Learnapalooza - Seattle

07/09/2022

Eid-Al-Adha Mubarak to all those celerating.

Be kind, compassionate & inclusive towards humanity..

07/09/2022

Theme, website, featured speakers and... early bird registration is now available. Come join us this fall.
www.Learnapalooza7.com

07/05/2022

Happy 4th birthday f July from Seattle!

06/17/2022

The date has been set for your mission. Will you choose to accept it? We will gather together on a GLOBAL scale to learn from each other about INNOVATION in learning and development. Come and EXCHANGE ideas and meet people in your network and create alliances.

Location and further instructions to come soon.

06/16/2022

Stress can be your worst enemy. You can lower your stress by doing one thing for yourself today.

Stress is a normal part of life, but it should not be allowed to control our lives. It’s important to find ways to lower your stress so that you can lead a more balanced, healthy and happy life. Try these ways to lower your stress today:

1) Exercise is one of the best ways to relieve stress and improve your overall health. Even 10 minutes of exercise can boost your mood and energy levels. If you don’t have time for a full workout session, try doing 5-minute bursts of exercise throughout the day instead.

2) Listen to relaxing music or take a warm bath with Epsom salt and lavender oil to help lower blood pressure, decrease anxiety and ease tension headaches from stress.

3) Meditate by focusing on one thing such as breathing or counting backwards from 100 by threes until you feel calm and relaxed again after feeling overwhelmed with anxiety or worry about something that happened earlier in the day at work or at home with family or friends.

4) Spend time outdoors in nature such as hiking in the mountains or walking along the beach where you can enjoy fresh air, sunshine and greenery while experiencing the outdoors.

06/15/2022

As always, does such a great job of aligning skills and making a difference in orgs. Great job!

Forrester interviewed five Degreed clients to better understand the benefits, costs, and risks associated with this investment. They discovered an ROI of 312%.

06/15/2022

Good sensible article by Craig Plain-
Just because it’s on the internet, doesn’t mean it’s free to use.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/its-simpledont-steal-craig-plain/

06/14/2022

Effective Team Huddles

Team huddles are easy to overlook, but they're critical for keeping employees and managers on the same page. If you want your huddle to be valuable, spend some time in advance ensuring that it's well organized. With that done, you can feel confident about tackling a wide range of important issues in a short period of time.

More on effective team huddles here - http://ow.ly/fRBg50Jxae5

06/14/2022

This article applies to trainers as well as facilitators... Enjoy! Thanks Craig Plain or sharing!

Magic made me a better facilitator...what interest of yours makes you better?

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/nothing-up-my-sleeve-craig-plain/?trackingId=m0gn26mRSuSVn2pD4dJrkw%3D%3D

06/08/2022

Leading in Turbulent Times

The past two years have been anything but predictable for, well, anyone. But despite that, some teams and leaders have emerged stronger than ever—and in some teams I have seen morale is at an all-time high. Here are some thoughts on managing through difficult times, with hopes that others can learn from my experiences.

Be clear, honest and transparent: Teams are built on trust and this is the foundation of every interaction we have with our people. If you can't be clear about what you're saying or doing, don't say it.

Acknowledge the contributions of others: When things don't go well, acknowledge the contributions of your team members who tried their best. This gives them an opportunity to learn from their mistakes and feel good about what they did right.

Be a good listener: If there is something that needs improvement, don't be afraid to ask for feedback from your team members - especially if it's something you feel strongly about, such as work ethics or communication skills. Ask questions like "Have I been able to communicate my expectations clearly?" Or "How could we improve our communication process?" Make sure everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts with each other before moving on with another question.

Finally, make sure that your expectations are realistic enough that they're achievable but not so easy that they don't provide any challenge at all. You want to encourage hard work but not discourage learning new skills or taking on new responsibilities in order to grow professionally.

This does not get said enough, but as a leader I think we should respect and cherish our teams. Lead by example. Be vulnerable, be open, be passionate, and be present.

06/06/2022

Monday Work-Life Hack

Create a distraction-free environment.

We know it’s tempting to pick up your phone and check your social media accounts, but it can be counterproductive. There are too many notifications coming through at every hour of the day, which can distract you from what you need to do. If you want to get things done, turn them off! To make sure this happens on a regular basis:

- Keep your phone in another room when working
- Turn off all notifications for all apps on your phone and computer (iTunes Store, Facebook Messenger, etc.)
- Block websites that are distracting for you by using Freedom or similar software
- Block out time on your schedule for important tasks.

I know it’s tempting to get a little work done at night after the kids have gone to bed and you’re exhausted. But if you block out several hours on your calendar every day as “Me Time” or “Office Time”, then it’s much harder for your brain to justify taking those hours away from whatever else you had planned.

If Me Time is important, don’t let anyone else schedule things during that time—especially not yourself! If someone asks if they can meet up during those hours, politely decline and offer an alternative time (or suggest they reschedule).

Use an accountability partner.

When you have a lot on your plate and it seems like there’s no way to get everything done, it may help to partner with someone who’s also trying to accomplish the same goal. This isn’t just about getting some extra help—it’s about holding each other accountable for making progress.

You can choose someone who you know will be supportive of your goals but also honest with their feedback (and vice versa). Meet regularly and discuss how things are going as well as what strategies are working best for both of you.