feel more connected? Is there something that needs to be talked about that is getting in the way? Where can they contribute?Write a Stump Speech with your team. The questions are in this blog. The Stump Speech is a great exercise to take your team through. It sets groundwork for the future by exploring internal and external requirements. It is simple and to the point. Once completed, you can go back to the document and discuss as a team what has changed over time.Find your own connection with the purpose. It is so important to tap into your own connection. When people question misalignment with your team’s purpose, they will pay close attention to how you react. Susan Scott, Fierce Founder, says, "There is no trivial comment as a leader." And I would add, there is no trivial reaction. People are watching, and they will spot integrity outages from miles away. That’s where your internal job comes in. Are you where you need to be?The post Three Tips to Connect Your Team with Purpose appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Following recent concerns about security and travel, within Europe and especially in cities, The Performance Solution has expanded our Skype coaching, mentoring and coach supervision service. Our professionally qualified coaches are now available for Skype appointments and these are being offered at preferential rates to take account of reduced travel time and costs.   Several clients have chosen to continue their development with one hour Skype slots and to use these more frequently  to clarify strategies and goals, settle into the first hundred days in a new role, gain support for first management roles, cope with high demands and stress and a myriad of other topics. We are currently Skype coaching people in Australia, UAE (Dubai), France, Germany, UK and USA - so no need to give up on your own development if your travel has been restricted.   In addition to business coaching we also have qualified specialists available for coach supervision, and life coaching interventions including NLP, Bach flower and content free coaching.     The post TPS’s Skype coaching, mentoring and coach supervision service appeared first on The Performance Solution.

The ending of a mentoring relationship is an opportunity for celebration and taking stock.  Devon discusses how to make the most out of concluding a mentoring relationship.

It’s not always easy to fit everything we need to say on our website. Sometimes there are additional conversations that we need to post. More later…

We believe that authentic career satisfaction and success comes from a crystal clear view of the individual; their talents, gifts, and yes, foibles and vulnerabilities. Organizations are increasingly complex to navigate and lead. Thriving in a workplace of constant change requires organizational savvy like never before. Therefore, personal branding - how to be yourself with skill - has come to the forefront as a deliberate strategy for managing your reputation within your organization. A personal brand is how you define and differentiate yourself. Your personal brand is what it takes to prosper and stand out in the midst of ongoing workplace challenges. Just like an organization, every individual has a brand…whether you like it or not. Your challenge is to learn what your brand is, emphasize your strengths, and position yourself to communicate the heck out of it. What makes you better, different, or more special? What differentiates you and your team from others? How does your collective brand align with the organization’s mission, vision and values?

Here at The Learning Café, we are passionate and expert about learning. One of the key drivers of productive learning is pointed curiosity — the beautiful art of asking the right questions. Curious clients and colleagues often ask us to elaborate on the heartbeat of TLC. Here is our answer, in a video that gives you a glimpse inside the uniqueness and spirit of The Learning Café.

We believe that authentic career satisfaction and success comes from a crystal clear view of the individual; their talents, gifts, and yes, foibles and vulnerabilities. Organizations are increasingly complex to navigate and lead. Thriving in a workplace of constant change requires organizational savvy like never before. Therefore, personal branding - how to be yourself with skill - has come to the forefront as a deliberate strategy for managing your reputation within your organization. A personal brand is how you define and differentiate yourself. Your personal brand is what it takes to prosper and stand out in the midst of ongoing workplace challenges. Just like an organization, every individual has a brand…whether you like it or not. Your challenge is to learn what your brand is, emphasize your strengths, and position yourself to communicate the heck out of it. What makes you better, different, or more special? What differentiates you and your team from others? How does your collective brand align with the organization’s mission, vision and values? Here is a short clip on Building Your Personal Brand. For more information check out thelearningcafe.net

Looking for tips on engaging Millennial workers? Engaged employees are more likely to show up, perform well, and stick around. Check out Diane’s latest article, which includes an insightful quiz on how engaging you are as a manager of Millennials. The article is full of tips and how to’s. Of course, many of the tips here can apply to employees of all ages, but they are slanted to target the unique work styles, motivators, and other preferences of Millennials. Click or tap on the image of the article above for practical ways to implement the three C’s of Millennial engagement. Climate: To engage Millennials, you will need to create a positive, empowering, and flexible work environment. Communication: Messages matter and it will help if you can customize your communication for Millennials. Career: Coaching counts, and candid discussions about career aspirations, reputation, and sharing the lessons of experience are vital to engaging Millennials for the longer term.

I’ll see you at the ISPI Conference in April.  Here’s the announcement. Dick Handshaw to Speak at ISPI Chapter Leader’s Workshop Charlotte ISPI chapter President Dick Handshaw has been invited to speak at ISPI’s annual conference.  "The Performance Improvement Conference 2010" will be held in San Francisco, California from April 19th - 22nd.  On April 19 the Chapter Leader’s Workshop includes an hour-long presentation on Chapter Leadership by Dick Handshaw. The Charlotte chapter of ISPI gained national attention for its successful start-up, rapid growth, and ability to attract high caliber speakers in its first year.  In his workshop presentation Dick will tell the story of the Charlotte chapter and will share ideas and strategies with other leaders for improving or stimulating growth in their own chapters. Dick has an extensive background in forming and leading new ISPI chapters. In 1992 he was the founding president of a Charlotte chapter that existed for over three years. In 1999 he became founding president of a statewide chapter, called Carolinas ISPI, which maintained a presence in NC for ten years.  In addition to being an ISPI president for six years, Dick also served as Vice President of Programs for Charlotte ASTD for seven terms. "Ongoing professional development is necessary in our field," says Dick Handshaw. "Unfortunately, many of our colleagues can’t gain access to conferences and workshops as often as they would like due to travel restrictions and budget cuts. Our goal with Charlotte ISPI is to give people access to the best thought leaders in the Performance Improvement field here in Charlotte at a price anyone can afford." This focus is the goal around which the Charlotte chapter was founded and the vision Dick will share with other chapter leaders at the ISPI conference in April. Visit www.ispi.org for additional conference information and registration.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking to 39 ISPI chapter leaders at the Chapter Leader Workshop held the day before the 2010 Annual Conference in San Francisco, CA. The number and membership in ISPI chapters, unlike many other professional organizations is in decline. In an effort to reverse the trend, our discussion centered around best practices of successful chapter leadership. We cited just two basic principles of chapter leadership. First, having a clear, easily definable vision, and living that vision. In the case of the Charlotte, NC chapter that vision is "high value programs that will attract high volume attendance at a low cost to the participant". Secondly, staying focused on that vision and not becoming distracted with other lower value activities. Sustainability was also a key topic. Early succession planning with a large Executive Committee to spread the workload and to create experienced replacements for senior committee members are two strategies of the Charlotte chapter. In identifying why chapters fail, again only two principles were cited. The first was lack of leadership with a clear vision. The second was loss of focus and giving in to too many distractions that took away from the core vision. In other words, re-read the previous paragraph. We listed several key principles for execution from the Charlotte chapter: Pick your Executive Committee carefully Design succession planning early Be prepared to develop underperforming VPs or move them into committees Recruit new leadership constantly Survey membership for program preferences Give them the programs they asked for Organize the Committees Spread the workload over many volunteers Don’t try to do everything at once Be realistic, stay focused Finally, since our chapter vision is centered on programs, we listed some principles for maintaining high quality programs that are perceived as high value by the membership, not necessarily by the executive committee: Recruit the best national thought leaders Spend money on travel, not food Give free speakers lots of free publicity Publish speakers’ articles in our newsletter and journal Use virtual meetings if travel is too expensive Protect 90 minutes of time for each speaker

I recently went to the 80th birthday party of friend of mine who, since I met him in 1995, has become my mentor and my inspiration for the remainder of my career. He retired less than a year ago. I guess he just didn’t have that much stamina after only fifty some odd years. He never worked that hard anyway, only about three times as hard as I do on my best day. Having him leave the working world has nagged at me ever since. He was both selfless and tireless in the way he poured his soul into teaching as many people as he could what he had learned about our profession in his long and remarkably successful career. I can still quote him and I can still refer people to his books, but who do I send them to for the amazing lessons he has to offer?  I keep drifting back to my favorite Ghandi quote; you know the one, "Be the change you wish to make in the world."  It’s so annoying because it’s so hard to do and at the same time it’s so true. I can never be him—not Ghandi of course, my friend. But there seems to be a void and in some way I need to fill it. A wise person recently pointed out to me that I have been sitting on 30 years worth of good content for a blog and it’s time to uncork the bottle. So here is my commitment.  I will use this space to share as many of the lessons I have learned in the last 30 years in the learning field as I can possibly remember. I will always focus on the practical results from actual experience either of mine or of the colleagues with whom I work. Most of all, I will strive to be as unselfish and as honest as my friend and mentor Jim Robinson. Because, I know if I don’t, I’ll be hearing from him.  Won’t I, Jim?

I don’t think I’ll ever get to a point in my profession where there is nothing left to learn. I’ve been practicing in the learning field since I left graduate school in 1979. Any way you look at it, that’s a long time. I developed my first computer-based training program in 1980 and since then my company has been involved in many "firsts" like developing a Learning Content Management System in 1999.  I always seek opportunities to learn but I certainly never expected that my next lesson would come from teaching scuba. My biggest passion outside of work is scuba diving. I like it so much that I became an instructor about five years ago.  If you sign up to take scuba lessons where I teach, you’ll get five one hour classroom sessions and five two and one half hour pool sessions.  These sessions are followed by a fun trip where you will make five open water dives in a fresh water quarry or lake or even the ocean to prove to us that you are proficient enough in your skills to earn a lifetime certification to dive.  Here’s the catch though. I cannot make you into an accomplished scuba diver in five classes, five pool sessions and five open water dives. Now diving is a very safe sport, but these are life preserving skills we are talking about. Most people will not master their buoyancy skills, their quick decision making, their navigation skills and all of the other things that make them an accomplished diver until they have completed 35 to 50 dives on their own. So how are these skills magically acquired? Think about the world of corporate learning. Is it feasible to teach every employee everything there is to know about doing his or her job? And if we don’t, where and how do they get the rest of the knowledge? This is the part where I invite your comments. I’ll finish the rest of the story next week.

On Friday June 4th, I had the pleasure of attending Dr. Ruth Clark’s Evidence-Based Training Methods workshop presented by the Research Triangle ASTD chapter. Having been a fan of Dr. Clark’s work since the 80s, I jumped at the chance to see her in my home state. The experience was well worth the short drive from Charlotte to Raleigh. As Dr. Clark pointed out in the beginning of her session, it is often difficult for us to convince clients to follow our advice because many of our clients don’t view training as a profession.  She notes that our clients all went to school and therefore presume to know as much about learning as we do. She also points out that we, as busy practitioners, rarely have time to read the latest research that might help us make decisions about training design. If we use empirical research to help us in our daily decision making, we may be more successful at influencing our clients.  I agree with Dr. Clark and make time to attend workshops, read books, and review data provided by my current clients to remain up-to-date in the field. It is really important for us to separate the latest fads and vendor-speak when deciding what information we should actually use in our regular work. Dr Clark has done that for us in her newest book, Evidenced-Based Training Methods: A Guide for Training Professionals. If reading a book is not your thing, she also does webinars through ISPI. I really recommend you go see her live in one of her workshops. She is superb in person. The workshop moves rapidly, keeps you engaged and will change the way you make decisions about your work. When Guy Wallace and I started the Charlotte chapter of ISPI, one of our goals was to only have programs that were of proven methods based on actual practice or research. Dr. Clark’s work epitomizes that goal. Maybe she will find the time to visit us in 2011. I know I’ll be there again. Thank you, Dr. Clark.

I have had an inspiring two weeks lately—Ruth Clark two weeks ago and Darryl Sink last week. Darryl was kind enough to speak at the evening meeting for Charlotte ISPI and presented at the full day workshop the next day.  For the past ten years there has been a debate raging in the learning world. Is the ISD process as we know it obsolete or is it still useful and relevant?  Darryl helped me resolve that debate, at least in my mind. The answer lies somewhere in between. The actual model that you use is not as important as the how you use it. In listening to Darryl talk about his experiences, it is clear that he approaches each new project differently.  He decides which steps in his process he will use for the specific set of circumstances in each new opportunity. There is no one process that meets the needs of every new project. There is no silver bullet, just good planning and intelligent choices. Sure, instructional design is based on good science. But sometimes, how we use it is part art and part science.  As always, Darryl places a strong emphasis on good analysis. He knows this is the only way to develop learning that gets results and prevents the development of learning that isn’t needed. This not only contributes to quality, but saves time and money. Another aspect of Darryl’s process that I particularly like is what he calls Developmental Testing. This is the practice of developing a prototype that represents your overall instructional strategy and testing it with a small group of sample learners. You use the data to verify that your strategy achieves its intended results. The data are also used to make revisions as you continue the iterative instructional design process.  If you would like to resolve the debate about the obsolescence or relevance of the Instructional Systems Design process, go catch Darryl at any of the national conferences.  And thank you, Darryl, for your visit, from all of us in ISPI Charlotte.   

I don’t think I’ll ever get to a point in my profession where there is nothing left to learn. I’ve been practicing in the learning field since I left graduate school in 1979. Any way you look at it, that’s a long time. I developed my first computer-based training program in 1980 and since then my company has been involved in many "firsts" like developing a Learning Content Management System in 1999.  I always seek opportunities to learn but I certainly never expected that my next lesson would come from teaching scuba. My biggest passion outside of work is scuba diving. I like it so much that I became an instructor about five years ago.  If you sign up to take scuba lessons where I teach, you’ll get five one hour classroom sessions and five two and one half hour pool sessions.  These sessions are followed by a fun trip where you will make five open water dives in a fresh water quarry or lake or even the ocean to prove to us that you are proficient enough in your skills to earn a lifetime certification to dive.  Here’s the catch though. I cannot make you into an accomplished scuba diver in five classes, five pool sessions and five open water dives. Now diving is a very safe sport, but these are life preserving skills we are talking about. Most people will not master their buoyancy skills, their quick decision making, their navigation skills and all of the other things that make them an accomplished diver until they have completed 35 to 50 dives on their own. So how are these skills magically acquired? Think about the world of corporate learning. Is it feasible to teach every employee everything there is to know about doing his or her job? And if we don’t, where and how do they get the rest of the knowledge? This is the part where I invite your comments. I’ll finish the rest of the story next week.