Commencement Takeaways Part 1

Hello Readers,

 
Last weekend I graduated with my Masters Degree in Adult Education. It was a great honor to sit among so many others who have earned such a great achievement. The keynote speaker was actor, comedian, talk and radio show host, and author Steve Harvey. He mentioned some powerful takeaways. Here is part one of just a few takeaways I learned from his commencement speech. I know they will bless you:
 
1. A secret of wealthy people is they imagine what they want and they actually believe they will have it.
2. Be 100% whole. Money is not everything and cannot bring you happiness.
3. Do not let your degree just hang on the wall. Do something with it. Make an impact in your life and others.

4. If you only want out of life what you can accomplish you will limit the scope of what you can achieve.

Your thoughts are welcome

MJW

www.truthspeakscoaching.com

To Train or not...

Training is one of if not the most important factors for companies and organizations. I believe more organizations are realizing that a well-trained employee turns into a loyal and engaged employee. So what is the real definition of training? Being a training professional I have read many versions of definitions. One definition I like is from Business Dictionary.com because it is simple, it states training is a “Organized activity aimed at imparting information and/or instructions to improve the recipient's performance or to help him or her attain a required level of knowledge or skill”. I would like to add the Truth Speaks definition, “Training is a developed schedule of adult education events/activities designed to introduce, enhance, and transfer learning”. Like I said I like simple.

Let’s look at some training platforms from a couple of companies. Disney requires that each employee go through the same training before going into their hired position. Disney believes that all roles need to understand each other. In addition the employees are called Cast Members; the difference is they are either on stage or off stage (pretty neat). Another example is CSX Conductor training; each newly hired conductor undergoes a rigorous 6-8 months of training before starting the actual role. These are just two of many companies that understand the value of training and that the return on investment (ROI) can be great. These companies value their employees and want the best for them; it is evident from their training platforms. 

How is the training at your company? Please let us know your thoughts...

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/training.html#ixzz3FNIR6IJk

www.truthspeakscoaching.com

MJW

Are you an educator?

Let's first define what is an “educator”. Merriam Webster defines educator simply as one who is skilled in teaching; meaning we all have the ability to teach someone something at anytime and anyplace. The definition pretty much sums it up. An educator is one who educates, inspires, empowers, motivates, lifts up, understands, listens, acts, does not judge, and I could go on. Here is this week's message, look at one of the above actions that educators do on a daily basis. Ask yourself which one pertains to you? How many pertain to you? Now ask yourself who did you motivate today? Who did you inspire or empower today? See, education is not only for when we are in a school setting, education is a lifelong process. Who and what did you educate/teach someone today?

Your thoughts are welcome...

MJW

www.truthspeakscoaching.com

The Three P’s of Presentations

  Preparation – Readiness of the subject- 10 hours prep time for 1 hour of presentation time.

  Persuasion – Bringing understanding of your subject matter to your audience. Keep in mind what you are trying to convince/prove.

  Purpose - The “Why”. The adult learner needs to know how the subject matter relates to them. Simon Sinek states “people buy the why”.

Putting it all together:

Preparation persuades the purpose of the presentation.

Keep these P’s in mind when preparing your next presentation and you will have a successful presentation.

Your thoughts are welcome...

MJW

www.truthspeakscoaching.com

The Art of Storytelling in Teaching Adults

        

No matter who you are you have been told a story that either moved or provoked something inside of you. Grandparents are a prime example of this old adage. Storytelling is not a new method in teaching adults; in fact storytelling happens every day in some form of learning structure. Storytelling is the art of relaying a message for the purpose of learning and understanding (a TSC definition). Storytelling adds a personal touch to the message being given. As stated by Diana Oreck of Ritz-Carlton, the VP of their Leadership Center “stories add colors to facts” Weinstein, (2014). Adults are constantly seeking the “why” in everything we do. Simply stating a fact to an adult will not satisfy the craving to understand the why, however a story will perhaps meet that need. Stories allow the “teller” to be transparent and the “receiver” to understand and build trust. Storytelling works well in many settings such as one-on-one mentor sessions, lecture/classroom, conference, tutoring, mentoring, and small group discussions to name a few. The Adult Educator whether they are an instructor, facilitator, or trainer has a duty to learn their audience. A great way to connect to the audience is tell them a great story. The objective is to allow the audience to relate and elaborate on the story and perhaps tell their own. Storytelling will allow for a comfortable learning environment to be created and foster audience engagement.

 

Weinstein, M. (July/August (2014). Once Upon A Time in Training. Training Magazine, 22-25.

Your thoughts are welcome…

www.truthspeakscoaching.com

MJW