It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas – or whatever winter holiday you celebrate – most places around the world. The most obvious signs? Bright lights, cold weather and analysts rolling out their forecasts on what 2012 will bring for the training industry, the annual flood of valuable information to help you make educated decisions as we move forward. It’s an exciting time and the food for thought will be flowing freely.
Despite that focus on what lies ahead in 2012, year-end is also a good time for a little introspection. In the weeks ahead you’ll find time to pause, reflect and consider: The inevitable December cycle. It’s a valuable use of time, because if you don’t appreciate where you’ve been, you’ll have trouble getting where you’re going.
So as you reflect on the holidays, and in the spirit of sharing, here are 10 suggestions to help you plan, help you share, help you help others:
- Give the gift of inspiration. Certainly the noblest part of a noble profession is the chance to inspire others. Training can impart information all day long, but the potential really becomes the possible when training inspires others to learn more, contribute more and grow more. Don’t forget your learners are generally hungry for information and advancement. Feeding their hunger will satisfy yours as well.
- Embrace innovation. Status quo doesn’t have to be a bad thing … there is a lot of truth in the “if it’s not broken don’t fix it” motto. But if you’re merely treading water, you’re certainly not getting any closer to shore. Innovative thinking not only opens up new lines of business, it energizes a team that may have been running in place too long.
- Try something traditional. But that said, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. While social media and other new tools open a lot of new doors, it’s also true that time-tested solutions achieved that status for a very good reason: Results. As you look at new ideas and new approaches, don’t forget to embrace the old. A combination of new and old might be the perfect hybrid.
- Celebrate creativity. Regardless of whether you’re embracing what works or seeking new solutions, don’t forget that creativity is the oil on the wheels of change. By thinking differently, and embracing the right side of your brain, you can build the better mousetrap. Challenge your staff, and challenge yourself, to not just think outside the box, but to forget the box ever existed.
- Measure results. OK, it’s a fairly obvious one, but it’s hard to chart your distance traveled without a map. No matter the learning initiative being deployed, be sure to design a way to quantify and determine the benefits realized. You might even surprise yourself.
- Share your knowledge. Ever hear a really, really funny joke? Ever forget about it before telling anyone? Did you get any laughs that way? Once you’ve isolated the results, or rolled out a new initiative, or come up with a creative solution, find the nearest metaphoric mountaintop, and start shouting. Share internally and externally, including by writing articles for media venues or information portals like TrainingIndustry.com. You can share successes and help to inspire current and future professionals without giving away all your intellectual property.
- Ask an opinion. Since it’s the holiday time, remember the lesson from “It’s a Wonderful Life” … no one is alone if he/she has friends. Whether you’re calling a colleague or posting to a LinkedIn group, take advantage of the wisdom of crowds and depend on the kindness of strangers. Not only might you learn a new way of thinking, you have the chance to make connections that will most likely just grow in value.
- Make a new connection. This is a correlation to the above item, but it’s important enough also to stand out on its own. Learning in almost all cases works better as a shared experience, and the delivery of learning is no different. Join a local ASTD chapter or form a learning networking organization of your own for similar professionals in your territory. The best connection you can make may be the person you haven’t even heard of yet.
- Never stop learning. In this industry that may be comparable to reminding people to breathe, but it’s also a point worth pounding. Whether you’re reading the latest business book, working on a new degree or specialty training or learning how to needlepoint, keep your brain sharp by stuffing new information into the databanks. The process of learning – even if it’s finally learning to play piano like your mother always wanted – is a process that can pay off in unexpected ways.
- Go ahead, look back. Finally, let’s end the list where this blog started, with a reminder that year’s end is tailor-made for both reflecting and planning. As you review where you were and scope out where you’re headed, the path between those two should be clear. As you make your 2012 plans, be sure to carry with you the successes of 2011, and build on them accordingly. New trends will emerge … find a way to fit what works into what needs to be done.
Of course, there’s one more obvious suggestion to make: Have fun. It’s a holiday season, you’ve worked hard all year and you’ll be expected to work hard again come January. The work doesn’t stop this month, of course, but be sure to carve out some time to celebrate with your colleagues and create the camaraderie that will power change in the year ahead.
Happy holidays everyone!
