Teach Less, Learn More: Accelerating Learning

Don't miss our March 2008 meeting! Lou Russell will be on hand to offer her exciting program: TEACH LESS, LEARN MORE: ACCELERATING LEARNING.

Lou comes highly recommended, and this program will help all of us facilitate programs that maximize learning and encourage on-going application and future learning. If you want to help others to learn, teach more in less time, and give more effective presentations, sign up today!

• Date: Thursday, March 20, 2008
• Time: 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon
• Place: Berry Room, Nutter Center, WSU
• Price: $69 / chapter members*
            $89 / non-members*
  
  *Includes a full, catered breakfast starting at 8:00.
  

About Lou Russell:

Lou Russell is the president and CEO of Russell Martin & Associates - see her website. She is the author of The Accelerated Learning Fieldbook among other publications. She is also a frequent contributor to Computer World, Cutter Executive Reports and Network World.

A popular and dynamic speaker, Lou has conducted energizing workshops at national and international conferences

Invite your colleagues to join you. We look forward to seeing you on March 20!

Networking: The Key is Relationships

As a follow-up to her excellent presentation on effective networking at the February meeting of WOCASTD (and as a public service for those of you who couldn’t be there!), Julie Bauke, Congruity Career Consulting, sent along these thoughts:

Networking is the Building of Mutually Beneficial Relationships for Personal, Professional and Business Success.

Sure, it’s a mouthful..... But doesn’t this definition make it seem less scary, and more doable?

Effective networking is ALL about building relationships. Networking is NOT:

• Handing out and collecting business cards
• “Working” a room
• A “drive-by” exercise that leaves your conversation partners feeling used.

Build quality, authentic relationships with people that you connect with, who can be of value to you as you work toward your goals -- AND to whom you can also provide value as they work toward theirs.

The good news is that you already have a network, but probably don’t spend much time thinking about it or managing it.

Take a close look at your goals. Don’t have any? Well, then start there!

Once you have established goals for your personal or professional life:

Evaluate your current network. Do you have the contacts that will provide the information, connections, support and resources you need to get where you are trying to go? If not, how can you fill in the gaps? What kinds of new contacts do you need?

Share your goals with people who are in your current network. You may be surprised how helpful people will be once they know what your aspirations are.

Look to give first. If you follow the golden rule of networking -- give first, take second -- you may be surprised by how eagerly people reciprocate.

If you develop goals, build authentic relationships that align with those goals, and look for opportunities to give first, you’ll be amazed at the REAL power of networking!

What do you think about Julie’s take on effective networking? It is certainly a much more intentional approach than I have used in the past. What are your thoughts?

The 10 "M"s of Engagement

Our chapter's own Cris Wildermuth and her husband, Mel, recently wrote an article which was included in the January ASTD magazine, T&D. You can find a copy of the article here.

Cris describes the article this way, "Lately researchers and human resource professionals have become increasingly interested in Employee Engagement. Engagement, which is defined by experts as a strong psychological connection between the person and her work, is the ultimate win-win phenomenon. Engaged employees are not only happier, more passion, more excited about their day-to-day activities -- they are also more productive, less likely to leave the organization, and more committed. This article describes engagement and connects it to 10 "M's" -- these are organizational, job, and individual factors that lead to engagement.

After reading the article, what do you as a training, HR, workplace performance or OD person think about your role in promoting employee engagement in your organization or the organizations with which you consult? Do you have additional ideas about what creates employee engagement? Please share your thoughts with us.