Category: Learning & Development

Making an Emotional Connection to Your Learners

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Last week, I was on a flight from Phoenix to Indianapolis. Seated directly behind me was a woman holding an adorable 6-month old baby boy. Seated directly across from me was a gentleman holding an adorable 6-month old baby girl. Twins. Many people would cringe at the thought of being seated by not one, but … Continue reading Making an Emotional Connection to Your Learners

Adult Learning Principles: A Quick Refresher

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If I were keeping score, I'd say I've had at least 3 conversations this week about adult learning principles. If you've been following this blog for awhile, you might remember a post about how I migrated to the adult learning world from teaching kids. Over the years, I've learned that quite a few of us didn't start … Continue reading Adult Learning Principles: A Quick Refresher

What “Modern Family” Reminded Me About Onboarding

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Did you happen to catch Modern Family last week? I know I did! It's one of my favorite current shows. Usually, I tune in for the comedy and the great writing, but last Wednesday, I found myself taking notes. Yep - I'm a nerd like that. One of the storylines in the episode featured Mitch … Continue reading What “Modern Family” Reminded Me About Onboarding

3 Tips to Facilitate With Confidence (even when you’re not an expert)

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Have you ever been asked (or instructed) to facilitate a training session, and you're NOT the expert in the room? I think we've all been there at one time or another. It's easy to let the nerves or negative self-talk take over - a little too easy, right? How do you project authority on the … Continue reading 3 Tips to Facilitate With Confidence (even when you’re not an expert)

Trainers, remember: Context Before Content

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Recently, a friend and fellow blogger asked the question, "Is nothing sacred?" I'll give you a moment to check out the link... (insert hold music) According to this post, the answer was an emphatic no. I would have to agree. Coincidentally, I was at church this past weekend, when I had my own "Is nothing sacred?" … Continue reading Trainers, remember: Context Before Content

30 (More!) Recommended Reads for Learning Professionals

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A few weeks ago, I wrote a post with 5 reading recommendations for new trainers. Well, that post took on a life of its own! Thanks to the comments on the post and a very active discussion thread on LinkedIn, I decided to curate the suggestions and now have a library's worth of books to … Continue reading 30 (More!) Recommended Reads for Learning Professionals

3 Misconceptions About Onboarding

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The more I talk with people about onboarding, the more I learn about what people assume about the process. Let's set the record straight, and shed some light on 3 common onboarding misconceptions, and provide some clarity. Misconception #1 - Onboarding and Orientation are interchangeable terms. You know the expression, "All Kleenex are tissues, but … Continue reading 3 Misconceptions About Onboarding

Facilitators: Know Thy Audience

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At the risk of sounding buzz-wordy, Twitter, for all intents and purposes, has been a game-changer. Think about it - 10 short years ago, what did you think a "tweet" was? Ah, 2004. It was a simpler time... Over the past few years, Twitter has become not only a household name, but it is a … Continue reading Facilitators: Know Thy Audience

Me, myself, and iPhone

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Confession: I had a really, really hard time letting go of my Blackberry. There was something about those little keys that was oddly reliable and comforting. I started seeing many friends and co-workers jump on the iPhone bandwagon, and I just couldn't do it. The idea of texting and writing an email from a touch … Continue reading Me, myself, and iPhone