Dr. Amir Moghadam

Training imparts knowledge, skill, and behaviors; however, training alone will not cure poor performance. If training is provided as a solution to a non-training problem, performance will continue to be poor and resources will be wasted. As a supervisor or manager, it is important to always consider what training you need for yourself before deciding on training solutions for your employees. You may find that a change in your managerial style can produce a significant improvement in your employees' performance.  There are differences in managing inexperienced employees vs. those who are experienced.  Here are 5 tips for managing the more… >>>

Our Vice President of Learning Initiatives, Robert Starks Jr., was interviewed by Career Education Magazine on the opportunity for Career Centers to use Social Media to help achieve their goals.  Here is the article:

You may also want to read:

• Does Your Career Center Speak #Hashtag: How To Leverage Social Media
• A Beginner's Guide to Social Media for the Job Seeker
• Social Score: Will it Determine Your Employment?
• 2012 Veterans Talent Index: Veterans Lack Confidence in Preparation to Transfer to Civilian Workforce

How do you maintain an environment that gets the best from your employees, whether they are analytical thinkers, team decision makers, lone rangers, risk-takers, or bottom-line seekers? You can support each type of employee with a flexible environment. You will reap the benefits of innovation and maximize performance when your employees operate in a climate that builds their success. In a “learning organization,” employees are encouraged to tackle stretch assignments, challenge ineffective processes, and offer innovative solutions with confidence.

Below is a list of best practices to create an effective learning organization.

• Provide freedom to try new methods
• Balance
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In my previous blog, Providing Constructive Feedback (Part I): 6 Tips to Follow, I pointed out the importance of constructive feedback as an essential component of effective employee development and performance management and provided 6 fundamental tips. Here are 6 more tips on how to give constructive feedback.

6 More Tips on How to Give Constructive Feedback

1. Be a witness, not a judge. In other words, concentrate on describing instead of judging. Focus on what would be useful in the future (lessons learned) - not on blaming.
2. Be objective. Good example: "Your manner resulted in two employees complaining
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Knowing how to give constructive feedback is an essential component of effective employee development and performance management. Managers who understand the value of constructive feedback know that it benefits them as well as their employees. Addressing mistakes or substandard work in a nonjudgmental, problem-solving manner benefits employees by giving them a chance to improve. Managers benefit because errors and poor performance are kept at a minimum. Also, their stress level becomes lower because they are not internalizing their concerns. Below are some basic tips on providing constructive feedback.

6 Tips on How to Give Constructive Feedback

1. Get the… >>>

So you want results from your training programs? Don’t underestimate the importance of perception! Below are some factors to consider.

Neutrality - Employees may not be attentive to learning if they perceive the trainer as being biased.

Here is an example. At one career college campus, whenever the campus president, the education director or a corporate officer talked to instructors about the importance of student retention, the instructors would talk among themselves about how “the management guys are just driven by profitability.”  Even though management provided techniques and strategies for student retention and discussed the benefits for the students… >>>

What are Career Education Institutions Doing to Meet their own Workforce Needs?

As career educators, we understand the value of training and career development. We motivate and train people to prepare them for the workforce. Now, the question is - what are we doing to meet our own workforce needs? Are we investing enough to provide adequate continuing education and training opportunities for our employees?  Before you answer this question, consider the points made below.     

The Two Ends of the Spectrum

As an employee training provider for the career college sector, MaxKnowledge has served a wide range… >>>

Language shapes the way people think. What thoughts come to mind when you hear the word, “compliance?” More importantly, what attitudes, behaviors, and institutional cultures take shape when compliance is the word used to frame behavioral expectations? The “C” word, compliance, tends to have a negative undertone meaning to obey, typically in a subservient manner. When compliance is raised as a training topic, it is typically framed as a matter of understanding rules and the consequences of violation.

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Recently, I discussed several things that can be done prior to training to enhance performance after training.  I would now like to share 7 things to do after training to enhance employee performance.  These practices will help you achieve results from the training you provide to your employees. 

1. Coach the trainees: Review the highlights of what was learned and how it applies to the employee’s job. Meet one-on-one to communicate your support for the transfer of training; offer help ("Tell me what I can do to help you apply what you have learned."). Remind the trainee that… >>>