Learning and Change Management Articles
Our expert staff is well known throughout the industry for its breadth of knowledge gained through years of practical experience. The following articles, written by members of our staff, have been published in industry journals and Web sites.
Santa Claus – Change Agent
By Scott Franklin and Sherri Large
The holidays are upon us. Christmas music is covering the airwaves, holiday decorations are everywhere and Christmas specials are airing nightly. Each year around this time my family and I scour the TV guide for one of our favorite Christmas specials: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. As I watch the movie now as an adult my take on the movie is much different from when I was a child. First, I feel sorry for poor Rudolph. I guess bullying was a problem even at the North Pole. Second, there is an important change management message in how the group came to accept the change in the reindeer organization.How do I budget for training AND justify it?
Knowing how to set the appropriate budget and calculate the ROI from a learning initiative is crucial to gaining budgetary support for your department’s continuous improvement efforts.
Implementing a new process? Don’t forget to train people how to use it!
By Tara Denton Holwegner, CPLP, Life Cycle Engineering
When organizations want to improve operating performance they usually choose an approach like Lean, TPM, Reliability Excellence®, or Six-Sigma. Regardless of how an organization frames its initiative, these changes cost time and money because they require time to plan, design and execute the change.Enterprise Change Management: Institutionalizing Agility and Resilience
By Bill Wilder, Director of the Life Cycle Institute
As appeared in the Learning to Change e-Newsletter
People and organizations are recognizing that how they manage change has a direct bearing on their success in the marketplace. This success, coupled with the increasing pace of change, is creating a desire to...Will the real change management please stand up?
By Dave Berube, Life Cycle Engineering
Everything flows, nothing stands still. Everything gives way and nothing stays fixed. All is in flux, nothing stays still. The only constant is change. These sayings have their roots attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus, known for his doctrine of change being central to the universe. Regardless of which translation you choose from ancient Greek, these words still ring true today. Whether it is our personal life, business, or the world around us, we are constantly experiencing change.
SMEs are from Mars
By Tara Denton Holwegner, Life Cycle Engineering
Working on a new course or training project can be like pioneering a new frontier in the universe. The subject matter expert (SME) and instructional designer responsible for designing and developing the project may not be familiar with each other’s discipline, so it can often seem like SMEs and designers are speaking different languages...Kevin Costner – Change Agent
By Scott Franklin
Kevin Costner is a well-respected actor – which means that he has starred in a number of major motion pictures and (to date) has not been filmed falling down drunk, leaving obscene rants on voicemail, fathering children with his housekeeper or claiming to be a warlock. He was memorable in “Silverado,” “Waterworld” (yes, “Waterworld!”), and his appearance in “The Big Chill” was tastefully understated.Training Has a Half-Life
By Sam McNair, PE, CMRP, Life Cycle Engineering
When planning training for your organization, remember that training has a “half-life”. Like radio-isotopes, training decays over time. Its half-life is two to three years.What is the Difference between an Instructor and a Facilitator?
By Bill Wilder, Director of the Life Cycle Institute and Tara Denton Holwegner, CPLP
Learning experiences produce results by changing behavior. Behavior-changing learning experiences are led by experienced, passionate professionals who know the content and how people learn.I Heard It Through the Grapevine: Communicating Effectively During Major Change
By Dave Berube, Life Cycle Engineering
I have never been known to be musically inclined, but I can recognize a great song when I hear one. One of these great songs is “I heard it through the grapevine”. This particular song has been recorded and re-recorded numerous times over the years by many different artists and although it may bring thoughts of animated raisins to people in my generation it is more closely associated with Marvin Gaye.Charles Barkley – Change Agent
By Scott Franklin
As appeared in IMPACTCharles Barkley is one of those polarizing public figures who tend to divide people into two groups – Fans and Detractors. Known as much for his off and on court antics as his basketball talent, there is a lot in his history to support either side. Nevertheless, whichever way you feel towards Sir Charles, two things are true – he is a very talented athlete and he also knows Change. When faced with the prospect of his daughters dating, our Round Mound of Rebound focused on a key change principle. Referring to the young gentlemen showing an interest in his maturing daughters, he proclaimed: “I figure if I kill the first one, word will get out.”
The Grinch – Change Agent
By Scott Franklin
It is starting to feel a lot like Christmas. Put up the tree this weekend, stockings are hung over the fireplace and Christmas carols fill the airwaves. This is all good and cheery, but what really makes it feel like Christmas is trying to memorize 15 songs for our Singing Christmas Tree this year (including Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus – did I mention from memory???), scheduling travel to see family, and Christmas shopping for my wife and three girls, including a 15-year-old who thinks that “Any new car would be fine, I am easy to please” is helpful Christmas advice. Needing something to cheer me up, I turn on “The Grinch” and realize two things:1) deep down, part of me secretly empathizes with him; and 2) there is an important change message in the story.Design in Less Time – A 4-step Kick Start to Designing Learning
By Tara Holwegner, Life Cycle Institute
As appeared in the Learning to Change e-Newsletter
Business changes require that we effectively learn new processes and skills in less time. With the influx of a new workforce and the imminent exit of our most experienced workers, we need to document expertise so that it can become institutional knowledge. In this article, we explore a four-step kick start that can help you capture the critical elements needed for a course in minimal time. After completing the four steps, a learning organization can prioritize development without losing vital intellectual capital.Arnold Vosloo – Change Agent
By Scott Franklin, Life Cycle Institute
As appeared in IMPACTIn ‘Alice in Wonderland’, we know the White Rabbit as eternally behind schedule and skittishly hyperactive. What is easily overlooked is his firm grasp of the subtle intricacies of effective change management – for example, when he offhandedly advises Alice: “Don’t just do something, stand there!”
The White Rabbit - Change Agent
By Scott Franklin
In ‘Alice in Wonderland’, we know the White Rabbit as eternally behind schedule and skittishly hyperactive. What is easily overlooked is his firm grasp of the subtle intricacies of effective change management – for example, when he offhandedly advises Alice: “Don’t just do something, stand there!”Niccolo Machiavelli – Change Agent
By Scott Franklin
In 73 BC, Spartacus, a Roman slave turned gladiator, turned leader of the Third Servile War, leads his group of fellow slaves in an uprising against the Roman Empire. History portrays Spartacus as an excellent tactician and leader who inspired upwards of 70,000 untrained slaves to follow his quest for freedom. The 1960 film adaptation featuring Kirk Douglas shows Spartacus as all of these plus something else – a brilliant agent of change.Training Speeds Continuous Improvement
By Joe Mikes and Tara Denton of Life Cycle Engineering
One way an organization tries to stay competitive is by introducing an initiative targeted at improving performance. Improvement initiatives can be large or small in scope; however, the nature of change ultimately leads to a realization: change is here, and people on the front lines are the ones making that change. The path from current state to desired state is usually accomplished by some form of training the employees. Regardless of the type of improvement (software upgrade, process change, organizational restructure, etc.) the approach explained below can help make sure everyone reaches the desired state.The Communication Blitz – Delivering Key Messages
By Patricia Landry, Noranda Alumina and Joe Mikes, Life Cycle Engineering
The communication blitz is a proven approach to communicating key messages effectively throughout an organization. Anyone looking to improve communication within their organization and improve employee engagement can adopt the easy-to-use process introduced in this article.Managing Change Management in Pharma: A Talk with Bill Wilder
Up to 70% of corporate change initiatives fail, notes Bill Wilder, director of the Life Cycle Institute, the training arm of Life Cycle Engineering (LCE). Oftentimes, it is because pharmaceutical and other manufacturers focus on products and processes, but not on people. Contrary to popular opinion, people generally don’t resist change, says Wilder. “They resist being changed when they don't know why.”
How to Ensure Training Changes Behavior
From the ACMP Global Conference workshop: “Learning is Change. Change is Learning.®”
As appeared in the Learning to Change e-Newsletter
Learning that changes behavior to produce results is a process –not a single event. The process takes place in an environment replete with competing priorities and time pressures. Learning requires more than simply taking a class. When attending a class, retention and application of the new knowledge and skills will vary from 10 to 30% based on the type of class and content.
