Dan Pink presents to packed house at NeoCon

Dan Pink gave a keynote at NeoCon to promote his forthcoming book, Drive.

His talk was all about what motivates us. His central thesis is that the evolution of motivation is biological > extrinsic (reward/punishment) > intrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is when “the performance of a task is it’s own reward”. Or as our CEO Jim Haudan would say, “people like to solve their own puzzles”.

Pink cites scientific studies that support the claim that extrinsic motivation crushes creative problem solving. The nature of the work that we do, which is increasingly non-routine, artistic, empathic big-picture work, requires that we be intrinsically motivated to achieve results.

He lists the elements of intrinsic motivation as autonomy, mastery, purpose. Something that particularly resonated with me are the elements of autonomy. His definition of autonomy is when you have control over your task, technique, time, and team. He cites Charles and Ray Eames as one example of an autonomous creative team. The success and profundity of their work lies within their ability to achieve complete creative excellence through an environment of autonomy, mastery of skills and the guiding light of purpose.

Consumption, Interaction and Contribution…

Last year I had the privilege of  giving a presentation about social media and business to the ASTD chapter in Ann Arbor. They were an awesome group, and I highly recommend attending a meeting if you’re in the L&T field and looking to connect with others in the Ann Arbor area. But I digress…

We first talked about the history of learning management — why we put systems in place to monitor and check learning throughout our organizations.  Then we transitioned to a conversation about Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 (not withstanding the new conversations regarding Web 3.0).  During that time I mentioned that the major difference between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 were a few of the words that headline this post.

Consumption:

When “the internets” first placed content into our crude browser windows, we were amazed. It was like when we were children pressing our noses against the toy store window, dreaming about the possibility of interacting with what felt so far away. We observed and consumed what we saw. But that’s where it stopped.

Interaction:

Then a whole new world opened up! People began to play with this new technology in ways that amazed us. Building sites that were “interactive.” You could type on them, and you could drag objects around the screen. We were interacting with Internet. Awesome.

Contribution:

But then the paradigm shifted. Programmers developed solutions that allowed the common, everyday Joe to write blogs, build communities, and share information with the world.  There are still people who don’t understand that Internet is no longer a passive communication device.  It is a new world of possibilities.

“The future ain’t what it used to be.” — Yogi Berra

This quote has often been used when we’re talking about innovation and the future. But I like to think about the future’s relevance to the past. Since the beginning of time, we’ve always found new ways to communicate. We’ve grunted at each other, we’ve carved images into stones, we’ve inked on parchment, we’ve pressed on keys. Whether it’s Web 2.0, 3.0 or 9.0, these new tools will simply be innovative ways to share information, tell stories, and learn from one another.

Now that I’ve contributed, why don’t you? Be a part of the “contribution” superhighway!

Dateline: June 1st ASTD 2009

It is that time of year once again, when we are called to assemble our collective learning and training minds together at ASTD (American Society for Training & Development).  Our Digital Interactive Group will be in attendance to listen to stories from all of you who are in the trenches trying to build programs and assemble initiatives in ways that truly engage and connect employees to the strategy of the organization. We’re looking forward to seeing you all there!

Please stop by our booth #1142, and say hello!

Swing by and say hello to some other Rootsters that will be representing Compass at booth #2240!

Social Media IS the next learning platform…

So this is most certainly a debatable topic, but would a good blog post be without a provocative headline? However, if we were all really honest with ourselves, we would have to acknowledge a few facts;

• Twitter is growing exponentially (source)
• 1,762,754,497 tweets to date (see the current number)
• Facebook continues triple-digit growth in groups (source)
• Nearly 150 active social networking sites (source)

These trends are not likely to change. Information is now flowing at a dizzying pace.  The ability for some to produce  and share small pieces of learning with the entire online community is occurring right now. These tools are available  free on the web.  I believe the greatest asset for organizations today will be how they harness this information for the greater good.

The difference between 1980 and 2010 is that technology is far more available for consumers than for organizations. The speed at which new technologies are being developed and deployed by small niche companies is more rapid than ever.  I can now create my own social network, in about 10 minutes. In decades past, this technology would have been far too expensive for everyday people to purchase, let alone understand.

As long as employees have access to the Internet, they will continue to use the tools they use every day, which are available for free.  The challenge is how to bring these technologies into the enterprise.  All of us in the learning and training space are watching, trying to determine if, how, and when these services will affect our organizations, and more important, how they will be used. We need to become keenly aware of the tools people are using in their daily lives, because these are the tools that our society is using to learn and share knowledge.

So, are the days of a structured, rigid, learning environment coming to an end? Is it possible that a fluid, flexible, and rapid method for sharing information could challenge its structured and process-driven ancestor and ultimately change the way we learn? Time will tell. As our CEO, Jim Haudan, once said, “Dialogue is the oxygen of change.”

Let’s all breathe.

How will the learning style of today’s youth differ from our own?

My family purchased our first computer when I was around 10 years old. The black and white screen was probably about 6” wide and the computer hard drive held only a few megabytes of data. I remember using the computer for only two things: drawing in a paint program and playing a silly balloon game.

Let’s compare that computer with the systems available today. Computers have exponentially more memory and storage capacity and much larger screens – just imagine the impact computers have on today’s youth! Two year old children are using computers to play fun, interactive learning games that teach the alphabet and numbers. First graders learn how to read and complete math problems with engaging software programs. Fifth graders are firing up their web browsers and search engines, completing their research online using resources available on the Internet. Children are growing up on computers and learning on computers from day one, as a normal part of their education. This is something that neither I nor any other adult has had the opportunity to experience. Our parents taught us the numbers and alphabet with magnetic letters on the fridge, or with fun, colorful picture books. We grew up learning how to read with Mom or Dad sitting next to us, helping us sound out words in a book.

So I wonder…as we look into the future, how will the learning style of today’s youth differ from our own?

Will these new learners expect a more engaging, interactive learning experience at school?

Studies have shown that youngsters are spending more time on the computer and gaming than watching TV. Software games and the Internet are interactive experiences for kids, capturing their attention for hours. How will this affect their learning style?

Will they experience better learning results using computers, as opposed to traditional teaching materials (e.g., books, printed worksheets)?

Studies have proven that most people read text 25% slower on a computer when compared to the speed of reading text on paper. This is because as children, we trained our brains to read on paper, where our eyes are oriented to a 45-degree angle. On the computer screen our eyes are oriented at a 90-degree angle, which makes it more difficult to read. If today’s youth are learning to read on a computer, will those statistics change?

Will they enter grade school expecting technology-based learning?

If today’s youth are learning on a computer from an early age, how will they react to lecture-style learning?

Will they expect faster or even instantaneous feedback and results?

I think many will admit, myself included, that because of technology and its capabilities, we often expect instant feedback. Will today’s youth have that expectation as well? When youngsters play a game on a computer, they view the results from the game at the end. If they search for the definition of a word on Google, they get instant results; there is no need for them to pull out a massive dictionary and sift through hundreds of pages to find what they want. How will this affect teachers as they evaluate and score tests, and provide grades and feedback? Also, consider the struggles possible for the future managers of these kids – will these future workers be programmed to NEED frequent performance evaluations to know how they are doing?

Below is a YouTube video I came across that relates well to this subject. It sure is eye-opening!

It would be great to hear your thoughts about the future of learning. Please feel free to let us know what you think about the facts presented in the video or share your own thoughts about how technology will alter learning styles.

eLearning your way out of a recession?

So we’ve all heard the news and continue to read the headlines.  The “R” word is part of almost every conversation.  For many, the discussion is about retaining people OR cutting budgets in the midst of this economic downturn.  We believe that it’s not an OR, but an AND. But we also believe that you can stay afloat as well as proactively engage and connect employees in a way that sparks positive momentum in the business that gets the results you’re looking for.

There is an “art” to this engagement.  Jim Haudan, CEO of Root Learning, recently wrote a book on the very subject.  Now, I’m not here to sell you a book — but there are six keys to engagement that can transform your business.  For more information on this timely subject, follow this link: http://www.rootsofengagement.com/.  Check out the excerpt from Chapter 6, “I Can’t Be Engaged If I’m Scared.”

There are a number of different ways to engage your workforce through these difficult times.  With training and travel budgets being cut, you could combine social networking and digital learning solutions that will provide an economical way to engage and connect your workforce and align them with the future of the business.  Start your journey today with a trusted partner who has been there before.

Root’s Digital Interactive Group hits the strip…

The Root Digital Interactive Group will be heading to Las Vegas this week (28th and 29th) in an effort to share with the ASTD TechKnowledge community some of the new and exciting things we’re doing in the eLearning and social networking space.

Please swing by The Rio and pay us a visit!

WARNING! Impending doom awaits…

What impending doom?  Oh, it’s coming– but not for you.  This doom of which we speak awaits our dear friends in the LMS business.  Why?  Check the trends and shifts in society and, ultimately, those taking place in business.

As most of us know, Web 2.0 is a culmination of technologies that gives us the ability to participate and interact with the web rather than just observing it.  This shift has has made its way into discussions within the learning and training function, at the leadership level, and at learning conferences, to name just a few.

Now, Learning Management Systems are, by nature, designed to track participation, score, assess knowledge, and do many other worthwhile things related to learning within organizations. But the shifts in the online arena concern contribution and engagement. We believe there are very specific ways to engage and educate in an environment that is collaborative instead of top down.

We all know that our workforce is changing.  Digital natives will define the new economy because they understand how to use technology, not just “use” technology.  So to engage them in conversation that moves our organizations forward, we need to use the tools they use. We need to engage them in the way they learn best.  This part, at least, isn’t new –  it’s what trainers have known for centuries. Let’s embrace new technology and make an impact.

For more information about how we can help you traverse the digital canyon, contact us.

Let Me Tell You About the Flight Attendants…

Quelling Fears In a Turbulent Economy

The first time I ever got on a plane I was young and had a fear of flying. Everyone assured me that flying was the safest way to travel, but despite my young age I viewed it as a risk vs. return scenario. Sure the chances of crashing in a car are greater, but I figured so were my chances of surviving the crash; a car crash may just be a fender-bender, but if I’m going down in a plane, I really don’t like my odds – even if my seat can be repurposed as a flotation device. With that said, no amount of convincing could quell my fearful thoughts, and at a certain point fear consumed my brain and I began to act irrationally and illogically. I was sitting next to my dad, and when the flight attendant came up and asked for our drink orders, I ordered a Coke and my dad ordered a beer. At this point, my seven-year-old brain kicked into action and I piped up, “Okay, Dad, but only have one!”

“Why?” he asked.

“Because I don’t want you to get drunk and yell at me.”

Now just to be clear, I would like to state that my father has never had a drinking or anger problem, but I’m not sure the flight attendant left the conversation with that impression. The reality was that I was scared of something outside of my control so my youthful brain concocted a tangible fear that I could control, regardless of how irrational it was. Recognizing that I was afraid and trying to calm me down, or more likely, attempting to prevent me from convincing anyone else that he had an alcohol-fueled rage problem, my father shared with me a piece of wisdom that I carry with me today. “Let me tell you about the flight attendants…” he began “when I’m on a plane, I watch the flight attendants.”

“Why?” I responded puzzled.

“Because, the flight attendants know what’s going on here, so I figure I should only be worried if they’re worried.”

That statement made sense to me: surely if there was some impending doom, the flight attendants would be among the first to know, and if they seemed calm, I should be calm too. I spent the rest of the flight carefully analyzing the demeanor and disposition of the flight attendants.

The above metaphor is one I’ve carried with me and found to be applicable to many facets of life – especially in the office environment. I think back to the days when I was an intern, fetching coffee for the people I couldn’t wait to step on during my rise to the top (just kidding, guys) – I didn’t understand the implications of things like a tight timeline, let alone how to actually gauge a timeline’s qualifications as being reasonable or unreasonable. No, I just knew that if my experienced team members thought it was possible, then it was possible and vice-versa. They had a better understanding of these things, and I trusted that their opinions on such matters were the correct opinions.

The same holds true today during the current financial turmoil we are feeling. Employees have had to watch their stocks plummet, their budgets shrink, and their peers laid off. Because of this, employees can be overcome with fear and succumb to a “survival-of-the-fittest” mentality. When this mentality takes over, employees concoct fears no matter how irrational – just as I did when I was seven – and begin to view both actions and peers as threats. This tendency towards self-survival is counter-productive in that it only hurts the team further and therefore merely reduces one’s chances of surviving a tumultuous economy. This is why the leaders of a company need to take on the role of the flight attendants. No, I don’t mean explain the intricacies of complex devices such as the seatbelt, which I’m proud to say at age seven I had no difficulty grasping. What I do mean is that we employees look up to the leaders for reassurance, and just like the flight attendant – the leaders need to set a good example by not panicking. Imagine a plane ride where a flight attendant forwent the calm “Ladies and gentleman, our captain has informed me that we’ve encountered some turbulence, so the serving of drinks will be temporarily halted while I buckle-up.” and instead sprinted to her seat screaming expletives in panic. That, of course, would not happen on a plane, so why would any leader let that happen in the office?

A picture is worth a thousand words

Do you believe that “a picture is worth a thousand words”? It refers to the idea that ideas and stories can be described with just a single image, instead of a large chunk of text. Well, last week, I received this picture from my older brother:

A picture of my niece dressed as Belle (from Beauty and the Beast) for Halloween with a sign on her back that reads: “I’m going to be a BIG SISTER!”

One picture and a couple of words said it all – he didn’t have to call and explain anything – I knew my brother and his wife were going to have another baby! I was stunned, excited, and awestruck all at the same time.

This really made me start to think about how we use visuals and phrases to convey meaning. And we do it every day! When you see a red light or sign that says STOP, you know immediately what to do. If someone is wearing a nametag on their shirt, you don’t need to ask their name – you can just begin a conversation using their name. You can look on a map to see where you are, where you are traveling to, and how far away it is. All of these visual cues allow us to make an observation, interpret the message, and then move forward.

Here at Root, we believe that visual presentations – when used properly – can be more powerful than big blocks of text. We provide highly visual learning that quickly conveys meaning and messages to our learners. Using visuals with short, strategically placed text allows us to provide a learning experience that engages learners and connects their hearts and minds to the content. These learning experiences:

• Foster Critical Thinking: Visuals help set the context so users make connections, understand relationships, and recall details related to the content.
• Build Recall and Retention: Learners can remember information better when it is represented both visually and verbally, because they can associate images with the content.
• Create Connections: Learners are better able to comprehend new ideas and concepts when they can connect new content with current knowledge.
• Improve Comprehension: Diagrams, charts, graphs, etc. can display large amounts of complex data and information so that it’s easier to understand, simpler to organize and prioritize, and has clearer connections and patterns.

So – as you go throughout your day, really think about how often we use visuals and images to get our message across to others – and share your own examples!