Training Industry Magazine - Fall 2014 - (Page 49)

LEADERSHIP 2.0 IMPROVING O N L I N E LEARNING PERFORMANCE - K E N B L A N C H A R D A N D S COT T B L A N C H A R D Online learning offers a consistent, convenient way to deliver training across all parts of an organization - especially to people who are geographically dispersed, hard to remove from frontline duty, or who prefer to learn in an online environment. Unfortunately, after online learning initiatives are launched, many organizations find out that their engagement, participation, and completion rates are trending lower than originally forecast. THE BRAIN IS LIKE A SWITCHBOARD - IT DECIDES WHICH PATH INFORMATION TAKES. If your online learning is not generating the results you had hoped for, take a minute to ask yourself three key questions: ARE YOU ASKING LEARNERS TO DO TOO MUCH? Shorter is better and less is more when it comes to online learning. It's about keeping each lesson contained. In early designs, we had a tendency to throw everything - plus the kitchen sink - into each segment. Now we recognize that a learning design is not complete until the last irrelevant piece has been removed. It's amazing how much cleaner and simpler you can make the learner experience by using the less-is-more approach. ARE YOU KEEPING IT TACTICAL AND PRACTICAL? that each manager must produce if the functional area goals are to be achieved. People get more out of a class when they see how professional development goals are connected to the success of their teams and organizations. The brain is like a switchboard - it decides which path information takes. * Connect training to desired outcomes: Draft an impact map based on the individual's performance and learning objectives. Refer back to the map often during the training sessions and when following up on the training. If an individual decides the information is important, it goes down the path of longterm retention, accelerating future use. If an individual decides the information is not that important to retain, the information goes down a different path, where it gets filtered out along with the hundreds of less important bits of information the brain temporarily records. ARE YOU MAKING IT SOCIAL? Our research shows that connecting training to individual and organizational goals increases the use of skills learned during training from 20 percent to 80 percent. It's useful to create an impact map to identify the learning and performance requirements, clarify the expectations for learning results, and guide measurement and evaluation. If you have never used an impact map before, here's how to get started: * Focus on performance outcomes: Hold 20-minute phone interviews with senior leaders in each functional area to identify two to four strategic goals to be achieved over the next 12 to 18 months. * Identify critical competencies: Gather data on the key results and critical actions TRAINING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE - FALL2014 I WWW.TRAININGINDUSTRY.COM/MAGAZINE The most effective online learning is the model used by adult education in online universities. Nearly all of these classes use a cohort model, with a group of people going through the content together. Learning in a cohort creates camaraderie, stickiness and even some peer pressure. When you have people going through a program together, they get the benefit of having a shared experience. This creates a greater impact than if people are going through a program alone without connecting to others. SHORTER, PRACTICAL AND SOCIAL Now, take a look at your online training programs. Can you make them shorter, more practical and more social? If you give it a try, we bet you'll find the right formula to achieve the online learning results you are looking for. Scott Blanchard is a principal and executive vice president of The Ken Blanchard Companies. Ken Blanchard is the best-selling co-author of "The One Minute Manager" and 50 other books on leadership. Email Scott and Ken. 49 http://www.trainingindustry.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Magazine - Fall 2014

From Where I Sit
Table of Contents
Guest Editor: Improving Sales Onboarding Effectiveness
An Emerging View of Learning Content
Manager Compassion: The Antidote of the Revolving Door
Balance and Praxis
Giving Old Content New Life
Leveraging Custom Learning Initiatives
Contextual Anchoring in Learning Design
Training for Performance Improvement: A Carrot or A Stick?
Rewiring Your Learning
Working with Subject Matter Experts
What's Your ROI for Content Development?
Casebook: Manitoba Hydro: Powering Up with e-Learning
Design Considerations for Content Delivery
Improving Online Learning Performance
A Brain-based Approach to Developing Training Content
What's Online
Company News

Training Industry Magazine - Fall 2014