From 7 to 3

Recently there have been developments in the organization that I'm affiliated with, particularly with the teams I'm handling. All good.

For as long as I have been the one of the leads of the training team for the company, I have always had at least 7 accounts. I was initially overwhelmed but later on got past the number and figured that just as long as I know which accounts need more time, then I should be fine. And it was fine.

Last month however, I transitioned 4 of the accounts I handled to a different training lead for various reasons. Of the top of my head, the most obvious one was the reporting function. See, prior to the move, I reported to 2 different directors and I don't know 'bout you but having more than one boss is not a very brilliant idea to work on.

I thought that transitioning would give me more time to accommodate new projects for the teams that I'd be left with. Now, though, a few weeks after the transition, I learned that while I was overseeing a lot of accounts, I was missing out details that needed to be changed. I was too busy managing the business side of training that I overlooked some processes that needed changing/revamping/eliminating.

So now I think I end up with more work on my plate if only to get the processes in the teams I am left with streamlined.

Giving Instructions

The company I work for has in place, a great program for newly promoted trainers, that aims to bring their training platform skills to higher levels. Needless to say, I am a believer of the program. In fact, whenever I get the chance, I make sure to sit-in on the classes and teach some of the subjects. I'll try to talk more about the course I teach in a different post. 

Yesterday, I had some time to observe the Associate Trainer Trainees do a demonstration on the course Facilitation Skills and the picky little me, of course, has things to say. 

First, I think that the topic of giving instructions is often under covered in training courses. For something so fundamentally present in all training classes, one would think that trainers will are equipped with the skills to give out clear and seamless instructions. 6 demos later, I think not. 

My take on giving instructions (condensed to the most important ones):

1. Instructions should be redundant in form. It's not enough that instructions are read, they should be flashed on the screen (for visual learners) and elaborated on. In fact, I would even ask my trainees to say the instructions in their own words to make sure that they are understood. 

2. Demonstrate and use examples to make the instructions clearer.

3. Solicit questions and encourage participants to ask if there are any unclear instructions. 

4. When using tools (cut-outs, pictures, etc.) to be handed out, make sure to hand it out after saying/reading the instructions. This helps make sure that the focus of the participants are on you and not on the material that you will use. 

5. Practice your instructions on someone before the session. Write down your instructions and read it to someone you know. If they understand it, then chances are, your audience will too. 

Of course, I shared my thoughts in general and I think I might have reiterated on the first one, since all the demos used one media for giving instructions. 

Trainers are known to use SLEs as tools of the trade and knowing how to operate the "knobs" of this tool makes sure that the activity achieves its purpose.

Image courtesy of: blog.brokep.com

The Tale Of A Once Homeless Pan

For the first time last Saturday, we had a chance to go to S&R, through the goodness of some friends who were already members there. One of the items we got (that I thought we got for a fairly reasonable price of less than 2k) was a fancy-looking stove that I've been dreaming of for quite some time. Simply, I liked it because it was sleek. I didnt know anything beyond it's fancy form

Once we got the box, we thought that it made sense to buy a new pan to use with it because we didnt have any at home. For the longest time, we were using a multi-cooker that can't do deep-frying coz it does not get hot enough. After paying for the unit, and right before leaving the store, we tested the new toy. We plugged and traditionally, I put my hand on the surface to test if it was getting hot. The damn thing was broken and I haven't even used it. We put the pan we bought to see if it made any difference, and still no heat. Fuckit.

And then we saw that in the same box was a wok that was made of stainless steel and lo it worked. It was great that I was with a bunch of techy folks who explained the technology of induction cooking.

Bore yourself with this fascinating explanation (c/o http://theinductionsite.com/how-induction-works.shtml):

Put simply, an induction-cooker element (what on a gas stove would be called a "burner") is a powerful, high-frequency electromagnet, with the electromagnetism generated by sophisticated electronics in the "element" under the unit's ceramic surface. When a good-sized piece of magnetic material--such as, for example, a cast-iron skillet--is placed in the magnetic field that the element is generating, the field transfers ("induces") energy into that metal. That transferred energy causes the metal--the cooking vessel--to become hot. By controlling the strength of the electromagnetic field, we can control the amount of heat being generated in the cooking vessel--and we can change that amount instantaneously.

(To be technical, the field generates a loop current--a flow of electricity--within the metal of which the pot or pan is made, and that current flow through the resistance of the metal generates heat, just as current flowing through the resistance element of a conventional electric range's coil generates heat; the difference is that here, the heat is generated directly in the pot or pan itself, not in any part of the cooker.)

So, that said, I had a pan with no home because it's bottom was not made of something "Ferrous" and cannot be used with the induction cooker.

Thank heavens for mom's who willingly take pans as gifts. And so the once homeless pan now lives in Lagro.

the end.

A Big Red Elephant

the boi just got a red sofa bed last week and it's red. not just red as in touches of red here and there, but red all over. 



So now, there's a non-discreet red elephant in the middle of the house and it's getting all the attention, even from the cats.

Suze Orman

Spending some quality time at home tonight, we were able to catch the Suze Orman show. I love that show. Her presence on the screen just overflows with credibility, without being obnoxious. 

there are several segments to her show but essentially, she gives out financial advice to people who ask for it, whether via email, by phone or ummm some other method. 

I particularly like the segment where she takes calls from people asking for advice on whether they should spend on specific products like, as in earlier, an african safari. She then would ask the caller to give her a rundown of their financials like income, savings, debts, etc. and from there, she approves or tells the caller that they shouldnt get it. Of course she does it with so much more flair than i can type and she adds some personal thoughts that make it so much more interesting. 

the show airs every saturday at around 11 PM HK/MNL at CNBC. 

WATCH IT!

Muscles and Learning

Earlier today, I had to talk to 3 of agents for one of the programs that I handle. The meeting essentially an expectation setting for when they start to function as mentors for the next three weeks for the trainees that we have. 

In the discussion, as with most other discussions I have, I couldn't help but drop some concepts that I thought were helpful in explaining the reasons for some of the major changes that we are implementing in the account. 

For the past few batches that we've trained, following a 3-week mentoring, we followed the sam

e routine where:

Week 1 was all about having the trainees listen to the calls of the mentors. All. Day. Long.

Week 2 was all about having the trainees navigate as the mentors took the live  calls.

Week 3 was the only time, in the whole 3 weeks, when the trainees actually get to talk to the customers. 

I thought it ineffective. And in the discussion earlier, I solicited

 reasons as to how they understood the process and why. I got favorable responses primarily because they thought that no one really "listens" and learns at the same time for a whole day, much less, 2. I explained furher that we are going to limit barging part to no more than a total of 2-days because:

1. Listening to someone take calls all day is boring and;

2. is an ineffective way to learn unless you are a purely auditory person

Finally, and somehow they laughed, I explained that based on adult learning methodologies, the more muscles involved, the better it is for retention. It was an "ahhh" moment for them. ah yes, the joy of sharing. 

and then of course, a witty comment came: "So when I work, I should frown...because I use more muscles in frowning than in smiling". That ended the meeting.

Look what came in the mail today...

A friend of ours had asked me to write an article for one of the sections of the Philippine Star (The only paper you read from cover to cover...just had to mention that) and yesterday, it was published.

Wee!

Here it is:

The Laptop Lifestyle

Troy Limbago

I've never been a fan of laptop computers. See, I'm one of the very few people I know who still call them that, while everyone else calls them "notebooks".

As a true blue technotard whose knowledge about computers is limited to browsing websites (Facebook, Friendster, Myspace, etc.) and using email and office applications, I have gotten used to and have been perfectly fine with my bulky but trusty desktop computer that I've had for about 2 years. It was only recently, back in December of 2007, that I got my first (laptop) notebook. I didn’t want to get anything fancy or techy, at least that much I knew. I didn’t even think that I needed one at the time. In fact, I’m almost quite certain that I got it based on the following formula: media hype + peer pressure + a bit of need = notebook.

So I ended up with an MSI unit whose model I don’t even know. All I know is that it is, well, black, and runs on a 2.0 gig processor, has an 80 gig SATA hard disk and a video and audio accelerator good enough for me to play Sim City. Sans the attempt to sound like an expert, it’s a simple black notebook with a shiny logo of MSI on the cover. It comes with 4 USB ports (one for the mouse, another for my modem, another for my thumb drive and the last one for the cooler where my unit rests). It also has a CD-drive whose eject button is yellow-green in color. The way I just described my unit is clearly an elaboration of my knowledge of computers.

Photo courtesy of : http://www.dfcomputers.com/store/images/uploads/msi_laptop.jpg

Let’s see, a desktop computer and a basic notebook. Hah! I didn’t think a home could have more than one computer. When I was younger, this picture would have been unacceptable, ridiculous even. But oh, I forgot to count the notebook that my partner uses for work. Sure it’s company-issued but it still comes home to and sleeps in the same room as the other 2 computers. So that comes up to 3.

For a while, things were quiet. We were happy with what we had. I used my basic MSI notebook for my basic computer needs and he uses his techy, high-end HP notebook for, well, his techy and high-demand needs. He brings his unit to work on a daily basis. I, on the other hand, only let my unit take a breath of fresh air whenever I go to my parents’ home in Fairview on certain weekends, and whenever I decide to go to the mall or coffee shop just to use fast (and free!) WiFi connection. There! If there was one thing that I’m thankful for a notebook’s mobility for, it’s the free WiFi connection I get because our darn apartment, while located in Makati (Kalayaan), is unable to pick up internet signal (or is that even what you call it?). We’ve tried everything from WeRoam, to Visibility, to Globe, and Smart, but there’s just no 3G signal. So to keep my friendster friends from worrying why I have not been online for more than 24 hours, and to keep my internet needs met, I go out. Hah! Beat that desktop computer!

At the end of the day though, and after much ranting, we both come home with them, after a long days work. Usually after dinner, and after the usual conversations, we watch T.V. together…all 4 of us with our two cats.

But as technology continuously evolves, manufacturers just wouldn’t stop. They keep getting smaller. 5 months after getting my own notebook, my partner started to drool over mini notebooks. Never mind that he's already using a spanking high-end notebook with cutting edge specs, he wanted something smaller, something like the Asus EEEPC 900 or the MSI wind. He had plans, great plans for a mini notebook.

I tried to keep him from buying, reasoning that, well, 2 people with 3 computer units under the same roof doesn’t make much sense as it is. What else would he be using the extra unit for, right? Wrong. While walking along the Cyberzone area of SM Megamall one weekend, we saw a mini notebook whose specs (and price) were unlike any others we’ve seen. It was a Blue (the brand) mini notebook with (here I go again) an Intel Centrino processor and tiny 10-inch screen. Most of the other notebooks we saw use Intel ATOM or some other processor. Not that I’d know the difference but for the price of 22 K, let’s just say it caused another dent in our finances.

So we now end up with 4, yes 4 computer units under the same roof. So how has it been like so far? Well for one I really thought things like this only happened in movies or T.V. You know, when couples living together use 2 different notebooks and work from home on the same dining table (yes our dining table doubles as a work table) working on two very different things. That’s what happens now, exactly.

In a way, I think its great that we have different units because it allows me to do my thing (update Friendster, MySpace, Facebook and occasionally check work mails), while he does his own tinkering with spreadsheets and project plans and software testing. While others might see it as totally impersonal and may even seem cold, I think that it brings, to some degree, a warm fuzzy feeling to it. Maybe it’s just me.

One thing’s for certain though, gone are the days when households live with and survive perfectly with one PC. Today, it’s not uncommon, if not almost always that homes have more than one unit of computer, where at least one is a notebook. Call it hype, a trend or a fad; owning mobile computers have definitely changed the way we do things at home and almost quite certainly, as in my partner’s case, the way others do business too.

From the very beginning

This article has been staying for quite sometime in my drafts folder. I had intended to start this blog with this entry since I have been a staunch supporter, as a trainer, of Adult Learning Principles. 

I initiate, develop, and implement different types of training programs for the company I am affiliated with. It ranges from client-specific training to management development training. My personal favorite are the trainings the develop the supervisors and trainers, especially the newly promoted ones, if only because I'd like to think that I, somehow, in some small way, become influential in their development as leaders.

For most of the programs that I have conducted, I usually spend the first 2 hours, at least, discussing adult learning principles because I know that if, at the very least, supervisors and trainers knew the fundamentals of how adults learn and assimilate the information, everything else will be simpler. 

So what is it exactly that I want to drive? And why do I spend two hours talking about it?

Well, to begin with, and as discussed in many training books, trainers (and supervisors who coach) tend to deal with their audience in the same way that they were brought up. This means that unless the supervisor has prior experience in dealing with adults, he/she is bound to deal and coach his agent like an elementary or a high school teacher would...pedagogically. That said, unless the trainee has had absolutely no experience in life, then that method would most likely be less effective than if he was dealt with more andragogy.  

There are at least 6 basic principles, from what I learned, that govern adult learning. And I say basic because if we were to get down to its specifics, then it definitely can be further broken down. 

I will post more of the principles but I will end this entry with one of the most common "aha" moments my trainees get in class. 

Adults are practical. In many interactions, be it coaching or training, some trainers/sups become to elaborate in the discussion of the topic without covering the practical side of things, the "why will i do what you are telling me to do" part of the training/coaching. If participants don't see the practical bit of your interaction, then the approach becomes less effective. 

Take Away

So, next time you deal with a trainee/agent, ask yourself: "Why will I, if I were my agent, do what I am telling him to do? And how do i make sure to cover it?"

A facelift

Fine, it's been a while since this blog was created and I haven't really posted anything that made sense. I didn't know what to write about. Plus there was work that kept me busy.

So what do I do for a living? I'm a corporate slave. I work for a mulitinational company to do their bidding. Fine, I exaggerate, a bit. I really am a corporate slave and I really do what my bosses, take note of the plural form, ask me to do. But my realm only covers and spans the training components. 

Anyway, a few weeks back, I was online looking for perspectives from different training practitioners through blogs. I wanted to know what other trainers, training coordinators and training managers were up to, their side of town. Thinking that google had the answer to life's biggest questions, I searched using the words: training, blog, and Philippines. I didn't find any substantial result. 

So does that mean very few, if any, trainers maintain blogs? And if so, why? 

In the end, I decided to give this blog a face lift. I want to spread the word, my word, to the rest of the training community. 

Let's get it on

Ah yes, the sweet smell of something new. It's just like buying something new from a store and savoring the sweet smell of a new purchase.

Of course there are more serious reasons why I created this page, but who wants to hear that? Seriously.

I will be cross-posting periodically from my other page just to make sure that I share a piece of my mind.