The psychology of email vrs twitter (or pigeons vrs eagles)
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Communication, Human resources
We’re really just trussed up pigeons you and I. Yep, add a few feathers to our daily costumes and you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between you and my fine feathered friends.
Pigeons you see (pun intended) have terrible eyesight. Pigeons bob their heads to and fro, to create movement so they can see better. They know that attention is naturally caught by movement and that’s why they artificially create it by their constantly bobbing heads.
It’s the same with email.
Email is the old guy on the block. It’s been around since the early 90’s which is a century in social media speak. It’s got no movement, no rhythm. We have to force our heads to bob up and down to pay attention to our inbox.
Get yet another email in your inbox? Sigh. Yawn. Yet another thing to do.
Old hat = yawn, boring
Enter twitter. She be one of the new babies on the block. No forcing the head to bob here. Get a DM (direct message) or RT (retweet), now that’s something to pay attention to.
Email makes our heads bob in boredom like a pigeon, a forced paying attention, a grind of the wills.
Twitter makes our head snap sharp like an eagle, eyes glistening, leaning in, toward.
It’s all a matter of perspective. Like your perspective. How does your perspective influence how you see the world?
(Kudos to Julie Szabo, my marvelous social media mentor, for the idea for this post.)
Tags: capulet communications, communication, email, julie szabo, perpsective, psychology, social media, twitter
Training & development cultural lessons from Sioux Lookout
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Diversity & culture, Training & development
Watching out for too-near hippos at night and too-curious monkeys by day, I’ve been fortunate to do my training work all over the globe. From -72 Celsius/-96 Fahrenheit to +44 Celsius/111 Fahrenheit I’ve run the gamut of intriguing work places and spaces.
Recently I found myself in a tiny plane, hop skip and a jumping tiny towns until we landed in Sioux Lookout. I was there to give a two day workshop on being a leader in a multicultural community. As Sioux is a hub for 29 First Nations I asked my client if I could speak to an Elder before the training to check in on what was culturally appropriate.
That led me to the delightful Garnet. I liked his warm, friendly tone right away and the noisy background over the phone when we spoke (his granddaughter was soon off to a sewing lesson and his dog was making itself known). Garnet kindly let me know that having Elders open and close each day would be expected, as would a gift of tobacco from myself.
Off I went in search of tobacco and eventually that’s how I came to be loosing myself in the hypnotic drumming the Elders did for each opening and closing of our days. Experience it yourself – listen to some drumming done by Elders in Sioux Lookout.
I’d always thought (an unexamined assumption) that the singing that goes along with the drumming was in a local language. Not so in this case.
Mervin, the Elder pictured above, taught us that the spirit of the drum is communicating with the drummer’s spirit, that the language is a language the spirits understand. He went on to say that you become a drum keeper through a series of dreams and that drums play certain roles depending on the song e.g. healing, fun, play etc.
Training & development cultural lessons?
- if you’re headed into what for you, is a new culture/cultures, find someone you can talk to ahead of time to find out what some of the cultural practices are
- check out beforehand what’s appropriate – what are the cultural practices around opening and closings for example?
- check out while you’re there what’s appropriate – is it okay to take pictures, to record sound, to record audio? In my case it was okay to take pictures and record audio but not do a visual recording of the drumming.
- keep your head up and your eyes, ears and heart open – you just never know what will happen in a different cultural context. It’s a wonderfully rich setting to challenge yourself as a trainer.
Stay tuned for more upcoming posts on cultural issues to take into account when doing training.
Tags: culture, first nations, sioux lookout
Need a laugh? Check out five funny recruiting resources in this month’s Rock.Paper.Scissors e-newsletter
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Human resources, Humor & comedy
Whether you’re under the magnifying glass being sussed out for a new position or the one holding the magnifying glass, recruitment is a big issue these days. Recruiting is expensive and mistakes more so.- A list of some of the worst (and best) interview questions. e.g. do not ask ‘Do you think you can keep up with these young whipper snappers?’
- Couldn’t possibly exclude Dilbert’s take (26 seconds)
- Regardless whether you’re the interviewer or the interviewee, if only your best friend or your twin can understand you, you’re in trouble.
- Mother of Mertle- beware your quirks when trying to sell yourself. If in doubt as to normalcy get a second opinion.
See the entire Rock.Paper.Scissors Inc. recruiting themed e-newsletter.
Tags: dilbert, hiring, humour, interview questions, recruitment
Got big shoes to fill? Check out three recruiting resources in this month’s Rock.Paper.Scissors e-newsletter
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Human resources
Whether you’re under the magnifying glass being sussed out for a new position or the one holding the magnifying glass, recruitment is a big issue these days. Recruiting is expensive and mistakes more so.
- MindTool’s InBox/In-Tray Assessment – aimed at uncovering ‘how an employee will perform on the job’.
- A list of some of the best (and worst) interview questions. e.g. do ask ‘What can I tell you about what we’re doing here?’ The answer will tell you volumes about their interest, curiosity level, and overall knowledge about your company.
Tags: catherine vanalstine, mintool, odgers berndtson, recruitment
Recruitment tips from one of the largest executive search firms in the world, Odgers Berndtson
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Human resources
Whether you’re under the magnifying glass being sussed out for a new position or the one holding the magnifying glass, recruitment is a big issue these days. Recruiting is expensive and mistakes more so.
Read the rest of the article here: Recruitment tips from one of the largest executive search firms in the world, OdgersBerndtson
Tags: catherine vanalstine, executive search, odgers berndtson, recruitment
A participant’s edit to a workshop activity leads to an innovative new twist
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Creativity & innovation, Training & development
It’s one of those iffy training exercises. Asking a North American audience to use their bodies to form a picture is risky. Eyebrows tend to head north. Question marks (or the equivalent, #$@#$!) dance above participant’s heads.
We North Americans, especially corporate North America tend to divide our brain from the rest of our body. There’s a clear delineation and rarely the two shall mix.
However.
On this particular day, gathered with some 70 folk, towards the end of a training I decided to do it. After getting them into smaller groups of three I said …
- Create a picture, as a group, using your bodies that reflects what your organizational culture looked like in the past.
- Next create a picture, as a group, using your bodies that reflects what your organizational culture looks like now.
- And finally do the same except form a picture of what you’d like it to look like in the future.
To reassure the group I joked that they didn’t have to touch if they didn’t want to. We weren’t going to hug and kiss and sign Kumbaya. I encouraged all members in their small groups to participate. In advance, I told them they’d be showing one other group their pictures.
After a few minutes the raised eyebrows calmed down and the groups got to work creating their sculptures (notice I didn’t use that word, it likely would have been too intimidating).
At my signal each group quietly demoed their pictures to another group – one at a time, without speaking.
Past flowed into present which merged into future.
Then they switched. The presenters then became audience and the partner groups reciprocated.
Then IT happened.
A participant came up to me and with a gleam in her eye said that her group wanted to see everyone‘s pictures and asked if they could all demo.
Ulp inducing gulp #1:
- I hadn’t told the group they’d be demoing in front of the entire group.
- It could be a clear case of being disrespectful by changing the rules mid-way.
- It could have broken down the sense of team that we’d worked hard to build during the workshop.
- Hey, some folk could rightly be yammering, you didn’t say we’d have to do that. I wouldn’t have done my picture like we did if I knew Bob would be watching. OR Oh God, please kill me now- I’d rather die than have Meredith see our pictures.
Ulp inducing gulp #2:
- we were short on time.
- while less of an access and inclusion issue than #1 but lunch was definitely calling.
What to do?
I made a snap decision and told the large group what the request was. I asked them to form a large circle and following my lead as a I slowly pointed around the circle, to form their first picture. I acknowledged that were were improvising and gave them an out – making it clear that they were free to pass if they didn’t want to participate in front of the large group.
After a moment of silence to let it all sink in I quietly started to my left and began swinging my arm around the circle. Slowly sculptures formed and then unformed as my arm swept past. Pictures of the past kept emerging, rippling out of each other.
When I got to the end of the circle I doubled back quietly reminding the group to form their ‘present’ pictures. Again, sculptures unfolded quietly.
Finally a third round brought us sculptures of the future.
It was quiet when we finished.
I closed the workshop and encouraged them to continue dialogue about what they’d seen, to approach their colleagues and ask them about their pictures.
I encouraged them to look for differences that made a difference and similarities that were significant.
It worked. The gulp inducing decision worked.
In fact it was pretty darn cool. I loved the improv element that a participant brought to an old activity, one that I’d learned decades ago while working in the Philippines. It’s called Moving Pictures. Feel free to use it (crediting the source is always appreciated) and let me know how it goes.
Tags: creativity, moving pictures, participant led design, teachnow, workshop desing
Two types of small intentional acts that lead to success (via Leapzone TV)
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Business & organizational development, Change management & wellness
Intentional questions are a great guide to managing change and development.
Here are some I’ve gleaned from Isabelle Mercier of Leapzone who says small, consistent intentional actions lead to massive results.
Isabelle is a pioneer brand builder and performance catalyst. She works with small businesses to amp up their strategy and growth.
Not a small business owner? Not a problem. I’ve taken information from a cross-section of some of her Leapzone TV online shows and applied it below.
Intentional question #1:
What is something small and consistent that, done with intention, will lead you towards building your business, trying out a new training format, applying for a new job or reaching another goal?
Here are some suggestions:
- go to Amazon and google your topic. Order the highest rated book and read away.
- search LinkedIn for someone new to connect with on your topic.
- twist the format on YouLookFab, where readers post pictures of themselves wearing an outfit that they want advice on, for your own purposes. Video yourself making your pitch, teaching a portion of a new workshop etc. and upload it to Youtube. Make it private and share it with folks you trust for feedback.
Intentional question #2:
Evolution is disruptive. Change happens period.
At the same time we can stand in our own way of our success. How have you been your own expansion prevention machine? Here are some suggestions, again, for small intentional acts, that make a big difference:
- Isabelle says It’s easier to do it than dwell on it. If procrastination is holding you back, find an accountability buddy and commit to one action item this week and the day and time you’ll touch base to follow-up.
- Stuck in analysis paralysis? Taking yourself too seriously? I prescribe a giggle or two. Watch the outtakes at the end of each of Isabelle’s very well produced Leapzone TV issues.
So go ahead. Be intentional. Be bold. Your small acts may very well lead to big payoffs.
Tags: amazon, change, change management, feedback, isabelle mercier, leapzone, leapzone tv, linkedin, youlookfab
A guide to learning via splattered bug guts
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Creativity & innovation, Training & development
I don’t like pumping gas. I always get impatient. I’m not really sure why as it doesn’t take all that long to fill up my gas tank but nonetheless it’s a task I don’t like.
That’s why, when filling up on a road trip recently, I was delighted to find a reason to chuckle as I pumped the gas yet again.
The gas station had a poster that taught kids about bugs based on the splattered remains on the car windshield.
What a creative idea.
What a conversation starter.
What an entry into dialogue.
What an invitation to learning.
What a way to make bug guts interesting.
And what a way to relieve the monotony of a long drive.
What’s your equivalent of learning via splattered bug guts?
Tags: creativity, innovation
Destination Aeron for the WhiteHot Truth
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Communication, Training & development
I hold out. I waited seven weeks for my Aeron chair because I wanted grey instead of black. I sat on the floor in my living room for three months because I wanted a couch that was three inches lower than the in-store model. I went four months without any creative-type support because I hadn’t found a winner yet.
The above is from Danielle LaPorte’s Whitehot Truth blog, a post called 20 personal money perspectives & practices that took me most of my adult life to clarify.
What caught me was the eye on the horizon, ain’t going to get distracted, ain’t going to cave, laser focus. Danielle, who I know in person, is like that. She knows where she’s going and you just know she’s going to arrive.
That kind of commitment gathers others near. I had no clue what an Aeron chair was before I read her post but you can bet I clicked on the link. I wouldn’t have if Danielle hadn’t been so clear in her intention.
Destination. That’s the gift of a Destination Life Lens™.
Tags: commitment, danielle laporte, destination lens, whitehot truth
Pulling a rabbit out of your (training & development) hat. Is it magic?
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Training & development
A while back I wrote a post called Learning about learning with tuiles. It was about creating content and delivery methods that are inclusive and welcoming.
Bill Ursel commented on the post – ‘Hail the Tuiles! I am very jealous and recognize the learning that happened . . . magical when it works and student and teacher, and learners together, connect.’
It got me thinking. And thinking some more.
How much of learning and development is magic and how much of it is pure hard work combined with a passionate drive to open doors to learning?
What appears to be magical is in fact the result of years of:
- learning from past workshops
- learning on my feet
- learning from when things went well in a workshop
- learning from when things went sideways
- carefully observing how people learn
- paying attention to what makes people feel included and willing to risk learning
- paying attention to what makes people shut down or be a so-called ‘problem participant’
- learning how the brain works in order to design learning opportunities that are in tune with the brain not against it
- taking chances, shaking things up, trying out new ways of teaching
- watching Rock.Paper.Scissors improvisers at work, learning from their strategic use of humour and applying it to training
- being highly motivated to create the best, most inclusive, interesting, engaging, creative training workshops possible
Is it magic when a participants suddenly makes a connection that opens up a whole new perspective? Is it magic when you’re doing a workshop on conflict and conflict erupts and you carefully, respectfully move the group through it, helping them be aware of what you’re doing and piling up the learning in the meantime? Is it magic when disparate workshop participants engage each other for the first time?
You bet. It’s the ultimate reward as a trainer.
It also looks like magic to the participants. Like pulling a rabbit out of your hat. And. It’s the result of many many years of watching, crafting, experimenting and being brave.
Being brave enough, when you’re in a situation where you know learning could pop but it’s going to take some hard work to get the group there, to take a deep breath, gird your loins and say to your participants did you notice when ….
And then you’re off on another learning adventure. Together. Connected.
Tags: Bill Ursel, bravery, improv, motivation, vulnerability