ASTD Nebraska Articles RSS Feed

The Business Case for Measuring Learning

Jeffrey Berk — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Do you feel you must constantly justify the necessity of your department and tout the benefits that you offer the company? Are you concerned about your job in the current economic climate? Making a strong business case for workplace learning and performance is always critical, but especially so in the current environment.

Our August speaker, Kendall Kerekes, VP of Human Capital for Knowledge Advisors, will offer us practical tips to get that key buy-in for our training initiatives. Join us on Wednesday, August 11 to learn how to gain essential management support and develop a clear business case. To learn more now, review the article, The Business Case for Measuring Learning, by Jeffrey Berk, Chief Operating Officer for Knowledge Advisors.

28-Jul-10 7:00 PM

ASTD Nebraska's Book Club is in Full Swing This Year

Barb Lerouge — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 01:00:00 GMT

Please plan to join us for our third-quarter Book Club, Thursday, August 26, 3:30 to 5:00 p.m., at the Borders on 72nd and Dodge. We’ll be discussing the business cult classic, Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool's Guide to Surviving with Grace by Gordon MacKenzie. Jamie Kelly, Talent Management Specialist with OPPD, will be leading the discussion.

Creativity is crucial to business success. But too often, even the most innovative organization quickly becomes a "giant hairball"--a tangled, impenetrable mass of rules, traditions, and systems, all based on what worked in the past--that exercises an inexorable pull into mediocrity. The author worked at Hallmark Cards for 30 years, many of which he spent inspiring his colleagues to slip the bonds of Corporate Normalcy and rise to orbit--to a mode of dreaming, daring, and doing above and beyond the rubber-stamp confines of the administrative mind-set. In his deeply funny book, exuberantly illustrated in full color, he shares the story of his own professional evolution, together with lessons on awakening and fostering creative genius. This book provides an empowering and entertaining look at the intersection between human creativity and the bottom line. It has become a must-read for any manager looking for new ways to invigorate employees and any professional who wants to achieve his or her best, most self-expressive, most creative and fulfilling work.

Please check the website for more details including a discussion guide and register to attend. Borders offers a 20% corporate discount for ASTD Nebraska members.

21-Jul-10 8:00 PM

What is the best way to get the most from a small training budget?

Cynthia Way — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 01:00:00 GMT

ASTD Nebraska Director of Membership Pati Carr, who also participates in our mentoring program, has a solution:

“My company's training department consists of myself and my boss with one part-time individual who works about 10 hours a week. As you can imagine, we have virtually no budget for training. We have developed all of our own programs for internal employees and have done so one area at a time. We then have used the framework to develop the other areas. Much of our training consists of PowerPoint presentations and discussions, and we have created resources that can be used electronically (to save paper) when they get back to their desk. The intranet site we use is free-of-charge, the electronic resources use no paper, and we utilize a free of charge online tool for pre-tests and post-tests called classmarker.com. Even if you have a large budget, my advice is to realize that the best things in life can be free (or virtually free); you just need to seek them out and see how they can work for you. For my company, less truly is more, and we take advantage of it every chance we get.”

To gather answers to your strategic questions and further develop your personal growth, join the ASTD Mentoring Program.

21-Jul-10 8:00 PM

We Want to Hear from YOU!

Sarah Julius — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Are you considered an expert in your field?
Can your expertise benefit ASTD Nebraska members?
Do you engage your audience?

If you answered yes to these questions, you can be a part of ASTD Nebraska’s programming in 2011!

Every year, your ASTD Nebraska chapter seeks local and national speakers to provide education and learning opportunities to help enhance members’ abilities to train, develop and support clients, organizations, and our associated communities. We look for presenters who can challenge and prepare us with leading-edge information for workplace learning through inquiry, analysis, and application.

ASTD Nebraska invites you to submit a proposal to present at a 2011 professional development and networking program. This is an exciting opportunity to share your knowledge and expertise with members and other industry educators and affiliates.

Why not submit your Request for Proposal (RFP) today? You’ve got nothing to lose, and just think about what you could gain from providing an expert presentation to a nationally recognized professional organization.

All submissions must be received no later than September 15, 2010. For more information, contact Sarah Julius, VP of Programming, at vpprogramming@astdnebraska.org.

21-Jul-10 7:00 PM

Ask a Mentor!

Cynthia Way — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Do you have a burning question on which you’d like expert advice? You now have access to Training and Development gurus in an instant! To ask your question, complete the form on the ASTD Nebraska website Mentoring Program page: http://www.astdnebraska.org/mentoring/. Your question will be emailed to the Director of Mentoring, who will forward it to an expert in your topic area. The mentor will personally email you a response within three business days. So, ask away…we are ready to help you achieve!

21-Jul-10 7:00 PM

July ASTD Nebraska Newsletter

Shelly Whittaker — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:02:57 GMT

Hello [firstname],

Welcome to Connections – your link to ASTD Nebraska. Happy summer to everyone! I hope you are enjoying the warm weather.

Summer is a great time for relaxing, but things are still hopping with the ASTD Nebraska chapter. Although there is no networking event scheduled for July, there is still plenty going on. If you are looking to improve yourself professionally, check out the National ASTD certificate program coming in July. If you are interested in books, the Book Club is meeting on July 1 and again in August. Be sure to check out those events on the calendar. And be sure to take a look at the articles and be the first to learn about our Regional Event coming in May 2011! There is a plethora of volunteer opportunities with this great event, as well as with the chapter on a regular basis.

As always, this is your newsletter, so please let me know how to make it work for you. I would love to hear from all of you as to what workplace learning and performance projects you are involved in. Just drop me a quick note to share with everyone. Enjoy!

Shelly Whittaker
ASTD Nebraska
Director of Communications
C: 402.214.9541
W: 402.280.3190
directorofcommunications@astdnebraska.org

Calendar Events
Articles
Job Listings
Welcome New Members!
Welcome back Renewed Members!

Calendar Events for 1-Jul-10 to 1-Oct-10

Book Club - Greater Than Yourself
Speaker's Name: Laurie McIntosh, Regional Service Director, SHRM
Day: Thursday 1-Jul-10 3:30 PM
Location: Border's Book Store 72nd and Dodge Omaha
Summary: The book we will be discussing at this Book Club is Greater than Yourself by Steve Farber. This is an easy read, inexpensive and has received many great reviews. ...
Register Add to Calendar
Posted by: Laura Dyer

THRIVEOmaha Small Business Conference
Speaker's Name: Bruce Loeffler, Andy Greenberg, Michael Foutch, Andy Hoig, Scott Durbin
Day: Friday 9-Jul-10 8:30 AM
Location: Scott Conference Center 6450 Pine Street Omaha, NE 68106
Summary: ...
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Posted by: Michael Merritt

Programming Committee Meeting
Speaker's Name:
Day: Tuesday 13-Jul-10 6:00 PM
Location: Oakview Barnes & Noble Bookstore in the Starbucks Cafe 3333 Oakview Drive Omaha, NE 68144
Summary: Programming Committee Members Needed There are so many great attributes to being a member of our ASTD Nebraska Chapter...
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Posted by: Catherine Rawlings

No July Program
Speaker's Name:
Day: Wednesday 14-Jul-10 8:30 AM
Location:
Summary: There is no monthly program in July....
Add to Calendar
Posted by: Catherine Rawlings

Facilitating Organizational Change ASTD Certificate Program
Sponsor: YOUR NAME HERE (vpcommunications@astdnebraska.org)
Speaker's Name: Mitch Kotula
Day: Tuesday 20-Jul-10 8:30 AM
Location: Childrens Hospital and Medical Center: Weisman Development Building (NOT at the main hospital) 1000 N. 90th Street Omaha, NE 68114
Summary: Become an effective facilitator of change in your organization. ...
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Posted by: Catherine Rawlings

CPLP registration deadline for exam - 8/6/10
Speaker's Name:
Day: Friday 6-Aug-10 8:30 AM
Location:
Summary: Today is the deadline to register for the Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP) written exam window of September 18 to October 9....
Add to Calendar
Posted by: Catherine Rawlings

August Program & Networking Event - Practical Measures and Methods to Increase Manager Support of Training Initiatives
Speaker's Name: Kendall Kerekes, Vice President, Human Capital, Knowledge Advisors
Day: Wednesday 11-Aug-10 7:30 AM
Location: Scott Conference Center 6450 Pine Street Omaha, NE 68106
Summary: Objectives for this program are: Discuss the relationship between manager support and training impact...
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Posted by: Catherine Rawlings

CPLP work product is due - from Q1 & Q2 testing candidates
Speaker's Name:
Day: Friday 27-Aug-10 8:30 AM
Location:
Summary: If you are a CPLP candidate from the first or second quarter testing windows (3/22-4/10 and 5/22-6/12) today is the last day your work product can be postmarked. ...
Add to Calendar
Posted by: Catherine Rawlings

(Lunch & Workshop) September Program & Networking Event - ROI with Dr. Jennifer Moss & Joe Hare
Speaker's Name: Dr. Jennifer Moss & Joe Hare, CPLP, Director & Assistant Director, Bellevue Human Capital Lab
Day: Wednesday 8-Sep-10 11:00 AM
Location: Scott Conference Center 6450 Pine Street Omaha, NE 68106
Summary: Measuring and evaluating human performance improvement interventions continues to challenge many practitioners. While it is a challenge, learning leaders are increasingly expected to articulate the business impact of t...
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Posted by: Michael Merritt

(Lunch Only)September Program & Networking Event - ROI Lunch with Dr. Jennifer Moss & Joe Hare
Speaker's Name: Dr. Jennifer Moss & Joe Hare, CPLP, Director & Assistant Director, Bellevue Human Capital Lab
Day: Wednesday 8-Sep-10 11:00 AM
Location: Scott Conference Center 6450 Pine Street Omaha, NE 68106
Summary: Measuring and evaluating human performance improvement interventions continues to challenge many practitioners. While it is a challenge, learning leaders are increasingly expected to articulate...
Register Mapquest | Add to Calendar
Posted by: Michael Merritt

CPLP testing window opens - 9/18 to 10/9
Speaker's Name:
Day: Saturday 18-Sep-10 8:30 AM
Location:
Summary: You've studied and studied and now it's time to take the CPLP exam. Good luck!...
Add to Calendar
Posted by: Catherine Rawlings

Articles

Omaha OD Network Presents The Hip & Sage Consultant Conference

Author: Catherine Rawlings

Release Date: Thursday 1-Jul-10 8:00 AM

The Omaha Organizational Development (OD) Network creates opportunities for members to explore, learn and apply organizational development methods, tools and techniques. This August, they are bringing are presenting a one-day conference designed to increase your agility and expertise as an agent of change in a changing world. On August 25, 2010, the Omaha OD Network will host a 1-day workshop, The Hip & Sage Consultant Conference, geared toward internal and external OD... [More Info]
Posted by: Catherine Rawlings

How To Facilitate Organizational Change

Author: Catherine Rawlings

Release Date: Thursday 1-Jul-10 8:00 AM

If you work for a company, either full-time or as a consultant, you know that part of your job as a Workplace Learning and Performance Professional is to help that company cope with change in a productive and efficient way. Even the most optimistic among us knows that this is more difficult than it sounds. ASTD Nebraska is proud to bring a much-needed national ASTD certificate program to help you become an expert change agent. This July, earn your American Society for... [More Info]
Posted by: Catherine Rawlings

Save the Date! 2011 Regional Big Event!

Author: Michael Merritt

Release Date: Tuesday 29-Jun-10 8:00 PM

My Trip to ICE

Author: Valerie Noll