649 - Small Changes, In/Out Groups, Talent Search Starts

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - Dec. 17, 2010.
#649 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
55,214 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host: Video for Learning LAB & Seminar - January 2011

1. Small Changes - Big Impacts.
2. Avoid the In and Out Group of Innovation.
3. Kiva Micro-Lending as a Bonus.
4. MASIE Center Talent Search.

1. Small Changes - Big Impacts: I was struck this morning, as I walked around The MASIE Center, with the small, yet very significant changes that have happened in the world of learning, collaboration and technology over the past year.  Here are a few things that I observed:

* Video Chat: 2 of my staff were in their offices, having Skype video chats with locations across the country and around the world. Each of our staff now has a webcam, Skype account and video chatting has become the norm.
* Apps Not Programs: Two apps were being downloaded to iPhones and Tablets this morning. One was free, the other was $1.99. Last year, we would be talking about ordering a box of software; this year it was a simple click and download for a new publication and for a photo editing app. I can’t wait for apps for the desktop, which are coming in few weeks. Lower cost of ownership, higher rate of experimentation and continuous updates vs. disruptive updates.
* Video Galore: Our producer was just finishing the 15th hour of 3 minute video clips from Learning 2010. From Apolo Ohno interviews to Marshall Goldsmith talking about Mojo to clips of The Midtown Men singing Four Seasons songs, we are adding video every day - in short clips - viewed by thousands around the world, for free. Video on the web has become our standard rather than the exception - http://www.learningtalks.com .
* To The Cloud: Our content, from websites to learning resources to video, has moved to the “Cloud”. There is an empty room downstairs that used to host 16 servers. Now, all of our content is in the “cloud” and frankly, we don’t really know or care about the physical location. We are moving all of our video to an even more efficient cloud, to position it in multiple sites around the world that will sense the viewer’s bandwidth and device, and make appropriate adjustments to the streaming intensity.

These are just a few of the changes that are impacting our organization. What is interesting is that we are not labeling it as MASIE 2.0 or giving it a large drum roll. Rather, there are continuous improvements and innovations that we are evaluating, trying and adapting to with greater agility. By lowering the hype, we are free to accept or reject new innovations based on a single criteria: does it help our staff work better with the learning field?

2. Avoid the In and Out Group of Innovation: On that note, let’s work harder to avoid an In and Out Group when it comes to learning and technology innovations. I have some colleagues that have branded themselves as “cutting edge”. They Tweet, Wiki, Blog and Facebook - all of which are interesting tools and environments - but they go a step farther by defining themselves as the new wave due to their engagement in new media. I got off a phone call a few minutes ago with a learning colleague who said how frustrated she was that people weren’t hanging out on the corporate social network. She said that there was a cool group of forward thinkers there but the “old timers” were not playing. I immediately had a vision of a table in the high school cafeteria with the “cool” kids who sneered at the others. The reality is that we, as a society and as a workforce, are experimenting with and adapting technology at an unheard of rate.  My 70-year-old relative uses her GPS to navigate, has an email list of 50 people to ask for knowledge assistance and is deeply agile with validating information on the web. We as learning professionals can build bridges between new technologies and current/past practices/wisdom by dropping the branding of “new” and focusing on helping people work, learn and collaborate more easily (regardless of cool tech).

3. Kiva Micro-Lending as a Bonus: Talking about changes, this year each of The MASIE Center staff received a $25 gift card to invest in a micro-loan in a developing country via Kiva. This is an interesting way to promote awareness of the challenges of the 3rd world and to also engage employees in a market/capitalism approach to solution seeking. Check it out at www.kiva.org

4. MASIE Center Talent Search: As we head in 2011, I am starting a Talent Search for one or two new learning professionals to join our team at The MASIE Center and Learning CONSORTIUM. We are looking for individuals who are either at the point of retirement from a senior learning position and would like to work 1/2 to 2/3 time from their current location or for those who are on the rise in their learning career and would like to add perspective and insight to our efforts in a full time role here in Saratoga Springs, NY. This is a slow and organic search process and we are usually drawn to colleagues that have a history of participation in our events in the past. If you are interested, please send a note about yourself and your aspirations to talent@masie.com and we will send you some additional information.

Yours in learning,
Elliott Masie
email: emasie@masie.com

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* Learning 2011 - Nov 6 to 9, 2011 - Orlando, Florida.
* Video for Learning LAB - January in Saratoga Springs.
* Learning Leadership Academy - February in Saratoga Springs.
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com