Conversation Brings Change, Naturally

I've been thinking about Media Naturalness theory for some time. Well, more often it just pops up because it's not like I've invested all than much effort into it. In short, if you're not familiar, Media Naturalness Theory is the idea that human beings were built for face-to-face communication over thousands of years of evolution. Our gestures, voice inflection, eye movement, body language all contribute to giving and receiving information. Therefore anything that shifts away from this "medium" impacts our ability to effectively communicate. There was a lot of study around this with the introduction of email. To learn more I found this Wikipedia article a pretty good place to start.

Being more into the media rich New Social Learning (i.e. learning through social technology), I haven't put much stock into Media Naturalness theory but I had a bit of an epiphany at a recent meet-up here in Syracuse. I'm a member of a local Bloggers Facebook group. We comment and exchange posts as well as ask for advice, etc. I was wanting to meet some of these fine people in person and pick their brains about blogging and why they do it, how they do it, tools, approaches, etc. I think I'm somewhat of an outlier in this space as I don't blog for money, I do it for myself (although if the occasional speaking gig arises I usually don't say no), my topic is a bit fringe, and I'm a bit of a purist in that I focus exclusively on my writing/reflecting and do nothing in regard to researching tags, SEO and monetization.

Meeting virtual friends face to face is always pleasant and since we didn't engage much in long discussions in our Facebook group the opportunity was there to sit, have a beer and just hear each others voices if nothing else. Upon my arrival I moseyed up to a trio and introduced myself. After exchanging pleasantries I was asked by one, Joe I believe, "So what is it you write about exactly?" Without missing a beat I rattled off something like "I write about organizational social. How increasing transparency and openness can improve performance. You know, how social tools can be used inside an organization for sharing and collaboration."  As I sputtered out my final words I realized, but didn't feel compelled to add it in, that I said nothing about learning. I hadn't even whispered the term that has defined my career for over 20 years now. No ID. No elearning. No L&D. No training. Nothing.

Blogging has a unique pressure that really only strikes you when you hit "publish." Even as comments to your posts come in, you can pause almost indefinitely and ponder a reply. But in the heat of a face-to-face conversation, with real human eyes cast upon you and ears finely tuned, your response is unrehearsed, visceral and probably the most honest you can give. I write so much on my interest, beliefs, observations, efforts, etc that I really haven't even given conscious thought to the transformation I have been undertaking. In reflecting on this moment over the past week I started looking back at my conversations online, my blog posts over the past few months and years and the pattern was obvious; I have slowly shifted away from being L&D-centric and have been seeing the whole organization's role in impacting individual performance. Learning is a part of the work not apart from it. And thus learning is mostly indistinguishable from the other activities that make up the work we do, it is an unconscious underpinning. No longer does learning, in the formal sense, dominate my thinking and practice any more than communication, human interaction, culture, leadership, and trust.

Change happens one conversation at a time or in this case, change is made obvious through conversation. And why not - we've been learning about others and ourselves this way for thousands of years.

From The Business of Learning to The Learning Business

As you may have heard, about 3 weeks ago I joined the eLearning Guild and will be working closely with the learning community and onsite events. It's a small step in my employment journey but a large leap in my career. So, how's it going so far? Really good. I am getting immersed in the processes and people that make up this organization and contributing immediately where I can. I'm also being very patient with myself so I can better ensure that I have a good understanding of all the connected parts.

When I was first approached by the Guild I was of course intrigued and flattered. The eLearning Guild is a leader in this space, the "learning" space. I've been a member for years and spoken at several of their events. Of course when I speak, I speak about how I've used social technology in the organizations I've worked for. Therefore joining the Guild could be seen as a bit of a departure for me as it is the "eLearning" Guild after all. A colleague even remarked, "You're like the social guy, I wonder how this will be received?" But I and others saw it differently; not as a departure but more like a merger.

eLearning today does not mean what it once did and the Guild gets this. In the early 2000's the eLearning Guild answered a growing call for more information, ideas, technology and approaches in the then budding eLearning space. eLearning is continually transforming and today, driven by the interest and practices of the community, it can no longer be seen as just courses and classes delivered online. Due to expanding consumer technologies, mobile devices and the advent of Web2.0, elearning has become ubiquitous. The community conversations around eLearning have shifting rightfully to be more about Learning than just the vehicles that deliver or augment it. 

Web 2.0 in particular ushered in a populous movement across the Internet and has given rise to a New Social Learning. Growing learner autonomy and global interdependence has hastened the decline of a dependence on traditional learning approaches. The new Social Learning however will not be the nail in the coffin for traditional elearning or training, nor should it be, as formal learning is still very much needed. What the reinvigorated (or new) Social Learning has done is bring balance to the beliefs and practices around learning and put formal in its rightful, more limited place. Social learning is forcing a community conversation about how formal learning must improve its quality and impact to remain relevant.  

The Guild was designed as a platform to encourage this and other conversations where members can openly share their thoughts and ideas and then the Guild can communicate this back through research, resources, and events for the community. Community and conversation are at the core of the eLearning Guild and because of this they (ah hem...) we are positioned to help hasten the changes needed and help organizational learning to keep up with the speed of business.  

I'm excited to be more a part of this conversation and to be able to bring my own practices and beliefs about learning to the Guild. I look forward to taking part in the larger community, working with you all, and helping to better see and be the future of organizational learning.

L&Ds Business Is Not In Driving Social Business

I'm becoming more convinced that organizational efforts to help people build social networks and personal knowledge management skills should not involve L&D any more than the Accounting department. And it appears it not just me. Sam Burrough and Martin Couzins recently co-led a MOOC on Social Learning and asked the question in a final Tweetchat: "What role should L&D play in Social Learning?" which for me is a small one. Additionally, in a recent Tweet, JD Dillon made the point that in organizations, many are really doing similar things:

However, I think James Tyer put it best in his blog post titled "Who Owns Organizational Learning? You." and I encourage you to read it.

My take? As social tools become more commonplace many people today are already (unconsciously) building networks and have developed processes (undocumented) to manage fluid knowledge without much assistance. These people may not be as effective as they could be, or will be, but the way to learn this is not through training which arguably L&D still looks to as the first choice. What people need is to be more conscious of their behavior and then they need encouragement to make their tacit knowledge (processes) explicit for others. This should not really be exclusively L&Ds charge, which organizational leaders tend to default to because when the word "learning" is uttered all eyes tend to turn to L&D. 

Social learning is structureless, the opposite of formal learning. Social transcends the traditional organizational boundaries of departments and divisions. It knows no hierarchy or roles. To help social tools and behaviors to be more a part of worker's activity, it must simply become more a part of the worker's work. Learning the work is done by doing the work and this happens best within the work itself not outside of it where L&D typically sits. 

My thoughts on this were further cemented by Dion Hinchcliffe's recent article in ZD Net "The Growing Evidence for Social Business Maturity". This article highlighted the move of organizations from social adoption to adaptation (of open, collaborative work). It spoke of the importance of organizational culture, the significance of executive commitment, business partnerships with operations and IT, goals and KPIs as keys to progression. It was all about the business, the business leaders, the use cases, ambassadors, CoPs, and community management. There was no direct mention of L&D... but for an implied mention when speaking of training - but it was more specifically termed "viral training"; Helping people use the platform's features and functions peer-to-peer. This would be a significantly minor role for L&D, especially if the tools are intuitive as the should be and even then, motivated folks figure the complex out.

Today there is much focus on trying to convert learning professionals to new understandings and practices using social tools and encouraging social behaviors. This is a mistake in my opinion. Many learning professionals don't engage or understand the practices any more than any other organizational roles - why assume they will be best suited? Connecting, communicating, curating, etc are not exclusive to a single department. The learning of effective social practices and tools is best done socially; through observation, experimenting, feedback and conversation. This will take time and mistakes will be made of course but I think less control is the best path to longterm success. It's a higher up decision that patience and trust are to replace command and control. So render unto L&D that which is formal and render unto the entire organization the social efforts that truly surround business execution. 

Practice Makes Permanent

James Tyer and I co-authored this post to share that we are hosting a workshop in Orlando on March 24th at the eLearning Guild's Learning Solutions 2015 conference 'Kick-start Your Personal and Organizational Social Learning Journey'. We have created the agenda based on our experiences developing and supporting personal and organizational social learning practices. The workshop has a simple premise: 

If you don’t practice social, you can’t support it.

Why? Social learning is natural, but the addition of social technology adds a layer of complexity for many. Unfortunately, because of the technology used to extend and expand social interaction, the conversations frequently turn to be about the technology rather than learning. Personal social practice is challenging as it requires an openness that may feel uncomfortable. On top of this, if you haven't developed successful practices, you can’t support others to develop the same. 

How can you make sense of all the information from vendors and consultants? What really works, or doesn’t work? There is no one-size-fits-all answer and social learning is not, as many claim, the solution to all organizational performance problems.

Our workshop is meant to help you find your own answers. Split into two parts, the morning workshop is about your personal practices; in the afternoon it’s about extending these to your organization.

We will draw upon our own experiences to help: stories of success and failure (about 50-50 it always feels!). We invite you to take a look at our agenda and we’ll answer any questions you may have before you sign up.

Morning:

• An introduction to digital literacy and fluency and why our changing world requires a new mindset for all (including L&D/HR).

• Forging your career - finding your purpose, learner autonomy (we can’t depend on organizations to build our skills any more), and mastery

• The internal and external barriers to personal social practice

• Identifying the current state of your network(s)

• Participating in online social learning events

• Reflective practice: blogging and working out loud

• Building, growing, and sustaining your personal networks

Afternoon:

• Understanding the barriers to others developing a social practice

• How social practice fits into newer L&D models: 70:20:10, performance support

• Understanding your organization (business or purpose) and culture

• Communicating value to your peers and leadership

• Identifying and empowering your key organizational partners

• Some starting points: not just adding social to courses

• Nurturing your "trojan mice" and social coaching

• Organizational roadblocks

Post-Workshop:

A significant component of this workshop actually follows the workshop. We aim to continue our conversations afterward in a format decided by the participants, checking on each others’ progress, encouraging new social habits and sharing stories, resources and ideas. 

Let us know what questions you need answering or what you would change to make it more valuable to you!

Of Social Tools And Toys

"Twitter is for morons and b-level actors." 

I remember reading this in a Newsweek article in 2009. Funny thing is five years later I find many still believe this, and why not? Traditional media and late night talk show hosts do a wonderful job of highlighting only the harmful and the humorous. But what they don't know is how powerful this and other social tools are too many people for learning and growing through networks.

This got me wondering about who, how many and what in regard to social tool use.  Might there be a 90-9-1 use of social media?  If you don't recall, the 90-9-1 rule is where 90% of networks are made up of the equivalent of virtual voyeur, 9% contribute periodically, and the golden 1% create all the content that the lurkers and contributors consume or add to. 

I wondered then, when it comes to social tool use, do we have a comparable breakdown?

90% actors

9% marketers

1% makers

The 90%

No doubt social tools are a narcissists dream, where everyone can get their 15 minutes of fame. Traditional media does well to point out the sensationally bad behaviors of individuals and blames the medium as much, if not more than, as those making the blunder. These majority users aren't morons, as they still widely use social tools to connect and learn, yet much use is for telling their personal story with all it's comedy and tragedy displayed for the world to see. 

The 9%

Most businesses only toy with social technology. These "9%ers" build social brand promotion campaigns, sterilizing their customer "engagement" and then push so hard for ROI they excrete their humanity in the process. The hemorrhoids, of course, are too numerous to count. These companies rarely seem to get "it" right, but when they get it wrong, they get it really wrong; enduring black eyes for the silly games they play. Their half-baked approaches get chewed up and spit back in their faces like when they hijack a hashtag to sell a dress in the midst of a shooting or get into pissing matches with unhappy customers for the whole world to see. Who's the moron?

The 1%

The minority however are those getting the greatest value. They are using it in strategic ways that bypass old models, as one group's toy is another group's tool. All their activity is happening under the radar of the status quo; not much mainstream press for their success. Through networking, sharing and collaborating, they are silently growing skills and knowledge. They are finding unique ideas, challenging content, and brilliant minds through open sharing and humility. Each of their engagements is a stretch assignment, a mentor meeting or a chance for large group reflection. They are making progress through relationships. 

Of course we can't be pigeon held to one area. Just like 90-9-1 isn't a hard and fast rule where we are locked into one of three convenient lables of lurker, contributer, or creator. We are all simultaneously actors, weaving our tale. We are marketers, building our brand if we see it or not. And we are all makers, from time to time bringing value to others.  But I do think, through seeking and sincere interactions, the minority today don't just retain their humanity with these tools, they learn more about it and how powerful and rewarding it is to be real.

Learning is in a Holding Pattern

On a flight this week I noticed that safety awareness efforts by flight attendants is slowly being replaced by video demonstration on small monitors in the headrest (newer planes). Outsourcing this task to technology, like in other situations, can free people up to focus on other important tasks.  This is a chance to really improve learning because video has many affordances to increase attention and learning about safety as the demonstration have become white noise; ignored by most everyone. As I watched with great hope, I was disappointed to find the video is only a replica of the flight attendant demonstration... sigh - a common occurrence though where new technology support an old practice.

They chose to infuse humor into the demonstration which frankly only made me remember the corny gags and not the important actions to take or why to take them. That is the real miss. They leave to assumption that one knows why to do or not do something. Yes, making an emotional appeal is the right action but humor is not the right emotion to trigger. The reason we aren't supposed to smoke, we are to remain seated with seat belts on, and know how to use the oxygen masks are for safety and safety is serious.

Why not show me what can happen if my seat is unbuckled or my tray table isn't up? What happens if objects shifted during flight? No, I don't need to see a skull get crushed but this could be done creatively, without instilling fear through evocative reenactment. Video is the perfect medium. Show me the why/ why not and not just the how and where. Connect the right emotion, with the right content, in the right context and one is more apt to remember when it really matters.

Oh, and while your at it, show me why it doesn't hurt to ask the 6' tall guy behind you if it's ok to put your seat back before pinning his knees or snapping his laptop screen.

Changing Words. Changing Practices. Changing Cultures

"Culture is an emergent property of the many practices that happen every day. Change the practices and a new culture will emerge."   - Harold Jarche

I always thought Harold nailed it with this quote, showing equally how obvious yet how difficult organizational culture change can be.

But where, when and how does change start? Is it through a huge strategy and subsequent tactics or is it smaller, more individualized, gradual. Practices are the actions we undertake and the behaviors we exhibit. Everything from how we conduct meetings, organize project teams, or decide how long to stand with a colleague talking over a cup of coffee. All are practices that make up our culture. Words to are practices as they are deliberate actions; thoughts transmitted. In the organizational learning subculture the words course and training are unfortunately defaulted to when people who don't understand them toss them around as THE solution to work performance problem. So if the words change does the related practice follow and then the culture shifts? Are words then the spark to ignite the potential change to come?

For me, each and every opportunity where the cry of "we need training" or a "we should have a course on xyz..." is raised I swoop into performance consultant mode and probe to determine the nature and significance of the issue and remind them for example that a PowerPoint deck is NOT in and of itself Training.  I'm relentless to the point where my staff asked me if I have a template of my responses. I'm also confident that on the other end of the call or email, eyes have rolled. 

Recently though a key leader responded in an email to my typical inquiries with the words "training" and "course"...

The words were in quotes. 

I sensed some subtraction by addition with these quotes bracketing the terms. Maybe it was an element of uncertainty, a glimpse into his internal questioning. However possibly he only wrote it that way to stave off my railing against training first, training always. Regardless, he was singling out the terms as being different than the definition. He was unsure what the solution was but used the only terms he knew with a subtle punctuational caveat. 

Maybe this then is the trigger, the first practice to change in an organizational culture - Words shared, one conversation at a time. 

The Social Element in Motivation

As I launched my campaign to yet again run a 1/2 marathon and begin a training regiment that will involve early morning runs in the heart of winter, my wife encouraged me to join Method 360, an exercise class she's been attending several times a week to strengthen her core and improve he overall fitness. 

She has, for lack of a better word, become hooked.  

So I joined.  After my 4th visit I could see that the owner/ instructor, Trish Gallen had nailed the recipe for motivation that Daniel Pink identified in his book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.

Autonomy - Mastery - Purpose

Autonomy: for every exercise Trish promotes, she has alternatives that do the same but give you an option based on your fitness level and as you fatigue. As a newbie who was fading fast during one of my first classes, Trish shared several options to all of us and we could select one during that circuit. It didn't lessen the exercise but change was good.  Because I had choice, I couldn't fail, I couldn't quit and I couldn't blame her for how crappy I felt!  The choice was there, I got to own the exercise and I took it.

Mastery: success is personal. It is in feeling you are improving and seeing results. In my first class, feeling lightheaded, I had to step out for 5 minutes while she carried on with the class. The next time I felt like vomiting at one point and my transition between exercise (15 seconds) was slow but I pushed through. by my 4th class I wasn't the quickest and I wasn't the most technically sound but I didn't feel sick, and I didn't stop. Additionally my form has improved as she isn't assisting me as much anymore in adjusting my position.  I am gaining mastery!

Purpose: I'm getting older. Each year I run, I seem to get a whole new injury (calf, foot, achilles, etc). A diverse exercise class like this serves to improve many supporting muscles, thus making my running more efficient and less damaging. I exercise in order to run better, longer. My purpose is clear.

The elements are present to maintain my motivation; control, growing success, and a goal.

The structure of the classes surely meets the 3 points above but now that I know this, can't I just do this all on my own?  No.  The one element not included here is that which ties them all together - Social, which in my opinion is critical.  Don't confuse this with just being around other people who share a common goal and some rah-rah. Social is being human and all the "real" that comes with it. Trish and her instructors connect with those in class; sincerely. Its nothing they do intentionally, they just show their humanity by sharing their stories, making mistakes, they laugh at themselves, they're open and transparent. Sure they know more than any in there about exercise but they listen, inquire and want to improve. It's a connected experience.

As I reflect on this seemingly unconscious motivational approach I wonder how well we (learning professionals) do the same in our efforts to help people improve work performance?  

• When formal course development is warranted are we involving the learners in the process?

• Are we designing to "their" goals as well as that of the organization?

• Is instruction encouraging and helping them see even incremental success? 

• Is failure treated as a part of the learning process?

• Are we offering alternatives to the traditional course model? Blended, performance support, coaching, mentoring, networking.

What about in the use of internal collaborative tools? 

• Are certain behaviors being demanded or do people have the time and space to experiment and learn? 

• Do they have a voice to express their concerns, fears, needs? 

• Are business results noted and shared or are we caught up in counting likes and shares, uploads and views?  

• Is the purpose clear? Is the tool helping them solve a problem specific to them?

• Is Be Human a key component to adoption and use

You'll know motivation is there when people fumble through the "exercise" of learning (or connecting), when they struggle, when they're slow to start but keep coming back. You'll know to keep encouraging and stay the course... they're hooked.





Speaking of exercise I'd be remiss if I didn't share that I run for charity.  Any donation amount (really, any!) will go a long way for me to help fellow Central New Yorkers and the Upstate Medical Foundation.  Check out my donation site and please spread the word and or give what you can.  Thank you!

Where's this all going?

After I gave a local ASTD Chapter presentation I was asked by some attendees if I knew "where's all this going?"

Where's what going? I responded.  "All this change, you know, due to all the technology and connectedness you speak of."

I expressed that traditional "systems" will continue to get disrupted. But I thought that the term disrupted sounds kind of vague.

So I shared that I see disruption more as decentralization.

Humans are good at pattern recognition and when we look around and try to understand what is happening, what is coming, what are the trends in our work and lives one word comes to mind for me - Decentralized.

disconnected to high dynamic by Harold Jarche CC BY-NA-SA

So much is coming out of the hands of some central authority and into those of the individual. The authorities are us or other people or technologies we grant authority to.

Just think about the last trip you took. Likely booked online, no travel agency. On the way to airport you likely pumped your own gas, no attendant. You checked your Waze app to determine the fastest route, no waiting for a radio traffic report. Your lunch was relatively fast food, no waitstaff. At the airport you likely used a kiosk to print your boarding pass, no agent.

I. Me. Singular. Independent.

Learning is right in this mix. I can learn when I want, when I need to, where I'm at (physically), and where I'm at (cognitively), where I'm at in my work, and I can learn with whom I want and in the ways I want.

It's all on me. As it really has always been... and should be.

It's the little things

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

That was my reaction after seeing my kids and their cousins poking at a spider web.

The children, all under age 8, were intrigued by a very large and fierce looking spider on a web among flower garden daisies. The gut reaction by one of the kids on this oddly humid fall evening was of course to squash it. All the kids, creeped out or in awe, were in silent agreement until I said let's look it up.

In a matter of seconds I pulled out my smartphone, snapped pic, studied it (as the spider itself was getting a bit antsy by the continual poking). As the desire to smash it grew, I quickly "Googled" it's general description and VIOLA!

If there is one thing these kids hated more than ugly bugs it was stinging and biting ones.  This Common Garden spider was quickly determined to be our friend. A steady diet of wasps, mosquitoes and bees made him an ugly ally in the war on those who ruin outdoor fun.  The spider had a stay of execution! Furthermore the "eeews" turned to "ahhs" when it was noted that each night the spider eats its web and builds a new one! How efficient.

I couldn't help but think of all the big campaigns, films, and curriculum aimed today at educating our youth on helping slow the destruction of ecosystems. Frankly I'm not sure how successful it all has been but I do know a lot of time, money and resources has been spent on all of these efforts. 

But this is the real power of our technology today. In a matter of seconds a small group learned something valuable about their world while in their world. A myth dispelled, an answer know, maybe a broader lesson learned for future application of this new knowledge. A smartphone, a camera, a browser (and a level head). All combined, these increasingly common tools just might make a difference for a world at risk.

In my last post I touched on how social tools have the ability to make the big smaller. It's hard to really to measure the impact of these small spontaneous events, rife with emotion. But if little actions like these (Trojan mice) are released frequently, everywhere maybe a real difference will be seen in our ecosystems.

"Unleash Trojan Mice. Don't do big things or spend loads of money. Set small, nimble things running and see where they head." - Euan Semple (see full post here)

                                                                                                           

If this spider lives and reproduces > thousands of offspring are born > the mosquito population in check > pesticide spraying is reduced, etc, etc. Hard to trace back to 5 kids in a Syracuse, New York flower garden but who knows.

In our organizations we have the same social and informal learning opportunities on an equally small scale.  In the littler moments, not in the classroom or through a curriculum, we can reach for performance support within our peers and in our tools. We no longer have the excuse "I didn't know" for most information. At our fingertips we have what can help us make better decisions and our reactive nature can put in check. 

And yet even with all the tools available to connect us and our knowledge, someone still needs to ask...

 "Hey what are you doing!?"

Cynefin Supported Campaigns vs. Courses

Businesses seek markets. Without these opportunities no service or product matters no matter how effective or unique.  I feel that today employees ultimately control access to these markets and this is no more true than in working in government contracts.  

In my space a major barrier to opportunity can be Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) and in government contracts it can happen like a bursting brain aneurysm; sudden, barely detectable and often deadly.

In simple terms, if an employee or contractor violates the rules and has access or exposure to non-public information; an unfair advantage regarding future work, their organization can be "OCI'd" out of  future related work.

For example:

An employee of the contracting organization is in a client (government) meeting. The agenda is clear but as meeting sometimes go, a stakeholder expands the conversation into other areas i.e future development, pricing models, etc. The employee should not be privy to this information and frankly may not even know its significance.  Too late.  Later on, meeting minutes show the conversation and attendees, and the organization is not allowed to bid on a related project; in effect losing a multi-million dollar opportunity.

There are just too many roles and too many situations where an organization is in jeopardy. Furthermore employees walk a fine line with clients in this space.  If one hesitates in assisting on a project for fear of OCI, they could be deemed difficult.  It's a rare but precarious situation that no employee or organization wants to be in.

Complicated & Complex

Cynefin Sense-Making Framework

When seen through the lens of Dave Snowden's Cynefin the sense-making framework OCI straddles the complicated and complex. One can be "oriented" to the dangers and provided some (but not all) examples of when and where these risks can happen - making the issue complicated. However, one can often only see the right course of action in retrospect, thus making it more complex in nature.

Knowledge and proper action must then permeate the culture of an organization. It must be on the forefront of peoples minds but not consume them and it can't simply be treated as a problem that training alone can solve. The solution lies in raising organizational awareness.  And although it is a performance issue, it is not something that should or can be solely owned by T&D. This needs to be a company-wide effort.

A multifaceted approach involving formal, informal, and of course social learning is key as it's mostly about tacit knowledge sharing. Explicit, although having merit, is black and white and unfortunately OCI is many shades of gray.

Campaign vs. Course

Craig Taylor tuned me into the concept of a campaign as he explored it himself on a considerably grander scale.  An apparent influence for him was in the article Think "Campaign" not "Course" by Lars Hyland (Tip 16) From the eLearning Network:

"...Shorter, sharper, more varied learning experiences deliberately spread over a longer elapsed time period, demonstrably improve learning effectiveness. There are more opportunities for reinforcement of key knowledge, more prompts to practice skills in the field and the ability to adapt to the pace and personal needs of each individual. At long last our efforts can be focused on providing learning support interwoven into life and work, rather than artificially abstracted."

With this concept in mind the approach then is more to immerse people in OCI awareness. To begin, Cynefin not only serves to help identify the "habitat" of OCI but it can also serve as a performance support model for a communication procedure; Sense the potential situation, Analyze the severity, Respond according to organizational procedure.

The initial part of the campaign grounds people in a common understanding of OCI, and the response procedures identified in the job aid. For this a short scenario-based elearning module can serve to show the value of the communication procedure and practical application of the job aid in a scenario. Additionally, to improve access to a job aid (post completion), a QR code can be used within to allow the learner to place the support tool on their mobile device and be easily accessible in a potential OCI situation.

Next, leverage traditional communication channels such as an organization's periodical. L&D can partner with them to maintain a long running series of compelling examples, statistics, factoids and industry news regarding OCI. A series of "insider" podcast bring a human face (voice) to the issue through interviews with internal experts and possible "victims" of OCI which will be made available for employees to pull; HR to promote at new hire orientation, and managers to leverage when needed. The use of a social media platform is fertile ground for sharing industry news, and war stories. And finally email, the default communication platform of the moment, can easily serve to launch short scenario-based "quizzes" to reinforce understanding and application of the procedure.

The approach is really one of an all hands on deck. People should not to be subjected to repeated formal (out of workflow) interventions but rather be surrounded by relevant information, expertise, conversation and resources to help them navigate a complex and potentially costly issue.

Think of the Doer and doing, not the Learner and learning

I'm sure you've heard the cliche that is the self-described non-techie confessing that "My VCR still blinks 12:00." (OK I know...VCR? What's that? Humor me here).  I think this statement however speaks more to who we all are rather than just a segment of the not-so-tech-savvy among us. Furthermore I believe the statement transcends technology and to who we are as human-beings.

With that example as a point of reference about human nature lets look at why your VCR likely still blinks 12:00.

• It blinks 12:00 because you didn't bother to read the instructions. 
• You didn't bother to read the instructions because quite frankly your goal was to watch a movie not have yet another timepiece in the room. 
• You didn't bother to read the instructions because the user guide was enormous and thus appeared as another layer of work just adding to your time on task. 
• You didn't bother to read the instructions because the first thing you instinctively do IS "do."

Maybe it's an all to common human failing or maybe it's just part of how we are wired to learn. I prefer the latter. I mean isn't it our first instinct to just try? To play around and make a go of it? It's not typical for anyone to immediately reach for assistance. We don't want help until we want help. And when we want help we want just the right amount of help for our very specific need.

We are not stupid creatures in that we would ever take this approach if in a bomb detonation, surgery, or flying an aircraft situation. We turn towards "do" first when we believe there is a pretty good chance we will be successful (past experience?). It's in this doing; the struggle and ultimate success, that we gain confidence and make long-term connections for future application. We are mostly practical creatures too. The VCR blinks 12:00 because we don't let perfect be the enemy of good, i.e. an inaccurate clock doesn't bring us to our knees. So when, and only when, we need/want to go a bit further along we'll seek assistance.

What's the lesson here for L&D?  I think it's playing a bit more to human nature and not confounding it with more than is required to get the job done. L&D should work first to help improve the environment for better performance rather than create stuff to augment learning for better performance. Maybe that's enabling more time and places for reflection, maybe its pushing for better system/tool interface design, maybe its making searching for information easier or access to expertise seamless. But it should not first be creating another layer of work.

Visualize Real Learning

The Internet Time Alliance always seems to inspire my thinking and remind me of what really matters; from Jane's Pick of the Day to Clark Quinn's mind mapping of keynotes. Mostly though, through their writing, I have had a new vision of organizational learning and I actively spread this in the organizations I support.

Charles Jennings articulated that real learning is all about experience, practice, conversation and reflection. Nothing more, nothing less (see more in his post Mangers and Mad Hatters: Work That Stretches). These 4 key areas are always front and center for me and even have a permanent home in my email signature and on my whiteboard; serving as a lens to look through with every performance issue that comes my way.

I recently stumbled on some work done by Jane Hart's Social Learning Centre, a mind map exercise that included the quote that got me thinking...

Simplifying Learning

it might be a valuable exercise (even more so collaboratively) to dissect the 4 elements Charles noted in a mind map.  For example, one could further breakdown "Experience" with subtopics of  what types of experiences are there? Are some richer than others? Or "Conversation" could have subcategories of synchronous and asynchronous, the nature of what "is" conversation and can this be broken down further into the very elements of conversations that better enable learning? How about "Reflection" as in self and group reflection; effective reflective practices and exercises...

Do you think this would help you -yourself and those in L&D and leadership roles to focus a bit more on the essentials of learning and less on the incidentals that serve to support, extend or augment (i.e. mlearning, elearning, blended learning, etc) learning? Those things that unfortunately seem to dominate the conversation today and in effect distract from the core of what ultimately enables real learning?

If  yes and you'd like to join in this asynchronous exercise with me- then I need your help as I think it would be more meaningful not to go it alone. And of course if this has already been done...then point me to it! Otherwise:

1. We need a collaborative space, preferably a free mind mapping tool (ever use any of these?). Suggestions?
2. A good way to keep everyone involved and allow conversation to help build context. Twitter? G+? Hootsuite? Other?

Looking forward to learning with you!

Social Media Oneness

Yesterday I had a very salient moment regarding my use of social media. Until now my use of it has been very conspicuous and conscious; social media is something that has been an add-on in my life and in my work.

Currently, among other initiatives in the formal learning space I am also deeply engaged in exploring enterprise 2.0 tool use at my organization. In addition to tinkering around with Chatter (SalesForce) features, I'm am also using it and promoting it's use to exclusively communicate with various individuals in the pilot effort we are crafting. I firmly believe these tools are not something to be trained in but rather believe all must jump in to really learn them and see their value (learn by doing).

In addition to discussing features and functions of this particular tool, I am also raising issues related to culture, transparency, and the philosophy of networked community for 21st century organizational learning. I am sharing and discussing articles, and posting findings from my Twitter PLN in an effort to show value outside the island that is enterprise social media tools. I am using the chat feature with key people in marketing to drill down about video creation, style guides and debate intranet pros and cons. I am sharing stories and humor with business analysts I've never physically met and this is all happening each day, sporadically, as the need arises or as a new discovery drives me to share with this new network. These are the things I engage in outside of my work context, with my PLN, speaking at conferences, educating my peers, etc.

Yesterday, in a teleconference meeting with another group, I was asked to share what I've been working on. Without pause I launched into details regarding the work I am doing in supporting a new software roll out and its performance support. I briefed them on the self-paced orientation I created and plans for future needs analysis. However I left off the very item I am most immersed in, the one which I believe can transform the organization, the very thing that is threaded continuously in each and every day...only until prompted did I remember!

Why didn't I lead with it?

In short I think it's that social media and the social learning and networking it enhances and empowers has simply become a part of me. Social media, like mobile devises that support it, has become ubiquitous to me as it has for many others. So I didn't see the internal social media effort as being a project...because social media for me just is.

Have you experienced the Oneness?

Real Learning is in the Real Work

Many discussions about learning lead to the very accurate point that we have been learning socially (and informally) for thousands of years. Images of early people gathering around fires, writing on walls or in the sand with a stick have been used to help people better understand social learning and that like then it is happening today in our lives, classrooms and in our organizations.

However, sitting around the fire, early people shared, discussed, and processed but around the fire wasn't the only place that this would have happened or for that matter was it arguably the most impactful "place" of learning.

I believe learning is most powerful when done in the doing; the 70 of 70-20-10.  In this doing, in the past, they also communicated; on hunts, while tanning animal skins, preparing meat, and forging for berries ... they likely used different mediums too; song and rhythm, other audible sounds (clicks, grunts?), they watched each other, they mimicked each other; the 20 of the 70-20-10. Simply put, they learned socially in the work flow where mind and body were engaged and the context was dripping with emotion.  I imagine the hunts were exciting, dangerous and exhausting. Tanning and forging were equally emotion rich as socialization was omnipresent when new techniques were employed, observed, analyzed, and tweaked by the group creating "ah-ha" moments as well as "ha-ha" moments where peers bonded and ideas were promoted in a very communal, casual, comfortable, yet equally important for survival environment.

This emotion is a key component to deeper learning. Classrooms, course ware and virtual worlds today try to simulate emotional responses but they rarely match the personal connections to content and context that is at the heart of deeper learning because they are just that... "simulated." The human brain knows that the formally designed "learning" activities, be it simple drag-n-drop flash animations or simulated environments with character interactions are not really do or die events. These products do the best they can to "reward" the user with kudos, scores and a check mark but its only when we are truly immersed in a real situation with real needs, real business impact, real problems, real opportunity, real rewards, and of course real people that we become more emotionally charged. Similar was early man's real need to find food, water and shelter. These needs must have made them more receptive to observe, mimic, listen to and connect with peers...in their work flows.

Therefore our ability to learn is not and cannot be confined to a place, an approved platform, device  or application, elearning module, or a face-to-face course; the 10 of 70-20-10. Look and learn from our past; I suppose early man didn't carry fire, paints, sand and a stick with them on the hunts any more than we should expect to wait to login to a "social intranet" or LMS to solve problems with peers, learn the best principles, or collaborate. Deeper learning happens in our emotion rich contexts with interactions with real people, facing real problems.

So it was then, is today, and ever shall be.

The Microwave as a Metaphor for Organizational Learning

The oven is the cornerstone of the kitchen, been around forever. Sure it’s changed its look and fuel over the centuries but the bottom line is the oven is big; it’s designed to cook large amounts, and over a longer period time. Think holiday dinners. It’s really an event kind of appliance.

Me, I’m a free standing microwave guy.

Microwaves aren’t ideal for me to cook say a pot roast but for smaller meals and tid-bits that give you just what you need, when you need it – the microwave is perfect!

Microwave ovens heat food quickly, leaving me more time to do what I need to do – like the honey-do list the “boss” gives me.

I have a free standing microwave- When we were remodeling our kitchen last year we had to keep ours in the living room. Place it anywhere in the house and it does the job – why limit yourself to the kitchen for cooking; it’s mobile!

A microwave is not a threat to replace the oven. We still need the oven for the big stuff like a Thanksgiving dinner. You must have an oven for that event…Turkey, pies, rolls, etc. But the microwave (often used during these events but typically given little credit) is used to defrost food in preparation for the event and also used to cook the gravy, green bean casserole, and the pumpkin soup - critical for a successful meal. Then it is called upon after to reheat many of these items in short order while you watch the Detroit Lions attempt to play football.

I like metaphors and the "microwave" is a useful one for me to use when explaining my beliefs about organizational learning.

Organizational learning must:

• be small (nibbles not full courses)
• be delivered quickly so workers can have more time to do what they are paid to do (minutes not hours)
• happen more where and when needed, not limited to the kitchen ….err I mean training room (on the move not at the table)
• take place before and after an event (defrost and reheat)

I think there is something Social and Informal here too...