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Jack Stucko

Future of the Profession

If you’ve ever dismissed optimism as simply a “nice to have” personality trait, something you’re either born with or not, it’s time to rethink. In a world that’s moving faster and feeling more uncertain by the day, optimism is no longer optional for leaders. It’s a strategic leadership skill, and one that must be practiced intentionally.As we often say: great leaders aren’t born, they’re made. That applies just as much to mindset as it does to technical ability. The leaders who make the greatest impact on their teams, their cultures, and their results are those who choose optimism, especially when it’s not easy.Optimism Fuels Forward MovementIn Lead In 30, the third pillar of leadership is movement. This is the ability to identify and remove the obstacles (including limiting beliefs and negative narratives) that are keeping a team stuck. Optimism isn’t about ignoring problems; it’s about believing that progress is possible. It’s what gives leaders the energy to keep moving when the easy thing would be to stop, and what inspires teams to stay engaged when the path forward isn’t clear.In Power In 30, we compare human mindset to a cell phone battery: without being recharged, even the smartest leaders lose capacity. Optimism is the power source. It doesn’t eliminate challenges, but it fuels resilience, persistence, and creativity in facing them.It’s Not Naïve, It’s StrategicSkepticism may feel safer. It gives the illusion of realism. However, research consistently shows that optimistic leaders have higher performing teams, better employee engagement, and stronger cultures of accountability. Why? Because optimism drives clarity and alignment, two of the other core pillars we teach.A leader who communicates an optimistic vision creates clarity about what’s possible, not just what’s probable. That mindset shapes the team’s goals, efforts, and behaviors. In short, optimism sets the tone for what’s worth working toward.Alignment, in turn, is easier to create when people believe the future is worth aligning to. When a leader paints a vision of possibility and backs it up with thoughtful strategy and clear priorities, teams move faster, stay engaged longer, and overcome obstacles with more cohesion.The Excuse Trap vs. the Ownership MindsetThe opposite of optimism isn’t pessimism, it’s blame. When things go wrong, it’s tempting to explain it away: “Our team isn’t ready,” “The market’s too volatile,” “This company just doesn’t value innovation.” While those may feel true, they trap us in a cycle of excuses.We call that the Excuse Trap. Escaping it starts with a mindset shift: optimism is the gateway to ownership. When you choose to believe things can improve, you also choose to take responsibility for making them better. Optimistic leaders don’t pretend everything is perfect, they confront hard realities and still commit to moving forward.Optimism Is ContagiousLeadership is emotional energy management. How you show up determines how your team feels and how they perform. If you enter a room with stress and scarcity, your team mirrors that. But if you bring possibility and purpose, they rise to meet it. That’s why we say optimism is a leadership multiplier. It creates psychological safety, fosters innovation, and helps teams embrace change with courage rather than fear.How to Practice Optimism on PurposeOptimism doesn’t mean putting on a fake smile or ignoring hard truths. It means choosing your focus with intention. Here are a few ways to lead with optimism today:Reframe challenges:  Instead of “Why is this happening to us?” ask, “What’s the opportunity here?”Celebrate progress: Highlight even small wins to build momentum and morale.Set vision-driven TKRs: Link team goals to a bigger purpose. Let people see how their work contributes to something meaningful.Talk solutions, not just problems: Create space for dialogue around what can be done, not just what’s going wrong.Model recharge: Unplug, reset, and come back recharged. Leaders who never rest burn out their teams.Find the Power in OptimismLeadership isn’t about being the loudest voice or having all the answers. It’s about creating the conditions for belief—in the team, the mission, and the future. That belief starts with you. Optimism is a choice, and when leaders choose it consistently, it becomes a culture.

The Most Underrated Leadership Skill? Optimism

L&D’s Hidden Data GapEvery business function is expected to show its value beyond a doubt, and learning and development (L&D) is no exception. Yet, a bleak reality often holds L&D teams back. Our recent Zensai report in association with ATD reveals that only 4 percent of organizations excel at using learning data to make strategic business decisions. Yes, it really is that low.This number represents more than companies missing a few metrics; it points to a much deeper issue where many organizations are totally lost about what valuable learning data they already possess, or precisely what data they need to collect to demonstrate real impact. The consequence? Learning initiatives remain stuck in their own little bubble, making it a struggle to connect directly with the bigger picture and prove tangible return on investment (ROI). It also eats up time and money, keeping businesses from growing and succeeding.Before you can effectively measure the impact of your learning programs, you need to understand your starting point. This is where a solid learning evaluation audit comes in. A measurement audit is a systematic review of how you’re currently collecting data, tools you’re using, and your reporting capabilities. It’s not just about identifying what’s missing but also uncovering hidden gems of data you might already be seeing but not fully leveraging.As Jess Almlie, principal of Almlie Consulting highlighted in the Zensai and ATD report, “You may have more data than you think you do. You need to be conscious about organizing it, tracking it, monitoring it, and communicating it well.”For example, let’s say a large healthcare provider frequently updates its compliance training to stay on top of regulations. For years, their L&D team has focused on tracking completion rates in their learning management system (LMS), believing that meant everyone was following the rules. However, a measurement audit might reveal that HR also tracks incident reports related to noncompliance. And maybe the operations team is evaluating how staff are actually using the new safety steps. If the L&D folks found all this out, they could start connecting the dots—sussing out behavioral changes and safety outcomes, proving the impact of their training, not just its delivery. Without an audit, these connections remain unseen (and L&D data gaps only get wider).Where to Begin: Your Gap Analysis RoadmapKicking off a learning evaluation audit doesn’t require a massive overhaul. It’s better to start with a targeted gap analysis, figuring out where you are now compared to where you want to be. Ask these important questions:What are you measuring now? Document all the learning analytics you’re getting, like course completion, quiz grades, surveys, even casual chats. Be honest about its depth and relevance.What do you want to measure? Think about the business problems L&D is trying to solve. Do you want to reduce employee turnover, increase product adoption, or make customers happier? Figure out what performance data points that would show success for these.What matters most to your executive team? Your measurement strategy needs to match what the big bosses care about. What are your CEO, CFO, or department heads being held accountable for? Frame your desired L&D insights around these HR metrics and business outcomes.What High Performers Do DifferentlyOrganizations proficient in measurement and evaluation don’t rely on guesswork. The Zensai and ATD report shows that these high-performing organizations use at least four or more distinct data sources for their learning evaluations, including business data and employee performance reviews. They don’t just gather this data; they regularly reassess their measurement strategy, so it stays relevant and insightful.By combining data from the LMS, performance reviews, sales figures, and employee engagement surveys, these organizations get clearer L&D insights and better business alignment and can pinpoint how specific learning initiatives directly influence critical key performance indicators (KPIs). This allows them to tell a compelling story of learning impact that resonates with stakeholders and secures more funding. Basically, they prove that learning is a smart investment, not just a cost, with real results.Razor-Sharp Solution: Powering Insights Where Work HappensConducting a thorough measurement audit might sound like a headache, especially if your data’s all over the place. But, good news! HR tech these days can make it a lot easier. Tools like Learn365 help pull together key learning analytics and performance data that’s already hanging out in your Microsoft 365 environment.Learn365 supports this process by putting learning right where people are already working—like Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, and Power BI. This seamless integration makes learning more accessible and adopted. Plus, the resulting insights and performance data become more readily available and interconnected. This smooth data flow helps L&D leaders understand the true learning impact of their programs and make smarter decisions without spending hours wrestling with spreadsheets.Are You Measuring What Matters—or Just What’s Easy?We can all agree that the time for guesswork in L&D is over. A learning evaluation audit is the indispensable first step toward performance-driven talent development. It helps you close L&D data gaps, refine your measurement strategy, and ultimately, prove the strategic value of learning.Don’t miss the opportunity to transform your L&D function into a business powerhouse. Download the Zensai and ATD report to guide your internal audit. You’ll see firsthand what leading organizations are doing to connect learning with performance and create lasting success.

Strategic L&D Starts Here: Why Every Leader Needs a Learning Measurement Audit

You can’t build tomorrow’s learning program on yesterday’s infrastructure. Whether you’re training internal teams or educating external audiences like customers or members, the goal isn’t just to “keep up;” it’s to stay ahead. That means building a program that scales without breaking, adapts without rework, and delivers measurable value at every growth stage.If your current training program feels stuck in the past (or in spreadsheets), you’re not alone. But scaling isn’t just about making things bigger. It’s about making them better. Here’s what separates scalable learning programs from the ones that stall out.Designed for Flexibility, Not Just FunctionalityA rigid learning program might check boxes today, but will it hold up next quarter? Next year? Or when you onboard twice as many learners?Scalable programs are built with flexibility at the core. That means modular, reusable content that can easily be tailored by audience, role, or skill level. Instead of locking knowledge into a 60-minute webinar, you can break it into microlearning modules that slot into different learning paths.And don’t underestimate the value of interoperability. A program that “plays well with others” (whether that’s HR platforms, CRMs, or credentialing systems) is more likely to scale without rework or technical debt. Flexibility isn’t just about convenience; it’s your insurance policy against constant reinvention.Learner Experience Comes First (Always)You could have the most sophisticated learning platform on the planet, but learners won’t stick around if it’s hard to navigate.A scalable program puts the learner experience at the center. That includes intuitive navigation, mobile accessibility, clear content progression, and interactive elements that drive engagement. (No offense to static PDFs, but they’re not exactly binge-worthy.)And let’s talk about personalization. Scalable learning programs offer pathways that adjust to each learner’s goals and knowledge level. If someone’s already nailed the basics, let them skip ahead. If they need extra help, give them targeted content. The goal is to help learners succeed faster, not slog through irrelevant material just to hit a “completion” bar.Data Isn’t Just Nice to Have—It’s NonnegotiableIf you’re still gauging program success by the number of people “logged in,” it’s time for an upgrade.Scalable learning programs use data to measure not just activity but impact. They track knowledge retention, course effectiveness, skill progression, and business outcomes, like reduced onboarding time or improved customer satisfaction.This data empowers your teams to iterate in real time. Noticing a drop-off in a certain module? Optimize the content. Seeing a spike in demand for a specific skill? Build a new learning path. When your program is data-informed, it’s no longer reactive—it’s strategic.Technology That’s Built to Scale With YouSpoiler: not all learning platforms are created equal. Choosing the wrong tech stack can feel like upgrading a flip phone with an app store.A scalable program is built on technology that grows with your organization. That means open APIs, customizable workflows, native integrations, and a vibrant partner ecosystem. Whether layering on credentialing, integrating video learning, or expanding into new audiences, your tech shouldn’t hold you back.Equally important? Administrative ease. Your learning ops team should be able to manage content, users, reporting, and integrations without needing a developer on speed dial.Supports Internal AND External Training at ScaleYour organization likely has more than one audience to train. Employees, contractors, customers, channel partners, members, you name it. Too often, companies build a separate system for each, leading to silos, redundant content, and (let’s be honest) a support nightmare.A truly scalable program supports multiple audiences within one platform, with role-based access, custom branding, and personalized learning paths: one system, multiple audiences, zero chaos.This is especially valuable for organizations that generate revenue from education. If your learning program drives business growth, it needs to scale like any other revenue engine with visibility, control, and flexibility baked in.Final Thought: Scaling Is a Mindset, Not a MilestoneThe reality is that no learning program is ever “done.” Business needs evolve, technology shifts, and learner expectations keep rising. A scalable, future-ready learning program is one that adapts to all of it without starting from scratch every time.The organizations that succeed long term don’t just react to change—they design for it. They treat learning as a strategic function, prioritize the learner experience, and ask bold questions: Are we building for today, or preparing for what’s next?Interested in learning how to create e-learning content? ATD’s Articulate Storyline Certificate will show you how to use this powerful tool to create innovative, interactive e-learning content.

Future-Proofing Your Learning Program: 5 Traits of Scalable Success

We know why employees leave. Billions are spent each year on reports, whitepapers, and top-level strategies all to better understand phenomenon like the great resignation or quiet quitting. But the truth is this: we should be asking the opposite.What makes employees stay? And more than that, what makes some companies so attractive that employees stay with them for decades?What Makes Employees StayGone are the days when an employee would stay with one company for the best part of their career. Today, the average is just under three years for employees in the 25–34 age bracket.According to research by the Work Institute, 22 percent of resignations are due to a lack of opportunities for growth, promotion, achievement, or training. This trend is only growing with new opportunities to work remotely and higher employee turnover than ever before.What’s clear is that the next generation of employees want to know that the work they do has a meaningful impact. They want real opportunities for development. And they want to feel that they can grow in their role. So, what sets organizations with high employee retention apart?1. Never finding yourself stuckTop organizations understand that career stagnation is a surefire way to lose talented employees. They foster an environment where advancement is fully supported, and moving into different teams or departments is seen as an advantage, not a taboo.It’s not all about promotions, though. By investing in ongoing training and development programs, these companies ensure that employees are always on a path to enrichment. Ultimately, the outcome is a workforce that’s supported, motivated, and always evolving.2. Having an open dialogue about developmentWe now know that 33 percent of employees quit within the first 90 days. This critical point comes down to frustration and mismatches between the expectations of a given role—and the reality. But not every organization sees this 90-day spike. Organizations that start conversations early around job satisfaction, development, and feedback retain talent even in cases where there’s been a rocky first start.When companies talk early and often about performance and development opportunities, HR are in the loop on situational changes, goals, and aspirations, so they (and the employee) always know where they’re going next.3. Getting real recognition for your workWhen did you last get acknowledged for a job well done? Recognition is a powerful motivator. Employees who feel appreciated for their contributions are more likely to stay committed. When employees are recognized as individuals, not just as cogs in a machine, we see them take on new challenges, innovate, and invest their energy in the company’s success.But beyond this, recognition builds trust and allows employees to take on new responsibilities, empowering them to grow in their role rather than placing a limit on potential. Trust and recognition are a fundamental part of the company culture in organizations where employees stay the longest.Why Investing in Talent Pays Off in the Long TermInvesting in your employees is a long-term strategy to strengthen your organization. The cost of high turnover—recruitment, training, lost productivity—far outweighs the expense of developing the talent you already have.Companies that focus on employee growth benefit from the accumulated knowledge, experience, and loyalty of long-term employees, leading to a stronger organization. So, the next time you are asked how you can reduce employee churn, ask yourself the opposite. What can we all do to help employees stay?

What Would Make You Stay With a Company for 10 Years?

December 2022 - TD Magazine

Reduce the friction that is preventing learners from engaging with your learning.Businesses spend billions of dollars trying to understand consumer behavior, resulting in marketing strategies that aim to get consumers to buy their products. However, in those companies, many L&D functions are not leveraging the same insights and strategies to reach their learners. Treat your learning solutions like products, and minimize the friction between the solutions and learners. One way to do so is using BJ Fogg's behavior model to evaluate your learning initiatives.Identify the frictionThe Fogg behavior model looks at three conditions that must be present for someone to engage in a behavior: motivation, ability, and a prompt. When one of them is absent or diminished, so is the likelihood that the desired behavior will occur.For example, let's say you have a missed call on your cell phone. Why didn't you answer the phone? Maybe you heard it ring, looked down and saw who was calling, and decided you didn't want to talk to that person right now. You heard the ring—that was the prompt. Nothing was keeping your from answering the call (that is to say, you had the ability). You just didn't want to—you didn't have the motivation to engage in the behavior.Now let's say the phone rings, and you're expecting the call and want to take it. But you can't find your phone, or it's in another room and you can't get there in time. Again, you heard the ring (the prompt), and this time you wanted to take the call (motivation), but you weren't able to get to the phone in time (ability).Finally, let's say you're expecting the call, and your phone is right next to you. However, the ringer is set to silent. The phone rings, you want to answer and are able to do so, but you never hear the ring—you received no prompt to answer it.That's how Fogg's behavior model works. The presence or absence of any of the variables can contribute directly to the likelihood that you'll engage in a given behavior.What if we look at learner behavior through that lens? You've created a great learning initiative and spent a lot of time and money on the learning ecosystem. However, you don't seem to be getting the traction you're hoping for. Here are some questions to consider:Are learners aware of the learning solution? Are there prompts that alert learners to its availability?Are learners motivated? Do they want to engage in learning?Are they able to engage with the learning solution?Is there anything preventing them or making it more difficult for them to access it?If you have opportunities in any of those areas, then you have friction between learners and the learning solution. Friction, in this context, is the absence of prompts or is anything that impedes motivation or ability when it comes to a learning initiative.PromptsIf learners don't know about your learning initiative, it may as well not exist. These days, people are inundated with prompts—pop-ups on smartphones, ads on social media, digital billboards, and the like. How can we ensure that learners are prompted to our initiatives? The traditional methods are static and push prompts.A static prompt is one that is in a fixed physical location, such as a poster in a breakroom. It works fine when your audience tends to be isolated in one particular location. But if someone is not in that exact location, they won't see it.A push prompt is much more targeted. It entails identifying your audience members and sending a prompt to them, such as an email reminder that a course is available. However, you often can't customize that prompt by audience member—everyone gets the same message. And you can't time the prompt so that it reaches an individual right when they need it most. Thus, there are some limitations to what we have traditionally used as prompts in our learning ecosystems.This is an area we should pay close attention to because it has the potential to change rapidly. Imagine if we could activate a prompt for a specific learner at a specific time and in a specific location with a learning solution that is designed precisely for the activity that they are engaging in in that moment? It would be similar to finding an exclusive offer from Starbucks popping up on your phone whenever you're within 50 yards of a store.MotivationMotivation should be the easiest variable in this equation. If your initiative meets a learning need, learners should be inherently motivated to engage with it. However, that isn't always the case. In my experience, there are two major reasons. The first is that the solution does not meet a learning need (which is a subject for another article). The second, and more egregious, reason is that learning solutions get bogged down with demotivators that dilute learners' eagerness.Given the massive increase in video use for learning, there are some lessons to be learned from how people engage with YouTube and how we think about the videos and other learning initiatives we create.I often use the example of having a hole in my drywall and turning to YouTube to see how to fix it. Not surprisingly, there are numerous options from which to choose. We've all become accustomed to using filters to narrow down internet search results, although we often do our own visual filtering first. For example, I can take a quick look at a results list on YouTube for drywall repair and immediately rule out, or at least deprioritize, some of the videos. The first thing I'll look at is time. I expect that this should be a relatively simple task, so I'm not looking for a long video. The shorter the better.Likewise, learners have an expectation of how simple or complex a task is and at least some sense of how long it should take to learn. If they see that a video is 30 minutes long, and their perception of the task doesn't line up with that amount of time, you may lose them right away.I start playing a six-minute video from the list. After a lengthy introduction, a bio of the host, and several examples that don't apply to what I'm looking for, the host eventually starts the process of explaining how to execute the repair. It took over one minute to get there. That is an informal measurement I call "time to learning"—or how long it takes before I get to the actual learning. Time to learning is especially important when considering whether our goal is knowledge retention or knowledge acquisition. In other words, are learners in this for the long haul, or do they just need a quick one-off fix that they will rarely if ever need again?When looking at learning from a knowledge retention standpoint, time to learning is slightly less important. We know we're going to get deep, and participants learning about the instructor's credibility can be helpful to set the tone. But if we seek knowledge acquisition, or disposable knowledge, time to learning matters a lot—especially if there are several options from which to choose.For example, imagine I need to generate a report for my manager, who is out sick. I've never done the task before, and it's highly unlikely that I'll ever have to do it again. After some digging, I find a few videos that will help me figure out what to do. However, the videos don't cover only the report I need to generate; they cover all the reports in the entire program and explain where the data from those reports comes from and why they're important to the business.Are those bad things for me to know? Of course not. But they're not relevant to what I need to do right now. Getting what I need is like searching for that how-to needle in a haystack of video instruction. I may resort to other options, such as trial and error (risky) or asking a colleague (now two of us are wasting time trying to figure this out).Going back to the drywall video: I stuck with it for more than a minute only to see how long it would take for the purposes of this example. If I had a real need, I doubt I would have held out for more than 10–15 seconds.We can and should apply the same lessons to our video content libraries and consider where we are adding friction that we should remove. In most cases, those are demotivators that don't reflect the quality of our instructional design yet may deter learners from ever finding that out.AbilityAnother go-to source for information in people's nonwork lives is Google. Here's what happens if I search for "how to repair drywall"—let's count the clicks: I open the browser to Google and type the search term, then click Search. One click. What I see first are a few links to associated terms like "water damage" and "peeling" that enable me to refine my search. Below that is a frame from a video already queued to a specific timecode that is likely to address my need. Below that are links to a few more videos, all with descriptions and timecodes of key moments in the videos. Next up is the "People also ask" section, which displays several ways that others have posed their question that may be more in alignment with my need. And finally, I get a list of results that I would normally expect to see on Google. All from one click.Now think about your learners and, more importantly, your learning ecosystem. Most likely your version of Google is some sort of learning management system or learning experience platform. How many clicks does it take learners to get there? Once someone arrives at your version of Google, how many of the features described above does it have? How easy is it for learners to find what they need?Many of us are presumably still in a situation where learners must go through six, eight, or even 10-plus clicks to find what they need. Number of clicks and speed to solution are ways we can assess learners' ability to engage in the desired behavior.Nobody wants to click through a never-ending menu. Individuals have been conditioned that they shouldn't have to, and they are far more likely to give up somewhere along the way than they are to reach the end.Other ability barriers include bandwidth and hardware. Sometimes our instructional design comes with ability barriers. If you have motivated learners who know about your initiatives, make it as easy as possible for them to access and engage with learning.Enhance learning's impactThis article has numerous questions you can ask about any given learning solution. It's going to be difficult to get satisfactory answers to all of them. But what you can do is identify an area that you believe may be causing friction for your learners and is something that you can influence.In other words, we all want better bandwidth, but you probably have an extremely limited ability to influence that yourself. You may have a better chance implementing some prompts for learners that can move the needle. Or you may be able to reduce the number of clicks required to access content with some adjustments to your internal websites or portals. Start small by looking for areas to reduce friction with existing learning solutions, and then incorporate the ideas into the design phase of future ones.If you treat your learning program like a product and view your learning ecosystem as a mechanism for reaching your audience and providing that product, it may change your perspective.

Are You Driving Learners Away!

You’re constantly bombarded by innovations in the learning tech market. You’d like your program to be just as amazing. There’s just one problem: your learning technology hasn’t kept up with the times.Choosing new learning technology is a daunting task. Check out these three signs to see if you’re ready for a switch.Your Learning Strategy Relies on Gut InstinctEveryone talks about being data-driven. You’d like to make data-driven decisions too but feel like your learning technology is holding you back.You’re hemmed in by static reports. They show course completions but not much else. You could make better decisions with detailed user reports. Even better, if you could filter your reports by segments, then you could dig deeply into who uses your courses and how.Instead, you’re stuck with gut instinct and canned reports. Other learning management systems (LMSs) offer flexible reporting options at no extra cost. You’d be able to easily drill down and create new reports.Why settle for canned data when you can get custom data instead?You Can’t Sleep Because of Poor ResultsNothing is worse than reporting poor learner retention and low learner engagement. L&D is supposed to drive organizational change. But how can you do that if no one opens your courses? There’s lots of research on how to help modern learners engage.The right online learning platform meets the needs of the modern learner out of the box. You should have access to learning on-demand, gamification, and microlearning. With these tools, you’ll be designing engaging courses in no time. They also make learning retention a breeze. Quick micro learning modules combat the forgetting curve. And gamification makes it enjoyable to memorize material. You want learning technology that encourages engagement so you can show better results.You’re Struggling to Customize Your Course ContentWith upskilling and reskilling, the needs of your learners move fast. You just wish more people could make quick changes to the content. Right now, everything needs to pass through an experienced instructional designer.If you have a traditional LMS, then it was only designed to store courses. Other newer LMSs often include a learning content management system. This allows you to easily and quickly customize old courses. A learning content management system can also improve workflow with templates. It’ll alleviate the pressure on your team to constantly create new content from scratch.By automating tasks, your learning technology can carry some of the load.Why Settle for Less?With a learning technology market of more than 700 vendors, the perfect fit for you is out there. They’re waiting and ready to help you make your learning program the best.Yes, switching to a new online learning platform is a lot of work. But it will be worth it in the end.You’ll have a truly data-driven learning program. Out of that data, you’ll discover new ways to engage learners. Plus, you’ll have the tools to make engagement a reality, not just a dream. Instead of looking at others’ programs with longing, you’ll be on the cutting edge.Not sure what LMS features will drive your learning results? Check out our e-book, The CLO’s Handbook for Choosing Learning Technology to Grow Your Business.

Top 3 Signs You Need New Learning Technology

L&D professionals center many of their efforts on solving problems for organizations. But where do they turn when they get stuck while developing those learning solutions?They now can turn to Troubleshooting for Trainers. Author, coach, and consultant Sophie Oberstein has written this new book as a resource dedicated to helping talent development professionals emerge unscathed from the tight spots they encounter on the job. The book’s thematic sections address issues that can cause L&D pros the most angst:Lack of credibilityTraining that isn’t well regardedLack of resourcesLimited learning design experienceUncertainty around measurementLive training surprisesChallenging participantsMost talent development professionals can identify with one or more of the aforementioned trouble spots. “Like a troubleshooting guide that’s part of the operating manual for a new appliance that has started acting up, this book will provide you with in-the-moment fixes and longer-term solutions for some of the common challenges faced by new trainers at every stage in the L&D process,” Oberstein writes in the introduction. However, she extends her advice to address challenges that are relevant and relatable to training pros at all stages of their careers.The section on lack of credibility, for example, may appeal to those early in their careers. Oberstein speaks to challenges that arise because of a lack of experience and provides advice for those managing their first project. In other sections—such as the one on limited learning design experience—she presents more complex situations, such as how to develop a training course on an unfamiliar topic or how to produce asynchronous e-learning.The book’s methodical layout establishes its intended use as a resource. A typical section begins with possible issues trainers may face on that particular topic. Oberstein often shares her own experience as well, which enables readers to relate to her.Next, in a case study format, Oberstein addresses the challenges. Each is numbered, and the main idea is written in big, bold letters—for example, “I’ve been asked to provide training, but I don’t think it’s going to help.” Oberstein describes the challenge, dives into possible solutions, concludes with a bottom-line statement, and suggests additional resources for readers to delve deeper.In all, Oberstein addresses 45 challenges in the book using what she calls a “problem-solving focus.” Accordingly, the book is not just narrative—it features helpful charts, lists, and practical resources to help trainers. Whether you’re faced with confused learners, complaining participants, or concerns about technology, chances are Troubleshooting for Trainers can point you in the right direction.Share your ATD Virtual Conference experience on social media. #ATDVirtualConference

A Resource for Overcoming Training Trouble Spots

I have good news and bad news. The good news is that you now have access to affordable, high-quality recording equipment and software. The bad news is that even though your equipment may be semi-pro, your voiceover performance is still amateur. And, hey, that’s not something you should beat yourself up about. If it were just a matter of showing up and talking into a microphone, there would be no such thing as a professional voiceover actor. Unfortunately, you can’t always afford a pro, but you can learn from their craft to improve your own DIY performance.Get Over YourselfSo let me guess…you hate the sound of your own voice, right? We’ve all had the experience of hearing our voice on a recording and wondering, “Do I really sound like that?”  Yes, you really do.That “awful” voice you hear in the recordings? That’s what the rest of us hear when you talk, and we think it’s just fine. As a voiceover performer, your voice is your instrument, so you had better make friends with it. The more you practice and listen to your recordings, the more comfortable you’ll be.Got a bad case of the nerves? Practice is the best medicine for that, too. You might lock up when you sit down in front of a microphone the first time, but the more you practice, the easier it will get. Remind yourself that no one listening to your performance is judging you as harshly as you are. Take a deep breath and just keep practicing.Preparing for the GigProfessional voiceover performers drink water like it’s their job, because it is. Hydration will have a huge effect on your performance, so be like a pro and start sipping water at least two hours before you’re scheduled to record. This prevents strained, rough-sounding recordings full of the dreaded “mouth click.” Avoid smoking and spicy foods before a performance unless you’re going for the Clint Eastwood/Batman/sandpaper sound. Also, don’t eat dairy the day of your performance—it produces mucus (a.k.a. “mouth sludge”). While you’re drinking your water, take a look at the script and read it out loud. Are there any tongue twisters? Awkward phrases that look fine on paper but sound weird when you say them out loud? If this is your own script, you still have time to improve it. If it’s someone else’s and you’re not allowed to touch it, at least you can practice those tongue twisters so they don’t sneak up on you during the recording.  Give yourself some direction. Take a pencil and mark up the script. If you want to emphasize a particular word, underline it. If a phrase should be spoken with a rising inflection, draw an upward arrow next to it. There are some industry norms for markup notation, but use whatever works for you. ShowtimeThe best way to deliver copy is standing up, but that’s usually not practical in a DIY recording situation. If you must sit, sit on the edge of your chair with your left knee pointed down at the floor. This forces you to straighten your back and allows you to breathe more easily. It also gives your diaphragm plenty of space. Also, keep your chin parallel to the floor. (When you look up, your vocal chords stretch; when you look down, they constrict. Neither is good for your performance.)Your breath is the fuel of your performance, so take a deep in-breath before starting each new line of copy. This will prevent you from needing to take a distracting catch-up breath in the middle of a line. A deep inhalation should move your belly, not your chest. Shallow chest breathing will cause you to run out of gas in the middle of a phrase.When you deliver, don’t try to imitate a “radio voice.” You don’t have a radio voice, and even if you did, that probably wouldn’t be the right tone for your e-learning project anyway. Instead, visualize a member of your audience and imagine you’re talking directly to him or her. A conversational voice is going to carry more credibility than the kind of smooth announcer voice that most people associate with used car ads.Put some emotion in your voice when the script calls for it. In fact, ham it up a little. Remember that the audience will not be able to pick up on your non-visual cues. What feels like a subtle, understated performance to you will sound like a boring monotone to your audience. What feels like a slightly over-the-top emotional performance to you will usually be just enough for your audience to hear in the final product.Deliver multiple takes for each line of copy, even if you think you’ve nailed it on the first one. Your perfect delivery might have the sound of a chair squeaking in the background. Having multiple takes to choose from is called “coverage” and you want lots of it. It will help you later in the editing process if you call the take out loud before each delivery (“Take 1…” “Take 2...” etc.).Cut!If your nerves get to you, take a couple of deep breaths and start a new take. If you’re really stuck on a given section, just move on to the next one and come back after you’ve built some momentum. Just keep going until your nerves cool off. Remember: you’re recording digitally, and you’re not going to run out of tape.If your mouth is sludgy and you’re getting a lot of “mouth click” or other gross sounds in the recording, take a few sips of water. (You should be drinking it throughout the session anyway.)  If you’ve got really stubborn sludge, eat a green apple. The acid will dissolve the mucus and other gunk to give you a clean, click-free mouth.That’s a WrapEven if you’ve got a good voice and a decent recording setup, you might still feel unsatisfied with the results. Keep things in perspective: you’re not recording a movie trailer or a luxury car commercial. E-learning is about learning, after all, and your audience will probably learn just as much from you as they would from James Earl Jones. Now go have some fun and don’t forget to keep your most embarrassing recordings for the outtake reel.

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