Ready to get started on your next learning project? Have a question? Complete the inquiry form. Email us. Give us a call. Or, schedule a meeting. Contact Us Ready to get started on your next learning project? Have a question? Complete the inquiry form. Email us. Give us a call. Or, schedule a meeting . 706-452-1986 info@4nlearning.com First name * Last name * Phone * Email * How did you hear about us? I am interested in learning more about...* Instructional Design Facilitation L&D Strategy Consultation Training Program Evaluation Other Message * Submit

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We are experienced Learning & Development professionals who collaborate with people just like you to bring dynamic and impactful virtual and in-person learning experiences to their teams.  Who We Are We are experienced Learning & Development professionals who collaborate with people just like you to bring dynamic and impactful learning experiences to their teams. “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” Benjamin Franklin About Us Creating and facilitating dynamic and impactful learning experiences is our purpose. And our passion. While we take our work very seriously, we have fun doing it and bring that same energy to our learners. Based outside Atlanta, Georgia, we serve clients around the country. Our client portfolio includes an eclectic mix of small business, non-profit, educational institutions, governmental organizations, and public corporation partners. We have over 25 years of combined experience in the L&D space, including facilitation in virtual and in-person environments, instructional design, and curriculum development. We’ve amassed thousands of hours in classrooms and training rooms, meeting and enjoying conversations with countless learners of diverse backgrounds and from all walks of life. If you are seeking a partner for your next L&D project, contact us to discuss how we can support your success. Our Values INTEGRITY We hold ourselves and our work to a high standard. We strive to make morally sound decisions, even in circumstances when that may be difficult. We do what we say we will do and work tirelessly to keep our promises. If we fall short of your expectations, we will take accountability and do everything we can to make things right. INCLUSIVITY We believe in creating an environment with and for our learners, clients, and business partners where they feel heard, valued, respected, and supported. Fostering a genuine sense of belonging that welcomes diverse perspectives builds the kinds of meaningful connections and deeply satisfying relationships which enable us to produce our best work. INGENUITY We actually do like to reinvent the wheel. We like taking unconventional approaches to generating ideas to develop something new or to elevate what already exists to the next level. We don’t need to think outside the box because we refuse to place ourselves in a box. Creative solutions flow from critical thinking, innovation, resourcefulness, and chocolate. INVOLVEMENT We believe it is important to give back to the communities where we live, work, and play. That means contributing our time, talent, and treasure to local charities and causes. We subscribe to the philosophy that service is the rent you pay for the privilege of living on this earth. If you feel the same and are looking for ways to make a difference in your area, visit VolunteerMatch . The 4Ns of Impactful Learning IN FORM Learning is impactful when participants receive practical tools and actionable strategies they can immediately use and implement in their roles to strengthen their knowledge, skills, and performance. We conduct industry-specific research and partner closely with our clients to ensure our session content is current, relevant, and incorporates real-world examples which reflect the unique dynamics of their workplace. Connecting the dots between the “why” of the organization’s mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities and the learner’s natural desire to understand “what’s in it for me” transforms an otherwise ordinary learning experience into an exceptionally impactful one. Info icon created by Freepik - Flaticon EN GAGE Learning is impactful when participants have numerous opportunities to interact meaningfully with one another and the facilitator. We create a psychologically safe environment where learners are treated with respect, vulnerability is rewarded, and everyone feels comfortable bringing their full selves to the learning space free from judgment or derision. Participants are actively encouraged to contribute to their overall learning by asking questions, sharing their expertise, and describing their work experiences. Our sessions foster active involvement in the learning process through a thoughtfully planned equation of individual and group activities . Activities are consistent with adult learning theory and the four primary learning styles. Engagement icon created by zero_wing - Flaticon EN TERTAIN Learning is impactful when participants have fun experiences . Incorporating fun into learning has numerous positive effects . Participants who have fun are more likely to stay engaged and have improved memory retention. Because fun helps to relieve stress, participants feel less anxiety and pressure to perform. Fun also promotes social interaction and stimulates creative thinking. All of our sessions include some element of fun attention-grabbing icebreakers, friendly competitive games, and non-traditional hands-on activities . Whether it's playing musical chairs, building bridges out of popsicle sticks, going on a scavenger hunt, or yelling out BINGO! , participants in our sessions need not rely upon the caffeine in their favorite espresso or carbonated beverage to remain alert. Humdrum sessions are not an option. Theater icon created by srip - Flaticon IN SPIRE Learning is impactful when participants are inspired to share what they have learned with others and to shift how they work . We seek through training to reinvigorate each participant so that they will feel encouraged to be more and to do more . Our desire is that participants gain knowledge which transforms their thinking and that they leave the session with a renewed sense of purpose and determination . We challenge participants to think deeply about how they will apply what they have learned to make a difference on their teams . Answering the "why?" at the beginning of the session, we ask "now what?" at the end. I nspiration icon created by Wichai.wi - Flaticon

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Find answers to frequently asked questions about our facilitation, instructional design, learning strategy consultation, and training program evaluation services. Frequently Asked Questions “If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.” Zig Ziglar Do you use AI in your work? We do not use AI to create the content for our learning materials or to source images for our courses. Our learning experiences are composed of 100% original content that we have written based upon research we have personally conducted. Do you provide technical training? We do not. Instead, we focus on topics that span the talent management spectrum . These include new employee onboarding, workplace culture, leadership development, power skills, and EQ. Are you available to facilitate sessions outside of Georgia? Absolutely! We are available to facilitate virtual and in-person sessions for clients located across the United States and abroad, in certain instances. We also offer self-paced online learning options. What kinds of sessions do you offer? We offer virtual, in-person, and blended learning experiences in a range of delivery modalities. Lunch and learn sessions are offered in one to three-hour formats. We offer workshops in half-, full-, and multi-day formats. We also offer cohort-based leadership development programs spread out over several months. Do you provide off-the-shelf training? No, we do not. The challenge with off-the-shelf training is, out of necessity, it tends to be one-size-fits-all. Instead, we consult with our clients to design customized experiences addressed to meet the specific needs of their business and learners. How do I arrange to bring training to my team? The easiest way to get the ball rolling is to complete the Contact Us form found here . We look forward to hearing from you! What is your fee for instructional design services? Instructional design services are provided at an hourly rate with a minimum of twenty hours charged. The hourly fee will depend on a combination of factors including the scope, estimated timeline, and complexity of your project. Do you offer development opportunities for L&D professionals? Yes. Our Training for Trainers seminar is ideal for new training professionals. The seminar is offered in four 8-hour sessions, culminating on the last day in participant-led training simulations. Day One covers design topics, including fundamentals of adult learning theory and accommodating different learning styles. Day Two covers development topics, including ways to develop impactful activities and written materials. Day Three covers delivery topics, including time management, answering questions effectively, and handing difficult situations. Throughout the seminar, participants are given time to work in their groups to complete various assignments in preparation for the Day 4 training activity. Because this seminar relies heavily on group work, it is recommended for a minimum of 15 to a maximum of 30 people. Interested in bringing this seminar to your team? Contact us for more information. How do you help with employee onboarding? In addition to providing consultation services for your day-to-day training needs, we can assist your company in developing an effective onboarding program. Thoughtfully executed employee orientation training is vital to the retention and productivity of your new hires and, ultimately, to the success of your company. During our consultation, we'll assess your existing program and provide detailed recommendations to strengthen the experience. We'll also review important benchmark preparations you can make to ensure your employees' success before their first day, on their first day, during their first week, during their first month, and beyond.

Leading a remote or hybrid team can be challenging. Maybe you’ve fallen into the “out of sight, out of mind” trap? The first crucial step in building a committed remote team is to establish a healthy culture. This FREE 1-hour online course will give you the tools to do just that! Course Registration Establish a Healthy Culture on Your Remote Team 706-452-1986 info@4nlearning.com Register below for free 15-day access to the course. * First name * Last name * Email (will only be used to send you access to the course) Submit By the conclusion of this course, you will be able to: 1. Explain how culture is foundational to an effective team 2. List the six principles of highly effective team cultures 3. Describe three ways to build psychological safety on your team 4. Explain the connection between a highly effective team culture and factors that drive employee engagement 5. Create a SMART goal and implement an action plan to establish a healthy culture on your remote team based upon one of the principles of effective team culture

We provide instructional design, facilitation, strategy consultation, and training evaluation services focused on creating impactful learning and development experiences for your employees throughout each stage of their talent management journey. What We Do We provide instructional design, facilitation, strategy consultation, and training evaluation services focused on creating impactful learning and development experiences throughout each stage of your employees' journey. “We focus first on the people and how we incorporate them into our company, and then we focus on how to drive the business." John Chambers Executive Chairman and former CEO of Cisco Systems Have a look at how we can use L&D to create positive experiences throughout every phase of your employees' talent management lifecycle. Phase 1: Attraction and Recruitment Consult with your leadership team to recommend and impleme nt an L&D strategy Facilitate a lunch and learn for your recruiters on ways to effectively market your learning culture to attract candidates Create an interactive e-playbook detailing your recruiting team's best practices Focus Areas We support our clients in four focus areas: Instructional Design Facilitation Learning & Development Strategy Consultation Training Program Evaluation See examples of our projects. Instructional Design Solid instructional design is the foundation for any effective and impactful learning experience. We use the ADDIE model of instructional design. As your trusted L&D partner, we will work closely with your team to provide original and creative content that informs, engages, entertains, and inspires your learners. During the analysis phase, we will meet with your project sponsors to discuss your business goals and training objectives. We will work with your subject matter experts to identify what your employees need to learn. We will also discuss project constraints, finalize project deliverables, establish benchmarks for project phase completion, and finalize the timeline for overall project completion. During the design phase, based upon our earlier discussions, we will define measurable learning objectives and identify the content and strategies for each module of instruction. We will also create prototype written materials for your review. During the development phase, we will develop the trainer guides, learner workbooks, handouts, exercises, activities, assessments, and course evaluation surveys. We will also create the visual aids for the training session and conduct a tabletop review of the materials with you and your project team. Afterwards, if you desire, we will run a pilot session for your designated subject matter experts and project sponsors, incorporating their feedback to revise and refine the content to meet the learning needs. Once you approve the final product, we are available to facilitate the session for you or to prep your training team for internal delivery. During the implementation phase, we can assist you by conducting a customized train-the-trainer session for your facilitators, conducting an instructor-led session for a test student group, and establishing the timetable for the course rollout. During the evaluation phase, we can assist you by reviewing the course evaluations, evaluating whether learners achieved the expected outcomes and how the course can be improved, and revising content and materials as necessary. Facilitation We facilitate impactful in-person and virtual learning experiences for groups of all sizes. Our courses focus on leadership development, power skills, and relationship management topics. Each session is designed to inform, engage, entertain, and inspire our participants. To ensure your participants derive the greatest value from their learning experience, we use our 25/50/25 6-D Model. Each training session consists of modules which are organized sequentially by topic, similar to chapters arranged in a novel. Within our training plan, we allocate a specific amount of time to complete each module, before moving on to the next one. Under our model, the initial 25% of the allotted time is spent delineating the objectives of the module and then dispensing the content critical to the accomplishment of the objectives. For example, in an hour-long module, our facilitator would use the first 15 minutes to review the objectives and cover the content. Following this instruction time, your participants would be given an opportunity to determine where their current skill level is and to discover how to apply the tools learned during the first part of the module. This is accomplished through various activities. For example, we might brainstorm ideas on sticky notes and strategically place them on sheets of flipchart paper hung around the room. Or, break out into small discussion groups to solve a hypothetical scenario. The activity accounts for 50 percent of the module time, or 30 minutes using our previous example of an hour-long module. The remaining 25 percent of the module time is devoted to debriefing what participants learned from the activity and afterward discussing as a group how they will apply the skills they just learned in their roles. Learning and Development Strategy Consultation For numerous organizations, Learning & Development remains a woefully underutilized resource, only pulled off the shelf once a year to satisfy compliance training requirements. Research shows organizations that prioritize a robust L&D strategy have employees who are productive, technically proficient, and knowledgeable of industry trends. Further, their employees are more engaged, more likely to report satisfaction with their roles, and thus more likely to remain with the company. If your organization does not have a well-designed L&D strategy, you run the risk of missing out on these benefits and other drivers which can give you a distinct advantage over your competitors in an increasingly tight job market. We provide end-to-end strategy consultation services – from guidance on the ownership of the L&D function to alignment with business goals. From recommendations on training program design and implementation to advice on stakeholder engagement. Contact us today to begin the discussion and capitalize on the benefits which flow to your organization from a customized L&D strategy. Training Program Evaluation A gap exists between your expectations for your employees’ performance and their actual performance. After completing a root cause analysis, you discover the problem is attributable, at least in part, to deficiencies identified in your training program. But, you’re not certain how to fix them. The good news is that we can help. We can evaluate your current training program to assess its strengths, weaknesses, and overall alignment with your organization’s goals and strategic priorities. We’ll conduct a thorough review of the content of your facilitator and participant training materials, perhaps meeting with your instructional designers to understand their approach and design decisions. We’ll look at the effectiveness of the delivery methods. This may include observing a live training session or viewing a recording of a previous one. We’ll also review participant feedback and performance data and use a combination of surveys, focus groups, and interviews to evaluate your program based upon the Kilpatrick Model measures - reaction, learning, behavior, and results. After completing our analysis, we will provide you with a detailed, customized blueprint identifying areas of strength and detailing opportunities for improvement. For the latter, we’ll provide specific recommendations to close the gaps. These recommendations may range from relatively minor changes to certain aspects of your training program to broader, more systemic changes to how your training is developed and delivered. Examples of recommendations include rewriting portions of training content to make them more germane to your audience, adopting alternative modes of training delivery, or incorporating additional hands-on activities and exercises to increase “stickiness” of the learning. Above all, your personalized blueprint will architect a detailed step-by-step plan to implement the recommended changes effectively and with as minimal a disruption to your ongoing learning and development initiatives as possible.

Browse and enroll in featured 4N University self-paced courses. 4N University Featured courses 4N University is a virtual library of self-paced personal growth and professional development courses. Each course includes: (1) a license for unlimited 30-day access for each enrolled learner; (2) an interactive participant guide; (3) prompts to encourage critical thinking about the topics discussed; (4) knowledge checks; (5) lesson summaries; and (6) an action plan template for learners to implement what they've learned. For more information on these and other offerings or to process bulk course registrations, contact us . Building Your Personal Resilience Format: Self-paced | Duration: 2 hours | Course Fee: $199 Experiencing challenges, disappointment, and loss is inevitable. Building your resilience muscles so that you are better equipped to handle the curveballs life throws your way is critical to help you persevere, triumph over adversity, and grow from your trials. This course provides comprehensive strategies to help you adapt to challenges and grow stronger through adversity. It emphasizes mindset, self-care, support systems, and actionable frameworks to enhance your resilience. By the conclusion of the course, you will be able to: Explain how the four types of resilience play a role in overcoming obstacles Describe three specific ways resilience benefits you in your daily life Assess your strengths and opportunities for growth in the professional resilience competencies associated with your role Deploy the tools and strategies introduced in the course to reframe your negative statements, grow your support network, improve your self-care, and embrace change Create and implement a 30-day resilience action plan based on the RESILIENCE Model key selected as your area of focus DOWNLOAD COURSE OUTLINE ENROLL IN THIS COURSE Establishing a Healthy Culture on Your Remote Team Format: Self-paced | Duration: 2 hours | Course Fee: $199 Leading from a Distance: 4 Principles to Building Committed Remote Teams is a 4-part course series for leaders who manage remote teams. Part 1 focuses on establishing a healthy culture on a remote team. This course provides an overview of healthy organizational culture before drilling down to the specific principles and practical strategies you can use to establish a healthy culture on your remote team. By the conclusion of the course, you will be able to: Explain how culture is foundational to an effective team List the six principles of highly effective team cultures Describe three ways to build psychological safety on your team Explain the connection between a highly effective team culture and factors that drive employee engagement Create a SMART goal and implement an action plan to establish a healthy culture on your remote team based upon one of the principles of effective team culture DOWNLOAD COURSE OUTLINE ENROLL IN THIS COURSE Leadership Basics for New and Aspiring Leaders Format: Self-paced | Duration: 4 hours | Course Fee: $399 Too often, first-time people leaders are ill-equipped to handle the responsibilities and challenges of a leadership position. They may have received training on the technical aspects of their role, such as the procedures to follow in certain instances and the competency-based expectations they are required to meet. However, because they didn’t receive adequate training on the people aspect of their role, they lack a true understanding of what it means to be a leader. This course is the first in a series of leadership development courses. It provides new and aspirational first-time leaders with a framework of actionable strategies and tools to help them understand who they are as a leader so that they can lead, guide, and develop their team members more effectively. By the conclusion of the course, you will be able to: Explain the difference between a leader and a manager Describe the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership Identify your primary leadership style and list three of its advantages and drawbacks Create a leadership brand statement which succinctly captures who you are, what distinguishes you from others who do what you do, and what you deliver Develop and implement an action plan to build and strengthen your chosen focus area of leadership presence DOWNLOAD COURSE OUTLINE ENROLL IN THIS COURSE

4N Learning Consultants provide learning and development services. We design and deliver impactful virtual and in-person learning experiences for each stage of your employees' talent management lifecycle. 4N Learning Consultants The 4Ns of Impactful Learning Play Video We design and deliver impactful learning experiences for your employees. Training Areas Career management Change management Coaching and mentoring Communication Conflict management Customer service Decision-making and problem-solving Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging Emotional intelligence Executive presence Interpersonal skills Leadership development Mental and emotional wellness New employee orientation Organization skills Personal growth and development Presentation skills Professional (soft) skills Role-specific onboarding Strategic thinking Talent management Team building and group dynamics Time management and productivity Workplace culture We design and deliver learning experiences focused on these topics. Take a look around... Learning experiences are like journeys. The journey starts where the learning is now, and ends where the learner is successful. The end of the journey isn't knowing more, it's doing more. Julie Dirksen , Learning Strategy and Design Consultant Get to Know Us We are passionate Learning and Development professionals with 20+ years of experience developing and facilitating engaging in-person, virtual, and hybrid experiences for adult learners. We are adept at generating novel ideas and bodacious solutions to challenges, galvanizing enthusiastic support of stakeholders, and tenaciously moving projects from inception over the finish line to achieve desired outcomes. Above all, we are dedicated to making learning fun, catalyzing lightbulb moments, and helping others reach their full potential. Who We Are What We Do We design and deliver impactful learning experiences for all phases of your employees' lifecycle . Click the images or watch the videos below to explore our focus areas and see how we can help you. Instructional Design Facilitation L&D Strategy Consultation Training Program Evaluation Our Services Play Video All Videos Portfolio Snapshot We've had the privilege to collaborate on amazing projects. Click below for a peek at a few of our favorite case studies . See Our Work Testimonials Vanilla is great for ice cream. Not so much for learning. We don't do b oring or predictable sessions. We prefer to add sprinkles, color outside the lines, and inject a lot of personality. But don't take our word for it. View this slideshow to discover what a few of our satisfied clients and enthusiastic participants had to say about their experience... A few of our clients... Aptara Atlanta Technical College Business Market Association - Atlanta CATV Training Institute Call2Recycle Gate City Bar Association Georgia QuickStart Emory University Heartlink Hospice Human Investment Corporation Jacada Inc. KH International LLC MULTIVAC Red Carpet Learning Systems Stevenson University The University of Georgia UNCF United States Army Recent Blog Posts 5 Ways to Leverage Your Unique Strengths as an Introverted Leader Apologizing at Work: When and How to Do It Dealing with News-Related Anxiety

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Building relationships with our clients is at the heart of how we work. Through mutual commitment, communication, and collaboration, together we empower your employees' development and continued success. How We Work Building relationships with our clients is at the heart of how we work. Through mutual commitment, communication, and collaboration, together we empower your employees' development and continued success. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. African Proverb Our Approach Put simply - when we engage with our clients, we become a team. With everyone contributing their unique strengths to achieve our common goal. Sharing in the successes. And learning from the setbacks. Relying upon one another, encouraging one another, and holding one another accountable. Putting egos aside because no one person is bigger than the team or more important than our goal. The team’s success outweighs individual accolades. This is our approach to work. If the kind of working relationship we’ve just described appeals to you, contact us today to get started on your project. Portfolio Snapshot To read details about a project , click its name in the list on the right. Or continue scrolling to browse. To return to this section , click the home icon located in the bottom right corner of the Description tab of each project snapshot. 15-Minute Fridays Ideation and execution of live microlearning experiences to help meet the professional development needs of busy leaders Aspire Design of 4-month cohort-based hybrid leadership development program for high- potential individual contributors Developing a Social Media Strategy Design of 2-day ILT course for international client incorporating practical activity to develop and implement a social media strategy Easier to Learn Proposal to enable a culture of continuous learning at the client's organization by making it accessible, broad-based, and convenient Faculty Teambuilding Retreat Design and delivery of 1 1/2-day ILT session on healthy team dynamics, improving communication, and meeting best practices Is Training the Answer? Design and delivery of 1-hour VILT session for people leaders and human resources business partners on training prescriptions Leading from a Distance Design and delivery of 4-hour VILT session for people leaders on the four components of the remote management commitment pyramid Learning Campaign Proposal for year-long campaign and associated components to help build a culture of learning at client organization Using the Six Thinking Hats Method for Critical Thinking Design and delivery of 60-minute virtual lunch and learn on the critical thinking method Weebles Wobble But They Don't Fall Down Design and delivery of 2-hour VILT on keys to building and strengthening personal resilience 15-Minute Fridays DESCRIPTION HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED: It is not uncommon for people leaders to spend upwards of 15 hours a week in meetings. Factoring in their other work obligations, project commitments, and administrative tasks, this leaves little time for their professional development. A common lament expressed by leaders and individual contributors alike was they lacked sufficient time to invest in building their skills and strengthening their capabilities. Paradoxically, they also acknowledged the importance of devoting at least some portion of their work week to learning. THE SOLUTION: To meet employees at their point of need, we introduced 15-Minute Fridays . As the name implies, these schedule-friendly 15-minute virtual learning experiences were hosted every Friday of the month. To facilitate the sessions, we leveraged members of the organization's L&D team. We also recruited volunteer facilitators serving in various roles, representative of a cross-section of business areas. Some were seasoned presenters, while for others this presented a valuable opportunity to hone their public speaking skills and presentation acumen. Facilitators selected the topic for their presentation. We supplied them with a PowerPoint template, responsive feedback on their content, and in-session technical support. The organization's communications team marketed each upcoming month's session topics and presenters in the L&D electronic bulletin distributed to all employees. This provided ample notice for employees to calendar time to attend the sessions of most interest to them. To drive more traffic to the organization's LMS, the facilitator shared links to additional relevant topical resources at the conclusion of each session. Home Feedback from the participants was overwhelmingly positive. "Helpful information in small sessions makes it easier to squeeze in between meetings. Love all of the great content on each subject and referrals to additional information. Keep up the good work! I know a lot of people have said they like the 15 minute sessions and the content." "I think there's a lot of great tips offered in a nice compressed time-package, which is great for our busy schedules!" "They are brief but impactful so that I do not have to commit a large portion of my day to development. I can do these and still receive some benefit." "I love that they are short, very informative and have recommended them to my entire team." Aspire DESCRIPTION HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED: A robust cohort-based leadership development program was in place for newly hired and recently promoted people leaders. Leadership recognized an opportunity to create a similar program for high-potential individual contributors who desired to move into leadership roles. The program would equip participants with the basic skills and tools required to succeed as people leaders, further the organization's efforts to engage and retain their promising employees, and fortify a pipeline of qualified talent to meet the evolving demands of their business. THE SOLUTION: We designed and developed Aspire , a nominative cohort-based leadership development program for high-potential individual contributors employed with the organization at least nine months. Ideal candidates would be identified by their supervising leaders during the annual talent review process as demonstrating the ability, engagement, and aspiration to rise to and succeed in more senior leadership roles. Designed as a hybrid offering, participants would attend two monthly 2-hour sessions over four months. In preparation for each session, participants would be asked to complete eLearning assignments, such as reading an article and posting their reflections in a discussion thread, watching a video, or completing an assessment. To ensure an optimal level of engagement for the in-session activities and group project, the cohort size was capped at 50 participants. The curriculum comprised practical content aimed at building participants' proficiency in the specific competencies identified in the organization's manager success profiles. The modules covered the following topics: Leadership Capabilities: foundational leadership topics, leadership styles, branding, and DiSC fundamentals Strategic Ability: critical thinking, problem solving, and business problem simulation Career Development: networking, building relationships, and career planning Group Presentations: business problem presentations Home Over the course of the program, participants could expect to: Hear from Senior Leadership Team members as they share their leadership journeys and impart advice Discover their natural leadership style and understand its pros and cons Create a differentiated leadership brand statement Identify their DiSC type, understand its associated traits, and learn how DiSC is applied in various contexts Explore critical thinking models and root cause analysis frameworks to solve problems Work collaboratively using critical thinking methods and problem-solving skills to solve a real-world business problem Complete a network assessment to determine gaps in their current network Design an individualized plan to build and broaden their internal and external professional networks Explore development opportunities within the organization and map out their personalized career path Partner with their group members to present their recommendations to solve the assigned business problem Developing a Social Media Strategy DESCRIPTION HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED: An international client retained us to design and develop a live instructor-led 10-hour course on developing and implementing a social media strategy. THE SOLUTION: After several email consultations to understand the client's needs and desired approach, we designed the Developing a Social Media Strategy course and provided the following requirements: Learning objectives and expected outcomes Exercises and activities with detailed instructions for the facilitator Comprehensive session workbook for participants Facilitator's guide with course outlines and preparation suggestions Supplemental learning tools including participant handouts and study guides Visual aids including PowerPoint presentations Pre- and post-assessments Marketing materials to promote the course Electronic delivery of all course materials to client in editable format The course consisted of five modules: Introduction Overview of Popular Social Media Platforms 10 Steps to Creating an Effective Social Media Plan 7 Steps to Implementing Your Social Media Plan Case Studies/Lessons of Social Media Successes and Failures Home The course incorporated a practical hands-on activity. Participants were randomly placed in project groups. During designated time on Day 1, participants met in their groups to devise a social media strategy for a fictitious company that lacked a social media presence. Under the activity guidelines, participants were instructed to address each of the 10 steps to create an effective social media plan reviewed previously by the facilitator. Additionally, participants were required to incorporate the use of at least three different social media platforms in their strategy. Groups were given the option to come up with their own business scenario or use one or a combination of the generic scenarios provided in their participant workbook. The fact patterns in the scenarios included: (1) introducing a new company; (2) introducing a new product or service; (3) promoting a contest, special offer, or upcoming event; (3) answering customer service questions; and (4) driving traffic to the company's website. Groups were encouraged to use the Social Media Strategy Creation Worksheets included in their workbooks to ensure they fully addressed all steps needed to create a successful plan. At the beginning of Day 2, each group presented their social media strategy to the class. Groups were encouraged to divvy up the presentation topics to ensure each member had an opportunity to present. Further, each group was expected to be prepared to answer questions from the facilitator and their classmates about the strategy decisions they made and the business justification for those decisions. Later in Day 2, following review of the seven steps to implement a social media plan, participants returned to work with their group to complete the Social Media Strategy Implementation Worksheet . By the end of the session, all participants would have completed a preliminary social media strategy plan. Easier to Learn DESCRIPTION HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED: The client organization's L&D department identified establishing a culture of continuous learning as one of its strategic priorities. Included within that multi-pronged effort was the simplification of learning and development for their employees. THE SOLUTION: We devised and proposed an Easier to Learn framework to return to the A-B-C fundamentals of effective learning, where learning is accessible, broad-based, and convenient. To make learning more accessible, we recommended increasing awareness of the LMS, empowering learners to take control of their learning journeys, and removing systems-related barriers. To make learning broad-based, we recommended using a holistic approach, including a diversity of learning formats, and including a diversity of learning content types. To make learning more convenient, we recommended offering learners greater options, offering learning that respects learners' time, and connecting content to learners' day-to-day work. Home A summary from the accessibility segment of the Easier to Learn proposal appears below. To make learning more accessible to the client's employees, we offered several recommendations: Socialize offerings: Implement a coordinated multi-layered campaign, across various media, to educate broader audience about the organization's L&D branded courses and programs Build awareness: Position the organization's LMS as the POS for all learning and development transactions. Although access to some content may be limited by role-specific permissions, all learning items should be housed within the LMS. Content items stored on individual departments' SharePoint sites should be migrated to the LMS. Empower learners to drive their own learning journey: Give learners the autonomy to determine how and when they want to learn. Learners should have the capability to create personalized learning pathways, curate content based upon their skills focus, and interact with the content and other learners in ways most meaningful for them. Make resources easier to find: Learners should be able to type a keyword or phrase in the search box at the top of the page to quickly find and retrieve resources that meet their needs. Similar to recommendation algorithms on Amazon and social media platforms, learners should see personalized content suggestions based on their activity. Remove barriers to self-enrollment: Learners should have the capability to self-enroll and unenroll in courses through an intuitive, seamless process. Administrative manual enrollment and use of an enrollment link, though available, should not be required. Use LMS integration functionality: Eliminate the need for facilitators to send manual calendar invites to session registrants. Instead, use the Docebo Outlook connector to auto-populate calendar invitations on learner's calendars when they self-enroll in a virtual instructor-led course. Support mobile learning: Learners should be able to access courses and resources on their handheld mobile devices with no degradation in the overall user experience. Faculty Teambuilding Retreat DESCRIPTION HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED: A client requested an onsite workshop during their team's retreat. The client explained team members were experiencing numerous challenges in communication which plummeted morale and negatively impacted their team cohesiveness. THE SOLUTION: After consulting with the client to understand their needs, we developed and delivered a highly interactive session consisting of four segments on the following topics: Developing a Healthy Office Sandbox: The rules, roles, and realities of the office sandbox Building Bridges Across Functional Work Groups: The main causes of communication silos and using the B.R.I.D.G.E.S Model to foster intergroup communication Planning and Running Productive Meetings: Developing an agenda with B.I.T.E., notifying meeting attendees, exercising control over your meetings, encouraging attendee participation, keeping your meeting on track, and taking stellar meeting minutes Flipping the Switch in Your Team's Electrical System: Impediments to team effectiveness, pulling your team out of the quicksand, steps to getting out of the quicksand, restarting team momentum after escaping the quicksand, and reinforcing team morale to avoid the quicksand Home This session included numerous activities to help participants synthesize the concepts we discussed and apply them to improving communication and morale on their team: Small group discussion on the five characteristics of a healthy office sandbox Small group discussion with prompts on the application of their assigned rule of a healthy office sandbox An Office Sandbox personality assessment to uncover participants' dominant and secondary office personalities An improv activity using the examples of workplace challenges participants anonymously submitted via the pre-session survey to demonstrate their understanding of the sandbox office personalities and how they interact An assessment to identify which characteristics of ineffective teams applied to their team Small group arts and crafts activity using popsicle sticks, glue, and Sharpie markers to build a bridge consisting of ideas to improve their team dynamics that corresponded with each principle of the B.R.I.D.G.E.S Model A "meeting gone wrong" role play where meeting facilitators practiced addressing distractions and detractors Focus groups to discuss and decide which five impediments apply to their team and rank them by order Small group discussion to identify a quicksand situation in their office and work through the seven steps to escape it Is Training the Answer? DESCRIPTION HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED: HRBPs at the client organization acted as a trusted advisor and partner to the organization’s leaders and provided advice on all HR matters, including talent management and performance management. HRBPs also oversaw and led the entire talent management cycle for client groups, including 9 box, individual development plans, and training and development. In working with their client groups, HRBPs would regularly encounter gray situations when it was unclear whether a recommendation of a training prescription or some other non-training intervention would be appropriate. THE SOLUTION: We d eveloped a 1-hour virtual instructor-led session entitled Is Training the Answer? The session included the following topics: Types of training modalities When training is not appropriate When training is appropriate 5 Whys root cause analysis Group activity Home The session included a practical group exercise. Following a brief introduction to the topic, the facilitator uploaded the exercise document to the chat. The facilitator carefully reviewed the instructions with the participants. Participants were to assume they were Learning & Development professionals working at a fictitious company. They were given six scenarios to read individually and then discuss with their group members in breakout rooms. Specifically, participants were asked to determine whether training would or would not be an appropriate solution based upon the facts in the scenario. They were also asked to be prepared to explain their answer during the later debrief. Participants were given 20 minutes in their groups to complete the exercise. Each scenario involved instances that would be covered during the subsequent teaching portion of the session when participants returned from their breakout groups. For example, one scenario included facts where training would not be appropriate because a root cause analysis was needed first to uncover whether a team's dip in productivity was potentially attributable to a system outage. After completing a review of the material, the facilitator returned to a discussion of each scenario, giving a synopsis of the most relevant facts. Using the poll feature, participants then voted anonymously - either yes or no - as to whether training would be appropriate. The facilitator told participants it was possible the original conclusion their group reached during the breakouts may have changed based upon the new information introduced during the review. After the vote results were revealed, the facilitator asked for a volunteer to share whether they believed training was appropriate in the scenario and to explain why or why not. Following light discussion, the facilitator revealed the answer and explained why training was not appropriate in the scenario. Participants were encouraged to ask questions to ensure they left with a clear understanding of the rationale. Leading from a Distance: 4 Principles to Building Committed Remote Teams DESCRIPTION HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED: The Covid pandemic ushered in new ways of working. Managers who previously led in-office teams needed to quickly pivot to leading a remote team. Emerging from the pandemic, numerous companies opted to continue employees' work-from-home arrangements. This presented a unique set of challenges as employees who had originally been assigned to an office had since relocated, adjusted their lifestyle, or otherwise made choices that contributed to an increased dispersal across geographic regions and time zones. Not dissimilar to hundreds of employers around the country, our client recognized a need for their leaders to learn effective strategies to manage their remote teammates. THE SOLUTION: We developed Leading from a Distance: 4 Principles to Building Committed Remote Teams , a 4-hour virtual instructor-led learning experience for people leaders with a minimum of four remote direct reports. During the session, manager participants learn strategies to establish a healthy team culture, promote effective communication, foster productive collaboration, and encourage meaningful connection on their remote teams to gain the commitment of their team members. The session consisted of five segments covering the following topics: Introduction: Remote management and intentionality, commitment pyramid, and team assessment Establishing a Healthy Culture: Characteristics of healthy organizational culture, types of team culture, building healthy culture on a remote team, creating SMART goals, and action planning Promoting Effective Communication: Choosing appropriate remote communication methods, best practices for communication and alignment with organizational values, and action planning Fostering Productive Collaboration: Virtual meeting planning checklist, best practices for remote team collaboration, remote collaboration tools and apps, and action planning Encouraging Meaningful Connection: Practical ways to engage team members, combatting social isolation associated with remote work, encouraging social connection among team members, and action planning Home During the session, participants could expect to: Assess and rate their remote teams in the areas of culture, communication, collaboration, and connection Engage in activities, exercises, and small group discussions with their peers to embed their learning Apply introduced concepts to devise solutions for their remote management pain points and challenges Create a preliminary action plan to successfully implement remote management strategies with their teams After the session, participants would be encouraged to: Ask their team members to anonymously assess and rate their team in the four areas of the commitment pyramid Meet with their teams to discuss the assessment results and complete the action plan based upon their feedback Access the remote management playlists in the LMS to explore additional resources and continue their learning Attend an optional 45-minute follow-up session to share their insights, successes, and opportunities with one another Learning Campaign DESCRIPTION HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED: The client made a substantial investment to upgrade the LMS, but data showed less than 30 percent of their employees were using it. Reasons for nonuse stemmed largely from lack of awareness. A percentage of employees did not know the LMS existed. Other employees knew it existed, but were unaware of how to find it. Still others knew it existed and knew how to find it, but reported not knowing how to use it. Or, they found using it complicated and intimidating. THE SOLUTION: We recommended the client implement an organization-wide learning campaign. The purpose of the campaign was to build a culture at the organization where continuous learning was prioritized to develop the best leaders and equip them with the necessary skills and tools to advance the organization's mission. The campaign's success would depend in part on buy-in and active, visible support from senior leadership alongside a thoughtful, collaborative partnership with the communications, multimedia, and digital experience teams. The goals of the campaign were to: Increase month-over-month LMS utilization rate (the ratio of the time spent by learners in the last 30 days compared to the time spent in the previous 30 days) by 30% Drive higher attendance at virtual learning experiences by achieving a baseline 50% ILT attendance rate (percentage of learners who attended compared to the expected number of learners) Reinforce the benefits of social learning by encouraging learners to interact with one another by starting a new discussion in a forum or posting a reply in a course discussion Spark growth conversations between managers and their direct reports about how they can use LMS resources for their ongoing professional development Home To build excitement around the coming campaign, we suggested the client launch an online contest teasing when it would launch and asking employees to submit their creative suggestions for the name of the campaign. A selection panel would narrow the submissions to the top five choices from which employees would vote on the ultimate winner. The employee whose entry was chosen would receive a special gamification badge, 150 challenge points, company swag, and recognition on the dedicated campaign site and in the official launch announcement communication. The Learning Campaign incorporated several proposed monthly activities: Individual Challenges: Learners who completed the assigned challenge would be awarded a badge and challenge points. A challenge may include anything from watching a video and posting their reply to the question in the forum discussion to completing specific content within a playlist. Team Meetings: People leaders would be encouraged to devote 15 minutes during one of their monthly team meetings/huddles to facilitate a discussion on a particular topic. Teammates would be asked to watch a brief YouTube video or read a brief article in the LMS. Managers would be provided with a simple guide including 3-5 questions they could use to facilitate the discussion with their team members. Learners of the Month Recognition: A monthly contest would be created in the LMS for the learners who completed the most courses. The first-, second-, and third-place winners would receive gamification badges and 100, 50, and 25 challenge points, respectively. Learners would also be spotlighted in the campaign newsletter and on the website. Video Recommendations: Featuring a member of the Senior Leadership Team recommending a video they watched or an article they read in the LMS and explaining how it was impactful to them. Embedded within an email, the video would be 2-3 minutes long and include a link to the resource for employees to visit. Five-Minute Surveys: Five-minute State of Learning surveys linked on the dedicated campaign site page with results shared in the following month's campaign newsletter Using the Six Thinking Hats Method for Critical Thinking DESCRIPTION HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED: The client requested a 1-hour virtual lunch and learn session on ways their employees could improve their critical thinking skills. THE SOLUTION: We developed and delivered Using the Six Thinking Hats Method for Critical Thinking . The session covered the following topics: Definition of Critical Thinking Types of Critical Thinking Skills The Six Thinking Hats Method Benefits of Using The Six Thinking Hats Method Use Cases Application Activity Home The session featured a Six Thinking Hats practical activity, modified for time. Following a review of The Six Thinking Hats Model, we uploaded the activity instructions. For this activity, participants worked in groups in breakout session rooms labeled with the color of the hat their group would "wear" for the exercise. For example, learners assigned to the Red room would brainstorm answers to the questions associated with the Red Thinking Hat (The Instincts). The activity was based on a hypothetical scenario, where learners worked on the HR Benefits Team of a large management consulting firm, headquartered in Atlanta with 7 office locations around the country. As part of a cost-cutting measure, the Executive Leadership Team asked the HR team to examine the current benefits package and recommend benefits that should be discontinued prior to the beginning of the upcoming enrollment cycle. One of the benefits their group was considering discontinuing was the free gym membership to Planet Exercise. Additional facts were provided for groups to consider as they answered the questions for their assigned hat. Groups were instructed to use the Six Thinking Hats template to answer the questions for their group’s assigned hat. They were given 10-12 minutes to brainstorm with their group. They were also asked to agree upon a spokesperson who would report out for their group during the debrief. Acting as the Conductor (blue hat), we asked the spokesperson from each group to provide a two-minute synopsis of the answers to their questions. Afterwards, we administered a two-question poll. The first asked whether, based upon the discussion, they would recommend discontinuing the gym membership benefit. The second question asked whether the activity helped them to think more critically about their decision. Weebles Wobble But They Don't Fall Down DESCRIPTION HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED: The country was in the midst of the Covid shutdown. The client's employees, many of whom were working from home for the first time, were struggling with feelings of isolation, loneliness, and uncertainty. THE SOLUTION: We developed and delivered Weebles Wobble But They Don't Fall Down - 10 Keys to Building Your Personal Resilience . This was a 2-hour instructor-led virtual learning experience open to all employees, offered in conjunction with the Benefits Team's wellness programming The session consisted of five segments covering the following topics: Resilience stories from famous public figures Definition of resilience and explanation of why it is important Debunking common myths about resilience Review of the 10 keys to build personal resilience Review of organization's available health and wellness resources to help with resilience Home The session featured: Opening breakout rooms activity where participants introduced themselves and shared what they wanted to get out of the session Anonymous whiteboard activity when participants used the text tool to share an example when either they or someone they know demonstrated resilience; followed by quiet reflection Interactive Slido polls Assessment for participants to gauge the frequency with which they demonstrate resilient behaviors Return to their original breakout groups to discuss which of the 10 keys they wanted to focus on over the next 30 days; discussion prompt questions were provided A comprehensive participant guide which included action items and questions for self-reflection and journaling for each of the 10 keys, links to available organizational resources, a template for their 30-day resilience action plan, and a list of books to help adults and children build resilience

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