Well, here we go again. Soccer pre-season has arrived. For those of you who have read my previous blogs you know that I coach a semi-pro soccer team in Ontario, Canada. I am often amazed at how transferable my corporate training, facilitation, and presentation skills are to my soccer coaching—everything from giving a demonstration to conducting practice sessions and giving feedback. This season we have some new players and lots of brand new equipment. We also seem to have a fresh, positive attitude as the competitive season gears up. As a coach, I have also been looking to freshen up my approach. I’ve looked at many coaching websites and found new warm-up activities, drills, and strategies that I intend to use this season. For as much as sports coaches need to continually find new ways to keep things fresh, so do corporate trainers. The first, and most obvious, place to look is at your course content. Even if your content is up-to-date or you are not able to change it, there are many other aspects of your courses that can benefit from a little freshening up. Here are 10 simple ideas to keep your training fresh: Change the music you play on breaks. Get new table toys. Hang motivational prints in the training room. Use new brainteasers. Use new icebreakers. Find new ways of calling breaks. Use new creative review techniques. Use creative lecture variations. Find relevant, non-offensive cartoons to support teaching points. Keep your attitude and outlook on training positive and passionate. By implementing some of these ideas you will make your training fresher not only for your learners but also for you. Keep in mind, a few simple changes can make a big difference. What are you doing to keep your training fresh? Steve

Role Play. Ever notice how those two words can send a chill through an entire training room? "Yuck!" "Do we have to?" "This is silly." "I’ve done this before…why do I need to do this again?" Learners more often than not shy away from participating in role play activities and, to be honest, I would, too, based on some of the role plays I endured years ago when I was in the corporate world. But the truth is, role plays are an extremely powerful tool in your bag of instructional techniques—so long as they’re properly designed. With that in mind, I’d like to share four tricks that can help you design role plays that everyone will like! One of the most common reasons adult learners don’t like role playing is because too often the exercise is set up so that the two or three learners playing the scenario are the only people engaged in the role play; everyone else is in the audience. Adult learners don’t like audiences, as it is still true that many people are quite uncomfortable speaking or acting in front of a crowd. The way to avoid this is to design the role play activity so that triads (or small groups) are formed where everyone has a role to play and nobody really gets an audience. When everyone is engaged in the activity, there are less distractions and the group is easier to manage. Another common complaint that training facilitators often face is that one or two learners feel that they are simply "too grown up" to role play, or they feel the activity just isn’t "their style." While we never want to force anyone to participate in any given activity, everyone must be engaged in the application part of the session, as it is a key element of learning. Anyone who is reluctant to role play can float around from triad to triad as a process observer with a performance checklist, annotating the various applications of the behaviors previously modeled by the instructor. While these individuals walk around and make notes of their observations, they are also learning without being pushed into a learning pattern that may conflict with their style. They can later get involved in providing feedback, after the activity. One of the biggest culprits for role playing’s bad reputation is the "script format." When learners are handed a script to read, the participation often turns from realistic to comedic. The entire idea of the role play method is to present the learner with a realistic situation that provides the opportunity to practice how to incorporate desired best practices from the workplace into their own style of communication. But how do we accomplish this? Each role play character should be given an information sheet designed to be read only by the learner playing that part. Each player, therefore, receives information about their character’s position, perspective, preferences, previous history with the company and with other characters, values they are driven by, etc. This information allows the learner to be realistic in his/her portrayal of the character. But if you want to know what most Langevin clients tell me is their number one trick to having great role plays, I’ll tell you—it’s this: DON’T call it a role play. Yep. Name it something else: skill practice, skill assessment, real-life scenario—call it whatever you want…but don’t call it a role play! I know, it may sound silly, but if people have been programmed to have an adverse reaction to the words "role play," just call it something else. I’d like to hear some of the ways in which you design your role plays in order to make them a more attractive application method for your learners. Share with our readers what spins and twists you’ve come up with to spice up learner enthusiasm and participation during role plays. I look forward to hearing from you. José

As a training professional, you may encounter situations in your career where you find that you have lots of responsibility, but little to no authority or power. I found myself in that situation when I was a project manager on various instructional design projects. In most cases, my fellow team members were not my direct reports. I was not the boss of my instructional designer, subject-matter expert, or IT colleagues. Even as a Langevin course leader, there are times when my power is limited. My workshop participants don’t report directly to me; I’m not their actual supervisor or manager. This situation is especially evident when I’m hired as visiting instructor who’s been outsourced to facilitate a course at a client site. So, this brings me to the question:  How do you get others to do what you need and want, when in actuality you have no real authority or power? The answer might lie in the concept of influence. I recently read a book titled The Agile Manager’s Guide to Influencing People. John R. Hook, the book’s author, gives some sound advice on using influence as a tactic to move others toward your point of view, thus accomplishing your goals. Mr. Hook, a former instructor at the US Military Academy and Johns Hopkins University, maps out a very methodical process of applying influence to get what you want in various business situations. Although I won’t attempt to summarize the entire book, I will focus on the author’s insight as it relates to understanding and using influence styles. Hook focuses on three influence styles: logic, common vision, and mutual participation. Understanding these styles may help you find specific, persuasive arguments that work best on the person or people you’re trying to influence. I will address each of these influence styles separately in a three-part blog post. This first installment will focus on logic. This influence style relies heavily on offering factual data and concrete evidence. The logic style requires the influencer to do his/her homework by researching and presenting information in a concise and logical manner. Facts and statistics must be included in each argument, and counter-arguments may have to be used as rebuttal. I find this style works best when interacting with individuals who have an analytical personality type. Although a bit stereotypical, analytical people are often described as precise, systematic, and structured. From my experience, a person who possesses these characteristics will usually connect best with the logical style and approach. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I once used the logic style when interacting with a subject-matter expert from the accounting department at a former job. I was required to partner with a gentleman to gather financial information for a course I was designing. As the project progressed, his schedule became very hectic, resulting in his cancelling or rescheduling meetings and conference calls. When we did eventually connect, he was often hesitant about divulging much needed information regarding his department and their processes. At the rate things were going, I knew it would be difficult to get necessary information from him unless I adjusted my interactions with him. I assessed the situation and analyzed his personality type. I realized that he was a busy individual who was extremely numbers-driven and results-oriented. I determined that a logical approach was the best way to influence him to provide me with quality information. I achieved greater success when I gave him solid, chronological deadlines with ample advanced notice. He seemed to respond better to concise communication which focused heavily on the "dollars and cents" of the project. Lastly, I made a conscience effort to show him how his contributions were significant in moving the project toward completion. Using logic proved to be successful for me in this particular influence attempt. How have you used logic to successfully influence someone without having any authority or power over that person? I’d love to hear your success stories! Keep an eye out for part 2 of this blog series in which I’ll discuss the second influence style: common vision. Jeff

Remember when you were a kid and your mother wanted you to do something that you didn’t want to do? How did she respond when you asked her why you had to do it? She probably answered, "Because I said so, that’s why!" Well, that approach may have worked well for mom but it doesn’t work for trainers and training managers in the business world. Business people don’t give us want we want simply because we ask them for it, even if they do have the knowledge and expertise we require. So, what are we to do? We can improve our ability to influence others by applying a specific process and practicing our skills! In our workshop, How to Influence People and Events we teach you the process of how to influence others as well as many other useful topics. This workshop is great for people in all professions including trainers, as we all must use influencing skills every day to help us get things done at both at work and at home. Since I am a trainer and this is a training tips blog, I will focus on the benefits of improving our influencing skills in the world of training. I have come up with five benefits, but there are certainly many more! We can use our influencing skills: As instructional designers to negotiate for more time to design and develop effective training programs. As instructors to convince our managers we can use a variety of instructional techniques to present content and not just rely on PowerPoint slides.  As training needs analysts to enable managers to see the big picture regarding job performance and realize there are non-training solutions to business problems as well as training solutions. As training marketers to promote our training programs and encourage more participation. As training managers to increase our training budgets, increase our training staff, and increase our department’s influence as a whole in the entire corporation. Now that you see how increasing your influencing skills can improve your world, I’d love to hear how you use these skills to get what you need! Lynne

"Intellectuals solve problems, geniuses prevent them." Albert Einstein Instructional design-time guidelines are one of the keys to training project planning. A common industry standard used is a range of 25-60 hours (or days) of design/development time for one hour (or day) of instructor-led training. Of course, this ratio varies by delivery strategy. For example, in e-Learning, the ratio is higher (75-500:1). In spite of this standard, a consistent comment you hear from participants in a design workshop is "I wish I had that much time!" As their expertise lies elsewhere, management and sponsors do not necessarily have a background in training. Therefore, their expectations on how long it takes to design effective training may be unrealistic. As trainers and employees, we are very solution-oriented. If someone asks us if we can roll out training by a given date, our answer is often, "Yes! Of course, we can." But anyone familiar with all the parts of the Instructional Systems Design model (ISD) or Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation (ADDIE), knows there are many time-consuming steps necessary to design training that will be well-received by the learners and result in performance improvement. How do we get the time necessary to put solid training together? Here are three suggestions: Track organizational historical norms. What instructional design-time is typically allowed within your organization to design training? If a requested deadline falls well below the historical ratio, it certainly would indicate a discussion or negotiation point. Track results. By tracking the design-time that has gone into projects (both successful and unsuccessful), you may be able to link success to the resources, and more specifically, the time devoted to a project. Educate stake holders. Be proactive. Reach out to managers, decision-makers, and potential sponsors. Let them know what is involved in a design project and how much time it typically, or ideally, takes. Take advantage of the following opportunities: The Classroom:  Offer to speak at new-manager training courses. Staff Meetings:  Offer to make a brief presentation. Company Newsletter:  Offer to write a short article. The bottom line is, we will try hard to meet deadlines when addressing a training objective, but better organizational results will come from more generous organizational resources. The organizational resource that should be at the top of the list? Time! Paul

I don’t know if you can relate, but for many of us, the thought of managing a project is usually accompanied by fear and plenty of anxiety. You see, I’m all about the big picture! I can envision what I want the future to look like but please don’t ask me to think about the details. Unfortunately, I’ve heard that "countless, unseen details are often the only difference between mediocre and magnificent." I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t want to be mediocre! Successful project management really comes down to two things: documentation and communication. Thankfully, Langevin has incorporated these items and developed a Project Management Cycle that works for any project you’ve been asked to manage. And let’s face it, when you manage a project well, your overall credibility goes up in the organization. Specifically, the Cycle is made up of the following 4 steps:  (1) Concept, (2) Planning, (3) Execution, and (4) Close-Out. The Concept phase is all about "Do you get it?" Do you have a clear understanding of the big picture and what has been asked of you? Here’s where you identify the deliverable, the audience, the updates and documentation required, your scope of authority, and expected politics. You also write the project’s objective statement, identify the overall project risks, conduct a stakeholder analysis, and clarify what organizational support is required for the project to succeed. In the Planning phase, you’re putting it all together, meaning you’re breaking it down into pieces and figuring out who is doing what. More specifically, you create a work breakdown structure, estimate time, identify staff and resources, identify constraints, chart the schedule, and select vendors. In the Execution phase, you get it done. Now, at this point, you probably aren’t doing the work, but, just as important, you are supervising the project’s development. You assess the project status, take appropriate action, conduct meetings, build team cohesiveness, and of course, resolve any conflict that may develop. In the Close Out phase you examine the finished product. Specifically, you edit the materials, validate, deliver the product, and document the lessons learned. I’ll admit that project management is near and dear to my heart these days because I’m managing one of the biggest projects of my life - MY WEDDING! Yes, I was filled with a bundle of nerves and anxiety until I pulled out my Langevin Project Management Manual. The four steps have simplified my life! So, how does the Concept phase fit into my wedding? I have to be clear on the end result, my scope of authority (I can’t forget my fiancé in all this), and the expected politics! Can you say, "Seating Chart?" I’ve also begun the Planning phase, thinking about the venue, caterer, flowers, music, photographer, and guest list, just to name a few. I’m not in the Execution phase yet but trust that my facilitation and communication skills will come in handy (and save me from any bridezilla moments). I’ll have to get back to you regarding the Close Out phase but I’m confident that the finished product will be fabulous! Many thanks to Langevin for giving me the tools to plan a successful wedding! Check out our Project Management Course and you too, can benefit from many successful projects back on the job. Marsha

One of my favorite Ben Franklin quotes is; "When you are finished learning, you are finished." Learning, and therefore developing ourselves, should be an on-going process, and not just something we do when we go, or return, to school/college, or when we get a new job, for example. As trainers, professional growth needs to be an on-going process because our increased skill-set will directly impact our learners as well as the whole organization. There exists an unlimited assortment of data on the subject of professional growth. In the following paragraphs, I would also like to make my contribution on this matter. A critical component of professional growth is comparison. A dedicated professional should be aware of his/her strengths and weaknesses. By learning new skills that will help us make adjustments to improve upon our weaknesses, as well as make enhancements towards our strengths, we should see growth. This growth provides us with the valuable data that we need to be able to compare our previous performance to our current performance. I liken the approach to a marathon runner who is constantly training and developing him/herself for the goal of lowering the time it takes to finish a race. A locked-in goal gives us focus and a determination to improve. A constant comparison of our performance also keeps us sharp. In conclusion, I would like to provide an invaluable tip about comparison. Do not compare yourself with others, because the outcome is often either a feeling of superiority over others, or a feeling of inferiority because of our perceived inadequacies. Either way it is a lose-lose approach. Focus on yourself instead, because that is the only thing that you can control. What’s your number one tip for professional growth? Ron

I recently had the opportunity to review a web-based training module designed by an experienced designer of instructor-led training. This was her first attempt using an e-Learning authoring tool and applying her instructional design skills to e-Learning. When reviewing an on-line tutorial I focus on three key areas: instructional soundness, functionality, and graphical appeal. In order for the WBT tutorial to be successful it must satisfy all three of these key areas. If it is graphically appealing and functional, but doesn’t teach anything (that is, not instructionally sound), then it will not be successful. Similarly, if it is instructionally sound and looks good, but doesn’t work properly, then it will frustrate learners, hindering their success. To be successful, a WBT tutorial needs to address all three key areas. Here are some of the specific items I look for when reviewing a WBT module: Instructional Soundness Instruction is based on tasks and steps at a level of detail targeted to the learners.  The objective of the module is well structured. The amount of practice is adequate. Auto-direct feedback is timely, clear, and relevant. A variety of question types are used in quizzes. Functionality The module is easy to navigate. Audio quality is good. Instructions are clear. A variety of media is used. A progress bar is used to let learners know where they are in the module. Graphical Appeal Text is easy to read. Color pallet is appealing. Overall look and feel is appealing. Cosmetic graphics are kept to a minimum. This instructional designer’s first attempt at building an on-line tutorial was a success. She focused on the three key areas, and with a few minor revisions, is ready to validate the tutorial with a group of learners. Her success was greatly enhanced by her ability to apply the knowledge and skills learned in Langevin’s "Designing Web-Based Training" workshop. So, when it comes to designing successful WBT, remember two out of three isn’t enough; all three key areas must be addressed. Steve

In a recent Training Manager workshop, we had a spirited discussion relating to New Employee Orientation (NEO) and Onboarding programs for new employees. It started when I asked the group to define the difference between these two terms, as I’ve heard them tossed around a lot lately and often times interchangeably. During the discussion I posed the question "What constitutes an effective onboarding program?" What I received was a bunch of conflicting opinions. Post-workshop, I took this ‘hot topic’ to our SMEs at Langevin’s Alumni Group on LinkedIn. Here’s the skinny on the Orientation/Onboarding debate: To begin with, most of our Langevin Alumni agreed that "Orientation" and "Onboarding" are not necessarily the same thing, although in my experience, it really seems to differ from one organization to the next. One LLS Alumnus defined orientation as the provision of information specific to what a new employee might need to know about the company they’ve joined and the culture where they’ll work (org chart, benefits, code of conduct, harassment, compliance, etc.). Often it is the training department that conducts these sessions and they can be done in a variety of ways (ILT, technology-based, or paper-based). Onboarding is defined as the knowledge and skill an employee will need to perform their job function (synonymous with how Langevin defines training) and can take place via classroom instruction, on-the-job training, e-Learning or a blended approach. Again, many organizations marry the two and simply call the mainstreaming process of a new position, onboarding. One thing everyone did agree on is that this process, whatever you want to call it, is a crucial element to both individual and organizational success and establishes a strong foundation for the future. So, just what is the key to a good onboarding program? Michael Watkins, author of The First 90 Days and renowned leadership transition expert, offers guidelines for successful employee onboarding programs. Below are five simple steps to make a great first impression on your new employees. Clearly define the job role and represent it honestly. Few things are more disappointing to a new employee than the realization that the job they were offered is far different from what they’ll actually be doing. Misrepresenting the employee’s new role destroys trust immediately, after which no amount of orientation efforts can undo the initial damage. Consider creating a task list for new employees (according to their role), clearly stating what they will do on the job. Have all relevant paperwork ready. Make sure all administrative forms, such as employment, direct deposit, and benefits are ready to be completed on day one so the new employees can begin to focus on the more job-specific content. Clarify the company culture. To avoid future confusion (or embarrassment), provide employees with company information, policies, dress code, etc. If the organization has a New Employee Handbook (which your training department may help to create), distribute it early and make sure all employees know how to use it. Create a written plan detailing job objectives and standards. Documented objectives and expectations help diminish any confusion about a new employee’s job function and opens up the floor to discuss concerns or new opportunities. If documented standards don’t exist in your organization (sounds crazy, right - it happens all the time), you may have to create them (a.k.a. task analysis). Think beyond the first few days. After sixty to ninety days, request formal feedback on the new employee’s experience in your NEO/Onboarding program. You can also solicit feedback from the employee’s supervisor. Take this opportunity to address any issues or concerns as well as to note any accomplishments so all parties are confident that the new employee is poised for success in his or her role. Now, I’d love to hear from you, Langevin Alumni! What training, resources, and other events make up your organization’s onboarding program? Melissa

In part 1 of this three-part blog series, I discussed the first of three influence styles proposed by John R. Hook in his book, The Agile Manager’s Guide to Influencing People—logic. The second influence style the author mentions is called common vision. This style often includes a bit of logical and factual information, but it also appeals heavily to the values and emotions of the person you are trying to influence. The common vision style specifically focuses on the individual’s hopes and aspirations. The influencer attempts to generate excitement about a better future for which the other person values (either for him/herself, others, or the organization). Mr. Hook, the book’s author, shares a personal example of using the common vision style. He describes a situation where he attempts to "sell" an idea to his superior, a university president. Based on the description provided, the president likely possessed the traits of a visionary personality (e.g. insightful, idealistic, committed to a cause, etc.). Mr. Hook approached him accordingly, using common vision influence. The example gives a detailed account of the following scenario:  As a way to generate extra revenue for the university, Mr. Hook proposes the idea of establishing a management development center. The premise was to have local business leaders pay for consulting services from faculty members who were employed in the university’s school of business. Logical arguments were made to the university president; however, according to Hook, his superior wasn’t sold on the idea, until he finally persuaded him with a common vision argument. In his own words, Hook addressed the president by saying, "When we get the center operating, we’ll have our business school faculty in the boardrooms of many local businesses. People will recognize that our faculty members, who can do a good job with these senior managers, must be doing a great job with students at the college. The reputation of our institution will undoubtedly grow." Because the university president was a visionary, "big picture"-type of thinker, and was committed to the growth and development of the university, Mr. Hook was successful in using a common vision influence style to encourage the president into agreeing to his idea. Have you ever used a common vision approach when trying to influence someone? Did it prove to be a successful strategy? I’d love to hear your success stories, or lessons learned! Stay tuned for the third and final installment of this three-part blog series in which I’ll discuss the third influence style proposed by John R. Hook: mutual participation. Jeff

Achieving success is an ongoing process of learning and growing. All of our experiences become teachable moments during our journey to become the best that we can be. As a trainer, it is important to incorporate our life lessons into our training. I have narrowed some of my lessons into "Linda’s Four C’s." Confidence - Having a background in theatre, I learned early on that showing fear during an audition or a performance did not benefit me. Through regular practice I learned to control my nervousness and anxiety. You may be familiar with the commercial that states, "Never let them see you sweat." When I observe someone who is visibly nervous, I find myself breathing for them. I really want them to succeed. Our learners want us to succeed as well. However, they need to feel confident in our ability to train. It’s important for us as trainers to trust what we know and to project confidence in our delivery. We cover this in more detail in our Instructional Techniques for New Instructors Workshop. Commitment - As an actor, I had to commit to my character, learn my lines, and show up prepared to perform. Without that commitment I am a huge disappointment to myself, to my fellow actors, and to the audience. In training we have to learn our content, commit to our learners, and show up prepared. It is important to embrace high standards and successful results. All of this requires our commitment. Creativity - Theatre is all about creativity. It is important for the actor to breathe life into the lines and lift them off the page and make them live. As trainers we must breathe life into our material so that we can set our learners up for success. I often hear trainers complain that their material is dry and boring. I believe it is our job to infuse our creativity into the instructional design and delivery of our training to spice things up. This can be done by using brainteasers, icebreakers, games, storytelling, and music, etc. The list is endless. However, we must be willing to take risks and step away from our comfort zone. Compassion - Actors must experience compassion for the characters they take on, particularly if that character possesses traits that are totally opposite to who the actor really is. As trainers, it is important that we show compassion to our learners. Often we are faced with adult learners who demonstrate challenging behaviors. These are the learners who attempt to push all of our buttons. It may not be easy, however, it has been my experience that showing compassion in the class or during an off-line conversation proves (more times than not) a real game changer. There’s a quote that states, "People don’t care about how much you know but how much you care." It is also important to show compassion for ourselves. Trainers want to do a great job and when things don’t go as planned we can often become our worst critics by focusing on everything that is going wrong while forgetting to acknowledge all that is going well. It’s important to remember that we too are human. We can have a bad day and we can, and will, make mistakes. These mistakes provide an opportunity to learn, grow, and do better the next time. I have found that when I consciously walk into the classroom armed with my Four C’s - Confidence, Commitment, Creativity, and Compassion, I am setting myself and my learners up for a successful day of training. I hope you will enjoy adding "Linda’s Four C’s" to your training toolbox! Linda

Color me crazy but I’ve always been a big fan of color. We start learning the primary colors as children, graduate to the 64-color Crayola crayon box as older children, and finally, as adults, we go totally crazy at the interior paint store trying to decide between misty blue and cabana green for our walls! The internet provides lots of information about how color affects our central nervous system, moods, and emotions. In 1986, researchers at the University of Minnesota along with 3M Corporation® did a study to measure the effects of color used in audio visual aids on employee attention and comprehension. They found that when black and white slides were replaced by colored ones, the audience attention and comprehension improved by 43%! So, how can we benefit as trainers from this conclusion? When we choose to use PowerPoint slides, Kevin Lerner, Founder of The Presentation Team Marketing Company, offers these tips: Blue - Blue is a common background color that has a calming and conservative tone which slows the breathing and pulse rates. Green - Green is a great color to promote interaction between learners. Red - Red is the most influential color but be careful as it can have negative cultural connotations. Do not use red for financial tables or charts. Yellow - Use yellow in small amounts to highlight key points or to draw attention to something. If you use yellow as a background color it may create feelings of frustration and anger. Black - Black can be used for a background color as well. It is also powerful when used as a fade-in color to communicate finality. White - White communicates purity and simplicity. Use white when you want learners to focus on the message. Purple - Since purple communicates wisdom and spirituality, purple is a good color for emotional or spiritual presentations. These colorful tips can help your slides effectively promote learner engagement, attention, and retention, but remember, slides are only one small part of a successful course. Be sure to include plenty of hands-on practice exercises as well! Do you have any colorful slide tips to share? Lynne

The end of a workshop can be a critically important time. Certainly, it is the final chance to reinforce the learning that occurred during the training. However, a strong, well-organized ending serves other important functions as well. Let’s be honest, for many of us, "The End" happens just before the end-of-course surveys are handed out—and, of course, we want our participants to be in a very positive mood when those are completed! Additionally, "The End" is also a marketing opportunity. If your participants walk out of the room feeling as though their time was well spent, they are more likely to speak well of your training to their peers and supervisors, and willingly return for more training in the future. So, what should be included in the ending? These are some of the things I generally include: Restate the workshop summary objective. What was the main focus of the training? At the beginning of each workshop, I survey the participants for the most important things they want to get from the workshop. As we accomplish each item, I check them off and then refer to the key points at the conclusion of the workshop. Ask the participants to share their most valuable "take-aways." This reinforces relevant skills and knowledge that might not have been recognized by others in the workshop. Encourage participants to use their new skills back in the workplace to obtain their personal return on investment for the time spent in the classroom. A short discussion about relapse prevention is valuable. There are many reasons not to incorporate what was learned in day-to-day operations—that is, relapse into the old way of doing things. Using new skills is always a little more challenging at first because it takes time, thought, and effort and co-workers or supervisors may be resistant. A relapse prevention strategy includes identifying the obstacles the may arise in practicing the new skills, while still in the supportive environment of the classroom, along with strategies for recognizing and overcoming these obstacles. Developing these strategies before the obstacles arise is vital for preventing relapse in the workplace. Recognize the participants’ accomplishments or certifications and thank them for their hard work during training. A strong closing quote or statement is a nice way to wrap up the ending. For example, Mia Hamm’s statement "I’ve worked too hard and too long to let anything stand in the way of my goals. I will not let my teammates down and I will not let myself down." Plato said "The beginning is the most important part." He was right, but for us, as trainers, "The End," our last chance to interact with our participants in this workshop, is nearly as important. Paul

It is difficult to give feedback, and it can certainly be difficult to receive if it is not done properly. The last thing we want to do is attack someone or make that person feel bad. I can think of one television program in particular that became famous for how one of its judges gave feedback to the performers. Of course, I’m referring to Simon Cowell. People tuned in to American Idol each week to hear how vicious and cruel his comments could be. In the training world we’re constantly giving feedback to our learners. If we’re going to be effective, it’s important to change how we view feedback. Really, it’s like a gift we give our participants by helping them improve their skills. In our Instructional Techniques for New Instructors workshop we offer the following tips for effective feedback:  After every response or exercise learners should receive feedback. Give feedback at the earliest opportunity. Be sure the learner wants the feedback rather than imposing it. Be as specific as possible. Try to express feedback positively rather than negatively. If negative feedback is necessary, point out what was positive before dealing with the negatives. Say things like, "I would have preferred it if you had…" or "I had difficulty when…" Try to avoid saying, "You should…" Be descriptive rather than judgmental. Interestingly enough, as trainers, we are also on the receiving end when we get the learners’ feedback at the end of the session. I’ve always said that good feedback improves morale but it’s constructive feedback that improves behavior. Trust me, I enjoy getting positive comments from participants - it makes my day - but I remember every constructive comment that I’ve ever received in all my years with Langevin. I’ve learned from those comments and incorporated the suggestions I received. Some of the feedback I have received has been related to my presentation skills, for example, "Watch the fidgeting." Other times it was relevant to my facilitation skills, "Sometimes the discussion went on too long." These suggestions have made me a better trainer and therefore, more effective in my job. When I give feedback, I view it the same way. I’ve made someone better and more effective in his or her job. So, are you able to give effective feedback? And conversely, are you able to receive it? Marsha

As trainers, we find ourselves attending as many meetings as those staff members in other parts of the organization. The types of meetings we might attend are incredibly varied; they can range from a product launch to a strategic planning session. When people hear about an upcoming meeting, they will usually ask a few standard questions: Who is attending? When and where will it be? What’s it about? Here are a few additional questions you can consider for yourself, as a training professional. Answering the questions below will help produce a much better outcome for you, the others involved, and the organization. Each question is followed with extra queries that can help you get the most helpful answers. What relationship do the attendees have to each other? Is it a manager and some employees, or multiple managers? Do some of them report to others? Do they work well together? What has their past working relationship been like? What desired outcome do the attendees likely have in mind? What have these people asked of you in the past? What organizational plans are related to this meeting? How ready are you to commit to the likely plans this meeting will produce? What are the attendees’ biggest concerns lately? What has been happening in their part of the organization? What are the current challenges they face? If you were one of them, what would be keeping you up at night? What organizational objectives are related to this meeting? How does this meeting relate to the organization’s strategic plan? What priority do the related business objectives have on the strategic plan? Are there other objectives that compete or conflict with the ones affected by this meeting? What relationship do you have with the attendees? How have past interactions gone? What has gone well with these people before? What hasn’t gone well? What do these people think of you personally or professionally? What do the attendees think of the training group or training in general? What have past training projects been like? Do these people believe in performance-based training? What expectations have they had about training in the past? How do they think your group fits into the organization? What image should you present to the attendees? What is the key message you want to give them? What are your group’s current and long-term goals? How do you believe your group fits into the organization? You don’t have to answer every question in this article, just pay attention to the seven main ones. However, the additional questions may help produce some useful answers to the main ones. A few extra minutes of thought before a meeting can produce many hours of extra productivity afterwards. May your meetings be merry and meaningful! Alan

Isn’t it great that we were given two ears and only one mouth - and isn’t it too bad that we sometimes don’t take advantage of that 2:1 ratio? We are all familiar with the sounds of a baby crying, the honking of a car horn, or the up-beat sounds of thousands of people cheering in a football stadium. However, when someone is sharing something emotional or personal with us, do we really hear and therefore, understand them? There are several Langevin workshops where we practice some of the key listening skills: reflecting feelings, paraphrasing, and summarizing, just to name a few. I always preface these exercises with the statement, "These exercises will be, for many of us, some of the most challenging we will attempt in any of our workshops. Why do you think that is?" The discussion that follows is always very interesting. I know for many of us our parents or school teachers never taught us how to really listen, so it is a human skill many of us do not possess. I recently read a quote that stated, "The problem with communication is that many people think they are good at it, when, in reality, they are not." To listen empathetically we need to: Stop what we are doing and put away any distractions, especially cell phones. Look at the person eye-to-eye. Treat that person as if they are the most important thing to us at that moment. Slow our minds down and try not to think of an immediate response. Re-state what the person has just said. It’s important that we first understand before we respond. Learning any new skill requires practice and these steps may seem awkward at first. Empathetic listening will provide tremendous benefits. When you show respect for others by really listening to them, relationships flourish, disagreements and misunderstandings diminish, stress is reduced, and life becomes so much richer for everyone!! Are you listening? Ron

Take a look at the major online job boards and you will see a number of instructional design positions. The job descriptions range greatly in their requirements, from designing WBT only, to designing all of the training strategies. If you need to hire an instructional designer, it is important to know exactly what you want so you can acquire a designer with the required knowledge and skills. Here is a five-step process to assist you in hiring the instructional designer who is right for your organization. Identify Application Criteria In addition to submitting a resume, you may want to ask candidates to submit a sample of their design work. Also, decide if you will have candidates complete a test as part of the interview process. List Competencies Required Make a list of the skills and knowledge that your designer will need. Keep in mind that instructional designers need conceptual skills such as planning and analysis, interpersonal skills to work with SMEs and IT, and technical skills when working with software, including e-learning authoring tools. List Character Traits Required Think of the traits that will be required for the designer to fit within your organization. Include traits such as creativity, flexibility, pride in producing quality work, and the ability to receive constructive feedback. List Testing Requirements It is very common to ask candidates to complete short tests at the end of an interview. Develop a short computer test to see if the candidate can, for example, format a document according to requirements. Consider a grammar, punctuation, and proofreading test to see if the candidate can spot errors in a sample. Finally, have the candidate produce a task analysis on a topic of their choice. List Work Sample Assessment Criteria Develop a checklist to assess a sample of the candidates’ previous work. The checklist criteria should ensure the sample is instructionally sound and contains need-to-know rather than nice-to-know information. Once you have completed the five-step process you have, in fact, developed a competency-based hiring profile. You are now ready to begin screening resumes. Screen the resumes to eliminate candidates who do not meet your competency-based hiring profile. Then when you begin the interview process, the candidates selected have the core competencies of the instructional designer that you need. In addition, you know exactly what you want. Following this five-step process will help you find the instructional designer that is right for your organization. Steve

Have you ever thrown a party for a friend or family member? How about renovating a home or planning your own wedding? If you’ve ever been in charge of any major undertaking, congratulations—you’ve managed a project! Overseeing any of these projects requires discipline and organization when it comes to time, resources, and budget. While you may not be planning parties at work, chances are, as a training professional, you’ll be asked to manage a project at some point. In the training field the most common type of project is the instructional design of a training program, and as the Project Manager you’ll need to know where to start, what steps to follow next, and how to maximize your chances for project success. At Langevin, we teach a process-driven project management system adapted specifically to the training field. In my experience, having a structured process to follow makes project management easier, whether you’re planning a wedding or leading a training-related project. The process we teach consists of four easy-to-follow phases, beginning with the Concept phase, followed by Planning, then Execution, and Close Out. In this blog, I’ll take you through the process and give you a high-level overview of what happens at each phase. Let’s begin by defining the term "project." A project is a "temporary undertaking to create a specifically-defined deliverable." Notice the word "temporary" in the definition; it implies that every project has a linear life—a beginning and an end. "Project Management" is "the process of acquiring, organizing, and coordinating personnel and material resources to ensure a deliverable is complete, on time, within budget, and in accordance with specifications." These are the four phases of our Project Management Cycle: Concept:  In this phase, you want a clear understanding of the project requirements, including: what the deliverable is, who it’s for, your client’s priorities, its stakeholders, and how you’ll keep your client informed about the status of the project. Planning: The most crucial part of the planning phase is figuring out all the major tasks that need to be completed so you can estimate the time and resources needed. We call this a Work Breakdown Structure (the most critical step in the PM process). Once you’ve estimated how much time is required to complete the project, you can identify the resources you’ll require for the project, the most important of which is your staff. Execution: Your role as Project Manager is to ensure the team members assigned to each task complete the work on time and according to budget and specifications. You then report the project status to your stakeholders. Make sure you address the following three items in either your written or verbal status reports: accomplishments/major milestones that have been completed since the last report, a list of, and explanation for, any tasks that are behind schedule/any other variances in the plan, and finally, a list and description of any pending items/upcoming critical tasks for the coming period. Close Out: The last and final phase of our Project Management cycle involves verifying the deliverable against its specifications. This means paying attention to detail! We suggest a multi-level editing system that involves several edits (one each for content, grammar/punctuation, and format). Finally, document lessons learned once the project is complete—look at whether the project was a success according to the client’s expectations and specifications and identify any mistakes so they may be avoided in future projects. Once you’ve completed the Lessons Learned Report, you’ve completed the four phases of our Project Management Cycle. If you follow this process for your next training project (upcoming wedding, holiday party, or home renovation), you should be able to conceptualize, plan, and coordinate your project on time, within resource requirements, and to specifications. If project management is something you’d like to explore further, consider our two-day workshop, "Project Management for Trainers" or our "Project Management for Trainers Resource Kit" (a user-friendly self-study guide). Melissa

In parts 1 and 2 of this three-part blog series, I discussed two of three influence styles proposed by John R. Hook in his book, The Agile Manager’s Guide to Influencing People—logic and common vision. The final influence style we’ll examine is called mutual participation. This style relies heavily on dialogue with the other person. In this dialogue, the influencer doesn’t push his/her own point of view. Instead, ideas are drawn out from the other person. The influencer constantly lets the other person know that his/her ideas and contributions are valued and appreciated. In the end, the other person buys into the idea because they feel they helped develop it. I’ve successfully used this influence style in the corporate classroom when I’ve encountered participant(s) who seem to possess a "know-it-all" personality. I immediately acknowledge that person’s expertise. Sometimes, that’s done in simple conversation or I’ll use an activity like an icebreaker, where their years of experience are focused upon. From there, I start working on their ego. Whenever they say or do something that has actual value or merit, I go out of my way to publically acknowledge that. Lastly, I put them to work. I try to obtain as much information and involvement from that participant as possible. I ask their opinions. I enlist their help with tasks. With a watchful eye, I might even ask them to coach or mentor less experienced participants. One of my favorite classroom activities allows the "know-it-all" participant to either complete an individual brainstorming session or lead a group brainstorming session. I carefully position the brainstorm so it captures all the information that I’d normally present anyway; however, at this point, I’m not viewed as the authority that pushed my personal ideas, beliefs, and information. The participant(s) are responsible for their own information. Using this technique, I’ve learned that people don’t argue with their own data! Have you ever used mutual participation to influence someone? Did this tactic prove to be a success or a failure? Please, share your experience(s) with our readers! If you find yourself in a situation where you have no real authority or power, I encourage you to use influence as a tactic to get what you need and want. As with any interpersonal situation, I’d recommend carefully processing the information you have, consider personality types, and use the appropriate influence style. And, if you want to learn much more about influence, consider taking our How to Influence People and Events workshop! Jeff

Sure, you’ve all heard of the side-conversationalist, the late-comer, and the teacher’s pet, but I have four new types of difficult learners to add to your list. These learners (and their accompanying challenges) spring from the digital age in which we now live and work. Just when you think you’ve developed strategies to deal with all types of difficult learners, these new ones are now in the mix to challenge your training day! In this blog I will give you a description of these modern-day difficult learners so you can recognize them when you encounter them! 1. The Stealth Texter - This participant tries to be discreet by sending text messages beneath the table from the phone on their lap. Their eyes are never on you but instead they are looking down at their laps all day. They think you do not notice them and they have convinced themselves they can both actively listen to you and send a text message at the same time! 2. The Nervy Texter - This participant is completely opposite from the Stealth Texter. At least that person tries to be discreet! The Nervy Texter sends text messages and checks his or her Facebook page from their phone directly in plain view of the instructor and fellow learners. They do not care what anyone thinks; they feel their electronic device holds the key to the universe and they do not want to miss out on one single second! They think that participating in 70% of the class is good enough! I guess their boss will just have to settle for 70% job performance! 3. The Missing Person - This participant seems to have "ants in their pants." They pop in and out of class all day. They come and go for many reasons. They seem to use the restroom more than any other participant and they always have to leave the room for a very important call! This learner is similar to the Nervy Texter in that they believe that whatever content they miss is not that important. They inevitably return to class but end up bothering fellow participants as they try to catch up. 4. The Seeker - This participant is really a positive learner. They have their phone at the ready to Google just about everything the instructor doesn’t know. They hope to find all answers to all questions from the internet. They even try to Google answers to brainteasers in hopes they will be the envy of all of their classmates. They believe it is perfectly fine to interrupt the flow of the class to look everything up instead of thinking for themselves! So, now that you have a good idea of what to look for when delivering training, you can quickly recognize these new challenging participants when you see them! Once you’ve spotted them, incorporate some of your tried-and-true instructional techniques to get them refocused so they do not miss one bit of your excellent content! Good Luck! Lynne

Written By: Ron Simple Internal Marketing Techniques That Can Have a Big Impact With so many tasks on our training plates, from needs analysis to course evaluations, we often forget about the importance of marketing our training. I have read that trainers are not considered good marketers. We are outgoing, confident, and frequently in front of an audience, so how can this be? When I ask clients why they believe we are ineffective at marketing, I get responses ranging from, "I am too busy," (which I hear most often), to "I don’t like to brag or boast." Marketing our efforts is critical if we don’t want to be given meaningless work or, even worse, to be considered during the next downsizing. I would like to provide some encouragement regarding marketing. Marketing your training does not only include the posters, banners, T-shirts, or company newsletters, which can be time consuming; it also consists of the day-to-day activities conducted by your department. Marketing is frequently the simple things that we often forget, or take for granted. Believe it or not marketing is also simply saying hello, smiling, and listening. It is how you dress and walk. Everything we say and do, or don’t say or do, has a marketing impact. As training leaders, we need our staff to be fully aware of how their daily activities can have a significant impact on marketing. Nobody in the organization will want to use our services if training is perceived to be an unfriendly, uncomfortable, or unprofessional environment. We have all heard stories of customers who are willing to pay more for the same product at a store that has superb customer service. So, go out and create the brand of training you can be proud of. It really does not take a great deal of time.  

Written by: Paul What is blended learning? Must it combine an e-learning component with something else? Are the terms hybrid solution or mixed-mode solution different from blended learning? Everyone seems to define blended learning their own way. A little bit of context would be useful. Blended learning fits many environments, but its first use was probably in the academic world. Given the cost of traditional classroom training to both the institution and the learner, less expensive content-delivery solutions were needed. For instance, an introductory chemistry class via a web-based training tutorial coupled with an actual laboratory experience would meet the needs of the both the institution and the student in a cost-efficient manner. If blended learning makes sense in an academic environment, it certainly makes sense in the cash-strapped training world. In the training environment (skills and knowledge used in the workplace for the current job), this implies a performance-based blend. While a blended learning solution often contains an e-learning component, a broader, more traditional and realistic definition for blended learning in a training context is simply a combination of strategies to promote more effective performance in the workplace. With this definition, hybrid and mixed-mode solutions are basically synonymous with blended learning. To qualify as a blended solution, there must be one or more core training strategies. A core training strategy is the primary way, or ways, skills are presented and practiced. These strategies may be traditional or e-learning. More than one core training solution may be adopted to meet the needs of a diverse audience. For example, with computer systems training, two core training solutions might include a web-based training tutorial for the more computer literate members of the target audience and an instructor-led training class for those unfamiliar with the use of computers. In addition to the core training strategy, a performance-based blended solution includes performance support activities. These are activities that provide information or knowledge that is supplemental to the core training solution, or additional practice or reinforcement back in the workplace. These activities may occur before or after training (or both) and they can be mandatory or optional. There are many activities that can enhance the effectiveness of the core training solution(s). Just a few examples include advance information, coaching sessions, assigned reading, and group discussion. The performance support activities may provide the learner with additional practice or an opportunity to share knowledge and experience. While there are many advantages in providing performance support activities, the bottom line is that the core training has been made more effective and, therefore, learner performance back in the workplace is improved. There really is no single answer to what an ideal blended solution would look like. If the learners do their jobs better as a result of the blended training initiative, it has been successful. Langevin Learning Services has an excellent one-day workshop called Blended Learning that provides a process, tools, many industry examples, and a whole host of take-aways to make crafting a blended solution easy.

Written by: Ron My first experience with personal creativity came when I was asked to design an evening management course for a university. I took the task very seriously as I wrote up a few lesson plans for the dean to review. He reminded me that I would be teaching an evening class for adult learners who had been working all day and would probably be coming in a little tired. I did not understand the relevance of this statement until after he looked at my lesson plans and bluntly said, "If you were a student, would you want to sit through what you just created? Be honest." When my response was "No," he quickly responded, "Why?" This is when it dawned on me that the lesson plans I had generated lacked creativity and were BORING. What great advice I received that day when the dean said, "Boring you say? Precisely. Now do it over. Just because we are an accredited university it doesn’t mean learning can’t be fun." Albert Einstein stated that the average human mind uses only 3% of its capacity for creativity. Wow! Only 3%. Why do you think that is? It’s not because of the lack of creative techniques available. We all have access to books, websites, and other people for creative ideas. I believe we are responsible for constructing our own barriers by not allowing ourselves to be creative for fear of looking foolish and tarnishing our reputation. Fear can make us joyless souls! Many times I have convinced instructional designers that it is okay to let go and have some fun when creating material. I don’t want to give the impression that an instructional designer’s job is not important. I just feel that any program can benefit from creativity. Besides, most people are savvy enough to know if their creativity is going too far. If you are not sure, then run it by someone you trust. We are all undoubtedly creative at home with family and friends, so why not in the workplace as well? Even if your company culture is more traditional when it comes to training programs and instructional techniques, you can start slowly. Incorporate just one slightly creative technique into your next training program and see how it flies. If successful, add a second one to your next training and so forth. As the saying goes, "Rome wasn’t built in a day." Convincing a corporate culture to accept creative, yet effective training programs can take time. Keep in mind that appropriate creativity can, in fact, increase your credibility and your reputation by providing your learners with a very positive and rewarding learning experience. So, take the plunge and try designing something new, unique, or different. It will be fun, and might also help you prevent your own burnout due to designing the same old thing over and over! What techniques do you use to infuse your training programs with creativity?

Written By: Steve Your accounting department has policies, your HR department has policies, and IT has policies, so what about your training department? Training managers and departments in many organizations do not have policies that guide the operation of training and provide a reference for decision making. A lack of policies can leave us open to rash decisions and poor practices. Keep in mind that policies outline nothing more, and nothing less, than the way the training function operates. Policies indicate what the training function wants done and why it wants it done. Without policies, issues can arise from the planning of training to the development, delivery, and evaluation of training. Training department policies should be clear and well written. By following the 5 steps below, your policies will be complete and also reduce the chance they will be open to interpretation. Here are the 5 steps to writing an effective training department policy: Describe what the rule is. Be clear, concise and direct. Explain why it exists. The rule exists usually to ensure something or to prevent something from happening. State when the rule applies. Outline the conditions under which the rule becomes active. State to whom the rule applies. Consider the people who might be affected by the rule; employees, supervisors, trainers, training managers, etc. Describe the consequences (if any) if the rule is not followed. Consider what should happen if an important policy is not followed. One thing to keep in mind is not to formalize everything. Never create a policy just to have one; policies should accomplish something. Well-written policies will provide a clear definition of the authority and limits of the training department. In addition, proper policies will add credibility to your training department.