Things I learned in Dallas, Texas at the ASTD Conference

Smart Phones are not the enemy in the workplace!  Consider utilizing them in your training classes. They all are looking at them anyway. It is part of their life. It is who they are today. Embrace it. Examples: Have Class participants do a simple video telling what they need to get out of the training class they have been scheduled to attend.  The best videos receive extra points towards the class!  Informative and fun as well. Include the best at the start of training to lighten the load. Utilize Google  Hangouts? Going  to have  to google that.  LOL  Have them  search for  things  on their phones!

It's ok to utilize texting in the work place...often the best way and least obvious way to interrupt someone who is needed. Could be a great way to give quick answers to simple questions that do not share customer info of course.  Where can I find the latest update on EE bonds? A quick text back...under managers on the employee intranet. Section such and such. Won and done. 

New thoughts of course for "old school " managers.

Use music to spice up and help you make training memorable.  Create your Opening Act, introduce energy and create engagement with Rock Songs, The Meat of the training similar to the Slow Songs, Sing a Longs, take requests. What do learners need Now? and Finally the Encore...Memorable Take a Ways.  Interesting Ideas which are best for larger groups but can likely be modified to smaller groups as well. The big message AGAIN utilize the smartphone and make it part of the training. Very thought provoking.

Other nuggets of information. Sir Ken Robinson who btw sounds a lot like the Gecko...really...had a great presentation. It highlighted the need to figure out what your passion is and do more of THAT! Oddly exactly the same thing came up today in the class about using music in your training. The fellow teaching indicated his supervisor asked him what his passion was and be first answered from a what I like about my job perspective. He said no not just at work. What do you love doing. Our instructor is a part time musician and so he answered I love music and performing. His boss said then do more of that at work. That blew him away. But he later started doing just that in his training and it made his training better and him better. A interesting thought. What do you Love to do?  Could you incorporate that in some way in your present or future job? Would that make you a better and happier employee. Interesting.

Lots of classes on social media and how it can be leveraged in so many different ways to solve problems faster...more brains on the job on working together at almost the same instant.  Very interesting as well.  Should we get over being afraid of social media and making fun of FB, etc in the business world and start figuring out how it could benefit business and the human side of the equation as well.  The common theme here is the world isn't changing. It already has changed and continues to do so at a rate that we will not be able to keep up with unless we radically change how we train and learn in the future.  Very new thoughts for many people who are resistent to change.