Nowadays, Laura Kelly is Senior HR Business Partner at Arkk Solutions in Belfast. But she started her working life as a circus performer, touring the world with her gasp-inducing aerial acrobatics. What’s the connection? “Circus taught me that I could master tough new skills,” said Laura. “The circus gave me autonomy over which skills I chose to develop, and it brought me recognition for those achievements – while providing a powerful experience for the audience. “It was Pink’s AMP Framework in action – and I was so happy! Now, I can help others to feel just as passionate about their wo ..read more

“I just want progression. I want to know how I can move up within this company…” People, Everywhere It feels like people are ever more overt about their desire to get ahead in their careers. And yes, it feels a bit un-British to publicly share your desire to “progress” with your colleagues. However, I seem to be hearing this more and more.  But there is a harsh reality when it comes to “progression.” In most cases, progression involves stepping up into a management role.  Whatever your industry, this is a perennial challenge for managers seeking to retain top talent. Their highest p ..read more

Every week, we’ve been busy adding new posts to our L&D blog – and thousands of L&D and HR professionals have stopped by to have a read. So, as we turn the page to 2020, we thought it would be a good time to take a look back at the 10 most-visited blogs from our 2019 collection. I hope you enjoy discovering which posts have earned a place at the top table, and catch up on any you may have missed this year. And, judging by some of the entries that made the cut, our readers certainly do enjoy a top 10! 1: Confident or Arrogant? How to Tell the Difference and Why It Matters Confi ..read more

Everyone talks about building trust and communication between managers and employees, but how do you actually achieve it? I discovered one way in the most unlikely circumstances. I recall the first day I met Nick. It was a morning that we’d all been dreading. His predecessor, Richard, had been with us for many years. Liked and respected by all, tears had been shed at his leaving party and there was general unease at meeting his replacement. What if this new person was mean? Or changed everything for the worse? And even if he is good in the role, relationships take time to understand and ..read more

Among the L&D professional’s core skills is the ability to design learning materials. But doing so for a diverse, online audience can be tricky. It’s vital to account for different learning preferences, but according to leading instructional designer Jan Seabrook, this requires time. Jan says, “The pay-off is that online learning materials offer advantages such as consistency of content and reduced learning time.” Why Is Instructional Design Important? Over the years, the importance of instructional design (ID) has been emphasized to varying degrees. But it’s now in danger of being ignored ..read more

Absence doesn’t always make the heart grow fonder. Returning to work after a long-term illness, family upheaval, mental health episode, maternity, or other extended leave can be a difficult time for a returnee – and the company welcoming them back. The organization’s structural, procedural and cultural practices will go a long way towards determining how successful any reintegration is. To put the issue in context, according to a 2018 Integrated Benefits Institute report, U.S. employees covered for sick time, workers’ compensation, disability, and family and medical leave benefits: were ..read more

In October, Mind Tools was proud to sponsor the Catholic Health Australia (CHA) Symposium in Melbourne. CHA represents the largest non-government provider of health and community care services in Australia. The inaugural symposium was CHA’s premier event in learning and development, bringing together people from across the CHA community, including nursing, midwifery, allied health, clinical and education staff. The purpose of the event was to give members the opportunity to network, learn and exchange ideas. There were also presentations from industry experts, such as associate profes ..read more

For most of us, multiculturalism isn’t anything new. Globalization, increased travel, and immigration mean that we are now exposed to many different cultures and languages daily. And yet, despite this, we still find it difficult to overcome simple cross-cultural communication barriers. For example, as an Italian arriving for the first time in Spain for my master’s degree 14 years ago, I was shocked. I had an image of Spain in my head. But I could not get over how demanding (and, to me, rude) people’s language seemed to be. “Give me a beer,” “Call me at this time.” I would have at least use ..read more

We’re delighted to announce that Mind Tools clients will soon be able to access our resources in six European languages. We’re currently testing the new translate feature, with full access expected later in the year for all of our corporate clients. Why Multiple Languages? If, like many organizations, your workforce is spread across the globe, then it’s likely that different members of staff speak different languages. Even if an organization only uses one language to do business, you can’t escape the fact that learning remains highly personal. And it’s most effective when you can ..read more

We all make mistakes. Sometimes we say things in the heat of the moment that we immediately regret. But for managers, off-the-cuff comments to an employee can cause irreparable damage. From demotivation to resentment, guilt to open conflict; one ill-thought remark could go so far as to damage your entire organization. “To win in the marketplace you must first win in the workplace.”   Doug Conant, American businessman  Some things are non-negotiable: managers shouldn’t engage in gossip, make threats, hurl insults, or banter inappropriately with employees. But innocuous remarks can cau ..read more