Returning to Learning - Back to School at Work

Today's workplaces are changing at the speed of light - new technologies, new people, changing expectations - all requiring new skills to keep up. Research shows that 1 in 5 adult Canadian workers will be in a workplace learning event within the next 7 days and by the end of September, 1 in 3 will have participated in workplace learning.

If all this learning is taking a toll, here are 3 quick tips to get you ready to go back to "school' at work as you get your kids back to school themselves. The skills you need for returning to learning are the skills you have already developed as an adult juggling multiple responsibilities: managing time, setting priorities, asking questions, and knowing yourself. Your formula for success is almost complete.

Accept that you ARE a good student.

Many workers are intimidated by workplace learning with a very real fear of whether they can measure up academically. Relax - your real life experiences and need for new information will win over that inner child trying to remember the times tables. Good workplace learning focuses on new skills that help at work - not how fast you memorize new information. And as an adult, you are already really good at learning new things to make your life easier.

Know why you are returning to learning.

Go into training knowing what you want to get out of it and you will be surprised how much you do. by having a clear idea of your expectations, you can help make sure the material is relevant to you and ask questions of the trainer that personalize the material to your needs.

You have transferable skills.

You already know just about everything you need to, to be successful. You may have to apply those critical thinking, problem solving and stress management skills to a new computer program or those conflict resolution or communication skills to a challenging colleague but you already have the skills - your learning is going to be about new situations and ways to apply them - easy peasy!

Tell us your favoutite workplace learning stories - good and bad - via email to dean@actraining.com. We'll enter your stories into a draw for 6 "School Bus" Photo Frame Magnet Craft Kit. 8 1/4" x 6"; holds three 1 1/8" x 1 1/4" photos so can show your trip back to school right alongside your kids!

Summer fun at Advance Corporate Training

Advance Corporate Training is on the move!

The summer is a quieter time in the training industry but staff and management at ACT Ltd. still look forward to the season. We use it as a chance to take on more creative, time-consuming projects, build relationships with new clients, develop and test new courses, spend more time on our community good works - as well as time to take the show on the road. This summer has seen us in Yellowknife, Whistler, Vernon, Salmon Arm, Denver and Orlando - from the top of North America right down to the bottom. Stay tuned for stories from our travels later this month - and our schedule for the fall.

I'm sorry just isnt good enough

ACT releases a new course on apologizing at work.

"Apology is a lovely perfume; it can transform the clumsiest moment into a gracious gift." Margaret Lee Runbeck

Broken promises, a missed deadline, making a mistake, forgetting something important, being late, rude or unprofessional, offensive behavior, misunderstanding or broken communication – do you recognize yourself or your co-workers? Have your feelings ever been hurt, your trust betrayed, relationships destroyed?

People spend 8-10 or even more hours at work, which leads to plenty of opportunities for difficult situations and complicated problems to arise. And at work, apologizing can be tricky. To help improve communication and decrease conflict at work, we have developed a new short course on the 5 types of apology and how to use them well at work.

The common statement “We are all human, we all make mistakes” or casual and careless phrase “Just live with it (forget about it)” could make the situation or conflict worse and would never help to restore and rebuild trust. We need to do more because when an apology is poorly delivered, it can make a bad situation worse. In some cases hurt people might feel that instead of healing their feelings you are just rubbing salt in their wound. A bad apology is a second insult.... the other person doesn’t want to be compensated because they have been wronged; they want to be healed because they have been hurt.

What insulted or offended people expect and accept is a sincere, honest and thoughtful apology delivered on time. But it’s not easy and that’s where this new course can help.
“Today in business, strong communication skills are essential to personal and organizational success,” says ACT Ltd. President Janet Dean. “Most of have mastered it when times are good. This course will give you the skills to help when times aren’t so easy too.”

Parents teach their children to say please and thank you and even “I’m sorry” very early on. The children are unknowingly learning to say I’m sorry to please their mum or dad and not actually mean the apology. We carry this strategy into our adult lives.

“Learning the correct actions and words to apologize are not enough. It greatly helps your understanding and success if you learn what not to do as well so you can avoid the apologizing mistakes so many of us make over and over again”, says Tony Procure, ACT Manager

“For me, the non-apology apology” is the worst says an anonymous employee. “When my boss says “I am sorry IF I….. I feel the non-apology apology coming and immediately tune out. People like my boss need to learn how to apologize properly – this course would be great for them.”

Mark Schenkle, an Administrative Manager says, “ if only my staff knew how to apologize, we could let go of the issue and move on. Instead, they blame each other, hand me those non-apology apologies and in some cases just give me the “I’m sorry” I am sure they used on their mom and dad.”

This new course is designed to help everyone get better at communicating their apology and regret.

The Advance Corporate Training Ltd. Apology course is available as a 1 hour lunch and learn or a half day workshop. Topics include the 5 languages of apology, identifying and removing barriers to apology, where and when not to apologize as well as sample scripts and letters to help you apologize more effectively.

"An apology is the superglue of life. It can repair just about anything." Lynn Johnston

For more about the power of apology, the five languages of apology, how to write apology letters and how to forgive, consider bringing the new ACT course “Apology in the work place” into your organization. For more information, call 604.521.5473 or email events@actraining.com.

Free Teleseminars this Fall!

Three classes at absolutley no charge. On us.

If you're tired of talking about what you're going to do one day... One day just arrived! No more excuses – the time to apply your leadership skills is here.Each class is designed to assist you in applying new behaviors to your old situations.

Mondays, November 3-17,2008 9:30 – 10:30 AM (PST)

The Format: 30 minutes of JanetSpeak, 15-30 minutes of Q & A

We have room for only 50 callers,so sign up NOW! Send your name, position, organization name, email and telephone number you will be dialing in from to events@actraining.com

The Agenda

November 3 THE REALITY CHECK:What are the challenges to practicing leadership in the modern workplace and what are the best practices for “work arounds” and “work withs”?

November 10 DESTINATION NEXT:What workplace trends are on the horizon and what current trends are we still figuring out (dealing with multigenerational and diverse workforces, downsizing, globalization)?

November 17 CREATING CHANGE:"Sometimes the greatest risk is NOT to take one". How do I implement change in others where there is resistance or even sabotage?