creating connections through technology
DESCRIPTION
With the overwhelming amount of technology people are dealing with today, personally and professionally, we all have to choose one of two roads. Controlling technology and using it to your advantage, or letting technology control you.TRANSCRIPT
Please turn to page 7
volume 5 issue 2 fall 2010
Star Alliance: Connecting Virtually | Tips for Creating eLearning for Real People | Tech-Worlds Apart – An Exercise to Use
Outside Expert
By Ann Herrmann-Nehdi
Chief Executive Offi cer, Herrmann International
Creating Connections Through Technologywww.watercoolernewsletter.com
The brain can multi-task, and technology
enables some serious multi-tasking.
Delivering Learning in a
Technological RevolutionIn the past few years, we’ve learned a lot about
how brains work and how people learn, and the result
has been an ongoing revolution in communication and
learning – especially electronically. The argument continues:
Is using technology in communication and learning a positive
step forward, or does it get in the way of real “human
moments”?
Let’s begin with two fascinating but possibly troublesome
concepts that connect strongly with technology. First, we
know that the brain can multi-task, and technology enables
some serious multi-tasking. Our brains can “task-switch”
by shutting down one function temporarily and choosing
another. In that tiny fraction of a second, adrenaline pumps
in – enough to make devoted multi-taskers become almost
addicted. In fact, if they’re not deluging the brain in array of
different activities, they can actually feel bored.
That brings us to the second concept: the need for down-
time refl ection. When I was a French interpreter, I spent my
day instantly translating into French, but by day’s end, I had
no idea what I had actually said. Because I was concentrat-
ing on the task, my brain did not have time to retain any
content. In fact, when we task-switch with one or more
technologies, error rates and task time can reach 50%.
So, given all that, technology in communication and learning
has several good points.
Technology allows us to offer options
so we can give people
what they need, how
they want it, and when
it’s best for them. Research
continues to show the trend
toward learner-centric learning as
opposed to what’s most convenient for your company to
create and provide. With formal, informal, and blended
learning, combining the best of the face-to-face and the tra-
ditional classroom with the multitude of technology-enabled
platforms now available, we have a huge opportunity to
provide differentiated learning so people can learn in the
way that leads to the best outcomes for the individual, and
the organization.
OOOO
By
ChHe
Creating Connections Through Technology2
Client Case Study
Please turn to page 7
The 28 member airlines of Star Alliance,
the world’s longest-serving international airline alliance,
handle customers all over the world. Hundreds of thou-
sands of people work for our diverse member airlines.
With this kind of audience, providing training can be a
challenging task.
At the Star Alliance Services GmbH in Frankfurt, we
employ 70 full-time staff, who develop and implement
new products and services together with the member
carriers. We develop training for the member carriers’
employees, to ensure proper and consistent delivery of
these products and services to the end customer.
Although many of our airlines have their own training, it
is important for Star Alliance to communicate a universal
message. We need standardized training so everyone
can be trained according to our requirements. We offer
this training to our member carriers so all their employ-
ees can understand the entire picture and see that they
are an important part of a much bigger entity.
To accomplish this goal, we needed material that is
consistent, less complex, and a good value for the money.
Our training needs to target a broad audience from the
CEO to the people who handle baggage. We also have
to serve multiple cultures, so the training needs to be
easy to understand and translatable.
While an electronic solution allows the information to
get to all our locations in the most economical way, it
would not serve all our needs on its own. We cre-
ated a set of eLearning modules combined with human
interaction that includes an Overview, Basic Knowledge
modules, and Functional Training to help our member
carriers enhance their employees’ knowledge about our
A Blended Approach products and services. In bringing knowledge to the em-
ployees, we encourage people to experience the learning
together. Employees take the e-courses when it best
suits their schedules, and then share their learnings with
their peers. This interaction is an added advantage to the
learning, a benefi cial “side effect,” you could say.
We divided the Overview course into seven modules to
offer both convenience and relevance. It covers an intro-
duction; our history and industry; our vision, mission, and
purpose; our customer; our products and services; and
Star Alliance team roles and responsibilities. To reinforce
the learning, the last module allows people to practice
applying their knowledge in a scenario or branching
simulation. A facilitator’s guide for each module makes it
easy to launch and easy to provide classroom follow-up.
We communicate the courses through email messages
to airline representatives in the training area. Our mod-
ules are deployed on CDs, on a Root Learning-hosted
website, and on Star Alliance member carriers’ own
Learning Management Systems. The training is provided
in English, with carriers having the option to translate as
required. We then review the work to ensure appropri-
ate quality levels are being attained.
We have received excellent feedback on all fronts
regarding quality, how we deploy the courses, informa-
tion provided, and job aids. Whenever I introduce the
modules, people love what they fi rst see, and they like it
even better when they try it themselves!
We have found that combining electronic learning and
face-to-face training works well for us. Our new learn-
ing curriculum will be a mix of traditional, blended and
eLearning.
Carina Roennfeld-PetersDirector of Training, Star Alliance
CCCCC
CaDirSta
Connecting Virtually and In Person:
www.watercoolernewsletter.com 3
CEO Column
Jim HaudanChief Executive Offi cerRoot Learning
Are We Using It, or Is It Using Us?
Please turn to page 7
Yogi Berra once said, “You can observe a lot
just by watching.” On a plane last week, the second we
touched down, I observed most people around me
switch on digital devices to check messages and send
even more. In four separate executive team alignment
discussions, I recently observed each CEO chiding
people to put the technology weapons down and rejoin
the conversation. And then there’s the TV ad where a
girl breaks up with her boyfriend in a restaurant booth
by texting him, leaving a voicemail and an email, and
changing her Facebook status to “single.”
Like every other invention from the automobile to the
micro-chip, technology is not intrinsically good or bad.
It’s how we use it. But as it gets more pervasive (and
invasive), we need to ask, “What value can it give us, and
how do I make sure that it isn’t mindlessly taking over?”
From Mindless to MeaningfulOn the other hand, technology lets us do some
really cool things. Smart power grids tell us the best
time, economically and environmentally, to do laundry.
People bank online and visit faraway relatives using Skype.
With social networks, we keep in touch with friends.
Online resources save time and money and
give us power to customize products and services.
In our businesses, we can use technology to enhance
critical thinking, explore diverse alternatives, and scan
best practices to better drive performance. A simulation
can close gaps between choices and consequences so
leaders can build strategic judgment skills. Blogs, portals,
and other web tools
go beyond looking
up information, so
any of us can learn to solve
problems. Visually rich technologies
allow us to see what success could look like.
Once we better understand what we need to do, and
what we need to do differently, these interactive tech-
nologies can help us practice and build skills to execute
on the organizational vision for the future.
Who’s in Charge?So it’s up to us to determine when technology will be an
invaluable tool or when we let it drive us…farther apart
from each other and our aspirations for our teams and
companies. Here are three questions to help determine
where you fall on the spectrum from Mindless to Mindful.
• Are you blending technology with human interaction? In Harvard Business Review, psycholo-
gist Edward M. Hallowell explained the combination
of high tech with high touch in “human moments”
that require physical presence and emotional atten-
tion. Without reading body language, tone of voice,
or expressions, we have to guess about messages.
To his point, technology can make our lives better,
freer, and more effi cient, but we mustn’t forget that
people need human contact to maintain mental acu-
ity and emotional well-being.
• Are you helping people to deepen critical thinking through technology, or encouraging them to avoid it? Technology can clarify the big
picture, expand what we could once only see alone,
and build context for seeing the systems around us
and the causes and effects of our decisions. Most
important, technology can help us apply information,
not just cite sources.
any
problems. Vis
allow us to see what su
Once we better understand wh
Tech
nolo
gy:
Tech Worlds Apart:Which Road Are You On?
Tech Worlds Apart:Which Road Are You On?
INTERPERSONAL DIVIDE
IINNNNNNNNNNTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOONNNNNNNAAAAAALLL DDDDDDIIIIVVVVVVVVVIIDDDDDDEEEE
INTERPERSONAL DIVIDE
Creating Connections Through Technology4
Try this with your team!
With the overwhelming amount of technol-ogy people are dealing with today, personally and professionally, we all have to choose one of two roads. If you and your team feel like your life looks like this sketch, gather around it and discuss these questions.
1. Driving down the High Tech Communica-tions Super Highway, both cars are loaded with tech options. Let’s start with the car near the bottom of the sketch, on the “low road” of the Interpersonal Divide. Describe this car and read the thought bubbles.
2. What are some of the distractions that this driver must deal with?
3. How is he hampered by getting messages from non-human sources?
4. How does the fact that he is on “auto pilot” affect his trip?
5. When he crosses the Path of Technology Overload bridge, what are his options?
6. What do the support beams represent? What are some concrete examples of these things?
7. Now, let’s look at the driver on the “high road.” Describe his car and read the labels.
8. How might the differences in his car serve him better than the driver on the low road?
9. As this driver heads over the Path of Smart Technology Choices, his foundationis considerably stronger. How does his future differ from the other driver?
10. What are some ways that your team or you personally can choose the high road?
www.watercoolernewsletter.com 5
Creating Connections Through Technology6
Ed FrancisManaging Director, Digital Solutions Root Learning
Creating eLearning for Real People
It’s a paradox. Organizations want
to realize the benefi ts
of virtual learning and
development, but they
don’t want to risk the
loss of the “human
moment.” With the constant consumerization of
technology, it’s easy to overlook the importance of face-
to-face conversation, in-person collaboration, and live
training. Fortunately, there are three simple approaches
to address this paradox: choose virtual tools smartly,
be real, and use emotion. As with anything that involves
actual people, these approaches aren’t foolproof, and
there are occasions when one is more appropriate than
the others.
Choose Virtual Tools SmartlyWhen designing virtual tools for L&D, be smart about
it. The objective of any L&D initiative is to improve an
organization’s viability, either through improving revenue
or decreasing costs (both are foundational to almost
every performance metric). We believe in the benefi t
of virtual training, but there are times when the value of
in-person experiences (human moments) outweighs the
cost savings of converting content to a virtual setting.
When deciding on the best approach, ask yourself:
• What are my options for virtual training –
classroom, on-the-job, virtual, blended, etc.?
• What are the limitations of each option?
• What mixture of options will best meet the core
business objective?
Use virtual learning when end-users need context set-
ting, access to informal best practices, access to just-in-
time information, and introductions to processes. Use
live settings when a human moment is needed: on-the-
job mentoring, coaching, and performance management.
Be RealWhen was the last time you saw a textbook on the
list of New York Times best sellers? When you were in
school, how often did you pick up a textbook and say, “I
think I’ll read this just for the fun of it”? Very few people
like instruction manuals, textbooks, and overly detailed
and complex materials…after all, we’re human. We
like stories, biographies, simplicity, and real language. As
Millennials are proliferating in the workplace, they are
bringing their desire for real-speak rather than corpo-
rate-speak. Virtual training should address this desire
by humanizing the language used to refl ect an informal,
direct style. Stories and experiences should be shared
to make the material real. When appropriate, use a witty
approach. If you are unsure if this approach will work for
your company’s culture, simply try it on a small scale and
see how the end-users respond…you may be surprised!
Use EmotionEmotions are a powerful and underused training tool.
People remember best what they feel the most. People
engage more in an organization when they feel connect-
ed to the big picture and know they make a difference.
When using virtual settings for L&D efforts, incorporate
emotional components. This can be done in several
ways, but the goal is to humanize your end-customers.
In the retail industry, create eLearning from the perspec-
tive of a customer and let employees feel how it is to
walk in your customers’ shoes. In the biotechnical in-
dustry, create short documentaries that show how your
employees save the lives of your end-patients. We often
hear the phrase, “engage hearts and minds.” Too often,
L&D organizations only engage the mind. To be more
effective, we must engage the heart. With the prolifera-
tion of technology, this is more important than ever.
Industry PerspectiveIIInn
Fit for Human Consumption:
www.watercoolernewsletter.com 7
Technology helps us reach the once-unreachable. Whether you use social media or not, it’s clear that technol-
ogy brings people together in ways that were once impos-
sible. Electronic connections are easing the isolation of vir-
tual workers, giving them a chance to stay connected across
geographies, time zones, and generations. Face-to-face
interaction is great, but having instant access to people who
would otherwise be on their own is great too. We need
to understand the positive implications of our virtual reach,
scope, scale, and touch that just weren’t possible before.
Granted, technology has its limitations. How we harness its
possibilities and do that well …that’s our challenge.
Technology encourages innovative thinking. When
my company partnered with IBM to deliver online debriefs
of participants’ Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument®
(HBDI®) profi les – a very personal and often emotional
experience – we were concerned that technology wouldn’t
be able to duplicate the richness of the one-on-one debrief.
But once we got out of our own way, we found that we
could add enhancements that weren’t possible in a face-to-
face setting, such as faster access to information in a com-
mon language, data on demand, the ability to stop and start
any time, and feedback presented in a “safe” way. These are
advantages that we couldn’t conceptualize before.
Leaders have an obligation to rethink what we’ve always
done and how we’ve done it. This doesn’t mean we throw
out all the old ways. It will always be important to under-
stand what people need to learn and how they can best
learn it. But now, we have so many more options that let
us actually anticipate learner needs, and we can adapt, using
internal social networks as well as face-to-face and online
methods. It’s not just a challenge – it’s our responsibility
to continue to push our thinking in a much more complex
world of choices.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi is CEO of Herrmann International, publisher of the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument® (HBDI®) assessment, based on extensive research on thinking and the brain. Her book, “The Era of And,” will be published in 2011. For more information, visit www.hbdi.com.
• Are you using technology to build common mental models about things we’re trying to create together? Video, multi-media, and visual
technologies are invaluable in helping people de-
termine “what success looks like in the future” and
how they fi t into it! Some of the best documenta-
ries created today tell the past, present, and future
stories of issues and organizations. What was once
only the domain of Ken Burns is now the realm of
stories about where an organization has been and
the compelling places it would like to go.
In the end, it’s up to all of us to decide who’s in charge.
Technology has created a new world bursting with op-
portunity, but we can’t move forward without thoughtful
consideration on how we are using it.
continued (from page 3)
continued (from page 1) continued (from page 2)
We are also putting links on our Staralliance.com
website to connect people with each other using social
media.
In the end, we are providing the employees of our
member airlines with consistent and high-quality train-
ing material to learn about the Star Alliance products
and services so they feel comfortable in applying their
knowledge in their daily jobs. With this basis, they can
deliver the customer promise on a consistent level
across the entire network of 21,200 daily fl ights to 1,172
airports in 181 countries.
As the Director of Training at Star Alliance, Carina is respon-
sible for the development and enhancement of effective
learning methods for member airline staff to safeguard
the consistent delivery of the Star Alliance products and
services.
5470 Main StreetSylvania, OH 43560
follo
w-u
p
“We are in the midst of major internal integration process.
The most important thing to do now is to ensure that the
communication plan is thorough and has leadership buy-in. We
are at a stage now where line employees have heard about it
prior to planned communications so the timing is critical...”
“We bring groups of people together as early as possible to
discuss the best of both companies and then ultimately create
a more powerful, innovative and awe-inspiring company.”
“It’s just beginning - we’re looking at all job descriptions to
fi nd the duplicates, then interviewing current employees to
fi nd career interests within new organization…moving some
into new positions and realigning others.”
We posed a question in our Summer Watercooler issue regarding M&A: The New Blended Family. We wanted to know what your organization is doing to help managers in these new roles.
Here are a few of the responses:
“We have established dedicated People Workstreams,
including a Change Management and Engagement team,
populated by members of both entities. This group
is chartered with cultural assessment, design and
implementation of activities (including role modeling,
training and communication activities). Additionally, the
team is working on employee engagement activities.”
“W
T
co
ad ng
The next issue of the newsletter will be published in January 2011