John Parsell
  • Blog
  • Articles
  • Tools
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Me
  • Blog
  • Articles
  • Tools
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Me
Let's talk about the strategic advantage of Instructional Design

John  Parsell

Subscribe Now
Photo by Jesus Kiteque on Unsplash

Building a Successful L&D Department

7/10/2022

0 Comments

 

Learn from Senior L&D Leaders and Professionals

Listen to senior Learning and Development leaders and professionals, from companies big and small, to learn what it takes to build and grow a successful L&D department. We talk about concepts such as presenting learner data to senior leadership, what big (and small) challenges they face, how to successfully build an L&D brand, what to look for when hiring the right people, and more.

Checkout our first two interviews and follow us wherever you get your Podcasts!
0 Comments

How to Have Better Stakeholder Conversations

1/15/2022

0 Comments

 

In this episode, we interview Angie Flynn-McIver, a leadership coach, author, theater director, and founder of Ignite CSP (Coaching, Speaking, and Presenting), Together we discuss how to have better conversations with our stakeholders, team members, and how to say “NO” to those tough project requests.

Take Aways:
  • Positive Intent: Have a positive disposition when interacting with colleagues and discussing those challenging project requests.
  • Write down your intent: What are your goals for this communication, meeting, or discussion? Write it down and bring it with you so you can come back to it if necessary.
  • Know your default Intent: When challenged do you typically get angry, passive, or something else? This is your default intent. Identify this behavior so you can recognize when you are relying on it and determine whether that’s going to serve your purpose during this situation.
  • Be courageous:  If you are presented with a request that requires more information, resources, people, technology, etc. to successfully complete it, be courageous and ask for it. It's OK to be up front about the capabilities of your team with the resources you have today.

Donors Choose:
Picture
Mrs. Neitz's Classroom
This episode supports Mrs Neitz's, DonorsChoose project Headphones to Improve My Flamazing Students Academics! Join me to help children in Allentown, PA learn to read!​
0 Comments

Reimagine L&D Project Prioritization with RICE

10/25/2021

0 Comments

 
Note: Turn up the volume! I'm experiencing some microphone issues in this episode. I've invested in a BlueYeti microphone to fix this issue going forward.

When prioritizing projects, does the loudest voice get top priority? How do you determine where to spend your time and resources? In this episode, Rory and I use the RICE framework from Intercom to re-imagine project prioritization for L&D.

Take aways
  • Effort and Impact count: Audience size and urgency aren't the only things to consider when prioritizing work. Include effort to implement and impact to customers as variables to help make a decision.
  • Don't let emotion get the best of you: Using a framework like RICE can help to take the emotion out of project prioritization
  • Improve stakeholder conversations with a framework: Implementing a project prioritization framework can help you to have better conversations with stakeholders and the business about the value of new and existing work. 
  • Training isn't always the answer:  Overly complex products and customer confusion with a product may not be a training issue. It might be a product problem.

​​Check us out on istrainingtheanswer.com, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

DonorsChoose
Students in class
Photo by Taylor Wilcox on Unsplash
I donate one dollar for every filler word I speak per episode. This episode closes out another DonorsChoose project and helps to fund Ms. Jay's project Literacy-Building a Strong Foundation.  Join me to help children in Hatfield, PA learn to read!
0 Comments

Is Training The Answer? Let's find out!

9/5/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture

Ever wonder what causes your colleagues to ask for training to solve a challenge? Why is training the answer in their minds for non-compliance with a process or procedure? Why not focus on enhancing the process, technology, or even the working environment to solve the challenge?

Join myself and Rory Sacks as we talk to professionals inside and outside of learning and development to answer L&D's most frequently asked question. Every month we'll launch a new episode aimed at helping you be more effective, responsive, and compassionate when working with your colleagues to deliver the best learning experience possible.

Check us out on istrainingtheanswer.com, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
0 Comments

Four Questions to Achieve Better Training Outcomes

1/13/2020

0 Comments

 
Photo by Bruno Figueiredo on Unsplash
 "I need an elearning created on our latest products that starts in three weeks.  This is essential for our Sales Reps (SRs) to achieve their quarterly sales goals.  I have approval from senior leadership to make this happen. " 

Have you ever been on the receiving end of a request like the above?  It checks a number of the boxes for a typical training project request, with some added urgency thrown in for good measure.  The requestor knows the basics; audience (SRs), timeline (three weeks), why they think training is needed (Essential to SR goals), and how they want it trained (elearning). 

It's tempting to start working on a project like this immediately and figure out the rest later.  It is "essential", senior leadership seems to be onboard, and the timeline doesn't leave you with room for much more than getting the work done.  What you may not realize is that you've just entered a negotiation.  The results of this negotiation can determine whether this program is a failure or success.


This post is inspired by the book  "Never Split the Difference - Negotiating as if your life depended on it" by Chris Voss with Tahl Roz.  ​Using a series of tactics such as mirroring, labeling, and calibrated questions Chris is able to identify the underlying motivations of his counterparts to negotiate a favorable outcome.  

Calibrated questions
What we're going to focus on in this article are what Chris calls "calibrated questions."  These are open-ended questions that help you understand what's motivating your counterpart in a negotiation.
  In this case, you want to know the motivation and business reason behind the request so that you'll be better equipped to develop a training program that can meet or exceed expected outcomes.  However, in order to do that you need to know more than who, what, where and when.  You need to know the why so that you can collaborate with them to determine the best way to solve for how, not just what they're telling you to do.

By asking questions starting with "How" or "What" you get your counterpart to start working with you to solve the challenge.
"...the calibrated open-ended question takes the aggression out of a confrontational statement or close-ended request that might otherwise anger your counterpart.  What makes them work is that they are subject to interpretation by your counterpart instead of being rigidly defined.  They allow you to introduce ideas and requests without sounding overbearing or pushy." - Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It, by Christopher Voss and Tahl Raz, Rh Business Books, 2017, pp. 152

​Here are four calibrated questions to help you decipher the need for and outcomes of your next project request.

1.  What's the problem we're trying to solve?  Use this question to get to the business need behind the request.  We know that SRs need help to achieve their sales goals, but what specifically is the gap we're trying to close? 

2.  After training is complete, how will we know that an employee has been successfully trained?  This question helps you get an understanding of what success looks like to the Stakeholder.  In the example above, the request is to train all SRs using an elearning course.  How can you know if an elearning course is the right strategy if you don't know what the stakeholder wants their SRs to be able to do after training is complete?  This question also helps you understand your counterparts vision.  

3.  What are the targeted outcomes?  If you don't know the target(s), how can you know whether your training program will help to achieve them?   In fact, there may be multiple outcomes that need to be achieved.  Achieving these targets may require more time and attention than your stakeholder might think.

If you haven't asked question one at this point, this is a great opportunity to use it as follow-up to this question.  This will help you to determine how big of a gap you're helping to fill.  If they're expecting a big lift, an elearning course alone may not get them there.  

4.  How will we measure the success of the program?   It's impossible to make adjustments if you don't have a way to see results over time.  If the team requesting the training does not have a way to track results, now is as good a time as any to figure that out.

​Selfishly, how can you and your team show the impact of your training program if you can't see the results?  If part of the solution doesn't include a plan to measure the outcomes, this is an opportunity to get that work started.  

Avoid asking "why"
​Asking why, can cause your counterpart to become defensive.  They already think there's a need for training, asking why just calls their judgement, or their leader's judgement, into question. ​
Regardless of what language the word "why" is translated into, it's accusatory.  There are very rare moments when this is to your advantage.  - Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It, by Christopher Voss and Tahl Raz, Rh Business Books, 2017, pp. 153
 
​Asking how or what, forces them to think about the reason they believe training is going to solve the problem.  Using the above example, instead of saying "Why, do we need training in three weeks on this process?" ask "How do you think an elearning course will help achieve quarterly sales goals?".   

If you are concerned that the requestor doesn't have approval for the request or the necessary backing, you can always ask leadership after the meeting.  
​
​Be proactive, create a project request form
The way that Chris suggests preparing for a negotiation is to create a one sheet or document that can be used to guide the negotiation process to a favorable outcome.  Taking this advice, I suggest that you create a project request form and use the questions above as well as the standard items (Audience, timeline, stakeholder & subject matter experts, etc.) to define the program requirements.  Keep this form handy for in the moment and planned discussions.​

Keep your cool
Having a project request form, with these questions listed, will also give you something to rely on in the heat of the moment.  This is especially beneficial when you have a counterpart who is stressed and just wants you to build the training, in the way they want, when they want it, without any questions.

Remember, this is not about you, this is just business.  The ability of your team to do their job effectively relies on your ability to get them the information they need.  Taking a moment to slow down and get your questions answered will save you the time of having to go back and ask them again later.

If you feel yourself becoming upset, take a moment and breathe or walk around.  Having a physical form to fill out can anchor you to your physical environment and stay in control of your emotions.  Amy Gallo, Harvard Business Review

Summarize your discussion
At the end of your discussion make sure to summarize the outcome.  According to Chris, you're not looking for a "yes" at the end of the summary.  You're looking to have your counterpart say "that's right".  That's how you'll know that you're on the same page. 

People say "yes" all of the time even if they mean "no", it's a false positive meant to make you both feel good in the moment.  Getting a "that's right" or the equivalent means that you've correctly summarized their position.  

A summary of the above request could sound something like this.  "Hitting our quarterly sales target is really important.  I'm glad we can work on achieving this goal together.  Based on our discussion today, our SRs need to increase their conversion rate by 10% in order to achieve quarterly goals.  You believe this is because they are unfamiliar with our newest products and they aren't comfortable selling something that they don't feel is beneficial to our customers.   You also want training to start in three weeks because leadership has guaranteed an improvement in the next six weeks. 

In order to achieve this, after training is complete all SRs should be able to explain the value of our newest products, to our customers, and be confident offering them.  We'll measure the trend on a weekly basis and can adjust the program as necessary based off of the results. 

​Is that correct? "


Granted, the above summary doesn't go into whether elearning is the right or only solution for the job but I think you get the idea.  From here, you can work with your counterpart to create a program that will meet or exceed the results you both want to achieve.

Want to learn more?
The easiest way to learn more is to buy the book  "Never Split the Difference - Negotiating as if your life depended on it" by Chris Voss with Tahl Roz.   Chris and his family also offer training and free resources on their website https://www.blackswanltd.com/.  
0 Comments

Be a Thought Leader:  5 Free L&D Industry Reports to get Informed

8/25/2019

2 Comments

 
Picture
A few years ago I was given some feedback that I really took to heart.  I was told that If I wanted
to influence change and affect or set strategy within the organization that I would need to be seen as a thought leader.   At first I wasn't sure what to make of that feedback.  My immediate thought was something akin to "Great, now I have to become the next Josh Bersin or Richard Branson if I want to make a real impact".   

Steppping out of my fixed mindset, I did a little research to see what being a thought leader was all about.  What I found is that it's not just about popularity or fame, there's much more to it than that.  

"Thought leaders are the informed opinion leaders and the go-to people in their field of expertise. They are trusted sources who move and inspire people with innovative ideas; turn ideas into reality, and know and show how to replicate their success."  Denise Brosseau of Thought Leadership Lab ​

The first step in becoming a thought leader is to be informed about what's going on in the learning industry.  To that end, I've compiled a list of five free reports on industry trends from 2017 to 19. 
Free industry reports:​​
The following repots can be accessed either directly or by submitting your information to the website first.  A small price to pay for access to some great information.  I've included a one or two sentence summary about each and one key take away to help you determine if you're interested in learning more.
Picture
2019 LinkedIn State of the Workforce Report
The 3rd annual​ report from LinkedIn Learning.  This report features insight into budgeting, marketing, closing skill gaps, and working across generations. 

One key take away: 
"Talent developers prioritize understanding skills gaps in 2019  with a 32% increase year over year."
LinkedIn, 2019 State of the Workforce Report

Picture
U.S. L&D Report 2019:  Benchmark Your Work Place Learning Strategy​
​This report dives into the benefits of innovation within L&D teams and Inclusion & Diversity training. 

One key take away:  "The same L&D professionals reporting that their employees are highly engaged are 94% more likely to be offering those staff members classroom training.  No other modalities were linked as closely with employee engagement..."  findcourses.com (2019). U.S. L&D Report: 2019. Retrieved from http://www. findcourses.com/ld-report-2019

Picture
Training Magazine - 2018 Industry Report
​Presented by Training Magazine, via trainingmag.com, this survey was conducted by an outside company.  It contains detailed data on budgets, expenses, and types of training used across small, medium, and large organizations.

One key takeaway:  ​"2018 saw an increase in the average expenditure for training outsourcing:  $422,321, up from $219,265 in 2017.  An average of 14 percent of the total training budget was spent on outsourcing.  The level outsourcing is expected tos tay relatively steady in 2019."   Trainingmag.com, 2018 Industry Report

Picture
Training Industry Magazine - The Modern Learning Mindset
Note that this link doesn't provide you with access to the full report.  However, you can read  summaries of the information contained in the full version.  

One key takeaway:  "The business environment in which organizations operate today is vastly different than a few decades ago. Learning is no longer viewed in the context of an isolated, one-time training event. Learning is now viewed as a continuous process throughout the employee lifecycle, without a definitive expiration date."  Training Industry Magazine, The Modern Learning Mindset


Picture
Gallup - State of the American Workplace
This report builds upon Gallup's 2013 State of the Workplace report.  It provides a detailed analysis of employee engagement, the benefits of highly engaged employees, and the changing face of work.   I enjoyed reading their piece on matrixed teams.

One key takeaway:  "Highly matrixed employees are 14% less likely to strongly agree they know what’s expected of them at work, compared with non-matrixed employees. In the absence of well-defined expectations and frequent, clear communication, multiple projects feel like a top priority, multiple team members’ roles begin to conflict and progress slows, hurting productivity outcomes."    Gallup, State of the American Workplace Report
​Combining the insights from the above reports along with your expertise and knowledge should allow you to form some thoughts on how you can enhance your learning organization.  Use this as base from which you can generate innovative ideas to solve the challenges faced by your company. 

Additional industry reports for purchase
If you are interested in doing some more research you can access additional reports from the following organizations.
  •  Association for Talent Development 2018 State of the Industry Report
  • Association for Talent Development Research Reports
  • Training Industry Magazine Research​

What am I missing?
Please share the sites and research, for purchase and free, that you use to learn about the latest trends in the learning industry. 
2 Comments

Turning Failure to Success

6/30/2019

0 Comments

 
Failure
​Sometimes even your best efforts don't produce the targeted behavior change or business outcomes your learning solution was created to solve.  Not every project will be a rousing success so it's important to know what to do when things don't go as planned.

It can be tempting to point fingers and look for reasons outside of your control as to why things went wrong.   Maybe you feel that you weren't given enough time, resources, or information to do the job.  However, what's needed now is a level head and a willingness to work together across business units to fix any identified issues and turn things around.  A deeper analysis can always be completed afterwards. 


Here's how you can turn things around:


Read More
0 Comments

    About Me

    Engaging people leader and accomplished Instructional Designer with over 15 years of experience creating effective learning solutions and building innovative learning teams.​

    Copyright

    © John Parsell and johnparsell.com, 2018 - 2022. 

    Categories

    All
    Career Development
    Change
    Consulting
    Evaluation
    Games
    Ideas
    Impact
    Innovation
    Instructional Design
    Is Training The Answer
    L&D Trends & Data
    Leadership
    Learning Management Systems
    Onboarding
    Podcast
    Technology

Site powered by Weebly. Managed by SiteGround