social media - Blogs - DPG Community2024-03-29T11:56:04Zhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/feed/tag/social%2BmediaThe #LoveCPD Spotlight Series September editionhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/the-lovecpd-spotlight-series-september-edition2017-10-06T08:35:49.000Z2017-10-06T08:35:49.000ZLucy Boltonhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/LucyBolton<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2217382?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>This months spotlight focuses on:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>What evaluation model are you most likely use to demonstrate the value of your learning interventions?</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Social media in recruitment</p>
</li>
<li>Personality tools for leaders</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Listening to music while you work</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p>To view this months spotlight online <a href="http://docs.dpgplc.co.uk/Spotlight/September/September_flipbook/" target="_blank">click here.</a></p>
<p>To download a copy of this months spotlight click here: <a href="http://docs.dpgplc.co.uk/Spotlight/September/September_Spotlight.pdf" target="_blank">Download</a></p>
<p></p>
<p>To help us out with next months spotlight issue, click into each of the zones and enter your vote into each of the polls on the right hand side!</p>
<p>If you have any ideas on what next months topics could be, share them in the comments below!!</p>
</div>Who are the Top Global Business Influencers?https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/who-are-the-top-global-business-influencers2017-10-03T16:32:16.000Z2017-10-03T16:32:16.000ZMike Collinshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2217366?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>The incredible rise in social media tools has introduced us to many things such as the most important things....</p>
<p>- Pictures of people's cats > <a href="https://twitter.com/picturecats" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/picturecats</a></p>
<p>- Pictures of people's food > <a href="https://twitter.com/ThatsFoodPorn" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/ThatsFoodPorn</a></p>
<p>ONLY KIDDING!! However this is still a common misconception of many people who view Facebook, Twitter and even LinkedIn as just social networks with little or know business application. Maybe less so LInkedIn but given the recent changes to make it feel more like Facebook you'd be forgiven for not seeing the business application straight away.</p>
<p>Social media is only as useful as you make it and if you're happy sharing or looking pictures of cats and food then that's cool. It is all about generating the value that's right for you. However sometimes it's a case of not knowing what you don't know. Huh?</p>
<p>Simply put, many people don't know how useful social media can be to support their  professional development, provide access to knowledge and information or help build their networks. </p>
<p>To help you we are running 3 sessions this months on using <a href="https://events.genndi.com/register/169105139238462271/c40678bb1d" target="_blank">communities</a> and <a href="https://events.genndi.com/register/169105139238462271/bdbf7bcf57" target="_blank">social tools</a> to help you get more value from social media - you can register by clicking the links </p>
<p>OK so I'm going to make an assumption that you have social accounts and you're interested in connecting and following people who are actually worth following - those people with good ideas, innovative products or presentations. People who are willing to share their thinking so you can develop your own ideas. I remember starting out on Twitter in 2012 and being able to connect with people I had watched on YouTube or had done TED talks or had written blogs on subjects I was interested in. I could filter hashtags and follow threads as well as keep track of the news. Better still I could use my not so smart phone at the time and tools like Tweetdeck to keep everything in one place. The impact on my own thinking and ultimately career aspirations and opportunities was huge and it's why I always cringe when I hear people say they aren't interested in social media.</p>
<p>In a hyper connected and switched on world you might as well say "I'm not interested in my own career and professional development".</p>
<p>So in this hyper connected and switched on world who should I connect with and follow I hear you ask?</p>
<p>Well I came across this post on the Top Global Business Influencers (mainly focused on small / medium business development) and well, it's a good enough place to start. The way in which the measurements / metrics have been done are pretty robust and in a world where a tweet can go viral and be seen my millions those who are influencing others are doing it for a reason. So here are the top 5 </p>
<ul>
<li>Bobby Lane (<a href="https://twitter.com/sshllp" target="_blank">@sshllp</a>) – A specialist in providing consultancy for growing businesses, assisting with start-ups and helping getting struggling companies back on track</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Ian Moyse (<a href="https://twitter.com/imoyse" target="_blank">@imoyse</a>) – Energetic, conscientious & ambitious Sales Leader in the Cloud Software industry. An experienced Keynote & Show stand speaker.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Michael Kay (<a href="https://twitter.com/FinLifeFocus" target="_blank">@FinLifeFocus</a>) – A specialist financial life planner and wealth advisor with a twitter following surpassing 32,000</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Richard Murphy (<a href="https://twitter.com/RichardJMurphy" target="_blank">@RichardJMurphy</a>) – A Tax justice campaigner and Professor of Practice in International Political Economy</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Alan Bowman (<a href="https://twitter.com/Alanlsg" target="_blank">@Alanlsg</a>) – A Finance, Trade and Development Facilitator, Alan can be found on Twitter commenting on relevant issues with his 22,000 followers.</li>
</ul>
<p>There are a whole range of people worth following from business to politics to product development to marketing - you can choose who to follow and who to avoid. The whole point though is that you can learn from them - for free. </p>
<p>For the list of the other 95 top influencers click the link below - what have you got to lose</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.sage.co.uk/index.php/2017/09/sage-reveals-top-100-global-business-influencers-list-2017/#.WdO2kFuPKUn" target="_blank">http://blog.sage.co.uk/index.php/2017/09/sage-reveals-top-100-global-business-influencers-list-2017/#.WdO2kFuPKUn</a></p>
<p>Let me know if you start connecting and learning </p>
<p>Mike </p>
</div>Dispelling Myths, Fake News and the role of Critical Thinkinghttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/the-myth-of-the-digital-native2017-08-10T12:34:17.000Z2017-08-10T12:34:17.000ZMike Collinshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2217359?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/alCEnNmzhPE?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Michail Sapiton</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></p>
<p>Let’s face it, we (the human race) are rather good at labels. We label everything and we excel at making general assumptions, generalisations and branding individuals or groups depending on their likes, dislikes, looks, race, sex, music choice, clothes with perhaps the biggest label of all (although this is subjective) being date of birth.</p>
<p>In fact, age is probably where the most interesting of labels has been taking shape with the different generations being labelled as far back as the 1920’s when Karl Mannheim wrote the ‘<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_generations">Theory of Generations’.</a></p>
<p><i>“According to Mannheim, people are significantly influenced by the socio-historical environment (notable events that involve them actively) of their youth; giving rise, based on shared experience, to social cohorts that in their turn influence events that shape future generations.”</i></p>
<p>I’ll make my own assumption that at some point you have seen the different generations as described below:</p>
<ul>
<li>Baby Boomers – Born 1946 to 1964</li>
<li>Generation X - Born 1965 to 1976</li>
<li>Generation Y (Millenials) - Born 1977 to 1995.</li>
<li>Generation Z (iGen) - Born 1996 and later.</li>
</ul>
<p>There have been countless articles and research on the characteristics each of these generations has, how they behave, how they communicate, how they want to be managed, how they want to work, how they use technology..... etc</p>
<p>I’ve been caught up in the generation generalisation myself and I am certain that most HR and L&D teams will be having the ‘How do we manage/meet the needs of 4 different generations in the workplace’ conversation at some point. It may be that your recruitment, on-boarding, training offering, performance management approach and working environments are all under scrutiny to meet the needs of the tech savvy digital natives entering our work forces. Sound familiar?</p>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_native">Digital natives</a> are those who have been born in the era of technology and high speed internet. Dubbed the ‘Always-On’ generation, what these young and fresh faced individuals want and expect from work is vastly different to previous generations.</p>
<p>Or so 'they' say.....but who says 'it'? Thorough research, people’s experience or the voice of the digital natives themselves? Is it anecdotal or actual evidence that is presented as factual evidence? Fake news is nothing new and depending on the source or how often you hear the same thing or similar it can become ‘fact’ very quickly – it doesn’t make it right though.</p>
<p>What we hear through the media and through our social channels & connections can feel right because we can see the logic and so because it makes sense to us we believe it. Why wouldn’t those born in an era of technology have different characteristics, desires and needs to those who were born in an era of the type writer and dial up internet?</p>
<p>There are lots of examples where fake news influences how we think and what we believe, take learning styles as an example. We all learn differently and depending on our preferences we might (according to <a href="http://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/honey-and-mumford-learning-styles-a-simple-picture">Honey & Mumford</a>) be an activitist, reflector, pragmatist or a theorist. Despite there being no shred of scientific evidence that learning styles are real they have become a big part of education and learning design. Learning styles are in the fabric of what many in L&D believe to be true, despite there being no facts or evidence to support it.</p>
<p>Another more recent example was the treatment of Justin Gatlin at the World Championships in London. Gatlin was booed at every opportunity and has been branded as a ‘two times drug cheat’ by the media and has become the pantomime baddy vs the golden boy that is Usain Bolt. Has anyone checked the facts or is it another example of us believing what we see in the media and assuming it must be correct as it has been published? We develop beliefs, take actions and exhibit behaviours on what we see and hear, without often questioning why. Dig deeper or take the time to explore a wider range of sources and what you find may throw a very different light on the ‘facts’ presented. <a href="http://www.sportsintegrityinitiative.com/demonising-justin-gatlin/" target="_blank">Read an alternative article on Justin Gatlin's 'drug cheating' here.</a></p>
<p>Information is served up to all of us at an exponential rate as a <a href="https://www.tech21century.com/the-human-brain-is-loaded-daily-with-34-gb-of-information/">recent study</a> has shown. <i>“The study, conducted by researchers at the University of California-San Diego, under Roger Bon, according to the British “Times of London” and “Telegraph”, believes that people are every day inundated with the equivalent amount of 34 Gb (gigabytes) of information, a sufficient quantity to overload a laptop within a week.”</i></p>
<p>The scary thing is that most of this information is filtered (by ourselves or through machine algorithms) and presented in our own personal <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echo_chamber_(media)">echo chambers</a>. In other words, as social beings we surround ourselves with people who share similar beliefs and opinions. Take more notice of your Facebook feed over the next few days. What you see will be based on what you have liked, what you comment on and what you have shared. When you start delving deeper in to the social stream and what information you see and consume it can be quite eye-opening. It’s important we are aware of this and do not accept what we see and hear blindly.</p>
<p>Returning to the case in point.</p>
<p>Digital natives are....</p>
<ul>
<li>-        different in the way they use technology</li>
<li>-        able to multi-task</li>
<li>-        in need of different things as employees</li>
<li>-        in need of being managed differently</li>
<li>-        used to games & gaming so we’ve got to gamify everything</li>
<li>-        using smart phones so we’ve got to create a mobile app or design for mobile.</li>
</ul>
<p>These may be a few of the things you’ve heard or read over the last few months and even years. The smart phone debate is another one  to take note of, and whilst they can be used in such a positive way there is a much darker side to smart phone use in children and mental health as this very interesting read shows - <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/" target="_blank">have smart phones destroyed a generation?</a></p>
<p>HR and L&D specific, you may have heard the above statements at industry shows or more likely through suppliers – many of whom are trying to sell you the next big solution to meet the needs of this tech savvy generation.</p>
<p>As I’m writing this, I can’t help but think that all generations need the ability to critical evaluate the information out there, to be curious in our adventures and to question & challenge what we see and hear. Fundamentally, we need to make up our own opinions and not just accept what we are provided with. The world is rife with propaganda and fake news, more so now than ever before but because it comes through our ‘safe’ social channels or tycoon backed media outlets, it doesn’t feel damaging or wrong. Be wary of what you read and don’t accept it because it feels right or that other people are saying it as well. Constantly challenge and develop those critical thinking skills. Check out this great cheat sheet on <a href="http://community.dpgplc.co.uk/learning-professionals/critical-thinking-cheat-sheet-infographic" target="_blank">Critical Thinking</a>.</p>
<p>So, before you re-design your next employee initiative or develop your next learning intervention to meet the needs of digital natives (or any generation) think it through carefully. Focus on the experience you want to provide and what you want the outcomes to be rather than it being driven by characteristics or a wish list for a generation that is essentially a myth. It’s down to us all to ensure that the myth doesn’t become a reality for all the wrong reasons.</p>
<p>This post was inspired by research I came across in this article <a href="http://www.nature.com/news/the-digital-native-is-a-myth-1.22363e-digital-native-is-a-myth-1.22363">‘The Myth of the Digital Native’</a> and through subsequent conversations with my networks and colleagues here at DPG.</p>
<p>I’d very much appreciate your own views on this topic from fake news, to social echo chambers and our ability to think critically. I’d also welcome your own views on the generations and your own experience of any ‘digital natives’ you know – like your own kids or siblings (if you have them).</p>
<p>Thanks for reading!</p>
</div>10 years of being smarter?https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/10-years-if-being-smarter2017-02-09T21:51:40.000Z2017-02-09T21:51:40.000ZMike Collinshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2217217?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>Yes, it’s been 10 years. 10 years since we’ve had unbelievable power literally at our finger tips, and in our pockets, handbags and other small spaces. It’s hard to describe the change that we have witnessed due to this gadget but can you imagine a world now without the smart phone?</p>
<p>My first mobile phone was a Semiens S3, it was 1995 and I was eighteen at the time. I had just left home to go to university and I thought it (and I) was the coolest thing ever. It could make phone calls and I could text people. Nokia (remember them) were a BIG player in the mobile market, with the Nokia 3310 selling 125 million units in the early 2000’s. I owned a number of Nokia’s over the years, they were robust and did what they needed to, the battery also lasted nearly a week!</p>
<p>The first time I came in to contact with a ‘smart’ phone was not until 2008 when I bought the first touch screen phone by Nokia (I was loyal) it was the 5800 Xpress Music and came with a colour touch screen and a stylus. It ran on an operating system called Symbian. A year earlier Apple had just released the iPhone and the first generation of iOS and Android didn’t hit the market until later in 2008. The mobile phone market was starting to take shape.</p>
<p>Some people have always had an Apple device, whether it’s because they are simple to use or the apps or well just because they like them. Some people have always had Android phones whether made by HTC, Samsung or Sony to name a few. Blackberries have come and gone as have Nokia and the Microsoft phones didn’t really get mass market penetration. Like so many things and in many walks of life it is the survival of the fittest who survive and thrive.</p>
<p>Whilst smart phones have only been with us for 10 years it feels quite nostalgic to look back at our own mobile phone usage and our preferences through the years. To bring back those memories take a look at the evolution of mobile phones from the telegraph below.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/mobile-phones/11037225/20-years-of-the-smartphone-an-evolution-in-pictures.html?frame=3007865">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/mobile-phones/11037225/20-years-of-the-smartphone-an-evolution-in-pictures.html?frame=3007865</a></p>
<p>Can you remember your first mobile phone – what was it?</p>
<p>In this relatively short space of time smart phones have become so integrated in our lives that they stopped being ‘just’ a phone years ago. In fact, they stopped being phones when a music player and camera were added. These gadgets have evolved in to powerful computers with a huge array of tools and apps that can do almost any digital task. As mobile internet speeds have increased from E to G to 3G to 4G the speed in which we can find almost any information have reduced to the speed it takes to type in to Google and press ‘go’. Location services mean we have GPS and high detailed navigation tools like Google Maps or Waze to help us find directions, never again will we get lost or need to read an Atlas. Until we run out of battery any way.</p>
<p>Then of course we have social media, billions of people connected via networks and platforms where sharing information happens just in time and content can go viral in seconds and reach millions if not billions of people. Likes and shares have become a false economy of popularity and does the number friends or followers make us happy? All these platforms are easily accessible via a smart phone; in fact, the smart phone makes so many tools so much more accessible as they are in our pockets. Not only our phones are connected to the internet but a whole gaggle of gadgetry is surrounding us from smart watches to smart toothbrushes to wait for it…driver less cars. It’s not too far in the future.</p>
<p>Perhaps it’s too easy and in this relatively short space of time we have become too reliant on smart phones and become lazy. Why learn anything when you can Google it? Why learn to read a map when you have Google Maps, in 20 years we may not need to learn to drive.</p>
<p>There is also a dark side to smart phones, with kids getting complexes because mum and dad always have their faces in their phones. To remind you of that here is a lovely video called ‘look up’.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7dLU6fk9QY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7dLU6fk9QY</a></p>
<p>In terms of games, Supercell the mobile game creator is worth 2.3 billion after games such as Clash of Clans and Clash Royale rake in millions and millions in ££££ from in-app purchases. I’m sure many of us have had mobile bills from youngsters buying things they didn’t mean to. Cyber bullying is also rife and we have a duty to protect our children from technology as well as helping them to harness it in a positive way. How many families now use mobile phones or ipads as ‘child control’. I’ve done it myself so I’m certainly not judging anyone else.</p>
<p>When you really think about it though it’s not just mobile phones that have evolved. The way society connects and communicates and how we live our lives has changed for ever and smart phones have played and will continue to play a significant part in how we live our lives.</p>
<p>In 10 years have they really made us smarter and more connected or just the opposite?</p>
<p>I listened with interest to the latest Good Practice podcast on this subject which got me thinking about this today. Give it a listen and think about how smart phones have changed your life.</p>
<p><a href="http://podcast.goodpractice.com/ten-years-of-the-iphone-how-have-smartphones-changed-our-lives">http://podcast.goodpractice.com/ten-years-of-the-iphone-how-have-smartphones-changed-our-lives</a></p>
<p>I’d love to know what you think in comments below.</p>
<p></p>
</div>Twitter - Love it or Hate it?https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/twitter-love-it-or-hate-it2015-06-18T11:09:21.000Z2015-06-18T11:09:21.000ZAdy Howeshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdyHowes<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216573?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>I've never really come across anyone who sits on the fence. When it comes to Twitter, people seem to either love it or hate it, get it or not.</p>
<p>It was a fair few years after setting up a Twitter account that I actually began to use it. I couldn't see the point really of having just 140 characters to post a status update and for others to do the same. The first few people I followed probably didn't help as I got to find out what they were having for breakfast or watching on TV on that particular day.</p>
<p>Years later after setting it aside for a fair few years, I'm now perhaps best described as a Twitter junkie! I'm struggling to remember what life was like before Twitter. I can't honestly remember what made the penny drop. Yes I admit that I do still keep in touch with what people are doing for breakfast and tuning into on the TV.</p>
<p>However, from a professional perspective, it's a massive part of my development. So what else do I use it for? To be honest, it's easier to list what I don't use it for, but I'll give it a quick stab....</p>
<p>- Researching topics for programmes I am designing</p>
<p>- Finding experts in particular fields</p>
<p>- Learning new stuff</p>
<p>- Keeping in touch with events that I can't be present at</p>
<p>- Finding out the real stories from real people as news happens</p>
<p>- Openly having conversations about topics of interest for the benefit of me and others in my network</p>
<p>- Building my network</p>
<p>- Discovering trends</p>
<p>- Gathering opinion</p>
<p>- Getting L&D insight at Twitter events, designed for L&D people (check out <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/LnDConnect" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/LnDConnect</a>)</p>
<p>The list goes on and I'm sure there's more to add. It's not just about posting stuff, it's also about consuming stuff too! I'm not here to change your social media taste buds, but how's about this for a taste of Twitter...</p>
<p>The other month, I was delivering a Train the Trainer session for some Subject Matter Experts who were about to go out and design and deliver some training for themselves. I have a lot to discuss on that topic and believe I certainly have some credibility in that field having designed and delivered for a number of years. Even so, I thought it would be fun, useful and effective to bring in some of my external contacts, using Twitter, into the session.</p>
<p>So in the morning, I posted a Tweet asking experienced L&D people to share tips with new trainers. Throughout the day, the group kept checking back to see the conversation live as it built up. I had a Twitter Feed that I could switch to on the projected screen.</p>
<p>There's a photo below of some of what they saw....</p>
<p>So what's your view. Love it, hate it, get it or not? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Hey, and why not tweet me?</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357659?profile=original" target="_self"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357659?profile=original" target="_self"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357659?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357659?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p></p>
<p></p></div>Help DPG raise a minimum of £1,000 for Comic Relief!https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/red-nose-day-2015-your-chance-to-give-back2015-03-04T14:12:07.000Z2015-03-04T14:12:07.000ZDebora Figueiredohttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/DeboraFigueiredo<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216490?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>So <a href="http://www.rednoseday.com/" target="_blank">Red Nose Day 2015</a> is officially next Friday, but DPG are celebrating the entire week!</p>
<p>We're donating money all week in the easiest way possible - and you're in on it!</p>
<p>Starting on Friday 6th March, 1 pm DPG are donating <strong>£1 for every like/follow we get on our social media channels to Comic Relief</strong> - it's that simple.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.comicrelief.com/" target="_blank">Comic Relief</a> is a major charity based in the UK, with a vision of a just world, free from poverty.</p>
<p>They work tirelessly all year round to help make their vision a reality and since they started out in 1985, with the support of some remarkable people, they've achieved amazing things and raised over £900 million!</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gi5iBlr1pT4" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>So for every like/follow we get <strong>from 1 pm Friday, 6th to 4:45pm Friday, 13th March 2015,</strong> we're donating £1 to Comic Relief. That means, if you like each of our social channels once, that's <strong>£3</strong> donated! It's as easy as that...</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/106680687168380087413/+DpgplccoUK/posts" target="_blank">Add us to your circles on Google+</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/DPGplc" target="_blank">Follow us on Twitter</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/dpgplc?ref=hl" target="_blank">Like us on Facebook</a></strong></p>
<p>This is your chance to give back, spread the word...</p>
</div>Research Project: How do you use Social Media?https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/research-project-how-do-you-use-social-media2014-12-19T09:30:57.000Z2014-12-19T09:30:57.000ZDebora Figueiredohttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/DeboraFigueiredo<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216350?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>As part of my Digital Marketing Apprenticeship I need to complete a research project looking at how people use social media specific to my industry.</p>
<p>As I work for DPG, what better way to complete this research than to use the fantastic DPG Community to find out how L&D and HR professionals use social media?</p>
<p>This can be from a personal or professional perspective but understanding how people use and benefit from using social media is a key part of the project.</p>
<p>The questionnaire will only take 5 minutes and I’d be so grateful is you would take the time to give me some feedback on how you use (or don’t use) social media.</p>
<p>Just click the link below and answer the questions. You can stay anonymous if you wish but it would be great to capture your role to help me identify any trends across the different types of role.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/637S2WH" target="_blank">Social Media Questionnaire</a></p>
<p>Thanks in advance for helping me and have a fantastic festive period!</p>
<p>Debora aka <a href="https://twitter.com/Little_Figs" target="_blank">@Little_Figs</a></p>
</div>Social HR Conferencehttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/social-hr-conference2014-10-17T12:31:56.000Z2014-10-17T12:31:56.000ZMike Collinshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216332?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>Yesterday saw over 60 enlightened souls come together to attend the first event of it's kind in Manchester if not in CIPD history. </p>
<p>The Social HR Conference / Unconference at Old Trafford Cricket Ground.</p>
<p>This conference was different in so many ways </p>
<p>1) Firstly the topic was dedicated to Social HR - split in to the different themes below</p>
<ul>
<li>Social HR (included Employment Law)</li>
<li>Social Recruiting </li>
<li>Social Learning </li>
<li>Social Media Surgery</li>
</ul>
<p>2) Structure & Unconference </p>
<ul>
<li>There were keynotes at the beginning to set the scene and sum up the day (Conference/Structure)</li>
<li>The streams were then led by facilitators but the topics, conversations and activity was driven by attendees (Unconference/Unstructured) - conversations could and did go everywhere and anywhere.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357606?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357606?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p></p>
<p>Before the final keynote each stream then provided some insight in to what discussions took place, what was learned and key takeaways.</p>
<p>You can get a feel for the event by checking out the Storify of curated tweets and pictures from the link.</p>
<p><a href="https://storify.com/TimScottHR/social-hr-manchester-16-10-14" target="_blank">https://storify.com/TimScottHR/social-hr-manchester-16-10-14</a></p>
<p>Our roving reporter and community manager Debora Figueiredo aka <a href="https://twitter.com/little_figs" target="_blank">@Little_Figs</a> was also on the case with tweets and pictures from the event. It was great to see <a href="http://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/SophieRomain" target="_self">Sophie Romain</a> and <a href="http://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/ChunmiaoFU" target="_self">Chunmiao FU</a> attend to give it a lovely DPG Community twist.</p>
<p>I was involved in facilitating the social learning stream and here are some pictures from the day and we'll share more about the outputs from the other streams as quickly as possible </p>
<p><strong>It's selfie time in the Social Learning stream with some lovely cartoons. </strong><strong>What do you think is it a good resemblance?</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357669?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357669?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p><strong>Perry Timms the CIPD Social Media Advisor kicked off the Key Note and his key messages was 'Social IS NOT a fad'. It is here to stay and is disrupting what we have always done and changing the world and workplaces with live and work in. You can no longer bury your head in the sand and it's time to open your mind to the possibilities.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357716?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357716?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Kicking off the Social Learning Stream talking about our own stories about social tools have helped us learn and develop.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357795?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357795?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p><strong>Conversations in full flow with support from the Twitter backchannel - connecting with people who weren't in the room but could still participate</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357854?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357854?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Here are some tweets from people when asked - what does Social Learning mean to them - one of the tweets was from someone in Australia!</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357932?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357932?profile=original" width="588" class="align-full"></a></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Following our stream discussions we presented some key themes as #hashtags back from our conversations to the rest of the conference attendees</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357946?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357946?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p></p>
<p>Watch out for more blogs, pictures and stories coming soon.</p>
<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>A key takeaway of mine was that it isn't HR that needs to become more Social, it is the people who work in HR who need to open their minds to different approaches, different tools and a new mindset that fits with the 21st century we live in.Social technologies are only tools to help us do this differently. It's an exciting opportunity and the buzz from yesterdays event showed me that change is coming and in many organisations it is already happening.</strong></span></p>
<p>If you're on Twitter and haven't connected with <a href="https://twitter.com/dpgplc" target="_blank">@DPGplc</a> yet then please do and if you're looking to get started in using social media why not take a look at the post below </p>
<p><a href="http://community.dpgplc.co.uk/group-hub/spring-2014-programmes/page/join-twitter" target="_self">Why not join twitter</a></p>
<p><strong>If you've got any questions about the event then please let us know in comments below </strong></p>
<p></p>
<p></p></div>Getting Over The Social Media Wallhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/getting-over-the-social-media-wall2014-08-19T11:15:42.000Z2014-08-19T11:15:42.000ZJulie Drybroughhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/JulieDrybrough<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216233?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357547?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357547?profile=original" width="736" class="align-center"></a><br> <strong>(aka: Why I think if you work in L&D/OD you should be active on Social Media.)</strong></p>
<p>So I’ve been thinking.</p>
<p>I’ve been in few conversations of late with folk who work in organisations and whose job seems to be about delivering/ improving people development or engagement or organisational culture. At the same time, I’m in conversations with those who are consultants, external experts, trainers, facilitators, coaches – folk who offer to design and deliver interventions for clients or into a client system.</p>
<p>And I keep bumping into some sort of Social Media Wall.</p>
<p>On one side of it, there are a community of practitioners who have embraced Social Media – they Tweet, Blog, their presentations are swoopingly Prezi-ed or eye dazzlingly Haiku Decked. They have TED talks at their finger tips, can crowd source ideas in under 10 minutes through Twitter and can tell you what the emerging live themes from a HR Conference in Austin, Texas seem to be. They know a MOOC from a Module and can discuss the benefits of either. They are in touch with practitioners from France, Romania, UAE South Africa, India, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada & the USA, with everyone in between. They carry chargers with them everywhere.</p>
<p>On the other side of the Wall, there are a community of practitioners who embrace networking on a face to face basis. They keep up to date by reading widely, meeting and talking with others, using the Web for research purposes. They go to conferences annually to understand and consider what is emerging in the field. They read publications that give news from the wider Profession. They are often widely connected and networked still, with the capacity to pull in new thinking through the virtue of who they know. They carry chargers with them most places (it’s universal issue).</p>
<p>Now before I go further – I’m not saying one is right or good or The Only Way is So-Me – I’m laying out what I think I see here. I am aware that I am making generalisations– work with me a little? For the purposes of the point, I need to work with a broad brush.</p>
<p>I think it is fair to say I’m firmly on the “Active” side of the social media wall. I tweet, blog on both Wordpress and LinkedIn now; I’ve spoken about use-of-Social Media to groups of practioners; I’m up to my eyes in getting the <a rel="nofollow" title="L&D Connect Unconference, Glasgow 3rd October" href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/scotld-connect-unconference-2-tickets-11280236491">L&D Connect Unconference </a>going in Glasgow on 3rd October (shameless, unsubtle plug – welcome to Social Media) I’m working with “virtual” groups in organisations to build virtual networks and communities of practice…..</p>
<p>And so here is the thing… the thing that’s kind of scratching at me – I am increasingly having to translate some of the activities that seem so “normal” within my virtual, social world. As I speak about what I’m up to these days, I can find I’m talking to a wall of confusion ….. My high connectivity is leading to disconnect.<br> An example is when I say that I met someone “on Twitter” or “We were talking about this at the Connecting HR Tweet up in Manchester…” “Hold on – let me just Shazam this tune and download it on to Spotify to listen to later” or “Is there a hashtag for this event?”</p>
<p>From those who are on The Other Side I get the impression I’m kind of: a) speaking a different language b) a little bit eccentric/ dangerously delusional c) have too much time on my hands.</p>
<p>And this perception might be fair enough – but I feel I should make The Case for My Sanity….</p>
<p><span><strong>This is why I am active on Social Media.</strong></span><br> This is my case for looking over here, if you are not already on this side of the Social Media Wall. (I am steadfastly ignoring the absurdity of writing this as a non-print blog, which will go out via Social Media to “virtually” well connected peers, friends and colleagues – I get the irony. I totally do).<br> This is my attempt to beguile or entice you to look again if you believe that this Social Stuff isn’t for you.<br> It’s my attempt to get you to think about what Social Media gives you, if you move to the other side.<br> Let’s see how we go.</p>
<p><strong>Being part of a conversation</strong><br> At the CIPD Scotland Conference in February this year, Jeff Turner Facebook Director of Learning & Development explained why they see social media as so crucial: <em>"Our view? The conversation is happening, whether you are in it or not. Better to be in it than not" </em><br> Part of what brought me to Twitter in the first instance (and subsequently to read blogs from peers and people within my field....and then to write blogs) was the acknowledgement that there was an entire conversation, or actually many conversations, about the work I did, which I was entirely missing out on.</p>
<p>It was <a rel="nofollow" title="@jackieCameron1" href="https://twitter.com/jackiecameron1">Jackie Cameron</a>, of <a rel="nofollow" title="ConsultCameron.com" href="http://www.consultcameron.com">Consult Cameron</a> in Edinburgh, who talked to me about Twitter and how she encouraged better use of Social Media wherever she could. She told me about blogging, about the information she gleaned from being on Twitter, how it had supported her and her business. Jackie was (and very much still is) a pioneer in this stuff. Without her nudging me forth, I may never have considered the virtual life of fuchsiablue…. or certainly I’d have been even later in adopting what has proved to be a rich rich source of information, friendship, client work and development of my thinking.</p>
<p>The point is this – one of the ways I feel I stay relevant is by plugging into and participating in the thinking and conversations that happen through Twitter, Linkedin, Google Plus and (in my case to a lesser extent) Facebook. I have learned about <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.pechakucha.org">Pecha Kuchas</a>, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconference" target="_blank">Unconferences</a>, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology" target="_blank">Open Space </a>facilitation, virtual communities and how they need care and attention just like 3 D ones….. I now know things, work with things, that as a freelancer who does not have the organisational support mechanisms for CPD I would have struggled to hear about.</p>
<p><strong>The Time Issue</strong><br> “I don’t have time to be wasting on Twitter and Linkedin Groups”<br> Fair enough to some extent…<br> I tell one of those <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.chickensoup.com" target="_blank">Chicken Soup for the Soul</a> type stories sometimes:<br> <em>2 woodsmen get into a debate about who can chop the most logs in a day.<br> They get started and every hour or so one of them pops off for 5 minutes.<br> After 8 hours, they stand back and look at the volume of logs chopped. The chap who has worked tirelessly has chopped significantly fewer logs.<br> “how? How can that be?” he asks the other woodcutter “You kept taking a break”<br> “No. I wasn’t taking break. I was sharpening my axe”<br></em> <br> I think you get the point. From my perspective, some time spent daily, weekly checking out what is happening, plugging into people and stuff that, when I have my head down, I would never notice, isn’t time wasted. It’s time invested.</p>
<p>The volume of stuff I have learned from my network..the resources, the shared knowledge and blogs; the new methods for running awaydays; the challenges to my thinking (is there such a thing as employee engagement? Do “Millennials” exist? DO we really always need a coaching culture?). The list is endless.</p>
<p>Perhaps this is why it can feel a little scary? Perhaps the sheer volume and noise and seeming complexity just seems overwhelming? I remember that feeling.<br> What I would say is persist. Find folk who use social media and ask them how they use it, why they use it, how they fit it in to their busy worklives.<br> Because it will help you stay sharp – stay relevant and knowledgeable – therefore it supports your employers, your staff, your clients, your peers.</p>
<p><strong>The Organisational Issue</strong><br> I also believe that, if you don’t plug into at least some of this stuff, your strategies for supporting good Learning, Talent or Development in your organisation are under threat. You could be being told or sold something that is not needed, or fit for purpose. I’ve seen Tech-baffle, we all have – the smoke n mirrors that go along with “virtual solutions” etc. It is arguable that, if you can’t really understand the potential and pros/ cons of Social Media, there will be an impact on the capability of your organisation.</p>
<p><strong>Getting Back to The Wall </strong><br> If you are dripping in Social Media jargon - Twittered up, fully Storified, hashtagged, Liked and +1'ed, with blog stats to die for, please remember to not scoff or sneer at those who aren't directly in your wake? To be fair, most of the social media savvy folk I have met virtually and in real life are super friendly and want others to "get social" - but I'm well aware that my tweet ups and Google Hangout suggestions can leave some folk a little "huh?"<br> So let's go slowly with each other.<br> And if you are loathe to embrace technology…if you are suspicious of a data-rich world or you get angry at the suggestion that face-to-face contact, propped up with a few calls/ emails might not be enough to illicit change or sustain the good things happening in your organisation… can I ask you to sit quietly with someone who will talk you through some of it? Just have a look. Get some orientation. See what is out there that might be interesting, or useful, or both...</p>
<p>It’s not going away, this social stuff….. time to find the low point in that wall & peer over.</p>
<p>I don’t believe use of social media is “the answer” – but then I don’t believe there is “an answer” to anything in the complex world we live and work in.<br> I don’t believe this stuff has to be tough or complex… I believe it takes a little confidence and practice.</p>
<p>But what I know to be true, for me, is that on the days inspiration just isn’t coming and I feel stuck, baffled or really disconnect – I can find conversations and information virtually which nourish, sustain and reconnect me.</p>
<p>Now… where are the ladders?</p>
<p><span style="color: #808080;"><em>( Since posting this blog, there has been a fabulous example of encouraging people to get interested in Social Media content though #KitchenFacebook - basically printing off interesting stuff and hanging it up in the communal kitchen at work and asking people to write comments or put stars beside the content…. then inviting people to go find it on the web)</em>About me:</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/julie-drybrough/7/b64/969/" target="_blank">Julie Drybrough </a>is a Facilitator, exec coach & Blogger</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Find me on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/fuchsia_blue" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@fuchsia_blue</a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Contact fuchsiablue to find out <a href="http://fuchsiablueblog.wordpress.com/contact/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">more</a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><em> </em></span></p></div>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>