Risk Management: warning, this area protected by guard dog 3 days/week – you guess which days
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Training & development
I’m writing from Cairo, where I’ve been training UNHABITAT youth fund recipients in the UN’s Locally Elected Leadership Series. The group is also receiving training in project management, which included a segment on risk management.
My friend & colleague Shelby Edwards dialed in from Seattle via Skype & shared her extensive risk management expertise. It got me thinking about risk when it comes to training & development.
- to learn something is to risk appearing vulnerable, to say “I don’t get it!”
- to teach something is to risk appearing stupid in front of a group of participants, to say “I don’t know!”
- to learn something is to take a risk, to acknowledge there’s a better way, there’s room for change & growth
- to teach something is to take a risk, to try a new teaching technique, not doing the same ‘ol, same ‘ol (without yet knowing if the new technique works)
- to learn something is to jump in, even though there might be a nasty guard dog (aka learning content that is irrelevant or teaching methods that are silly or embarrassing)
- to teach something is to jump in, even though there might be a nasty guard dog (aka the odd participant that is rude or aggressive)
Tags: risk management, shelby edwards
Laugh, learn & lead via God fearing, saved Christian driver
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Humor & comedy, Training & development
Do you need a God fearing saved Christian driver?
Sitting in infernal Nairobi traffic the other day (or a ‘jam’ as the locals call it), I saw this sign posted on a building.
Do you need a God fearing saved Christian driver?
Cultural context: Nairobi traffic being what it is, many (privileged) folks have drivers.
If you were looking for a driver what qualities would you look for?
It got me thinking about training & development. What do we, as trainers, try to provide for our participants? And is it what they’re looking for?
My goal, no matter what subject matter I’m teaching, is to have folks laugh, learn & lead –
- laugh – because we know from brain-based learning that when folks are enjoying themselves & are engaged & curious, that it leads to high retention (not to mention, they like you more as trainer!)
- learn – well, it’s obvious, that’s we we’re ALL about as trainers
- lead – because I want people to be able to DO something different after they leave a workshop of mine, I want to encourage transfer of learning
I may not look for a God fearing, saved driver but I am always on the lookout for opportunities to help people laugh, learn & lead.
Tags: laugh, laugh & learn, transfer of learning
Training & development learning well February blog post round up
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Training & development
Sit up, take notice & look back before looking forward to next month. If you didn’t catch all the posts this month simply usher yourself down to the well & click as you wish.
Learn well in the training & development learning well.
Dive deep into the learning well or take a small sip. Shower yourself in training & development or just get your big toe wet.
Refresh & refreshing.
As you wish.
- The Rock.Paper.Scissors newsletter is out:
- 3rd annual To do, To done, To not do, To stop doing & To’odle compilation
- What’s on your ‘to continue doing’ & ‘to stop doing’ list?
- Complexity made simple – that’s what a good assessment does
- Putting the social in social media: testing a drum some 14,000 km away
- Sorry you are leaving (the asylum) & other tidbits of wisdom
- Time out – a cause for paws to pause – cats playing patty cake
- Penguins playing rock paper scissors = lessons about breaking out
- Suck or blow? Power surges & power vacuums
- Global perspective – what sound does your heart beat?
- The Rock.Paper.Scissors newsletter is out: funny resources related to interview with Emmanuel Jal, international hip hop star
Tags: assessment, complexity, emmanuel jal, life lenses, newsletter, perspective, power, social media, to do
A peek inside UNHABITAT training for Urban Youth Fund Grantees in Cairo
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Diversity & culture, Training & development
Hello from Cairo! I’ve just finished day 2 of 6 days of training for the UN. I’m revamping the UN LEL series curriculum for a youth audience & the training participants, from around the world, are participating in a gap & asset assessment to examine how youth can better engage with local leaders. I’m also training them in snippets of the manual to see how it resonates with a youth audience.
Two participants agreed to write a guest post about their experience so far. Here are their reflections in their words…
From Hemant Pathak of Nepal (that’s him on the left above):
I feel intrigued to sit between participants from Africa, Asia and Melansia in the project management training programme, FINALLY! Anticipated with much enthusiasm casted with partial shadow of nimbus cloud in our minds about the security situation and the recent incident in the city had doubts participating, but HERE WE ARE; in the capital city of “OM EL DONIA”, Cairo. Diverse youth participants outshine the beauty of the training feeling pity for the trainers to gather together the social, cultural and language background to make them understand, a humungous task and effort, how the hell are you doing it??? HATS OFF!!
I feel really enthralled to be part of the content; can be AN ORDEAL, really? Why not when is it the first time? Bewildered when the jet took off directly to risk management, itching my head scalp initially, but got re-connected with the topic, all THANKS to the special guest [Shelby Edwards, who skyped in] all the way from U.S.A who provided valuable feedback to our apprehensive questions.
While putting a piece of toast and cheese with apple juice and baked beans for breakfast, I could see friends with crouch faces and rather wearisome about something, hmmm… cannot be a jet lag; was second day; scooted off with understanding stakeholders relationship and negotiating with them, the importance of it.
Now whenever I have problems, or I have to negotiate, the guide is really handy (don’t wanna be the fence sitters- can trouble others) [fence sitters are a type of negotiator with low trust & undetermined levels of agreement] but not possible without the communication ladder for the final action [the communication ladder refers to the 6 steps we quickly make when communicating, resting actions upon assumptions & possibly mistaken beliefs].
Talking about communication, I was just thinking, I have chatted with every friends about their country as I am much aware of the situation and history not with friends from Liberia, Kyrgyzstan, Ghana, Armenia with very limited knowledge only their geographic presence and of course Pakistan and Gambia friends who will be with us from tomorrow, fervent to meet them. HOLD ON!
How can I forget the video interview [participants are being interviewed for a UNHABITAT video], super excited to be filmed, WANNA GO GLOBAL…..
Guest post from Tilksew Andargie Kelemu, from Ethiopia (he’s on the right above):
A very diverse group of 23 youth project grantees of the UNHABITAT Urban youth fund 2011 are gathered in Cairo for 6 days of training. The trainees, from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, are learning about project management and engaging with locally elected leaders.
Two days into the training, important lessons & experiences have been gained on the areas of project risk management, logical framework analysis (evaluation), stakeholder analysis tools, gaps and assets regarding engagement with locally elected leaders and communication skills training.
High profile risk management expert Shelby Edwards spoke about managing risk. Through the magic Skype, speaking from Seattle, Shelby answered participants’ questions.
Participants have been sharing experiences between themselves during & after training sessions. The young project grantees have so far been participating actively with the vibrant group of trainers constituted by Melanda Schmid, Lee-Anne Ragan, Jon Andreas Solberg & Hanna Hasselqvist.
Tags: cairo, communication, united nations
The Rock.Paper.Scissors newsletter is out: what’s on your ‘not to do’ & ‘to done’ list?
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Business & organizational development
Creative Commons licensed on Flickr by: sara_kate
This month’s Rock.Paper.Scissors e-newsletter focuses on some fabulous folks’ to-do lists & includes your very own printable to do list template. (Not on the monthly e-newsletter mailing list? Sign up for free here.) This post is the 3rd in a series (the first one focused on to-do lists, the 2nd one focused on to-continue doing & to-stop doing).
Not familiar with the series? Chances are if I ask you what’s on your to-do list you’d grumble a bit & reach into your gray matter (or your smart phone or your drawer) & pull out a list. Perhaps a loooooong list, perhaps a list of shoulds mixed with overwhelm, with a little guilt thrown in for good measure. Not very inspiring.
That’s why, 3 years ago, I started a more creative to-do tool, one meant to inspire & lift you up. It’s made up of:
- To Do * things I want to start doing, being or having
- To continue doing * these work, so I should continue doing these
- To stop doing * I tried these but they aren’t effective, so I shouldn’t do them anymore
- To not do * I know I want to stay away from these
- To done * that’s not a typo; these are my accomplishments – I am proud of these. This one is left off most lists I know of & yet it’s critical to take time to reflect on what we’ve done not just on what’s left to do.
- To-oodle * what I do when I need/want to avoid following my lists & let my mind wander
Last year I shared how some interesting, intriguing folk had filled it in & this year the tradition continues. So grab some inspiration from these folks who have dialed in from the around the world to give you a peek into their aspirations. This post continues the tradition with their to not do & to-done lists. When you’re done reading, grab your own printable to do list template (provided below) & fill it in yourself. And stay tuned for the next post on to to’odle.
Here’s what folks had to say about To-not do (I know I want to stay away from these) & To Done (that’s not a typo; these are my accomplishments – I am proud of these. This one is left off most lists I know of & yet it’s critical to take time to reflect on what we’ve done not just on what’s left to do.) …
- Danielle LaPorte
The fabulous & increasingly famous Danielle LaPorte says “I should not bake. Ever. I’m serious. Also, I’m not the guy you want to proof reed your final copie.” (Don’t you just love the clarity that rings out loud & clear!). Her to-done list includes having “just launched my newly renovated site! www.DanielleLaPorte.com.”
Jen Louden
Lovely Jen Louden, creator of Savour & Serve, says she wants to stay away from “shagging down too much sugar or drinking more than one shot of tequila.” Her to-done list includes having “created an incredible course, TeachNow, that has rocked hundreds of people’s worlds & will rock 100000000 more. I parented my girl toward launch date & into her top choice school.”
Bill Ursel
Bill Ursel says he doesn’t want to “dwell on mistakes as the evil stepchild of unrealized hopes- let go fool! Or set up silos of information that I covet & refuse to share.” And his to-done list? “I’ve established a rapport with a whack of people wanting healthy kids & families.”
Terry McBride
- Terry McBride, CEO of Nettwerk Music Group, who’s called Avril Lavigne & Sarah McLachlan clients, wants to not judge others. Having raised capital for YYoga expansion is one of his to-done’s.
- Julie Szabo & biz partner Darren Barefoot
Julie Szabo, my adored social media mentor, wants to “not say yes to projects that don’t inspire me.” A big, fat check mark on her to-done list is having moved to France, to learn French while maintaining close relationships with friends, family & colleagues from abroad.
- Navjit Kandola
Navjit Kandola, one of the sweetest, incisive souls around with a personal triumph story that will make your toes curl & your heart leap, wants to “not forget I am part of the equation, the matrix, the giggle, the solution.” Speaking of toe curling, being alive is top o’ her to-done list – “I was brought back to life from a close encounter with death. Every day is a “to done”.
- Vinod Boolell
Vinod Boolell, my pal & judge at the UN & former judge in Kosovo, wants to “not meet for meeting’s sake or meet with negative people, people who want to meet you & you get nothing out of the meeting.” To-done’s includes being proud of having broken new ground in a number of human rights issues in Mauritius & internationally. In Kosovo he helped establish & reshape the judiciary. He’s been a judge on the International Panel to deal with atrocities & now he’s Chief Justice of the International Judiciary. He’s very proud & satisfied with having gone into law (his Dad wanted him to go into medicine).
- Jamie Lundine
Jamie Lundine, health geographer, action researcher & crisis mapper based in Kenya, wants to “not live in fear,” (a suggestion from her equally great colleague Primoz). Top of her to-done list is having “co-directed a youth & technology focused organization in Kenya. Re-discovered my yoga practice. Made a decision to change.”
- Shish Ngugi
Shish Ngugi, with the UN health agency in Somalia, wants to “not keep the company of unreal individuals. I suggest they try next door.” Her to-done list includes having “filmed young leaders from different parts of the world, as they voice their contribution towards a better global village.”
Oz Sokoh
Oz Sokoh, exploration geoscientist for Shell by day & blogger by night , exploration geoscientist for Shell by day & blogger by night, has written 3 pages of longhand every morning for 10 weeks as part of ‘The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron’.
Inspired? Click here for your own printable to do – the Rock.Paper.Scissors’ To-Do template.
Tags: Bill Ursel, danielle laporte, jamie lundine, jen louden, julie szabo, navjit kandola, oz sokoh, shish ngugi, terry mcbride, vinod boolell
Good intentions mean naught to a Go Life Lens™
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Business & organizational development
“Remember, people will judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold – but so does a hard boiled egg.” Anonymous
This perfectly sizes up the strengths of a Go Life Lens™ – action’s where it’s at.
Pay attention Stop Life Lens™ for this can be your downfall on a bad day a.k.a. analysis paralysis.
~~TGIF- each Friday I rejig & re-post a blog entry from my www.life-lenses.com blog, which is about enhancing our perspective & worldview.~~
Tags: go lens, intentions, stop lens
The Rock.Paper.Scissors newsletter is out: what’s on your ‘to continue doing’ & ‘to stop doing’ list?
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Business & organizational development
Creative Commons licensed on Flickr by: self-portrait girl
This month’s Rock.Paper.Scissors e-newsletter focuses on some fabulous folks’ to-do lists & includes your very own printable to do list template. (Not on the monthly e-newsletter mailing list? Sign up for free here.) This post is the 2nd in a series (the first one focused on their to-do lists).
Not familiar with the series? Chances are if I ask you what’s on your to-do list you’d grumble a bit & reach into your gray matter (or your smart phone or your drawer) & pull out a list. Perhaps a loooooong list, perhaps a list of shoulds mixed with overwhelm, with a little guilt thrown in for good measure. Not very inspiring.
That’s why, 3 years ago, I started a more creative to-do tool, one meant to inspire & lift you up. It’s made up of:
- To Do * things I want to start doing, being or having
- To continue doing * these work, so I should continue doing these
- To stop doing * I tried these but they aren’t effective, so I shouldn’t do them anymore
- To not do * I know I want to stay away from these
- To done * that’s not a typo; these are my accomplishments – I am proud of these. This one is left off most lists I know of & yet it’s critical to take time to reflect on what we’ve done not just on what’s left to do.
- To-oodle * what I do when I need/want to avoid following my lists & let my mind wander
Last year I shared how some interesting, intriguing folk had filled it in & this year the tradition continues. So grab some inspiration from these folks who have dialed in from the around the world to give you a peek into their aspirations. This post continues the tradition with their to-continue doing & to-stop doing lists. When you’re done reading, grab your own printable to do list template (provided below) & fill it in yourself. And stay tuned for the next post on to-not do & to-done.
Here’s what folks had to say about To Continue Doing (these work, so I should continue doing these) & To stop doing (I tried these but they aren’t effective, so I shouldn’t do them anymore) …
Danielle LaPorte
The fabulous & increasingly famous Danielle LaPorte wants to “continue working with excellent people who do what they say they’re going to do — every time.”
Oz Sokoh
Oz Sokoh wants to continue “loving myself. Unconditionally. Thighs included.”
Julie Szabo & biz partner Darren Barefoot
Julie Szabo, my adored social media mentor, wants to continue working with the very best. “They elevate my game & inspire greatness.”
Navjit Kandola
Navjit Kandola, one of the sweetest, incisive souls around with a personal triumph story that will make your toes curl & your heart leap, wants to continue laughing, looking at the sky, dreaming & singing every day.
Vinod Boolell
Vinod Boolell, my pal & judge at the UN & former judge in Kosovo, stemming from a major health scare for both him & his son a few years ago, wants to continue “regular workouts & eating healthy combined rationally with professional activities.”
Jamie Lundine
Jamie Lundine, health geographer, action researcher & crisis mapper based in Kenya, wants to continue “taking time for myself”
Shish Ngugi
Shish Ngugi, with the UN health agency in Somalia, asks “Is there a word limit because my list is endless.”
Inspired? Click here for your own printable to do – the Rock.Paper.Scissors’ To-Do template.
Tags: danielle laporte, jamie lundine, julie szabo, navjit kandola, oz sokoh, printable to do list, shish ngugi, vinod boolell
The Rock.Paper.Scissors newsletter is out: 3rd annual To do, To done, To not do, To stop doing & To’odle compilation
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Business & organizational development
Creative Commons licensed on Flickr by: Courtney Dirks
This month’s Rock.Paper.Scissors e-newsletter focuses on some fabulous folks’ to-do lists & includes your very own printable to do list template. (Not on the monthly e-newsletter mailing list? Sign up for free here.)
Chances are if I ask you what’s on your to-do list you’d grumble a bit & reach into your gray matter (or your smart phone or your drawer) & pull out a list. Perhaps a loooooong list, perhaps a list of shoulds mixed with overwhelm, with a little guilt thrown in for good measure. Not very inspiring.
That’s why, 3 years ago, I started a more creative to-do tool, one meant to inspire & lift you up. It’s made up of:
- To Do * things I want to start doing, being or having
- To continue doing * these work, so I should continue doing these
- To stop doing * I tried these but they aren’t effective, so I shouldn’t do them anymore
- To not do * I know I want to stay away from these
- To done * that’s not a typo; these are my accomplishments – I am proud of these. This one is left off most lists I know of & yet it’s critical to take time to reflect on what we’ve done not just on what’s left to do.
- To-oodle * what I do when I need/want to avoid following my lists & let my mind wander
Last year I shared how some interesting, intriguing folk had filled it in & this year the tradition continues. So grab some inspiration from these folks who have dialed in from the around the world to give you a peek into their aspirations. This post breaks you in easy with their to-do lists. When you’re done reading, grab your own printable to do list template (provided below) & fill it in yourself. And stay tuned for the next post on to continue doing.
Here’s what folks had to say about To Do * things they want to start doing, being or having …
Danielle LaPorte
The fabulous & increasingly famous Danielle LaPorte wants to take a retreat at a convent.
Jen Louden
Lovely Jen Louden, creator of Savour & Serve, wants to “write 1 very true book & create 1 very true learning delight.”
Bill Ursel
Bill Ursel, of the Heart & Stroke Foundation, wants to “be deliberate about seeing the ‘other’ – key to my work & being a responsible citizen of this rock called earth.”
Julie Szabo & her partner Darren Barefoot
Julie Szabo, my adored social media mentor, wants to“start trusting my gut more & believing in the power of speedy decision making.”
Terry McBride
Terry McBride, CEO of Nettwerk Music Group, who’s called Avril Lavigne & Sarah McLachlan clients, wants to take more walks with his daughter
Navjit Kandola
Navjit Kandola, one of the sweetest, incisive souls around with a personal triumph story that will make your toes curl & your heart leap, wants to “blaze some trails on my site TenderLogic.com.” Getting on the stage, on the mic & in the spotlight are also on her list.
Vinol Boolell
Vinod Boolell, my pal & judge at the UN & former judge in Kosovo, wants to catch up on reading, especially biographies & to brush up on his ballroom dancing.
Inspired? Click here for your own copy of the Rock.Paper.Scissors’ To-Do template.
Tags: Bill Ursel, danielle laporte, darren barefoot, jen louden, julie szabo, navjit kandola, printable to do list, terry mcbride, vinod boolell
Complexity made simple – that’s what a good assessment does
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Human resources, Training & development
(Me: in official, officious tone…) Today I’m going to teach you about reverse laminar flow.
(You: in confused, bewildered tone…) Say what?
Complexity made simple. If they’re any good that’s what assessments do. Take complicated, complex human beings and complicated, complex views of the world and make them simple.
Not simplistic. Simple.
Like explaining what the heck reverse laminar flow is (if you’re eager to know, skip to the bottom & watch the clip).
The view from a mountain is easily understood when compared with the view from a carrot. The view from one’s heart is more easily understood when compared with the view from one’s head. And so on.
Like this reverse laminar flow video.
What’s your view? What’s your assessment?
~~TGIF- each Friday I rejig & re-post a blog entry from my www.life-lenses.com blog, which is about enhancing our perspective & worldview.~~
Tags: assessment, complexity
Putting the social in social media: testing a drum some 14,000 km away
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Communication
Creative Commons licensed on Flickr by: WoodyH1
Here’s to space cowboys – those of us using social media in interesting & intriguing ways to transform workplace learning.
Check out this recent example. (Okay, it’s technically not a workplace example but it’s easy peasy to use a similar technique in the workplace.)
The context: my sister-in-law was visiting us in Africa & being a fan of African drumming she was on the hunt to buy a drum.
The dilemma: a friend took her to a place where they were sold but, being relatively new to African drumming, she wasn’t sure if it was up to her teacher’s standards.
The solution: she videoed a guy playing the drum & sent the video to her teacher (see the clip below).
The result: while she didn’t end up buying the drum (something about the lower end sounds), she had a blast with the process & I had a spiffy new example of an easy peasy way to use social media.
Tags: social media