GROUP DEVELOPMENT Below is an idea for a team building activity focusing on the what happens when new members join a team. Learning Objectives 1. To experience the process and feelings that arise when a new member joins an ongoing group with defined tasks and roles; 2. To explore the coping mechanisms adopted by the …

“It’s now time for a quiz.” said the speaker to a group of managers. He pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and carefully placed a dozen fist-sized rocks into the jar. He then asked, “Is this jar full?” Everyone answered “Yes!” “Really?” he said. He pulled out a bucket of gravel, dumped it into …

I understand the education versus training and experience debate, and I agree with the writer who said, “The answer is one that will keep you chasing your tail as you pursue it.” So, why have this discussion? Most of us will not deny that the best employees have both education, training and experience, but what …

Change is constantly around us. In our daily lives, we experience change in almost every aspect. In order to adapt to the changes around us we learn. Adults are constantly learning and adapting. In HR, we must adapt to changes in business needs and priorities and to changes in resources and functions. We must also be prepared to learn new technologies and new business tools that will enable us to meet the changing demands of our organizations and the people they employ. So how do we keep in front of changes and stay alert to where our profession is headed? We learn. How do you keep up to date? My suggestion is simple: Get out of Your Office.

It is relatively easy to test information learned in a classroom or from a book. But can you accurately assess if that knowledge can and will be applied in a practical sense? While information can be remembered in the short term, its not nearly so simple to determine its application to the real world and …

I like the Fall Equinox as a time to reflect on balance- in my life, my work, my relationships, my world. Frequently when we mention balance and work, we think of work-life balance. I’d like to share some thoughts this week on balance at work. Last week I attended an interesting presentation by Drs. Alexander …

Work may be black and white in nature, but it’s not life. I’ve been working a long time for other people so I have a lot of experience as an employee. In time, I became a trainer and a supervisor–and now a communicator and coach. It’s different in the military in some ways, but that’s …

Sandi Edwards’ article, Educated Workers Short On Skills Government Needs Most, published in the online publication, Aol Government, puts a new slant on the “why Johnny can’t read” debate. Only this time it has to do with the four Cs instead of the three Rs. In case, you’ve forgotten, here are the “The Four Cs:” …

When I started my working life, at IBM, years went by before I had any sub-contractors as part of my project team. We could handle just about every request with in-house skills. Alas, almost 20 years later those days are gone, and the opposite has become the norm. It is nigh on impossible to deploy …

When trainers are finding ways of improving performance and leadership, there’s one topic we should cover but often don’t. How do we evaluate performance? It seems an obvious fit for us, but it’s a tough and touchy topic to train about. Although people are involved, the human resource methods seem set in stone. Usually where …