Let them drive! Learner-centered training gives learners the keys to drive

Personalization is the modern standard. Previous experiences and preferences shape our world, embedding personalization everywhere, including online shopping, smart phone apps, social media sites, and more. Improved technology has provided the means for us to receive what we want, when we want it, avoiding what doesn’t interest us. With this level of personalization widely available, why do we still encounter employee training and development that seems to use a one-size-fits-all approach?

Read the rest of the post on the GP Strategies blog.

Low or No Cost Training Resources

The Competitive Edge of Continuing Ed...

If knowledge is power, then training and continuing education are the power source that keeps your business moving ahead. From industry changes to regulation to technology and more, additional training and education is available in virtually every aspect of business, from a wide variety of different sources, says workplace training consultant Karen S. Sieczka, founder of Growing Great Ideas in Douglasville, Georgia.

Read more on the INC. Small Business Solutions blog here.

Key Trends in Training for 2012

From HR Matters: Special Feature -As I see it

13 practitioners share what they believe to be key trends in training and development for 2012

Karen Sieczka shares, "Since most training departments will still be running “lean” in 2012, one of the trends I see is that training programs will need to be even more targeted and relevant to the job skills your organization’s workforce needs. "

Read more here.

Harvesting Creativity through Social Media

Social media can be a creative and collaborative portal for organizations that makes it easier to gather ideas and generate innovations. Proper implementation is necessary to fully develop these tools so the business can reap the rewards. This article illustrates how to successfully integrate social media into the workforce for a creative idea harvest.

Read the rest of the article in Training Industry Quarterly...

Want to get more creative and innovative in the workplace? Growing Great Ideas: Unleashing More Creativity@Work, THE creativity training book, is now available for Kindle. 

Creativity@Work: Idea Master Richard Branson

My interest in life comes from setting myself huge, apparently unachievable challenges and trying to rise above them...from the perspective of wanting to live life to the full, I felt that I had to attempt it. –Sir Richard Branson

Sir Richard Branson is a British entrepreneur and risk-taker extraordinaire, best known for his Virgin Group of over 400 companies. Branson’s first successful business venture was a magazine called Student at age 16. He is the 212th richest person in the world according to Forbes' 2010 list of billionaires.

What makes him an Idea Master is his philosophy to embrace life, take risks, learn from failure, think creatively, and continually adapt.

Consider how your organization could “think” more like Richard Branson to become more creative and innovative by borrowing some of his traits:

• Step out of the comfort zone- Branson is constantly stepping outside his comfort zone into new industries and challenges.

• Face toward problems-When problems arise, Branson tackles them immediately and aggressively, making sure that small problems don’t become big issues.

• Be open to change- Branson is constantly open to changing his perspectives, viewpoints and approach to any situation if he feels that it will help him attain his goals and objectives in a much more effective and efficient manner.

• Seek new opportunities- Branson is always on the lookout for new opportunities and ideas that will enable him to gain an advantage over his competitors.

• Ask questions- Branson is constantly asking questions to clarify his thinking and help him overcome the challenges that confront him on a daily basis.

• Be playful- Branson turns everything into a game where having fun is on top of his agenda.

• Take notes- Branson carries a notepad in his pocket to capture ideas for new projects, gather feedback from customers and employees, and to write his goals, thoughts and experiences on paper.

• Learn from failures- Branson fully understands that lessons are usually learned through mistakes and experience.

To learn more about Richard Branson, visit Virgin’s website.

It’s almost here! The complete, expanded second edition e-book comes out on March 1st! Download a free, 25 page preview of THE training guide to Creativity@Work, Growing Great Ideas: Unleashing More Creativity@Work, at the E-book website.

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter or become a fan of my Facebook Creativity@Work page. I can also train you and your organization to be more creative and innovative at work. Email me for more information.

Creativity@Work: Links, News, Resources & Articles

As part of the blog rotation, I will be posting links to resources, news, and articles on Creativity@Work as well as websites that are creativity and innovation related. Have links you would care to share? Email them.

Today’s links:

BNET: 5 Ways to Spot a $100 Million Idea

Fast Company: Why Good Ideas Go Bad

Marelisa’s Abundance Blog, Creativity+ Productivity+ Simplicity =Abundance
The Power of Small Steps and Tiny Changes

US News: 6 Steps to Achieving Creativity in Business, Personal Life

Blogging Innovation: How Many iPads and Kindles will be Garbage?

Coming Friday: Idea Master William Danforth

Want more ideas to unleash Creativity@Work? For more information on how to get your copy of THE training guide to Creativity@Work, Growing Great Ideas: Unleashing More Creativity@Work, visit the E-book website. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter or become a fan of my Facebook Creativity@Work page. I can also train you and your organization to be more creative and innovative at work. Email me for more information.

Where's the next great idea?

Do you know where your organization will be in the next 2-5 years? Will it still even exist? If it does, how will it look? One thing is certain, you will need new ideas to survive and thrive--Ideas for new or improved products, better or new services, and ideas to increase productivity and lower production costs.

So... where’s the next great idea?

Read the rest of the article on GetEntrpreneurial.com

Where have all the leaders gone?

It's time to consider your organization's succession plan. Don't have one? You might want to rethink your position.

Your most knowledgeable employees may be retiring soon. How do you replace those years of know-how? By grooming and developing other employees…

Read the rest of my latest article on Get Entrpreneurial.com