ASTD-Blog

Step-by-step coaching improves employee performance

Coaching is one skill that managers should practice on a continual basis as it has become so much more important in recent times. With fewer staff members and a sustained emphasis on reducing costs, managers are being challenged to coax the best possible performance out of everyone on their team. The obvious answer here is to coach your employees to higher levels of effectiveness.

6 Leadership Learning Trends You Need to Know

I returned from ASTD 2013 last week full of energy about the future of learning and leadership development, about advances in learning technologies, and about the integration of neuroscience into the process of learning new skills and becoming better leaders in all phases of our careers.It was energizing to be among 10,000 learning and development professionals, and to hear about some of the latest learning trends and thinking from large companies like UPS, thought leaders like Ken Blanchard and Sir Ken Robinson, and see new products and services from vendors at the Expo. Having never been to an ASTD ICE before, I wasn't prepared for the scale and scope of the conference, and it was a bit overwhelming to try to take it all in.

A Chat with Karl Kapp

International Delegations Are Ready to Learn at ASTD 2013

Each year, international attendees from over 70 countries flock to the ASTD International Conference & Exposition. This year, our international delegations and attendees are getting ready to gather in Dallas, Texas for another unforgettable learning experience.

The ABCs of Social Selling: Always Be Connecting

The modern sales professional is actually not a seller, but is someone who helps people buy. This is someone who helps the buyer understand his problem, helps the buyer understand there's a solution to the problem, and helps the buyer understand why her company is uniquely qualified to solve the buyer's problem.

Survey: Lack of 'Soft Skills' Holds Back Job Applicants

(From Marion Star) -- Showing up on time and demonstrating other basic work ethics were the skills most lacking in people seeking employment in Ohio last year, according to a Marion CAN DO! survey. The results of the survey are based on the responses of 81 companies in Marion, Ohio. "Can I say it's a widespread problem? No, I cannot," said Crai...

Examining Cruise Ship Safety Training

Following last week’s cruise ship accident, CBS News decided to look into the training that crews receive. According to the resulting article, each year, a simulator near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, trains 2,000 junior and senior officers from cruise ships and cargo shifts. CBS News witnessed a mock disaster that simulated running ...

Clearing away the fog on employee performance

While on my way to the Halifax airport one morning I was faced with the task of driving through fog. For many people, going to work each day can be a similar challenge, because their roles and responsibilities are unclear.

A gap between a manager’s role and employees’ roles and expectations can create a fog that undercuts productivity, engagement and efficiency. Employees who are not clear about their roles and what is expected of them can become frustrated and confused. To correct this, it’s necessary to define all the behaviours that are expected and their performance standards, such as reaching monthly sales quotas.

Filling India’s Huge Need for Vocational Training

Ghaziabad, India — In a simple classroom above a storefront on a bustling street, four young men crowded around the colorful innards of an open computer hard drive while their teacher explained in Hindi how it all worked.

The computer repair course was among 25 offerings at Gras Academy, a private institution with 58 skills training centers across India, including this one in Ghaziabad, a city on the outskirts of New Delhi.

Avatars Invade Military Training Systems

(From National Defense Magazine) -- A lot of virtual training happens in video game-like environments, where soldiers see combat through the eyes of a superhero character. But if the Army is going to train its troops through gaming, officials say the characters in the virtual world should perform more like actual soldiers. That is one part of t...

You Can Learn Something from the Car Guys

What can two different car maintenance companies teach the rest of us about workplace learning? This year, a lot. In 2011 ASTD presented an Excellence in Practice Award to Midas International (you know, the muffler folks) and a BEST Award to Jiffy Lube International. What impressed the judges in both of these cases was the commitment to L&D...

Suite Synchronicity: Exploring the Relationship and Alignment between the CLO and Executive Team

Suite Synchronicity: Exploring the Relationship and Alignment between the CLO and the Executive Team ASTD/i4cp Suite Synchronicity: Exploring the Relationship and Alignment between the CLO and the Executive Team focuses on interviews with learning leaders who have successfully fostered and sust...

Learning Tree International Introduces First Online-Only Course via Learning Tree AnyWare™

RESTON, VA (March 1, 2011) Learning Tree International (NASDAQ NGM: LTRE) has announced the introduction of a new course titled Time Management Essentials: Getting the Most from Every Minute. Available only online via Learning Tree AnyWare, this live, instructor-led two-day course provides participants with the strategies, tools, techniques and...

Kenya: Ministry May Donate Cash for E-Learning

(From allafrica.com) Nairobi - The Ministry of Education is studying a proposal to donate Sh60,000 to needy schools for e-learning. If approved, the proposal will benefit 20 schools in each constituency and will be the first step in rolling out e-learning in the newly created counties. "The amount of money might not be adequate but it w...

ICF Research Study Benchmarks Global Awareness of Coaching Profession

(From PRNewswire) -- In honor of International Coaching Week, the International Coach Federation (ICF) is sharing findings from its latest research study which benchmarks global awareness of professional coaching for the first time. "Continuing its role to provide the coaching profession and public with reliable industry research, the ICF i...

New Spherion Study Finds Recession Has Eroded Workers' Relationships with Their Boss

(From PRNewswire) -- A surprising aftershock from the economic recession is emerging this bosses day, with nearly half (45 percent) of U.S. workers indicating their relationship with their boss has been affected by the recession, according to the most recent Spherion Staffing Services Snapshot survey. Furthermore, of those who say their relatio...

Singapore: SMEs to benefit from talent-attraction programmes

(From channelnewsasia.com) -- Spring Singapore has set aside S$30 million for two new programmes aimed at building a talent pipeline for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore. The two programmes which target tertiary students and graduates aim to attract 2,000 fresh talents into the SMEs over the next five years. SMEs in Singapore ar...

Hogan Launches SafeSystem and Reveals How Personality Influences Safety Behavior

Tulsa, OK, April 8, 2010 -- Hogan Assessment Systems announces SafeSystem, a comprehensive approach to improving safety culture and performance within organizations. Safety training can help employees become safer, but without insight into how individuals contribute to the safety climate, even the most extensive safety program will have lim...

National Advisors for Chapters Resource

The National Advisors for Chapters (NAC) are distinguished past chapter presidents who volunteer to assist and advise chapter leaders. Elected NAC members serve three-year terms and are charged with providing strategic direction and leadership in the development and support of ASTD chapters and members. There are many ways t...

Despite Obstacles, Millennial Women Overwhelmingly Positive about Career Prospects

(From BUSINESSWIRE) -- Against a backdrop of economic volatility, the vast majority of young professional women believe they will have rewarding careers balanced with fulfilling personal lives, according to research released today by Accenture. The research also generated the Accenture Millennial Women Workplace Success Index, whi...

Top manufacturers place high importance on talent, skills management

Results of a new study released on October 5, People & Profitability - A Time For Change, commissioned jointly by Deloitte, The Manufacturing Institute and Oracle, indicate an ongoing need for manufacturers to embrace new and progressive talent strategies in order to maintain profitability and stay competitive in the future. The report...

Nigeria: Skill Acquisition Program a Potential Boost for Labor Market

Sokoto State government recently embarked on a recruitment drive to admit 10,000 youths for the second phase of its skill acquisition programme. The initiative is part of government's determination to curb restiveness, crime and poverty in the state. MOHAMMED AMINU writes: Poverty can be traced within the context of contradiction between th...

Roanoke agency provides training for nursing assistant jobs

(From Roanoke.com) Some were high school dropouts while others who signed up for the certified nursing assistant program had undergraduate degrees -- and student loans. As diverse as they were, they had this in common: They had scoured the recession-battered classifieds and, if they couldn't find the job they wanted, then th...

Conference Board ETI: Strong but Moderating Decline in March

(New York, April 6, 2009) The Conference Board Employment Trends Index (ETI) fell again in March. The index now stands at 90.1, decreasing 2.3 percent from the February revised figure of 92.2, and down 22.1 percent from a year ago. "While we see a continued sharp fall in the ETI, the decline was not as strong as in the previous four months,...

The Job Front: Headlines From Around the Industry

Kentucky unemployment highest in 20 years (Business Courier of Cincinnati) Kentucky registered a December unemployment rate of 7.8 percent, up from 7 percent in November and 5.3 percent in the same 2007 month. The state's Office of Employment and Training said in a news release that the jobless rate was the highest since May 1...

ASTD International Conference Buzz in the Blogs

Search the blogs for "ASTD" this week, and the ASTD International Conference in San Diego rises to the top. Keynote speakers, links to handouts, session discussions, and general disussions make for some great reading. E-learning Technology Time2MarketBlog.com...

ASTD Presents Excellence in Practice Awards to Nine Organizations

During its 2013 International Conference & Exposition, ASTD presented the Exellence in Practice Awards and Citations to 27 organizations from 9 countries.

ASTD Presents Lifetime Achievement Award, Honors Others for Contributions to the Training and Development Profession

The ASTD Awards were presented during the association's annual conference, honoring individual and organizational achievments in the training and development profession.

Great leadership books for your summer reading list

As summer approaches, there are a number of good books you may want to consider that will not necessarily make the top 10 lists but that will provide food for thought. These books are not mysteries, psychological thrillers, romance novels or historical fiction. These are books that offer keen insights into leadership and management challenges, which on a day-to-day basis can bring their own dramas, twisting plot lines and, in this city, political intrigue.

Building a Resilient Organizational Culture

A 2012 Towers Watson study found that in most organizations, only 35 percent of employees said they were engaged. In other words, 65 percent of employees have mentally checked out, causing productivity, innovation, and creativity to plummet. The study also found that 38 percent of employees felt stress and anxiety about the future, and that less than half of the employees surveyed agreed that senior leaders had a sincere interest in their well-being.

Six Things New Hires Should Do Within the First 30 Days

The first weeks on the job for any new hire can be overwhelming. There are plenty of orientation meetings to attend, training sessions to complete, and new hire paperwork to fill out. While these are all important, here are six things new hires should do on their own within their first 30 days to set themselves up for success.

ASTD 2013 Conference Backchannel

We are capturing shared resources from our social media channels. Check back throughout the conference for new resources.

Flat Army: Creating a Connected and Engaged Organization by Dan Pontefract

In his new book Flat Army: Creating a Connected and Engaged Organization, Dan Pontefract shows leaders how to break out of traditional roles to truly drive enagement and results.

ASTD 2013 Bookstore

What Siri Can Teach Us About Effective Communication

can’t you find any information at all on that topic? What is taking you so long?

I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think any conscious entity can ever hope to do. A second later, she provided the following tagline. Sorry. I stole that line from HAL.” (2001 Space Odyssey)

Tanzania: Why Empowered Leadership Is Important

IN today's professional arena, which is becoming increasingly globalised, uncertain and unpredictable, the importance of effective empowered leadership is extremely important.

Women are especially now entering the workplace in unprecedented numbers and are beginning to hold senior leadership positions in all sectors. They have come to recognise that leadership is not the monopoly of men, but any capable person can be a leader provided he or she is freely and fairly chosen or elected to serve in that capacity.

How to evaluate your employees

Evaluating employees and paying them what they deserve is one of the most crucial decisions a manager has to make, and is an important part of effectively managing a business.

Ask any professional about appraisals and you’ll get mixed reviews. Employees are often uncomfortable with them as they can involve unpleasant criticisms, managers spend hours preparing them and executives need them to measure return on investment in their people.

Sales Management Isn’t Second Nature

Over the course of my career, I’ve had the privilege of personally working with many great sales managers. I’ve seen countless examples of effective sales management in our client organizations. I’ve also seen how quickly a corporate strategy can fall apart without this vital leadership.

Download the ASTD 2013 Conference App

The ASTD Events app is your mobile event guide to the 2013 ASTD International Conference & Exposition. The free app has numerous features that will keep you up-to-date and streamline your conference experience,

Power Members - Unite!

When you join your local ASTD chapter and national ASTD, you choose to be knowledge leaders in the training and development profession and change makers in your own backyard. Power Membership offers you a unique opportunity to connect with local, national, and international professionals. Current ASTD chapter members receive a discount when joining national ASTD, making it easy to become a Power Member!

Q-and-A with Jenn Labin

All About Rapid Retooling

ASTD's new Rapid Retooling teaches learning professionals to continually adapt to an ever-changing workplace.

Implementing Learning Scorecards at ASTD 2013

Toni DeTuncq and I have been presenting at the ASTD ICE for more than 12 years on the topic of measurement and evaluation.

Q&A with Jann Freed, Author of Leading With Wisdom

Catch up with Jann Freed, author of the forthcoming Leading With Wisdom.

It Doesn't Matter How Good Your Training Is

This may come as a surprise to many training professionals, but business leaders don’t really care how good your training is. They don’t really care that your Level 1 reaction scores were 5 out of 5, or that trainees showed a 100% improvement on post- versus pre-tests.

Learning Video For Learning Professionals (Series)

You probably didn’t expect me to write a heading like that, huh? I’ve written a book that explains why video is really good, so why would I say not to waste money on video?

Learn About Our New Competency Model at ASTD 2013

The ASTD Competency Model defines what practitioners in the training and development profession need to know and do to be successful in the field. If you are interested in learning more about the model and the research that informs it, you’ll have several opportunities to engage with the study’s authors and representatives of ASTD while you’re at the conference.

The Government Track at ASTD 2013

There are so many ways to learn and connect with fellow working professionals in the government at ASTD ICE 2013 in Dallas. Whether you work at the local, state, or federal level, we have multiple opportunities for you to share best practices about operating successfully in the public sector.

Do You Know A Rising Star?

Then nominate them for ASTD’s One to Watch Program. ASTD wants to spotlight dedicated, forward-thinkers who are passionate about applying effective and creative solutions to the challenges facing their organizations—and our industry. If chosen as One to Watch, the young leader will receive

Confidence of Learning Executives Jumps in Q1 2013

Learning executives’ optimism and confidence about the outlook and expectations for the training function reached a historic high for the first quarter of 2013.