Training at Lowe’s:
Let’s Learn Something Together

By Tony Bingham and Pat Galagan

Founded in 1946, Lowe’s has grown from a single small hardware store in North Carolina to the second largest home improvement retailer worldwide and the seventh largest retailer in the United States. T+D interviews CEO Robert Niblock.

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From Employed… To Engaged

By Cedric T. Coco

Lowe’s defines the link between customers and employees, and highlights the crucial role of engagement in achieving enterprisewide results.

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ASTD 2009 State of the Industry Report
Learning Remains Steady During the Downturn

By Andrew Paradise

The 2009 ASTD State of the Industry report indicates a strong commitment to corporate learning through the early stages of the economic slump.

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Navigating the Transition to Supervisor

By Marjorie Derven

The move from individual contributor to supervisor is a road fraught with danger. Avoiding some missteps now means the organization will not need to pay for them later.

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The Kept-On Workforce of 2009:
Building Options or Bummed Out?

By Beverly Kaye

The range of employee needs after a layoff is broad and complex. Organizations can move toward several specific requirements that help create a motivated, connected, and energetic kept-on workforce.

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Long View //

Francine Ward ++

Founder and Director
Esteemable Acts Institute
Mill Valley, California

Ward has many titles—intellectual property lawyer, breakthrough coach, motivational speaker, and author. Through the self-founded Esteemable Acts Institute, Ward helps clients build self-esteem through positive action. She also frequently presents workshops and keynotes on gaining self-esteem, combating fear, handling intellectual property in the Internet age, changing oneself for the better, and acting to fulfill one’s goals. Ward supports a number of service organizations, the bulk of her pro bono efforts are with Marin Services for Women, a treatment facility.

++ Extra Content - Only Online!     + Free Article

ASTD Benchmarking Forum//

Reflective Learning Practices
Drive Business Results

By M.J. Hall

There are many questions about how to determine learning’s value in an organization. Much of this discussion focuses around return-on-investment (ROI), effectiveness, and efficiency—essentially the connection between learning and the role it plays in higher sales, greater customer satisfaction, and successful goal accomplishment.

+ Free Article

Books //

Motivation is an Inside Job

By Mike Hawkins
(Brown Books Publishing Group, 314 pp., $24.95)

Read all book reviews.

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Career Path //

Sizing Up Cultural Fit

By Elaine Varelas

Let’s face it: Jobs are not a disposable commodity, and evaluating corporate culture when considering a new move is crucial to securing its success. Learning professionals today should never hesitate to fret over the “fit.”

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DEVELOPMENT //

Do You Have a “So What” Mindset?

By Mark Magnacca

Most of us learned at a young age that it’s okay to ask questions. Learn the three quick queries to help you avoid some long-term headaches.

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Economy Case Study //

McDonald’s Continues to Invest in Talent

By Diana Thomas

We are investing in technology to maximize information access and individualize training, such as virtual classes and new levels of blended learning, to reach a wider demographic.

+ Free Article

Economy Watch //

Why Gray Matters:
Attracting and Retaining the Mature Workforce

Letter from Melanie Holmes

In addition to programs and perks, you’ll want to keep veteran employees in the loop for training and advancement opportunities. Mature workers are as interested in training as their younger counterparts.

+ Free Article

Editor's Note //

Letter from T+D's Editor

Engage, Empower, Build Loyalty

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FUNDAMENTALS //

Louder Than Words

By Linda Talley

You’ve got plenty of great things to say. Make sure that your body language doesn’t betray your message.

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INTELLIGENCE //

Surviving a Down Economy With an Upbeat Approach

By Dean Smith

Employees and bosses discover real rewards in finding that proverbial silver lining.

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LEARNING BLUEPRINT //

Stand, Deliver, and Shine

By Tony Bray

In delivering training, planning is absolutely everything. A few simple rules can help make every learning unit hit home.

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RE:SEARCh //

Aligning Perspectives on Performance

By Aparna Nancherla

Managers and direct reports disagree when it comes to rating employee contributions to the workplace.

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Solutions //

Powering the Hi-Tech Classroom

By Patrick Devlin

Blackboard powers online learning for Westinghouse.

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Trends //

Trust Fall

By Pat Galagan

Despite some harrowing business page headlines, confidence in leadership could still save the day. No actual trust falls are involved.

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Workplace Rx //

Learning to Behave for Better Performance

Described by Sylvia Lafair, president of CEO Inc., and the author of Don’t Bring It to Work.

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Read T+D's Blog on Blogger!

Most Recent Entry //

Getting the Most out of Your Meetings

Posted on November 6th, 2009

Have you ever been sitting in a meeting just watching the clock tick?

Well, now there’s a product that measures exactly just how much money is being wasted during unproductive meetings.

From Bring TIM! LLC comes Bring TIM!®, a time management cost calculator and clock. Users simply enter the number of attendees and the average hourly rate, and then press the start button to begin calculating.

Brad Johnson, president and founder of Bring TIM! LLC, created this device out of his own experience with meetings that ran four hours or longer.

A light-hearted gift with a valuable lesson, this machine literally demonstrates the meaning of the expression, “Time is money.”

Bring TIM!® is available for order now from BringTim.com for $24.95 plus shipping and handling.

Leave a comment!

Updated October 21, 2009

Shifting the Shape of Mentoring

By Laura M. Francis

Rockwell Collins creates a global mentoring culture by listening to employees’ needs and embracing cutting-edge technology.

Cream of the Crop

The 2009 ASTD BEST Awards

The ASTD BEST Awards recognize organizations that demonstrate enterprise-wide success as a result of employee learning and development. These award-winning companies have made a strong investment in learning, created a safe and engaging learning environment, and used new and innovative technologies to design and deliver learning.

Challenges Faced, Solutions Implemented

By Kristin Carlson

Silliker finds creative ways to keep learning and development programs high priority and low cost.

Learning Gets Social

By Tony Bingham

A powerful force—unlike any in history—is altering the learning profession’s landscape.

The Long View: Keith Ferrazzi

CEO and Founder, Ferrazzi Greenlight

Keith Ferrazzi has been designated one of the world’s most “connected” individuals by both Forbes and Inc. magazines due to his extensive network of relationships. Ferrazzi Greenlight provides clients with consulting and training services both at the individual and organizational levels. His previous positions include chief marketing officer of Deloitte Consulting, chief marketing officer of Starwood Hotels, and CEO of YaYa Media.

The Long View: Steve Piersanti

President and Founder, Berrett-Koehler Publishers

Piersanti founded Berrett-Koehler, an independent publisher of progressive books on current affairs, personal growth, and business and management, in 1992. Former positions held by Piersanti include president of publisher Jossey-Bass, where he began his career as a promotional copywriter in 1977. Piersanti’s distinctions include receiving ASTD’s “Champion of Workplace Learning and Performance Award” in 2003

Don’t Let Poor Writing Stifle Company Growth

By Jack E. Appleman

If your role includes helping people enhance their careers, be sure to explain to them that poor writing can short-circuit their ability to climb to leadership roles.

They All Shine On

ASTD BEST Awards

Maximizing on its innovative culture, Sun Microsystems finds the balance between the knowledge that people need and the ease and freedom that they want.

Taming Meeting Monsters

By Mike Song, Tim Burress, and Vicki Halsey

We’ve all met them—peers and colleagues who make having a productive meeting practically impossible. Here is how facilitators can deal with them and forge ahead with the training department’s goals.

Leaders As Teachers: High-Octane Teaching

By Ed Betof

The selection of your first leader-teacher is important. His success and influence with others will likely stimulate interest in teaching from those who are naturally inclined to do so.