tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19443242290634896372024-03-13T03:35:09.870+00:00learnforever blogLive like you are going to die tomorrow ... learn like you are going to live forever.Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.comBlogger194125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-59615064572967430422014-12-08T17:18:00.000+00:002014-12-08T17:18:19.854+00:00a new chapterI'm in the process of winding up two of my recent ventures. I've announced on LinkedIn and Twitter that the Academy for Shared Learning, the social enterprise I have been developing for the past two years and that finally launched earlier this year, has been voluntarily wound up by its members. Sadly, the Academy proved unable to generate the levels of interest needed to sustain it. Alasdair Rutherford and I are also about to wind up Airthrey Ltd, our learning evaluation solutions business of the last three-and-a-half years; we're currently running what will probably be the last cohort of Learning Evaluation Action Development, and we're reviewing - and probably closing - the Learning Evaluation Network.<br />
<br />
So what's new? I'm joining <a href="http://www.sensescotland.org.uk/">Sense Scotland</a> as its new Head of Organisational Development. Sense is one of Scotland's leading charities and social enterprises, with 1100 employees, 400 volunteers, 20 shops and over £20 million turnover. My role will be to merge the HR and learning functions, and develop an engaging people strategy, building on the reputation and success of the organisation to date. It's a big challenge, but one I am really looking forward to meeting. More to follow, I'm sure.Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-50197729597889586902014-08-04T15:05:00.003+01:002014-08-04T15:05:45.958+01:00Signed copy of the Learnforever Book<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmUZl1Z63UHgkG6Xht5NIm8dC5xyTShSD7eMPG4tquC7dmQBO9L790U9dypz-D72cpk0qo19gFSF2YzpO92prDaS6FgQhWt8PtwlgoU8_kwKYwsYqxVVsiZA8RdrV3sfSS9kJMfb7Mx8/s1600/learnforever+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmUZl1Z63UHgkG6Xht5NIm8dC5xyTShSD7eMPG4tquC7dmQBO9L790U9dypz-D72cpk0qo19gFSF2YzpO92prDaS6FgQhWt8PtwlgoU8_kwKYwsYqxVVsiZA8RdrV3sfSS9kJMfb7Mx8/s1600/learnforever+book.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm offering all readers and followers of this blog the chance to buy a copy of the Learnforever Book, direct from the author, at a reduced price and with extra benefits.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
For just £12 sterling, you can have a copy of The
Learnforever Book, signed by the author, with the personalised inscription of
your choice, posted to any address anywhere in the world.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Published in December 2013, The Learnforever Book is a
collection of posts and comments from this blog, between 2007 and
2013, edited and with a new introduction and index. It covers the same range of
learning and development and related business strategy topics as this blog, including
leadership and management development, e-learning and blended learning, and
evaluation of learning and development.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You can simply buy the book from Amazon for £15 (or US
$22.49), but to take advantage of this offer, please make a PayPal payment of
£12 to <a href="mailto:ken@learnforever.co.uk">ken@learnforever.co.uk</a> or click on the Buy Now link at </span><a href="http://learnforever.co.uk/contact.htm"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: inherit;">http://learnforever.co.uk/contact.htm</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">
- and email me to let me know what inscription you would like.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-90892958514959655972014-05-13T11:21:00.000+01:002014-05-13T11:22:43.052+01:00Sharing learning across the third sector<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDrHyP9gEtICyCbqTkDmOG24IhAZf6QgmBkUI_8Cvy8MJPG485aZtC2q2vUOiw3oStGTzIjTM9XEE-j-uWU0l2Cr5E3nY4Y1AEMxheD057LAC4RDT0UuPOd-OqZaoPBzaMd3Hwd2uJAA/s1600/Academy+Final+Logo+Option1+sml+-+monochrome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDrHyP9gEtICyCbqTkDmOG24IhAZf6QgmBkUI_8Cvy8MJPG485aZtC2q2vUOiw3oStGTzIjTM9XEE-j-uWU0l2Cr5E3nY4Y1AEMxheD057LAC4RDT0UuPOd-OqZaoPBzaMd3Hwd2uJAA/s1600/Academy+Final+Logo+Option1+sml+-+monochrome.jpg" height="241" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Today,
I am delighted to be launching the Academy – sharing learning across the third
sector.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This new initiative has been a
long time coming: since I first discussed the concept with David Elder nearly
three years ago, the model has changed twice, funding partners have come and
gone, but at last, today, the company I incorporated last year finally gets off
the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The launch event is being
held this afternoon at founder member Sense Scotland’s <a href="http://www.sensescotland.org.uk/business-centre.aspx">TouchBase</a> facility in
Glasgow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The
Academy is a not-for-profit social enterprise, a co-operative consortium, and a
company limited by guarantee, registered in Scotland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s also an expression of the “shared
academy” model <a href="http://learnforeverblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/the-shared-academy.html">I blogged about in February of last year</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The company is incorporated as The Academy
for Shared Learning Limited, but will trade as The Academy, with the strapline
‘sharing learning across the third sector’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The
Academy is first of all a marketplace for charities, social enterprises,
community organisations and individuals involved in the third sector, to buy
and sell learning services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Secondly,
it’s a means for its members to network, collaborate, and share resources and
opportunities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a partnership model
for charities and others to work together, access high value services, generate
income, and co-operate for mutual success.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">To
begin with, the Academy is offering a range of courses, e-learning and
publications such as workbooks, developed and sold by its members.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the proceeds go directly to the members
themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over time, we expect to
extend the range of learning services, and feature collaborative services from
more than one member.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Membership
is open to anyone who shares the Academy’s aims, so not just charities and not
just those in Scotland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone who
values the contribution of the third sector, and especially its expertise and
ethos in learning and development, would benefit from membership, including
local authorities and other public bodies, individuals, and other organisations
involved in similar services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And many
of the Academy’s services, including e-learning and printed publication, reach
well beyind Scotland.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">More
information is available at <a href="http://www.aslats.org/">the Academy’s website</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can join the Academy at <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
</span><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><a href="http://www.aslats.org/join">http://www.aslats.org/join<o:p></o:p></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I
hope to blog further with updates about the Academy’s growth and progress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me know what you think.<o:p></o:p></span><br />Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-48948951726866816282014-02-25T13:27:00.003+00:002014-02-25T13:27:40.143+00:00Performance Improvement
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">The
phrase “A Good Thing” crops up a few times on this blog, in the context of
“learning is A Good Thing” – it’s even an index item in <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1782221670?tag=airthrey-21&camp=1406&creative=6394&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=1782221670&adid=0RV6YATPNSAWNVN8927N&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.airthrey.com%2Fbook_learnforever.htm"><span style="color: blue;">The Learnforever Book</span></a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And of course, my strapline
invites you to learn like you are going to live forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Learning is good for you, as an individual,
and is good for organisations too, not just because of what you learn, but
because of the doors it opens to new learning, and because of the skills you
acquire for adaptability, to cope with change, and to handle new situations.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Learning
and development practitioners could embellish this argument, sharing the belief
that learning is beneficial to everyone, and a worthwhile investment for any
organisation, but… (There had to be a but coming, didn’t there?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Learning
is ubiquitous: it happens everywhere, planned or not, and we are increasingly
aware of informal learning and social learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Organisations have limited resources and need to make some tough choices
about what to invest in: planned learning is only one of them, as there are
many other competing investments that can drive productivity, profitability and
success.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">And
so typically we look to learning and development to cause performance
improvement, which should yield measurable business impact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the key to successful L&D is to
ensure it directly contributes to performance improvement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">As
planned learning usually takes place away from the job, or even on-the-job is
often protected from exposure to normal risks and costs, this means ensuring
that learning transfers to work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To put
it another way, the knowledge, skill and competence people learn in organised
L&D activities need to be applied at work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">This
is reflected in Donald Kirkpatrick’s evaluation levels, where his second level
is about ensuring knowledge and skill have been learnt, and his third level is
about ensuring that knowledge and skill are applied to work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Dr
Ed Holton has identified an academic model of 16 learning transfer factors,
based on research in the USA, and there are other models. The essential truth
is that no L&D initiative is complete unless it has a built-in process to
overcome any barriers to learning transfer and ensure learning transfer
actually takes place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Learning
and development are important in life, in almost any context, but in
organisations their importance lies in how they are embedded in, and contribute
to, performance improvement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The simple
paradigm is that learning and development leads to performance improvement,
which in turn leads to business results.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">L&D
practitioners need to pay more attention to performance improvement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-56086796522369256982014-02-04T10:50:00.002+00:002014-02-04T10:53:01.929+00:00Why you should join the Learning Evaluation Network<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many
people, if they’re honest, will admit that they aren’t doing enough to evaluate
their learning and development. Most of us get regular feedback from learners,
and can be confident learning interventions are well received; most of us know
that learning is a good thing to do; and in many cases there is broad alignment
of learning interventions with organisational goals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But how many of us, hand on heart, can show
the value that learning adds, can point to where it makes a difference, and can
measure its contribution to business results?<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Do
you regularly and robustly measure the business impact of your learning and
development?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you collect and analyse
meaningful data about the impact of your learning and development?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you learn and apply the best techniques
for this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you invest in resource to
make this possible?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you up-to-date
with the latest innovations? Do you have a portion of your L&D budget
dedicated to evaluation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you
undertaken any specialised evaluation or research training?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone who answers any of these questions “no”
is missing out.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The
thing is, dedicating scarce time and resources to evaluation can feel like an
added burden, an excess cost, even where no external help is bought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>External help may be very valuable, but it
may also be very expensive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if the
organisation’s managers already balk at the demands on them to support learning
interventions, how much more will they resist being asked to contribute to
evaluation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are among the reasons
why learning evaluation is frequently neglected.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">But
the answer is to hand.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">What
you need is ready access to information, resources, a sense of what others are
doing, and the opportunity to ask questions of experts, whenever you need
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All this and more is provided by the
<a href="http://learningevaluationnetwork.ning.com/"><span style="color: orange;">Learning Evaluation Network</span></a>, and at an affordable price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So even if you don’t invest in evaluation
consultants, or costly processes, or specialised training, there is a minimum
you can do to keep abreast of evaluation issues and equip yourself to do better
evaluation.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The
Learning Evaluation Network is an online community of members with a shared
interest in, and experience of, evaluating learning and development in
organisations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Members are drawn from
all over the world, and include lots of practising L&D managers, and
leading thinkers like Professor Robert Brinkerhoff and Dr Alasdair Rutherford.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The network includes not just connections
with other members, but blogs, a Q&A forum, book reviews and
recommendations, downloadable resources, a compendium of links to free
resources elsewhere, and much more.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Membership
is usually £132 (that’s £110 plus VAT in the UK), but you can benefit from an
introductory discount for a limited period by quoting promotional code AL421
when you register at <a href="http://www.airthrey.com/network/"><span style="color: orange;">http://www.airthrey.com/network/</span></a>, making the price £118.80
(that’s £99 plus VAT in the UK).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And you
can pay by credit card via PayPal.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">For
further information about network features and benefits, contact <a href="mailto:info@airthrey.com"><span style="color: orange;">info@airthrey.com</span></a>.</span></span>Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-9805727627132765782014-01-20T12:29:00.001+00:002014-01-20T12:31:16.143+00:00Learning Evaluation Network<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRYS2q94GFsfr0ZcNLPm6wm96xGpBzpKIYAiAymZeFYuiO7wy9DNPXl71A8HVowmr138o-wQ-o5r2nHCk8HCXQ0e1BUJbgUq_wzvmWkejZSa3LbwFR-1cggTfqifwSc6t7zdbpFp0pb3A/s1600/network+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRYS2q94GFsfr0ZcNLPm6wm96xGpBzpKIYAiAymZeFYuiO7wy9DNPXl71A8HVowmr138o-wQ-o5r2nHCk8HCXQ0e1BUJbgUq_wzvmWkejZSa3LbwFR-1cggTfqifwSc6t7zdbpFp0pb3A/s1600/network+2.jpg" height="107" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When
is a social network not a social network?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This issue was raised in the testing phase of the </span><a href="http://learningevaluationnetwork.ning.com/"><span style="color: orange; font-family: inherit;">Learning Evaluation Network</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (LEN), just launched on the </span><a href="https://www.ning.com/"><span style="color: orange; font-family: inherit;">Ning</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> platform.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ning
describes all the networks it supports as “social networks” but this conveys
all sorts of assumptions, largely based on the most widely-recognised Facebook model. However, to take just one example, the
</span><a href="http://learningevaluationnetwork.ning.com/"><span style="color: orange; font-family: inherit;">Learning Evaluation Network</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> is closed to the public, and open only to paying
subscribers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
so the founders of LEN (of whom I am one) don’t use the term “social network” –
instead it is based on </span><a href="http://wenger-trayner.com/theory/"><span style="color: orange; font-family: inherit;">Etienne Wenger’s theory of Communities of Practice</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, and
on the more recent concept of the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_learning_network"><span style="color: orange; font-family: inherit;">personal learning network</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (derived in part
from the idea of personal learning environments). In fact the term used by LEN
is a “shared learning network”, which encapsulates some of all of the above –
let’s see if that one catches on!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Evaluation
of learning and development is pretty niche. Some would say that about L&D,
and concern about its impact, and relationship with performance improvement, is
even more niche, so evaluation of L&D bounds on the extremes of esoterica…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Except
that it is rather important. Someone told me recently I should forget about
trying to sell clients what they need and focus instead on what they want – at
the risk of perpetuating a form of condescending paternalism, I’m going to
carry on ignoring that advice. L&D practitioners need the learning evaluation network.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">All
of which amounts to some philosophical musings about what is really a very concrete
proposition – members who subscribe to LEN connect to experts and practitioners
in learning evaluation from all over the world, get free information, advice
and resources, and the scope to accomplish much more. I think it’s a great
concept, and I commend it to you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Followers of this
blog can join the Learning Evaluation Network at a discount of 10% from the
published annual subscription by quoting promotional code TL420 when they
register at </span><a href="http://www.airthrey.com/network/"><span style="color: orange; font-family: inherit;">http://www.airthrey.com/network/</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span>Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-27302919279003450882013-12-09T15:49:00.002+00:002013-12-09T15:49:53.149+00:00Hot off the press!<strong>The Learnforever Book</strong> is now published.<br />
<br />
You can find it on <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Learnforever-Book-Kenneth-Fee/dp/1782221670/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1386604073&sr=1-1&keywords=learnforever"><span style="color: blue;">amazon</span></a>, and further links will follow.<br />
<br />
Any follower of this blog, or commenter, may request a copy directly from the author - I'll be happy to post a personally inscribed and signed copy with no added charge for postage.<br />
<br />
I'll blog again with any reviews or other feedback.<br />
<br />
And of course, comments are (always) welcome.Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-7235972324331176222013-10-31T13:31:00.003+00:002013-10-31T13:31:45.252+00:00The Learnforever Book
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">I’m
pleased to announce that my fifth book will be published by Paragon in time for
Xmas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><strong>The
Learnforever Book</strong> is a compendium of selected posts from this blog, compiled by
theme, and featuring a new introduction, editorial comments and
bibliography.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you enjoy this blog,
you should like the book too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">The
book’s themes include e-learning and blended learning, leadership and
management development, and evaluation of learning and development, among others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The foreword is by Nigel Paine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">All
of the posts included are from before this post, and nothing that follows will
be in the book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">More
information once the book is available in December.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-40911406545118345932013-09-17T12:29:00.002+01:002013-09-17T12:29:29.192+01:00Explaining Total Value Add
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqEVS_LWqqUhjh6xwh8V7Jv8tcQ2QtAieHcFAm1PGu4bv8C2ZxLIb52ajQhr9PCi5otoIRUVqV2vpE10hlbKeLoNzJld1OYtPAMKseQ9-hLRj1PzjOLh_kgFnbjhmmqw1T6kuUUpAOVy0/s1600/TVA+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqEVS_LWqqUhjh6xwh8V7Jv8tcQ2QtAieHcFAm1PGu4bv8C2ZxLIb52ajQhr9PCi5otoIRUVqV2vpE10hlbKeLoNzJld1OYtPAMKseQ9-hLRj1PzjOLh_kgFnbjhmmqw1T6kuUUpAOVy0/s1600/TVA+cover.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">One
or two people who have read the e-book I published last year with Alasdair
Rutherford – Total Value Add, a new approach to evaluating learning and
development – have asked for more information about how Total Value Add works.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Total
Value Add includes two related ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The first is that organisations derive a lot of value from learning and
development, and need to capture more of it, as cost-effectively as
possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second is that different
evaluation methods and tools lend themselves to different kinds of capture, and
so a range of tools and techniques need to be applied in different situations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Let’s
take the first idea first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Opportunities
for development are increasingly seen as part of the benefits package of
working for an organisation – at least by the more enlightened and ambitious employees
– and so it makes sense to check that learners enjoy the learning opportunities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reaction sheets do this well, but do you
really need to check the reactions of every employee to every learning
experience?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet that’s what most
organisations actually do, and it’s not cost-effective – judicious sampling
would serve the same end, for a fraction of the effort expended.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">That’s
one example.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another is that learning
interventions do not necessarily provide the sole means to effect the kinds of
behaviour change organisations need – but they may provide a spur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Acting in concert with line managers dedicated
to managing performance, learning interventions can help bring about improvement,
perhaps by training line managers to be better coaches, or by providing
performance support to employees on-the-job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This sort of intervention requires analysis of the performance desired,
a measure of the current level of performance, and means to record progress in
improving performance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Turning
to the second idea, our first example should direct you away from universal
distribution of happy sheets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are
often poorly designed, usually poorly distributed, and rarely properly analysed
or acted upon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A better use of
resources, and a better way of capturing value, would be to select representative
samples, and interrogate them in more detail, perhaps using interviews rather
than surveys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The barriers here are that
L&D practitioners lack survey design skills, question writing skills, and typically
don’t know how to select a truly representative sample.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">The
second example calls for an evaluation method that tracks employee performance,
and gauges the impact of L&D in improving that performance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Possible methods include Business Impact
Modelling, Dave Basarab’s Predictive Evaluation, or Ed Holton’s sixteen
learning transfer indicators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most L&D
practitioners – in the UK at least – will have scarcely heard of these methods,
far less have the skills to implement them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yet neither of the more commonly recognised evaluation models –
Kirkpatrick or ROI – features the means to tackle this sort of issue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Part
of the problem is that many L&D practitioners are not even conscious that
they don’t know enough. We need to raise awareness of what’s involved in
evaluating L&D, spread knowledge of a wider range of tools, and clarify what
extra skills are needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More
information can be found at <a href="http://www.airthrey.com/"><span style="color: #b45f06;">www.airthrey.com<o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-39342960715210331952013-08-23T11:29:00.001+01:002013-08-23T11:30:50.914+01:00E-learning: better than face-to-face?<strong><span style="color: #660000;"><em></em></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #660000;"><em>blended learning > e-learning > face-to-face learning!</em></span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">I
recently discovered a three year old research report from the Department of
Education in the United States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
meta-analysis, encompassing studies covering a 12 year period from 1996 to
2008, it compares the effectiveness of e-learning and blended learning to
face-to-face instruction.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Advocates
of e-learning have argued for some time that it is at least as good as
face-to-face methods, but this research appears to provide substantial
supporting evidence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, the
research shows blended learning (a mix of online and face-to-face) works best,
purely online learning is second best, and face-to-face the least effective
option of the three.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Barbara
Means, an educational psychologist and the report’s lead author, has said “the
study’s major significance lies in demonstrating that online learning today is
not just better than nothing - it actually tends to be better than conventional
instruction”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Before
we get too carried away, we should note that the scope of this research was
schools, where the objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of
learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the world of work, we need
also to take account of the transfer of learning to the workplace, and
subsequent impacts on performance and business results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But this still amounts to an emphatic
endorsement of the use of digital technology in learning.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Report <a href="http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf"><span style="color: #660000;">here</span></a>.</span></div>
Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-80869565771750359282013-08-20T16:55:00.002+01:002013-08-20T16:55:13.954+01:00Don’t waste your money on training!
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Like
most L&D practitioners, I regard learning as A Good Thing, something to be encouraged
at all times, and a good habit to get into.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Learning, in its broadest sense, helps people get better at everything
they do, and it helps organisations succeed.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">But
that doesn’t mean all learning is always good for organisations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is basic economics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Organisations have scarce resources, and need
to make difficult decisions about what to spend their money on – what activities
will add most value?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Ignoring
this basic economic principle is the reason why expenditure on training is
often wasted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m reminded of the
marketing manager who knows half of his advertising budget is wasted – he just
doesn’t know which half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Organisations
often undertake training as little more than a matter of faith – they know it
ought to be good for them, but they’re not sure exactly why, or to what extent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means the organisation can’t tell
whether they’re best spending money on training, or better spending it on something
else that might impact more on performance and results.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPe1VddMCGM_m9BMIiKinCZ66Q3rHYJ-AvFiX3R4BC_yrao_-WQBvvDvBOF_siQ0uZ4ue045IvA28scGjCXVuENLohlcY5Gb22lZvIbCb7u2aGlWOVd3OqHHIfinNyt_9C5rs0OwMZGU/s1600/LEAD_diagram.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPe1VddMCGM_m9BMIiKinCZ66Q3rHYJ-AvFiX3R4BC_yrao_-WQBvvDvBOF_siQ0uZ4ue045IvA28scGjCXVuENLohlcY5Gb22lZvIbCb7u2aGlWOVd3OqHHIfinNyt_9C5rs0OwMZGU/s320/LEAD_diagram.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">This
is one of the reasons why <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/alasdair-rutherford/16/b97/30"><span style="color: orange;">Dr Alasdair Rutherford</span></a> and I set up Airthrey, the
learning evaluation solutions business, two years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wanted to help organisations work out
whether training is working for them, and what parts of their training budget might
be wasted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus the message not to waste
money on training, but to find ways to measure (or otherwise accurately judge) the
contribution training makes, and so target scarce resources for training more effectively.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Airthrey’s
flagship programme, <a href="http://www.airthrey.com/lead.htm"><span style="color: orange;">Learning Evaluation Action Development</span></a> (LEAD), is a means
for organisations to work this out, using the best techniques available, with
support from their peers, with the best resources on the subject, and with tuition
from Alasdair and me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not another
training course, but a form of supported consultancy, by the participating HR/L&D
professionals themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It works really
well, and I commend it to you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-81025728887727167772013-08-12T10:59:00.001+01:002013-08-12T10:59:18.667+01:00The Seven Pillars of the Corporate UniversityThanks to Business Annual for re-publishing my 2009 article, The Seven Pillars of the Corporate University, in July 2013, as part of a feature on corporate universities.<br />
<br />
You can read the article here: <a href="http://businessannual.net/">http://businessannual.net/</a><br />
Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-49836581562497898542013-06-06T16:57:00.000+01:002013-06-06T16:57:35.585+01:00CIPD Centenary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE0mHPldgUFS7UJQ1Qs8GRBUptH2rnXhHusjljAc0Ip-9viYrGvk1c3xb6AShLL04FXy5mm6kCnEdKjnRIT8Qokj0sl484zu9CC2eVQrh9-rLYZgwQmmQf28tQahHNwPakc3-u9sgWPjo/s1600/CIPD+centenary.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE0mHPldgUFS7UJQ1Qs8GRBUptH2rnXhHusjljAc0Ip-9viYrGvk1c3xb6AShLL04FXy5mm6kCnEdKjnRIT8Qokj0sl484zu9CC2eVQrh9-rLYZgwQmmQf28tQahHNwPakc3-u9sgWPjo/s1600/CIPD+centenary.png" /><span style="color: black;">
</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">The
other day, I received my new membership card celebrating 100 years of CIPD, and
then the latest issue of <a href="http://www.cipd.co.uk/pm/"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;">People Management</span></a> popped through the letterbox with
its inbuilt, if slightly repetitive, supplement telling the story of the 100
year history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I usually enjoy historical
perspectives, so why is it I feel marginalised by it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And <a href="http://learnforeverblog.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/whither-cipd.html"><span style="color: blue;">not for the first time</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">People
Management traces the history of CIPD back to the formation of the Welfare
Workers Association, forerunner of the Institute of Personnel Management, but
has nothing to say about the origins of the Institute of Training and
Development (ITD) as the British Institute of Training Officers in 1964.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The picture of the institute’s magazines over
the years follows the same line, through IPM publications, with no mention of any
ITD journal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">This
is part of a paradigm that regards learning and development (L&D) as a
sub-set of human resources, ignoring the many thousands of L&D
practitioners (and CIPD members) who do not work within an HR function –
writers, consultants, coaches, independent trainers, vendors of L&D
services, e-learning developers, learning technologists, staff of colleges and
universities, community learning practitioners, and more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">When
I blogged about this before, I <a href="http://learnforeverblog.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/whither-cipd.html"><span style="color: blue;">attracted retorts from CIPD</span></a>, but clearly the
mindset hasn’t changed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Some
of my best friends are HR professionals; many of my clients work in HR; but I’m
not one of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am happy to be part
of the CIPD community, as I have been for nearly three decades, but does that
mean my professional identity has to be subsumed? Surely CIP isn’t trying to
drop the D?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-56313463196640890802013-05-21T17:40:00.001+01:002013-05-21T17:41:34.182+01:00NetworkingI attended the Hr Network Scotland <a href="http://www.hrnetworkjobs.com/index.php?action=notes/events&id=1186"><span style="color: blue;">annual conference</span></a> for the first time last week, and it's fair to say I was blown away.<br />
<br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica;">I don't know what I had expected, exactly. I knew it would be a decent conference, but I was unprepared for just how good. Ten years ago, Iain McMillan, the Director of <a href="http://www.cbi.org.uk/about-the-cbi/uk/scotland/"><span style="color: blue;">CBI Scotland</span></a>, told me that anyone who could bring together 100 people for a one-day event in Scotland was doing very well indeed. A decade on, times can't have improved, and yet Hr Network Scotland must have had about three times that number, and of a strong calibre too, featuring many heads of HR, OD and L&D, along with senior representatives from the supply side of the market. All of which made for great networking opportunities.</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica;"></span><br style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica;" />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica;">Hitherto, I had assumed the <a href="http://www.cipd.co.uk/branch/scottishpartnership"><span style="color: blue;">CIPD Scottish Partnership</span></a> annual conference was the only game in town. How wrong I was.</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica;"></span><br style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica;" />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica;">The conference contributions were of an excellent quality too, from Jane Sparrow's keynote on culture and performance, through case studies of good practice in fostering employee engagement - and I say that in all due modesty having chaired the e-learning session, featuring the case study of Midlothian Council.</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica;"></span><br style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica;" />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica;">In passing on my congratulations to Lee Turner of Hr Network Scotland, I may have erred on the side of emphasising my former misconception - I hope he wasn't insulted! Perhaps I can make amends by recommending next year's conference to anyone interested in HR in Scotland. I certainly plan on being there.</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica;"></span>Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-41267745584181245362013-05-02T15:32:00.002+01:002013-05-02T15:33:14.268+01:00A book a year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQKIKXDOzDMOVo2GaqqLmZdRp_iJc2TntadRkMp6W2sWR2fYOnytGPgZECn-9Th745YK4uPn1I8d9O3YAkcG8ez1uWrj34IRZdPrUlTznkM7Klv7VSPHTazfhKRRj2e7Jp5gK0GR5w4Q/s1600/book+from+shelf.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQKIKXDOzDMOVo2GaqqLmZdRp_iJc2TntadRkMp6W2sWR2fYOnytGPgZECn-9Th745YK4uPn1I8d9O3YAkcG8ez1uWrj34IRZdPrUlTznkM7Klv7VSPHTazfhKRRj2e7Jp5gK0GR5w4Q/s320/book+from+shelf.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">I’ve
been doing a lot more writing in the six years since I launched this blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After an eight year gap from my first book to
my second, I’ve had three books published in the last four years (see sidebar
links), and I’m planning to step up that rate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not that this is the season for resolutions, but I’ve decided to aim to
write and publish one new book every year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Later
this year - within six months - I’ll be publishing my next work-in-progress,
and I’ll be blogging further information in the coming weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next year, Alasdair Rutherford and I plan to
publish our first print book on learning evaluation and impact (last year’s
<a href="http://www.airthrey.com/book_tva.htm"><span style="color: orange;">Total Value Add: a new approach to learning evaluation</span></a> was an e-book only) –
we’re collecting content, and we have a title, although that’s under wraps at
the moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After that, my next solo
effort will be in 2015 (I have a couple of ideas for new books on learning and
development), and so on from then.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">One area I’d like to
move into is writing/publishing for the academic market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve just completed an undergraduate course
for the University of Sunderland on Contemporary Developments in Business and
Management (book length – about 80,000 words – but not counted towards my
book-a-year target), and I’m about to start a postgraduate course on Managing
and Leading People (similar length).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve also co-written a postgraduate course on Strategic Action and the
Environment for the University of Bedfordshire, and edited some Scottish
Qualifications Authority management courses for <a href="http://www.opuslearning.com/"><span style="color: orange;">Opus Learning</span></a>. I’m open to
offers!</span>Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-7889157031796300432013-04-29T09:56:00.000+01:002013-04-29T09:56:29.665+01:00I'm Spartacus!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_CVX6WqZ_GUZUSqlQom173Xxx5rUK-lsf-C9GWT-uuDT_avRWgRxpWF-OaZQfZoeV_HwzAc2AHjDFIKimrXqG1dmHactUz3GgAyrJEJkUruKVBKekw_9wb7gWStkjZOrS9IIAIi2sUe4/s1600/spartacus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_CVX6WqZ_GUZUSqlQom173Xxx5rUK-lsf-C9GWT-uuDT_avRWgRxpWF-OaZQfZoeV_HwzAc2AHjDFIKimrXqG1dmHactUz3GgAyrJEJkUruKVBKekw_9wb7gWStkjZOrS9IIAIi2sUe4/s320/spartacus.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/go/news/article/1179010/a-new-view-leadership/"><span style="color: purple;">In the current issue of Management Today</span></a>, Nigel Nicholson offers “A New View of
Leadership”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Some
of what he describes is not new – he offers a triangular model of seeing
(vision), being (identity), and doing (action), which may be considered an
attempt to bring together visionary, authentic, and action-based approaches to
leadership.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nicholson calls his contrivance
“The Leadership Formula”, but it seems to me to contradict the much more interesting
opening to his article.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Describing
the collective behaviour of animals and birds, in herds and in flight,
Nicholson asks “who is leading?” and characterises this as a “very human
question and presumption”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can all,
no doubt, recall instances where managers (aspiring leaders) see the key to
teamwork as effective leadership (their leadership). Instead, Nicholson argues,
teams that lack leaders do not lack leadership, because “leadership is not a thing
(nor is it necessarily embodied in a charismatic individual) but a process”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">I’ve
written before that anyone who has served in the forces, or has played a team
sport, knows that leadership is often exercised by individuals other than the designated
leaders, and sometimes by a collective. There is an increasing understanding
that leadership is not the exclusive preserve of senior managers, something exercised
from the top down – rather it is something anyone can do, in the right place
and the right time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are all (potential)
leaders, we are all Spartacus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Nicholson
seems to me to have carried this argument a step forward, emphasising that
leadership is more than an individual quality, it is a condition to be
cultivated in a work team or organisation, a pre-condition for success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am grateful for his insight and analysis,
even if I feel he does spoil it a little by decrying “recipe books”, then going
on to offer his own individual-centric “formula”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-7745708474005837172013-04-14T11:32:00.000+01:002013-04-14T11:35:32.401+01:00Reason overcome by emotions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPDLxRmBpJ6KbqliUoAf4-eFrJeqMaZqQ9gyY5Q2a2Ssh9X7VqKZhdQ60er7ZOKYka0IyYB5tdLzdm-rS7cm-RQYdPbd9cGy4FCv72ApK4JYtMAycvBuXdC6HT8K8P3P-kbUZruMSa_w/s1600/dicanio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPDLxRmBpJ6KbqliUoAf4-eFrJeqMaZqQ9gyY5Q2a2Ssh9X7VqKZhdQ60er7ZOKYka0IyYB5tdLzdm-rS7cm-RQYdPbd9cGy4FCv72ApK4JYtMAycvBuXdC6HT8K8P3P-kbUZruMSa_w/s320/dicanio.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">If
you’re not interested in football, you could be forgiven for wondering what all
the fuss was about recently-appointed Sunderland coach Paolo di Canio, and <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-22107868"><span style="color: lime;">revelationsof his fascist sympathies</span></a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a nutshell,
many people involved with Sunderland Football Club would prefer they did not
employ someone of such an extreme political persuasion. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Less
well known was the recent attempt by some supporters of Hamilton Academical
Football Club to remove a stadium director who was once a member of the British
National Party (BNP).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suspect there
are many other examples.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">This
is not confined to football, of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The European Court of Human Rights <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2012/nov/06/bnp-bus-driver-wins-legal-case"><span style="color: lime;">recently ruled</span></a> that a Bradford bus
driver sacked (nine years ago) for membership of the BNP had his human rights
breached (and by implication was unfairly dismissed).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since the <a href="http://wikileaks.org/wiki/British_National_Party_membership_and_contacts_list,_2007-2008"><span style="color: lime;">leaking of a BNP membership list</span></a> in
2008, there have been calls for BNP members in many occupations to be sacked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.cipd.co.uk/pm/peoplemanagement/b/weblog/archive/2013/01/29/learn-from-unions-on-bnp-issue-2009-01.aspx"><span style="color: lime;">One correspondent to People Management</span></a> argues that BNP members should not be
admitted to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Fascism
(like its bedfellow racism, with which it is often confused), is understandably
repugnant to most people, but does that mean its adherents should be driven from
employment and society? Of course, it may be very upsetting for employees to
find a colleague holds such views, but the emotional public reaction to fascism
does not help judgements as to whether this is acceptable on a case-by-case
basis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">The
very word “fascist” is akin to “paedophile” in its capacity to evoke outrage,
and provoke ill-considered responses – the modern equivalent of a medieval burning
at the stake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely in an enlightened
society, a modern civilization, we should have better ways to combat people with these
attitudes, using reason, and a measure of understanding and compassion?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Human
resources professionals have to advise on, and manage these instances, in
pragmatic terms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The solution to many
problems among people in a workplace lies in learning and development, but how
much time and resource can we legitimately spend guiding emotional fascists from
their intolerant views towards a more co-operative working relationship with
colleagues? This is the real business issue, obscured by political campaigning
against fascists, confusion of fascism with racism (highlighted by the Di Canio
case), and reason overcome by emotions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-7971724662981685632013-03-13T10:50:00.001+00:002013-03-13T10:50:58.841+00:00The State of Learning Evaluation in Scotland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjRVRaaMGf5jei3l9MrMoq299NXf-Ra0DGTPh8O_NonJ3HaLBofi2Rix5emTCFIAd_ChBMuLcGFXKqgCqtC4K6QxlqLrrHgN5YIc50750BMcuWxF9Lh-UsRYNAP8mXj-pDx3GdX3tGRg/s1600/simple+survey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjRVRaaMGf5jei3l9MrMoq299NXf-Ra0DGTPh8O_NonJ3HaLBofi2Rix5emTCFIAd_ChBMuLcGFXKqgCqtC4K6QxlqLrrHgN5YIc50750BMcuWxF9Lh-UsRYNAP8mXj-pDx3GdX3tGRg/s320/simple+survey.jpg" width="249" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjRVRaaMGf5jei3l9MrMoq299NXf-Ra0DGTPh8O_NonJ3HaLBofi2Rix5emTCFIAd_ChBMuLcGFXKqgCqtC4K6QxlqLrrHgN5YIc50750BMcuWxF9Lh-UsRYNAP8mXj-pDx3GdX3tGRg/s1600/simple+survey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
</a>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">My learning evaluation business, <a href="http://www.airthrey.com/research.htm"><span style="color: #783f04;">Airthrey Ltd</span></a>, is
conducting research into the <span style="color: black;">State of Learning Evaluation in Scotland</span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our aim is to find out who’s evaluating
learning and development in Scotland, who’s doing it well, and what it is that
makes them successful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We believe this
will provide a useful benchmark for studies of learning evaluation in other
countries.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">This takes the form of a Success Case Method
investigation, <a href="http://learnforeverblog.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=success+case+method"><span style="color: #783f04;">as I blogged in November</span></a><span style="color: black;">. We believe this will be the first time
such an investigation has been conducted at a national level.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The research is endorsed by Robert Brinkerhoff, Emeritus
Professor at the University of Western Michigan, and originator of the Success
Case Method:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">"<em>This research project, utilising my Success Case Method, is an
admirable exercise in taking the temperature of learning evaluation in a
discrete territory. Not many organisations conduct learning evaluation
effectively, and so it will be good to know what's working well in Scotland,
who's having success, and why. The report of this project should provide a
landmark exemplar for the UK, Europe and perhaps further afield. I am delighted
to endorse it, and look forward with interest to studying the results</em>."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">If you have people/operations in Scotland, please take a little time (it
should be less than five minutes) to complete the survey. And please forward it to anyone else you know who may be interested.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The research report will be published this summer (2013), and everyone who completes the survey will get a free copy of the report summary.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Survey: <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.survey.bris.ac.uk/stirling/learnevalu"><span style="color: #783f04;">www.survey.bris.ac.uk/stirling/learnevalu</span></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Thank you.</span></span></div>
Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-25261135804205052602013-03-08T18:44:00.001+00:002013-03-08T18:46:56.784+00:00Skill development<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.grassrootscoaching.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Ball-control-in-threes-1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://www.grassrootscoaching.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Ball-control-in-threes-1.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
A few years ago, I wrote about <a href="http://learnforeverblog.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=Moretti">Roberto Moretti's Practice Made Perfec</a>t system, as an approach to helping people learn skills. I've recently found a useful follow-up in an unlikely source.<br />
<br />
As a football fan, I'm aware of the shortcomings in coaching, training and all-round education for professional players, so it is surprising to find what I would describe as cutting edge thinking in the arena of football coaching. European coaches have introduced a lot of new thinking and techniques to British football, and perhaps none more so than the two great Portuguese coaches Jose Mourinho and Andreas Villas-Boas.<br />
<br />
Now I'm reading about how players can be trained to move beyond the tasks they perform automatically to acquire and add new skills. Have a look at <a href="http://blogs.thescore.com/counterattack/2013/03/06/horncastle-mind-games-a-comparison-between-the-training-methods-of-mourinho-and-villas-boas/">this blog</a> and see what you think. I especially like the idea of training players to concentrate better towards the end of games (when they are tired and less focused) and avoid losing late goals. I'm sure there must be similar applications to less glamorous work contexts, including leadership and management.Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-74985874258328838672013-02-19T10:47:00.000+00:002013-02-19T10:47:19.525+00:00The Shared Academy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizhMp1VYhSVW3W7oCJMiar6LP9JFv-hqyckRNu4rlxb2ojwIspIyZ0O8fqeE_efo9YJn0vaxXcs0VLxx4CMCKQPLImQk0twgkw7tdvQcNLhnLC6leU5mYL1uoSiTWsX-igwVOJf_iYoE/s1600/seven+pillars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizhMp1VYhSVW3W7oCJMiar6LP9JFv-hqyckRNu4rlxb2ojwIspIyZ0O8fqeE_efo9YJn0vaxXcs0VLxx4CMCKQPLImQk0twgkw7tdvQcNLhnLC6leU5mYL1uoSiTWsX-igwVOJf_iYoE/s320/seven+pillars.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">When
I wrote the corporate universities chapter for CIPD’s Learning and Development
subscription manual (published 2007, but no longer available), I wrote: “</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">That is not to say that the </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">corporate
university</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">(CU)
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">is the sole preserve of the large
corporation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The larger the
organisation, the easier it should be to establish a successful CU, but
small-to-medium-sized organisations can also benefit from this sort of
approach, and ca</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">n also aspire to their own CU.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Wher</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">e
potential learner numbers are </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">small,
as with organi</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">sations employing fewer than 1000 people, then
partnership working</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"> can help ach</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">ieve
the critical mass needed”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">In
the six years since I wrote that, through a global recession, the argument has
become more compelling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">In
the same piece, I suggested “</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">training
vendors, or traditional universities, or economic development bodies, may be
able to catalyse collaborations among geographical neighbours, companies in the
same sectors, or organisations with similarities but </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">no
directly competing interests”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">This
ought to be the way ahead, but catalysts are needed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">In a
few weeks, I shall be acting as a catalyst and announcing a proof-of-concept project for a new academy
based on a collaboration among like-minded organisations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Among the benefits we anticipate are:</span></div>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Better value support services for people
development (directors, employees and volunteers).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</li>
<li>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Lower cost learning and development, through
sharing resources with the other partners.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">A marketplace to sell </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">learning</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"> services devised by each partner to the other partners and </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">to </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">wider </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">audiences
(charitable, public and private)</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">A branded online learning platform at
low cost.</span></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">A share in income from selling online services
and spare places on courses to a wider audience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">I
hope this academy will serve as an exemplar of what may be accomplished when
organisations set aside their differences in favour of what they have in
common, and create something of mutual value and benefit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope to create a prototype of the Shared
Academy, and to blog about the experience.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">For
further reading, see: </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.learnforever.co.uk/articles/The_Seven_Pillars_of_the_Corporate_University.pdf">http://www.learnforever.co.uk/articles/The_Seven_Pillars_of_the_Corporate_University.pdf</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">and two
of the tools in my book 101 Learning & Development Tools<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.learnforever.co.uk/books.htm">http://www.learnforever.co.uk/books.htm</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-48214270936680283812013-01-17T13:53:00.000+00:002013-01-17T13:54:21.639+00:00Growing faster than Facebook<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDoQ9g4z9AAmDJ5zCEM7-QcPpXq4Eteslh5j5dnb5l7Q2fobU-AhuY6WJkEXnQtj0f46MlWuJ6BX7htL5nRrkQVWtjqxFBwAu2ALZekqXEkIW6ACIe64OUw3MHxconKJ5ZItNicp_1n0/s1600/mooc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDoQ9g4z9AAmDJ5zCEM7-QcPpXq4Eteslh5j5dnb5l7Q2fobU-AhuY6WJkEXnQtj0f46MlWuJ6BX7htL5nRrkQVWtjqxFBwAu2ALZekqXEkIW6ACIe64OUw3MHxconKJ5ZItNicp_1n0/s200/mooc.jpg" width="200" /></a>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Was
2012 the Year of the MOOC?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the
title of an <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/04/education/edlife/massive-open-online-courses-are-multiplying-at-a-rapid-pace.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0"><span style="color: magenta;">article from the New York Times in November</span></a>, but if that’s the
case, what are we going to call 2013?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And is MOOC pioneer Andrew Ng right that it’s “growing faster than
Facebook”?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">MOOC
stands for Massive Open Online Courses, which already seem like such an obvious
development one wonders why they haven’t been around for much longer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They open access to learning, by offering
free enrolment to unlimited numbers, and they offer scalability by automating
the teaching side of the teaching/learning equation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These were goals of the Open University (OU)
in the 1960s, blazing the trail for open learning, and perhaps the technology
has only now caught up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed, <a href="http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=422137"><span style="color: magenta;">the OU announced in December</span></a> the first UK-based MOOC, Futurelearn, to rival the US
initiatives from <a href="https://www.coursera.org/"><span style="color: magenta;">Coursera</span></a>, Ng’s initiative on leaving Stanford, <a href="https://www.edx.org/"><span style="color: magenta;">edX</span></a> from
Harvard and MIT, <a href="http://www.udacity.com/"><span style="color: magenta;">Udacity</span></a> and others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The
numbers are staggering, with hundreds of thousands (actually 2.3 million and
counting at Coursera) taking up these free courses, which genuinely deliver
everything that open, distance and e-learning ever promised: learn what you
want, when you want, where you want, at the pace you want.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They also ask questions of the e-learning
industry, and pose challenges to those seeking commercial benefits from
learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The challenge they pose to
traditional universities is not so new, but I wonder if they may be the last
straw on that particular camel’s back?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">As
with the likes of Facebook, questions are being asked about monetising MOOCs,
but the exponential growth numbers will take care of that, one way or another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See, as an aside, <a href="http://donaldclarkplanb.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=MOOC"><span style="color: magenta;">Donald Clark’s blog on this</span></a>
the other day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is definitely
one to watch. I would go so far as to say that MOOCs are the first new
game-changing development to emerge since I wrote Delivering E-Learning four
years ago. This was something I did not foresee.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> </div>
Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-73436349474301345772013-01-17T12:43:00.002+00:002013-01-17T12:47:29.113+00:00Happy New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7ikR3tT_QxJUwQ5rN5MUJnp1vCJ5nxW9UFtWtXpCauSMcjIBvo3CIfAC-aWxIfDVZJ73u7IQyAgjeQXSZ7UoSsrK8r6XAlJb8uUcqs_yr1wb0S9pEM7yq8DoKNFMBp4ql_m4jBPfnO0/s1600/mover-shaker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7ikR3tT_QxJUwQ5rN5MUJnp1vCJ5nxW9UFtWtXpCauSMcjIBvo3CIfAC-aWxIfDVZJ73u7IQyAgjeQXSZ7UoSsrK8r6XAlJb8uUcqs_yr1wb0S9pEM7yq8DoKNFMBp4ql_m4jBPfnO0/s200/mover-shaker.jpg" width="200" /></a>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Happy New
Year to all my clients, followers and readers. I hope 2013 brings everything
you want and need.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">My thanks
are due to Bob Little for my inclusion in his list of 2012 "</span><a href="http://www.trainingpressreleases.com/news/bob-little-press-pr/2013/the-fourth-annual-top-ten-e-learning-movers-and-shakers-"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black;">e-</span><span style="color: black;">learning movers and shakers</span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">".
I'm not sure what I've done by way of moving and shaking in the past year, but
I'm no less grateful for the mention - sometimes recognition lags performance,
so maybe this is influenced by past achievements.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">My book, <a href="http://www.learnforever.co.uk/books.htm"><span style="color: black;">Delivering E-Learning</span></a> is still available!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-73812291870904834872012-12-20T15:36:00.000+00:002012-12-20T15:36:20.707+00:00Festive Quiz<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-WD0S_IU7tQwMz_leiGO_nphtNjkg52SpstogieiKMKaMPev-5HDlsGgNYnWOe854M_2YMM3erLIK5rAcwblD8kmRpvhBaQyOML_lXS7VY8dY9D8PeA0QCTyrdP9lTkPyq0Ciw5_68c/s1600/christmas-quiz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-WD0S_IU7tQwMz_leiGO_nphtNjkg52SpstogieiKMKaMPev-5HDlsGgNYnWOe854M_2YMM3erLIK5rAcwblD8kmRpvhBaQyOML_lXS7VY8dY9D8PeA0QCTyrdP9lTkPyq0Ciw5_68c/s320/christmas-quiz.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">As it’s
that time of the year again, I thought I’d lighten the mood with a wee quiz.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s more fun if you don’t Google the
answers!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’ll post them in the
comments section in a day or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No prizes,
just the deep satisfaction of being a know-all. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">1. What is the usual colour of a
flight recorder black box?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">2. How
long did the Hundred Years War last?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">3. What
country makes Panama hats?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">4. What
animal(s) do we get catgut from?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">5. What
town do Grimsby Town Football Club play in?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Good
luck, and seasonal goodwill to all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-50697608234709947412012-12-18T16:15:00.002+00:002012-12-18T16:15:44.295+00:00Health & Safety Culture<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuM1gwlKxS6yOojSGcPKj9iHimFF3xnxnn3KLPnjfaVuI5CdhtAStSF7F5-o73uAl5NbmFLi_YvreLZ5CANDUpzrdkXaPNL57jwKXZjxGbZe0h5d0AJN-6BFO5665vFkDAQ61YvhIZAl0/s1600/think-safety-first.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuM1gwlKxS6yOojSGcPKj9iHimFF3xnxnn3KLPnjfaVuI5CdhtAStSF7F5-o73uAl5NbmFLi_YvreLZ5CANDUpzrdkXaPNL57jwKXZjxGbZe0h5d0AJN-6BFO5665vFkDAQ61YvhIZAl0/s1600/think-safety-first.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As we approach the end of 2012, I'm reflecting on a year
when human resource issues were frequently to the fore. Back in January,
the government jumped on the bandwagon of complaining about health and safety
"red tape". David Cameron promised he was </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">"waging
war against the excessive health and safety culture that has become an
albatross around the neck of British businesses".</span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How quickly we forget! A generation ago, Britain experienced
a run of tragedies, at the rate of more than one a year for five years, each
causing multiple deaths, and touching the lives of so many of us. Our health
and safety culture, far from being "excessive" is a product of those
experiences, and our society is better for it.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lest we forget:</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 62.1pt 184.3pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1985<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Manchester
Airport<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>55 deaths<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 62.1pt 184.3pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1985<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Bradford<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>56 deaths<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 62.1pt 184.3pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1986<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sumburgh<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>45 deaths<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 62.1pt 184.3pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1987<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Herald
of Free Enterprise<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>193 deaths<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 62.1pt 184.3pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1987<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Kings
Cross<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>31 deaths<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 62.1pt 184.3pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1988<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Piper
Alpha<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>167 deaths<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 62.1pt 184.3pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1989<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Marchioness<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>51 deaths<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 62.1pt 184.3pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1989<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hillsborough<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>96 deaths<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944324229063489637.post-23054560385623822842012-12-13T11:11:00.000+00:002012-12-13T11:11:37.619+00:00Against the herd<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_B50KPyGxsPPuNtnlL4iU6eFlUAJwZUoGD_UGPtpt5ZkC0mqTm2eTwXW38H1MxiZYEPyK5c67m229crjmdhNEGLiyMUHlshj8Hnf0b2g55kDAZyP7ldJ9Vyv6thG5Mi6mlzmKoIXWgUo/s1600/wrong+way.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_B50KPyGxsPPuNtnlL4iU6eFlUAJwZUoGD_UGPtpt5ZkC0mqTm2eTwXW38H1MxiZYEPyK5c67m229crjmdhNEGLiyMUHlshj8Hnf0b2g55kDAZyP7ldJ9Vyv6thG5Mi6mlzmKoIXWgUo/s320/wrong+way.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I worked for Pearson plc in the 1990s, I was part of a newly-created business, Financial Times Management, specialising in management education. When that business was just two years old, a decision was taken no rebrand it as FT Knowledge. There was great enthusiasm for this tie-in with the in-vogue concept of knowledge management, but I felt it was too soon to be changing and the gains from this change were at best transitory and at worst delusional. I dissented and left the company, which went on to fail.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I was reminded of this when I saw a lot of praise for the latest <a href="http://www.haymarketnetwork.com/news/pm-magazine-has-landed-repurposed-and-redesigned-for-cipd.aspx"><span style="color: #20124d;">restyling of People Management magazine</span></a>. Haven't we just had a restyling? Are the benefits of the latest change a worthwhile use of CIPD member subscriptions? I think I'm facing the wrong way (or is it the wrong way?) on this one too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">It's a fairly minor thing, so I haven't said anything - until now. I suspect others feel the same, but who wants to be the solitary guardsman facing the wrong way?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">In the financial markets, this can be a valuable attribute. Warren Buffet is the classic example,and we have <a href="http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/investing/article-2207096/Going-herd-paid-contrarian-fund-managers.html"><span style="color: #20124d;">many in Britain too</span></a> - perhaps I should move into contrarian investment management.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17367882756012528044noreply@blogger.com0