Is Training Primary or Secondary?

I had an interesting discussion with a colleague a couple of days. We were discussing why training budgets are always the first to get slashed by companies in a downturn. Has learning ever been secondary for any of us? If the answer is No, then why should training be secondary?

It is surprising to see the number of companies who have cut down on their training budgets. Even more surprising, you would assume that companies would focus more on achieving good quality training on their limited budgets. What we have seen is just the reverse. Companies are opting to do a few mandatory days of training in a year through some outsourced trainers. Obviously if that’s the way training is delivered, then training does not achieve any results. Which then leads the company to conclude that ‘training does not work’. A vicious circle!

We have been asking our clients to experiment with alternative methods that provide innovative learning platforms for employees. It is a great time to experiment with social media for corporate training, use blended and self-paced training material and other innovative, inexpensive techniques to train employees. For example, for one of our clients, just putting up some posters at different locations helped drive learning. For another client, we defined a set of simple activities for the sales staff to implement on the job. This ensured high retention and application of concepts. The key is to ‘Be brave to try something different and innovative to achieve more out of our limited training budgets’.

Beating Recession (For Individuals)

Since we are officially in the greatest depression since the 1930s, I think this is an apt post. So what can you do if you have recently been laid off?
1. Relook at your career goals
a. Are you certain you are in the right industry? You may have been a banker all your life, but if you think your chances of landing a job in this area are limited, be open to new possibilities.
b. Do you possess the required skills to excel in your job? Enrol for an evening class, online classes and brush up on your skills.
c. Be realistic: If you have been a manager, a job may require you to start as an executive again. Times are tough and it’s not easy to get a new job, so go ahead and take it up and give it your best.
d. Network: Try to meet people from the same industry. Offer to work on projects for free, publish articles, give free seminars, establish good equity that will help you in future.

2. Cultivate a hobby
a. Have a hobby that will help ward off depression and keep you occupied. And please, watching TV does not qualify as a hobby.
b. Do gardening, take up a sport, learn to play an instrument, anything as long as it gets you out and keeps you moving.

3. Keep some money coming in
a. It can be very disheartening when you have been used to a paycheck from so long.
b. Take up a job, could be at a restaurant, library, bank, even the beach or a park if that interests you and keep some money coming in. You get to meet a lot of interesting people and life will be exciting too.
c. It will help appreciate people who live on much lesser than what you have been earning all along and will help put life into perspective.

4. Volunteer
a. Millions of hands are reaching out for help each day, so volunteer your time and energy.
b. You can volunteer to teach, support, guide, mentor, the possibilities are endless. So find out the available volunteering opportunities in your area and get started.

5. Attitude
a. In the end, just remember that life is short. Maximize every day and live it to the fullest. Capture different life experiences.
b. Do every task to the best of your abilities. Share your knowledge and skills at every given opportunity.
c. Remember, no one can make you happy, finally happiness is in your own hands, so go ahead and make the best of today and now.

Attention Trainers and HR Managers: Web 2.0 is here!

Firstly a very happy new year to all of you.

Let me share an exciting development at Kern. We are organizing a workshop on how to use Web 2.0 tools (such as wikis, blogs, podcasts, and virtual world) for learning and training purposes. This workshop is designed for HR Managers and training heads who implement training in their organization.

Overview of the workshop

• Understand Web 2.0 – the changing face of the Internet.
• Discuss training using sharing, collaboration, co-creation, user generated content, social networking
• Explore the use of tools such as wikis, blogs, virtual worlds, podcasts, videocasts, social networking to design effective training
• Discuss case studies where trainers have effectively used these tools for training purposes
• Experience learning and training in the Virtual World

To register for the workshop and know more details, you can contact Vaishnavi Shankar email: vaishnavi@kern-comm.com and office phone: 040-40171313.

Innovation at Kern

If you were to ask what is the single driving force that pushes all Kernites to excel, its innovation. We have always prided our ability to take decisions that distinguishes us from the others and allows us to deliver exemplary value to our customers. We have never believed in doing something just because 'everybody does it'. If we do something, it's because we believe in it.

For instance, a few years back when we started Kern, everybody designed websites. However, we never felt the need to design websites just because everybody did so. Similarly, when we started our learning solutions division, people thought that eLearning was only about technology. eLearning companies had only technical teams with zero instructional designers on board. We turned it around and said: "eLearning is for learners. Every decision in creating a course is determined by a thorough study of learners. We believe we can design an effective course only when we understand our learners—their needs, wants and motivations. Our learning strategies drive the tools and technology used to create eLearning and not the other way round. While technology is important, technology sans instructional design is like constructing a building without an architect."

And it is precisely this relentless focus on innovation that has helped Kern carve out a niche in the midst of multiple usability and elearning companies in India.

• Kern won a Brandon Hall award in just its fourth year of operation.
• Kern follows a rigorous, patented course development process using LCM with learners at the centre of our development methodology.
• Kern is the only company to guarantee the effectiveness of our solutions.
• Kern does not propogate eLearning or technology-driven solutions, Kern focuses on simple, sustainable solutions that add value to our client. Kern has the capability to deliver all types of training ranging from classroom to eLearning to 'on the job' learning.
• Kern's team is acknowledged as the best in the industry and Kern's team of experts have extensive knowledge of computing, usability, design, programming, and learning technologies.

For us at Kern, the motto is simple. "Do work that we believe in and help our clients maximize their ROI."

Kern Wins the 2008 Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning Awards

Last month, Kern won the prestigious Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning Awards. We won this award for a program that we had created for Godrej Lifespace and it won in the category of 'Best Use of Blended Learning'. Kern is one of the few Indian companies to win this prestigious award and it was a proud moment for me to get the opportunity to be there in person to receive this award. This award is dedicated to Geeta & Archie, the program masterminds.

To know more about this award, click the following link:
http://elearning.kern-comm.com/?p=314

Mantras to Enrich Life (Contd...)

We all want the magic mantra - Happiness. All I want is to be happy......

3 simple things:
1. Live in the present: One of the most important changes in my life has come from living in the present & this includes multiple things: Don't put away things you want to do for the future, do them now. Concentrate on whatever you are doing. Don't think about whatever other people will think and don't assume things. Just enjoy each moment as it comes.
2. Gratitude: Be thankful for all that you have. Connect or do things for people who don't have all that you do, develop compassion. Avoid comparisons with others at all costs.
3. Is it Important? If something is bothering you, ask yourself if it will matter a few days from now and if not, stop bothering.

Products Versus Services

A dilemma that many IT services companies may be familiar with, your services are doing extremely well in the industry. You keep getting repeat business and everything is fine. Should you diversify into products? For the uninitiated, a diversification into products involves high initial investments and hence high risks as well as returns.

So why do companies venture into products? They do so because once a product is established in the market, it generates consistent revenues and returns far beyond what services can generate (services generate returns of 10-20% on an average). So if you are a startup, it is great to begin with a services model and grow your team . Once you are well established on revenues and cash flows, begin working on products. This helps grow both the divisions without losing focus.

Schooling Versus Home Education

On Sunday, while reading the paper, I chanced upon some parents who had decided not to admit their children to school - they preferred educating their children at home. Schools are too disciplined, they create too much pressure on the children, we can teach them a lot more at home etc.

I don't dispute the fact that these parents may be able to do a much better job on teaching their children than the teachers. So much attention focused on one student! But does that give parents the right to deny children the access to a social support support? A school is the best place for a child to learn the ways of the world and teaches the child to interact in a social setting. Independence, friendships, first crushes, fights, outings, discipline and what not, don't deny these to your children!

Networking - How it Helps
(To the best networker I know - Ripul)
It is really hard to begin networking if you have never done it earlier. You may wonder, why should I bother talking to a stranger? Why should I spend time and energy getting to know these people, they are not my friends or family or even my work colleagues! However once you begin networking, you realize that networking is rewarding personally as well as professionally.

1. Professionally: We prefer working with people who we like. Clients usually prefer working with the same teams if they enjoyed working with them earlier. And also leads to more repeat and new business. And its easy to build better contacts with your clients. Drop them an email on some interesting news from their industry, a phone call to update them about some developments or check if they have any suggestions etc. And this works both ways, both parties develop a mutual relationship of trust and co-operation.

2. Personally: Networking is the best teacher. Most of us hang around with people in the same age group, talk to people with similar backgrounds and have friends who are just like us. However, restricting our circle of friends produces dullness and boredom and can lead us to a rut. For a change, try talking to people from other industries, talking to people in your neighbourhood, to a person on the street, email people across geographies and share your thoughts and views.
Lets talk!