Training the Darth Sidious Way

This week I facilitated leadership training with participants from across North America as well as Europe. Each day we had a different group of people join us in Chicago, which means someone from the U.K. would spend more time getting to and from the session than they would in the actual training itself.

Every indication was that people loved the classes. But I couldn't help but think about the time issue....

Think about how much time we waste... Waiting. Commuting. Hurrying up....just to wait.

Remember in the Star Wars movies when Darth Sidious would pop into a discussion as a hologram for a little pep talk with Darth Vadar? How different would things be if we had such technology? How would that change the way we look at business, meetings, office layouts, even cities?

What would the impact be to the travel industry? Training? Whatever industry you are in?

I've not shown up in a hologram yet but I've presented in meetings using state-of-the-art video conferencing technology (sometimes referred to as telepresence). It's impressive now but just a shadow of where things are headed.

I enjoyed watching this clip from a Cisco meeting where John Chambers has an on-stage holographic conversation with two guys who are 14,000 miles away. Even if you only watch the first couple minutes it will give you a sense that the technology might not be, well, light years away!

By the way, if you want to invest in your own skills (and those of your team) yet don't have much time or money, check out our e-learning offerings! It's the next best thing to beaming me to your office!

Labels: e-learning, innovation, time management

posted by Andy at 9:14 PM  

Podcasts: Training You Can't Afford (To Miss!)

Our latest newsletter went out today on the topic of podcasts. If you haven't received yours, I invite you to check it out online.

For those of you who regularly take advantage of podcasts, which are your favorites? Add a comment to this post to share with others.

For those of you who haven't tried podcasts yet, what concerns do you have? What has kept you from taking the next step? I'd love to hear from you.

Labels: e-learning, Information Technology, podcast

posted by Andy at 4:36 PM  

People and Projects Podcast now on iTunes

Just a quick note to announce our People and Projects Podcast is now available on iTunes. Click here to listen or subscribe!

You are also invited to visit the People and Projects Podcast home page. Thanks!

Labels: e-learning, leadership, podcast, project management

posted by Andy at 1:16 PM  

When the Company Cuts the Travel Budget

A recent survey indicates that some companies are putting the brakes on business travel. This has the potential to impact how you invest in your people when it comes to their personal and professional development.

What are some options when buying airfare is not one?

• Bring it in-house. The price point for bringing a class in-house (where we come to you) can be significantly less expensive than sending people out to individual classes. Could you use some help delivering your projects more successfully? Or developing the leadership skills of your organization? We can partner with you on an in-house engagement that can get you the capabilities you need while saving you money.


• Take another look at e-learning. Visit our e-learning home to see how our solutions can help develop the knowledge and skills you need at an incredibly low price. In particular, check out the site license deals!


• Keep an eye out for our web conferences. Many of them are free and allow you to tap into expert insights without having step onto a jet bridge.

You can develop your teams while being a responsible steward of a limited budget. Give us a call and we can help match your budget with our services to help grow your staff.

Labels: e-learning, learning, project management

posted by Andy at 12:07 PM  

New Option for Earning Your PDU's

Thinking about becoming a certified Project Management Professional (PMP)? Or maybe you are a PMP and need some PDU's to keep your certification?

We have a new offering to help! Today we are announcing our new e-learning product What You Need to Know About Risk Management.

2 PDU's for under $50 USD is a great deal! But beyond that, you'll get practical learning that you can apply in your organization regardless of the corporate culture.

Click here to learn more!

Labels: e-learning, PMP certification, project management, Project Management Institute, risk management

posted by Andy at 5:33 PM