Training Industry Blog

1 hour out of Shanghai and somewhere over the South China Sea two fellow passengers got into a confrontation. I probably would have overlooked it had I not been trying to get some badly needed rest. The whole incident came about as a result of a passenger trying to retain control over two adjoining seats while the other man thought it was his right to lay claim to the seats. Even though the other passenger had assigned seats he also wanted to gain a bit of additional real estate. Any of you that travel long distances in coach can appreciate the added comfort of an additional seat. As the saga unfolded and the name calling commenced I quickly realized that what started off as mutual personal need had escalated into how different cultures interact when placed under stress. To my surprise the name calling started with the man from the East and not from the Westerner. Usually a culture that prides itself in having dignity and decorum had turned this person into a severely agitated and ready to wage mortal combat individual. In retracing the series of events I realized that simple gestures, piecing looks and condescending name calling contributed to the heightened state. I also surmised that some in most harbored bigotry, manifested by the names that were used, created the persistence and undercurrent that was displayed. As things got more and more tense, and I was losing valuable sleep, my restraint could no longer be contained. Little did I realize that years of working global allowed me to take action in a very direct and effective fashion. Instinct pointed me in the direction of the right person, utilizing the right approach and cultural form to diffuse the situation and return things to a less heated stated. I half expected that the opposite would occur but it didn’t, both returned to the seats and no further measures were required.

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Is outsourcing the poster child for all the things that have gone wrong in society? Outsourcing isn’t about a vindictive approach to treating people but rather a survival solution that transcends many levels. Whether considered as a cost saving measure, a means to deliver a higher return on investment, a way to overcome a problem unsolvable through internal means or to open up innovative opportunities for future corporate development, sourcing is one possible solution alternative. To understand sourcing in its most primitive form we need to understand the historical side. For thousands of years companies have sought support for their business through outsourcing by either buying goods or employing temporary services. It wasn’t until the advent of the demand caused by Y2K did we look much further afield for the much needed, an affordable, resources. This quantum leap came with it the confusion between outsourcing and offshoring. The result forced Western society to jump on the anti-outsourcing band wagon without fully realizing that there was a difference.

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It is no secret that the last two years have been brutal on many training companies - not to mention corporate training organizations. By our estimates at TrainingIndustry.com, overall spend by U.S. companies for training activities is down by as much as 25% from 2008. Of course some verticals are hurt more than others, (e.g. automotives and finance) while others have churned through the recession and held their own (e.g. healthcare). This change has created the Rubber Band Effect for the training industry.

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Maybe the words are a bit harsh but there are times when reporting the facts goes a bit afield when placed into context with other elements. A recent article by Rebecca Wanjiku, Computer World-Kenya suggest the many struggles that Kenya is having in getting into the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) space. My contention is that they are ‘emerging’ and to conduct a gross comparison against the Indian benchmark is inappropriate and totally irresponsible. Some would even argue that below the Tier 1 level, even within India, there are misgivings and issues worth noting.

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Tough times, whether externally or internally based, test us as leaders, followers, and test our organizations. It is in such situations that we can really benefit from perspective about what works and what doesn’t in such times. Research shows that one significant, persisting pattern among "great leaders" who succeeded across the range of tough times is that they have experienced more setbacks than other leaders and individuals. One of the most remarkable stories ...

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At this week’s Adobe Learning Summit, the general consensus was that e-learning is continuing to grow as a solution for global (and local) training, and that we’re in the midst of revolutionary changes. But if that all sounds overwhelming, conference speakers also advised people to start small. Just as a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, a revolution in workforce training begins with a will and a way.

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With less fanfare and celebration than with Vista, Microsoft released the Window 7 operating system in late October. This replaces the operating system that 90% of the world uses today. Just for the record, I am a Mac user at home, Windows XP for work…I am BOTH a Mac and PC. One offers a superior environment for creative work; the other offers a robust platform for our business applications. While it may seem like only yesterday Microsoft released Vista and slightly less than yesterday when we began bashing it, the release of another version of Windows is big and with it comes game-changing features. Being that this is an IT Learning blog, let’s explore how Windows 7 changes the learning landscape.

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In working with both managers and employees, I’ve discovered over the years that they often experience confusion between two very different dimensions of a Leader and/or Manager’s make-up and performance. Understanding this difference and communicating it clearly is important for aligning both people and performance—including that of the Leader/Manager. So let’s clarify these two dimensions...

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