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