Harnessing soft skills in LMS online training

Many organizations suffer the consequences of poor training in the simple procedures of soft skills.

An organization's success depends not only on hard technical skills, but its members' ability to work together effectively. Success can be jeopardized by factors such as inter-staff politics, personal agendas, lack of energy and commitment to organizational goals, and poor communication.

How can your organization avoid these dangers and achieve actionable outcomes with LMS online training?

The purpose of any kind of training is the acquisition of skills. So what kind of skills are teachable? What skills can you expect to nurture in online training? The truth is that all skills, both soft and hard, are teachable--and critical to an organization's success.

Soft skills, or "people skills," are utilized in both professional and personal life, and include all the procedures involved in effective communication. These include listening, engaging in dialogue, providing feedback, functioning in a team setting, resolving issues and conflicts, and contributing in staff meetings.

See Related Post: How to Train the People behind the Skills

Are the results real and Measurable in Online Training Courses?

One of the big issues around online training is perception that measuring and monitoring the effectiveness and substantive results of this training can be elusive.

In other words, turning the training into an actionable outcome is the difference between a pretty screen that your learners will stare at, and a meaningful translation of what they just learned into accountable result.

So as important as it is to develop a great online training course, it is just as important to develop an evaluation methodology to measure the impact of the training. This and effectively interacting with your learner in your online training course are important element.

See Related Post: Online training and actionable outcome and result

How to Gauge the Quantity of LMS Training

Let's face it: management often has a difficult time in gauging the appropriate amount of time to devote to training. One common mistake is to skimp on training. It's rushed through, and ultimately the manager figuratively shrugs his shoulders and concludes that employees will learn the particular skill or topic on-the-job. However, managers should keep in mind that training IS on-the-job.

Training is a critical part of employees' work experience, which delivered effectively, can make an enormous difference in performance, greatly ease the task of performance management, and save an organization an enormous amount of time and money in employee turnover.

There are many causes of failed online training initiatives, which are obviously a huge waste of organizations' time and energy. Many of these causes are related not only to the quantity or length, but also the texture of the training.

Coggno is now offering a free trial for performance review training creators on its learning management system. Create online training for free, whether it be for internal use, for inclusion in Coggno's E-learning Marketplace, or for outside syndication on hundreds of websites.

See Related Post: Quantity Control in LMS Training

MGMT Behaviors to Avoid for Decreased Employee Turnover

Why do employees quit, and how can LMS managerial training help? First, the improper handling of situations is a common way to lead employees to their next job with a company who may be your competitor. When things go wrong, management must step up to the plate and become the leader, rather than the finger-pointer and blame-assigner. Another sure way to kill morale in the workplace is the constant reorganization of staff and shuffling employees around. This only causes confusion and a lost sense of priorities.

The second behavior that management should avoid is the alienation of staff by silence. Oftentimes, management fails to make time to inform staff about the decisions it is taking. Clarity and transparency in management should be consistent in order to keep a healthy employee morale and sense of good communication at work.

The third managerial behavior that effects high employee turnover rates is killing morale by not allowing employees to make any decisions about their work. Employees begin to view their work as only a job instead of developing pride and positive energy in the workplace.

Coggno is now offering a free trial for management training creators on its learning management system. Create an online course for free, whether it be for internal use, for inclusion in Coggno's E-learning Marketplace, or for outside syndication on hundreds of websites.

See Related Post: 3 Managerial Behaviors that Contribute to Employee Turnover

What's Your Most Valuable Resource? Invest in LMS Performance Review

I've already mentioned employee dread of performance reviews; but what about the managers giving the reviews? Surveys report that managers also harbor a strong dislike for performance reviews, oftentimes because an organization's employee performance development is often lacking. Oftentimes, supervisors have a difficult time remembering the major achievements of each employee in a given year, let alone their goals, development, and other contributions.

Short memories on the managerial end and insufficient time spent on goal-setting and performance assessment throughout the year often make annual reviews unfair, inaccurate and worst of all, ineffective. Lack of preparation for a performance review communicates that you do not take the review seriously, and you can safely assume that neither will the evaluated employee.

The cost of using an LMS to manage performance development and feedback is low and even free in some cases, but the value is great. An investment in systematic performance development is an investment in your most precious resource--your people.

Coggno is now offering a free trial for performance review training creators on its learning management system. Create an online course for free, whether it be for internal use, for inclusion in Coggno's E-learning Marketplace, or for outside syndication on hundreds of websites.

See Related Post: How to Give Great Performance Reviews Using LMS Performance Management

Go Armed and Ready to Your Annual Review

Do you have an annual performance review coming up? An LMS prep course could help you make it a success.

Oftentimes people dread performance reviews for all the wrong reasons. You might be unfamiliar with the process, or haven't taken the time to reflect on the work year, or create professional goals for the future. You might believe it's time for a pay raise, but you aren't sure if it's the right time to ask.

The trick is to go prepared. Keep in mind that workplaces do performance reviews differently. While some require that you take time to assess yourself, and later use that assessment as the basis for your review, others focus more on the future, or the past. Find out from your boss before the review for some specifics on how the process works.

Coggno is now offering a free trial for performance review training creators on its learning management system. Create an online course for free, whether it be for internal use, for inclusion in Coggno's E-learning Marketplace, or for outside syndication on hundreds of websites.
See Related Post: Nail Your Performance Review with LMS Prep

Proactive Management for Newbies

A recent poll showed that over half of new managers received no formal training whatsoever before beginning the job. If you're a new manager, be proactive in your own training and transition process. Pick up a course on an online learning platform like Coggno. Free courses include a Sample Negotiation Presentation, Conflict in Workplaces, and L19-Influence. For new managers there are courses such as 6 Steps to a Successful Start as a New Manager, which offers practical tips and strategies to help new managers successfully move into their new leadership role.

Take time to get to know the people you are managing. Even if you have worked beside these people for years, that doesn't necessarily mean you really know them. Find out what's exciting or interesting for them, how to motivate them, and what concerns they may have. If you get to know them as individuals, you will be able to more effectively manage them.

Coggno's LMS combines state-of-the-art tools with quality content to provide managers and all students a memorable and effective learning experience. Coggno is now offering a free trial for management training program creators on its learning management system. Create an online course for free, whether it be for internal use, for inclusion in Coggno's E-learning Marketplace, or for outside syndication on hundreds of websites.
See Related Post: Three Tips for Bright New Managers

Continuously Improve Your Training--And Your Business

Beyond the time and money saved, one major benefit of a learning management system (LMS) is the potential for creating a team learning experience that fortifies your staff unity and efficiency. But how do you train employees for continuous improvement and team thinking? Moreover, how can you create a group learning experience for your trainees?

First, incorporate Kaizen into your company philosophy, and explain and demonstrate the concept in your training. Kaizen, the Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement, is a philosophy which involves all employees, of every rank. It is quite different from outdated hierarchical improvement programs of "command and control". Under Kaizen, all employees are encouraged to make suggestions to improve all processes of a business.

Second, create a team learning experience. For example, introduce your staff to a new product or service, and allow them to practice developing strategies and solutions for that product or service. If the trainees are in sales or customer service, use your LMS to introduce the new product, deliver training on the product, and prompt trainees to work together to develop strategies and solutions to given situations when dealing with clients, and so on.

Coggno is now offering a free trial for training program creators on its learning management system. Create an online course for free, either for internal use, for inclusion in Coggno's E-learning Marketplace, or for outside syndication on hundreds of websites.

See Related Post: Three Ways to Strengthen Your Training--And Your Company

Effective LMS Training with Simple Strategies

Using learning management system training courses, transferring knowledge from the short-term memory to long-term is a process easily facilitated. One of the most effective ways to help learners absorb course material is through repetitive review.

Here's an analogy. Although you have probably parked your car in hundreds of places throughout your lifetime, you probably remember easily enough where it is each time you go to find it. And you just as easily forget where it was parked after you no longer need to find it there.

However, if one day you parked your car in a specific place in the parking lot, and then walked by it several times throughout that particular day, you might remember for days or even weeks where it was on that day.

This is a simple strategy for helping learners put course content into their long term memory. When your trainees learn something new, try to review the main points on the same day. Ask them to take notes on the learning management system material, and allow them to refer back to them as they practice.

Coggno is now offering a free trial for online course creators on its learning management system. Create an online course for free, either for internal use, Coggno's E-learning Marketplace, or for outside syndication on hundreds of websites.

See related post: Practical LMS Training for Long-Term Knowledge

To Homeschool or Not to Homeschool: 3 Questions to Ask Yourself

Considering homeschooling your child? Here are three important considerations, three critical thoughts, before you take the homeschooling route.

First, is everyone in the family on board with the decision to homeschool? This is an essential precondition of homeschooling that both parents (if applicable) are in agreement about the decision. It will prove very difficult for everyone involved if one parent is against it. If this is the case for you, try talking to more people and doing more research on homeschooling. Read up on learning management systems and other learning strategies before bringing up the topic with your spouse again.

Coggno is now offering a free trial for home educators on its learning management system. Create online courses for home use, or for syndication.

Your child's opinion, of course, should also be considered. Is he or she warm to the idea of homeschooling? Ultimately, it's your own decision, but a willing student is always much easier and more pleasant to work with. If your child is absolutely against the idea, you might not have an easy time of it. Remember, no homeschooling is a lifelong one. Most families take it one year at a time.

See Related Post: The Homeschooling Route: 3 Pre-Thoughts Before You Take it

Learn to Manage Your Outsourcing Relationship with an LMS Online Course

A company's executives should approach outsourcing relationships in a way that corresponds exactly to the company's short- and long-term objectives.

A key concept that an LMS course teaches executives is that good ORM involves a proactive strategy in preventing failure. Instead of simply measuring, tracking, reporting measures against targets, and penalizing the service provider, executives should use that information to manage future performance. That way, when systems or processes are showing signs that they are heading towards failure, they can be eliminated or changed before the problem actually occurs. A proactive approach has higher rates of effectiveness than any carrot-and-stick strategy. It will also help to root the major causes of dysfunctional or unsatisfactory outsourcing relationships.

A complete online course in ORM deals with the three areas of concern in BPO transition and ORM, which are management strategy, organizational structure, and IT infrastructure. Management strategy refers to identifying the best service level agreement and relationship techniques for your business process outsourcing strategy. Organizational structure refers to developing the appropriate in-house management, or the oversight structure and mechanisms. Finally, IT infrastructure is the supportive IT infrastructure which enables the monitoring and management of a network of external service providers.

Management strategy involves a critical element: contract management. This includes tracking, measuring and ensuring results, tracking, penalizing and preventing failure, and developing performance measurements. These measurements should not only address current performance, but also respond by providing proactive solutions and predictions. Contract management also involves a quality assurance approach that governs the processes and the service delivery of a BPO group. Remember that the outsourced service provider has a vested interest in achieving results, just like the company is it servicing.

Since service provider contracts are often transitory, they should specify responsibilities and processes of the BPO transition term. Generally, the contract with an outsourced service provider should include provisions for performance management, and the contract language should be flexible, allowing for changes as they become necessary.

See Related Post: LMS Courses Help Proactively Manage Your Outsourcing Relationship

Business Process Outsourcing Demands a Solid Learning Management System

It's never been uncommon for organizations to outsource content development, such as learning programs, management and company training, including tasks such as the production of books, training materials, videos, and other educational materials. Learning management system vendors offer benefits such as flexibility, customization, and cost-effectiveness to organizations using business process outsourcing (BPO).

BPO is quickly becoming the norm among large-scale companies and businesses, and offers some outstanding benefits. But it can also be a complicated venture, which is why strong learning management system or other online company training is crucial for organizing and training employees whose work is outsourced.

Before learning management systems and other online training systems, training employees was a more decentralized process. Oftentimes, companies could not even be sure how much money they were spending on training across their enterprise. The process varied widely from group to group, and company to company.

In relation to the frequency of business process outsourcing taking place, companies are paying greater attention to their learning management system training and other online training systems. Everyone wants to secure a process that works for his or her company, to reduce the cost of training by finding a customized solution and making it both adaptable and repeatable.

Companies who use business process outsourcing can save money if they are able to centralize and repeat the process of training. This is where learning management systems are useful, since they allow users to create and deliver customized training solutions. Companies can make training their own, integrated with their logo and corporate color scheme. Learning management systems that use a pay-per-use business model make it easy to load and reload learning content as required for relevant, up-to-date training. This model allows organizations to help employees gain the skills and knowledge required in exactly the period of time necessary.

See Related Post: Centralized LMS Training for Business Process Outsourcing

Learning Management System Portal Imparts Continuing Education in Healthcare

Different concise modules related to various fields-accounting, business, governments, even law are updated to training programs by using a Learning Management System portal. In recent times, additional domains are using a LMS to provide training and consequently, continuing education in healthcare is promptly accessible through online courses.

Technological and scientific advancements in the field of medicine are being made nowadays and it is imperative for nurses, and everybody associated with the medical field to be conversant about these diverse progressions. The best way to do that was through seminars. But lack of time is the biggest factor. To make individuals existence uncomplicated, Learning Management System programs are already available or their services can be acquired as needed.
Giving a profound elucidation, continuing education modules are not de rigueur, it alleviates individuals in the medical field to sign up for these short programs. Without a doubt; the erudition that we acquire whilst in university is indispensable for health providers. Books undoubtedly update us when in need.

You can also browse through the Internet for the latest in medical care. Nevertheless, Learning Management Systems can currently offer a lot. The information on the Internet should be taken only at face value and it doesn’t cover all topics related to your field. But, with these online training modules, more care providers get the opportunity to brush up on their skill sets and register for continuing education short programs any point of time.

It’s been observed that academia which offer continuing education programs are capable of churning out proficient nurses. Given that the learners and nurses get the option to schedule these modules, it becomes effortless for the information to permeate.

It is absolutely true that these programs are very valuable as nursing students, nurses and individuals associated with medicine are abreast with the latest. Most experts advocate these short courses for individuals wanting to refurbish their nursing permits. Learning Management System is a brilliant and highly efficient solution when it comes to continuing health care education modules.

See Related Post: Continuing Education in Healthcare Made Available via the Learning Management System Portal

Ensure Active Learning with Learning Management Systems

The Activities feature serves a practical purpose. Using the feature, administrators can track student activities to find out where each one is exceeding, and in what areas extra attention may be required.

Monitoring trainees with the aid of a learning management system feature like Activities helps ensure that students are actually absorbing the content they are learning. Why is this important? First of all, ensuring training effectiveness saves organizations and educators valuable time and energy. In what ways? Many--and each depending on the kind of training you're delivering.

On the other hand, some kinds of training may not necessarily benefit from such a feature. For example, training material given to new employees, teaching them the ins and outs of their new position, may not cry for a feature that monitors student progress in such an active way. After all, newcomers to an organization are typically excited about their new job--they want to learn. They are intentional learners.

With compliance training, however, that story changes. Here organizations save money in the long run if they ensure successful training. Conflict can be avoided, and employees can be protected. And of course, productivity is always increased when employees are well educated on workplace issues which are meant to facilitate communication and prevent conflict.

Automated tracking of learning allows trainers and educators to concentrate on teaching and administering content. Trainers can focus on the content and guiding student interaction with the material, rather than actively keeping tabs on them.

However, the most effective way to ensure that learning is taking place is the existence of a strong and engaging training course. It's not enough to create satisfactory content, get it out there, and expect students to eat it up. A complete and flexible learning management system which provides a variety of robust features is the best way to create content that entices all learners to become intentional ones.

See Related Post: Motivate and Monitor Students with Learning Management System Features

Implementing Classroom Environment into Learning Management System

Are you interested in upgrading your skills of your employees? If yes, a learning management system can be the perfect solution for your team. A LMS does not necessarily mean online courses on a portal with login and passwords for employees. You can also have a virtual classroom environment that can be monitored, with self study modules available for learners.

Basically, a learning management system is a software application that consists of several e-programs, training methods and content programs to educating the user. Companies across the world have started realizing the benefits of encouraging their employees to take up this system as it is being considered a great way of teaching a job skill to multiple employees at a time.

Even though e-learning has gained tremendous popularity in the last few years, many organizations still find the classroom environment more effective in training employees. To meet both the needs, organizations are looking at blended learning solutions. According to their recent studies, when employees attend a virtual classroom training session with their co-workers it gives them a feeling of being a part of the team.

In a virtual classroom setting it becomes easy to address everyone at once and track learner statistics using a learning management system. In case some changes are made in the course or there is any important notice, all employees can get be updated with ease. Training employees, developing their skills and creating a helpful work environment are vital for any organization. Virtual classrooms promote networking between employees, improve comfort levels between employees and provide the flexibility of online training.

The main aim of using a virtual learning environment and a learning management system is to make sure that everyone learns at their pace and experience the benefits of a classroom. Even though the company encourages the employees to work in a team and learn as a team in a classroom setting, the organization can always make them work individually when required.
Related Post: How Classroom Environment is Being Implemented Into the Learning Management System

How Your Learning Management System Can Help Your Business Thrive in 2010

Provide your employees with a customized, one-on-one training method via an learning management system. Using a SCORM-compliant LMS is one solution that more and more organizations are turning to to make sure their employees are well-educated on their products.

Unfortunately, trainees' absence of interest in a compliance training topic is often a result of bland training material--not to mention the sheer reality that the training course is mandatory. And that lack of interest can cause students' failure to really learn and process the learning content, and to skimp on the time required to actually absorb the material.

However, holes in employee understanding of important issues (like those listed above) which compliance training courses cover can cause big trouble down the road. That is why supervisors are wise to ensure that employees are completing course material completely and correctly, and devoting the appropriate amount of time on each part of the learning management system training.

Of course, it isn't enough just to train employees on organizational policies and procedures. In order to get ahead in a competitive job market, take advantage of your training management system to go the extra mile. This year, educate your employees with state-of-the-art and effective tools so that they can efficiently and effectively educate your customers.

Customers want to make an informed decision when considering buying a product. There is no greater discouragement to purchasing a product than an apathetic or unknowledgeable sales representative.

Aiding with the development of employee knowledge is an essential practice for any company hoping to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive business environment. For this reason among others, investing in your employees is the wisest business move you can make in 2010.

This year, think long-term and invest in your best asset: your employees. Use your LMS not only for compliance and other basic training, but to educate your staff on how to best interact with and educate your customers.

Related post: Educate to Sell With Learning Management System Solutions