The “Law of Attraction”
By Ralph Hall | August 6, 2008
Focus is a critical component of success. Brian Tracy echoes the sentiments of many thought leaders in talking about having a “laser-like focus” on your goals. If we build our goals on the foundation of values and principles that are valid and important to us, our chance of success dramatically improves.
Another powerful tool is the act of writing down our goals. I have found that as I write down my guiding principles then write down my top ten goals, making any adjustments where the goals conflict with my values and principles, the “law of attraction” kicks in. It is a powerful thing.
It works the same way as when you buy a new (to you) car. When my wife and I bought our first car for $650, we found ourselves driving around in what I thought was the most hideous vehicle I had ever seen - a yellow ‘78 Toyota Celica. I was sure there was no other car on earth quite as ugly. Yet, as soon as we started driving it around we noticed three other identical cars in our college town. They certainly had been there the months and years before, but we had never noticed them.
Likewise, as you write down your goals - say, for the next 12-60 months - you will notice things in your environment that are already in place to help you achieve those goals. Those things will not just suddenly appear or begin to exist, but rather your brain will stop filtering them out of your view.
Think about it: there are millions of pieces of data all around us. There are observable data such as pictures on the wall, the color of your chair, the location you last set your keys, etc. Other data can be read or felt or heard. For your safety and sanity your brain is constantly engaged in filtering out data to avoid overload. It likewise is making assumptions and filling in blanks to connect pieces of data so that you don’t have to take valuable time re-analyzing every situation.
As you write your goals down you are re-setting the filter that the brain is using. This is particularly effective if the goals are based on your values and principles.
Topics: SW Washington GIG | 1 Comment »
Agonizing over social learning?
By Christine Martell | August 4, 2008
A while back I wrote a post on Learning Frameworks, about work being done by Ray Jimenez Ph. D. He dropped by the post and left a comment, where he says he agonizes:
I agonize about social learning. For me there is a huge jump from traditional learning to Web 2.0/social learning. I must be really growing old and part of me resists to just jump. My liability is that “I have the need” to think through, whereas the digital natives “don’t think through.” They jump into and swim. Phew … I remember the days when I too would just jump, I think ignorance has its own blessings. (Mine or the young person? Hmmmm. We are both ignorant, suppose.)
He goes on to share another framework in Deepening Social Learning to Work Performance - Proposed Model.
He says:
Instead of outrigthly dismissing the formal structure as old and antiquated and have no place in Learning 2.0, might it be possible that the formal structure can serve as a social learning model but with an added element - the element of a deepening process?
The Shifting Role of the Trainer
What do we do when content is generated by the users? Ray suggests we become trainer-facilitator-network weavers. Is our role shifting to be more of a guide? Creating rich resource pools which learners can dip into as needed?
I’m beginning to understand more why Ray is agonizing over social learning. Not only are we being asked to help others make fundamental changes in how they interact with technology, we need to do it first in order to be able to guide others. The longer I immerse myself, the more I see how fundamental these shifts are in how I operate as a learning professional.
How ready are you to jump in and swim?
Topics: Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
ASTD Cascadia Succession Planning
By Kelly Orehovec | July 17, 2008
Hi,
Please take a moment to check out the many opportunities you have to get involved at the ASTD Cascadia chapter.
Also, did any of you attend the Portland ASTD Cascadia program yesterday with Patti Digh and David Robinson? Wow! What did you think? I really loved it. I just cruised around Patti’s blog as well.
Let’s talk about why this blog is so incredibly powerful.
Kelly
Topics: - Volunteer opportunites | No Comments »
State agencies team up to host career fair
By Theme Grenz | July 10, 2008
Hi all!
If any of you are looking for a state job, this is the career fair for YOU! News Release attached.
Theme Grenz, ASTD-Cascadia Past President
**************************
Oregon Department of Administrative Services
155 Cottage Street NE, U20 Salem, Oregon 97301-3966
News Release
For Immediate Release July 10, 2008
Contact: Lonn Hoklin, Public Affairs Manager, DAS
(503) 378-2627 lonn.hoklin@state.or.us
State agencies team up to host career fair
careerfair Oregon will showcase career opportunities in state government
Salem—The state of Oregon will host a major career event in September on the Capitol Mall to showcase the many diverse job opportunities that are available with state agencies, the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) announced Thursday.
The event, careerfairOregon, will take place on Saturday, Sept. 13, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on the lawn of the Capitol Mall. Its purpose is to invite Oregonians to check out employment opportunities with state government, Oregon’s biggest employer, and to encourage existing state employees to explore new job possibilities within state government.
“Within the next five years, a third of our state workers will become eligible to retire,” said DAS Director Scott Harra. “State government needs new people to step into the jobs retirees will leave behind. This exciting career fair will enable Oregonians to meet state recruiters face-to-face, and find out about the great opportunities that await them.”
More than 40 state agencies will participate in careerfairOregon, Harra said. Agency representatives will describe to job-seekers the advantages of working in state government, and the satisfaction of following a career in public service.
“The fair will help job-seekers understand the progressive and innovative ways that state government serves the needs of the workers, consumers and citizens of Oregon,” Harra said. The event will include training sessions and on-the-spot informational interviews, he added, with emphasis on how someone can get a job with the state.
For additional information about this event, contact careerfairOregon at (503) 373-7677, or visit the website at: www.oregonjobs.org (click on “careerfairOregon”).
More information on CareerfairOregon:
Objectives:
Showcase the career opportunities at state agencies to internal employees and external job seekers, and brand the state of Oregon as an “employer of choice.”
Time and Place:
September 13, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Visit the large marquee tent on the Capitol Mall.
Booths:
Approximately 50 booths will offer information on state careers, including hard-to-fill occupations such as nursing, information technology, auditing, financial professionals, etc.
Agenda:
Besides career information provided at agencies’ booths, there will be workshops on different topics of importance to current employees and potential candidates such as promotion/career development with state government, interviewing, application tips, etc.
Cost:
Free to job seekers
Parking:
Free underground parking at the Capitol Mall
Key Contact:
General Information: Twyla Lawson, Sr. Recruitment Consultant, (503) 373-7677
Topics: - Transitions SIG | 1 Comment »
Leaning Into Our Discomfort: Creating Inclusion Across Difference
By Christine Martell | July 7, 2008
Patti Digh, along with David Robinson will be facilitating the July 16, 2008 ASTD-Cascadia program . Here is an overview
Before we learn about other groups, this session invites us to consider ourselves and our capacity for walking toward difference, as opposed to away from it.
“The work of diversity is messy and chaotic – too often we try to ‘fix’ it with tame solutions that only perpetuate the problem,” says Patti Digh, co-facilitator of this session. “Many organizations avoid messiness even though it is the stuff that drives innovation, creativity and real learning. And we too often focus on behavioral change…but in our experience, behavior – like water – follows the structure of the land. To really achieve change around inclusion issues, we need to look more at the ‘structure of the land’ in our organizations. That, too, is sometimes messy.”
If the real work of diversity and inclusion happens at the far edges of our comfort zone, how can we learn to step toward our discomfort when our impulses tell us to run away? What is the difference between how we behave on those edges and how we think we behave? How does our need for safety keep us and our organizations from really engaging in the work of inclusion? What in the structure of the land of our organizations keeps us from achieving what we need around diversity and inclusion?
This session will address those questions and provide tools for moving ourselves and our organizations toward true inclusion. Please bring both hemispheres of your brain because you’ll need them both!
I have attended several programs with Patti and David, and I always come away with insights into myself and my work as well as tools I can put to work right away.
There are two recent interviews with Patti. The first is on PodCascadia where we interviewed her about the workshop, as well as finding out about her upcoming book, Life is a Verb. She was also interviewed by AOL Canada’s Lifestyle page, where you can read more about her book, blog, and work in diversity and inclusion.
Patti’s new book came from the essays she writes on her blog, 37days . I find her blog to be consistently inspiring, well worth some time exploring. While she writes on many topics, two of my favorite essays about walking with diversity and inclusion are:
Join us for the program July 16, 2008 from 2-5
Registration is still available here .
Topics: Programs | No Comments »
Measurement Job Aid
By Christine Martell | June 27, 2008
Here is a link to a very interesting job aid created by Dr Will Thalheimer. It gives you things to think about (based on research) when you are designing evaluation for training. It is broken into sections by evaluation levels and provides best practice and rationale.
You can download it to print out and reference the next time you are designing any kind of evaluation.
And while you are there, poke around his blog. There is a lot there well worth reading.
Topics: Training Tips | No Comments »
Learning Frameworks
By Christine Martell | June 25, 2008
Here is an interesting chart from Ray Jimenez, PhD that he uses to illustrate his review of the new book Groundswell.
Dr Jimenez identifies the type of social media which may be most appropriate for an audience based on the way they behave when they interact with it. He describes it this way:
To help trainers analyze their participants, sort of a “technoprofile“, I developed a Framework to look at the types of learners. I divided them into an audience, actor, and creator based on their learning behaviors. Based on this framework, a trainer need to adjust the social media and social learning to use. For example, if the learners tended to be more audience, providing Podcasts, videos, and ability to read small presentations may appeal more. Whereas micro-games and exercises may appeal more to actors. And for creators the Wiki and Blog may have more high value.
What do you think? The training community as a whole is still in the early stage of adopting social media. Should we be focusing on podcasts, videos, and online presentations? I know PodCascadia continues to be the most popular place on the chapter website. Is that more significant than we have realized? Learning Frameworks Video Comment “}
Topics: - Social Learning SIG | 6 Comments »
Improving New Hire Productivity Using Visual Thinking
By Christine Martell | June 21, 2008
Recently I attended the Senior Forum of ASTD-Cascadia program, Improve New Hire Productivity Using Visual Thinking. It was facilitated by Barrie Levinson, the Director of Consulting at Xplane
Visual Business Cards
To get us started thinking visually, we each got a blank card and drew a business card to explain what we do. When asked to reflect on what it was like to introduce yourself visually, and to hear others’ explanations, this is what participants reported:
- easier
- more enjoyable
- sustainable
- relaxing
- evoked more questions
- learned about the person
- easier to understand what the job entailed
- faster to understand
- gets past the jargon and buzzwords
- engaged interaction
- immediately multidimensional
- focuses on one component
- works when both are on the same plane, similar expectations
- requires talent and confidence
- some jobs are easier to depict than others
Pains and Gains
Using a template on the wall, which you can see behind Barrie in the photo above, we explored what a new hire might be experiencing. Some of the pains included feeling confused, uncertain, incompetent, anxious, fearful and eager to please. The potential gains identified were for career, discovering a new neighborhood and restaurants, new challenges, new relationships and experience.
Looking at the whole environment
The next templates we filled in were to help us identify what someone might be thinking, hearing, seeing, saying and doing. We started with a role in our own offices on laptop size pages, which we could also add stickers to for more visual engagement.
To explore all the roles perspectives in a new hire process, small groups filled in a one of Xplane big heads. Each one represented the people who might be involved in a new hire process: hiring manager, co-worker, shadow person, department head, hr/payroll/training, and the new employee.
Mapping out how each person might intersect with the concept of new hire enabled us to see patterns across the roles. Feelings of anxiety mixed with excitement. You could see where there were similarities and differences.
Looking at the timeline
The next part of the process involved small groups looking at who is involved and what happens before someone is hired, on their first day, the first 30 days, and 31-60 days. Working with facilitators from Xplane, each group then listed best practices at each point.
Best Practices Pre-Hire
- Show you care about them in everything you do
- Give them all the logistical information they will need before the first day
- Send welcome emails from all team members
Best Practices Day One
- Make a good impression
- Help them learn what they do
- Introduce them to people across all levels
- Help them learn who solves what issues
- Make sure the logistics are ready, have a checklist
- Company logo gifts, welcome notes, being them to lunch
- Ask them how they like to be recognized, what they like (have something day 2)
- Don’t overwhelm them with information, leave free time for absorbing
Best Practices First 30 Days
- Have structure to orientation
- New hire scavenger hunt with quiz questions for different people
- weekly progress check with manager
- lunch with different co-workers
Best Practices 31-60 Days
- On boarding team continues to meet
- Provide focus questions for everyone involved
- Exit interviews if the person leaves
- Entry interview for people who stay
- Events for people hired at similar time
Overall
It’s all about relationship building from pre-hire through 60 days.
Many thanks to Barrie and Xplane for providing a glimpse into working visually. Also thanks to the participants who shared best practices from a wide range of organizations.
Topics: Senior Forum | No Comments »
Cascadia’s First CPLP Study Group - It’s a Wrap!
By Shari Ward | June 14, 2008
Wooo hoooo!!! The chapter’s first CPLP study group wrapped up today; all five participants aced the exam this week!! Today they wrote their CPLP Elevator Speeches, which they will continue to refine. With his or her speech at the ready, each participant will be able to clearly and succinctly articulate what the credential is and how it helps them add value to an organization. AWESOME!!!
Then Kerri Nussbaum walked us through Chapter 4 of the Candidate Bulletin, which outlines the requirements for the Designing Learning work product. This was extremely helpful, as the bulletin can be a bit overwhelming and she broke it down into ‘digestible chunks’ and made connections between sections. The candidates really appreciated that approach.
The group has decided to continue meeting over the summer as they prepare their work products for a September 1st submission deadline. They plan to review each others’ work product packages to get that critical “second set of eyes.” Of course, Kerri and I will be available for last-minute coaching.
The past three months working with these folks has been inspiring. It has been wonderful to see them so supportive of each other. I get a little ‘verklempt’ just thinking of it. No, that’s not it…there’s just something in my eye, is all. <grin>
It will be a pleasure to celebrate again toward the end of the year when these fine WLP professionals finally earn the designation they have worked so hard to attain. And we will be certain to share that celebration on the chapter’s website.
So, when will you begin working on your certification? I’d love to hear from you and support you in your efforts.
Topics: - Competency Model, ASTD Initiatives | 1 Comment »
Why should I join national ASTD?
By Kelly Orehovec | June 13, 2008
Top 10 reasons I would not trade my ASTD National membership for anything!
- When I need activities to add to training that I am designing, I go to www.ASTD.org for ideas.
- I want to do “the best” training that we can at my company. I rely on the BEST awards that ASTD National gives annually to get ideas. http://www.astd.org/ASTD/aboutus/AwardsandBestPractices/bestAwards/bestWinners.htm
- I am building my confidence by earning my CPLP. http://www.astd.org/content/ASTDcertification/
- I use the ASTD communities to ask questions and get answers from a wide range of people in the industry. http://www.astd.org/communities/
- TD magazine is online and if I am missing a copy, I can always go the website to look up an article that was not as relevant at the time it fell through my mail slot. http://www.astd.org/TD/
- I like to know who is hiring for what in the training industry—it helps me stay current in my own job. http://jobs.astd.org/
- I love reading the new books that come out about training. As a member, I get discounts on that kind of stuff.
- I travel a lot. I like knowing what the other ASTD chapters are doing. http://www.astd.org/membership/chapters/
- Even though I have been in the industry for over 10 years, I still need to brush up on my skills. I use Infolines to help “train the trainer”. http://www.astd.org/content/publications/infoline/
- http://www.astd.org/communities/networks/OD_Leadership/ I am in the OD field and appreciate that ASTD places a special focus on OD and Leadership topics.
Topics: ASTD Initiatives | 1 Comment »