2/1/2010
A Tale of Two Solutions
One of my colleagues recently approached me with a question about setting up a standard signature (footer) in Outlook. He had been told by his web development company that to install a signature for 35 staff, it would cost $4,000. Each signature was to include a logo, name, title and individual contact  information, but I thought I could do better than that.
Outlook signatures are stored right inside Outlook so, there is definitely a manual step (or several) required.
After two hours work, using Word, Excel, Outlook, and Jing (www.jingproject.com), I devised a solution that combined the power of MS Office with the empowerment of the staff. The keys to getting this done quickly and easily were email merge and an instructional video. The Word and Excel merge allowed us to easily set a standard, build a personalized footer for each employee, and email it to them with instructions. A two minute Jing video was included in the email to explain how to install the footer in Outlook themselves.
Now granted, the web development company probably planned to build 35 footers in HTML, and then install them in each person's Outlook. Other than stepping out of the way for a few minutes, there would be nothing more for the users to do. In my much cheaper solution, each user will watch a 2 minute video and take another 1 or 2 minutes to install the signature. So there is the "hidden cost" of a few hours of company time (spread across 35 employees), but probably justifiable. And the good news is that the users are empowered with knowledge to change and maintain their own signatures. They have learned along with getting the job done.
And of course, by using Word's email merge technology, it is easy for my client to create, and maintain, a standard footer format. If he wasn't familiar with mail-merge, he will be now and he can use it in other areas of his business (extra bonus feature!).
Technology the Multiplier
 It is important to recognize that pushing technology out to everyone in your company has a multiplier effect. If what you give everyone takes 5 minutes, multiply that by your number of employees and the time adds up quickly. However, look at the outcome: what if those 5 minutes spent means that every employee doesn't need to spend an hour figuring something out or searching for something or rebuilding something that is already done? Or, what if those 5 minutes spent means the employee saves 5 minutes every day from that point forward? Talk about a multiplier effect: 5 minutes a day is 1,000 minutes over an average work year- that's more than two work days per year!
And of course that is just the TIME aspect of it. What about the intangible benefits of standardization, of higher job satisfaction because of less "menial" work, and a better presentation of the whole company as being consistent.
Lately I have also been doing a lot of is SharePoint related consulting and training. The multiplier effects are huge when your culture adopts the rule "SharePoint is the place I put stuff where people can find it, and find stuff people have put there." No more calling people up and asking them to email you such-and-such a document, or worse yet, rebuilding that document that someone already built and saved on their own computer.
Think about these multipliers in everything you do. Think about technology as a huge lever, or a hindrance, to achieving the possible multipliers in your company.
Think about empowering your users to save time over time.
I am really excited about using video technology more and more, because if a picture is worth 1,000 words, then a video is worth about 100,000! 1/6/2010
We've been training SharePoint administrators for quite a few years now, and have had great success in fulfilling our mission of building human capability to produce positive change in organizations. However, there has been a piece missing for me and I think we might have a solution. (My clients are about to let me  know one way or the other.)
The thing is, attending a two day SharePoint administrator course is costly in both time and money. Sure, it is time and money well spent, but only for certain people. What about the unwashed masses that don't need to know how to build sites, customize lists, add users, or change the design? In an organization of hundreds, we might train two people in all the nuances of using and administering SharePoint. And we train them well. But when these two people go back to the office and apply all their skill, creativity and cunning to build a beautiful SharePoint site, and then roll it out to their organization, how does the rest of the company know what to do with this thing called SharePoint?
You see, SharePoint is a collaboration tool, and a darn good one. If you ask you average office staffer if they have experience with a word processor, they'll say "yes, Microsoft Word". If you ask them about spreadsheets, they'll say "Excel". But if you ask them if they have used a collaboration tool, many will give you a blank stare, even if their organization is using SharePoint. Why? Because "collaboration tools", at least by that name, are relatively new in our collective unconscious. I remember 20 years ago having experience with a "word processor" was a hot job skill to have. And I would bet my boots that 5 years from now, people with SharePoint skills will be very hot indeed (actually they already are in demand, so now you know I am not a bettin' man).
So what does the organization do with this new mission critical collaboration tool that has the power to transform the way they work, how people communicate, how institutional knowledge is captured, where and when people have access to current information? Well, until now, the practice has been to train the administrators and let the users figure it out for themselves. Or ask the administrators to coach and support the new users – which is even worse because oftentimes the admins are still learning, too. And if they do have the knowledge, they seldom have the time, patience, or teaching skills required to efficiently and effectively convey the core concepts required to get people up and running and feeling good about this scary new tool.
What's more, because SharePoint is a collaboration tool or a groupware application, by definition many people are sharing it, and as we all know, it's garbage-in-garbage-out: if people aren't in agreement on who, how, and why the software is used, then the usefulness of SharePoint is greatly reduced. What could really set the people free, instead becomes another place that they have to look for stuff.
And when people resist a new technology (our natural human tendency, let me assure you) then they are less likely to use it. And when some people don't use the new SharePoint installation it is less useful to everyone. In fact the investment the organization has made in this great new tool could be all gone to waste as the SharePoint users dwindle to a few pockets of die-hards or specialty users. According to Wikipedia:
"One of the biggest hurdles in implementing groupware applications within an organization is to achieve a high level of adoption from its members. Without clear commitment from top management any groupware implementation risks to fail. ... Training is required to make people comfortable using it, otherwise they may not use it."
So this has been bothering me. My clients can't afford the SharePoint Administrator course for all their staff, nor does everyone need it. However, everyone does need some sort of training, preferably in peer groups and at a low cost.
So this Christmas, I sketched out a SharePoint End User course. This is designed to be delivered face to face or online (our eClass – no travel required, which is ideal for SharePoint, which also requires no travel!). It is also affordable, time effective, non-technical, and designed to be taken by peer groups at once.
 I'm hoping this course will fill a niche that helps "everyone else" use SharePoint effectively and therefore exponentially increase the collaboration in our clients' organizations, and how well they function overall.
This "hot new course" is now posted on our website and is ready to go. Please comment here or email me (gerry@sectorlearning.com) with your thoughts, interest, or feedback.
Power to the PEOPLE!
Gerry Brimacombe
11/9/2009
It takes courage to let go of the familiar and embrace the new. Sector Learning Solutions has been working hard to preserve order amid the flurry of changes we've implemented this year.
We started in September with our office: knocking down cubical walls, repainting, and rearranging desks to provide you with an open, airy welcoming space for breaks.
Now we have launched a freshly redesigned website (with the help of IdeaZone.ca and Eruptik).
Please explore the new layout and tell us what you think - blog comments are always welcome!
What has not changed is Sector's Mission and Values and our focus on providing the best learning experience for our clients.
If you are having any difficulty with our new site, including registration or finding information, please call 250-727-2266 and we will assist you.
Welcome to the new frontier!
Gerry
10/1/2009I have been doing a lot of training with the web-conferencing tool Microsoft Live Meeting, both teaching people how to use the tool, as well as using the tool to teach. One question that comes up repeatedly is "how do you make sure people are paying attention?" I call this "engagement": are people following along with the PowerPoint slides, checking their email, or better yet, hanging off your every word? Since participants (also known as attendees, learners or your audience) are sitting at their own workstations and you can't (usually) see them, many of the common face-to-face engagement techniques aren't available to you.
As my friend Jeffrey used to ask "so what?" Why do I care about people paying attention or not? Well, first of all, most of my clients have paid for learning and therefore it behoves me to make sure they are getting their money's worth. If I have "lost them" they are not learning. That aside, let's face it: people just want to have fun! (kudos Cyndi  Lauper) If I can make the material interesting and exciting, then it becomes fun and engaging for me as well as the people in the room or online. Finally "why bother?" If we're not having fun and learning together, then why teach or attend the session? Let's not waste anyone's time!
So, how do I keep people engaged? Let me use bullets so it's easier for me to write, and you to follow:
- Be engaged yourself. Be excited about what you are discussing, before and during your presentation. Everyone picks up on the energy in the room.
- Use vocal variation. Speak loudly and softly. Make funny voices. Sing if you feel like it. Laugh whenever and wherever you can!
- Include visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic learning. I do a lot of technical training, which tends to involve colourful graphics and frequent movement of the mouse cursor. This appeals to the visual learners, but it is important to let participants speak and consciously ask for feedback to engage the auditory learners. I also like to introduce little rhymes or memes for the auditory folks. (In the SharePoint class, I tell them "there's no place like home".) For kinaesthetic learners, have them stand up and turn around to ask a question of the person behind them, do high-fives, or just use flipcharts to incorporate more body movement into the lesson. I also use a wooden pointer stick to add more interaction – I swing it around, tap the screen or board, and threaten to hit people with it (as a joke for course!).
- Here's a simple one: when someone asks a question, rather than walking closer to them, walk to the other side of the (front of) the room. This way, more of the room is between you and the asker, and you are more likely to draw others into the discussion, rather than excluding them.
- Ask Questions! One well known training-trainer, Blair Singer, asks about two questions a minute. Even if you don't pause for an answer, you have still engaged a different part of the brain, and people are more engaged.
- Respond to questions, respectfully. Be grateful for the question, it shows that the asker is curious about what you are talking about. Allow them to ask it fully (without letting them ramble) to ensure you understand the question. Then, ask the class if they have an answer to the question! This may seem like a dodge, but it is very empowering to the class that you can facilitate and not just be a "talking head." If the question is off-topic, make a note of it on a flipchart (or OneNote) and come back to it at a more appropriate time.
- Stay Humble. Avoid the temptation to be power-tripping in the class. You are not there to show off your knowledge but to make sure that everyone benefits from the experience as much as they are able.
- Tell stories. People relate to people. And just trying to cram in a bunch of content without showing your human side is, in my experience, a mistake. I usually slide a few personal stories in, preferably humorous, in an unplanned and spontaneous way. A little chit-chat goes a long way (for most people) to make the class more interesting and engaging.
- Be human. I tell people up front that I don't have all the answers and I always learn something new in class. And it's true! This sets the example that "hey, there's nothing wrong with learning, all the time!" And if you make a mistake, don't try to con them, come clean right away and laugh about it!
And here are some specific items for engagement in on-line meetings:
- Slow down. If you are demonstrating computer skills or doing any kind of screen sharing you need to take the time to allow people to keep up. Be explicit and go slow, and then you will be less likely to lose them. Because once lost, it is much harder to get them back on
 track!
- Keep them busy. Every 5 or 10 (max) minutes, give people something to do. Click on a button, answer a question, respond to a poll, or take over the screen. It doesn't matter much, as long as they are "doing something", not just sitting there listening (or not!)
- Be explicit. As your voice walks through the PowerPoint, use on-screen annotations to highlight the bullets as you discuss them. Use your mouse to point to things. Talk about everything you are doing. Unexplained silence is the second quickest way to lose an online group. (For the first quickest, see "slow down" above.) And once lost, they are hard to get back again: some people are quickly alienated.
- Test and support the technology. It's important that you know all the common things that can go wrong with the meeting software, audio and video systems. Practice techniques to explain and resolve issues remotely. You can't walk over and look over anyone's shoulder, so a technical problem can become a downward spiral very quickly.
- Check-in frequently. This might overlap with "keep them busy" above, but worth emphasizing. This is where silence can and should be used. Ask them if they have any questions or comments and make sure you allow enough time for people to unmute their phone, compose themselves and start asking. If you're too fast you might cut them off before they start! Remember, when people are lost or confused they often go silent so you may need to draw them out.
- Use two presenters. This is both to handle all that technical support stuff, as well as to give a variation in voices which makes it easier for attendees to pay attention.
I have outlined my thoughts here, and some recommendations, but I know that you have ideas and expertise, many of you far greater than mine, so please comment so we can learn together!
twitter.com/gbrim
facebook.com/gerry.brimacombe
www.thedynamicsector.com/GBlog
www.linkedin.com/in/sectorlearning
Gerry Brimacombe
9/11/2009 Wow! Did anyone else notice how fast the world is changing? Advances in technology are the primary driver for the rapid circulation of information around the globe. And the quicker information spreads, the more rapidly ideas, innovations, household hints, and medical breakthroughs can turn into common knowledge. I look at how my kids do their homework and am shocked and excited at how much they use the Internet for research and communication. Like it or not, the World Wide Web and all the tools attached to it, are here to stay and are rocking your world.
As a business owner and learning specialist, Social Media is one area I have been slowly exploring (see my blog post from June 2009) and now more rapidly learning (you may now be one of my Facebook friends). It's like back in the 1990's, when everyone needed a website as entry stakes into the world of business. Well now a similar thing is happening with Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Blogs, YouTube, etc. And like the explosion of "on-line presence" back in the day, all these Social Media tools run the risk of taking over our lives with checking, updating, friending, and learning. Though they are all free to use, the cost comes in your time.
But make no mistake. Social Media is here to stay, and this is where the people are!
- Social networks and blogs are the 4th most popular online activities online, including beating personal email!
- 10% of all time spent on the internet is on social media sites.
- LinkedIn boast "40 million experienced professionals" and is considered by many as the best resource for finding employees, contractors, and contracts.
- Twitter, at last count, has close to 50,000,000 users and that number is doubling every 90 days.
- Since April this year, Twitter has been receiving around 20 million unique visitors to the site each month, according to some analytical sources.
- In April 2009, Facebook reached 200,000,000 users: if Facebook were a country, it would be the world's fifth-largest. Since then Facebook is adding more than 350,000 people per day, most of them 50 years old or better.
- Universal McCann reports that 77% of all active internet users regularly read blogs.
- YouTube is likely to serve over 75 billion video streams to around 375 million unique visitors during this year.
- There are more video views every day on YouTube than ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX combined.
Around 64% of marketers are using social media for 5 hours or more each week during campaigns, with 39% using it for 10 or more hours per week.
(This list is of course gleaned from the Internet, much of it from http://econsultancy.com/blog/4402-20+-more-mind-blowing-social-media-statistics)
Pretty amazing stuff, eh! For me, these stats (and others) instill fear and excitement. Fear because I am wondering if I am falling behind my competitors in using these tools to communicate and promote my business, and excitement because of the amazing leverage and reach these tools give me.
 Enter IdeaZone.ca, a Victoria company led by Paul Holmes and Catherine Novak. (Notice the links lead to a website, a YouTube Video, and a Blog – no need for me to describe Paul and Catherine here, I just refer to their posts, all relevant to Social Media – I love it!)
Paul and Catherine were founding members of Victoria's Social Media Club, and have been groundbreakers in the areas of marketing using social media. Sector has connected (of course online and face-to-face) with IdeaZone.ca in several ways and we are really excited about this partnership. The first product of this relationship (other than the many laughs and positive support we have given each other) is a new Sector website, coming soon. The second, is a course on Social Media we are launching in October.
Catherine will be teaching the course, and I will be co-facilitating (and learning all I can). I am very excited about the course since it is a blended learning program (face-to-face and on-line, to maximize learning), is very practical (uses Social Media tools to teach social media), and has a strong, "application of the applications" focus where we will help the learners to develop a Marketing Strategy during the class. Learners will come out of the gate at full speed, already geared up and with a strategic plan to apply the learning and the tools in a way that is most effective and doesn't consume all of their time.
We have even got some interest from the traditional press, so that underlines my belief that this is an important, timely topic that fits right in with Sector's purpose of "building human capability to create positive change in organizations, and the world." And I, for one, would rather learn from experts so I can get going quickly to use these tools correctly and strategically, and learn how to keep my time on the tools manageable.
I'll see you on line:
twitter.com/gbrim
facebook.com/gerry.brimacombe
www.thedynamicsector.com/GBlog
www.linkedin.com/in/sectorlearning
Gerry Brimacombe
8/7/2009
The Unsung Hero
“Unsung Heroes” are ordinary people who have done extraordinary things and whose contributions within “social profit organizations,” (otherwise known as non-profits) deserve to be better known,
more fully appreciated and publicly applauded – because they will inspire the rest of us.
The Unsung Hero Award
This annual award acknowledges and celebrates the work of one of many deserving citizens
within BC’s Capital Region whose impact in the community over time reflects the common values
and principles of the sponsoring organizations - the First Unitarian Church of Victoria and the Community Council - which are listed on the next page.
The Celebration
The Unsung Hero Award will be presented at a celebration dinner in March 2010 to a person within BC’s Capital Region whose unusual service over time within a social profit setting reflects these values. Funds raised through the sale of 100 tickets at $50 each are given to the social profit organization designated by the Unsung Hero.
The Selection Process
Anyone living in BC’s Capital Region may be nominated for this award but no one can propose themselves. Each nominee will have a record of active involvement within a social profit organization; that organization will provide evidence in support of the nominee. Each nominee needs at least three letters of support (including one from the designated organization) detailing the achievements that supporters believe qualifies the nominee for the award.
A selection panel will choose the award recipient through a review process based on the shared values.
When the 2010 Unsung Hero is selected, representatives from his/her designated organization will join the celebration Planning Committee (see page 2).
Principles and Values
The First Unitarian Church and Community Council are partners in the annual presentation and celebration of this award because of their common values. These values are demonstrated by
Unsung Heroes.
Unitarian
· The inherent worth and dignity of every person
· Justice, equity and compassion in human relations
· Acceptance of one another
· A free and responsible search for truth and meaning
· The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process
· The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all
· Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part
Community Council
· Cooperation - working with others to build community capacity
· Understanding - addressing underlying problems and opportunities
· Participation - seeking input and involvement from the variety of voices in our community
· Inclusion - including those who experience the issues, such as living in poverty, first hand
· Sharing - sharing power, information, resources and leadership
· Action - developing practical, effective solutions
The Nominations Package includes:
1. From the nominator:
- a one-page statement by the nominator describing how the nominee is an “Unsung Hero” (as described above)
- nominator contact information (contact person, phone, email, mailing address)
- three letters of support from local agencies, institutions or businesses indicating how the nominee meets the criteria of an “Unsung Hero”. One of these letters can be from the designated agency
2. From the nominee:
- A signed statement acknowledging the nomination and naming the designated agency
3. From the designated agency:
- A letter stating willingness to participate in the Planning Committee if their nominee is chosen for the “Unsung Heroes” award. The degree and manner of participation will be negotiated with the Planning Committee which is composed of representatives from the Community Council, the Unitarian Church and previous Unsung Heroes.
Please submit nominations packages by September 30th, 2009 to:
Unsung Heroes Planning Committee
c/o Community Council
2 - 3948 Quadra St, Victoria BC, V8X 1J6
or email to info@communitycouncil.ca 7/22/2009
Generally summer is slow in the training business. This summer moreso than usual. But boy-o-boy do we have some fun stuff going on!
- We continue to ramp up our Web 2.0 knowledge.
- We are doing an LMA project, teaching entrepreneurial skills to unemployed and underemployed people.
- The eClass format just keeps getting better
- Some interesting opportunities to partner with companies to support their software sales and installations via great training programs.
- Special offers for multiple registrations
- The BlueGold program that will save organization at least 45% on a year's learning.
- And a whole lot more!
It seems to me that the fruit is ripening. 7/15/2009
We're having great success with our eClasses and FAQlive sessions, both of which use Office Live Meeting as the delivery mechanism.
eClasses
- Free 30-minute class providing an overview of (currently) Live Meeting, Office 2007, or SharePoint
- Allows people to have a better idea of what they can do with these tools, prior to taking a whole day of training
- we offer paid eClasses as well, but these are slow to uptake
FAQ Live
- Free 45-minute "refresher sessions" for people who have taken Sector in-class training or eLearning.
- Offered to Sector Alumni only
- Offered on a monthly basis
- Reinforces learning
6/21/2009
As the owner of a small business, everywhere I turn I am told to "get on the bandwagon" with Web 2.0 for marketing and sales and reaching more customers. I am told that it is "imperative" that I blog, tweet, facebook, and get LinkedIn.
And I am always one to take well-meant advice, as much as I am able and it makes sense.
So I am doing all of these things. This Blog being one example. But I am doing to learn and to experiment. And as busy days roll into busier weeks it's easy to miss a post or forget to check a feed or postpone a tweet. and what we put into things is what we get out.
So should I be posting the same "status" on Facebook and Twitter? Is anyone reading this (rather sporadic) little blog? How much energy should be put into the different tools, and what are the specific methods I should use to maximize my return on (time) investmentt?
Your comments are welcome. In the meantime, please have patience with me in the infancy of my Web2.0 experimentation and journey.
Gerry Brimacombe
6/11/2009
I love technology, when it makes life easier for me or my loved ones (of course that includes clients). And in these economic times it seems to me that technology will play a vital role in helping us do more with less: to still get the job done even when we are short staffed. |
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