Building Exceptional Virtual Learning Teams
By Janet Clarey | May 16, 2008
Dr. Brandon Hall has a column in this month’s CLO Magazine on Building Exceptional Virtual Learning Teams. He’s got some great tips from leaders in the field. Coming off a graduate-level online course in Project Management I found these timely and valuable because, like most people, I work as part of a virtual team (working virtually from different locations, including corporate offices). The idea of using team inventory tools to access strengths and weaknesses is a good one that I think is sometimes overlooked. The column is definitely worth a read.
Topics: Brandon Hall | No Comments »
Pt 2: The #1 answer to the rhetorical survey question about implementation barriers: culture
By Janet Clarey | May 15, 2008
I’ve botched some projects. Not badly but enough to slow something down. Under the big umbrella of ‘culture’ the missteps were the result of the failure to recognize (or the denial of the existence of) the little components.
Little things that make projects fail…
Failure to address the “we don’t do it that way” issue.
One option is to try to find companies that do “do it that way” successfully (ideally within a vertical market) and share that information (everyone is interested in what the competition is doing better). Early adopters are few. New things scare the heck out of many people. Don’t look like the first one to try something. And don’t reinvent the wheel.
Failure to recognize potential turf wars/personality issues.
You can starting fixing this anticipated down-the-road problem by drafting a flowchart for the project and identifying everyone you’ll likely deal with along the way. This means everyone not just the “stakeholders.” Are there people that should be ‘red flagged’ as possible bottlenecks?
(Note: don’t actually use a red flag on your chart. I’d go with “KA” - ‘known asshole’ to you, to others “Key Asset” or “Knowledge Area” or something).
Only you know how best to deal with that person - you might need to get them involved earlier, have a direct conversation with them (nothing like that face-to-face conversation vs. email is there?) about what you’re trying to do and why it’s important, involve their manager in a good way so when you need support you’ll likely already have it, provide them with a reason they are crucial, or explain the performance objective it is tied to.
I think our natural reaction is to just brace ourselves for the turf war we anticipate rather than dealing with it initially.
Maybe it’ll be different this time…or maybe pigs will fly…
Turf wars are about fear, control, and protection of assets. This includes fear of becoming obsolete, acknowledging someone has a better idea, fear of giving up ownership, fear of missed goals.
Other details to think about:
Anticipate fears about change
“we’ve always done it that way,” “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it,”
How will you deal with that? What is your planned response?
Deal with the
“if we allow you do it for you, we’ll have allow everyone to do it”
by piloting something first. This wasn’t fun as in high school either was it? Either find someone who is doing it or make your case for why it is better than something you are currently doing. Also, by suggesting someone is a bottleneckand offering them a way out (pilot!), you’ll likely get beyond this juvenile, “large paint roller” response.
It won’t work because…you know this person…but will it work? What’s your good answer?
Not this: Well, John they didn’t think the chalkboard would work out either but it kind of did…here’s why I think this will work because….
or this: How’s that horse and buggy thing working out?
Not my job
I do widgets. Widget is all I do. I don’t do gadgets. Gadgets are done by the person across the hall. If it’s quicker and not a huge deal, learn how to do the gadgets yourself. If not, suggest outsourcing and I’m sure the widget-maker will try to become a gadget-maker pretty quick. Or, worst case…you actually outsource gadget-making.
Not following the ‘proper’ channels
Ever get the email responses that have more and more cc’s with each response? In a command-and-control environment, this (to me) was a sign of not “getting the right people involved.” Everbody starts weighing in and asking/answering questions that should have been asked already. I think ideas starts in the white space of the org chart and work their way up without jumping channels in this kind of environment. Learn & remember the game rules.
Like Monopoly: You can’t collect $200 unless you pass GO.
Not giving yourself enough time/thinking you can ‘do it all’ yourself/not having a project manager
Guilty? This is a quick way to sabotage your own project. By laying out a path for completion, and updating it, you can properly anticipate and handle the details.
Training is equally as important as every other initiative!
Topics: Brandon Hall | 1 Comment »
It has to do with exploration…
By Janet Clarey | May 14, 2008
This kind of confirms my thoughts around the digital immigrant/native thing. (that it is not about age as much as ability and motivation)
Dan Dyer of Jet Blue University on the success of their Web 2.0 solution (powered by Awareness, Inc.):
“…some people just pick it up. I mean some people just run with it. It doesn’t have anything to do with their prior experience. It has to do with their exploration…we allow people to explore new tools and ideas with a little liberty.”
Topics: Brandon Hall | 3 Comments »
The #1 answer to the rhetorical survey question about implementation barriers: culture
By Janet Clarey | May 14, 2008
It wasn’t so long ago when I gave an underwhelming response to a question at the end of a web conference. The question went something like,
“what kind of problems [implementing these new things] are companies running into and what are they doing to overcome barriers?”
My lame-o response went something like,
“I don’t really have a lot of specific instances of failure for you. Often, the barriers involve the culture of the organization.”
It was a ‘big picture’ response. The standard response.
We all know that the devil is in the details. Success and failure are the result of the small components. The small components are the rules of the game. Like monopoly…
When you land on a property that is owned by another player, the owner collects rent from you in accordance with the list printed on its Title Deed card.
Said another way…
When you are putting training online that contains sensitive, proprietary company information, the company must know that you are aware of their policies involving security of information and you will involve them in making sure you have adequately followed them.
The case studies I present are the result of a successful implementation or project. I don’t often find case studies of failure. No one’s lining up to document how they (or their organization) screwed up. Often, ‘lessons learned’ could be tagged ‘no-brainer’ and ‘common sense.’
“Get all the right people involved up-front.”
Gee, you think? The only people that wouldn’t do that would be people looking to sabotage the thing or trying to act out a Dilbert strip.
The question that was asked at the end of the webinar was asked in a way that made me think the person asking it was really frustrated and just looking for the ‘how.’ Enough already with all the great stuff! Just tell me how they actually did it. Give me the details. I think that’s why it has stayed with me. And, I’ve been there.
Next post…the details. Because this one is too freakin’ long already.
Topics: Brandon Hall | No Comments »
Social Learning Technologies and LMSs
By Janet Clarey | May 13, 2008
My personal goal at Brandon Hall Research is to provide information people need to make good choices. Information like what learning technologies and tools to buy, how to implement them, best practices, how to develop a strategy, and the identification of trends in the industry.
I try to accomplish that through many delivery channels (KnowledgeBases, published reports, Webinars, conferences, workshops, blogs, email, Skype, Twitter, Facebook, social networks, experiments, etc.)
My newest product is about social learning technologies and LMSs.
Over the years I’ve followed LMSs as they morphed from administrative tools - learners and learning events are tracked, e-learning is served up, and reports are generated - to systems that incorporate the entire talent management life cycle (hire-to-retire) and now, for many systems, toward more integration of social learning technologies. Many do so much more than “manage learning” it’s hardly fair to call them just an LMS.
The research I do here at Brandon Hall Research has morphed too. So, I’m pumped to launch this new product in a printable format and as a service, on an interactive website. I’m very much looking forward to having more personal communication with Brandon Hall Research library members and clients.
Topics: Brandon Hall | 2 Comments »