change - Blogs - DPG Community2024-03-29T00:09:41Zhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/feed/tag/changeWhat is the smell of your organisation?https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/what-is-the-smell-of-your-organisation2017-11-10T11:44:40.000Z2017-11-10T11:44:40.000ZAdy Howeshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdyHowes<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2217408?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>Take a moment to think about culture. What is it? Think about explaining this to someone that asked you this question. How would you do it?</p>
<p>What about culture change? How would you explain that?</p>
<p>In a session at CIPD’s Annual Conference and Exhibition in Manchester this week, DPG’s Mike Collins summed it up well. Culture, is down to the ‘smell of the place’. It could be a smell must like a field of beautiful flowers. Equally, it could be the sickening, stomach churning smell not dis-similar to that of a household rubbish dump. This presentation lasted just five minutes. It was in the Ignite format where presenters deliver a five-minute session using 20 automatically advancing slides lasting just 15 seconds each.</p>
<p>Take just five now to watch this and <strong>consider the smell of your place.</strong></p>
<p>What’s your thoughts? Is there too much Febreze being used to mask bad smells?</p>
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</div>Does HR and L&D need a good ‘nudge’?https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/does-hr-and-l-d-need-a-good-nudge2017-10-10T20:34:33.000Z2017-10-10T20:34:33.000ZGary Norrishttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/GaryNorris<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2217372?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p></p>
<p>Richard Thaler won the Noble prize in economics for his work on ‘nudge theory’ this week. Is nudge theory something we should be applying in HR and L&D? Maybe you already are?</p>
<p>Nudge theory involves affecting a person’s behaviour and choices based on subtle and indirect prompts rather than through instructions or the threat of punishment. It is a change-management tool that minimises resistance and confrontation and suggests humans are more easily affected by peer pressure than logical thought.</p>
<p>Here are some examples of nudges:</p>
<ul>
<li>Opt out instead of opt in schemes for pensions and organ donation.</li>
<li>Babies’ faces have been painted on shop shutters in areas of South-East London as people are less likely to damage something if it has a baby’s face on it.</li>
<li>The sign on the motorway roadworks that says ‘My Mummy works here’ encourages drivers to slow down.</li>
<li>Reducing the number of lifts in new buildings to encourage people (that can) to take the stairs.</li>
<li>The fly etched on the bottom of the urinal that helps to focus the user’s aim.</li>
</ul>
<p>Entertaining examples of the use of nudge theory can be found on <a href="http://www.thefuntheory.com/" target="_self">http://www.thefuntheory.com/</a></p>
<p>Examples that are more relevant to the HR world include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Having ‘email free days’ in the office which result in people getting up from their seat and going to speak to colleagues.</li>
<li>Downsized packets of paper for printers and photocopiers, thereby increasing the number of times one must fill the machine. With the aim being that people use less paper.</li>
<li>Bike-to-work, making healthy food more accessible than unhealthy food, and activity days can all help affect employee well-being.</li>
<li>Sharing information about the cost of not following Health and Safety procedure and how that cost must be recouped by the organisation can encourage compliance.</li>
</ul>
<p>As HR professionals, I’m sure we all agree that positive reinforcement is the way to affect behavioural change for the better. I think nudges can give us a ‘quick-win’ on some key issues and help us steer the ship away from those situations where people entrench themselves into arbitrary disagreement.</p>
<p>I’d love to hear about any examples of nudges in your organisations. Likewise, please share any behaviours you’d like to see changed and maybe the Community can suggest the nudge.</p>
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<p><em>(Image source: <a href="http://www.freeimages.com/photo/move-it-shorty-1309492">http://www.freeimages.com/photo/move-it-shorty-1309492</a>)</em></p>
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</div>Flourish in times of career change and transitionhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/flourish-in-times-of-career-change-and-transition2017-06-21T09:00:00.000Z2017-06-21T09:00:00.000ZRasa Misutehttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/RasaJastrumskyte<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2217295?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>My colleague Sylvia Kelly a Career Consultant / Coach at Hays Career Transition has recently published a great article about the Career Change and Transition, that I thought to share, as this might be of interest to someone else. </p><p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://social.hays.com/2017/06/08/flourish-in-times-of-career-change-and-transition/" target="_blank">https://social.hays.com/2017/06/08/flourish-in-times-of-career-change-and-transition/</a></p></div>Personal Transition through Changehttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/personal-transition-through-change2016-06-15T10:54:29.000Z2016-06-15T10:54:29.000ZRobin Hillshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/RobinHills<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216928?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>Organisations don't just change because of new systems, processes or structures. They change because the people within the organisation adapt and change too.  Only when the people within it have made their own personal transitions can an organisation truly reap the benefits of change.</p>
<p>The <em>Personal Transition through Change</em> curve is widely used in business and change management.   This tool is extensively used in all sizes of organisations across the world to understand the emotional pathway that people go through when they experience any change.</p>
<p><strong>John M. Fisher</strong> is the Chartered Psychologist who researched and developed the <em>Personal Transition through Change</em> curve.  He presented at the Tenth International Personal Construct Congress, Berlin, 1999, and subsequently developed in his work on constructivist theory in relation to service provision organisations at Leicester University, England.</p>
<p>See if you can relate to these steps:</p>
<p><b><em>Anxiety</em></b> – You don’t really know what’s going to happen next, and you aren’t sure what any change will really look like at this point.</p>
<p><b><em>Happiness</em></b> – You’ve committed to the change, and you are feeling really good about it.</p>
<p><b><em>Anger </em></b>– Some anger and frustration is directed at others, especially those who you believe are responsible for forcing the change.  At a later stage, this is directed at yourself with feelings of guilt for not having coped as well as you believe you could have.</p>
<p><b><em>Despair</em></b> – You may feel confused and apathetic and really start to wonder who you are.</p>
<p>Other pathways on the curve are:</p>
<p><strong><em>Denial </em></strong>- where you deny that any change is occurring at all</p>
<p><b><em>Disillusionment</em>  </b>- where you decide that the change does not fit with your value system and you decide to have nothing more to do with it.</p>
<p><b><em>Hostility</em></b> - where you show aggression towards yourself and others and the change, in general.</p>
<p>John explains how he came to develop the change curve and how he uses it in his work in an exclusive Ei4Change podcast.  You can listen to the full podcast through iTunes or on the <a href="http://ei4change.com/personal-transition-change/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Ei4Change website</a>.</p>
<p>Copies of the <em>Personal Transition through Change</em> curve can be downloaded free of charge, along with other free resources on the <a href="http://ei4change.com/resources/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Ei4Change Resources</a> page.</p>
</div>Sessions from CIPDLDShow to ignite your developmenthttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/sessions-from-cipdldshow-to-ignite-your-development2016-05-16T10:35:35.000Z2016-05-16T10:35:35.000ZAdy Howeshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdyHowes<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216887?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>What would you present if you had just 20 powerpoint slides lasting 15 seconds each? That was the challenge for the presenters delivering 'Ignite' sessions at this year's L&D show. An ignite session lasts just five minutes and presenters deliver the short timed presentations on a topic of their choice. It's an interesting concept and one that perhaps could be useful in our own organisations. Think about the ignite format. How could you use this in your organisation?</p>
<p>But for now, let's ignite your development with these sessions from this year's CIPD L&D Show. We got the chance to capture some of the sessions and you can enjoy them below.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Mike Collins, DPG: Don't believe the Hype</strong></p>
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<p>Mike Collins’ Ignite session at CIPD L&D Show was all about the rollercoaster process our people go through as they experience change. In this session you’ll visit the trough of disillusionment, climb the slope of enlightenment to reach the way things have always been done around here.</p>
</div>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uCvitZj1AZo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
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<p><strong>Stella Collins, <a href="http://www.stellarlearning.co.uk/" target="_blank">Stellar Learning</a>: Why you don't have to be a neuroscientist in L&D</strong></p>
<p>You don’t have to be a neuroscientist in L&D but it does help if you can find your way to valuable evidence. That was the message from Stella Collins from Stellar Learning in her Ignite session at this year’s CIPD L&D Show. During this five minute session, Stella shares six questions to help guide you through the maze of neuroscience research.</p>
<p><iframe width="559" height="419" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kEZ7bBK1xnI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
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<p><strong>David James,<a href="http://www.looop.co/" target="_blank">Looop</a>: Making social learning work</strong></p>
<p>Social learning is already working according to David James. In this session, David will explore how we can harness the power of social learning by focussing on resources rather than courses and rather measuring through learning outcomes, recognising success through performance outcomes. </p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SOvGsYSrD9Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
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<p><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/familyhrguru" target="_blank">Annette Hill</a>, From Employment to Freelance</strong></p>
<p>Annette Hill shares the emotions she had and the considerations she made in her career journey. Using photographs from a recent trip, Annette tells the story from employment to freelance. </p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-CPjjRKGGRM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
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<p><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/dougshaw1" target="_blank">Doug Shaw</a>, Viewing your work through an artistic lens</strong></p>
<p>In this Ignite session Doug Shaw had an extra challenge when his beautiful hand-drawn Powerpoint slides hadn’t arrived due to technical problems. Watch as he thinks on his feet and brings his session to life without a slide in sight. Artwork and genius working hand in hand.</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mg9Q6B9s4EU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<hr />
<p>So, how could you use Ignite sessions in your organisation? What would your topic be? How would you approach writing your session?</p>
</div>Marginal Gains Theoryhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/marginal-gains-theory2014-10-21T11:05:26.000Z2014-10-21T11:05:26.000ZAdy Howeshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdyHowes<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216295?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>A video I came across recently was this one from David Brailsford, manager of Team Sky, the Cycling Team. It's not necessarily the case that I'm a huge cycling fan (put me on a bike and I'll prove it). It's more I'm fascinated behind the work that has been down to drive forward the performance of this team.</p>
<p>After all, that's largely what we're here to do in L&D.  Have a watch and have a think. What are the marginal gains that can be made in your teams and organisations? What are the small "quick wins" so to speak that can be done today? What are the small increments of change that can happen right now, each and every day, until the point that when you add the benefits of each little action, you can massive results.</p>
<p>Would love to hear your thoughts on how this relates to our world of L&D....</p>
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<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fzjppuixP04" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
</div>Do you ignore the elephant in the room?https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/do-you-ignore-the-elephant-in-the-room2014-09-01T09:40:09.000Z2014-09-01T09:40:09.000ZKrystyna Gaddhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/KrystynaGadd<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216253?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>There are sometimes when you plan for things to happen in a training workshop and they do. Other times you don't plan and something quite unexpected happens. A few weeks ago, I was running a <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.howtoacceleratelearning.co.uk/courses/featured/the-learning-loop-course/" target="_blank">Learning Loop</a> workshop for an organisation in York.</p>
<p>The planned outcomes for the 2 days were around learning accelerated learning principles as well as boosting their creativity; something achievable and measurable. Something, that because of the very nature of the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.howtoacceleratelearning.co.uk/courses/featured/the-learning-loop-course/" target="_blank">Learning Loop</a> game, was beginning to happen.</p>
<p>As the afternoon went on though, something was sticking. In spite of their enthusiasm for seeing accelerated learning in action and experiencing its effects, something was stopping them from believing that they could implement some of the ideas that were growing.</p>
<p>The elephant in the room started to grow and it was apparent who was feeding it. One of the directors could not envisage a major client buying into doing things creatively and making them engaging. Their style was traditional and this was being imposed onto the organisation. What was I to do? Reassure them that their tough issues will get addressed later in the day? Ignore the elephant, hoping it will go away?</p>
<p>Seeing the passion for their business but also the frustration they were feeling, we stopped where we were and used some creativity tools to see how we could "break the rules" that were holding them back. Allowing time to address "the elephant", gave two very busy and successful directors an opportunity to look at things differently.</p>
<p>They would say I fixed something for them, but actually, what I did was give them the space to come up with their own solution. A solution they put into practice the very next day when speaking to a prospective client. The courage and conviction they demonstrated was backed up by the deep seated passion for what they love to do and enabled them to step out in faith that they knew what they were doing.</p>
<p>The point of this story is not so much about what I did or did not do, but one of evolution. Session plans are great, as are focussed objectives, but if you ignore the elephant, it only acts as a barrier to change, no matter how motivated the individuals are.</p>
<p>Now this may already be obvious, but the cartoon for me, symbolises what happens when you don't evolve as an organisation. The differences may not seem so great between a mammoth and an elephant, but they were great enough to allow one to survive. So what is holding you back as an organisation and stopping you from evolving?</p>
</div>Getting Over The Social Media Wallhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/getting-over-the-social-media-wall2014-08-19T11:15:42.000Z2014-08-19T11:15:42.000ZJulie Drybroughhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/JulieDrybrough<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216233?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357547?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357547?profile=original" width="736" class="align-center"></a><br> <strong>(aka: Why I think if you work in L&D/OD you should be active on Social Media.)</strong></p>
<p>So I’ve been thinking.</p>
<p>I’ve been in few conversations of late with folk who work in organisations and whose job seems to be about delivering/ improving people development or engagement or organisational culture. At the same time, I’m in conversations with those who are consultants, external experts, trainers, facilitators, coaches – folk who offer to design and deliver interventions for clients or into a client system.</p>
<p>And I keep bumping into some sort of Social Media Wall.</p>
<p>On one side of it, there are a community of practitioners who have embraced Social Media – they Tweet, Blog, their presentations are swoopingly Prezi-ed or eye dazzlingly Haiku Decked. They have TED talks at their finger tips, can crowd source ideas in under 10 minutes through Twitter and can tell you what the emerging live themes from a HR Conference in Austin, Texas seem to be. They know a MOOC from a Module and can discuss the benefits of either. They are in touch with practitioners from France, Romania, UAE South Africa, India, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada & the USA, with everyone in between. They carry chargers with them everywhere.</p>
<p>On the other side of the Wall, there are a community of practitioners who embrace networking on a face to face basis. They keep up to date by reading widely, meeting and talking with others, using the Web for research purposes. They go to conferences annually to understand and consider what is emerging in the field. They read publications that give news from the wider Profession. They are often widely connected and networked still, with the capacity to pull in new thinking through the virtue of who they know. They carry chargers with them most places (it’s universal issue).</p>
<p>Now before I go further – I’m not saying one is right or good or The Only Way is So-Me – I’m laying out what I think I see here. I am aware that I am making generalisations– work with me a little? For the purposes of the point, I need to work with a broad brush.</p>
<p>I think it is fair to say I’m firmly on the “Active” side of the social media wall. I tweet, blog on both Wordpress and LinkedIn now; I’ve spoken about use-of-Social Media to groups of practioners; I’m up to my eyes in getting the <a rel="nofollow" title="L&D Connect Unconference, Glasgow 3rd October" href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/scotld-connect-unconference-2-tickets-11280236491">L&D Connect Unconference </a>going in Glasgow on 3rd October (shameless, unsubtle plug – welcome to Social Media) I’m working with “virtual” groups in organisations to build virtual networks and communities of practice…..</p>
<p>And so here is the thing… the thing that’s kind of scratching at me – I am increasingly having to translate some of the activities that seem so “normal” within my virtual, social world. As I speak about what I’m up to these days, I can find I’m talking to a wall of confusion ….. My high connectivity is leading to disconnect.<br> An example is when I say that I met someone “on Twitter” or “We were talking about this at the Connecting HR Tweet up in Manchester…” “Hold on – let me just Shazam this tune and download it on to Spotify to listen to later” or “Is there a hashtag for this event?”</p>
<p>From those who are on The Other Side I get the impression I’m kind of: a) speaking a different language b) a little bit eccentric/ dangerously delusional c) have too much time on my hands.</p>
<p>And this perception might be fair enough – but I feel I should make The Case for My Sanity….</p>
<p><span><strong>This is why I am active on Social Media.</strong></span><br> This is my case for looking over here, if you are not already on this side of the Social Media Wall. (I am steadfastly ignoring the absurdity of writing this as a non-print blog, which will go out via Social Media to “virtually” well connected peers, friends and colleagues – I get the irony. I totally do).<br> This is my attempt to beguile or entice you to look again if you believe that this Social Stuff isn’t for you.<br> It’s my attempt to get you to think about what Social Media gives you, if you move to the other side.<br> Let’s see how we go.</p>
<p><strong>Being part of a conversation</strong><br> At the CIPD Scotland Conference in February this year, Jeff Turner Facebook Director of Learning & Development explained why they see social media as so crucial: <em>"Our view? The conversation is happening, whether you are in it or not. Better to be in it than not" </em><br> Part of what brought me to Twitter in the first instance (and subsequently to read blogs from peers and people within my field....and then to write blogs) was the acknowledgement that there was an entire conversation, or actually many conversations, about the work I did, which I was entirely missing out on.</p>
<p>It was <a rel="nofollow" title="@jackieCameron1" href="https://twitter.com/jackiecameron1">Jackie Cameron</a>, of <a rel="nofollow" title="ConsultCameron.com" href="http://www.consultcameron.com">Consult Cameron</a> in Edinburgh, who talked to me about Twitter and how she encouraged better use of Social Media wherever she could. She told me about blogging, about the information she gleaned from being on Twitter, how it had supported her and her business. Jackie was (and very much still is) a pioneer in this stuff. Without her nudging me forth, I may never have considered the virtual life of fuchsiablue…. or certainly I’d have been even later in adopting what has proved to be a rich rich source of information, friendship, client work and development of my thinking.</p>
<p>The point is this – one of the ways I feel I stay relevant is by plugging into and participating in the thinking and conversations that happen through Twitter, Linkedin, Google Plus and (in my case to a lesser extent) Facebook. I have learned about <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.pechakucha.org">Pecha Kuchas</a>, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconference" target="_blank">Unconferences</a>, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology" target="_blank">Open Space </a>facilitation, virtual communities and how they need care and attention just like 3 D ones….. I now know things, work with things, that as a freelancer who does not have the organisational support mechanisms for CPD I would have struggled to hear about.</p>
<p><strong>The Time Issue</strong><br> “I don’t have time to be wasting on Twitter and Linkedin Groups”<br> Fair enough to some extent…<br> I tell one of those <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.chickensoup.com" target="_blank">Chicken Soup for the Soul</a> type stories sometimes:<br> <em>2 woodsmen get into a debate about who can chop the most logs in a day.<br> They get started and every hour or so one of them pops off for 5 minutes.<br> After 8 hours, they stand back and look at the volume of logs chopped. The chap who has worked tirelessly has chopped significantly fewer logs.<br> “how? How can that be?” he asks the other woodcutter “You kept taking a break”<br> “No. I wasn’t taking break. I was sharpening my axe”<br></em> <br> I think you get the point. From my perspective, some time spent daily, weekly checking out what is happening, plugging into people and stuff that, when I have my head down, I would never notice, isn’t time wasted. It’s time invested.</p>
<p>The volume of stuff I have learned from my network..the resources, the shared knowledge and blogs; the new methods for running awaydays; the challenges to my thinking (is there such a thing as employee engagement? Do “Millennials” exist? DO we really always need a coaching culture?). The list is endless.</p>
<p>Perhaps this is why it can feel a little scary? Perhaps the sheer volume and noise and seeming complexity just seems overwhelming? I remember that feeling.<br> What I would say is persist. Find folk who use social media and ask them how they use it, why they use it, how they fit it in to their busy worklives.<br> Because it will help you stay sharp – stay relevant and knowledgeable – therefore it supports your employers, your staff, your clients, your peers.</p>
<p><strong>The Organisational Issue</strong><br> I also believe that, if you don’t plug into at least some of this stuff, your strategies for supporting good Learning, Talent or Development in your organisation are under threat. You could be being told or sold something that is not needed, or fit for purpose. I’ve seen Tech-baffle, we all have – the smoke n mirrors that go along with “virtual solutions” etc. It is arguable that, if you can’t really understand the potential and pros/ cons of Social Media, there will be an impact on the capability of your organisation.</p>
<p><strong>Getting Back to The Wall </strong><br> If you are dripping in Social Media jargon - Twittered up, fully Storified, hashtagged, Liked and +1'ed, with blog stats to die for, please remember to not scoff or sneer at those who aren't directly in your wake? To be fair, most of the social media savvy folk I have met virtually and in real life are super friendly and want others to "get social" - but I'm well aware that my tweet ups and Google Hangout suggestions can leave some folk a little "huh?"<br> So let's go slowly with each other.<br> And if you are loathe to embrace technology…if you are suspicious of a data-rich world or you get angry at the suggestion that face-to-face contact, propped up with a few calls/ emails might not be enough to illicit change or sustain the good things happening in your organisation… can I ask you to sit quietly with someone who will talk you through some of it? Just have a look. Get some orientation. See what is out there that might be interesting, or useful, or both...</p>
<p>It’s not going away, this social stuff….. time to find the low point in that wall & peer over.</p>
<p>I don’t believe use of social media is “the answer” – but then I don’t believe there is “an answer” to anything in the complex world we live and work in.<br> I don’t believe this stuff has to be tough or complex… I believe it takes a little confidence and practice.</p>
<p>But what I know to be true, for me, is that on the days inspiration just isn’t coming and I feel stuck, baffled or really disconnect – I can find conversations and information virtually which nourish, sustain and reconnect me.</p>
<p>Now… where are the ladders?</p>
<p><span style="color: #808080;"><em>( Since posting this blog, there has been a fabulous example of encouraging people to get interested in Social Media content though #KitchenFacebook - basically printing off interesting stuff and hanging it up in the communal kitchen at work and asking people to write comments or put stars beside the content…. then inviting people to go find it on the web)</em>About me:</span></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-2"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/julie-drybrough/7/b64/969/" target="_blank">Julie Drybrough </a>is a Facilitator, exec coach & Blogger</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Find me on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/fuchsia_blue" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@fuchsia_blue</a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Contact fuchsiablue to find out <a href="http://fuchsiablueblog.wordpress.com/contact/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">more</a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><em> </em></span></p></div>Important: Changes to your Learning Pathway Loginhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/important-changes-to-your-learning-pathway-login2014-08-15T12:02:55.000Z2014-08-15T12:02:55.000ZMike Collinshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216274?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>In true DPG style we are constantly developing to improve the quality of our learning, so as well as introducing the new DPG Community, we are also making some changes to the Learning Pathway login process from Autumn. If you are an existing Pathway user and started your programme in Spring or Summer this year, this change affects you.</p>
<p><b>What’s happening?</b></p>
<p>From Monday 1st September we are replacing the website link & login process which will mean you will get a new automated Pathway password. DPG will keep these passwords on record so if you forget the password we can send you the password.</p>
<p>The website address will change to <a href="http://www.pathway.dpgplc.co.uk">www.pathway.dpgplc.co.uk</a></p>
<p>We will replace all DPG links to Learning Pathway but please change this link in your favourites / bookmarks as the old link will not work from the 1st September.</p>
<p>You will be emailed with your new password after the switch. You will then be able to login in and continue accessing your materials etc</p>
<p>If you have any questions please let us know </p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
</div>Changing times and opening mindshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/changing-times-and-opening-minds2014-07-11T12:30:00.000Z2014-07-11T12:30:00.000ZMike Collinshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216240?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>Around this time last week, I was taking another trip out of my comfort zone as <a title="Alistair Nicholls " href="https://twitter.com/AlistairNic" target="_blank">Alistair Nicholls</a> had very kindly invited me to speak at the <span id="PC1166_CalendarEvent1_LabelName_View" class="DetailEventTitle">North West Business Breakfast organised by <a title="Manchester Business School" href="https://twitter.com/MBSAlumni" target="_blank">Manchester Business School</a>. The title of my talk was <a title="Why Corporate L&D needs to change and how" href="http://www.alumni.mbs.ac.uk/events/calendar?cid=1&ceid=456&cerid=0&cdt=04%2f07%2f2014" target="_blank">Why Corporate L&D Needs to Change and How</a></span> and it felt a good title to share my own journey thus far and to open up conversation.</p>
<p>Now I can talk fast (due to my <a title="alter-ego" href="www.learningasylum.co.uk/2013/03/alter-egos" target="_blank">alter-ego</a>), but when Alistair asked me to keep to 20 mins I knew I'd have to speak <strong>even faster</strong> to get everything in - challenge set. It was relieved to see a good turn out and I enjoyed the hospitality of a strong coffee and a sausage butty.</p>
<p>Now it's probably best to get this out the way....feels a little like a confession. I'm not an academic, I went to university but was one of those that returned after a couple of years empty handed without the piece of paper that's not worth the paper it's written on. It wasn't for me. Wrong degree, maybe, wrong time, maybe, it just didn't work for me.....</p>
<p>Why should I tell you this? Well this audience was very different to the audiences I have been used to speaking to which, to be fair, have primarily been my fellow L&D/HR professionals at exhibitions, conferences and other networking events over the last 3-4 years. I've been used to evangelising to the converted but speaking to a group of postgraduate MBA degree holders, who knew what lay instore.</p>
<p>20 minutes isn't long to get stuck in to the detail, I understood that I would need to sacrifice some of detail to get through all the content. I've dropped the slides below and hope they tell the story well enough without further explanation as I really want to focus on the conversation that followed after I'd shut up.</p>
<p><a href="http://prezi.com/sfwcvr3vt5a5/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share" target="_blank">Changing Times</a></p>
<p>After listening to 20 minutes of me talking (quickly), I think I'd be chomping at the bit to get a word in and as the first hand went up on the Community Manager slide it felt like there was something bubbling in the room.</p>
<p>The first point/question/statement was along the lines of "this is all well and good but in the real world <strong>people don't have time</strong>"</p>
<p>Hang on, I'd heard this one before. In fact this is the biggest challenge I tend to hear no matter what audience - the "<em>we don't have time</em>" line is a thinly veiled "<em>I'm not going to change</em>" line . I replied in the only way I could, by stating what I believe, "It's an excuse, a cop out, a way to devolve any sort of responsibility for trying something different and moving our heads out of the way we've always done things - it's an easy way out and a <a title="fixed mindset rather than a growth mindset" href="http://michaelgr.com/2007/04/15/fixed-mindset-vs-growth-mindset-which-one-are-you/" target="_blank">fixed mindset rather than a growth mindset</a>.</p>
<p>I can't remember all the discussions in detail (aging memory) but the conversation then ensued around breaking workflow and busy people don't have the time to participate in sharing information and we don't, we can't, we shouldn't lined up and flicked off the tongue like they were primed and ready to leap in to action. Then the debate really started heating up as a lady stated that this is <strong>exactly the problem that needs to change</strong>. Instead of thinking like we always have around the way we work and learn it's time to open our minds to what is now possible and start to do things differently not just talk about it.</p>
<p>There were extremely good points raised around my own curiosity and it's all very well that I'm a curious person so this sort of open, informal, discovery sort of learning suits me but what about those who aren't curious? What about those where this sort of learning and behaviour doesn't come naturally. Can you develop curiosity as a skill, a behaviour, can it become a way of life or are we naturally gifted with curiousity or not? We briefly touched upon other skills needed to work and learn in the 21st century but this vast topic will have to live to fight another day (or another talk?)</p>
<p>There was another good point raised around curation being just another sort of formal learning as the curator still needs to create a path and a structure, it's just from other resources rather than content creation. Curation is indeed a skill in it's own right but is it still part of the formal learning mix just with a fancy name?</p>
<p>Then came the bombshell and I paraphrase so apologies if this isn't word for word:</p>
<blockquote><strong>"Where's the research that backs this up?"</strong>
<p>"What research backing up what?"</p>
</blockquote>
<p><br />
I asked, slightly panicking and starting to sweat.....</p>
<blockquote><strong>"This 70% of learning is this and 20% is that and 10% is this, where is the research that backs this up. I would suggest that if you are going to talk about these things you are able to back it up with research"</strong></blockquote>
<p><br />
I was caught in between a rock and a hard place. Ever since I've been in L&D I've heard the theories and models but I have never thought to question where this stuff comes from. So I stumbled and faltered and felt pretty stupid as I couldn't quote where any of this stuff had come from and even mumbled something about <a title="Chales Jennings" href="http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=13&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CHoQFjAM&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcharles-jennings.blogspot.com%2F2013%2F06%2F702010-framework-for-high-performance.html&ei=aBC_U_jgG9Oy7Aay7oHwCg&usg=AFQjCNHSG6psidQd88aRffjhjdQZpXBtmg&sig2=w657xqfJpxM0WtMNGb-7pQ&bvm=bv.70810081,d.ZGU" target="_blank">Charles Jennings</a>, however I did point out that this is what had worked for me. The framework (<em>emphasis on framework</em>) has helped me look at learning differently since becoming CIPD qualified in 2006 and is exactly how I have developed within my own career and the progress I've made in a relatively short period of time. My experience does count for something, research or no research as everything I've done in the last few years has been on the premise that learning is social, it happens through connections, through sharing and it happens all around us and I have created environments & systems, conditions and cultures where this can happen and is encouraged, celebrated and rewarded.</p>
<p>I promised I'd go and find the research that supports the 70/20/10 framework and post it in this blog and to my surprise there isn't a great deal of academic research or things to back up the 70/20/10 framework. Rather than me waffle on about this study or research paper here is a <a title="Blog post" href="http://theeconomyofmeaning.com/2012/09/03/never-trust-neat-percentages-70-20-10-rule/" target="_blank">blog post</a> that provides a great insight in to where the model/theory comes from and how it's become what it is.</p>
<p>Irrelevent of research papers or whether the 70/20/10 framework is another L&D buzz word and way for suppliers to re-package 'blended learning' solutions or if it's an excuse for employers to jump on the band wagon to cut 'training costs' in the name of creating a 'better blend'. I believe that this is where Learning Professionals need to stand up, make their voices heard and make a difference.</p>
<p>For me it's not about looking at L&D in isolation but at it's core it's about re-inventing this thing we call work in a 21st century world. Developing skills and creating roles that have these new technologies, systems and communication channels at their heart and make them as useful, valuable and as powerful as they can be. The point was raised that you're not going to replace a military person or a doctor needing formal training and yes I agree you wouldn't want heart surgery from a heart surgeon who'd just watched a YouTube video. I don't disagree in the slightest and I'm not advocating getting rid of formal training, I would however trust a heart surgeon using <a title="Google Glass" href="https://www.google.com/glass/start/" target="_blank">Google Glass</a> to support the operation.</p>
<p>My point is we have a wonderful range of options at our disposal now to support training above and beyond the formal environment that can help people do there jobs more effectively. We have technology that enables us to comunicate, share and provide just in time support in such ways that would have been impossible a short time ago. We're back to the <a title="slope of enlightenment" href="http://www.learningasylum.co.uk/2013/03/the-slope-of-enlightenment/" target="_blank">slope of enlightenment</a> in many organisations but in many they are yet to start the journey as technology is just an enabler and our attitudes and behaviours are still lagging behind.</p>
<p>So it's not just corporate L&D that needs to change, it's the workplaces in which they operate and that means the people who work within them. You could argue you can't do one without the other. It's time to evolve working practices and to enable the flow of conversation throughout an organisation where every employee has a voice and can and wants to share what they know. I want to be in the middle of that, connecting people and shaping communities, encouraging, nurturing, coaching, designing, innovating, sharing and working in new ways. Perhaps this IS a different type of L&D person, perhaps it's not L&D at all....</p>
<p>Apparently the talk stirred more debate and conversation than any previous breakfast talk and I thoroughly loved the experience. I've learned things from it and will certainly be more prepared on the background and origins of the things I talk about. However, I've also learned that in a fast paced hyper connected world that is constantly changing and evolving, research that's here one day will become obselete the next. I trust my gut and my instinct and I will continue to do what I believe is right and what I enjoy. In order for businesses to stay relevant and be successful in my mind there really isn't a choice.</p>
<p>Get curious, open your mind and get changing, otherwise you'll never have time.</p>
<p>There were also requests for case studies and examples of where organisations had approached learning differently.</p>
<p><a title="social learning examples in the workplace " href="http://c4lpt.co.uk/resources/social-learning-handbook/social-learning-examples-in-the-workplace/" target="_blank">Social Learning examples in the workplace</a> curated by <a title="Jane Hart" href="http://c4lpt.co.uk/jane-hart/" target="_blank">Jane Hart</a> is a good place to start.</p>
<p>I'd love to hear your thoughts and keep the conversation going.</p>
</div>All Change!https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/all-change2014-04-02T08:33:33.000Z2014-04-02T08:33:33.000ZMelanie Jameshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MelanieJames<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216162?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><b>Change brings Opportunity</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>With a history of success, why would a business want or need to change?  The simple answer:</p>
<p>All organizations, no matter how large or small, need to change:</p>
<ul>
<li>To keep ahead of the competition</li>
<li>To stay fresh and open to new ideas and opportunities and</li>
<li>To continue along the path of success for the benefit of the business, its customers and its employees.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Change affects organizations in many ways:</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Change forces organizations to audit their internal competence and ensure that they are recruiting the right skills sets and re-training existing staff.  This is paramount in enabling the organization to move forward with the development of the company, ensuring that in so doing, they do not hinder the career path opportunities of employees.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Change is also necessary when considering the competition.  It is sure that the competition will be striving to “tip the balance” of success of your business and we must take all necessary steps to ensure that this does not happen.  We must not become complacent and rely upon a good reputation to support our continued growth and position within the industry.  Strategy and objectives have to adapt to accommodate any significant change.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Change Management usually refers to the “people” aspect of the change model.  The model will be determined by whether the change is planned or emergent (planned being something we have thought through and emergent being something that is thrust upon us and comes out of “left field”!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Many change models exist with different approaches and methods.  All have to have “bolted” on to them project management, training, leadership and organization.  However, all have a common intention and conclusion: that of “successful change”.  Organizations are different, so their attitude to change will differ, as will the approach they take, so having a variety of models is advantageous and businesses can then adapt models to suit their individual requirements.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Behavioural Responses when Change Occurs</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>There are a number of behavioural responses that will be seen when change occurs in an organization.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>We very often go into a state of denial when we meet with a situation that is not welcome, when we cannot cope and need to shut down.  This can take the form of “we don’t need to change, we have always done it this way”.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The road to fear may well follow.  This fear might be fuelled by someone telling you “you are going to lose your job”  or “you will be expected to learn something new”.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If business is successful with its road map, acceptance and ultimately commitment should be the end result and, whilst it may be an uphill struggle during the process, will ultimately lead to a better environment and work/life balance for everyone who has survived the change process(*Ray, November 2004).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What is HR’s role in change management?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>HR professionals usually know their staff better than other management representatives and they can see the bigger picture because they are not part of just “one” team or department within the industry.  HR has a huge responsibility in any large scale change process, for the staff and their wellbeing.  HR must concentrate their efforts in line with the change management process to support, train and encourage all involved.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Some of the main areas where HR can support individuals involved is to:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Communicate</b> the change process early (initial steps) and discuss concerns/issues with all staff affected by the change.  Be positive about the change so that you demonstrate commitment and encourage the success of the change process.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Organize</b> training and re-training for staff affected and prepare managers to understand why the change is necessary, what the business expects of him/her and explain the outputs that will be apparent when the change has been expedited.</p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Share</b> early wins with everyone to show how the change process is moving forward positively and to continue to get “buy in” from staff and stakeholders alike.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Conclusion:</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Embrace change, identify it as a constant, keep ahead of the curve, audit internal competencies, communicate, train and share success. </p>
<p> </p>
</div>I heard a song on the radio today...https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/i-heard-a-song-on-the-radio-today2013-10-30T21:14:50.000Z2013-10-30T21:14:50.000ZSteve Davishttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/SteveDavis<div><p>My drive to work is a pleasant enough 35 minute drive through the Dorset countryside. I rather enjoy it - it gives me time to shift into/out of work mode, and there are always deer, buzzards, egret and the like to make it all the more interesting.</p><p>Today though, was a little different. Today I had the radio on and they played a Michael Jackson song. In particular they played 'Man in the Mirror'.</p><p>I've heard the song plenty of times - yes, I still have the CD that I bought a fair few years ago (more years than I care to think of!). Today though, I listened to the song. Really listened..</p><p>The line that kept popping up and making me take notice goes like this:</p><p><em>"If you wanna make the World a better place, just take a look at yourself - and make that change."</em></p><p>Not just that line, there are plenty of lines throughout the song that talk about Change, and how it starts with me/you/one person. All rather deep stuff perhaps, but it struck a chord (no pun intended!) with me.</p><p>I'm on the Level 5 HRM programme, and two modules in.. It is evident already, that there will be changes that will be coming to my HRM function as a result. Guess who will be making the first change? That's right. Me!</p><p>If you haven't heard the song before - or maybe haven't listened to it. here it is. Check out those Lyrics!</p><p>Steve</p><p> <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/P5vz6iwV38U?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></p></div>Leadership Qualities in a Changing Worldhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/leadership-qualities-in-a-changing-world2013-08-09T11:30:00.000Z2013-08-09T11:30:00.000ZMike Collinshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins<div><p>I recently attended a workshop entitled “<strong>Getting the most from your Apprentice</strong>” hosted by the <a title="Apprentice Academy" href="http://theapprenticeacademy.co.uk/" target="_blank">Apprentice Academy</a>. It was an interesting session that I wanted to play back, as it looked at starting work through the eyes of 16-18 yr old. Without showing my age too much we started the day with a music quiz and the first 8 songs (I knew) were made and released before our Apprentice <a title="@Little_Figs" href="https://twitter.com/Little_Figs" target="_blank">@Little_Figs</a> was even born! A point well made as what ever you make of the Generation X, Y & Z debate <span style="text-decoration: underline;">there are</span> differences in attitude, behaviour and expectations of a 16 yr old starting work than anyone else already in the workplace.</p>
<p>We discussed what these differences could be and the conversation centered around 4 key areas and the changes we’d seen in these areas in the last 10 years. These were:</p>
<ul>
<li>Technology</li>
<li>Entertainment</li>
<li>Science</li>
<li>Attitudes</li>
</ul>
<p>In terms of <strong>technology</strong> we’ve had the advent of the smart phone and apps plus the meteoric rise in social networks.It’s incredible to think that a 64Gb memory card can now fit on the end of your finger.</p>
<p><strong>Entertainment</strong> has changed to become on-demand – arranged around your lifestyle and the rise in reality TV has led to instant fame / celebrity obsessed generation. Internet streaming / downloading has changed the landscape (and industries) of music, TV and film and can you compare a Commodore 64 with a Playstation 4….</p>
<p>For <strong>science</strong> we discussed breakthroughs in cures for diseases and GM foods, global warming and an aging population as people are living longer.</p>
<p>Finally we discussed a change in <strong>attitudes</strong> towards things like gay marriage, female vicars and an understanding of other cultures. Growing up in a post 9/11 world and how this would influence how you view the world.</p>
<p>Remember 10 years ago most apprentices were 6-8 years old so growing up in this world I’ve briefly described above will have had a massive impact and a great influence on them. So what does this mean for the workplace?</p>
<p>The conversation then turned to discuss what the needs and wants of an apprentice were and we (rightly or wrongly) used <a title="maslow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs" target="_blank">Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs</a> to understand what this looks like for a 16 yr old entering the workplace. I quite enjoyed this session as it made me question everything I consider to be important and made me look at starting work from a totally different perspective. What are the safety needs of a young 16 yr old and how do their social needs differ to mine? How do you develop a sense of self and confidence in a 16 yr old? These are things that must be considered and thought through in order to make an apprenticeship work and more importantly to coin the phrase from the workshop, “to get the most out of your apprentice.”</p>
<p>Finally we talked about leadership and what were the qualities that people (not just apprentices) looked for in a leader. I’ve got a vested interest here as I’ve talked about the role of leaders in a social age <a title="here" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCttRc2TWzE&feature=c4-overview&list=UUzhN8k56gbf_4pxxIL_83Hw" target="_blank">here</a> and taken the conversation further with <a title="@JulianStaddon" href="http://twitter.com/JulianStaddon" target="_blank">@JulianStaddon</a> & <a title="@MartinCouzins" href="http://twitter.com/martincouzins" target="_blank">@MartinCouzins</a> <a title="here" href="http://learnpatch.com/2013/08/the-social-leadership-discussion-six-months-on/" target="_blank">here</a>. <a title="@Doushaw1" href="http://twitter.com/dougshaw1" target="_blank">@DougShaw1</a> has also penned a short series on Social Leadership <a title="here" href="http://www.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/2013/7/25/social-leadership-authenticity.aspx" target="_blank">here</a> . It’s something I’m interested in from the perspective of a community manager and how social networks are changing how leaders can be more human, more accessible, become better communicators and inspire change.</p>
<p>We were given a list of leadership qualities and were asked to select 7 that were most important to us as individuals and prioritise our choices with 1 being the most important and 7 being the least important</p>
<p>This was the list provided</p>
<ul>
<li>Is able to analyse and think creatively</li>
<li>Encourages challenges to the status quo</li>
<li>Is honest and consistent</li>
<li>Remains aloof from people he/she leads</li>
<li>Seen as a communicator, networker and achiever</li>
<li>Sacrifices himsef/herself in the interests of their work</li>
<li>Is able to draw people together with a shared vision</li>
<li>Seen to be the best professional</li>
<li>Is decisive, determined and ready to take risks</li>
<li>Trusts others to lead</li>
<li>His/her view of reality is the only one that counts</li>
<li>Is Charismatic</li>
<li>Shows genuine concern for others</li>
<li>Knows all the answers all the time</li>
<li>Is accessible, approachable and flexible</li>
<li>Manages changes sensitively and skilfully</li>
<li>Never be seen to be vulnerable</li>
</ul>
<p>Wowsers, quite a list and one that I worked through diligently and thought through carefully. I then came up with my 7 which you can see below:</p>
<ol>
<li>Is able to draw people together with a shared vision</li>
<li>Is honest and consistent</li>
<li>Trusts others to lead</li>
<li>Is accessible, approachable and flexible</li>
<li>Manages change sensitively and skilfully</li>
<li>Seen as a communicator , networker and achiever</li>
<li>Shows genuine concern for others</li>
</ol>
<p>Unfortunately there was a right answer as this exercise was linked to validated and recent research which I’ll share in my next post. What I’d be interested in if you’re not familiar with the research is thinking through the list and picking out and prioritising what your 7 leadership qualities would be.</p>
<p>Thinking through the change that we’ve had in the last 10 years and how quickly the world is changing around us what leadership qualities are most important and relevant now. What sort of leaders are going to inspire the apprentices that are entering the workplace given the up-bringing and change they have seen in the last 10 years as they’ve grown up.</p>
<p>I’ll share the top 7 according to the research next week but in the meantime – what’s important to you?</p>
<p>Let me know the top 7 leadership qualities that are most important for you in comments below</p>
</div>How L&D became masters of doing the wrong thinghttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/how-l-d-became-masters-of-doing-the-wrong-thing2013-07-05T09:31:31.000Z2013-07-05T09:31:31.000ZHenrik Svenssonhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/HenrikSvensson<div><p>In a comment to Niklas Angmyr’s <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.palorial.com/two-dimensions-of-learning/" target="_blank">post on the subject of learning, corporate learning</a> and the article <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.europeanbusinessreview.com/?p=8427" target="_blank">Making Corporate Learning work</a> by Shlomo Ben-Hur and Nik Kenley, Niklas get one of the authors to <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.palorial.com/two-dimensions-of-learning/#comment-1115" target="_blank">comment</a>, namely Nik Kenley, and a very interesting point is made:</p><p>Corporate learning has <i>behavioral change</i> as its main goal – not learning. The clinch is that the L&D departments across the globe DO have learning as its main goal – not behavioral change.</p><p>Why does this matter? It’s similar to leaving your car at the mechanic’s expecting a tune-up and getting it washed, because the mechanic didn’t have tune-up as her main goal but to get your car as good looking as possible. Not only will the car malfunction as before, but you’d probably still get charged for the washing you didn’t ask for.</p><p>Arguing about how to best make sure people learn is therefore all beside the point. Is it more effective to <i>extract</i> learning from work than to <i>add</i> learning to it? This is a totally meaningless debate. What the discussion should be about is of course how we get people to change. The thing is, this also makes the 70/20/10 model moot as it’s about <i>how people learn</i>. Even if it is correct in describing the ways of learning to the very last percentage, it doesn’t really matter if it’s the 10, 20 or 70 if we’d be better off not looking at learning at all.</p><p>Learning should be seen as <a rel="nofollow" href="http://ennoble.se/aligning-inputs-and-outputs-of-a-change-campaign/" target="_blank">one of many possible inputs to a change process</a>. The outputs are the motivation, commitment, behavioral change and result.</p><p>I attended a three day certification course/workshop on the New World <a rel="nofollow" href="http://ennoble.se/planting-a-tree-with-the-4-levels-of-kirkpatrick/" target="_blank">Four Levels of Kirkpatrick</a>some months ago and one of the biggest revelations for me was that the model wasn’t at all that focused on learning and its measuring as I’d previously thought. <a rel="nofollow" href="http://performancexdesign.wordpress.com/2011/02/24/evaluating-with-the-success-case-method/" target="_blank">There’s belief to the contrary</a> but I suspect that this depends on them not researching the newest version of the model but just basing their opinions by assuming that it’s the same as it ever was when it was created 50+ years ago.</p><p>Stating this revelation out loud in class didn’t go that well though. Here’s what I said: “If we’d make sure we get an optimally stated end-result and also get the proper leading indicators, their critical behavior and their supporting organizational drivers down… Then we could produce bad training, or even skip it completely, and still get that end-result!” Jim Kirkpatrick smiled and nodded in silent agreement when outcries where heard from around us in the room.</p><p>“You can’t eliminate training! That’s what L&D do! That’s what our companies want!” with mutters of agreement going around the room…</p><p>Jim answered this training assuredness onslaught with an anecdote about his father, Donald Kirkpatrick, saying the same thing to him. I don’t think that anyone else got the message but me. Jim agreed but we let the subject rest right there and then.</p><p>The new world Kirkpatrick model isn’t about training or learning. It’s all about making sure the changes we want are identified, analyzed, measured, supported and met. (And “supported” does not mean Learning as the only option by far.)</p><p>Nik Kenley continues the comment of Niklas Angmyr’s post by saying:</p><blockquote><p>“The methods and mechanisms of how to change behavior are different from how to help people learn, and therefore, by seeing Corporate Learning as being about learning rather than behavior change, Corporate Learning Functions have been approaching the task ineffectively.”</p></blockquote><p>So, should we really bask L&D for not getting any real organizational result? No, because that would be like asking the car washer to tune-up your car.</p><p>*******************</p><p>More blog posts on the subject can be found on my blog <a rel="nofollow" href="http://ennoble.se/">http://ennoble.se</a></p></div>Success - What does it look like to you?https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/sucess-what-does-it-look-like-to-you2013-06-14T15:06:30.000Z2013-06-14T15:06:30.000ZRichard Pedleyhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/RichardPedley<div><p>I was recently asked to run a short 10 minute energiser for the Level 5 HRD course in London I am taking.</p>
<p>I always enjoy the challenge of coming up with something new that gets people motivated and awake for an afternoon session.</p>
<p>An energiser to me is a great way of getting people to really think about what they are doing in a new way and should always be tailored to reflect the session in some way rather than just an exercise to wake people up.</p>
<p><br>Shaine our facilitator had set me up well by asking us what we wanted to get out of the course in our first session. Deciding to follow on from this I wanted to get people to think about what success would look like for them.</p>
<p>I personally believe that learning was the most fun and the easiest when we were young. At this point in our life everything was interesting and exciting and learning wasn't seen as a painful exercise but something that was done without even realising it!</p>
<p>This is why whenever I run a session I always try to get the delegates to use materials or toys that they would have played with in their youth. This creates a subconscious connection with those happy times and reengages the fun element of learning.</p>
<p>In order to help people to express themselves in the energiser I split them into teams of three and gave them each some pots of Play-Do. I them asked them to work together to create a vision of success that they would share with the other teams afterwards.</p>
<p>Within 5 minutes they had all come up with the following and explained their creations for the group.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357450?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357450?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" height="408"></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>This group had a bottle of champagne which they would be drinking, the potential to earn more money, a feeling of accomplishment and a nice sit down!</p>
<p> <a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357496?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357496?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" height="392"></a></p>
<p> This group had a certificate to resemble their qualification and a very large drink on the beach!</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357500?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357500?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" height="325"></a></p>
<p>This group had a certificate and gold cup to celebrate passing the course and an ice cream for afterwards</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357503?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357503?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" height="336"></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>This group had a podium of which they were in 1st place winning the gold. They were also surrounded by lots of cheering people celebrating their success with them.</p>
<p>I always enjoy watching how these groups interact and their final creations as they are always so varied and even those that say they aren’t creative always end up creating something amazing.</p>
<p>So if you had some Play-Do what would your success look like?</p>
<p>Why not give it a go and post your pictures I would love to see them!</p>
<p> </p></div>HR and the Army!https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/hr-and-the-army2013-05-15T19:07:39.000Z2013-05-15T19:07:39.000ZLUCY SAUNDERShttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/LUCYSAUNDERS<div><p>I have worked in the Military as what they call a HR Administrator for approx. 10 years and I have recently taken the plunge and left a very well paid, stable job in the Army. I have gone over to the Dark Side, joined the ranks of Civvy Street! This sounds crazy given our current economic climate but believe me there are very good reasons....</p><p>Anyhow, the reason for this blog is to publicise my recent findings. I always kind of thought that my Military HR/Admin experience wouldn't really stand me in good stead on 'the outside', this was then confirmed when I read on lots of Groups on Linked In etc that the kind of work we did in the Army was no use to man nor beast.</p><p>So, scared out of my wits with this information I have embarked on my Work Placement with a NHS Medical Staffing Dept with some reticence. However, I am now 3 days into my Placement and I am by far no means saying I know everything about civilian HR because I don't BUT what I do know is I have oodles of transferable skills, a vast and in depth knowledge about lots of different areas of HR and also that things aren't that different away from the Army! *Lets out big sigh of relief!*</p><p>I have also in this 3 day period re-proved to myself that I am a hard worker, I'm adaptable, I'm robust, I'm intelligent and possibly most importantly to me - I am a nice person who people enjoy being around.</p><p>All I can say is.......Roll on the next five and a half weeks!! :)</p></div>So, I'm Part of the Dumbest Generation?https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/so-i-m-part-of-the-dumbest-generation2013-03-28T16:30:00.000Z2013-03-28T16:30:00.000ZLucy Malleyhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/LucyMalley<div><p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357217?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357217?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was brought to my attention a little while ago that I was a member of something called ‘Generation Y’. Who knew? Moreover, I was informed that as a member of this exclusive and occasionally taboo faction, my brain has developed in such a way that it is inherently different to yours; because I’ve never not known technology. And you know what? I was willing to believe it. At first, at least.</p>
<p>I initially came across the concept of a distinct technology/generation divide when I was still at University; and it all started with a book called ‘The Dumbest Generation’. Also known, reassuringly enough, as <i>Don't Trust Anyone Under 30.</i> A fantastic start! I hear you yell. Well actually, yes, because it intrigued and then incensed me enough to read it cover to cover, get good and angry, and then find out if there was actually any grounding in the concept that my generation is inherently disadvantaged- or to use the book’s tagline, that ‘cyberculture is turning us into a society of know-nothings’. There is evidence to support the idea that reading on-screen reduces both the level and quality of information absorbed; that our attention spans are being negatively and permanently affected. There is a culture of gentle ironic poking at the correlation between social media and a sad lack of social skills within Generation Y. The term ‘bibilophobic’ is flung around in a massively unflattering manner, accepted by many and openly embraced by some as scientific fact, an irrefutable truth.</p>
<p>And yet. Here I am, armed with a wealth of data on the so-called detriment of my generation… wanting desperately to argue to the contrary. Wanting to argue that, used in the right way, technology in general and social media specifically can be an ally, a tool, and ultimately - the future.</p>
<p>It’s all too easy to find negative press on social media; and what I find truly fascinating about the whole furore is the incredible media divide. Bauerlein, author of ‘The Dumbest Generation’ and others who ascribe to Generation Y theory contend that electronic media, originally developed to enhance learning capacities, has directly contributed to growing gaps in basic knowledge. And it is true that reading on-screen can lead to distraction and hence a perceived lapse in attention span. But on the other hand- what is it we are being distracted by, if not information and the potential for knowledge? You can’t read a newspaper, spy a link to the right of your article to a related interesting story, click on it and expand your knowledge. Yet we do this so frequently on-screen that we barely even notice. Are we really ‘switching off’ when we get a bit click-happy, or just re-directing our attentions to a place where our brain can remain genuinely engaged as we continue to learn more, for longer?</p>
<p>The opposing view on this, of course, is that these ‘distractions’ are not actually leading us gently by the hand to new and exciting knowledge acquisition; but are actually dragging us into the pit of passive facebooking, nonsensical tweeting and a host of similarly frivolous counter-productive activities. The key, it appears, is really very simple- discipline. It lies with the individual, and realistically has very little to do with a generation.</p>
<p>So, then, a challenging dilemma – never before have our minds been so incredibly open to possibilities, or so potentially trapped by them. We can use social media to lock our minds in front of a screen. We can be the couch potatoes of a new generation. We can let technology rule us. Or, we can challenge the stereotypes of a generation with no social skills, who can only coherently communicate through a screen; and we can do things never before dreamed possible.</p>
<p>A new generation is joining the workforce, and while this may mean change, it does not mean tragedy- and it definitely does not mean that we are disadvantaged. We can utilise our alliance with technology; in fact, I found when starting to work at DPG that this is already happening, that social media and online platforms are already used cohesively alongside other learning tools to make the very process of learning more accessible, communal, contextualised and overall just enjoyable. It is very difficult for community and social tools to become detrimental to the learning process, and incredibly easy for them to enrich the entire experience.</p>
<p>And, bottom line? These tools are not making us any less social, analytical – or dumb. The fact that, in the process of writing this, I actually had a coherent discussion over coffee with a friend from university, a very tech-savvy friend (also a member of Generation Y), shows that we are still fully in possession of all our social, analytical and learning skills. The fact that there was a 5 hour time difference and this conversation actually took place through Skype – well, that’s just one indicator of exactly how much we can achieve if we work with technology, engage our brains and shape technology into our future rather than allowing it to shape us. Watch this space, in the best way possible.</p>
<p><strong>If your attention has been piqued or you’d like to find out more about the Generation Y debate, here’s an interesting video on the topic, from the point of view of a teacher:</strong></p>
<p> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qYNVnKD1lY0?rel=0&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p><em><strong>Want your say on The Generation Y debate? Are you in the 'Dumbest Generation' too? Get involved with your comments and videos, I’d love to hear your opinions!</strong></em></p></div>Don't Stop Believin Pt.1https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/don-t-stop-believin-pt-12013-02-28T12:30:00.000Z2013-02-28T12:30:00.000ZAdam Harwoodhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdamHarwood<div><p>Beliefs are powerful mental filters that can have a significant effect on how you make sense of the world, how you behave, how you feel and how you communicate. Beliefs can be the difference between failure and success, happiness and unhappiness, between being stuck or thriving in your endeavours. They can nourish or destroy relationships, they can interfere with or accelerate progress, they can be the difference between simply existing and living your dreams. In short, beliefs affect absolutely everything! <br/> <br/> Now consider this question for a moment- <strong>Do you see what you believe or believe what you see?</strong> <br/> <br/> Most people would think they believe what they see but after a healthy discussion they would realise in general they tend to see what they believe. Think about a time when you felt so sure about something that you believed it to be so right and then all of a sudden you realised you were wrong. During that period of time while you believed you were right, you were blinded. There are millions of people who are blinded by their beliefs that allow themselves to think '<em>I'm not good enough</em>’, <em>'I’ll get found out</em>’ or <em>‘I can’t do it’</em>. These are self-limiting beliefs that will get in the way of achieving outcomes and goals. <br/> <br/> In the book ‘Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion’, Robert Cialdini talks about the ‘The Rule of Consistency” This is how beliefs hold us down or lift us up. He states that If you believe you can’t, you start acting and speaking like someone who can’t, so you actually can’t. This self-fulfilling prophecy also works in reverse and as Henry Ford said ‘Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you're right. <br/> <br/> If your beliefs are serving you well then great, keep on believing them but if they are an obstacle and get in the way then remind yourself that we were not born with them. They have just been inherited over a period of time, they are temporary and you do have the power and choice to change them. My advice is to be the boss and stand up to your beliefs! be in control of them rather than letting them control you. I've been there before and had those moments of doubt where those little voices have crept in and said <em>‘Adam, you can’t do this’</em> but when this happens you have to stop what you’re doing and train your brain to out-think those beliefs that hold you back. </p><p>I was recently certified as a Belief Change Practitioner and trained in the fantastic French-Burgess 6-Step Belief Change System, which has been designed to illustrate how a person’s belief can allow them to experience and express their full potential or get in the way of this happening. In this blog post I'm pleased to introduce you to the first 3 steps-<br/> <b><br/> <span>Step 1- What’s Your Goal?</span><br/></b> Firstly you need to focus on what you DO want to achieve. This establishes the purpose and the context for the belief change to happen. Imagine you have an ‘inner-Google' search for what you do want (<em>‘I do want to be more confident as a coach</em>’) and not what you don’t want <em>('I don’t want to keep messing up’</em>). Here some questions to help you get focused in the direction of your desired outcome-</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><span>What specifically is the outcome, goal or experience that you do want?</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>What will you notice (see, hear, feel) that will tell you that you've achieved it?</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>When do you want to achieve this by?</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>If 10 out of 10 is the position where you have achieved your goal and out of 10 is that you haven’t even got started on the journey to achieving it, what number best describes how close you are to achieving your goal?</span></li></ul><p><b id="internal-source-marker_0.7363711756188422"><span>Step 2- The Belief Audit</span><br/></b> Now think about your desired outcome and simply allow any thoughts, ideas, assumptions, beliefs and ‘things you think are true’ to bubble up to the surface of your mind freely. You should consider if that thought / belief / assumption is something you feel will help you progress to your goal (smooth the way) or get in the way of your progress. As they come up jot them down in two columns- ‘Helpful’ and ‘Unhelpful’ and once you've done this highlight the most unhelpful belief that you would like to change. An example of this could be <em>‘I feel like always need to know the right answer’.</em> <b id="internal-source-marker_0.7363711756188422"><br/> <br/> <span>Step 3- ‘What Iffing’</span> <br/></b> <span>This step is all about harnessing the power of ‘what iffing’ and challenging it in a positive direction. Rather than thinking <em>‘What if it all goes horribly wrong...?’</em> instead give yourself full permission to counter the chosen unhelpful belief from the last step with as many positive ‘what ifs’ as you can. Some examples of ‘what if’...questions that tend to work for lots of people include <em>‘What If I can...?, ‘What if is easier than I have been telling myself..? ‘What if I am more than good enough’</em>. The trick to this step is tonality! When you are writing the ‘what if’s’ down say them back in a ‘curious excited’ way. Go wild and don’t hold back, it should be a fun free-flowing experience.</span> <b id="internal-source-marker_0.7363711756188422"><br/> <br/></b> Look out for part two of 'Don't Stop Believin' that will feature the final 3 Steps of French-Burgess 6-Step Belief Change System.<b id="internal-source-marker_0.7363711756188422"><br/> <br/> <br/> <br/></b></p></div>