So, you’ve been tasked with the not-so-simple job of proving the ROI of your training programs to the C-suite. You've seen the eye rolls when you mention "soft skills" and felt the pressure to justify every dollar spent on development. But fear not! With a structured approach and some savvy data collection, you can make a compelling case for the value of your training initiatives. Let’s dive into the steps you need to showcase your program’s success.
Hello, training leaders! Recently, I bumped into a nursing leader who remembered me from programs I conducted for her client many years ago. It was heartwarming to hear that she insisted her front-line managers experience the program because she's a "super fan"! Knowing that she still uses the tools and techniques we taught her as a new manager made my day. It's moments like these that remind me why we're so passionate about this career—making a real impact in people’s lives.
We all know that delivering effective training is just half the battle. The real challenge lies in making sure that the knowledge sticks with your learners long after the training session ends. If you worry that your programs don't have that stickability factor, don't worry—we've got you covered!
In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to get caught up in a constant cycle of reactivity and back-to-back meetings, leaving little room for personal growth and reflection. But it doesn't have to be this way. By taking intentional steps to carve out dedicated time for ourselves, we can break free from the chaos and make space for what's truly important. In this blog post, we will delve into various strategies to reclaim your time, including deep dives, sprints, creating a "not to do" list, and setting meaningful goals for the future. So, let's embark on this journey together and discover how to prioritize our time and create a life that aligns with our deepest values and aspirations. Now, let's dive in and explore these transformative strategies for reclaiming your time and living a more intentional life.
Well, we just finished teaching a bunch of Working Sm@rt + Teams classes over the last four months, and while I'm a little tired of explaining the difference between Teams, a team, a chat, and a channel (really Microsoft???), I'm more jazzed than ever about this tool and the potential productivity gains when people use it well!
As more and more of us are working from home or a hybrid model, keeping in touch and working together as a team has become a top priority. Enter Microsoft Teams - a tool that makes it super easy to stay connected, organized, and on top of your game. Let's dive into some of the amazing benefits MS Teams has to offer for all your project work needs.
Have you experienced any recent changes in your life? Perhaps you've taken on a new position at work, welcomed a new team member, or updated your software. And if you're a parent, you understand how children are constantly growing and changing.
In a world that is constantly changing, one thing remains certain: every individual responds to change in their own unique way. Whether you embrace change with open arms or feel a sense of panic at the mere mention of it, there is a valuable tool that can help you understand the different behaviors that emerge during these transitions.
I recently moved into a new house and found myself evaluating a room that's needs painting. "Is the color close enough to avoid a primer? It would save time to jump right to a coat of the new stuff. But would it really if I had to add a second coat because the old color showed through? Ok, time for a base coat of primer!"
That same day I found myself teaching our Influencing class to a group of front line managers and it occurred to me that the same conversation applied. You cannot skip the base coat! All the fancy influencing approaches fall flat if you haven't checked the boxes on these top five fundamentals of influencing:
I've seen a multitude of blogs and articles citing the stat that the average duration of a new year’s resolution is 19 days. The gist of most of them is to take the stat as a sign that resolutions are a waste of your time. I disagree. I think if you make a list of the most successful people you know and compared them to everyone else, you would find one critical difference. Follow-through.
Ever Experience the Meeting After the Meeting?
It’s the meeting after the meeting. You know the one: the team meeting just ended, and everyone hops on their phones to text and chat about what went down during the team meeting. It’s where you complain about your team leader, that one guy who is always interrupting, and the people who are not pulling their weight. It’s where you talk about what you would do differently if you were in charge, offer suggestions for how things might work better, and share your real feelings and thoughts. The meeting after the meeting is the real meeting --- where all the truth is. But why?
It happens all the time. Two people are using a word and believe they are aligned on its definition, but their different interpretations lead to big misses in execution. When this happens with a common word like coaching, the results fall short and leave people scratching their head. I was recently in New York teaching a Coaching for Peak Performance class with a group of front-line managers.
"How many of you actively coach your team members?" (80% of the hands went up)
"How many of you coach both proactively for development and reactively for "just-in-time" learning?" (60% of the hands went up)
It didn't make sense to me. I was missing something. How could they be coaching and still not getting the results?
Automate your repetitive processes.
Identifying all repetitive tasks in a process is a great way to quickly surface opportunities for automation.
Consider templates, checklists and rules in Outlook, Gmail, OneNote, Keep and other applications as a non-programmers option for automating. With increases in communications, an automated process for client contacts can save a team a bunch of time. Scheduling applications like Fullslate, AppointmentPlus, Acuity, TimeTap and Bookings (free in MS 365) can save everyone on the team countless hours playing phone tag and emailing people with new appointment options when you work with external clients or vendors whose schedules you can't see.