Learning Articles

Article Overview:
In this article, Graham Guest looks at the importance of coaching as a holistic method of managing performance. He explains the role of the coach and the coaching relationship.

Opening Words:
Many businesses proclaim that their people are their greatest asset. This is an attractive idea, particularly to the assets themselves. Some of the businesses making this statement actually believe it. Of those that believe it some will try to put the philosophy into practice.

This might seem like a cynical opening to an article, but it is true that if we observe businesses closely we see that manipulation and control are still the favoured tools of management. Kofman and Senge (1995) ask, 'Why do we confront learning opportunities with fear rather than wonder? [...] Why do we create controlling bureaucracies when we attempt to form visionary enterprises?' They suggest that the main dysfunctions in our institutions - fragmentation, competition, and reactiveness - are actually by-products of our success over thousands of years in conquering the physical world and in developing our scientific, industrial culture.

Useful Reading For:
Anyone involved in providing or receiving coaching in the workplace.

Article Overview:
This article by Graham Guest looks at the importance of continuing professional development in the modern world, and looks at the link between personal and professional development.

Opening Words:
We are all used to hearing about the rapid pace of technological and organisational change and the fact that there is no longer such a thing as a job for life. Just a few decades ago the main focus in a person's career was likely to be on initial education and training, and too many people were lulled into believing that their first post-secondary academic qualification, like their job, would fit them for the whole of their working life.

The main focus now, especially for professionals, is on the necessity to keep learning and developing our skills, knowledge and understanding throughout life. True professionalism relies increasingly on an ability to respond quickly and effectively to technological and organisational change, as well as to changing market conditions, client requirements, government policies, and national and international regulations. In the context of work, a major aspect of lifelong learning is continuing professional development (CPD).

Useful Reading For:
This is relevant to everyone in the workplace.

Article Overview:
In this article, Graham Guest considers the view that a job can no longer be considered for life and the implications of this for continuing professional development in the workplace.

Opening Words:
It is not so long ago that a person joining a company - particularly a large organisation - could expect a job for life. The way into a company for a professional was through a period of academic study followed by, or combined with, structured training. After this the individual would generally follow a clearly defined path of progression in his or her chosen field of employment. Continuing professional development (CPD) was regarded at best as an optional extra to be undertaken according to the needs or wishes of the individual or to meet some short-term requirements of the company. At worst CPD was felt not to be important and additional training was given at random to use up training budgets or to make staff feel that they were wanted. "John hasn't been on a training course lately; isn't it about time we sent him on one?"

Useful Reading For:
This is relevant for all personal development in the workplace.

Article Overview:
In this article Bill Lucas looks at the merits of 'learning fads' like blended learning, brain-based learning, kinaesthetic training and emotional intelligence, and briefly considers the evidence that supports these.

Opening Words:
Once upon a time we thought learners were all “blank slates” just waiting to be written on. Consequently teachers and trainers spent much time filling their pupil’s heads with facts. Then, during the last century we “discovered” psychology and began to explore the role of personal experience in learning. And in the1980s and 90s, at the same time as rapid advances in neuroscience, especially safe brain-scanning, whole new horizons of possibility opened up as we began to understand the true complexity of the mind’s operating systems.

Disillusioned with classroom training, many in HR have recently turned to the burgeoning hordes of providers offering solutions which promise to be more effective than the old, largely discredited techniques. Offering “accelerated learning”, “brain-based learning”, “kinaesthetic training”, alternatives to IQ like “emotional intelligence”, and, in the last few years, “bite-sized” and “blended” learning, many have played fast and loose with their evidence base. But the training world has largely swallowed their marketing hype and not bothered to check out the science on which is based.

Useful Reading For:
All trainers.

Opening Words:
Feedback offers us an opportunity to gain insight into how others perceive and experience us and yet, on occasions we resolutely refuse to hear it. This can happen when we have a knee-jerk response to something that hurts us. Yet, given time, we may bring ourselves to consider the view put forward. However, outright refusal to listen and reflect on feedback also occurs when it contradicts or is not consistent with strongly held beliefs we hold about ourselves, about others or about our view of the world.

This was the case for Richard who was unsuccessful in his application to go on his organisation’s leadership development programme. After the selection process, he was given feedback that suggested he needed to focus on developing his communication and inter-personal skills. A specific comment related to the dismissive way he dealt with ideas and contributions from colleagues. When talking this through with him he was quite scornful about the feedback, seeing it as carping criticism. He felt that his organisation did not want “charismatic leaders” as he considered himself to be.

Useful Reading For:
Everyone - whether giving or receiving feedback.

Article Overview:
In this article, George Edwards, who sadly passed away in 2009, looks at the unique characteristics of those born between 1981 and 2000 and considers the implications of these for training.

Opening Words:
Generation Y, those born from 1981 to 2000 (and those aged 18 and over) comprise about 10% of our present (UK) workforce. For the first time in history, we have in our workforce a generation that has more experience in an essential workplace skill than their parents! This is the wired generation, a generation that has grown up regarding certain technologies not as "strange" (as did the boomers) or "something to be learned" (as did their parents) but as basic, essential, and the first choice as a way to do something.

They are also the "Google Generation"; they have learned that they do not need to attend any one place or seek out any one source of knowledge. They do not regard information or knowledge as something they have to acquire permanently, as it is always available to them. Knowledge itself has very limited value to them; if they need to know something, they can "Google it" when they need to know it. What they do with such knowledge is far more important to them than the knowledge itself. Much of the knowledge they acquire is "disposable", that is to say acquired for a purpose, used, but not retained beyond its use-by date.

Useful Reading For:
Anyone responsible for learning in the workplace.

Article Overview:
Ever wondered how you are going to memorise that presentation you’ve got to give tomorrow? This article by Dr Trish Riddell may just hold the answer.

Opening Words:
You have an important presentation to give tomorrow. You’ve put lots of work into it and you feel sure that you have something to offer. The graphics are great, the ideas are excellent and you are excited about the prospects. But you are still worried about whether the presentation will go well. How can you be sure that you will remember all the points that you want to make? How can you make your presentation slick, professional and note-free?

Article Overview:
In this article Dr. Peter Honey, considers the increasing emphasis on workplace learning. He looks at the differences between formal and informal workplace learning and offers advice on how to harness the benefits of informal learning.

Opening Words:
There is a welcome and increasing emphasis on the importance of workplace learning. It saves time and money to have learning come to where people are, rather than them having to go to it. Working and learning go hand in hand as totally complementary activities. In fact any activity, whether or not you call it ‘working’, generates experiences - and experiences are the staple diet of learning. Working is learning and Learning at Work Day, promoted by the Campaign for Learning, is an admirable way to remind everyone that learning happens at and through work.

There are two sorts of workplace learning – formal and informal. Formal learning, for example a course undertaken in a real or virtual ‘classroom’, carries a clear learning label. Participants are in no doubt that a course is a contrived experience designed to achieve certain learning outcomes (this does not, however, mean that they will always learn what they are supposed to learn!). Formal learning experiences tend to be organised and have a clear beginning, middle and end.

Useful Reading For:
All trainers and anyone involved in workplace training.

Article Overview:
This article is the first in a series of three that looks in detail at induction. In this article, Diane Bailey examines the nature of induction and why it is so important. The article contains a useful tables indicating what needs to be included in any induction programme.

Opening Words:
Much time, energy and money is spent in recruiting staff. Why then does the effort and commitment so often fail during the very early days of an individual’s employment? Possibly because too much is left to, and expected of, line managers who are not trainers and how have many competing demands and priorities.

The first few days of induction is the period during which staff decide whether to stay or go. It is also the period during which the organisation has a chance to demonstrate clearly its values and quality standards, including those which relate to staff issues. This period is largely responsible for shaping the potential of each individual as an employee. In practical terms, the wrong impression created during those first few vital days and weeks will negate much effort devoted to other retention tactics and ploys such as pensions and staff restaurants.

Useful Reading For:
Anyone wishing to ensure that induction training is effective and serves both the organisation and individual well.

Opening Words:
In the late 1980s and early 1990s the strategic repositioning of the company required new attitudes and performance standards from employees. Quite simple, the old ways were good, but not good enough if House of Fraser was to continue to be the ‘best store in town’.

The company realised that the opportunity to influence the attitude and behaviour of employees, and their perception of the company, is never greater than at the time of induction. It had clearly identified the need to make induction as effective as possible. The link between induction and quality service was clearly recognised. A corporate induction pack was seen as a way to establish standards across the company.

The project brief detailed a package which would:

• Establish the quality blueprint for induction across the store group.
• Provide a corporate structure and approach for induction which would allow individual store personality to be reflected, providing for local details and information to be added where necessary.
• Identify and define the responsibilities of the training department, line management and the new recruit for the effective implementation of induction.
• Provide materials and tools for the trainer, line manager and new entrant, including video and text materials.
• Emphasise and reinforce the partnership necessary between the training department and line management in providing effective induction training.

Useful Reading For:
Anyone wishing to ensure that induction training is effective and serves both the organisation and individual well.

Article Overview:
This article is the third in a series that looks in detail at induction. In this article, Diane Bailey looks at the implementation of a public sector induction programme.

Opening Words:
As part of a review of training needs, one public sector body with which we worked had identified a need to improve the way in which managers carried out the induction of new staff at Head Office and in its 40 plus geographically dispersed branches. Circumstances and resources were such that induction had to remain a local responsibility. It was decided to support local induction by the development of a corporate induction package, using self-study and distance learning methods. The required package was also to provide guidance for line managers on carrying out induction.

The main purposes of the induction package were to:

• Establish corporate standards of induction.
• Smooth the preliminary stages of settling into a new job.
• Establish quickly a favourable attitude in the minds of new staff, so that they are more likely to stay with the department.
• Obtain effective output from new staff in the shortest possible time.
• Communicate to new staff the organisation’s values and standards.
• Deliver core induction knowledge.
• Equip line managers to manage effective induction.
• Use training technology both to improve the quality of induction training and to reduce the demands made on local managers.

Useful Reading For:
Anyone wishing to ensure that induction training is effective and serves both the organisation and individual well.

Article Overview:
This fascinating article by Martin Shovel and Martha Leyton looks at the power of metaphor, and how the metaphors we use affect our thinking. In particular, the authors look at the metaphors used in the West to explain creativity, and ask if these could be restricting our thinking.

Opening Words:
Imagine you are settling down to a long train journey. You reach into your bag and pull out the novel you are reading and just as you are about to take up the story the stranger sitting opposite starts talking to you. You have plenty of time on your hands so you welcome the chance to begin a conversation with her. But how would you respond if she were to start by describing the song of her life or by explaining the painting of her life or even, perhaps, telling you about the recipe of her life? Her behaviour might seem very strange and you would probably feel a growing sense of discomfort and confusion.

Now rewind the tape and start again. This time she begins by telling you the story of her life. Now the experience of listening to her feels comfortable and familiar, and both the content and structure of what she is saying make sense to you. Story is the medium through which we understand and experience our lives and the lives of other people. Stories give our lives their structure and meaning. They help us make sense of the world around us by transforming the constant flux of experience into meaningful patterns. Without stories our existence would be chaotic and ineffectual.

Useful Reading For:
Anyone involved in the creative thinking process.

Article Overview:
In this article Martin Shovel suggests that showing our own vulnerability in the classroom may be no bad thing - an all-knowing, flawless trainer may be just the opposite of what a diffident learner needs.

Opening Words:
Brains can be shy, emotional creatures when it comes to learning. If they don't feel secure, they'll stay curled up inside the safety of their skulls, spurning the advances of the outside world. Successful learning is not just about managing information or knowledge, it's also about dealing with feelings – our feelings and the feelings of those we work with in the training room, lecture theatre or classroom.

Openness to learning is about sharing vulnerability. Some people feel almost naked when they go into an unfamiliar learning situation and are often convinced that they are the only ones in the group protecting their dignity with little more than a fig leaf. An all-knowing, flawless trainer, or teacher, might just be the opposite of what the diffident learner needs.

Useful Reading For:
All trainers.

Article Overview:
In our view, one of the most interesting articles of 2006. Martin Shovel questions the assertion that originality means something unusual that doesn't owe its existence to other people's idea or materials and looks at the benefits of copying in order to develop our own creativity.

Opening Words:
Let's begin with a riddle: when is a fake not a fake? Answer: when it's an original. As in the strange case of Elmyr de Hory, the notorious twentieth century art forger, who produced hundreds of faked paintings in the style of great artists like Picasso, Modigliani, Matisse and many others during a highly successful criminal career.

The irony is that de Hory's forgeries are now themselves such valuable collectables that other forgers are busy forging de Hory fakes. So collectors of his work find themselves in an Alice-in-Wonderland situation in which they have to try and prove the authenticity of their own sought-after de Hory fakes.

Useful Reading For:
Anyone looking for inspiration on the creative process.

Article Overview:
This article from carol Wilson looks at:

1) What is coaching?
2) What coaching does.
3) What coaching managers do.
4) Were did coaching come from?
5) What is a coaching culture?

Opening Words:
A sea of confusion surrounds the term ‘coaching’ in business today. The expression has not even made its way into dictionaries yet, where ‘coach’ is defined simply as ‘tutor’ and yet there is nothing new about the practice other than its name. Socrates was the earliest identified exponent, when he wrote:

“I cannot teach anybody anything – I can only make them think.”

This quote relates to the underlying principle of coaching, termed self-directed learning, sometimes described as self-managed learning.

Coaching helps people to communicate more clearly and in a way that is simply more comfortable. In this modern world of change – the seemingly constant buying, selling and merging of global corporations – and virtuality – teams working together while spread over different parts of the country or indeed the world – communication can be the oil in the wheels or the rust that stops them from turning.

Useful Reading For:
Anyone interested in developing their understanding of performance coaching or wishing to implement a coaching culture within their organisation.

Article Overview:
This excellent article from Edward Harbour looks at the benefits of using role play in training (as well as the dangers), and the key rules to follow to ensure role play is successful.

Opening Words:
Role play, skills’ practice, rehearsal for life, whatever you want to call it, has been a part of trainers' toolkits for a long time. Used well, it can be an extremely effective way to embed learning, clarify principles and measure levels of skill and knowledge. A good role play experience can leave us enriched, rewarded and encouraged. However, a bad experience of role play can cause us damage and make us feel very wary about future use.

We can't legislate for all bad experiences, sometimes things happen which are beyond our control but we can take heed of some basic Guiding Principles to help ensure that most, if not all, role play experiences are as good as they possibly can be.

Useful Reading For:
Any trainer who wants to introduce role play into their training sessions.

Article Overview:
In this article, Roger Greenaway looks at different methods that can be used for reviewing learning, and considers the appropriateness of different methods to different sizes of learner groups.

Opening Words:
What is the best sized group for reviewing? 1? 2? 3? 6? 10? 16? 24? 30? 100? This article looks at the problems and possibilities of reviewing with different group sizes - from 1 to 100.

Working in large groups seems to describe situations in which people are working in small groups with lots of people nearby who are also working in small groups. Why is it that the larger the reviewing group, the greater the chances that people will end up in the smallest of groups - reviewing in pairs, or even on their own?

Useful Reading For:
Anyone involved in the development of others.

Article Overview:
In this article Paul Ackerley discusses the ‘Affective Domain’ and the impact this can have on learning.

Opening Words:
Since writing a couple of times about matters connected to the Affective Domain of Learning, I have had a discussion with one trainer who informed me that it was not covered at all in their course – I find that concerning.

I believe that a trainer is missing a vital tool if they do not understand and use the Affective Domain.

So, what exactly is it? Well, the Affective Domain (together with the Cognitive and Psychomotor Domains) came about as a result of work by Benjamin Bloom and other colleagues.

Useful Reading For:
All trainers/learning and development professionals.

Article Overview:
This is a superb article from Carol Wilson, Head of Accreditation at the Association for Coaching and essential reading for anyone interested in coaching and performance coaching.

Opening Words:
Carol Wilson, Head of Accreditation at the Association for Coaching, and Gladeana McMahon, Fellow of the Association for Coaching, explore the differences between coaching and the related disciplines of counselling, psychotherapy, mentoring and consulting. Coaching draws its influences from and stands on the shoulders of a wide range of disciplines, including counselling, management consultancy, personal development, and psychology. However, there are a number of core differences which distinguish coaching from its related fields. This article is based on a chapter of the book ‘The Handbook of Best Coaching’, produced by the Association for Coaching and available at a reduced price of £20 on www.associationforcoaching.com.

Useful Reading For:
Anyone involved in coaching who wishes to explore the origins and influences of coaching.

Article Overview:
Martin Shovel argues in this article that to rise to the challenges presented by the brave new world we need to develop a more flexible thinking style. He goes on to explain what metacognition is, and why it is matters.

Opening Words:
Like it or not, radical and accelerating change has already become a permanent feature of our lives. When Bill Gates was a schoolboy, computers were the stuff of science-fiction but they ended up making him the richest man in the world. Like Bill Gates, many of today’s schoolchildren will end up working in jobs and industries that haven’t even been invented yet – occupations and lifestyles beyond our wildest, and weirdest, imaginings.

To rise to the challenges of this brave new world it’s essential that we find a way of developing a more flexible thinking style. Like a professional tennis player studying a video of herself so that she can improve her serve, we need to discover a means of observing our own thought processes from a distance. From such a vantage point we might begin to influence the dance of neural networks inside our head.

Useful Reading For:
Anyone who is interested in developing a more flexible thinking style.

Article Overview:
In this article Paul Ackerley discusses the use of ‘Affective Domain’ as a powerful tool in learning environments.

Opening Words:
Buzz, Woody and co. made a welcome return in 2010 in Toy Story 3.

It is a quite brilliant film, with the ability to appeal to both young and old, but, whilst it appears that Toy Story 3 appeals to all ages, I think it’s one of those films where the adults get more emotional than the children, and the children probably do not always understand why the parents are getting all tearful – so some explanation or meaning may be required.

As many trainers know, this could be a great example of some affective learning. I’m also aware that many trainers know very little about the affective domain, and even when they do they are reluctant to use it. This is often due to the perception of such scenarios being complicated to de-brief, or that they may lose control of what takes place and not be able to gain the learning.

Useful Reading For:
All trainers/learning and development professionals.

Article Overview:
This is an interesting article from Olivia Stefanino which considers the opportunities coaches have for learning from their clients. Does coaching also provide an opportunity for coaches to 'look in the mirror'?

Opening Words:
One of the characteristics that sets great coaches apart from their more average colleagues is an attitude of open-mindedness, curiosity and a willingness for self-examination. And one of the quickest places to discover more about you, your attitudes and your hidden strategies is to look at the kind of clients you tend to attract.

While you might be forgiven for thinking that you’re there to help your clients, there’s always some kind of “energy exchange” (beyond money), that can offer you some rich insights into what’s going on in your own life.

Of course, it goes without saying that when you’re working with a client, it’s only right and proper that you focus all of your time, energy and attention on him or her.

Useful Reading For:
Coaches and coaching managers.

Article Overview:
In this article, Martin Shovel considers the benefits of understanding the process of innovation and of understanding why the things that happen, happen. By understanding the processes at work, he argues we'll be better placed to repair them when things go wrong.

Opening Words:
Goethe proclaimed, “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.” Translated into the vernacular, his advice is simple and straightforward, “If you want to do something, just get on and do it!”

Sound advice, I'm sure you'll agree, but it doesn't always cut the mustard when I'm trying to come up with new, creative ideas. Perhaps geniuses like Goethe are rarely, if ever, short of inspiration, but inspiration doesn't seem to visit us lesser mortals with such regularity. Too often we find ourselves waiting for it to come, and like the proverbial bus, it might not turn up for ages and then three ideas pop out of the blue at the same time.

Useful Reading For:
Everyone, and particularly those interested in taking control of the creative thinking process.

Article Overview:
This is an excellent article from Bill Lucas that considers the importance of informal learning in the workplace.

Opening Words:
According to the 2001 National Adult Learning Survey1, 48% of all formal learning is provided by employers. This is more than universities and colleges combined, reminding us that workplaces are very significant providers of formal learning opportunities. And, according to the same survey, 74% of all employees receive some kind of training in any one year. Or put another way, 26% of employees received no formal training at all. I doubt that the figures are much different today in 2005. But what about the amount of informal learning going on? According to all of the research carried out, we can be certain of one thing; there is much much more of it than of the formal stuff!

Useful Reading For:
Anyone responsible for learning in the workplace.