I love the tag line.  I recently came across this headline related to Hitachi.   “Our volunteer work can never stop.  It’s not an option.  We can’t afford not to be in our communities.”

Employees working from the ground up to effect positive change and cultivating an ongoing cycle of giving.  As we “Awaken the Corporate Soul” (see John Izzo book), in this new age of personal and business enlightenment, let’s all be part of the “Ripple Effect”.  It is a powerful concept.  Mobilizing the good in everyone.   A workplace with purpose.  Profit for purpose.

This April, a group of Thought Leaders will gather together in Toronto, lending their time for a one day education event.   All proceeds will go to building a school (or schools) in some of the world’s poorest regions.   World change starts with the gift of education for children.

I am aware that this may be against blogging protocol…but come and join us!!   Kid’s lives are going to change.   Watch the “ripple”.

RB

Excellent take-a-ways from the Elliot Masie Learning 2008 conference in Orlando. We were not in a “vendor” role (although once a vendor always a vendor). I was a learner. I have some great insight into the momentum in virtual world learning, social media and mobile learning. Here is a brief summary of interesting “facts” (personal opinion I admit) from a buffet of sessions:

• 59% said that less than 20% of workers have “from home” option - this is going to change fast
• 50% said that gaming is their learning future
• 49% do not use social networks in the workplace
• 20% of crowd had an Avatar in Second Life
• Mobile Learning Sessions @ Capacity
• Virtual World Sessions @ Capacity
• Social Responsibility and Green topics – in every timeslot
• Building “e modules” faster is a must
• Smaller companies are doing more with less employees

As intrigued as I was about the new use of innovative Web 2.0 and mobile technologies en route to the pursuit of accelerated learning, the more broadly applicable messages seemed to stick. Specifically, the messages from a handful of thought leaders. Dr. Stephen Covey led a discussion around the Speed of TRUST. It was thought-provoking. It was also a validation to our commitment of “Inspiring Success and Innovation throught Trust and Partnership.”

It strikes me that most of us don’t consider trust a competency. And, how do we truly find people who are trustworthy and how do we execute on trust. Transparency builds trust. Arch Lustberg (a Leading CEO and Political coach) emphasized how trust is built with an “open face”, eye contact and the sincerity of your body language. I have believed in this for some time - you can’t fake being trustworthy. At least, not over time. You either hold the virtue near and dear to your heart or you don’t. Now, there is hope.

Dr. Covey, contrary to popular belief, feels that trust can be taught and learned. Not easy, but it can be done. Your character dictates if you have a “character of good intent.” Then, do you behave in ways to build trust? Like the progress bar in our eLearning courses, it would be great if we had a “trust bar” above everyone’s head, indicating their trustworthiness. Trustworthy people talk straight, speak with sincerity, can shut up and listen, and constantly “right their wrongs.”

One final thought…

Schooling has confused us into thinking that learning was equivalent to pouring content into people’s heads. It’s more practical to think of learning as optimizing our networks.” (Jay Cross)

LMS’ organize by topic, the internet organizes by tasks. Organizations are going to have absolutely no choice but to organize their learning differently. Any resistance is futile, and any barriers must be overcome. At minimum, Generation Y will demand the change. But, it is not just a Gen Y phenomenon. Once other generations achieve learning in this fashion, they don’t go back. Microsoft’s new internal learning function Academy Mobile has a mantra - “Do You Dare to Share”. They believe, that no one person has the only version of the “truth”.

Rick