Our 5th guest blog comes from Ady Howes (@adyhowes), who does lots of tech stuff and more at DPG Community, which is an online community of practice for HR, L&D and OD professionals.
My first thought was that this is a Ronseal blogpost. It does exactly what it says on the tin, and wow! Seeing all of the questions discussed in just one year makes quite an impact. Enjoy your read via the link below.
Our 4th guest blog comes from Mike Shaw, who describes how in just a few months, #ldinsight, the LnD Connect Unconference and L&D Co-Work network(s) have shown great kindness and helped him to make amazing connections, during a time of great personal change. Mike even manages to compare Twitter to Raki! A first, I think.
Mike is a learning and development professional with a background in the further education and skills sector, but currently exploring new opportunities in L&D. Please enjoy his blog.
Change happens. It’s one of life’s inevitabilities. The changes of growing up and growing older, changes in relationships with family and friends, changes in where and with whom we live, changes in work and with our career. It’s endless really. Certainly, some changes present greater challenges to us than others, and recently I’ve been reflecting about where we find our resources during these times. When I think about resources I mean not only for moral and emotional support, but also for insight, information, direction and challenge.
During 2016 I took the opportunity to rethink my career. Although it was personal changes in my life that instigated it, in truth, for many months I’d been mulling over the trajectory of my working life. With another 20 years of working life ahead of me I had to be confident that whatever I did would be motivating, enjoyable and meaningful. It wasn’t that the past 22 years, or even the past two years, of work hadn’t been all those things. In fact far from it. I feel immensely blessed to have worked with wonderful, caring, exceptional people, where what we did had a direct and positive impact on young people’s life chances – everyday. Most recently, despite, or perhaps because of, the great challenges presented to us, I had the chance (in fact the need) to learn so much about myself and develop professionally – probably more than in any previous job. For the people who took me on that ‘journey’, I will be eternally grateful.
And that’s the point really. Despite feeling that the sector was one from which I no longer got the same enjoyment, the people with whom I’d had such wonderful experiences and from whom I’d learned so much, would be missed and, critically, irreplaceable.
So it’s funny how things happen. When someone on an online discussion forum mentioned that there was a Friday morning L&D Twitter chat, the first thing I had to do was to reacquaint myself with Twitter. I had let it languish like that bottle of Raki at the back of the cupboard, wondering why I ever had it. So, on the 22nd July 2016 I had my initial foray into #ldinsight. My first ‘hashtag event’! Now, I’m not one for hyperbole, so when I say that stumbling across #ldinsight and @LnDConnect has had a massive impact on me, it’s the truth.
Let me try to quantify “massive”. It’s hard to know where to start but I was immediately struck by the friendliness, engagement and interest of people. In the #ldinsight chats there was a vibrancy with the discussions, mountains of ideas and experience, points of view, challenges and, oh yes, insights. Definitely insights! As a result of that first chat I had offers to talk to people and within a week I’d had a few Skype discussions, within a month I’d met up for coffee with people, been put in contact with others and had offers to access career management tools. I also started to appreciate the wider uses of Twitter and hashtags, and as a result have got involved in more chats, using hashtags to focus on specific organisations, issues and people. A world was uncovered which I delved into, helping to develop my ideas, learning, job seeking strategies and, critically, confidence and hope.
The following months led me to the LnDConnect Unconference in Manchester, the L&D Co-work events, blogging – often on topics that had emerged from the Friday morning forum, and as a result of a #ldinsight discussion, was prompted to initiate an informal skills development meet-up. I’ve met caring, supportive, skilled and generous people. People I barely knew offered me their time, ideas, empathy and hearts. I have been lucky to get to know people, in both virtual and real worlds, who are at the forefront of their field, pushing creativity, full of ideas, skilled in what they do, and eager to support.
The story for me has been about generosity and kind hearts. It’s been about people who have made the past six months thrilling, creative and inspiring. A new set of people have helped me with this change in my life and provided me with the resource that propels me on each day. So what hopes do I have? Of course, I hope I will find that particular job role I want. I hope I will continue to develop and learn from people around me and people I’m yet to meet. I hope I can give back to others something that will help with their changes and their journeys.
Mike can be found on Twitter: @MikeShawLD
Welcome to our 3rd guest blog on #ldinsight and what it means to participants. Today’s personal and beautifully written piece comes from Meg Lyons, who discovered tweet chats last year, and really values the connection and generosity. Meg also highlights how the chat can feel when you are taking part ‘in the moment’ and how ‘fast and furious’ and more considered responses all play an equally valid role.
Meg is an independent coach and trainer who loves helping individuals to work with more meaning, balance and joy.
Hope you’ll enjoy the read
2016 was a year of great discoveries for me. After 15 years at the same organisation, I left my role in a client-facing learning team to give myself some time to pause, reflect on what’s important, and re-engineer my work to do the things that I love. I followed an inner knowing that coaching was part of my career journey and gained accreditation through the International Coach Federation. When I consider the journey I went on, there were highs and lows, great moments and challenging ones, and learning all the time. In the context of the world, 2016 will be remembered as a remarkable year in history. But for me it will have to go down as the year I discovered the tweet chat. In particular, #ldinsight on a Friday morning from 8-9am helped me understand the amazing wonder, fun, and learning of the collaborative and connective power of Twitter.
What makes #ldinsight so meaningful? I summed up my appreciation for it by relating it to several themes:
Commonality and diversity
One of the best aspects about the chat is to know that, from the outset, there is some common interest for people to be there. Anyone there for the chat has, at the least, some curiosity for the topic, and usually they have much more: real-world experience, deep subject matter expertise, and thought leadership in the field. But at a minimum, there’s curiosity. I’ve always taken great energy from a learning experience where others want to be there, leveraging the power of a tribe to enhance the richness of the topic.
While there is a shared interest, there is also incredible diversity that comes up in the discussion of the topic. I appreciate recognising the voices that are like mine for validation that I’m not alone in my way of thinking and viewing the world. On the flip side, I really appreciate the ones who bring a totally different angle and perspective, the folks who make me stop and think, “Ah, I hadn’t considered that!” In this sense, #ldinsight has helped me understand where I have biases and how I can be more mindful of those. The range of opinions, thoughts, and responses that emerge from one single question really demonstrate that although we are alike, we are different. I love the diversity of thought that helps me stretch my beliefs and understanding of the opportunities we face. I also get to know who might be helpful in terms of future partnerships, both those who share my outlook, skills and approaches, and those people I’ll think of when I encounter requests to do something that goes beyond my strengths and specialisms.
The here and now and that the “what could be”
I’ll admit that there are some Friday mornings where I don’t “keep up” very well. Usually those are the days when I’m behind with my morning routine and not quite in the headspace to be multi-tasking with breakfast, getting kids out the door for school, and being on Twitter. Or the responses might be flying fast and furious and depending on the question, I might be trying to work out my own response. Noticing my engagement has been a great exercise – to work out that balance between not leaping to have an answer, versus being in the moment and providing a quick, unfiltered reply of the first thing that comes to mind. I’ve noticed where am I quick to have a say, and what could I learn from sitting back and taking time to consider. Of course, it’s only an hour long, and if we all sat back and noticed it might be a pretty quiet chat. Tumbleweed rolling across screens is probably not the best look for a tweet chat! There is great beauty in blurting and seeing where that takes the conversation.
What I also love about the time aspect is that it doesn’t really stop at 9:00am when the moderated chat finishes and we all go out to live our Fridays. I carry the energy out into my day, and have been known to have an “a-ha” moment days later when I make a connection between something that came up on the chat and something I see in my own life and work. That happens in my coaching as well and we want that from the learning experiences we facilitate – all of the insights don’t come specifically in the session, but later, when our clients are out living their lives and applying their new ways of looking at situations, or new patterns of behaviour. The chance for reflection and ideas to marinate is a part of sense-making that I appreciate.
Making the link between the personalities that emerge in the chat, and who people are when you meet them in person, is something else I enjoy. L&DCoWork, the monthly co-working event, is a great place to continue online conversations together in person. And from another regular chat I attend, I’m co-delivering a workshop later this year in Denmark on creating transformation through play (#WePlayChat if you’re interested, for all things about being more playful!). So, who knows where the 60 minutes of hashtag fun can take you?
Connection and generosity
Connection is often a huge value for people involved in the learning & development profession. Many of us do the work we do to help others be more successful, in their roles, their organisations, and their lives. Depending on whether we do this within organisations, as part of small or large teams, or as independent consultants with the merry team of “me, myself, and I”, connection remains vital. Moving into the space of the independent coach was difficult for me, as my value of teamwork was really challenged. #ldinsight and other chats give me periods of connection that help plug that gap and combat that feeling of isolation.
With time being our most precious commodity, it’s inspiring to see how #ldinsight allows us come together to share ideas, continue to build an incredible community of L&D/OD practitioners, and leverage technology for efficiency and scale. I appreciate the generosity of the organisers, the weekly moderators, the people who attend to share and contribute. It’s what makes it fun and worthwhile.
After missing a few chats, I realised I wanted to find a way to make sure I attended at 8:00am. Fortunately my phone alarm has helped with that, so I actually get an early-morning celebration to boot when I make it on time. The number of ways that #ldinsight links to my values make it an extremely valuable use of time – and I hope to meet you there soon for a Friday cuppa and chat!
Meg Lyons
@danceswithlyons
Welcome to our first blog post of 2017, written by Craig Kaye. This is the first in a short series of blogs from people who are passionate about the L&D Connect network and who are happy to share the benefit this brings them. As #ldinsight chats start up again after the festive break and we look forward to the next Unconference in Manchester on 10 Feb, we asked on Twitter, who would like to blog for us about what this network means to them.
Many thanks to Craig for being the first, and for sharing his learning and career journey with us. This post has a name that appeared puzzling at first. 3128? Was this boosting the potential of 2017 by adding 1 to each digit? Was it a look into the future? Well, Craig reveals all at the end. Enjoy the read.
It has become an important part of my Learning and Development Practice that when organising my diary I try my best to book out at least 60 minutes each Friday morning from 8am.
This is the time when numerous: L&D, HR and OD Professionals come together via Twitter with the hashtag #LDInsight to share knowledge, experience and opinion on a relevant open question of the @LnDconnect Administrators’ choosing.
But why is this important to me?
Well, seing as though you asked – let us together walk up my career path to date.
Approximately 10 years ago (showing my age now) I had an additional responsibility within an organisation to deliver a Peer Supervisory Session on a weekly basis, which would involve facilitating a Reflective Practice Workshop and trying to create a safe environment where staff could learn from one another.
“Would anyone like to start?”– the room would fall silent.
In hindsight, maybe Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need wasn’t being met, or the fact the sessions were compulsory by senior management, may have contributed to an initial lack of engagement. Worried that these sessions were not as beneficial as I would like, I did not feel comfortable taking it to my Line Manager in fear that I would not be seen as up to the job, or maybe next time there was a promotional opportunity I would be overlooked. Two intrinsic ‘isms’ began occurring in my working practice at that time – ‘Presenteeism’ and ‘Careerism’ – Looking back, that put unnecessary pressure on me to perform to standards that I thought other people (mainly senior management) would want to see. That whole sentence highlights nothing but Cognitive Distortion and an anxiety to professionally progress in my career.
Evaluations of these early sessions would be a very informal ‘Was that session okay for you?’ as the staff were leaving through the door at the end of Peer Supervision, would usually just manifest in a slight nod of the head. I knew these sessions could be more effective and useful.
As time went on, I learned new techniques on my own – skills and theory to fuel my delivery – but the main attribute I worked hard on was trying my best to make people feel valued during the session and as such it would become richer, more qualitative and safe.
I took these skills in to delivering training sessions, workshops and lecturers in the years and roles which followed in my career. Staff, Students, Volunteers, Service Users would usually give feedback of: ‘really enjoyed the session,’ ‘felt really comfortable,’ ‘Craig was really approachable.’ – All lovely, and great to hear that my delivery had improved morale and practice for those who attend in someway.
However, it dawned upon me a couple of years ago, that although people regularly say they enjoy my training ‘was it good?’ I had never had an experienced L&D Professional observe or debrief with me on any session I had delivered. A conversation where I can bring ideas to the table and discuss in depth potential new methods of delivery and best practice.
I was fortunate enough 366 days ago, to be successful in my application to be a Learning and Development Adviser, rather than being a manager and delivering training as an almost optional extra, a move which has by far been the best of my career:
My manager for the last 366 days Jo Stephenson (@JoCoaches) and National Learning and Development Manager for the organisation in which I work not only delivers meaningful, supervisory sessions with myself, which helps coach me to be the best I can be but also encouraged myself to follow a twitter account by the name of @LnDconnect and engage in the #LdInsight chats each Friday morning.
To which I did, and as I started this blog by mentioning I try my best to book out this time on a weekly basis, I also asked myself the question ‘why is it important to me and my practice?’
I experienced, when I first entered the learning and development world about 10 years ago, how isolating the role can become. Not necessarily in a geographic way as a decade ago I worked in a team full of 70 staff members but I was the only one who was involved in learning. As a result everyone was or appeared too ‘busy’ and nobody had the time, capacity or potential capability to have meaningful conversations about learning.
I am now fortunate enough to work as part of a very high performing L&D Team but what is equally as important to me is the #LDInsight conversations each Friday. ‘They make me think’ would probably be the best description I can give. A question is voiced (Tweeted to be specific) to which I’ll have an immediate view, which I’ll immediately broadcast – some challenge, some agree but what is important for me is to view the professional thoughts of others, to which I then immediately reflect in return.
A very quick 60 minutes later, my initial thoughts on a subject could change, be reaffirmed or even strengthened and it’s all as a result of highly experienced individuals generously sharing their knowledge. Additional to this, meeting individuals from #LdInsight in person in such events as ‘Unconferences’ and ‘Mentoring Coffee Catch Ups’ with the brilliant Kev Wyke (@KevWyke) expand my knowledge and thought processes even further. All of which help make me become a more reflective and congruent Facilitator of learning.
#LdInsight is having your own Personal Learning Network all in one place at the same time, to provide assistance, guidance and support and rather than you feeling that you are one person responsible for all your organisations L&D and the potential isolation that brings; instead you have 3128 colleagues just waiting to respond. That twitter follower tally was accurate on 4th Jan 2017.
Thank you everyone associated with #LdInsight – your support is worth its weight in gold 🙂
Craig Kaye,
@TheCraigKaye
National L&D Advisor
L&D connect 
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