| APRIL
2016 |
| Volume
15, Number 2 |
 |
CONTACT
HSA |
|
To contact us, click HERE.
|
 |
PUBLICATIONS |
|
For more information on our best-selling, award-winning books,
click HERE.
Need help with HPT terminology? Click HERE
for The HSA Lexicon.
Click HERE
to read our published articles.
|
 |
ASK
HAROLD |
|
Click HERE
to read the latest Ask Harold question and Harold's response
or ask a question of your own!
|
|
UPCOMING
EVENTS |
|
July 28-29, 2016
ATD Telling Ain't Training Event, Los Angeles, CA
November 3-4, 2016
ATD Telling Ain't Training Event, Chicago, IL
For details about these events, click HERE
To learn more about engaging Harold Stolovitch to speak at
your organization, click HERE
|
 |
CPT
DESIGNATION |
|
Harold Stolovitch and Erica Keeps are Certified Performance
Technologists (CPT). The CPT designation is awarded by the
International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) to
experienced practitioners in the field of organizational performance
improvement, whose work meets both the performance-based Standards
of Performance Technology and application requirements. For
more information, visit www.ispi.org.
|
 |
|
 Who
We Are and How Did We Get Here?
The January
2016 edition of the HSA e-Xpress offered new features
such as Harold's Reading and Viewing Guide and Readers Speak Out.
In this issue, we launch a third new feature, Personal Musings,
in which we share lessons learned from having toiled in the field
of workplace learning and performance improvement for a combined
total of over 85 years.
During this lengthy period, we have accumulated a wealth of professional
experiences...sometimes, unfortunately, the hard way. We thought
you might enjoy learning about some of our adventures, discoveries
and reflections on these. First, some background on us.
Harold started as a primary school teacher in Canada after graduating
from McGill University. After a six-year stint at the university's
demonstration school, he set off to central west Africa (Cameroun)
for five years as a teacher and secondary school administrator for
the Canadian government. On his
return, he enrolled in Indiana University's Instructional Systems
Technology graduate program where he obtained a master's degree
and then a PhD. He continued with a post-doc year of studies in
special education technology. For a career path, he chose to travel
the academic route becoming a university professor, dean of research
and program director of the graduate programs in instructional and
performance technology at Université de Montréal.
He is now an emeritus professor, specializing in workplace learning
and performance. Throughout his career, he has focused his research
and professional practice on engineering learning and performance
systems that produce measurable results valued by all stakeholders.
Erica began her career, after graduating from the University of
Michigan, as a market research analyst for a large department store
chain. That career was cut short when the training department, seeking
someone with strong analytical skills, launched a search to fill
a key position. Erica was selected. Once in the training field,
she felt that she had found her home. However, Erica quickly learned
that "training" does not solve all human performance problems
at work. This led to her MEd in Behavioral Psychology at Wayne State
University. Erica chose to continue along the corporate path and
began the application of behavioral principles to improve performance
in the workplace, initially in the retail sector. Later, as a consultant,
she expanded her repertoire to instructional and performance technology,
applying their principles, processes and practices in the service
sector. After joining Harold, her world of application soon expanded
to include manufacturing, military, government, transportation,
mining, police, high tech and many more workplace sectors.
We hope these brief bios will provide the background to enjoy our
Personal Musings series. It begins with the Who's Learning Now?
article in this issue.
Peace,
Erica and Harold
|
Harold's Reading and Viewing Guide
 By
Harold D. Stolovitch
After receiving wonderful feedback on my last
set of recommended readings and viewings (you can read them
here),
I am happy to present you with three excellent publications.
Two of these are quite short and can be accessed online for
free, and the third can be purchased online for $4.99 (click
on book images or titles). Happy reading!
 Myths,
exaggerations and uncomfortable truths: The real story behind
Millennials in the workplace is a research report - very
readable - produced by the IBM Institute for Business Value.
As IBM and other organizations plan for the future, it is
essential to determine the extent to which Millennial workers
differ from those of previous generations as they will constitute
50% of the workforce by 2020. Are there significant differences
between Millennials and other workers with respect to career
goals, employee engagement, preferred leadership styles, recognition,
ethics and other important dimensions? Conducted in 12 countries
and across six industries with almost 1,800 employees, the
researchers compared the behavioral patterns and preferences
of Millennials (21-34), Gen X (35-46) and Baby Boomers (50+).
The researchers especially focused on five commonly held beliefs
about Millennials, which all turned out to be myths. The exciting
news: across generations, workers are far more alike than
different.
 The
Conference Board CEO Challenge® 2015 Research Report
reveals what CEOs consider to be their current priority business
challenges and reports on what they believe are the best strategies
for dealing with them. The Conference Board has been conducting
the CEO Challenge survey annually for the last 16 years. It
is the most comprehensive study of this nature and includes
respondents from across the globe. The 2015 report is based
on 943 CEO, president and chairmen/chairwomen responses from
the US, Europe, Asia, China, India, ASEAN and Latin America.
At the top of the list of challenges is human capital. The
top five are all highly dependent on the performance of people
in the workplace. This is an extremely important document
for anyone professionally engaged in the improvement of human
performance at work.
 Eureka!
The Science of Genius is an ebook published online by
Scientific America ($4.99). It contains a series of articles
authored by some of the world's most knowledgeable experts
on intelligence and human performance. The articles examine
genius, not just in terms of IQ, but also with respect to
extraordinary accomplishment in science and the arts. To affect
learning and performance requires a thorough, well-rounded
and up-to-date understanding on the nature of intellectual,
creative and expert accomplishment, as well as the important
role the environment plays in fostering highly valued achievements.
Can we enhance intelligence? Can we build better learners?
Can we, ourselves, become smarter? All of these questions,
as well as many more are addressed in this clearly written
collection.
|
|
Personal
Musings: Who's Learning Now?
By Erica J. Keeps
The back, back story:
Years ago, we had a great conversation with Bob Mager, a true
master and leader in the fields of learning and performance.
He informed us that each year, he enrolled in a course in
order to remember what it was like to be a learner. Bob shared
that in this way, he had learned luggage making, ventriloquism
and so much more in his quest for knowledge about being a
learner. His passion and dedication to learners made a powerful
impression on us. We frequently reminisce about this chat
and every once in a while try to emulate his example.
The back story:
I have never been a cook. Truth be told, in our first year
of marriage, I burned up three kettles. No one I know is as
consistent as I am at cutting or steaming themselves while
preparing a meal. Almost every time I venture into the kitchen,
some form of disaster strikes. Of course, Harold is always
to blame! After all, as he is fully aware of my lack of domestic
skills; he should be doing everything possible to protect
me, our home and our future by keeping me out of the kitchen,
right?
 Over
the years, I have lost almost all confidence in my culinary
capabilities. We eat more meals out, have guests over less
often at mealtime and basically keep our refrigerator stocked
only with ingredients that can be tossed into a salad. Fortunately,
one of my brothers is a chef. Unfortunately, however, he lives
thousands of miles from us. As a result, home-cooked eating
only comes with a brotherly visit. Frankly, I believe that
he got all the cooking genes in our family. Anyway, that's
my story and I have faithfully stuck to it.
 The
story: A restaurant
we frequent happens to be located near a culinary school,
Chef Eric's Culinary Classroom (www.culinaryclassroom.com;
Chef Eric is pictured at left). One day, on a whim, I decided
to drop by to explore the possibility of taking a cooking
course. Embarrassed at first by my lack of skill, I was hesitant
to sign up until I learned that it offered a basic culinary
skills program for people just like me. To show Harold I was
seriously interested, I invited him to join me. He immediately
replied, "Yes!"
Week 1 was quite intimidating. Knife handling turned out
to be both a skill and confidence challenge. Manipulating
these sharp tools felt almost life-threatening. Nevertheless,
I gathered up my courage and actually ended up slicing, dicing
and mincing without injury.
There also seemed to be so many recipes we had to follow.
How could we accomplish everything in the time available?
Vocabulary was another mystery. I found myself unfamiliar
with a lot of the terminology the chef-instructor used. Others
seemed to understand everything. I had to constantly ask what
was being said (e.g. braised, caramelized, sautéed,
pilaf, blanche, deglaze). However, as a motivated learner
(with a spouse who was also both supportive and hoping for
a miracle), I put fear aside and gave it my best shot. Surprise
of surprises, what I cooked ended up tasting really good.
I left exhausted, still intimidated, but also amazingly satisfied
by my limited accomplishments.
By Week 2 I was truly looking forward to the experience.
Much as I had wanted to, I still had been unable to bring
myself to actually apply the skills at home. But change was
in the air. Come Week 3, I was proudly able to share with
the chef-instructor and classmates, complete with photos,
what we had tried at home by applying what we had acquired
in our first and second weeks' lessons. Then, throwing caution
to the wind, we invited our first dinner guest, cooking up
a storm that included our three weeks of learning. By Week
4, graduation week, I was sad for the class to end.
 The
moral to the story: Truthfully, I am still
far from a chef. Nevertheless, I have gained enough confidence
to give home cooking a whirl. My perspective on food preparation
and a number of my behaviors have significantly altered. I
shop differently now, plan time to prepare dishes we enjoy,
am getting up the courage to have a dinner party and am proud
to say I haven't yet burnt or cut myself.
Just as Mager pointed out all those years ago, the best way
to get in touch with what it means to be a learner is to become
a learner yourself. Who isn't afraid or at least concerned
about mastering a new, seemingly intimidating skill? Who doesn't
need to build confidence along with competence? Who doesn't
respond well to the encouraging words of a respected instructor?
If you haven't taken a course in a while, in other words,
planted yourself in a learner's shoes, what are you waiting
for? There is no better personal and professional development
opportunity out there! Be a learner. It will result in your
becoming a much better trainer.
|
|
Harold's ATD Telling Ain't Training Farewell Tour
 For
over the past 10 years, Harold Stolovitch has delivered his
Telling Ain't Training ATD event to thousands of trainers,
providing them with the foundation and tools to produce sound
learning sessions resulting in measurable learning, on-job
application and improved performance. 2016 begins his farewell
tour.
 Don't
miss your chance to learn from the man who made "telling
ain't training," a popular expression that has spread
across the globe. Join us July 28 and 29 in Los Angeles or
November 3 and 4 in Chicago and participate in one of the
final ATD
Telling Ain't Training events.
Harold has been delivering trainer training in-house worldwide
for over 20 years. For interested organizations with seven
or more trainers requiring trainer training, in-house training
sessions with Harold can be scheduled through ekeeps@hsa-lps.com
or by phoning Erica at 310-497-8466.
|
|
 Readers
and Participants Speak Out
"Thank you so much for presenting to our organization.
We appreciate your insight, experience and compelling stories
that you bring to Performance Consulting. We were honored
to have you join us."
- Anna and Martin, Performance Consultants
"I wanted to let you know how your book, Telling
Ain't Training, has positively transformed a company's
training program and me!
I was approached two years ago about taking a company training
team 'to the next level'. I was given wide latitude on how
to do this and complete creative control. After reviewing
too many publications on training, I happened upon Telling
Ain't Training and was instantly hooked.
I used your book as a basis for a program I call Prepare to
Train. In our first session each participant is instructed
to "train" us on a topic of their choice; with no
additional constraints or suggestions. Then each participant
(and there have been 70+ to date) was given a copy of your
book. (Believe me, we have kept Barnes and Noble busy!) The
next three sessions were then spent discussing (participant
led discussion) on your book and how it applied to our professional
and sometimes private lives. Additionally, their original
"training" session was discussed on what could have
done better/differently/etc. During our last session, each
participant selected one activity from your 25 Training Activities
list and delivered to the group.
They have used their new skills to create a technical training
program using the principles from Telling Ain't Training
and of course the Training Session Planning sheet. They retrofit
another training program and are currently in the process
of creating another new training program.
The exciting part has been the comments from the new hires
that have gone through the training - "it's so organized,"
"it's so easy to understand," "this is the
best training I've ever been through..." The most incredible
part is the feedback from the current staff concerning the
high level of the new hires after training and also the fact
that the current employees are so intrigued with the new training;
they want to go through it themselves!
Thank you for such an enlightening, easy to understand, transformational
book!" - Pam Sullivan, Charlottesville, VA
Do you have feedback
on our books, workshops or our newsletter?
We would love to hear from you. Please share your comments
with us at ekeeps@hsa-lps.com.
|
|
Ask Harold
 Do
you have a burning learning and performance question? Visit
ASK
HAROLD and ask your question for Harold Stolovitch
to answer. Here is a recent submission that might intrigue
you:
Why don't more findings
from learning research make it into everyday teaching/training
practice? I am blown away by what I observe instructors and
teachers doing that, from my limited exposure to research
studies, are unsupported, while research findings, some of
them long-standing, fail to influence practice.
To read the response, visit ASK
HAROLD . To ask your own question, click on
the crystal ball above, fill out the form and click submit.
|
|
