Ask, Not Tell

I am now in Shenzhen conducting a SPIN class. Somehow, I feel like I get back in touch with the basic – the reason why I do training. What happened is that a learner came up to me after the class, and said sincerely, ‘I like the analogy you made. It makes a lot of sense. It helps me understand the subject a lot. Thanks!’ I felt good about it! This is the reason why I do training! I want to help people understand things more easily!

I have received a lot of feedback in class. Frankly, I know that most came out of courtesy. They tried to act nice. I have became more and more cautious about the feedback. I kept reminding myself not to think myself too highly because of this kind of feedback. For a while, I have been a bit lost – “how could I know whether I am doing well or not? Do people care?”

Well, the feedback I received today was different. From what I know him, he really meant it. And the feedback was specific and timely. His facial expression and gesture told as well. I am glad to hear it.

Internet is getting more and more useful.   At least to my world of Internet.   It is the online video this time.  You can almost get any kind of video from the intenet.   The most popular site is Youtube.   My previous blog post on the ‘Sound of Music’ clip is an example.   This helps my TTT course.  In addition, I can also have a clip in the class to illustrate the ADDIE instructional design process.

And I just come across another one which can trigger lot of interesting discussion on the topic of client engagement

Another sources is  Vimeo.   The latter comes in handy especially because we cannot access youtube in the Mainland at the moment.   For example, there is a great video on Vimeo which my fellow technical trainers in the Bank can use to explain what the credit crunch in the US really means.

Video adds to the variety of your training course.   And now it is easier than before to find a suitable one.

There is a very cool company called IDEO.   It designs things.  It designs great things.  Its classical works include the Palm V (my favourite handheld… which I lost in a taxi in HK) and the first computer mouse for Apple!!   The folks in IDEO are the masters!!

Interestingly, I recently notice that it designs things in the Learning field as well.     Click here to read the article called ‘IDEO’s Ten Tips for Creating a 21st Century Classroom Experience‘.    Though the content is more targetted for child education rather than corporate training, there are still a few points which we can borrow.   In particular, I find the first 7 points most relevant:

1. Pull, don’t push
2. Create from relevance
3. Stop calling them “soft” skills
4. Allow for variation
5. No more sage onstage
6. Teachers are designers
7. Build a learning community

Oh, and I cannot help highlight points 3 – ‘Stop calling them “soft” skills’.   The same issue exists in the firm I work in.   The general perception is that “soft” skills is less important.  If budget is not enough, people would rather spend it on technical knowledge e.g. credit analysis, trade knowledge rather than “soft” skills.   However, as the article said,

‘Talents such as creativity, collaboration, communication, empathy and adaptability are not just nice to have; they are the core capabilities of a 21st century global economy facing complex challenges.’

The world is more about ‘Right Brain’ rather than ‘Left Brain’.   Such shift matters not only to individuals but also corporates.   Corporates should enhance the ‘Right Brain’ capabilities of its workforce, and at the same time, automate or outsource the ‘Left Brain’ ones.   I hope that one day more corporates will realise this.