social - Blogs - DPG Community2024-03-29T11:14:45Zhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/feed/tag/socialSessions 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>
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<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>
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<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>#WHY702010?https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/why7020102016-04-29T10:56:13.000Z2016-04-29T10:56:13.000ZAdy Howeshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdyHowes<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216863?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><b>#why702010?</b></p>
<p>702010 is a popular framework for helping organisations to consider a blended approach to modernising organisational learning. There has been much debate over what the numbers actually mean with many people challenging why 70, 20 and 10.</p>
<p>To make sense of this, we caught up with Michelle Parry-Slater this week. Michelle runs a consultancy specialising in moving workplace learning away from what she calls the ‘injection education’ of classroom learning. She works with organisations to move them towards a fuller, more modern blend of learning, incorporating all things social and digital. Michelle works closely with Charles Jennings, facilitating his 70:20:10 Practitioner Programme in a joint venture with Corporate eLearning Consortium (CLC).</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357767?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357767?profile=original" width="362" class="align-left" height="362"></a></p>
<p><font color="#0000EE"> </font></p>
<p>At CLC’s recent event <i>70:20:10 The Evidence Behind The Numbers</i> with Laura Overton, Charles Jennings & Martin Baker, Michelle was live tweeting from the event. The hashtag for the event was #why702010? But why that? Michelle told us:</p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><em>Because we need a way to change the conversation. 70:20:10 works as a framework for thinking and conversation. I really enjoyed the recent event particularly as Charles opened with a chat he had recently had with Bob Eichinger, one of the father’s of the original 70:20:10 research. Bob was clear it is not the numbers which matter. He acknowledged the original sample of 200 male executives was flawed in size, in diversity, in population. Indeed Bob later redid the study to include women which switched the numbers to 55:40:05. The numbers in and of themselves are irrelevant – don’t let a brain surgeon near my head with only 10% formal learning, thanks very much! It really is not and never was about the numbers. It is simply about the conversation, the framework for change.</em></span></p>
<p>Michelle supports the wider learning community to consider how to go about this blended, modern approach to learning through a Twitter campaign. Using #TheWhole100 in her tweets, she shares daily tips on how to make changes in workplace learning. We asked Michelle why she does that.</p>
<p><em>I tweet weekdays under the hashtag #TheWhole100 to remind people it is about the fuller and big picture, not about the 70, 20 and 10 buckets. I do it because people need the ‘How’. We are very good at conferences, in academia, in research, in business at saying what we SHOULD be doing and in sharing what the evidence shows, but what does that look like in the real world? At the CLC event, Towards Maturity shared their In Focus report 70+20+10=100. In getting hold of the report, no matter how brilliant the report is, just like Towards Maturity’s case study, benchmark and sector reports, I am always mindful of that sole L&Der in their corporate interpreting, contextualising and making sense of HOW they can implement the recommendation and suggestions within.</em></p>
<p>‘So for you it is more about what do we do with the evidence, with 70:20:10?’</p>
<p><em>Yes absolutely! What is the practical application in the real world. The #why702010 event was really interesting not just for the discussion and presentations in the room, but for the discussion ongoing on Twitter too. It was a perfect union of how 70:20:10 can play out in the real world. People not in the room were following the tweets and joining in the discussion, challenging the assumptions, making us think, informing the questions back in the room. The richness that can come from 140 characters is enlightening. Plus we added in Periscope to further articulate the concept of solutioneering in L&D, which came up in conversation. I love mixing it up.</em></p>
<p>True to form of mixing it up in a blended way, Michelle joined me on a podcast where I was able to find out more to share here on the DPG Community. What is this thing called solutioneering and how is it relevant to 702010?</p>
<p>Have a listen to the discussion we had on 702010 which will give you a better idea of why the numbers don’t really matter and how you too can engage in the wider discussion of modernising organisational learning.</p>
<p>We’d like to hear your thoughts too. <strong>What does 702010 look like in your organisation?</strong> <strong>Do you have a balanced blended approach of formal, informal and social?</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<p><iframe width="100%" height="450" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/261478142&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true"></iframe></p></div>In-Focus: 70+20+10=100: The Evidence Behind The Numbershttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/in-focus-70-20-10-100-the-evidence-behind-the-numbers2016-04-21T13:08:24.000Z2016-04-21T13:08:24.000ZDebora Figueiredohttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/DeboraFigueiredo<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216923?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><i><b>We're proud to share this brand-new In-Focus report from Towards Maturity and Charles Jennings provides fresh evidence looking at the actions behind the numbers and the impact on performance. As a Towards Maturity ambassador we strongly encourage you to read and share this report within your organisation.</b></i></p>
<h2>Why this research?</h2>
<p><i>"I have teamed up with Towards Maturity in order to bring independent evidence to help L&D leaders understand the fact versus the fiction behind 70:20:10. The Towards Maturity team have investigated the impact of adopting new models of learning on business and performance using evidence from over 600 L&D leaders taking part in the 2015 Towards Maturity Benchmark. Together, we aim to de-mystify and de-construct the 70:20:10 model to determine how L&D can encourage and support learning in each of the 3 approaches and dispel some of these myths that have taken centre stage."</i> <br />
<b><i>~ Charles Jennings, co-author of this report</i></b></p>
<p></p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Why now?</h2>
<p dir="ltr">The essence of the 70:20:10 framework is that learning occurs through a range of approaches, being roughly:</p>
<ul>
<li><b>70% </b>from real life and on-the-job experiences, tasks and problem solving.</li>
<li><b>20%</b> from feedback and from observing and working with others</li>
<li><b>10% </b>from formal training such as classes or courses (both face-to-face and online) and reading</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr">Towards Maturity has been deconstructing the activities behind the model for many years to understand the extent to which the principles have been applied. However, there has been considerable debate lately about the framework. This report, co-authored by Towards Maturity and Charles Jennings, provides fresh evidence looking at the actions behind the numbers and the impact on performance.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">FAST FACTS</h2>
<ul>
<li><b>47%</b> of L&D professionals believe that their approach is shaped by models that support learning in the flow of work<br />
 </li>
<li>Independent analysis showed that compared with peers not using models, they are:
<ul>
<li><b>4x more</b> likely to report they respond faster to business change</li>
<li><b>3x more</b> likely to report improvement in staff motivation<br />
 </li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>They are more likely to deploy a genuine balance of attention to all 3 activity areas<br />
 </li>
<li>They are more likely to use technology to support the activity:
<ul>
<li><b>2x more</b> likely to use performance support tools</li>
<li><b>50% more</b> likely to use learning communities and communities of practice<br />
 </li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>They have higher expectations that managers should play an active role for developing the skills of their staff<br />
 </li>
<li>They are investing in the skills of their teams:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr"><b>2.5x more</b> likely to have skills in facilitating collaboration</li>
<li dir="ltr"><b>Almost 2x more </b>likely to already have blended learning skills and performance consulting skills in-house</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h2 dir="ltr">Download the report to find out:</h2>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">The Myths and realities of 70:20:10
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">How prevalent is it?</li>
<li dir="ltr">What impact does it have?</li>
<li dir="ltr">How is it being applied?<br />
 </li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Creating firm foundations for success<br />
 </li>
<li>7 common myths about 70:20:10</li>
</ul>
<h2>Use this report to think about:</h2>
<ul>
<li>How your current offering supports the way that  your staff learn</li>
<li>Preconceived ideas about new models of learning that might have hindered you</li>
<li>Practical ways to foster sharing and collaboration</li>
<li>The role of L&D in facilitating learning rather than delivering learning</li>
<li>What action to take</li>
</ul>
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<h2><b>Acknowledgements</b></h2>
<p><i>This In-Focus report is free to download, thanks to the support of Corporate eLearning Consortium and Docebo.</i></p>
<p><a href="http://www.towardsmaturity.org/in-focus/2016/702010" target="_blank">Find out more and download the full report here</a></p>
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</div>Social Learning: Keep Calmhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/social-learning-keep-calm2014-09-19T08:37:54.000Z2014-09-19T08:37:54.000ZAdy Howeshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdyHowes<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216259?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p></p><p>Hello Again!</p><p>It's been a while since I've been on the DPG Community. Public apology just here! I have a list of excuses (and a note from my mum), which I'll not bother you with right now. It's work and life balancing with a sizeable side project.</p><p>But I've been thinking about you and I know where to come back to when I am able to. The new community looks stunning by the way. Please do make the best use of it.</p><p>I've popped back as I wanted to share with you a posting that's just gone live on my blog. It's all around Social Learning and I hope you find it useful.</p><p>Kind Regards,</p><p>Ady</p><p></p><p></p><h1 class="entry-title"><strong><span class="font-size-6">Social Learning: Keep Calm</span></strong></h1><div class="entry-meta"><span class="sep">Posted on </span><a href="http://adyhowes.com/social_learning_calm/" title="8:15 am" rel="bookmark">September 19, 2014</a><span class="by-author"> <span class="sep">by </span><span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="http://adyhowes.com/author/adyhowes/" title="View all posts by adyhowes" rel="author">adyhowes</a></span></span></div><p></p><div class="entry-content"><p><strong>The fear of social learning</strong></p><p><img class="wp-image-465 alignleft" src="http://adyhowes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/fear1-300x215.jpg" alt="fear" width="286" height="210"/></p><p>I’ve come across a few who have a fear about social learning and what it means. Whether they admit that openly or whether it’s disguised under some other smoke screen, it is a seemingly uncontrollable fear that paralyses their ability to even begin to have a serious conversation about the merits of using it inside an organisation. Perhaps it’s genuine fear. Or perhaps it’s just the not knowing that makes it scary. I used to get frustrated with this view. Now, I just want to attempt to create social learning calm….</p><p>Here I go…</p><p><strong>What is social?</strong></p><p>The word social over recent years, I believe, has become a little diluted. Personally I think that is due to its association with media. After all, love it or hate it, social media can be our best friend or worst enemy. There is good and bad in everything and that’s particularly true of anything to do with media. The good allows us to connect, collaborate and share with those that matter most. The bad is the disgusting appalling ways certain individuals choose to make use of these great tools. Less said about those. It’s a waste of characters.</p><p>In society the same applies. There is good and bad all around us and that’s true irrespective of whether technology is involved or not.</p><p><strong>Forget about technology</strong></p><p>So for now, let’s just park technology and go back to the grass roots of social. For a moment, let’s just pretend that technology doesn’t exist, the internet was never invented and all these social media tools never appeared in the first place. We’re now left with just the word on its own. Social.</p><p><strong>Social is already everywhere and has been for years</strong></p><p>If we were to look up “Social” I’m sure we’d find words such as community and group appearing as a common theme between all definitions. Those words are the true heart of where social really lives. We’re all part of groups and communities. Many groups and many communities. Here are some examples:</p><ul><li>Your family is a community</li><li>The parents of children at the same school as yours is a community</li><li>Anyone that share the same hobbies as you are a community</li><li>Your neighbourhood is a community (irrespective of how well you know and interact with everyone in it)</li><li>You share the same GP surgery, leisure facilities and venues as other people in a community</li><li>Your friends are part of your community</li><li>Some of the people you share a community with are also in other communities just like you, some are not</li><li>Everyone who works at the same company as you is part of the same community</li><li>Inside that big community, smaller communities exist such as those in the same department or those with the same job title, or those that have been on the same course or those involved in the same project.</li></ul><p>The list goes on. Those communities exist and there is not one hope of changing that. Why would you want to anyway?</p><p><strong>A community learns from each other</strong></p><p><img class="size-medium wp-image-449 alignleft" src="http://adyhowes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/caveman-300x202.gif" alt="caveman" width="300" height="202"/></p><p> </p><p>Remember, there is no such thing as technology right now at least for the next few paragraphs.</p><p>Social Communities do what they’ve always done since civilisation began. They learn from each other. If they don’t, they don’t survive. Simple. They meet, they communicate, they converse, they interact, they discuss and they share.</p><p>If I began to list all the things I have learned from informal conversations in these communities I’d be here all day. And probably the next and the next and the next.</p><p> </p><p>The stuff that I’ve learned from various people in my day to day conversations in these communities is awesome and far, far outweighs anything I’ve ever learned on formal courses and programmes (even though that’s been valuable and welcome too). I’m very grateful for everything every person has shared with me, in every community that I’m involved in now or in the past in or outside of work.</p><p><strong>It happens anyway – you can’t stop the conversation</strong></p><p><img class="wp-image-450 alignleft" src="http://adyhowes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/notalking.jpg" alt="notalking" width="151" height="151"/></p><p>Or can you?</p><p>How about some rules for people to comply with?</p><p>How about these…</p><p> </p><ol><li>Only <b>one staff member</b> is allowed on a break at any one time</li><li>The staff room, fag shed and canteen will be operated with a <b>maximum capacity of one </b>and we will operate a strict one in one out policy</li><li>From this point forward, shift times will be staggered to avoid the <b>risk of any staff </b><b>communica</b>ting with each other on the way in or out of work</li><li>All communication that consists of at least one word or more, <b>must </b><b>be signed off by the CEO</b></li><li>Under <b>no circumstances</b> must staff meet each other outside of work</li><li>You will <b>comply</b>, won’t you?</li></ol><p>Daft isn’t it? But quite naturally a fairly amusing unreality!</p><p><strong>What if they get it wrong?</strong></p><p>Remember, technology STILL is out of the equation whist I pose these questions that seem to come up all too often.</p><ol><li>What if they say the wrong thing?</li><li>What if they share the wrong stuff?</li><li>What if they use bad language?</li><li>What if they are disrespectful to managers, or colleagues or the company?</li><li>What if they try and hijack what we are trying to do?</li><li>What if the sky falls down?</li></ol><p>Sorry. Got carried away, but you can probably begin to imagine why. My answer to those questions is simple. If communities exist already and you can’t stop communities from naturally building and communicating, how do you know this isn’t already happening?</p><p>The stunned silence and penny-dropping expression is usually the break-through moment that gives me hope!</p><p>If people say the wrong thing, I’m sure an organisation is capable of correcting and educating. After all, who hasn’t at some point or another got something wrong? Perfectionists please be quiet. I’m sure if someone shares the wrong stuff, there’s a way to educate all what’s wrong with it and what the right way is. We do that already don’t we? If it’s really that bad, disrespectful or in bad taste we have processes in place to manage that right? Is it not the same as the other conduct issues we deal with in the workplace anyway?</p><p>Truth of the matter is we don’t have, or at least didn’t have, visibility of what people are already socially sharing in their various organisational communities. They have been doing it for years.</p><p><strong>So let’s bring back the technology</strong></p><p><strong><img class="size-medium wp-image-453 alignright" src="http://adyhowes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/BusinessmanUsingTabletComputer-300x200.jpg" alt="BusinessmanUsingTabletComputer" width="300" height="200"/></strong></p><p>Social happened a long, long time before any of this technology stuff. Way before any of us existed. Technology is the new kid on the block that enables interaction to happen quicker, over wider geographical areas, conveniently and in line with the pace that society works at nowadays. It allows interaction flexibly, timely and on the go.</p><p>It’s been said many times before it’s about the people; technology is just the enabler. Technology does us many favours in respect of enabling this community building, sharing and collaboration. It also brings an air of visibility to some of the conversations that are already happening; conversations that we probably wouldn’t have otherwise known about. It’s the opportunity to join in, facilitate, moderate and educate where necessary, be part of the story and conversation and not the never invited guest.</p><p><strong>Fear. Where is it coming from?</strong></p><p><img class="size-medium wp-image-448 alignleft" src="http://adyhowes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/fear-300x138.jpg" alt="fear" width="300" height="138"/></p><p>I saw this picture and sort of agreed with it first. But then I reminded myself that our inbuilt instincts are there for a reason. They are what keep us safe from harms way. The chimp inside us if you will. So I don’t necessarily think that fear is a liar.</p><p>It’s just some fears seem to take over our minds. Fear is their to warn us, to make sure we plan.</p><p>If the fear is with the technology, don’t worry. There’s a whole load of people who can help with that. L&D are still great at delivering the formal stuff. We’ve developed new skills and approaches to bring out the informal too. The people in our organisations know how to be social. They know how it works with technology too. They do so outside of our organisations. It is far much easier, safer and private that some might first imagine. There are enterprise social learning solutions out there away from the eyes of people outside our business.</p><p>If however fear is with people and how they may behave and that’s the reason for ignoring social, I hope this article goes some way to calming this. I hope those with that fear now have the confidence to move forward with social learning knowing that fear is being taken out of proportion.</p><p>There can’t be many left that refuse to keep calm with social learning. But for those that flatly refuse, it really is time to panic.</p><p><strong>Social Learning in a Nutshell</strong></p><ul><li>Social Learning is taking place right now and it has done for years.</li><li>It happens with or without technology.</li><li>It happens with or without permission.</li><li>Technology is just the enabler.</li><li>My advice is simple.</li><li>Get social.</li><li>Our people already are!</li></ul></div><p></p><p>This entry was posted in <a href="http://adyhowes.com/category/articles/" rel="category tag">Articles</a> and tagged <a href="http://adyhowes.com/tag/collaboration-ld/" rel="tag">collaboration. L&D</a>, <a href="http://adyhowes.com/tag/learning/" rel="tag">learning</a>, <a href="http://adyhowes.com/tag/social-learning-2/" rel="tag">social learning</a>,<a href="http://adyhowes.com/tag/technology/" rel="tag">technology</a> by <a rel="nofollow" href="http://adyhowes.com/author/adyhowes/">adyhowes</a>. Bookmark the <a href="http://adyhowes.com/social_learning_calm/" title="Permalink to Social Learning: Keep Calm" rel="bookmark">permalink</a>.</p><p></p></div>Embedding Social Media for Collaborative Learning - Live Blog from CIPD L&D Show 2014https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/embedding-social-media-for-collaborative-learning-live-blog-from2014-05-01T14:26:03.000Z2014-05-01T14:26:03.000ZAdy Howeshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdyHowes<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216218?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><span class="font-size-4"><strong>CIPD Learning and Development Show - Live Blog</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><strong>Embedding Social Media for Collaborative Learning</strong></span></p>
<p><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357512?profile=RESIZE_320x320" class="align-right" width="299"></p>
<p>I’m at the CIPD L&D Show for a session on Embedding Social Media for Collaborative Learning. First up is Helena Moore.</p>
<p> I’m quite looking forward to this topic. Whilst social media is well embedded into the consumer world and our personal lives, it’s relatively new to be using this in the business world. I know this needs to happen, so it’s time to find out some tips on how.</p>
<p>Helena provided an overview of the typical social media tools out there; Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, Yammer, Wordpress etc.</p>
<p></p>
<p><b style="font-size: 13px;">How do you get people excited?</b></p>
<p>So how do you get people get so excited? “First thing to think about is mind-set”, said Helena. “It’s about joining the dots up in the organisation. You can’t develop a culture that’s going to support social learning in isolation. You have to think about a number of elements”. Helena then focussed on “The Famous Five”; five elements that you need to think about when implementing social media in a business.</p>
<p></p>
<p><b>Talk to your marketing (or comms) departments</b></p>
<p>The first bit of advice Helena advised is getting in with the marketing team. Find out what they’re using externally to the business and what their future plans are. This will give you some clues as to what social media tools might be worth looking at first. Helena also suggested talking to IT too to see what they’re using or planning to use.</p>
<p><b>Engage the Exec teams</b></p>
<p>This is about understanding what your execs and senior managers think about social media. Helena says “I was lucky because our CEO was already in to Yammer so he was already there. He got into it really early. That wasn’t the case with everyone around the table so we had to engage them too and build their confidence too.”</p>
<p><b>Engage your IT team</b></p>
<p>Your IT crowd are one of the most important relationships that you can have. You need them to be able to iron out any issues that you might come across – e.g. problems with video streaming as well as helping you to make sure the infrastructure and equipment is suitable.</p>
<p><b>Help your “Head of the Family” to lead the way</b></p>
<p>The next step that Helena referred to was engaging the Head of the Family. “We expect our leaders to lead on social media tools to encourage people to use them”. This is about engaging managers to lead the way with interacting with social media platforms.</p>
<p><b>Engage your HR Team</b></p>
<p>The final tip was on engaging the HR team. Think about what they are putting in the recruitment process. Are recruitment processes recognising people who have social media skills (or at least the appetite to develop them). Also how is the induction process aligned to help people learn how social media tools are used in the business?</p>
<p></p>
<p>Next up is Michelle Parry-Slater (Academy Manager, Santa Fe Group) sharing the social learning journey in her organisation. </p>
<p></p>
<p><b>Injected Education</b></p>
<p>Michelle described injected education as the process of sending someone of for a course, injecting them with information, then returning them to the business “cured”. That is of course until they start forgetting what they have learned a few months down the line. The injection has worn off. Michelle asked who in the group felt their organisations approached learning in this way. A good 80% of the group had their hands up. The suggestion was that learning is a continuous journey not a one-off event. Social media helps people to keep “injecting” themselves with refresher or new knowledge.</p>
<p></p>
<p><b>Learning has Evolved</b></p>
<p>Michelle talked about the evolvement of learning. Despite whatever policies are in place in our organisations, people are accessing social media in whatever way they can anyway. Using Google, Twitter, Facebook has become part of everyday life. Why? Because things have evolved. So why haven’t we embraced this? The audience responses to that question were around IT not being capable, “It’s the way we’ve always done it” and we have no control. These are certainly the barriers that could stop social media being effectively embedded into an organisation. These barriers need to be overcome, certainly the mind-set ones, if social media is truly going to work.</p>
<p></p>
<p><b>Why do we need social media anyway?</b></p>
<p>Michelle said there was a need to move away from the injected learning approach and evolve their L&D offering into something different. She reminded us of the 70:20:10 approach to learning which suggests that 70% of learning comes from learning through experience and 20% of learning comes from other people. These points coupled with the fact that Michelle was single handed trying to cater for the learning need of 3,000 people! So a good reason to provide a platform to connect people. She knew it’s what we had to do.</p>
<p></p>
<p><b>What solution was used?</b></p>
<p>Michelle spoke to the big players in the eLearning space and eventually found <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.fusion-universal.com/">Fuse</a>. “What it does for someone”, Michelle says, “is immediately feel familiar. It felt like other social media tools that people would already be familiar with.” On the screen Michelle showed us what this looked like. Content at the top, be that video, powerpoint, documents or whatever, and comments underneath. A bit like You Tube. All of the content is searchable, including the comments, which means if someone is looking for something in particular, you can easily find it. “3,000 learners, become 3,000 experts” she says.</p>
<p>Michelle reminded us of the points covered earlier by Helena. Get others on board. Your exec team, managers and other departments. “Don’t under-estimate the need to internally market” said Michelle. Michelle went on to describe a communications plan to put out “teasers” to get people curious and excited about was happening. Following the launch, Michelle explained it was important to get involved in the early postings and encourage users by, for example, liking, sharing and commenting on the early content that people post. Show an interest in what they do and encourage people do more of it. Michelle suggested that it’s about building communities within your organisation with content relevant to them.</p>
<p></p>
<p><b>More information on social media</b></p>
<p>This has been a really useful session and certainly a topic that I’m going to be finding out more about in the future. you can too with CIPD's Social Tech report available on this link: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.cipd.co.uk/socialtech">www.cipd.co.uk/socialtech</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px;">For more Tweets from me from the Learning and Development follow </span><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/DPGplc" target="_blank" style="font-size: 13px;">@dpgplc</a><span style="font-size: 13px;"> on Twitter.</span></p>
<p>Tweet you there! See you there.</p>
<p>Ady</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p> </p></div>Embedding Social Media for Collaborative Learninghttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/embedding-social-media-for-collaborative-learning2014-04-29T11:30:00.000Z2014-04-29T11:30:00.000ZAdy Howeshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdyHowes<div><p><span class="font-size-4"><strong>CIPD Learning and Development Show</strong></span></p>
<p><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357458?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="299" class="align-right"></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">Embedding Social Media for Collaborative Learning</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Thursday 1st May at the L&D Show</span></p>
<p>Social Media. it's all out there and it's presence isn't going to go away. In fact many say, it's going to become an even bigger part of how we communicate, interact and do business in the future. </p>
<p>I've often wondered what this means for learning and how social and collaborative learning will be enabled more in the future in the presence of tools allowing us to do more of this. My views on these channels of learning are no different to any of the other technologies. They are okay as long as they work alongside what we already do as part of the L&D mix.</p>
<p>I've often wondered how many other organisations have embraced social learning. I've wondered what lessons can be learned from those that have had a go. I've wondered how you really make social learning part of the equation and encourage social learning to occur.</p>
<p>This Thursday I'll be joining Helena Moore, Director of OD and Communications for the Bradford Group and Michelle Parry-Slater, Academy Manager for The SantaFe Group who will be sharing with the audience at this year's L&D Show their views on the subject.</p>
<p><span>You can follow my tweets </span><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/DPGplc" target="_blank">@dpgplc</a><span> from this event on both Wednesday and Thursday throughout the day. Tweet you there.</span></p>
<p>In the meantime, I'd love to hear what questions and comments you have about embedding social media for collaborative learning.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Ady</p>
<p> </p></div>How do you Become a More Effective L&D Professional?https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/how-do-you-become-a-more-effective-l-d-professional2014-04-28T14:30:00.000Z2014-04-28T14:30:00.000ZAdy Howeshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdyHowes<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216205?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><span class="font-size-4"><strong>CIPD Learning and Development Show</strong></span></p>
<p><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357508?profile=RESIZE_320x320" class="align-right" width="299"></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">How do you become a more effective L&D Professional</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><strong> </strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;">This is a topic that we should all be following. There's never a finish line to the question "How do you become a more effective L&D Professional". As the life-long-learners that we have subscribed to being, we should continually look to raise the bar.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;">I was hoping to be checking out tips on this subject from Talent Management Professional Danny Kalman and Social Media and Engagement Advisor to the CIPD Perry Timms at this year's CIPD L&D Show. But the session is fully booked.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;">So perhaps a topic that we can discuss on here anyway. <strong>What do you think helps you to become a more effective L&D Professional?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Sorry I can't bring you news from this particular session, but there's loads more happening down here tomorrow on at the 2014 CIPD Learning and Development Show. If you're here <strong>say hello to DPG on stands 353 and 687</strong>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;">You can follow tweets </span><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/DPGplc" target="_blank" style="font-size: 10pt;">@dpgplc</a><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> from this event on Wednesday and Thursday. Tweet you there!</span></p>
<p>In the meantime, I'd love to hear what questions and comments you have about <strong>becoming a more effective L&D Professional.</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Ady</p>
<p> </p></div>Collaborative Learning through MOOCs - CIPD L&D Show 2014https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/collaborative-learning-through-moocs-cipd-l-d-show-20142014-04-28T10:30:00.000Z2014-04-28T10:30:00.000ZAdy Howeshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdyHowes<div><p><span class="font-size-4"><strong>CIPD Learning and Development Show</strong></span></p>
<p><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357520?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="299" class="align-right"></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">Collaborative Learning through MOOC's</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Wednesday 30th April 11:15am at CIPD L&D Show 2014</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Quite looking forward to the session this Wednesday at the L&D Show on Collaborative Learning through MOOC's. Now the daft thing is, I haven't yet really got a club what a MOOC is. But fortunately, the seminar details give me a clue as to what it stands for "Massive Online Open Courses".</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">What it means, I don't know, but I'm in safe hands on this one.Perry Timms, Social Media and Engagement Adviser for the CIPD are amongst the speakers on this particular session. I've never met Perry, but looking forward to doing so. I know he's a lot to say on the subject of collaborative and social learning. I'll let you know what I pick up from this session.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><span style="font-size: 13px;">You can follow my tweets </span><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/DPGplc" target="_blank" style="font-size: 13px;">@dpgplc</a><span style="font-size: 13px;"> from this event on Wednesday.</span></span></p>
<p><span>But in the meantime, I'd love to hear what questions you have about collaborative and social learning. Leave us your comments below...</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>Thanks</span></p>
<p><span>Ady</span></p>
<p><span> </span></p></div>2014 - get working on your Networking...https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/2014-get-working-on-your-networking2014-01-04T16:25:03.000Z2014-01-04T16:25:03.000ZPerry Timmshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/PerryTimms<div><p>When asked to contribute something for a draft article for People Management on Networking for HR professionals (via the ultra cool and nice Grace Lewis), I went to town a bit.</p><p>I am a bit renowned for networking and certainly not one to hide my light under a bushel (a bushel is incidentally a UK measure of 8 gallons used for food and drink) I thought I’d draft out something. Well that something became a rather long thing. Grace used a few quotes but here’s my entire piece which I hope helps those out there wanting to improve their networking. Grace’s punchy article is here <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.cipd.co.uk/pm/peoplemanagement/b/weblog/archive/2014/01/03/how-to-be-a-better-hr-networker.aspx">http://www.cipd.co.uk/pm/peoplemanagement/b/weblog/archive/2014/01/03/how-to-be-a-better-hr-networker.aspx</a>)</p><p><strong>People Management Magazine feature: the Perry guide to networking for HR Professionals</strong></p><p>Networking. It appears to have always been the case of “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”. From pre-industrial nobles and royals networking across borders and clans to keep their interests, trade routes and marriage lines healthy; to post-industrial building up of contacts and clients to help with sales, commissions and more. Networking has never been more important or as easy as it is now surely? The world is a smaller place thanks to digital technology connecting us.</p><p>In many respects yes, and in other respects no. Being more connected doesn’t always mean better connected.</p><p>Surely Marketers are best and Financiers worst? No, not that stereotypical either yet it is true that some industries and specialisms thrive on networking – the acting and fashion/design worlds – I’d wager a huge bet success here are largely about who you know.</p><p>And what about specifically for HR professionals? Isn’t networking hard-wired into HR with it being the “people profession”? Not as much as you’d might think.</p><p>Isn’t it an extroverts kingdom where introverts just don’t get a look in? Not necessarily as cliched as that either. Networking can be done clumsily, over-eagerly and just downright noisily and that isn’t effective. Considered, genuine, gentle networking is probably the best way.</p><p>This piece looks at WHY you should be good (or better) at networking as an HR professional; WHERE you can put your networking skills to good use and HOW you can make the most of networking.</p><p><strong>WHY?</strong></p><p><em>So why should HR professionals be good/better at networking? Sure it IS the people profession so relationships are a key part of the success factors for HR practitioners inside and outside of organisations.</em></p><p><strong>Why part 1 – think recruitment.</strong></p><p>If you’re looking to hire THAT specialist for a role, you often think back to the last time you worked with someone who did that role. Or you tap up someone who you know is supremely networked to share their views on who the industry experts are to look out for. Whilst it’s not about some kind of nepotism or blinkered thinking, having people in your network to either find you the right person or be the right person can take a whole lot of effort and risk out of the situation of a critical hire. Of course there are downsides in that you might not spot that raw talent you don’t know about but if people are good, someone, somewhere will know about them and the more networked you are the more you’re likely to be just a couple of degrees away from that next superstar.</p><p><strong>Why part 2 – think innovation & ideas.</strong></p><p>The more connected you are, the more people in your network you have, the more you can rely on someone within that band being a breakthrough thinker; a true ideas generator and likely to stimulate you into new ways of thinking about problems to solve and products/services to create. The more diverse your network (in terms of demographics and experiences) the more likely you are to be connected to an innovation architect/creator.</p><p><strong>Why part 3 – think help, support and assistance.</strong></p><p>Not necessarily innovation or breakthrough thinking but capacity/capability to plug and people you know can help you do that. You’re good – sure. But you’re better with other people around and behind you. The bigger your network, the more tightly constructed the network the chances are you’re going to fall over the help you need and not have a tiring and fruitless pursuit for help and support. Technical, psychological, physical, spiritual – whatever format it takes. Your network can be your biggest source of generosity and willingness. You do have to put in to get out, but if you do “put in” and help/support others, the benefits are huge.</p><p><strong>Why part 4 – think learning and professional development.</strong></p><p>More and more of the learning you do is not from formal avenues like courses, academic qualification programmes or even in-house learning, it’s from your network. They know TONS of information; have a massive array of skills and a wide range of approaches and experiences. They can and should become your Personal Learning Network and none of it is manipulative, disingenuous or undeserved. If you get a lot of learning from your network, it’s probably because you deserve it, have generated lots for others and so it’s a payback thing.</p><p><strong>WHERE?</strong></p><p><em><strong>So that’s why – WHERE do I start/continue/enhance my network?</strong></em></p><p>In HR there are probably as many if not more than other professional bodies – many HR events are learning-specific events for HR professionals and others. Networking from courses, workshops, briefings and events is possibly the most natural source of networking there is. On top of this, conferences and roundtables are almost built AROUND networking. People go to these events expecting networking and so it’s hardly like you’d have to force yourself on people.</p><p>Of course being a CIPD member helps as the local branch structure is – again – built around networking as a key component of all the 4 “why” elements mentioned above. Local branch meetings, events, joint branch meetings/events and online groups provide instant access to local practitioners who may just be the key person in your network to help you and you help them.</p><p>Online is the other where – and no more than on social networking platforms – of course! Not everyone’s cup of tea BUT a great place to expand and enhance the network through LinkedIn and LinkedIn groups; Twitter followers and twitter hashtag chats; reading, sharing and commenting on blogs and wiki threads are the modern digital equivalent of “working a room” or “being on the circuit”. It’s clearly not the ONLY place to network but it’s certainly enhanced the “real” world especially for HR professionals with specialist sub-groups and the overarching ConnectingHR network having hundreds of HR professionals connected from across the world together with the CIPD’s 24,000 LinkedIn and 40,000+ twitter followers means this is a very connected place to be.</p><p><strong>HOW?</strong></p><p><strong><em>OK, we get why, and we get where but HOW do you network well?</em></strong></p><p>Probably the most asked question. Some people just don’t feel like they’ve got the right approach, banter or levels of interest to become a better networker.</p><p>How is of course linked to how you operate as a human being as well as a professional working in HR. My own tips come from years of going to events, having to work in national and cross-border roles and working in sectors where the more people you knew from across different agencies and organisations, the better equipped you were to get good consultative inputs to new proposals for business models to legislative changes.</p><p><strong>Tip 1 – be yourself; natural and comfortable.</strong> No need to have rehearsed lines to butt into a conversation or make your mark, just be yourself – introvert or extrovert matters not. The least natural you are, the more likely people are likely to be lukewarm towards you. Think David Brent – then be nothing like him.</p><p><strong>Tip 2 – be curious and interested in what others are about/saying and they’ll be the same with you.</strong> You may not think you’re interesting but let others be the judge of that. Start from the point that what you do, who you do it for and where you do it from are facts and start the curiosity trail off – if someone says they are an “information architect” be honest and say “sounds interesting but I really don’t know much about that role, please tell me more…” Repeating back a few key words shows you’ve listened and helps the person feel you’ve understood and appreciated what they do. They are FAR more likely to do the same back to you – and who knows, you may just find yourselves experiencing similar issues (tight budgets and low skill levels in your teams) which you share – then bingo you never know how you might be able to help each other out!</p><p><strong>Tip 3 – If you need to, be tactical in your networking .</strong> You may love to find someone who knows payroll modelling between US and European roles, then scan the guest list at a Comp & Ben conference and see people who work for US/EU corporations or who have the role HR Payroll Analyst in their role title and seek them out. Nothing wrong with focused networking – it’s not insincere or inhuman, just focused and very purposeful. Being honest about it shouldn’t do you any harm and remember the tip 1 to be yourself and honest/sincere.</p><p><strong>Tip 4 – Even if you dread approaching people, anchor your thoughts on positive networking experiences you’ve had</strong> either as the recipient of a networking conversation or the instigator of one. Enjoying networking and having fun meeting and talking to new and interesting people tends to take the edge of things and creates a naturally comfortable atmosphere. Serendipitous networking often generates way more than you’d expect. Queuing for coffee, reading the pre-conference handout around a tall coffee table, popping the coat in the cloakroom, needing the wifi password – all opportunities to strike up the conversation and move from smalltalk to professional interchange.</p><p>Most of all I think <strong>HR Professionals NEED EACH OTHER.</strong> Yes, we may network within our own organisations yet we all know, there’s a lot of HR practitioners who feel their organisation tolerates them, doesn’t appreciate the function and views it as a policing and compliance only part of the business. So we need to take comfort from other professionals who have experienced this but come out “the other side”; to share spoils and successes so we may model and repeat great practice methods; stretch our thinking (don’t benchmark – stretchmark) to create a truly great company to work for and also feel the solid support of others in our profession who are in it for all the right reasons.</p><p><strong><em>Building alliances, creating innovation hubs and generating collective wisdom ONLY comes from networking.</em></strong> Your best hire, your next role, your next success probably will come from networking more than you give it credit for.</p><p>So it’s not what you know, it’s that PLUS who you know and what and who THEY know that really makes the difference.</p><p><em><strong>The clue is in the name netWORKING so if you’re in HR, my advice is get working on networking!</strong></em></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>Rebel with a causehttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/rebel-with-a-cause2013-04-21T11:30:00.000Z2013-04-21T11:30:00.000ZMike Collinshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins<div><p>Another new experience under the belt. This time a short talk at the PPMA conference (not the Processing and Packaging Machinery Association) rather the <a href="http://www.ppma.org.uk/">Public Sector People Manager’s conference</a> – you can check the #ppmahr13 hashtag for tweets from the day.</p>
<p>This is a quick summary of my session and I want to thank <a href="https://twitter.com/perrytimms" target="_blank">Perry Timms</a> for getting me involved and <a href="https://twitter.com/academyofrock" target="_blank">Peter Cook</a> for delivering an inspiring session that I was able to play a part in. Although how you follow someone who plays a guitar round the back of his head beats me.</p>
<p>So what was it about? Well it was primarily about <a href="http://itsdevelopmental.com/2013/what-is-punk-rock-hr/" target="_blank">Punk HR</a> as Martin Couzins (aka <a href="https://twitter.com/learnpatch" target="_blank">LearnPatch</a>) caught up with Peter to find out a little more.</p>
<p>I’ll be up front and say my knowledge of punk is limited, those who read my <a href="http://www.learningasylum.co.uk/2013/03/alter-egos/" target="_blank">recent post</a> will know I’m all about the beats but this doesn’t stop me getting involved in some of the things that punk stood for. My session was short maybe 10 mins so I had to keep it brief and to the point but make people think differently about social tools and I named my session a rather dramatic “The Social Revolution”.</p>
<ul>
<li>I opened my session asking those in the room if they considered themselves to be in a senior manager role, approx 80% of the room put their hand up.</li>
<li>I then asked for those same people to put their hand up if they had an active Twitter account, approx 5% of those kept their hand up – ouch!</li>
<li>My last question was based around how many people in the room were already using social tools in their organisations, may be 10% of the room put their hand up.</li>
</ul>
<p>So lots of senior managers, very few of them using Twitter (appreciate this is not a definitive method of gauging knowledge / attitude toward social) but indicates they are not active social media users and only 10% of those in the room are using social in their organisations. This was going to be interesting.</p>
<p>I will start my saying one thing (I wish I had said this and been more challenging), if you do not use social media yourself then you will not understand it. If you do not understand it then how can you see the value social tools can provide and lead change and role model this change. You can’t! Senior HR managers, in fact any HR managers…. in fact anyone in HR right now beware……ignoring it and thinking you don’t need to bother or saying things like “I don’t get all this social stuff”, “I don’t need to get it”, “that’s for other people not me” will not wash any longer. If you persist with this attitude your days are numbered as change is happening, you can either get involved, support and lead this change OR you can get out of the way. It isn’t about ‘social media’ as many might think of it but solving real business problems with a new and exciting tool set.</p>
<p>Why do I have this view? In my humble opinion it’s fundamentally about changing our approach to the way we do things, it’s more than thinking differently it’s doing things differently, it’s about bringing different behaviours and a different attitude to how we operate in the workplace alive through ACTION. An open approach to leadership and an attitude that isn’t preoccupied by title or seniority but focuses on getting things done in a different, more open and authentic way. The behaviours of great leaders haven’t really changed but the way and means we can bring these behaviours to life have changed. The focus is not on social technology but what these tools enable us to do and the value they can create when used correctly and productively. How can this happen when the tools aren’t understood?</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357206?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357206?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></a>I opened my session proper with a quick reference to the punk attitude. Even though I wasn’t part of the punk movement I understand it was about making change and a gathering of people who believed in the same thing. People who through music found a way to come together and share what they are interesting in and what they were passionate about to make lasting change themselves.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357225?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357225?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></a></p>
<p>I then spoke about 5 areas in brief and have summarised them below:</p>
<p><strong>Choice</strong> – using social tools you have a choice to contribute and be part of the open conversation. You can choose to engineer conversations and bring others in to the conversation. You can choose to encourage others and help people and provide information and you can choose what message you share and what form this message comes in. Alternatively you can choose to do nothing.</p>
<p><strong>Attitude</strong> – who are the people you like working with? What are the things you hire people for? We need more positive deviants and those not afraid to disrupt the status quo. We need people in your organisations – not sorry YOU must have an attitude that says I will do things differently. I want to see attitudes that inspire and motivate – to lead and share not hoard. Engage and nurture NOT command & Control.</p>
<p><strong>Curiosity</strong> – I’m curious, what happens if, what happens when, ask questions – challenge what has gone before – more importantly what happens when you give people a voice and the opportunity to get involved? Does this scare you or does it excite you?</p>
<p><strong>Rebel with a cause</strong> – if you always do what you’ve always done you’ll always get what you’ve always got. It’s time to challenge the ways in which HR communicate and work with the people we are here to help and serve. That doesn’t mean anarchy and anti-establishment but it does mean empowering others to reach their potential and a shift in the way people use open forms of communication and work together. Which leads to….</p>
<p><strong>Collaboration</strong> – This is where the revolution is…connecting your workforce, bringing people together to work and achieve their goals in an open way that over time with YOUR support and influence will change our workplace culture for the better. You need to be leading this change and role modelling how these tools can be used for the greater good not looking at social tools as a negative thing that will bring about tension and unproductive staff. This is a change we can and must influence and drive to enable the people we work with to be more effective in their jobs and to work together more openly.</p>
<p>I summed up with a music analogy as this was the order of the day. I believe HR need to be leading this social revolution and <b>making the music</b> not listening to it from the side lines or worse still turning the music off because it’s too loud or different to what you’re used to.</p>
<p><strong>The revolution is happening………will you be dancing to the beat or sat round the dance floor?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Are you involved in bringing this change to your workplace? Are you a rebel with a cause?</strong></p></div>Knocking down the firewallhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/knocking-down-the-firewall2013-03-04T15:30:00.000Z2013-03-04T15:30:00.000ZAndrew Simcockhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AndrewSimcock<div><p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357264?profile=original"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357264?profile=original" width="225"></a><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 10pt;">In the last few months I have joined the Spring intake for HRM Diploma and have been working with colleagues in the IT department to get access to this site. I originally found that the company firewalls would not permit access as it was classified under social media which was forbidden under the internet use policy.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 10pt;"> I had to provide a rationale as to why I needed access to this site and have this endorsed by my manager. Despite my compliance to this request I was refused. I then took the tack of going to speak to the people in the team directly and discussed why the site was so necessary. I added that the course was part of my professional development which was being sponsored by the business and that through the site I would access both essential course material and fellow students where discussions were being held that I could both learn from and contribute to.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Following this meeting I was passed from one person to another person as if no one wanted to make a decision. Each time I made the same argument. I finally concluded in the email that swung the decision that it seemed foolish that an organisation would fund me in both financial and time terms but then deny me access to the very materials I needed to complete the course. At that point it seems someone saw the sense in my application and decided to switch me on. Only took 5 weeks but persistence paid off in the end. An important lesson to us all. If you really want it don’t let go.</span></p></div>Holding back? Don't!https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/holding-back-don-t2013-02-14T17:00:00.000Z2013-02-14T17:00:00.000ZHayley Brownhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/HayleyBrown<div><p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357231?profile=original"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357231?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="283"></a>I was talking to a colleague yesterday on the subject of helping people and sharing. I explained that in the past few weeks I have been able to help people and get help numerous times through using the fabulous DPG Community. She said, or rather demonstrated something funny, which I liked ‘Why some people behave like this (puts head down and arms around paperwork in a Kevin the teenager manner) I will never know, if I know the answer I will always help".</p>
<p>I totally agree with this way of thinking and I think it’s great that I sit next to someone who has both common sense, company smarts and the ability to make me laugh. In my experience there are a few things which stop people from sharing and participating in person but more so on social media sites and networks
<strike>
.
</strike> I think of them as troublesome little gloopy monsters which get inside our heads and stop us, sometimes before we've even started – the ‘What ifs’</p>
<p> “What if....”</p>
<p><b>I sound silly</b> – We all worry about losing face at times. <i>Please</i> remember you are a smart, talented professional and also remember that you are a human being. You have loads of worthwhile, humorous, cautionary, interesting experiences to share as well as lots to learn. We all get stuck sometimes, need information or guidance. It’s totally OK to ask for help or insight from peers and this doesn't mean that you can’t do your job/are inefficient/naive. What it does mean is that you are committed to doing your job in the most effective way as you are seeking a wide range of opinions in order to choose the <b>best</b> option, rather than the <b>same</b> option. Social helps us to build relationships and to do that effectively we need to make ourselves a bit vulnerable. After all, nobody knows <i>everything. </i>To avoid being too needy I try to observe a 2:1 ratio; for every one thing I ask, I try to share or input my opinion on two more things.</p>
<p><b>I’m giving away knowledge that makes me valuable</b> – If you think that sharing information means you are going to lose your job, or be less marketable as an employee, well you could be right. However, lack of willingness to share, collaborate and communicate in a group is more likely to be the presiding factor in this rather than giving up knowledge. Employers frequently cite silo working as an issue in their organisations; there is a growing trend now for this to be considered when recruiting/promoting. Organisations are increasingly moving from valuing of ‘you are what you know’ to ‘you are what you share’ as performance boosting behaviours take more of a centre stage in considerations when recruiting and rewarding people.</p>
<p><b>It’s already been said</b> – If you are directly lifting information from a source, of course you need to reference it. There is a lot of stuff on the internet, but there is also a lot of stuff not on there. You could be asking the question that 10 other people wanted to, but dare not. Start from a point of writing for your own development - that way it does not matter if you are saying it again. Provide your take on the matter; label it as a personal view and how you came to this conclusion.</p>
<p><b>Someone disagrees with my opinion or challenges me negatively -</b></p>
<p>Firstly, never feed a troll – a troll is someone who goes out onto the Internet with the sole purpose of winding us up! To recognise when a comment requires a response you need to decide if it’s important, relevant and that you understand what the person is saying. I prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt and check my understanding first. Always remember that if something is truly a low blow, it normally reflects badly on the commenter rather than you.</p>
<p>I have worked hard to banish my own ‘What Ifs’. Social tools are increasingly becoming a part of organisational life and we in HR need to use all of our CIPD professional behaviours to participate, particularly curiosity, courage and most importantly acting as a role model. Why not start on the DPG Community?</p>
<p>I’d love to know:</p>
<p><em><strong>Do you have any What Ifs?</strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>How are you overcoming them?</strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>Is anything stopping you from overcoming them?</strong></em></p></div>Developing the next generation of social leaders – bridging the skills gaphttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/developing-the-next-generation-of-social-leaders-bridging-the2013-02-01T09:30:00.000Z2013-02-01T09:30:00.000ZRichard Pedleyhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/RichardPedley<div><p>On Wednesday I attended Mike Collins’ talk on Social Leaders. This was a really inspiring session so when I returned to work on Thursday I felt it would be useful to share this with my colleagues</p><p>Mike gave a brief overview of how Social tools can help the Leaders of today. (Video below)</p><p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.annotag.tv/learningtechnologies/play/18250" target="_blank">Developing the Next Generation of Social Leaders - Bridging the Gap</a></p><p>It was made immediately clear that business need to examine the way that they view Social Media. Businesses see Social Media within the context of Facebook but don’t often examine options that may be useful to them or even consider providing their own internal tools.</p><p>Social Media is first and foremost about Engagement, about providing an open 2 way communication channel.</p><p>Social tools help staff to become aware of the decisions that are being made and the reasons behind these decisions. It provides transparency to the leadership and gives them an opportunity to become more visible to their staff. It makes the leadership human.</p><p>Social tools also provide an excellent opportunity for collaboration especially when businesses are sometimes fragmented across several sites.</p><p><b>My Thoughts...</b></p><p>Social Tools provides a great opportunity to address a perceived issue of Leadership visibility. I appreciate that there is a reluctance to discuss business issues on external sites as this can be seen by anybody. However I do believe that there is a strong case to use a business specific version of something like Twitter.</p><p>If this was taken up by Senior Leaders and used regularly it will help people to understand where they are and what they are doing. When decisions are made live Q&A sessions could be held using social tools so that staff understand the decisions that have been made and become engaged with them. These tools could also be used when running large events or department meetings. It may also be appropriate for some “tweets” to be made from Senior Leadership meetings (although I appreciate that there is a lot that could not be shared).</p><p>All of this will open a whole new line of communication for staff and I believe increase the number of “Great Ideas” that are produced.</p><p>There is also a great opportunity that this can be used to gain instant feedback on an idea or on a question that somebody in the business may have. Projects may be able to use this kind of tool to discuss ideas or bring SME’s in to get extra opinions on a subject.</p><p>There are also great opportunities for this to be used within Learning by posing questions via Social tools to evaluate understanding.</p><p><b>My Question for you.......</b></p><p>The big question for me is how do you convince a business that they should expend money on a Twitter esc internal communications system?</p></div>The c-word, the most important word in learning and development?https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/the-c-word-the-most-important-word-in-learning-and-development2013-01-10T20:00:00.000Z2013-01-10T20:00:00.000ZMike Collinshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins<div><p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357115?profile=original"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357115?profile=RESIZE_320x320" height="125" width="200"></a>On the 10th December, <a href="http://www.trainingjournal.com/" target="_blank" title="Training Journal">Training Journal</a> held their <a href="http://www.trainingjournal.com/content/content-content-conference/" target="_blank" title="Training Journal Winter conference">Winter Conference on Using Social Media in Learning</a>. It was a great event with lots of varied talks and nowhere was as busy as the twitter backchannel using the #TJ12 hashtag. With <a href="https://twitter.com/StirTheSource" target="_blank" title="@StirTheSauce">@StirTheSource</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/ChangeContinuum" target="_blank" title="@ChangeContinuum">@Changecontinuum</a> encouraging the flow and maximising the reach of tweets they cooked up so much interaction it was one of the liveliest back channels I've had the pleasure to be involved in.</p>
<p>In her presentation <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/andreacorbett/training-journal-conference-slides" target="_blank" title="Training Journal Slides">Using Enterprise Social Networks to support Learning & Development</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DrACorbett" target="_blank" title="@DrACorbett">@DrACorbett</a> introduced the three C's - <strong>Connect</strong>, <strong>Contribute</strong> and <strong>Cultivate</strong>. These three C's were positioned as being essential for L&D to maximise the opportunities that enterprise social networks provide. Shortly after the presentation a backchannel discussion started on the 3 C's between <a href="https://twitter.com/Im_Colette" target="_blank" title="@Im_Colette">@Im_Colette</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/ChangeContinuum" target="_blank" title="@ChangeContinuum">@Changecontinuum</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DrACorbett" target="_blank" title="@DrACorbett">@DrACorbett</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/mikecollins007" target="_blank" title="@MikeCollins007">myself</a>.</p>
<p>I tweeted that curate should also be added to the mix which created the four C's. Four soon became five and before long we had 10 super c-words that I believe all L&D professionals should be aware of as social tools and networks are evolving working practices and are radically changing approaches to workplace learning. L&D aren't passengers here we need to be driving this change and making the most of the benefits that networks can provide. All these c-words have particular relevance for me as I can relate to all of them from my work developing the <a href="http://community.dpgplc.co.uk/" target="_blank" title="DPG Community">DPG Community</a>, a social network that supports our <a href="http://www.dpgplc.co.uk/what-we-offer/cipd-qualifications.aspx" target="_blank" title="CIPD">CIPD</a> and <a href="http://www.dpgplc.co.uk/what-we-offer/ilm-qualifications.aspx" target="_blank" title="ILM">ILM</a> programmes. As a leading CIPD HR and L&D provider the role of the community is hugely important in supporting our learners but also in developing the skills and knowledge associated with all the c-words as I describe in <a href="http://www.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/2012/10/21/breaking-new-ground.aspxhttp://" title="Breaking New Ground">Breaking New Ground</a>.</p>
<p>Here is the final list of c-words and why they are important to you as a Learning Professional:</p>
<p><strong>1) Connect</strong></p>
<p>The role that social technologies can play in connecting everybody within your organisation cannot be underestimated and should be welcomed and encouraged by all L&D professionals. In fact you need to become an expert connector, skilled in connecting others and helping these connections to flourish and blossom. Connecting people is one of the first steps in creating internal communities and you have an important part to play in developing these communities to support sharing and learning. Connect also extends to your ability to build networks for yourself and network with other professionals using a whole host of social tools.</p>
<p><strong>2) Collaborate</strong></p>
<p>Working together effectively in the 21st century requires new skills and a different mind-set as more work is being done in an open and transparent way. Social media provides more ways to bring teams together to share information and ideas and allows people to complete tasks in real time. Time and location are no longer the barriers they once were and agility and speed are key. You should understand where the power of social can be harnessed and be able to offer guidance and support to your colleagues so they can work together in the most efficient and effective manner and you must do everything in your power to remove silo mentality.</p>
<p><strong>3) Contribute</strong></p>
<p>Your role should not be to magically appear to deliver training and then disappear never to be seen again. In a connected workplace where collaboration and sharing is becoming more visible, social tools allow you to be more visible and ever-present. The ability to share information and resources helping people find the knowledge they seek as quickly as possible are fast becoming essential skills for the modern L&D professional. You need to be contributing and leading by example by role modelling and sharing your own ideas. I love the phrase that Nick Shackleton-Jones uses when he describes L&D as being the <a href="http://www.crexia.com/nick-shackleton-jones-on-social-learning" target="_blank" title="Honey bees of the organisation">honey bees of the organisation.</a></p>
<p><strong>4) Curate</strong></p>
<p>Whilst there is debate over whether using tools like <a href="http://www.scoop.it/" target="_blank" title="Scoop it">Scoop it</a> is curation or not does not take away the fact that people need access to quality and relevant information but don't always have the time or the skills to find it quickly. The skill to find, filter and share high quality and relevant information is made much easier using social media tools and you have a key part to play in either providing this service within your organisation or helping others become more effective themselves at finding and accessing content. <a href="https://twitter.com/burrough" target="_blank" title="@Burrough">@Burrough</a> has shown this can be used very <a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/develop-yourself-and-others" target="_blank">effectively within an organisation</a>.</p>
<p><strong>5) Contextualise</strong></p>
<p>Content is important but context is king. With so much information readily available the ability to bring meaning to ideas, concepts and theories is hugely important. You have always needed to be skilled at telling stories and bringing things to life to help people understand and support the transfer of knowledge but now more than ever do you need to be able to take vast quantities of information and content and translate it in the context of your own organisations or team and individual situations.</p>
<p><strong>6) Cultivate</strong></p>
<p>How does your garden grow? The gardener analogy has long been used to describe your role as a Learning Professional and how you need to create the conditions and environments where the opportunity to learn can prosper. Social media and networks have provided rich and interactive ways for people to learn with a far greater emphasis on informal learning. You must work hard to cultivate these conditions and shift the very culture of learning from PUSH to PULL. This is scary as it's letting go of control and instead creating something that encourages others to participate and become more self-sufficient as learners.</p>
<p><strong>7) Curious </strong></p>
<p>One of my personal favourites and it's great to see curious as being one of the <a href="http://www.cipd.co.uk/cipd-hr-profession/hr-profession-map/behaviours/curious.aspx" target="_blank">CIPD HR Profession Map core behaviours</a>. What does being curious mean to you? For me it means experimenting and asking the big 'what if' questions or 'what will happen when' or 'how will this change' and being brave in my decisions to try new things. Viewing failure as an opportunity to learn and continually improving are things that you should be comfortable with and should encourage across your organisation. The <a href="http://www.cipd.co.uk/cipd-hr-profession/hr-profession-map/" target="_blank" title="HR Profession Map">HR Profession Map</a> describes curious as being "future-focused, inquisitive and open-minded; seeking out evolving and innovative ways to add value to the organisation". Food for thought...</p>
<p><strong>8) Creative</strong></p>
<p>The classroom should no longer be your focus. Instead you should be looking to develop your understanding of social tools to provide new and innovative approaches to workplace learning. This may mean letting go and re-inventing your role but this isn't something you should shy away from. You should embrace and be confident that the learning process can be made more fun and engaging in a whole manner of ways using social tools and technology more creatively. Don't be afraid to look externally for ideas and use your network to bring new ideas in to your organisation and share successes and any lessons learned. Don't worry if people have done these things before it's you that is bringing them in to your organisation and <a href="http://www.learningasylum.co.uk/2012/05/you-are-not-an-innovator/" target="_blank">making it happen</a>.</p>
<p><strong>9) Change </strong></p>
<p>You are an agent of change are you not? Now more than ever do you need to be comfortable in different states of change and be seen as a leader as working practices evolve and L&D departments re-position themselves to add value in new and different ways. Change isn't only inevitable, it's constant and in a fast paced and connected workplace L&D have a huge part to play in making sense of and influencing change. The biggest change and challenge you need to overcome is forever changing the thinking around learning in your organisations. If you don't do this who will and remember, if you always do what you've always done you'll always get what you've always got. Embrace change and be open minded to the possibilities.</p>
<p><strong>10) Catalyst</strong></p>
<p>There are still many organisations and individuals who have not started their journey in using social tools. This is for a combination of reasons as I've written about <a href="http://www.learningasylum.co.uk/2012/11/bild-ing-for-the-future-part-2/" target="_blank">here</a> but you can be the catalyst to change this and do things differently, introducing the features and benefits and demonstrating the value that networks can add to improve performance. Whilst networks may be seen as a means to improve communication, operational efficiencies and how people work together, the impact on organisational learning is huge. Be that spark, continue to raise awareness of the possibilities and do not be shackled by <a href="http://www.learningasylum.co.uk/2012/05/assumed-constraints-and-ld-thinking/" target="_blank">traditional thinking</a>.</p>
<p>They are all words that will play a greater role in L&D and are becoming an integral part in our language and approaches. The knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to bring them to life should form part of our DNA as learning professionals and social media and social tools have a big part in play in the future of our profession.</p>
<p><em><strong>So what do you think, is the c-word the most important word in L&D?</strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>Are there any other c-words you would add to the mix as essential words for L&D?</strong></em></p></div>Using Social Tools to Support Professional Developmenthttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/using-social-tools-to-support-professional-development2012-12-12T11:00:00.000Z2012-12-12T11:00:00.000ZMike Collinshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins<div><p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357158?profile=original"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357158?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="100"></a>I was lucky enough to speak at the recent <a href="http://www.trainingjournal.com/event/marketplace-events-winter-conference-2012-using-social-media-in-learning/" target="_blank">Training Journal Winter Conference on using Social Media in Learning</a>, it was a great event. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing the presentations from each of the speakers and chatting with fellow attendees on a subject that is very close to my heart.</p>
<p>My slot focused on how using social tools have support by own career progression and professional development and it was interesting reflecting on the last 6 years since I joined L&D and how social tools have played a part.</p>
<p>From a personal perspective social tools have allowed me to connect with other like-minded professionals and thought leaders and to access a huge amount of information that I would not have known existed otherwise. I believe my development has been fast tracked through using these tools and building relationships as part of my personal learning network. It hasn't been about the tools it's been about the people that I've connected with through the tools. Technology is merely the enabler.</p>
<p>From a career perspective social tools have provided opportunities for me to be brave and try new things, they have allowed me to challenge tradition and to bring networks and social tools in to the workplace that evolve the methods of communication and the way information can flow through an organisation. Social tools aren't a fad or a time waster they bring genuine and tangible business benefits that can be harnessed and directed by both L&D and HR. In fact I believe that L&D and HR MUST understand the value that social can bring to an organisation and the impact it can have on (to name a few) leadership, communication, engagement, recruitment, learning, performance management and CULTURE.</p>
<p>The world has changed, sounds a cliche but it has. The ways and means in which people can share, connect and access information has evolved, why won't this change the way in which we work?</p>
<p>It will.....the rate of this change in your business is likely down to you, so it is time to start thinking in new ways about professional development and what is (and who is) available to support this development. The need to understand the business benefits and the value that these tools can provide is no longer an option it is a necessity. Saying I'm not in to technology or I don't have time or that it is something that kids do is not a valid reason, it's an excuse.</p>
<p>This is why I'm excited about the DPG Community as it can really support people on this journey and demonstrate the value of using social tools and networks. Next year we will be focusing on running some webinars on using social tools to support your professional development so watch this space.</p>
<p>Here is my presentation that I used, it's a bit different but tells a great story - what's going to happen next? Who knows that's the exciting thing:</p>
<p><a href="http://prezi.com/pcrmorfpsq3s/social-media-to-support-professional-development/?kw=view-pcrmorfpsq3s&rc=ref-11823700" target="_blank">Using Social Tools to Support Professional Development</a></p>
<p>If you have any questions about the conference or any of the things I mention in this blog then I'd love to hear them.</p>
<p>Some questions for you to ponder over if I may....</p>
<p><em>What social tools are you currently using to support your professional development?</em></p>
<p><em>What does your online identity say about you?</em></p>
<p><em>Who is having the conversations around social in your organisation?</em></p>
<p><em>What the barriers you see personally or professionally to using social tools?<br></em></p>
<p>Be great to hear from you</p></div>You can't force social......or can you?https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/you-can-t-force-social-or-can-you2012-08-22T13:30:00.000Z2012-08-22T13:30:00.000ZMike Collinshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins<div><p>The picture below shows my artistic scribblings on a table cloth from the (now not so) recent Connect HR Unconference “<a href="http://www.learningasylum.co.uk/2012/06/chru4-visual-minutes/">The power of a social engaged organisation</a>“.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.learningasylum.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Cant-force-social.jpg"><img class="align-left" src="http://www.learningasylum.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Cant-force-social-196x300.jpg?width=259" width="259" /></a>We were asked to write things down for the afternoon sessions that would give us some meaty topics to discuss.You can see from what I wrote the sort of things that were going through my head at the time. The thing that stands out and what I wrote in bigger writing with a squiggly circle (symbolising importance of course) were the words “<em><strong>You can’t force social”.</strong></em></p>
<p>So a few months on and now in new employment, do I feel the same? Well actually no I don’t. I believe you can force social, in fact you must, otherwise it’s not going to happen and things will not change now or in the future. I know the cliche, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink” but who’s leading the horses?</p>
<p>If given a choice, it’s easy to choose not to do anything, it’s easy to leave things the way they are, driving and managing change is difficult in any setting. Making change happen is relatively easy compared to making change stick.</p>
<p>When the change in question is encouraging adoption of social tools however, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this would be easy. After all over 700 million people use Facebook, millions of people use Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn so the knowledge of using these tools and what benefits they bring is out there. People have the capability to use these tools and many do so every day in their personal lives. So why is the shift to using these tools to work, to learn and to share in a professional capacity so difficult?</p>
<p>I wrote about the hardships of encouraging the use of networks in the workplace recently in <a href="http://community.dpgplc.co.uk/profiles/blogs/6489007:BlogPost:827" target="_self">WARNING socialnetWORK AHEAD</a>. The post came about after working on an online team community for over 12 months, I was told at times by my colleagues to stop going on about it and at one point was told quite openly in a meeting to “give it a rest, we get it you don’t to keep going on about it”. Looking back I had enough eye rolling moments and “here we go again's” to last a lifetime but it served as inspiration rather than anything else. This was a team of Learning & Development professionals and it was hard going making breakthroughs but they came at different times through different people. As I left the organisation the same community had grown and matured. It was being used by a much larger number of people and the person who had benefited from it the most and provided the most value was a certain Mr “give it a rest Mike”.</p>
<p>It’s fantastic to see people who were once sceptical really benefit from using social tools to engage with others and to achieve things that they couldn’t have done without them. The light bulb moments rock!</p>
<p>So what prompted the change in this particular person?</p>
<p>This person found the need. The network provided a means to connect and talk to people that were directly involved in their work. It enabled suggestions and feedback to be collated from a large number of people in a very short space of time. Improvements were made in days rather than weeks and people across the team were able to give their ideas and opinions on things that mattered to them. Feedback before had been collated in silos and rarely acted upon. This was different, it was open for all to see and as a result things happened. Social added a layer of accountability and credibility and those who had something to say and could add value started to appear.</p>
<p>I’ve written about the importance of <a href="http://community.dpgplc.co.uk/profiles/blogs/find-the-need-demonstrate-the-value" target="_self">finding the need and demonstrating the value</a> in relation to using something new or different before. This is just as critical when it comes to changing work practices, learning habits and traditional communication channels when using social tools.</p>
<p>You can’t force people to be social but guess what, you don’t need to, people are social by their very nature. It’s what comes with being human so that shouldn’t be our aim or focus, instead our aim and focus should be to create conditions and means for people to connect in the workplace or in communities where a common goal, objective or interest is shared. To show them the possibilities and help people find their own need that in turn provides value for them.</p>
<p>Here is another cliche <em>“You don’t know what you don’t</em> <em>know</em>” and this is why we must force social technologies and practices in the workplace or  to educate and raise awareness where there is currently little or none. I joined the latest @chat2lrn Twitter chat last week entitled <a href="http://chat2lrn.wordpress.com/2012/07/30/what-will-training-departments-be-doing-in-2020/">What Will Training Departments be doing in 2020</a>, I only made the last couple of questions but I recommend you check the <a href="http://chat2lrn.wordpress.com/transcripts-summaries/transcript-2082012-training-departments-in-2020/">transcript</a>.</p>
<p>2020 is only 8 years in the future and think back to 2004 have things really changed that much? I was having a chat with <a href="https://twitter.com/lesleywprice">@lesleywprice</a> of the <a href="http://www.learningandperformanceinstitute.com/">Learning and Performance institute</a> and Lesley mentioned she was using a Virtual Learning Environment in 1998. So whilst somethings have undoubtedly moved on they haven’t moved onto to the point where social is part of what we do. What it is and what is does is still misunderstood, misrepresented and not recognised as the power that it can be.</p>
<p>So what’s the answer?</p>
<p>Be open to change and trying something different. Don’t be afraid to introduce your beliefs that social is good and share your ideas on how the tools can be used to drive value. Engineer those conversations with IT, HR, Operations and people who openly admit “I don’t do technology” or “I don’t get these social tools” even if they are your managers or senior leadership teams. Challenge those who resist and look for opportunities to introduce social technologies to support your current team, your current project, your next learning solution. Be the positive disruptor, role model and lead from the front, even if it means starting small you can demonstrate the benefits and begin to create the sort of cultural shift that WILL make 2020 feel different.</p>
<p>With DPG using a social community to support CIPD programmes it's going to be an interesting journey as people new to Learning & Development and Human Resources will see how social tools can support learning and collaboration and provide a much more open way to communicate and share amongst each other. It's about building confidence and capability in using these tools in a professional context and I for one can't wait to see where the journey takes us.</p>
<p><em>I'd be interested in your social journey so far and understanding is social tools are being used in your organisation?</em></p>
<p><em>How are they being used and what has your experience been like so far?</em></p>
<p>Mike</p>
</div>Connect HR Unconferencehttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/connecthrunconference2012-05-20T14:54:22.000Z2012-05-20T14:54:22.000ZMike Collinshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins<div><p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357214?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357214?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="415"></a>Last week on the 16th May I attended my 2nd Unconference in as many weeks. The latest of these events was organised by the Connect HR community and it was entitled "The Power of a Socially Engaged Organisation".</p>
<p>I've only recently met some of the members of this community through Twitter but I'm really enjoying being part of this network and exchanging thoughts and ideas around a variety of subjects.</p>
<p>The reason why I attended this unconference is because of my interest in social tools & technologies and how they can be used within organisations to:</p>
<p><strong>1) Support & improve knowledge sharing and management</strong></p>
<p><strong>2) Remove silos & build trust amongst employees</strong></p>
<p><strong>3) Challenge traditional hierarchies</strong></p>
<p><strong>4) Improve collaboration</strong></p>
<p><strong>5) Impact the way L&D and HR operate<br></strong></p>
<p>The list could on and in a lot more detail but you get the idea. I've been involved in developing communities and using social tools since 2008 and have seen how using these tools can transform teams and businesses and empower individuals in ways like never before.</p>
<p>So I was very interested to hear what others were doing in this space and how they were doing things. The scene was set for a great event and as you can see from the title picture it wasn't your typical conference - it was an <strong>unconference.</strong></p>
<p>So what's an unconference? Here is a link to the event for more info <a href="http://chru.eventbrite.com/" target="_blank">Connect HR</a></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357267?profile=original"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357267?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="210" height="221"></a>Well it's a collaborative get together without any real formal structure, the timetable is built by attendees on the day and it's very open with the content created by conversations between attendees in the morning.</p>
<p>The ways in which topics are created are creative & inventive and the whole event was captured by a team of artists who drew the minutes as the day progressed - it was brilliant to see this taking shape throughout the day. You can see a close up video of the minutes here.</p>
<p>There are some great pictures you can see in the album I've created and I'll add the video of the visual minutes when I get it uploaded. <a href="http://dpgplc.ning.com/photo/photo/slideshow?albumId=6489007:Album:2643" target="_self">Connect HR Slide Show</a></p>
<p>It was a great event that included Pecha Kucha presentations, songs and great conversations sharing experiences. Plenty of food for thought on what a socially engaged organisation means and how it would operate from CEO level throughout.</p>
<p></p>
<p>It was an inspiring day and the video called <a href="http://dpgplc.ning.com/video/begin-it" target="_self">"Begin It"</a> that @Projectlibero has put together really captures the vibe and feeling of the event as in my opinion we are in interesting times and social could indeed transform the way in which organisations work, the way we communicate and how we learn in the organisation.</p>
<p>I'd be interested in understanding where you are on the 'social' journey if anywhere at all.</p>
<p><em>Does your organisation have any social enterprise tools like Yammer, Jive or SharePoint?</em></p>
<p><em>How are they used?</em></p>
<p><em>Are they adding benefit, if so what are the benefits you've seen, heard or felt?<br></em></p>
<p><em>What challenges have you come across?</em></p>
<p></p></div>WARNING socialnetWORK AHEADhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/6624286:BlogPost:196822012-04-06T10:51:21.000Z2012-04-06T10:51:21.000ZMike Collinshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins<div><p align="left"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357078?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357078?profile=original" width="225"></a></p>
<p align="left"></p>
<p align="left">I’ve been reading with interest recent articles and blog posts proclaiming that social practices won’t work in the enterprise. Posts such as ‘<a href="http://andynathan.net/2011/11/you-ready-to-fail-at-social-networking/">You ready to fail at social networking</a>’ and the excellent post from Jeevan Joshi <a href="http://www.learningcafe.com.au/2012/03/2011/11/4-reasons-why-employee-social-learning-will-fail-at-work/">’4 reasons why employee social learning will fail at work</a>‘, have really made me think and reflect on the hype surrounding social business and more specifically the rise of social networks / communities within the work environment.</p>
<p align="left">Whilst I agree with everything in respect of the challenges of adopting social tools, I disagree with the notion that social won’t work in the enterprise. My own experiences, which began in 2008 after attending the Learning Technologies Conference, have shown me that it is HARD work, even painful at times but the journey is a deeply rewarding one. I am not finished on that journey, personally and professionally, I never will be but I believe that it’s possible to bring social behaviours and a cultural change to the workplace.</p>
<p align="left">So what have I learned along the way that I can share with you?</p>
<p align="left"><strong>1) </strong> <strong>Focus on what the tools</strong> <strong>will provide</strong> <strong>you in terms of value</strong></p>
<p align="left">Rather than the tool itself, look to solve a problem or make things easier for people so it answers the WIIFM upfront and people are clear this isn’t a fad or the latest ‘jump on the bandwagon’ activity. Be sincere that this will change the way that you communicate and work together. Don’t just drop social tools in because it’s cool or because you think you should because other people are doing it.</p>
<p align="left"><strong>2) </strong> <strong>Platform / application selection is important</strong></p>
<p align="left">Yes I know I said focus on the value and not the tools but you can’t bring any sort of platform or system in to the enterprise without it meeting security requirements or satisfying information security policy. I can speak from experience and have learned the hard way. I do appreciate this depends on the nature of your organisation but you must provide an environment where people can share and discuss work without worrying about security or employee data being in a public space. You cannot do this on your own so if you haven’t already engaged with IT, Information Security, HR, Risk, your Intranet teams and anyone else with a vested interest in social tools, pick up the phone tomorrow and have a conversation. You never know these conversations might be happening already and you’re just not part of them yet.</p>
<p align="left">3) <strong>Be clear on what you want to achieve</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Do you want to provide a social space for your people?</li>
<li>Are you looking to provide more effective ways for people to work together?</li>
<li>Are you looking to improve methods of communication?</li>
<li>Do you want to develop a more open culture of sharing?</li>
<li>Do you want to easily identify & reward expertise across your business?</li>
<li>Is it for better and more efficient knowledge & document management?</li>
</ul>
<p align="left">Is it all of the above and more? Whatever ‘IT’ is, don’t set out to achieve and deliver social learning. It won’t work, what’s more, if you go out with the “we’re going to deliver social learning” line, I’d re-think your approach entirely.</p>
<p align="left">Social learning is a bi-product of ALL of the above; it isn’t something you can deliver. It’s something that will happen when you create the right conditions and it will happen over time. It won’t be something that is visible or even tangible, I believe it’s a cultural shift that will emerge in ways those traditional approaches to evaluation and measurement won’t come close to. It’s something that is deeper than transactional tasks, it’s what happens at work every day and has helped me put in to context the <a href="http://www.learningcafe.com.au/2012/03/2012/03/70-20-10-approach-is-it-new-is-it-different-this-time-learningcafe-theme-of-the-month/">70/20/10 framework</a> better than anything else.</p>
<p align="left">4) <strong>Be prepared for setbacks, challenges and old school mentalities</strong></p>
<p align="left">Just because you ‘get it’ and have a social account or two and are tech savvy doesn’t mean that other people will be in the same space. Be prepared, be prepared for setbacks and challenges but more importantly be prepared for people. People, who are set in their ways, people who, no matter how much value you can demonstrate, will push back. People WILL put obstacles in place either physical or mental barriers to the approaches you’re looking to adopt. Do NOT be disheartened and give up, instead understand that you are on a journey and that you need to take everyone on the journey with you, for some the journey will take longer than for others. Peter Senge said it best with the line “People don’t resist change, they resist changing themselves”. How right he was, however people can and do change, just keep demonstrating how much more engaging work can be and stick to what you believe.</p>
<p align="left">5) <strong>Role model the right behaviours</strong></p>
<p align="left">This one is debatable in terms of most important, but I believe this is <strong><em>THE</em></strong> most important point of all. Regardless of tools or platforms, setbacks or challenges keep demonstrating the behaviours that you believe make social practices so important that your organisation can’t do without them. If you have tools already in place then use them, demonstrate how and why openness, transparency and trust is key. Demonstrate the power of openly sharing information and knowledge to others, even if it seemingly falls on deaf ears. Make sure you have a <a title="community management strategy" href="http://www.feverbee.com/2011/06/difficult-community-management.html" target="_blank">community management strategy</a>, even a small presence makes all the difference when getting others to adopt new tools and working practices.</p>
<p align="left">If you don’t have the network tools within work then use <a href="https://twitter.com/">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://plus.google.com/">Google +,</a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/login.php">Facebook</a> or any number of sharing tools like <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/mikecollins007">Diigo</a> or <a href="http://delicious.com/">Del.cio.us</a> to share resources and information with your colleagues. Why not start a <a href="http://www.scoop.it/">Scoop.it Magazine</a>, there is a fantastic article here on curation by <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/burrough">@burrough</a> on <a href="http://clearlylearning.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/ld-need-to-get-on-the-curation-bandwagon-heres-why/">why L&D need to get on the curation bandwagon</a> . The point is be creative, be brave and invite your colleagues to groups or circles or harass them in to following you and share information that they might find interesting. Look at this as a form of coaching as if people don’t see these behaviours anywhere else then how are they ever going to adopt them and start to role model these behaviours themselves. One of the challenges that you may face is the access to these tools within the workplace therefore it immediately becomes something done ‘outside’ of work and in personal time. This approach therefore may need some positioning but look to discuss what you’re doing and how you’re doing it at every opportunity – even at times if it feels like you are the lone voice and sound like a broken record. Celebrate any successes with your colleagues, breakthroughs will come, usually at a time when you least expect it from people you don’t expect it from.</p>
<p align="left">So in conclusion, next time you read posts that state social will not work in business; appreciate them for what they are. They are useful reminders that help us recognise the challenges and things that we need to overcome first, before we evolve the way we work. I firmly believe that regardless of your business and present culture, social tools WILL work and networks will PREVAIL….you just have to work at them.</p>
<p align="left"><em>Can you share anything that may help others on their journey to the ‘impossible’?</em></p></div>