KNOW YOUR LEARNER

If you’re unable to differentiate your learners from the crowd, you’re disconnected from them.

You have the performance objectives, you have a plan, you even have the content, but what do you actually know about your learner? What are you assuming you know? The clearer your view of the learner, the more relevant your learning solution will be and the more proactive you can be at anticipating learner needs and removing obstacles.

Here are some questions to help you get a handle on who your learner really is:

• What is their motivation for learning? With compliance training, for example, learners are required to sit through learning. This yields expected results. Knowing what compels learners to take training will help sharpen the focus of that training and may point to obstacles to motivation which you can investigate and address.
• What is their experience with learning? If your learners have been subject to hours of painfully boring eLearning, odds are they will avoid your course, no matter how masterfully designed. Similarly, if learners have had to sit through hours of disorganized in-class training, they’re unlikely to be eagerly awaiting your session, despite your ability to engage and inspire. Badly designed and executed learning is a reality that all learning professionals have to overcome. Our challenge is to find ways to secure and build on our learner’s trust.
• Are they supported? On-the-job knowledge and skills transfer doesn’t magically happen; OTJ transfer must be designed, monitored and maintained. To change a workplace through learning, you must have a firm understanding of the OTJ transfer plan and how your solution fits within that plan.

What do I do with this information now?

If you are unable to differentiate your learner from the crowd, you are disconnected from them. As a result, you can only guess at their needs, motivations and the barriers they may be facing. This produces learning solutions that alienate learners and fail to meet organizational objectives. More than designing and delivering targeted and engaging learning solutions, we must identify barriers to learning and remove them when we can.

THE LIMITS OF STORYLINE, OR WHY WE CAN’T USE IT FOR LEARNING GAMES

WHAT CAN STORYLINE ACCOMPLISH?

The short answer to the question of Storyline’s capabilities as they relate to anything outside of pre-packaged eLearning, is… not much. A bold statement, to some, but as an experienced gamer, programmer, and eLearning developer it’s a hard truth. With that said, I’ll give more detail as to why exactly that is, and shed some light on the issue.

Regardless of industry, we all want to promote our skills, and really flex the muscles of our software. To that end, I’ll begin with what’s possible in the Storyline sandbox and give credit where it’s due. A good starting point is that if you want a templated eLearning module, or a series of them, there’s really no substitute for Articulate Storyline. With it, you’re able to create a template and package any number of effects in the program. Storyline seems to me like someone took PowerPoint’s user interface and was told to keep adding features until they ran out of ideas. Seriously, compare the two. It’s shocking. Here are a few pros to Storyline:

• Pre-packaged
• Quick
• More powerful then PowerPoint
• Comes with SCORM on export

WHAT STORYLINE CAN’T ACCOMPLISH

 

Now that we’re done with our praises, we’ll review the other side of things. Earlier I compared Storyline to PowerPoint, which is a more important comparison than you may think. It’s due to the fact that you have the ability to make a functional learning program, but without the ability to do much more. It’s like having PowerPoint with a few more effects (on a timeline), a flash player, and a functional question bank feature for quizzing that simplifies the whole process. With that being said, once you cross the realm of a sequential learning program, all you’re left with is a web of slide linkages if you want to produce anything more exciting, such as a Jeopardy program. A program that, with time and preparation, on another platform such as Flash would give you much more flexibility. Here are a few cons to Storyline:

• Pre-packaged (this also works against it for those who want more customization)
• Too much like PowerPoint
• Customization is possible, but it takes time and often requires more complex programming (individuals who are not programmers, may find it difficult to customize eLearning beyond what is offered in Storyline)
• External calls (outside of the pre-packaged ones) require JavaScript
• Lacks functionality for more engaging programs (i.e. mobile learning games, virtual simulations or gamification in eLearning courses).

WRAPPING UP

 

Having said what I have about Powerpoint err… Storyline, I’ve seen many people out there trying to create eLearning programs that seem to have more complex logic with Storyline, but simply do not. To create the most engaging eLearning courses or mobile learning games, Storyline does not have the capabilities in most cases, to do what we need it to do. Custom programming is required to create truly engaging on-line experience.

If you would like to explore more about gamification, mobile learning and eLearning, take a peek at our company website: Pathways Training and eLearning, at http://www.pathwaystrainingandelearning.com/ . We always look for fresh ways to engage learners and to make the learning experience as fun as possible!

Customer Service Is What Sets Us Apart

Members of my team and I recently sat through a client ‘pitch’ that was both enjoyable and noteworthy.

Like any business, we are often asked to recite our ‘Elevator Pitch’ – that 45 second (or so) explanation about our service offerings, our value-add and most importantly what sets us apart from the competition. This is ‘sales 101’ stuff… so why I am bringing it up?

A funny thing happened as we began walking through our core differentiators – I changed the talk track. I wanted the focus to be on the team.

Yes, that included the amazing skills they brought to the table (graphic design, 3D animation, programming, curriculum development, facilitation etc. etc. etc.) but this time, the message was about how they could parlay those incredible skillsets into a client experience that is unique, focused and unwavering.

I believe we are better at what we do than anyone else in the market; but shouldn’t I? It is my company after all. I am also experienced enough to know that my competitors will all claim the same thing – and so begins the stalemate.

 

Not so fast.

We believe as an organization that customer service trumps all. Our ability to showcase our amazing work products ‘gets us in the door’, but our capacity to service our clients lets them see just how important they are to us.

If you work with Pathways, you have to care about service, because our value proposition is wholly focused on the client. They are the reason for our work… never an interruption from it.  My team understands the difference.

Anyone joining our organization will understand the difference quickly too, because the expectations I place on our team are built on this foundation of customer service.

“Without them – there is no us,” is how I concluded my ‘elevator pitch’ on this day.

I don’t think it’s what the client expected to hear – and that was fine by them.

After all, you can’t fake service. At least not for long…

Leadership is Fear

Take a moment to reflect back.

Reflect on those moments in time where you were most uncomfortable, most afraid of unknown situations in your life. What did you do? How did you handle them? Were you paralyzed with fear, unable to move past insecurities and doubt? Or were you able to fight through the situation and learn from the experience?

We all have had feelings of uncertainty at times. Moments where we hold ourselves back from speaking up at work for something we believe in or trusting our gut instincts to make the right choices within our personal lives.

We all feel fear.

That is why it is so important to face fear. Look at it straight in the eye and overcome any obstacles it may present. If you want to be that leader, you must take those opportunities others are fearful of.

There are a few things to consider…

Understand who you are.

When it comes to tasks, take some time to think about which competencies are your strengths and where you would like to improve. Are you a “results-only” driven individual who could not care about soft skills? Or are you a “people-person” striving to build growth in your professional environment? Are you action-oriented or extremely lazy? Do you tend to be the first one to discuss change or prefer that someone else take on the responsibility? Or do you have a mix of everything? Recognizing your abilities will help you understand what you are fearful of and provide a clearer picture on the type of leader you want to become.

Understand why you are this way.

You’ve acknowledged that you’re a pretty easygoing individual, who doesn’t know what to do in life but does want to make a million bucks eventually by getting that amazing job without actually attaining the skills needed to qualify.  Maybe you think the complete opposite.

Our past experiences and learning have a huge impact on the way we perceive ourselves. Which of those experiences have shaped your thought process and guided you over the years? What has prevented you from overcoming obstacles? Feeling afraid before starting a task is ok and sometimes necessary. Use that feeling as motivation and constantly remind yourself of the positive development you are about to achieve. The ability to self-reflect is critical to your learning when overcoming any fears.

Understand Leadership is a journey.

The continued practice of self-reflection – understanding yourself – will help focus your thoughts in an analytical manner, giving you the ability to personally and professionally develop. Remember, we all feel fear, so it’s important not to ignore its impact. However, don’t give fear so much value! Great leaders acknowledge fear. They understand its importance in their continued journey for success. Most importantly, leaders live fear and are not terrified of tackling opportunities they are most afraid of.

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela.

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Shakeel Malik has over 9 years of experience as a training leader within customer service, client experience, sales, technology and support initiatives. Within his role at Pathways, he manages client relationships, leads training projects and provides strategic leadership direction.  Shakeel’s past projects have included fostering leadership development, building strategic competencies, improving employee morale and developing evaluation tools within Adult Education.  He is also a volunteer Commissioner of a Basketball League, where he leads and facilitates all league operations including marketing, finance, sponsorship, digital technology and training sessions.

He holds certificates in Adult Education from Brock University and Dispute Resolution from York University, and is currently a candidate for a Bachelor of Education in Adult Education.

High School & Organizational Politics…

High School probably seems like an odd place to begin writing about leadership; truthfully, it is. It’s also an honest place, because social politics and its unwritten rules thwarted many from sitting at the “cool” table during those formative teenage years.

I attest, the impact of those rules move well beyond high school and right into the workplace.

This is a difficult thing to rationalize, because we tend to think that we leave childish social dogma behind us when we “progress” through life.

We don’t.

The rules of social success – or more specifically the politics of success – exist in country clubs, neighbourhoods, the PTA, sports teams and even in our own families.

As they say, politics is perception.

To be clear, the players from your high school memories might have changed, but the positions within that hierarchy are firmly entrenched. So the quarterback of the football team, or the beautiful head cheerleader may no longer occupy their roles atop the social pyramid, but that informally engineered roadmap to success remains.

Consider for a moment that handsome professional in your office, well spoken, well dressed and by (most everyone’s assessment) an average performer. So why does the leadership team seem to believe this person is a star? Why? Because he looks and behaves like they do, or at least like they think they do. He fits.

Don’t get me wrong, sometimes stars – really are stars, but like all things political, too often it is based on criteria that cannot be measured through work product – just perception.

Perhaps the reason your colleague is perceived to be a greater star than his work might otherwise indicate, is a reflection of his adherence to some unwritten rules.

1. Well-groomed
2. Well-spoken
3. Engaging

Oh yeah… and being handsome doesn’t hurt either.

Perhaps you are thinking, “if this is how you get ahead, or fit with the leaders in a company, I don’t want any part of it…”

Just to be fair, these rules also apply to organizations that take great pride in being diverse and non-judgemental. The kind of place where people are supposed to rise because of their contributions to the greater good, not because of who they golf with, or (heaven-forbid), how they look.

Like I said before, the players might not be typical (no quarterback or cheerleader) but the game remains. Every organization has unwritten rules to follow, norms to adhere to and value judgements placed upon those inside. The only difference (perhaps) is that in your organization the former high school ‘nerd’ now makes the rules, instead of the ‘jock’. But anyway you slice it, it’s still a high school cafeteria.

So, is there such a thing as “good politics”? Yes. But that’s for another time.

Bad politics is the type most of us think about, the sort of interactions that are defined by deception, rumour, gossip, innuendo etc. Now consider your participation within your high school – ahem – I mean workplace…

Have you ever engaged in an ‘off-the-record’ chat with a colleague about another? Perhaps, remained in a gossip circle around the lunchroom, or boardroom table while speaking ill of a co-worker or two? When the mean stuff started, did you bring it abruptly to an end, or get up and leave? Perhaps you are thinking, yeah – but it’s okay, I only talk about the ditzy administrator on the second floor that dresses like a @!$@$…

Starting to sound familiar – starting to sound like high school? Maybe that “ditzy” gal is your organization’s cheerleader… but then I suppose she’s had it coming for a while, right?

See you soon…