Companies and organisations in Second Life - Portal

Companies and organisations in Second Life - Portal

Business Hub - you can link directly to these companies' Second Life locations from here

1-800-flowers.com ABN AMRO Adidas AJAX football club Aloft Hotel Suites Amazon AMD American Apparel American Cancer Society Australian Info Ind Assoc (AIIA) Autodesk Bain & Company Bantam Dell Books Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) BBC Radio 1 Best Buy Co. Inc. Bigpond BMW Calvin Klein Channel 4 Radio Channel 10 (Microsoft) Choquette & Co Accounting Church & Crawford Circuit City Cisco CNET Coca-Cola Coldwell Banker Coldwell Banker Legacy Comcast Crayon Crossguard IP Attorneys Daily Telegragh Dell Edelman Endemol Europ Assistance Exploratorium Museum Faasen & Partners Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) Fox Atomic Gabetti Property Solutions Greenberg and Lieberman H&R Block Harvard Law School Hipcast Expo Center

IBM Infinite Mind ING Intel iVillage Iwantoneofthose.com JK Travel KAWG&F Kelly Services Kraft Food Kweli's Brownstone Lacoste Leo Burnett Life Heart Beat Logica CMG Make Magazine Major League Baseball Manpower Inc. Marketing Magazine Mazda Europe Meme Science Mercedes Benz Microsoft MovieTickets.com MTV Munchester Castle NASA Nat. Basketball Assn (NBA) Nat. Oceanic & Atmosp. Adm (NOAA) NBC New Business Horizons NicoBloc Nissan Northsound Radio Scotland NPR PA Consulting Penguin Philips Phoenix Film & TV Plachta Law Office Playboy Pontiac/GM Press Association Press Dispensary Random House/Bantam Reebok Regina Spektor

Renault (Formula 1 Team) Reuters Sapphire Technologies Save the Children Charity Saxo Bank Scion Sears Semper International SirsiDynix Sky News Softlab Group Sony Sony-Ericsson Springer Verlag Sprint STA (Student Travel Assoc) Starwood Hotels Sun Microsystems Sundance Channel SuperMarketGuru.com Suzanne Vega TAM Airline Talis TechSoup Telus Telstra Tecnisa Text 100 Thompson Thompson NETg TMP Worldwide Toyota UGS Unitrin Direct Universal Motown Records Uitvaart.com Vauxhall Visa Europe Vodafone Warner Bros Music Weather Channel Wells Fargo WindUp Records Wired Magazine Xerox Yahoo Yankee Stadium

Some of these companies have produced short Second Life videos that illustrate how they are using Second Life to enhance their marketing and other uses. We also have a gallery of pictures of some of these Second Life premises to give you an idea of what they look like. 

Source: http://www.nbhorizons.com/list.htm

Ten Top Free Tools | Epic Thinking | Ericka Newton | 20 January 2009

Ten Top Free Tools

Ten Top Free Tools | Epic Thinking | Ericka Newton | 20 January 2009

There are a huge number of online tools and applications now available to help organise and manage your e-learning, educational and publishing activities and resources. In this article we take a look at the 10 most popular tools that are invaluable to users involved in any area of e-learning, educational publishing, resource-sharing or even just social networking. And best of all, they’re all free or open-source.

Moodle	The premiere open-source learning management system (LMS), used worldwide by universities and colleges to host and deliver online learning. Originally designed for use in formal education environments to upload student work and provide grades and feedback, its flexibility has now attracted businesses and public sector organisations looking to deliver custom learning to their employees. The ideal platform for delivering powerful, community-driven custom learning and resources. Get it: www.moodle.com
Blogger/Wordpress	These two popular content management system (CMS) tools allow you to easily create your own blog or even complete website in a matter of minutes. Although they both share the same basic publishing functionality and both have highly active user communities, each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Blogger is slightly easier to use (and being Google-owned is easily integrated into other Google services), but Wordpress has the edge for extensibility; its wide range of plugins cover practically all areas of publishing, design and layout to full e-commerce functionality, allowing you to create complete and powerful Web 2.0 interactive websites and shared resources with ease. Get it: www.blogger.comwww.wordpress.com
Firefox	It sounds obvious, but a browser forms the heart of your online experience and whilst Microsoft have only recently made improvements to Internet Explorer 7, it’s really too little, too late. Firefox is the browser to turn to if you’re a serious web-user looking to really extend and personalise your online habits. Themes control the basic look and feel of the browser but, using add-ons, users can easily add extensive functionality for email, blogging/news feeds, web development and debugging, media playback, bookmarking, FTP, language translations, accessibility and much more. If you use the internet for any specific function, the chances are there’s a Firefox add-on available to enhance it. Get it: www.mozilla.com
Delicious	Delicious is a free bookmarking tool that allows you to store your site bookmarks online, then tag and share them with your students or work colleagues through RSS feeds or community networks. Bookmarks can be easily imported, stored, exported and searched for from any computer, meaning all your valuable resources can be available from work or home. Its simplicity underlies a host of features which can make organising and sharing your essential online links and learning resources a simple task. Get it: www.delicious.com
Twitter	An online real-time messaging service for communicating between friends, colleagues and students via short and simple messages. A cross between blogging and instant messaging (also known as microblogging), it allows users to get fast responses to learning questions, stay current with the latest education news and technology resources and quickly see what links, comments, blogs and discussions are being discussed. Twitter is fast becoming an essential way to keep up with friends and colleagues, no matter where you are. Get it: www.twitter.com
Google Reader	Google Reader is an online application that lets you aggregate all your RSS news and blog feeds into one place. Think of it as having access to all your favourite newspapers and current stories in one easily readable place. Although there are many alternative RSS readers available, Google is making it increasingly more attractive by having all your productivity tools in one place when you login to your Google account (Google Reader, Gmail, Google Docs, Google Groups, Picasa etc.). Get it: www.google.com/reader
Google Docs	Another of Google’s increasingly useful hosted services, this allows users to remotely collaborate on documents by creating, storing and sharing documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Although there’s definitely still a place for open source productivity suites such as OpenOffice, Google Docs is fast becoming a favourite alternative due to its collaborative nature, quick online availability, ease of use and features such as the ability to import documents in MS Office and OpenOffice formats. Get it: www.google.com/docs
Flickr	Upload, edit, store, tag and share photos or learning resource images by either linking to them on Flickr or embedding them directly into your website or blog. Flickr also allows you to search for Creative Commons-licensed images which you can legally use in published documents or presentations, organise images into album collections, tag images by geographic location, subscribe to RSS feeds and also add video. An essential resource if you use any kind of images in your learning publishing. Get it: www.flickr.com
Audacity	Audacity is an open-source cross-platform audio recording and editing application that can be used for a wide range of uses in learning environments. Audio resources can form an essential part of a user’s learning experience, and Audacity can help to create and edit audio, improve sound quality (removing static and hiss with built-in filters), create podcasts or mp3 audio clips and much more. A fully-featured user-friendly and free alternative to expensive commercial audio editing packages. Get it: audacity.sourceforge.net
Wikispaces	While there are now a multitude of excellent wiki platform creation tools available, Wikispaces offers a simple, easy-to-use hosted solution that allows users to quickly create wikis for collaborative working environments. Users can submit assignments, notes and resources, and upload audio, YouTube videos, documents, pdfs, links and much more. An excellent way for educational groups, communities and businesses to learn how to build, edit and share information and useful resources collaboratively and effectively. Get it: www.wikispaces.com Source: http://blog.epic.co.uk/?p=217

Jason Corsello and Al Gore

 4 Hours with Al Gore

from The Human Capitalist by Jason Corsello

I’ve had some interesting travel experiences over the past few years including sharing an elevator with the Hulkster in NYC, passing customs in Heathrow with George Michael and chatting with Mark Cuban at the Palms in Vegas. 
Nothing matched my experience, though, sitting next to Al Gore on my flight Saturday night.  Although we didn’t chat much, it was interesting simply to observe the man.  Mr. Gore was unassuming in the entire 4 hours flight from Nashville, TN to Oakland, CA.  To the naked observer, you would have never known he was a Noble Peace Price Winner or someone who was a stones throw away from being the most powerful man in the world. 
In case you were interested, a few stats from the flight…

• Number of times Al put on his sunglasses: 1 (when people were boarding the flight)
• Beers drank: 2 (he had 2 Heineken’s to my one Bud Light)
• Times bothered on the flight from passengers (not including myself): 2 (although he did respond to one guy, “say hello to the family”)
• Publications read: over 4 (he read the whole flight including the Wall St. Journal, the Economist, and the NY Times.  This did not include the stack of graphs and charts he reviewed)
• Number of Alameda sheriffs deputies awaiting his arrival at the gate: 3 (although they never introduced themselves and simply shadowed him until he got to his awaiting town car).
• Number of times I thanked him for the great work he has done on behalf of my children: 1

A couple of other fun facts:

• He’s an iPhone guy (he does sit on the Apple Board of Directors).
• He’s a hell of a traveler (he packed everything he needed in a single briefcase size carry-on).

What was most interesting about the whole experience is that he was not on a private jet or even seated in first class on a major carrier but riding alongside the rest of us “Joe the Plumbers” on Southwest Airlines (he was allowed to board before all other passengers though).
Nice work Mr. Gore for your integrity.

 

Get the Most Bang With Limited Training Bucks

Get the Most Bang With Limited Training Bucks
by John Myers and David Collins

It's easy to run a learning and development program when business is good. Growth leads to bigger budgets and new opportunities.

But in a tight economy, job opportunities decrease. Businesses are less likely to invest in new areas.

Employees are reluctant to leave their jobs, but may be distracted by financial concerns. As a result, productivity and performance often suffer at a time when just the opposite is required. To avoid this, learning strategy has to directly support the business.

"Only by understanding a business' most pivotal strategic goals can a relevant learning program be implemented," said Dr. John Boudreau, professor and research director at the University of Southern California's Center for Effective Organizations.

Boudreau said leaders typically are comfortable allocating resources for technology, advertising and other areas because they have well-developed models for evaluation and ROI. But the framework for these allocations often is unsophisticated and not geared toward greatest impact.

"Training can be the first cut, focusing on costs saved rather than value lost. Even worse, organizations may make across-the-board training cuts even though they are certain training and learning are not equally valuable everywhere," he said.

Nail the Basics

When times are tough, it's critical to focus training efforts on business fundamentals: What skills training and development initiatives will address the greatest number of workers and have the greatest impact?

For many organizations, that's managerial and supervisory skills. In white-collar businesses, a significant percentage of employees fall into these categories. Even in manufacturing, retail or service businesses, managers and supervisors are the first line of contact with the workforce. Further, the quality of the relationship with a direct manager is one of the most important variables in employee productivity and loyalty.

Training programs that address core supervisory/managerial skills, such as time management, communications, personal effectiveness and delegation are among the most universal skills and represent the foundation of most training curriculum. Similarly, training around common issues such as coaching, conflict management and team performance represent areas that have near-term influence on productivity and performance.

Because these core skills have proven workplace impact, maintaining funding is easier than that for initiatives considered more speculative, or "nice to have."

Take for example, PHH Arval's fleet management services business based in Toronto. Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Halliday realized through analysis of turnover data, employee-opinion surveys and 360 feedback that managers were having a negative impact on employee engagement. This resulted in higher turnover and lower levels of initiative, creativity and innovation needed to drive business results.

"With limited training dollars, we decided improving coaching skills would have the greatest impact on improving engagement," he said. "Coaching is about having ongoing dialogue with staff; creating one-on-one relationships that demonstrate understanding of needs, issues and concerns; and providing support to achieve individual and company goals."

Ongoing measured improvement - in addition to seeing the positive progression of most of PHH's managers - convinced Halliday to commit to continuing the investment as a "must have" for the business.

At CoBank, a financial cooperative serving rural America, there is a commitment to provide developmental opportunities for every employee and belief that managers are crucial to build engaged employees and satisfied customers.

"We believe that people leave managers rather than companies," said Bob O'Toole, vice president of human resources. "To ensure we have great managers, we offer a Leadership Excellence curriculum for anyone with one or more direct reports."

Demonstrate Impact

In an ideal world, every organization would evaluate the impact of its training programs. However, when an HR department is running full steam with limited staff, it can be difficult to find time to do more than gather "smiley sheets" or perform simple learning assessments. These Level 1 and Level 2 evaluations are a start, but they're not likely to carry much weight with a CEO who wants to measure impact.

Surprisingly, few companies assess behavioral change and the impact of training on critical business performance metrics, despite research from Accenture, Watson Wyatt, TRACOM and others showing learning investments have a strong impact and positive ROI.

A down market offers two advantages when it comes to conducting such evaluations: First, if an organization pares back course offerings and streamlines outreach, staff may have more time to develop a thoughtful Level 3 or Level 4 evaluation process and implement it.

Second, if a company is using outside vendors for training, a tighter market should make the vendors more willing to help research the training programs. Learning providers are more willing to step up to keep a customer satisfied and to get access to data showing the impact of their training. At a minimum, a vendor should be able to provide an organization with ROI studies and research to substantiate the value of their offerings. If a vendor does not have these studies and isn't willing to help assess training impact, companies should question the vendor's commitment to achieving anything of value.

In a tough economy, there is more scrutiny on spending and a greater need to make a compelling business case for learning. "But by aligning our learning and development strategy with key elements of our business strategy, it's actually easier to show a return on our efforts," said O'Toole.

Be Efficient, Whatever the Budget

A recent white paper from KnowledgePool, a U.K. training consultancy, said organizations with staff of 2,000-plus can reduce learning and development expenses by 30 percent by following best practices and working efficiently. It recommends:

a) Careful supplier management, including adherence to an authorized supplier list and discount bulk purchasing.

b) Automating training administration.

c) More efficiently managing course scheduling to maximize occupancy and minimize empty seats and canceled classes.

d) Reviewing and modifying training offerings. Course content offered in the past doesn't always have priority today.

Here are some other ways to operate more efficiently:

a) Tie training to specific business initiatives and job tasks. The more talent managers can make training job-specific using workplace examples, the better.

b) Balance internal trainers with outside suppliers during peak times. The "day cost" will be higher when using a vendor, but companies will come out ahead if they limit use.

c) Offer flexible delivery. Ten years ago, more than 50 percent of TRACOM's business was for training programs of two days or more. Today, most are shorter than one day. The availability of modular training, pre-study and follow-up allows people to develop their skills in a more effective manner that requires less time away from their jobs.

At Gates Corp., a manufacturer of industrial and automotive parts, today's environment has meant constraints on training travel. "It's forced us to look for more creative ways to deploy training content," said Kathy Wojcik, Gates' manager of leadership development and learning.

"We're doing more Web-based training, webinars and consolidating training in the field to focus on what's really needed by the business. Self-paced and on-demand learning are also on the rise. We're evaluating the impact of these changes so we can make smart long-term decisions about training deployment."

Support People

One of the biggest challenges organizations face in a down economy is waning employee engagement. Organizations typically don't lose many people during a recession because external opportunities are limited. But slow-growth and a shrinking opportunity pool can cause employees to lose motivation.

If layoffs occur, the remaining people likely will experience fear and stress from the change and risk overwork from picking up extra responsibility. It's important to support employees through training and development.

Communication may initially take precedence over training in the stages of cutbacks. But once people understand the situation, don't overlook how training and development programs can help. Consider:

a) Building core skills such as personal effectiveness, team performance and conflict management.

b) Providing new functional skills training for employees with new responsibilities.

c) Assessing employee engagement to uncover areas of concern.

"[At CoBank], we know our learning and development activities have improved employee engagement. People feel emotionally connected to the business because we invest in them," said O'Toole.

Just as a stock market decline presents an opportunity for investors to regroup before future gains, a down economy presents an opportunity for training and development.

"It's the challenges that teach the best lessons," said Wojcik. "The decisions we make today will shape our future.

[About the Authors: John Myers is president and CEO of TRACOM, a workplace performance company, and David Collins is general manager, TRACOM Training Products Division.]

Source: Harvinder http://harvinderjit.multiply.com

2008 Learning In Practice Award Winners

CLO of the Year Award
Rebecca Ray, Senior Vice President, Global Talent Management and Development, MasterCard Worldwide

The Leadership Award:
Division 1
Gold: Andrea R. Huff, Executive Vice President, Lee Hecht Harrison
Silver: Carol Maietta, Chief Learning Officer, St. Vincent's Health System

Division 2
Gold: Annette Thompson, Chief Learning Officer, Farmers Insurance
Silver: Phil Morel, Director, Microsoft

The Vanguard Award:
Division 1
Gold: Linda Landry, Senior Director, Global Learning and Development, Nuance Communications
Silver: Kathy Hennessey, Senior Director, NetApp
Steve Wilson, Director, NetApp

Division 2
Gold: Ed Cohen, Senior Vice President and Chief Learning Officer, Satyam Computer Services
Silver: Lucy Dinwiddie, Vice President, Organizational Development, ConAgra Foods

The Innovation Award:
Division 1
Gold: Anthony Codianni, Director, Education and Development, Toshiba America Business Solutions
Silver: Joe Lepore, Senior Manager, Global Technical Training, Applied Biosystems

Division 2
Gold: Andy MacGovern, Head, Talent and Learning, Thomson Reuters
Silver: Chuck Floyd, Chief Operations Officer, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
Melkhart Rouhana, Corporate Senior Manager, Global Learning
Deborah Howard, Corporate Manager, Guest Relations, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company

The Business Impact Award:
Division 1
Gold: Al Malinchak, Vice President and Chief Learning Officer, ManTech International
John Hovell, Director of Knowledge Management, ManTech International
Silver: Nicole Scheel, Director, InterCall University, InterCall

Division 2
Gold: Fred DePerez, Senior Manager, Sales and Product Training, Chrysler
Silver: Rajul Asthana, Head, Satyam Learning Centre, Satyam Computer Services

The Global Learning Award:
Gold: Marianne Langlois, Vice President, Learning Solutions, Convergys Corporation
Silver: Debbie K. Hancock, Vice President, Seagate Technology

The Learning Team Award:
Division 1
Gold: HDS Supply Utilities
Silver: University Health System

Division 2
Gold: Sun Learning Services
Sun Microsystems

Silver: Clarity Education Team
CA Learning

Provider Awards
Excellence in Outsourcing Award
Gold: PerformTech Inc.
Silver: Resolute Learning

Excellence in E-Learning Award
Gold: NIIT USA Inc.
Silver: Allen Communication Learning Services

Excellence in LMS Award
Gold: Saba
Silver: GeoLearning

Excellence in Simulations and Games Award
Gold: Harbinger Knowledge Products
Silver: BTS USA

Excellence in Social Networks Award
Gold: Learning Tree International
Silver: SureSpeak, LLC

Excellence in Content Award
Gold: Intrepid Learning Solutions
Silver: Harvard Business Publishing

Excellence in Customer Service Award
Gold: Meridian KSI
Silver: Expertus

Excellence in Academic Partnerships Award
Gold: Bellevue University
Silver: SMU Cox Executive Education

All of the award winners will be featured in a special report supplement in the December issue of Chief Learning Officer magazine. For more information about the Learning In Practice Awards, please view the Press Release.

Implementing Organizational Change

Implementing Organizational Change

Here's a guest post by speaker and author Paul B. Thornton. The topic is leading change, and I'll be running a series of change artciles in the next few weeks.

Implementing Organizational Change

Leaders challenge the status quo. They not only see what’s possible; they pursue what’s possible. Implementing change requires strong leadership and excellent management skills. Some of the major changes companies have implemented in recent years include:

* Acquisitions and mergers
* E-commerce
* Six Sigma quality programs
* Lean manufacturing
* Continuous improvement initiatives
* New company culture
* New organizational structures

Key Roles

In pursuing any major change, it is important to understand the following roles:

· Sponsor—This is the senior level person (president, vice president or other senior executive) who wants the change to occur. The sponsor provides the resources needed to make the change happen. In addition, he provides legitimacy and visibility for the change initiative.

· Support Group—This is a small group of people who act like a board of directors for the change. This group of 8-to-12 people provides advice, guidance, and support.

· Project Manager—The project manager creates a detailed project plan. This includes resources (human and financial) timeframes, milestones and actions required. Project manager needs a strong working relationship with the sponsor. He/she must be able to openly discuss relevant issues and make course corrections as needed.

· Target Group—The group of people who must change in some way. For example, the target group could be production employees, middle managers, a department, or the entire organization. In every change initiative, it’s important to pinpoint the attitude and behavior you want the target group to exhibit in the future.

· Secondary Group—This is the group that must change to support the changes being made by the target group. The secondary group is often the managers of employees in the target group.

Driving Forces and Resistors
It is always helpful to understand who supports the change and who opposes it. Kurt Lewin, an American social psychologist, developed the concept of Force Field Analysis. It is a simple tool that visually illustrates the pro-change forces, the forces resisting change and who’s on the fence. For change to occur, the driving forces must be greater then the restraining forces.

Handling Resistors
I have found that about 20-30 percent of the employees resist almost any change. A small percentage of resistors (5-10 percent) will be very vocal in complaining about the change.
How should manager/leaders deal with these naysayers? Listen to their concerns and comments. Resistors may have some valid points that should be considered. When resistors feel their views are heard, they are more likely to listen to other points of view. Ask resistors to stay open and give the change a try. However in some cases you need to remove resisters even if their performance is satisfactory.

Planning the Implementation of Major Change
The project leader needs to create a master plan that addresses the following:

1. Kick-off Event —Like a politician announcing his or her candidacy, the kick-off event is the opportunity for the sponsor to:
* announce the change
* explain the compelling reason for the change
* describe how it will help employees and the company
In addition, the sponsor should provide a high-level overview of the implementation schedule, including key milestones.

The kick-off event needs to be festive, exciting, and uplifting. Some kick-off events include giving employees hats, t-shirts and other mementos that relate to the change initiative.

2. Training and Orientation—Change requires employees to think and behave in new ways. It is important to provide the target group and the secondary group with the knowledge and skills needed for success. The first step is conducting a needs assessment. The next step is designing or finding the right training program. Just-in-time training works best. Train people on Wednesday and have them using the new skills on Thursday.

3. Monitor and Measure—The project manager needs to monitor performance and measure results. The sponsor of the change needs to monitor the overall plan and keep the support group informed and engaged as needed. Implementing any major change requires course corrections and adjustments as you go.

4. Reward and Recognize—Establish specific dates when you will reward and recognize both the target group and the secondary group as they achieve short-term wins. That builds momentum and keeps people motivated. In some events, the change sponsor should be the one doing the recognizing.

5. Ongoing Progress Reports—Keep people informed via the company newsletters, group meetings, memos, e-mails, videos, and one-on-one informal conversations. The sponsor and project leader should meet periodically with the support group to discuss relevant issues.

6. Institutionalize—The changes need to be integrated into the company’s policies, procedures, and job descriptions. One consultant advises, “Make sure the infrastructure supports the new changes. That makes the change stick.” The boring and not-so-exciting actions, such as updating procedures and manuals makes the change become part of the company culture.

Summary
Implementing a major organizational change is hard work. The senior leader who’s sponsoring the change must understand the roles and responsibilities of the support group, the project manager as well as his/her own role in making the change happen. Leaders not only challenge the status quo they take steps to achieve a better future.

About the Author
Paul B. Thornton is a speaker and author. His latest books include: Big Leadership Ideas (Foremost Press www.foremostpress.com) and The Big Three Management Styles (Multi-Media Publications www.mmpubs.com). His e-mail address is PThornton@stcc.edu.

Source: http://www.greatleadershipbydan.com/2009/01/implementing-organizational-change.html

Take Five - Brandon Hall

Published January 2009

Five Learning Trends for 2009

  

  Brandon Hall

This year will no doubt be disruptive for budgets and staffing terms. As in the last downturn, we can expect many organizations to increase their use of e-learning to reduce classroom and travel costs.
Expanding use of e-learning requires awareness of new trends to choose the best alternatives for learning. To identify trends for 2009, we reviewed our research and spoke with learning industry executives about what they see happening in 2009.
Following are the top five trends:
1. Mobile learning: Mobile learning has advanced in significant ways and now is on the edge of widespread use in the corporate environment. Microsoft has been using its Academy Mobile product internally to reduce costs associated with traditional content development and delivery. Phil Morel, director of sales enablement at Microsoft, said the company’s podcast series — a monthly on-demand, on-the-go audio briefing — features interviews with product experts and top salespeople to help the sales staff effectively sell Microsoft products to enterprise customers.
2. Do-it-yourself (DIY) learning: Learning in the workplace increasingly will provide more options to create learning. Allison Anderson, manager of learning innovations and technology at Intel Corp., explained that her company works in globe-spanning virtual teams at an ever-increasing speed that leaves little time for formal learning.
“Because of this immediacy, learners must have access to dynamic content from the best experts, whether they are in the next cube or half a world away. To get to the best content and the right expert, employees must be contributors, as well as consumers, of learning content. The training group no longer can be the only funnel for knowledge or dictate the way each individual employee learns.” The technologies that foster DIY learning at Intel include employee blogs, Intelpedia (an internal Wiki), social networks and collaborative tagging and sharing.
3. Flexible learning environments: Driven by Web 2.0 tools such as social networks and the expectations of Millennial workers, we will continue to see more LMSs transitioning from 1.0 to 2.0 platforms. Karie Willyerd, CLO of Sun Microsystems, said the flip side of a workforce that arrives already tech savvy is its expectation that the corporate world will meet them on their turf with widget-driven interfaces to access and manage their learning.
“In their online travels, they’ve experienced both the cool and the kludge, and they know the difference. It is not just about content but how it is designed and consumed.” Sun Microsystems’ new environment for Web 2.0 learning removes the LMS as the central player and provides more collaborative, modern mash-up features that combine search, formal and informal learning assets, training plans, comments, tagging and ratings.
4. Virtual worlds: This year, we’ll see more feasibility testing on the use of virtual worlds for workplace learning. Chuck Hamilton, learning and new media program manager of the IBM 3D Internet Team, said virtual landscapes form a new type of learning infrastructure. “We need to embrace some of the new virtual social environments now forming,” he said. IBM’s Green Data Center in Second Life demonstrates how technology can reduce the energy consumption of a corporate data center. A Nursing Education Simulation in Second Life allows nursing students to measure blood pressure and vital signs, administer drugs and make other interventions on a virtual patient. This is a much more affordable way to train without the cost and risks associated with real-life situations.
5. Games and simulations: Games have moved beyond “edutainment” into complex topics that require higher-order thinking. Learning designers are realizing the potential for games to provide a realistic, interactive experience that draws people in, as well as to address the gaming culture associated with younger workers.
Accenture, a management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company created a computer-based business simulation game designed to give senior managers the opportunity to experience managing in a competitive market. Participants form management teams of five to six people, each of which compete against each other during the two-and-a-half day simulation game. Each team is responsible for a company’s goals and financial performance over a number of years.
* Janet Clarey provided valuable research for this column.

Brandon Hall, Ph.D., is CEO of Brandon Hall Research, publisher of the new study "Emerging E-Learning: New Approaches to Delivering Engaging Online Learning Content."

 

Source: http://www.clomedia.com/take-five/brandon-hall/2009/January/2503/index.php

AMA Management Competency Model

The difficulty of many training manager is that the many organizations they work for have no management competency models. The HR division is usually focus on HR processes such as recruitment, C&B, security and ER/IR. On top pf that, it takes two to three years to develop competency model for the whole organization (including function competencies) !

I have been researching generic competency model, from Advance Manufacturing Competencies to UK's Managent Standard Center, Pfizer's Model (Malaysia and Singapore) and some other competency models which look more like skills matrix rather than competency model.

I found the AMA Management Competency Model is the most useful one for any organizations to adopt. I am going to adapt it for my present employer and share it to my HRD community. The model can truly save time and resource. I will adapt it for selection of employee, development of employee, accessing periodically and part of the promotion criteria.

Wencast: http://www.amanet.org/editorial/webcast/archive/2008/mgmt-dev-the-ama-way/index.htm
Book: http://www.amanet.org/books/downloads/AMAGuideMgmtDevelop/
Model: http://www.amanet.org/books/downloads/AMAGuideMgmtDevelop/Appendix-AMA-Competency-Model.pdf

Overview

From the experts at the American Management Association, an indispensable look at how great organizations can make the most of their managers.

Based on the set of managerial competencies specially developed by the American Management Association for a new core management curriculum, The AMA Guide to Management Development provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of how to continually develop managers throughout their entire organization. The book considers every factor important in management development, and features in-depth information on topics including:

• The five major categories of competencies, including business knowledge and the ability to lead and manage change and innovation

• The specific skills needed, including communication skills and people management skills

• Alternative methods organizations may use to develop managers, including different types of training and evaluation of learning effectiveness

Management development is a crucial task for every enterprise. This book gives readers the guidance they need to make sure that both current and future managers have the abilities their organizations need to prosper.

About the Authors

Daniel R. Tobin (Stamford, CT) is Vice President of Instructional Design and Development for the American Management Association (AMA) and has more than 30 years' experience as a corporate training director, consultant, writer, and speaker on corporate learning strategies.

Margaret S. Pettingell (Hillsborough, NJ) is is an instructional designer with AMA. She previously held positions with Novations Group, Accenture, and Decker Communications.

Management Development the AMA Way!

This Webcast was recorded on August 14, 2008.

Play the complete recording.

Download slides of Management Development
the AMA Way! (PDF)

Core Competencies that Drive Successful Management Development
For any organization, strong results and sustained growth are driven by its ability to equip managers with the unique competencies and skills they need to help their staffs accomplish important work on a daily basis.
For 85 years, AMA has researched, developed, field tested and refined management development programs that are used throughout the world.
Join this Webcast as we discuss the newly refined AMA Management Competency Model and what it takes for organizations to successfully develop their leadership/management pipelines.
This enlightening discussion will examine:

• The importance of aligning all management development efforts with corporate goals
• Key components of the AMA Management Development Competency Model
• Distinctions between "leadership competencies" and "management competencies"
• The vital role of every manager in the development process
• Current and future trends impacting your management development efforts

The Webcast includes an interactive session—where we will address specific questions asked by members of the audience!

About the Presenters:

Daniel R. Tobin is Vice President of Instructional Design and Development for American Management Association (AMA) and has more than 30 years' experience as a corporate training director, consultant, writer, and speaker on corporate learning strategies.

Margaret S. Pettingell is an instructional designer with AMA. She previously held positions with Novations Group, Accenture, and Decker Communications.




Terry Seamon is Management Development Portfolio Manager at AMA. Seamon is a versatile training and organization development practitioner and consultant with over 20 years experience across several industries, including energy, pharma, telecom, and consulting.

For additional training on this topic, consider these AMA seminars:

• Talent Management
• Fundamentals of Human Resource Management
• Successfully Managing People
• The Effective Facilitator: Maximizing Involvement and Results
• Kirkpatrick's Four Levels: Increasing Training Effectiveness Through Evaluation

To learn more, read these AMACOM Books:

• The AMA Guide to Management Development, by Daniel R. Tobin and Margaret S. Pettingell
• The AMA Handbook of E-Learning, edited by George M. Piskurich
• Understanding Action Learning, by Judy O'Neil, Ed.D., and Victoria J. Marsick, Ph.D.
• Beyond Training and Development, by William J. Rothwell

Source: http://www.amanet.org/editorial/webcast/2008/mgmt-dev-the-ama-way.htm

HRDF Annual Dinner 2008 One World Hotel

 

  

  

 

Savings and Retirement Plans for Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners

By Kelly Kilpatrick
If you are an entrepreneur or small business owner, you are the one who’s in control regarding your financial future.  There is no one else to rely on when it comes to saving and planning for the future, so you must take on this matter yourself.  The thing is many traditional savings and retirement plans are unavailable to you due to income limitations.  Here are a few savings options for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Solo 401(k)
A solo 401(k) plan is a great alternative to the traditional 401(k), and was created for self-employed individuals, entrepreneurs, and small business owners with no full time employees.  The only exception to this is if the small business owner’s spouse is an employee.  Solo 401(k) plans have simplified administrative rules, unlike their traditional counterparts.
The advantage of a solo 401(k) is that it is simple to use and maintain.  You may contribute up to $13,000 of tax-deferred income, in addition to up to 25% of profit from your business.  As long as you contribute no more than $41,000 annually, you fall within the limits of the solo 401(k).  The amount you contribute to a solo 401(k) is completely discretionary and can be decreased or suspended at any time.  Additionally, loans against your plan, as well as hardship withdrawals may be allowed.  Rollovers from previous 401(k) plans are allowed as well.  
There are a couple of drawbacks to the solo 401(k).  Naturally, there is a cost to establish and administer a solo 401(k), which may or may not be desirable for the individual investor.  Solo 401(k) plans may not ultimately end up meeting your needs for you and your business.  If your business grows, you may end up needing to hire on additional full-time employees.  When this happens, you are no longer eligible for a solo 401(k), and must revert to a traditional 401(k), which is far less simple to administer.
SEP IRA
An SEP IRA, or Simplified Employee Pension Individual Retirement Account, is a savings and retirement tool that can be used by both small business owners and self-employed people as well.  SEPs are considered part of a profit sharing program, and the employer may contribute up to 25% of a qualifying employee’s income to the fund.
SEPs are affordable and simple to administer, and is an excellent benefit to provide to employees.  If an individual is self employed, they are still able to put aside a little over 18% of their net profit, which is a powerful savings tool indeed.  Contributions to the plan are tax deductible, and standard income tax applies to the money once it is withdrawn for retirement use after the investor reaches age 59½.  Additionally, its high contribution limits make it very attractive ($46,000 in 2008).
One of the drawbacks of this type of retirement plan is that it is seen strictly as a profit-sharing plan, so employees must have another savings vehicle if they wish to put more money away on their own.  There is no catch-up payment clause for those who started saving later in life, as there is with the solo 401(k).
SIMPLE IRA
Savings Incentive Match Plans for Employees (SIMPLE) IRAs are fairly simple to administer, no-hassle IRA plans that offer a great benefit for employees in your small business.  Recommended for businesses with 10 or fewer employees, it s a great savings tool to offer for employees, and benefits both parties in the process.
SIMPLE IRAs allow employees to contribute up to $10,500 of their annual income to the plan.  Employers match this amount as part of the process.  Employees are then vested and are eligible to receive this money upon reaching retirement age.  Contributions are tax deductible.
For business owners, the drawback of this type of account is that the employees doesn’t have to earn his or her vesting, but is vested once the account is opened.  That means matching someone dollar for dollar who may not be around to help you grow your company may not be a sound investment.  SIMPLE IRAs are also very strictly administered and cannot be rolled over, nor can a traditional IRA or 401(k) be rolled into a SIMPLE IRA.
SOLO DB Plan
This plan is a slimmed-down version of a standard defined benefit plan.  If you are looking to save a whole lot of money over a short period of time and have the resources to do so, this is the plan for you.
Like other retirement plans, contributions are tax-deferred and the money is available to you once you reach retirement age.  These plans are very popular with people in business for themselves who are over 50 years of age, due to the ability to save vast amounts of money in a short period of time in order to meet future income requirements for retirement.
The drawback for this type of retirement account is that investors must be willing and able to contribute ongoing mandatory contributions of at least $45,000 for five consecutive years to keep this plan going.  For many, this amount of money is simply not possible.  For the well-compensated small business owner or entrepreneur, however, this account could be just perfect.

50 Best Social Networks for Seniors

By Kelly Kilpatrick


One of the fastest growing demographics for social networks, seniors have discovered the joy of connecting with others online. Unlike the groups on some of the younger social sites, the sites for older users tend to be less superficial and have a more grounded community. If you are looking for a place to connect with other seniors, then take a look at this list that provides social networks with a focus on sharing life experience, looking for romance, or connecting with others who share a specific interest like travel or Scrabble.
Social Networks for Mature Users

If MySpace and Facebook seem too young for you, then no worries. These social networking sites are all designed for communities with more life experience to share.

1. eons. A popular social network for Baby Boomers, eons offers plenty of ways to connect with others as well as brain games, blogs, videos, and photos.
2. Rezoom. With lots of articles on music, activities, going green, money, and more, you will find plenty to keep your mind busy. Also, find a friend, read blogs, or visit one of the city-specific sites here.
3. Multiply. While not just for older users, this site does have a large number of senior members. The features here include blogs, a social calendar, movie and restaurant reviews, and photo sharing.
4. Seniorocity. Only for adults over 40, this network offers plenty of ways to connect with others including blogs, chat rooms, groups, and photo galleries.
5. Maya’s Mom. Specifically for parents, this site is known to have lots of older members. Connect with other parents in groups, by sharing photos, and more.
6. BOOMj. This social networking site offers the opportunity to connect with friends and colleagues, shopping, photo and video sharing, and much more.
7. Boomertowne. Create a profile, then jump into the fun with discussion groups, movie reviews, recipes, and more. Boomertowne also features a singles dating service.
8. EldersVoice. This site is a "social networking site for senior citizens who are young at heart." Post photos, video chat, play games, or post on your blog here.
9. TeeBeeDee. For anyone over 40, this site emphasizes sharing experiences and knowledge. Topics range from travel to food to sex to spirituality.
10. BoomerGirl. Targeting Baby Boomer women this site is part social network and part eZine. Sign up for one of the blogs and let your voice be heard.
11. Eldr. Participate in the forums or start blogging to connect with others here. Don’t forget to take advantage of the great articles ranging from travel to the environment to exercise.
12. Secondprime. For the 50+ set, this community includes the usual forums and such as well as volunteer activities, a social calendar, and more.
13. Growingbolder. The concept here is to create an intergenerational community around news that is inspiring, amusing, and uplifting rather than the typical fare on at 5:00. While most content is specifically directed at those over 50, they do welcome members of any age.
14. RedwoodAge. This site has a definite social-change aspect to it with topics such as the environment, poverty, and the state of health care right along side articles about health, exercise, and travel. Visit the Village to connect with others.
15. eGenerations. Their tagline explains that they are "a worldwide community of experienced adults" and the home page shows there are members from 62 countries and ranging in age from 30 to 101.
16. Boomer-Living.com. Join the Coffeehouse at this site to find their social network where you can meet others, play trivia, and more.
17. LifeTwo. "Midlife improved" is how this site is described. Follow your online buddies with a free membership here or just read the blogs and articles available.
18. My Boomer Place. Create a profile here and get started connecting with friends or making new ones, sharing photos, writing and sharing articles, playing games, and much more.
19. Maple and Leek. For those 50+, this community is one of adventure and entrepreneurial spirit. Connect with like-minded seniors at this fun site.
20. GrownUps. From New Zealand, this social network for those over 50 provides information on health, money, games, and more as well as an extensive listing of their various online groups and organizations you can join.

Dating Sites Specifically for Seniors
Give online dating a try with these dating sites specifically for more mature singles.

21. SeniorFriendFinder. Exclusively for singles over 40, this site offers free member profiles and almost 500,000 members. You can use email, instant messaging, and video messaging to contact members with a paid subscription.
22. Your Senior Dating Site. This dating site promises it’s about the people so you won’t get advertisements, but you will get personal service and ease of use. Signing up is free, but you will need a membership to contact a potential date.
23. SeniorMatch.com. This site is only for singles over 50 and imposes a minimum age as well. This is one of the largest senior dating sites.
24. Primesingles.net. This site for those 40 and over has a fast sign-up and is easy to navigate.
25. 50YearsPlus.com. "A singles site for seniors with integrity" is how they describe themselves at this site. Enjoy a seven-day free trial to see if you like this one before buying a membership.
26. Executive Senior Dating. This matchmaking service conducts a 30-90 minute phone call with you and a matchmaking counselor to start their matching process.
27. Real Mature Singles. For those 40 and over, this matching service verifies that every applicant is legitimate before providing services.
28. Senior Singles Only. This matching service meets and screens all applicants in person. The applicants must be at least 40 and looking for a long-term relationship.
29. Dating For Seniors. For dating, friends, or a life partner, this online dating site offers opportunities for older singles. Your free basic membership must be upgraded to a paid subscription in order to have full access to all services.
30. Senior Passions. This free dating and social networking site offers the opportunity for "the next big love of your life, companionship, or just to make new friends."

Dating Sites Not Specifically for Seniors
Most of these sites cover a wide range of ages, but you can usually specify the age range in which you are interested.

31. Yahoo! Personals. Completely free, this online dating service offers a wide range of categories from which you can search. Due to not having a cost associated with it and the popularity of Yahoo!, you are sure to find lots of potential here.
32. Match.com. One of the top online dating services, Match.com provides a huge member database. You can browse for free, but you will need a membership to contact any potential matches.
33. Chemistry.com. A part of Match.com, and working like eHarmony, this site relies on matching techniques to connect people and is one of the up-and-coming dating sites. For those who have been rejected by eHarmony, Chemistry.com offers a great chance to try this method of online dating again.
34. eHarmony. This dating service offers a unique approach to online dating. Instead of browsing for dates or waiting for someone to come to you, they rely on a complex personality matching formula and provide you with potential matches. 
35. Perfectmatch.com. Using a compatibility system, this dating site emails you when a good match for you becomes available. Perfectmatch.com has been receiving lots of rave reviews recently.
36. SinglesNet. This free service offers most of the same services available in the for-pay dating services. Gaining in popularity, the database is over 5 million large.
37. Lavalife. Choose to look for dates, relationships, or intimate encounters on this site. You can create three different profiles for each of the three different categories offered or select only one or two of them. This service is totally free and has a huge member base.
38. Great Expectations. Combining online dating services and in-person matchmaking, this service meets every member in person and creates a match for potential dates. They also offer invitations to Great Expectations events where you can meet members face-to-face. This service is available in about 50 cities in the U.S.
39. Matchmaker. Answer questions about major issues to create your matchability with this site. The service is free, but you will need to pay if you want to contact a member.
40. Plentyoffish.com. This totally free site matches singles from around the world. Touting itself as a dating site for everyone, you can choose a specific type of dating environment such as older couples or Christian dating.

Specialized Networks
From finding golf romance to dog lovers to gardening fans, these social networks all offer a very specific interest for its members.

41. Mango Tree. If you love to travel but don’t like to go alone, this site is specifically for finding travel partners. While it is available for any age group, you can specify an age range of interest.
42. DateAGolfer.com. Golf players looking for romance need look no further. This dating site offers free matching with other golf fanatics, most of whom appear to be from the senior set.
43. Animal Attraction. Pets and their parents can post photos, participate in forums, and more at this site specifically for pet lovers. The services are not only completely free, but Animal Attraction also donates $.01 to the charity you’ve chosen every day that you log in.
44. Dogster. Dog lovers can exchange ideas, gain knowledge, and even date on this site. If you would like to connect to other doggie parents, this is a great place to look.
45. Folia. Gardeners from all around the world can find each other on this social networking site. If gardening is your thing, you should check out this community.
46. PatientsLikeMe. This site brings together people with similar health issues for support and knowledge. Learn about symptoms, treatments, and research while you find others going through the same experiences you are.
47. Classmates.com. If you haven’t been active in your class reunions or are just interested in looking up old friends, this site is a great way to connect with classmates from both high school and college.
48. reunion.com. Similar to Classmates.com, this site allows you to look up old school friends. Reunion.com has a reputation of a great place to find anyone with whom you’ve lost touch over the years whether they are from school, family, work, or wherever.
49. Famiva. This social network for families allows you to work collaboratively on a family tree, share photos, family stories, make family maps and more–and it’s all free.
50. Scrabulous. If you like playing Scrabble, then this community is for you. Sign up for free, then find others in the Scrabulous community to join you in one of several variations of online Scrabble.

Assess Skills Shortage of Your Company

Assess Your Skills Shortage

Do you want to assess the effect of the skills shortage in your company? To start off, here are some questions to ask your managers.
Recommend 0

AchieveGlobal asked trainers and managers in a variety of industries why many of their workers do not have a knowledge of basic workplace skills and behaviors.

Among basic skills and behaviors that are lacking are the ability to manage interpersonal relationships and differences; communicate to co-workers, supervisors and customers; and maintain self-esteem and a work ethic. Overall, workers do not know how the workplace operates or what their employers' basic expectations are.
The company then developed the following questions to ask supervisors, managers and HR professionals in order to assess your employees’ skill levels and the impact of that deficiency on the workplace.

• What competencies and skills do you look for in hiring line and staff employees?
• What role do fundamental workplace skills play in your hiring profile?
• Do you have to make compromises in selecting job candidates or in expectations of job performance?
• Do these compromises affect the length of time for the employee to become productive?
• What impact does employee "ramp-up time" have on the performance of your organization or service?
• How many line or staff employees do you hire in a year?
• How is your retention of such employees? Are you hiring repeatedly for the same position?
• What are the main causes of turnover in your organization?
• What are the effects of turnover on productivity and on team morale?
• What are the effects of turnover on your customers?
• How much and what kind of training do new line and staff support employees go through?
• How are your line and staff support employees' listening skills? Ability to ask questions and clarify?
• How do your line and staff support employees accept and learn new tasks?
• How do your support employees handle problems with peers? With supervisors and managers?
• How are your organization's absenteeism rates?
• Can your employees articulate problems and work with others in a constructive manner to solve them?
• What role will your line and staff employees play in your organization's growth?

What are some of the barriers you face to promoting from within?
SOURCE: AchieveGlobal, Tampa, FL.


http://workforce.com/archive/feature/22/17/40/224015.php

Learning More With Less

Learn More With Less: Corporate Education in the Current Economy

| posted by Marcia Conner I've directed large education organizations with huge budgets and small departments without a dime. Training rooms I managed accounted for the largest portion of real estate on a spatial corporate campus and another time I ran the training function of a startup out of my attic office. The journey has been a productive one, sometimes flush with money, other times only rich in experience. Each has its merits and all were educational.
So when I began getting asked by education execs for tips on how to manage the corporate education function with less, I wasn't surprised. Working in extreme situations comes naturally to me and that reputation draws me into conversations with people who don't know where else to turn. With each call, I've reminded people approaches they've forgotten amid recent stresses and pointed to new approaches they may have missed.
I believe this is a great time to be learning while short on cash. Never before in modern history has it been so easy to run a training department (or be accountable for people's learning when you're in another department yet still focused on knowledge transfer) without large budgets, blocks of free time, or even an organization to help marshal your resources.
Deputize More Trainers
My first suggestion is to increase the number of teaching opportunities for people throughout your organization. Although the best way to learn is to teach, in recent years I've seen a trend to bulk up training organizations and reduce reliance on in-house subject matter experts as instructors, managers as mentors, and new employees as a source of fresh knowledge.
By relying mostly on the training department to teach, fewer people remember that educating is part of their job, there is less opportunity for employees at all levels to improve their facilitation skills, and the time-tested, "Gotta learn this now," which comes from the pressure of explaining it to someone else, dissipates into the regular old rhythm of work. Worse yet, this change of policy shuts down a vital source of innovation in our organizations: the practice of capturing as much new outsider insight from new recruits as we can before they've gone "native," leaving their old responsibilities and brain cells behind.
The Exchanged
At Microsoft, at a time we were challenged to train throngs of people with very little funding, we met with all of the managers in our division to ask if they could each volunteer one person for a 3-month period to work part time -- sometimes just for a few hours a week, in other cases practically full time -- to get some trainer-training and help enlarge our small team's capacity. While we were very nervous about their receptiveness to our proposal, fourteen managers took the offer to their respective teams and found people not only willing but very enthusiastic to be part of the effort. As a result from this type of creativity, the employees grew their teaching skills, had an excuse to learn some new cool stuff, and their teams widened their bench-strength considerably.
The Unprocessed
The benefits of giving new hires, even those just out of school, an early job assignment to teach people in their new organization about what they learned before they arrived may be the best investment of time (not money) you make. Empowering new employees in every part of the organization to teach what they know gives them a chance to feel competent at a time when they may not be feeling all that sturdy and it gives your organization an almost unlimited low-cost source of diverse and fresh information. If lunch-time talks mean they don't get the time they want to bond with new co-workers, create a Friday afternoon panel where a seasoned employee with a Tonight Show-style personality interviews new employees about themselves and some of the lessons they learned in previous situations. Film the show and post it on your intranet. There are many creative ways to gather and share information at little or no cost; it just takes some imagination and motivation.
The Supercool
Thinking this is all too 20th Century? Consider adding a supercool bottom-up, grassroots component to your education efforts. Modeled after the Supercool School Facebook app, which allows participants to initiate (and join in on) learning programs for topics they want to learn about, you can do the same within your enterprise. When enough people have joined together with a request, open a teaching position and anyone willing and able to teach may. This says to people in your larger ecosystem, "Here are programs where your expertise is requested now. Who's interested?"
It's no shame for an education department to focus most of their resources on classes for the masses. The money you have should make the largest possible impact. That also may mean there's no other vehicle for taking advantage of the long tail. For example, if a small group of people are interested in learning how Twitter can be used on the job, but there isn’t a strategic need or numbers to justify a course, most training departments wouldn't step up. If the group has an easy way to find an instructor, though, why stop them? This self-organizing model offers a vehicle for people to enroll in and teach class on topics interesting to only a few people, and it gets more instructors, not fewer, excited about teaching what they know.
Erik Davis and several of his colleagues at Booz Allen Hamilton, are piloting a hybrid supercool approach by using their internal social media software to post Craig's List-style classified ads where people can request and respond to learning opportunities. Their social media space has become a hub for people offering and seeking goods: education, learning, and the teaching that leads to wider knowledge transfer and deeper responsibility throughout the organization. And it costs next to nothing.
While I encourage you to enlist the teaching skills of people throughout your organization, please realize this doesn't need to be only for courses. Consider job swaps or have novices shadow expert employees.
Every activity that helps people become mindful about their role as educators ups the conversation about learning in the workplace and leads to people learning more.
If you don't believe in the traditional separation of learners and teachers, either, or you have your own favorite low-cost solutions, write here or in fewer than 140 characters @marciamarcia.
----------
Marcia Conner >> www.marciaconner.com

Source: http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/marcia-conner/learn-all-levels/learn-more-less