Training Blog...

While reading the news today it came to my attention that  Sony has announced it will stop making the floppy disk.

A chapter in computer history has ended, and I am sure that many of you have both good, and bad memories of these devices. For myself, I can remember sitting in my dad’s office, and using his floppy disks as make shift building blocks, while the older kids got to play Kings Quest and Zelda.

Looking back on the floppy disk’s life, I can’t help but look at how much technology, and the way we do things changes.  A process or medium that is cutting edge one day, can become a child’s toy the next.

My question is, what are other “floppy disks” that are in our world? Do we too quickly get rid of the old in exchange for the shiny new and hip, or are we holding onto concepts a little too tightly for our own good?

Social media….friend or foe?

Some of us spend 8 hours or more in front of a computer or laptop each day doing homework, business work, purchasing items, managing tasks etc.  Throw social media into the mix and you are connected to technology all day!  Yikes….no wonder you feel stressed!

Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and think about how you can slow down in this fast paced world.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Get up and move. Take a brisk walk or stretch throughout the day.  You are forcing yourself to step away from all the chaos and rejuvenate.  And try not to update your Facebook page or twitter that this is what you are doing….just do it!
2. Enjoy your meals. Have you ever tackled a burger and fries while surfing the web only to find yourself tired or having a belly ache by mid afternoon?  ( I am guilty )  Try not to get sucked into your monitor…eat a well balanced meal and take time to enjoy it….away from your computer or phone.  By cutting out some of your web surfing you will have some extra time to carve out to eat with family. According to a recent article on Parents.com, “… researchers at Syracuse University, family routines such as eating dinner together nightly are associated with happier marriages, improved children’s health, and stronger family ties.”
3. Don’t feel you have to respond. You are getting ready to hit the hay and only have 15 minutes to unwind and do any last minute preparations for your big meeting in the morning…your phone buzzes.  It is your BFF texting you something very important, “hey”.  If you respond you are giving that person permission to interrupt you and you may carry on a meaningless conversation of one word texts back and forth for more then the 15 minutes that you have.  If you don’t answer, my guess is that he/she will go to the next person in their contact list and see if they are on the edge of their seat waiting for their text.
4. Don’t let social media become your social life. Nothing takes the place of face to face communication.  One of the most annoying things for me is when I am out with my friends or family in the middle of a conversation and one of two things happens.  Either the person that I am talking with receives a text message and starts to type while I am still talking…RUDE!….or another patron receives a call and starts talking so loud that everyone around them hears their conversation.

We will always be connected to technology.  In fact, more gadgets are created all the time, but you won’t be able to get back the time that was lost with your friends or family.

Did anyone read the news online, receive a live news feed on your mobile devise, or listen to your local news on your commute home yesterday?  If so, you probably heard about the unveiling of the new Apple iPad.  We talked about it in the office yesterday.  What are they going to call it?  How much will it be?  What is Steve Jobs going to be wearing during his keynote?  It even got to the point that a coworker and I had a bet on this.  She said that Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple for those that may not know who I am referring to, would give his presentation in a black turtleneck and jeans….that’s his “brand”.  I thought he might spice it up a little and wear a black shirt of some kind (maybe not a turtleneck) with an Apple logo with jeans.  Well, I was wrong.  He did have on a plain old black turtleneck with jeans.  Very similar to Batman…same outfit different day of the week!

Branding.  This seems to be the new buzzword.  There are many blogs, forums, websites, and articles etc. that are focusing their campaign on helping you brand yourself and/or your company. It is a marketing strategy.  The focus isn’t to get your target market to choose you over your competitors, but to have your target market think that you are the ONLY solution to their needs.  About.com posted an article, by Laura Lake, stating the objectives that a good brand will achieve are:

• Delivering the message clearly
• Confirming your credibility
• Connecting emotionally with your target market
• Motivate your buyer
• User loyalty

Wow!  That is exactly what Steve Jobs does time after time.  If we think outside the box of “having to be in the marketing department to do this”, you can apply these points to just about anything.  Your job, your social life, your role as a parent and the list goes on.  Think about how you, or your leaders, are branding the training or learning within your company.  Is there a clear message about the expectations of training?  Is there follow through with the training to confirm credibility?  Does your company provide training that the learners can connect with emotionally?  Is there motivation to learn?  Are the learners loyal?  You may find that all 5 items are covered, but if not, how can you help?