Marginally Competent

Moved

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 14:10:00 +0000

Please check out Marginally Competent in the new digs.

ILT development times 2007 vs 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 20:56:00 +0000

Bryan Chapman, Chapman Alliance, provides another great research service for the workforce learning professional in reporting development times across ILT and elearning for 2010. Contrasting this with the 2007 report [note you'll need to scroll down for the 2007 data], I would have thought that we'd see the average flat versus more improve numbers.

In 2007 "average" ILT ratio was 34:1 (low range 10:1 to 72:1) versus in 2010 of 43:1 (low 22:1 to high 82:1). Note that these are development hours needed for one hour of delivery.

So what's up here?

Are the training issues tackled in the classroom more complex leading to higher development ratios?
Or staff has been cut and drawn too thin leading to the higher ratio?
Or something else?

BTW - The 2010 survey had nearly 2 x participants than the past survey.

Lessons: Internal groups should be aware of these studies and certainly have some measures in place that track effort and "explain" variances from this data.

Dead Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 13:27:00 +0000

Matt Miller's book, The Tyranny of Dead Ideas, is a great book in framing my thinking about the world. His thesis, framed in both politics and economics, are "dead ideas" hold us hostage. His dead ideas are: our kids will earn ore than we do; free trade is "good" no matter who gets hurt; your company should take care of you; taxes hurt the economy and they're always too high; schools are a local matter and money follows merit. (Miller, pp 8-9) I'll leave it others to debate these dead ideas but think of dead ideas from our nation's past - an economy based upon slavery is moral and that a great democracy can exclude women as voters.

When reading I like to identify what appear to be dead ideas. In the September 13 Bloomberg Businessweek, Out of Work, Not out of Oomph, author Diane Brady questions the long held belief that the impact of long term unemployment may be overstated. The premise is that depression and physical ailments impacts mortality. This research dates back to the 70s and 80s. Brady also questions whether skills erode so quickly. Maybe in some narrow technical fields but with access to blogs, social networks, perhaps not so much. My belief is that social media and the ability to virtually network counter this dead idea. When not engaged in project work in my business, I'm active in professional associations and continuing to develop skills while participating in discussions and other online activities like the eLearning Guild's Online Forums. For me, it's important to maintain skill, engagement with my profession and network. With social media, the cost barriers are very low.

So in learning, are learning styles a dead idea?

Two different views

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 20:24:00 +0000

It's brutal in the job market and ain't so great for those that provide services either. I believe that the job loss in workplace learning will not recover, never, ever. Organizations will look to outside resources (like me) to get the work done project style. This will require different skill sets for those in the corporate side in managing program, projects and contracts. That's my theory.

From the September 2010 Training + Development Intelligence// story, As Future Brightens for Job Seekers, Disturbing Trends Emerge for Trainers, hiring will increase. However, only 11% of respondents described their HR and L&D functions as industry leading. This is a tremendous lack of confidence in the internal resources in training and developing new hires. From the September 2010 CLO Magazine, Cushing Anderson in Business Intelligence, When, Why and What to Outsource, we learn that training outsourcing is overall declining. However, when organizations outsource, they outsource "important" functions. For 2011, 81% of companies will hold steady or increase outsource spending. Those outsourced functions are: custom content design, development; training delivery; learning strategy development with program oversight; technology management and reporting and measurement.

The message for me is that internal providers must build credibility and deliver results. If not, there continues to be a willingness to buy.

Those who "click" are promoted?

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 17:07:00 +0000

From a recent Bloomberg Businessweek Etc. Social Studies story, those that click with others are more likely to be more successful in their careers. Psychologist Mark Snyder has dubbed this “high self monitoring,” the ability to adapt one’s personality, behaviors and attitudes to fit in. High self monitors, when pigeon-holed by someone blathering on and on, would find a way to make the conversation meaningful rather than pretending to listen and move on. High self monitors have the ability to ask “who does this situation want me to be, and how can I be that person?” The story mentions several click accelerators with one being proximity and vulnerability by opening up and sharing feelings.

However after reading this I was wondering how will this work in the world of remote workers. As more of us work remotely, will we have the necessary skills to click via the phone, e-mail, IM and other collaboration tools? How will you become open and vulnerable to make those clicking connections across webinars and twitterchats?

Classroom handouts / Earth Day 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 12:59:00 +0000

I once was a collector of handouts for training and conference sessions - massive piles of the stuff organized by the event, job or subject. I even had stuff from my Master's thesis in file cabinets, never touched over multiple decades. Sadly in hoarding, I never referenced or used those "assets." I have since recycled what seemed like metric tons of old handouts. Today, I prefer to make notes in a composition book and use downloaded or online presentation materials. These assets are used, better organized and valued.

Last conference I attended was "green," meaning limited paper material for us to tote, handouts were online. Still I heard grumbling about no physical handouts even though the conference provided free and ubiquitous WiFi. Looking at the crowd, many we're my age. Old habits are so hard to break.

When I present or design a course, I think about the handout issue. Is there a better way than just sending reams through the printer? Should the supporting content be online? Should there be only limited material that is strategically chosen? Should we ask the learner about their preference?

In Sunday's NYT supplement EducationLife (yes, we receive and read a physical newspaper daily, old habits), I found an interesting story on debate teams moving from tubs of paper to laptop-based storage and the resulting debate culture change. It's a journey.

Happy Earth Day and consider the environment when printing not only personally but for learning as well.

Does peer pressure imapact innovation?

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 13:40:00 +0000

We knew this or at least sensed this from high school. From the April HBR, innovation is chilled by image risks, that is unfavorable social impressions - the fear falling into disfavor by colleagues disrupting the status quo by offering ideas. Feirong Yuan of the University of Kansas and Richard W. Woodman of Texas A&M conducted the research and found that organizational support for innovation reduces the impact of social riskiness.

Innovation faces other barriers and resistance. This American Life #403 NUMMI tells the story of the recently closed GM and Toyota joint venture auto plant. Resistance to the innovative practices by unions and risk adverse GM management doomed introducing the lessons form the joint venture and doomed the plant.

Are we missing teachable moments with the health care debate?

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 20:51:00 +0000

Don't you wish that this debate could rise over partisan noise. Wouldn't it be great if some mature individual could take up this discussion and transform into teachable moments.

Is health care a right?
What kind of society do we want? Do we want health care coverage for each and every American?
What about mature discussions about end of life care and decisions?
How about approaches to prevention? Prevention costs money.
Does the current system reward quantity over quality?
Can the free market provide solutions that will meet societal needs?
Does a government program (Medicare) make it socialist?

Finding the uniquely-American solution(s) should include thoughtful discussion and debate versus insane claims and shouting. We've reduced debates to partisan back and forth talking points with over-charged language.

Anyone? Anyone?

Bueller?

Update 16 AUG 2009
From the NYT Week in Review Sarah Lyall, Health Care in Britain:Expat Goes for a Checkup.
A very teachable moment. Investor's Business Daily published an editorial claiming that administration health care proposals that mimic the British National Health Service, physicist Stephen Hawking wouldn't stand a chance in the UK because his life would be judged "worthless." Hawking suffers from Lou Gehrig's disease. Apparently, the Investor's Business Daily didn't know that Hawking is a British citizen. Hawking subsequently released a statement supporting the NHS.

Teachable moment - the facts (in this case real) and what kind of society do we want? Will costs enter into care decisions?

Update 24 AUG 2009
Jon Stewart and Betsy McCaughey "discuss" the Health Reform Bill. I've read the cited sections of the bill and come to different conclusions that Ms McCaughey.
PART 1

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Exclusive - Betsy McCaughey Extended Interview Pt. 1

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Healthcare Protests

PART 2
At 1:02 in retort to Steward's comment on American life expectancy, she actually says, "when you remove violent crime and car accidents, we're number one (in life expectancy)."

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Exclusive - Betsy McCaughey Extended Interview Pt. 2

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Healthcare Protests

Update 26 AUG
Betsy McCaughey resigned from the board of directors of a medical products company, to "avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest."

Craig Ferguson on youth (and advertising)

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:18:00 +0000

Do we focus on youth too much? Was it because marketers and advertisers want to build lifelong relationships to sell stuff? Enjoy the rant.

H/T AdFreak
link if the player vanishes

Social media growth stunted

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:44:00 +0000

From a UK press release, we learn that the business leaders lack of understanding and data security concerns key barriers to use of social media within UK businesses. HR, on the other hand, demonstrates high usage and support for social media. In the survey, almost half of HR and L&D professionals use social networks, such as LinkedIn, to learn and gather knowledge.

Brightwave, who conducted the research, says that business leaders just don't get it. They don't see the value in social networking. In many instances employees don't have access to social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and others.

Data security, wasted time and bandwidth concerns were also cited as key reasons for not using social media.

Lars Hyland, from Brightwave,

“UK businesses are missing out on a huge opportunity to cost-effectively build knowledge and understanding, as well as engagement, across large volumes of employees in different locations. Business leaders must be informed about the real opportunities in applying social networks to business, otherwise they risk alienating their highly networked current and future talent in today’s global workforce.”

Suspect this is the case here. Personally, my participation in the weekly #lrnchat (Thursdays, 8:30 PM - 5 GMT) demonstrate the power of social media for learning. The intelligence and diversity transmitted through the keys enrich me with every session. I even read the transcripts.

I wonder when we'll see the tipping point where some brave organization demonstrates value and blesses these tools. Is there some social media acumen competencies out there? Even Jack Welch uses Twitter now!

H/T to @gminks for the Tweet

MIA redux

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:09:00 +0000

Too many distractions. Managing and mastering (hopefully) the adjunct faculty role, projects and some travel. Goal is to post a couple of times per week.

Check out #lrnchat every Thursday evening 8:30 PM EDT. Tweetchat is my tool of choice.

On Boarding

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:04:00 +0000

Catching up with the reading, June 2009 T+D article, Making New Employees Successful In Any Economy. Good article by Katharine Giacalone about the first 90 days. The first 90 days are critical especially in a downturn and the expense of hiring. As the incoming Atlanta ASTD chapter president, I’ve been thinking a lot about on boarding and reflecting on past experiences.

Giacalone in her article gives us six strategies to make sure your new employees stick:

Schedule employees first day when the bosses in the office
Have workstations ready for them when they arrive
Give the employee the lay of the land – tour of the office, campus
Get down to brass tacks – not only the routine policy and procedures but
Train new employees within the first week's
Check in frequently during the first weeks months and beyond

It's been some years since I've been on-boarded in process. On my last new job I had showed up on the first day and was informed that there had been reorganization and I was now reporting to someone else. I spent my first day following my new manager around and attending three different staff meetings that covered the same topics. That’s my memory of my first day! BTW, no computer, no voice mail, no paycheck in first pay period and my “new hire” orientation, was scheduled in two months.

While I was still in that organization with a different role, the then director of the group had made a new hire. Unfortunately, the director had scheduled herself to be out of the office the entire week. So this poor soul came in on Monday and really had no direction for her first week. I took pity and ran the organizational gauntlet for ID, PC and telephone. Perhaps a better plan would be to have this new hire show up when the director was available.

Back in the 80s I joined a health care system that actually had a very good on boarding system. I went through employee orientation prior to starting my job and then spent the better part of the first week shadowing with other employees in the group. Actually the hospital brought back the former incumbent to orient me to the system, an in-house television operation.

Any on boarding stories to share? Good, bad?

John Kotter’s Town Hall at ASTD ICE

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:37:00 +0000

I attended the conference in DC this past week with a different perspective, being a volunteer. As a volunteer you earn one day of the conference per volunteer day. I chose to volunteer for Tuesday and Wednesday. I only had two days of the conference to attend sessions and traipse through the expo floor.

As I review and file my notes, I’ll post about my memorable sessions and observations.

John Kotter’s town hall moderated by Kevin Oakes. I found this session outstanding observations on leadership and change. Many Q&A sessions are boring with questioners playing gotcha and see-how-smart-I-am. Kevin’s prepared questions and follow up primed better questions from the hall. From my spot in the front it appeared that the audience was primarily international attendees. That drove an interesting observation from Kotter in the increasing enrollment in international students in his Harvard classes. He worried that his western-centric business examples were “lost” on international students. He offered to stay after class and work with any student should the examples be unclear or obtuse. To date no one has taken him up on the offer. Kotter attributes that outcome that leadership is still all about human nature, leaders mobile people to achieve astonishing things.

Kotter’s core message was about creating a sense of urgency, the topic of his new book. Complacency has taken over, even in these troubling times. “Complacency capacity to remain consistent is fascinating,” he observed. Success leads to growth that leads to an inward focus (pride, arrogance, internal political battles) versus an outward market focus; his example, Rick Wagoner and GM. In a meeting many years ago, Kotter was astonished at the quiet the executive offices and complacency at GM as Toyota was on the rise. “There wasn’t a Kill Toyota sign in the place.” People were busy he noticed but was that productive activity?

As a leader, get out there, walk around, gather data and understand the real problems. Some gems, “leaders understand that everyone is not six (years old).”
When asked about business schools and finance. “I’m always suspicious of the finance department; it’s part of the system that moved us into this pattern.” I interpreted this as complacency.
When asked about women starting in leadership, Kotter gave this Zen-like response, “should do, start do , just do it.”
“Learn to lead yourself, then others.”

Missing in action

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:24:00 +0000

It has been a month since my last post. Took a break with some personal and professional association projects; a paying project; spooling up as an adjunct faculty; thinking about my "brand" and reading.

I have found some wonderful Twitter chats. Check out #lrnchat every Thursday evening 8:30 PM EDT. Tweetchat is my current tool of choice.

Failure rates for new computers?

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Sat, 09 May 2009 20:58:00 +0000

I was in one of the big box computer stores yesterday and a guy was buying a Mac mini. He asked what was the failure rate. The manager said we see about 34% return in the Mac. He then said this was better than the "average" of 38%. Huh? What a bizarre thing to say.

In Googling failure rates PC, 2006 data from Gartner pegs the annual failure rate at near 25% over two years. For Mac, there's little current data mostly forum entries and tales of woe.

Anyone experience a 1 in 3 failure rate with sets? You corporate IT types, what's been your experience.

Sex and the cellphone

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:35:00 +0000

Fascinating above the fold story in Sunday NYT Styles section When the Cellphone Teaches Sex Education. The Birds and Bees Text line in North Carolina is an attempt to lessen the teen pregnancy rate. NC has an abstinence-only curriculum. Teenagers can text questions anonymously to the line about sex and "receive a cautious, nonjudgmental reply, texted directly to their cellphones, from a nameless, faceless adult at the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina."

Regardless of your philosophical or religious position, kids are going to be interested in sex, we're hardwired for it as in propagating our species. Adolescents need to be fully and capably informed. If parents are providing that information, great, but if it's from peers on the playground, watch out. I believe that the US relies too much on denial in addressing sex education (see above abstinence-only curriculum, see celebrated teen moms of 2008/2009).

I applaud programs like the NC and hope that politicians will listen to the public health experts and continue funding. Acknowledge that these programs raise issues regarding parental control. My preference is for informed adolescents.

Related
The CDC is providing widgets for use in MySpace, Facebook and other websites as well as twitter feed: CDCemergency. My spouse is a CDC epidemiologist.

Twitter and Swine Flu

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:09:00 +0000

Use @CDCemergency to follow the Swine Flu outbreak. Check out those that are following. The full CDC emergency and preparedness site is here. The tweets are clear and reassuring.

My first introduction to Twitter was back during the Fall gas shortage in Georgia. Useful in finding a station that had fuel.

Makes the celebrity rush to 1,000,000 followers seem trite.

Life, interupted

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:04:00 +0000

Attended the This American Life broadcast last night at a local cineplex. Seemed weird to go to a movie theater to view a radio show but this program is always entertaining as well as challenging. The pre-show visuals were entertaining and clever as we played Hangman with a return to the scene of the crime theme. Sample, Part of a Spring dress - MAYHEM. We also solved word anagrams that set the stage for the event. Lights down and Ira Glass entered screen right, sat at a desk with a mixing board and two digital cart machines (hard disk drives to play audio segments.)

Act 1 in return to the scene of the crime. In Putnam County, FL (it's east of Gainesville) those convicted of shoplifting serve a portion of their sentence in carrying a sign stating "I shoplifted at this store." Ira read his copy and deftly inserted music and then recorded quotes from those involved; the judge, corrections officer, the defendant and citizens on the street. Rather than seeing Ira talk, the screen was filled with supporting animation. Ten minutes in, a thunderclap then deluge, the staccato of large rain drops pelting the roof, probably hail too. We call it a toad choker. The digital satellite signal was lost for 30+ minutes until the storm and lightening passed. Remember this was a live event, weather happens. AMC treated the audience right by giving out passes, offering refunds and inviting us to view another film while the storm passed.

The signal was restored at Act 5 with a monologue by Dan Savage on returning to the Catholic Church after the death of his mother: a touching and emotional story that was so genuine as performed in front of an audience versus the clinical, sterile radio studio. Act 6 featured Joss Whedon singing some of the director's comments on the DVD of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Watch Dr. Horrible here on Hulu.

I'll do this again. It's fascinating to watch the solo man, script, machine interface tell stories. Check it out.

The resume format

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:15:00 +0000

Recently I posted the question: Curious as to the best format for an experienced professional's resume, 1 or 2 pages? I posted within professional groups in LinkedIn and Facebook as well as Twitter.

So what did I find? It depends. However I received loads of advice on networking, networking, networking. And did I say networking? When the discussion was on topic, the results were evenly split as to the number of pages. Some proposed "custom" resumes targeting the job's requirements. Seems a management nightmare and a possible conflicting resumes out there. One suggested a cover letter only and complete online profile; e.g., LinkedIn.

Interestingly, no responses from a Facebook group "owned" by a well known learning personality and none from Twitter. I need to work on my number of followers.

My action item: create a one page resume.

Reflections on Earth Day

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:33:00 +0000

Reading the NYT Magazine for April 19, 2009, this chart in The Way We Live Now, Natural Happiness, caught my eye.

As I'm getting older, I do observe nature and take note of subtle changes from day to day. As we tend the multiple gardens or walk the dogs, I study for changes in the leaf pattens, the hint of fragile tentacled asparagus, watch for the explosions of flowers and perfumed air. The birds twitter about (not microblogging) as they gather food for their young. Bunnies hop around scoping the gardens while the hawks circle lazily above. The box turtle begins the migration from the bog to the salad greens. I appreciate the sunrises and sunsets as well as the Spring storms. Using the rich compost for nurture our garden keeping a good amount of waste out of the landfill.

A few years ago I doubt I would have noticed. Didn't get into this although I enjoyed being outdoors, even mowing the yard. My bandwidth was devoted to other processes - career and office politics.

I now have a much deeper appreciation of diversity and I hope that makes me a better person.

Happy Earth Day.

April 21-22, Learntrends event

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:09:00 +0000

THIS EVENT HAS ENDED

Visit Corporate Learning Trends and Innovation

I encourage you to check out this ning group.

The fallen business star

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:21:00 +0000

I finished reading Confronting Reality, Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan, 2004. I read their earlier book Execution some years ago and found their analysis and advice commonsensical and straightforward.

Confronting Reality is a quick read and challenges leaders to "confront reality." They then highlight several leaders who confronted reality such as Bob Nardelli at Home Depot, Jim McNerney at 3M and Richard Harrington, Thomson Corporation. None remain at these companies and the current reality is very different for Home Depot and Thomson Reuters. McNerney is now at Boeing. Nardelli's departure from Home Depot (disclosure, I'm a HD share owner) was notorious and well reported. He's now at Chrysler with a very different reality to confront. I wondered about all those business books celebrating the wise leader and cheering his/her accomplishment only to confront the harsh reality of losing that job. Most certainly the that list will grow as once celebrated leaders stumble.

Text as onscreen narration

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 19:18:00 +0000

Garr Reynolds Presentation Zen blog is a favorite. Here's an interesting presentation with a memorable twist to tell the story in less than two minutes.

The week in review

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 21:10:00 +0000

So we've learned this week:

Apparently AIG and all of Wall Street do not have HR functions providing advice on the term "bonus." Google "AIG bonuses" = 2,270,000 hits. As a former HR practitioner, this troubles me and further sets the profession back further.
Treat head injuries seriously. See Natasha Richardson's tragic head injury and death.
Men, take the time to wipe up the pee spillage around the toilet in hotels as part of your pre-departure routine, per Tom Peters.

So much for my assumptions about digital natives

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bolen) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:18:00 +0000

I was a guest speaker at a colleagues class at the local university earlier this week. My presentations was use of web 2.0 tools: wikis, shared work spaces, blogs, social networks, podcasting, Twitter; the usual tools. This was less than an hour with the usual class business overhead.

What was surprising to me is that they don't use this tools in aggregate as many of us do within our project work. Communication is texting rather then e-mail. Collaboration using shared work space was very sparse with a few Google doc users. Couple of bloggers and Twitterers. Most of this crowd use Facebook as expected. Shared this article from McKinsey, Six Ways to make Web 2.0 Work. To save you a read, McKinsey found mixed results across the study group, the need for a management champion, management/supervisory and employee resistance to the technology.

Best question, "Does business really see in value in these tools?"

It will be a journey.