Blended Learning Activities That Encourage Collaboration

This week, I facilitated a manager workshop on how to grow and develop people and teams. One question sparked a great conversation: “How do you develop your people outside of formal programs?” It’s a great question. IMO, one of the highest leverage actions a leader can take is making small, but consistent actions to develop their people. While formal learning experiences absolutely a role, there are far more opportunities for growth outside of structured settings from an hours in the day perspective. Helping leaders recognize and embrace this is a major opportunity. I introduced the idea of Practices of Development (PODs) aka small, intentional activities integrated into everyday work that help employees build skills, flex new muscles, and increase their impact. Here are a few examples we discussed: 🌟 Paired Programming: Borrowed from software engineering, this involves pairing an employee with a peer to take on a new task—helping them ramp up quickly, cross-train, or learn by doing. 🌟 Learning Logs: Have team members track what they’re working on, learning, and questioning to encourage reflection. 🌟 Bullpen Sessions: Bring similar roles together for feedback, idea sharing, and collaborative problem-solving, where everyone both A) shares a deliverable they are working on, and B) gets feedback and suggestions for improvement 🌟 Each 1 Teach 1:  Give everyone a chance to teach one work-related skill or insight to the team. 🌟 I Do, We Do, You Do:Adapted from education, this scaffolding approach lets you model a task, then do it together, then hand it off. A simple and effective way to build confidence and skill. 🌟 Back Pocket Ideas:  During strategy/scoping work sessions, ask employees to submit ideas for initiatives tied to a customer problem or personal interest. Select the strongest ones and incorporate them into their role. These are a few examples that have worked well. If you’ve found creative ways to build development opportunities into your employees day to day work, I’d love to hear what’s worked for you!

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 🌐 Feeling like your learning initiatives are isolated and disconnected from real-world application? You’re not alone. Traditional learning methods often fall short when it comes to practical application, leaving employees struggling to effectively use new skills and knowledge in their roles. 📌 The cost of inaction? Employees may fail to apply what they’ve learned, leading to wasted training resources and a workforce that isn’t fully equipped to meet the challenges of their roles. Here’s how you can revolutionize your L&D strategy by integrating social learning: 🎯 Collaborative Platforms: Utilize tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Yammer to create spaces where employees can share insights, ask questions, and collaborate on projects. These platforms facilitate real-time communication and foster a culture of continuous learning. 🎯 Peer Discussions: Encourage regular peer-to-peer discussions and knowledge sharing sessions. This could be through lunch-and-learn events, study groups, or online forums. When employees discuss what they’ve learned with peers, it reinforces their understanding and highlights practical applications. 🎯 Real-World Problem-Solving Activities: Incorporate case studies, role-playing scenarios, and group projects into your training programs. These activities provide employees with opportunities to apply new skills in a controlled, yet realistic, environment, bridging the gap between learning and application. 🎯 Mentorship Programs: Pair less experienced employees with seasoned mentors. This not only helps in skill transfer but also fosters a supportive learning environment where employees feel comfortable seeking guidance and feedback. 🎯 User-Generated Content: Encourage employees to create and share their own training materials, such as how-to videos, blog posts, or presentations. This not only democratizes the learning process but also allows for diverse perspectives and insights. 🎯 Social Media Integration: Leverage social media platforms to enhance learning. Create private groups on LinkedIn or Facebook where employees can share articles, insights, and experiences related to their roles. By integrating social learning into your L&D strategy, you’ll create a more dynamic, interactive, and practical learning environment. This approach not only boosts engagement but also ensures that employees can effectively apply their new skills and knowledge in real-world scenarios. What innovative strategies have you implemented to integrate social learning in your organization? Share your experiences in the comments! ⬇️ #LearningAndDevelopment #SocialLearning #EmployeeTraining #ContinuousLearning #Collaboration #WorkplaceInnovation

Last week I mentioned implementing programs like "Food for Thought" to encourage brainstorming and outside-the-box thinking, as it relates to creating a culture of communication and feedback. Before the pandemic, I used to bring in breakfast, lunch or an afternoon snack and call the meeting Food for Thought where I would get feedback from the team on what is going well and what are the opportunities for improvement. Here are some ideas to incorporate this in a #hybridworkforce: ✅ Virtual Coffee Chats: Schedule virtual coffee sessions where team members can gather online and have casual conversations. This informal setting encourages open discussions and allows for sharing ideas and feedback. ✅ Collaborative Document Sharing/ Online Idea Forums: Utilize collaborative document-sharing tools such as Google Docs or Microsoft Teams to encourage real-time collaboration. Team members can contribute their ideas, provide feedback, and collectively work on projects or problem-solving tasks. ✅ Virtual Brainstorming Sessions: Conduct virtual brainstorming sessions using video conferencing tools. Facilitate interactive discussions where team members can share their ideas and engage in creative problem-solving exercises. ✅ Surveys and Polls: Use online survey tools to gather feedback from team members on specific topics or projects. Surveys can be anonymous to ensure open and honest responses, and the results can be shared and discussed during team meetings. ✅ Virtual Team Building Activities: Organize virtual team-building activities that encourage collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving. These activities can include virtual escape rooms, online trivia games, or team challenges that promote communication and thinking outside the box. Remember, the key is to provide opportunities for active participation and engagement, regardless of the physical location of team members. By embracing technology and fostering a culture of open communication, you can create a collaborative environment conducive to generating new ideas and seeking feedback. Which idea do you like the most? #hybridsales #communication #culture #hybridwork