Face to Face training

What a strange world it is! I walked into the IOD (116 Pall Mall) on Friday morning and bumped into Clive Shepherd of Fastrak Consulting http://www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/ and also his new venture http://onlignment.com/.  CLive trained me about ten years ago on one of the very first online courses at the Institute of IT Training.  Even more surprising is, I was talking and reading about him on Thursday.  Talk about degrees of separation.

The art of real time online communication is very dear to my heart. We work with clients from all over the world who dial into our webinars.  We are also in discussion with Brian Mulligan of Sligo http://brian.mulligan.googlepages.com/ with his new venture.

With technology and infrastructure improving and making quantum leaps forward it is a huge benefit to see and interact with delegates who can see,  hear, participate and do exercises as if you were in the same room (or next one!).

I am naturally very excited by ths because as it becomes more robust and more featured it will become a healthy product in the trainer’s portfolio.  The ability to deliver training in  a cost effective yet very human way to suit many situations:

• 24/7 working
• Short one or two hour topic specifics
• Home workers
• Communication and awareness of new systems and processes

Sarah of Walkgrove has experience in this area and runs the very best elearning company in the country (to my mind!).  http://www.walkgrove.co.uk/

Face to face is the most powerful medium of delivery it builds trust, rapport, answers questions and clarifies and corrects as required.  BRING IT ON!

Is anyone else in the same quandary as me?

I have been out and about networking with many new and exciting people since Snow week in February.  I have been asked to join various new opportunities.  Most of them have been start-ups.  All have their pros and cons.  How do you spot the best one?  How do you make the best decision for your time and money?

I have a variety of articles on this, including Craig Lock’s http://www.nonstopenglish.com/reading/articles/How-to-Make-Good-Decisions.asp.  I have spoken to associates and my retired business coach, Lawrence (who I still miss dreadfully) and his words reverberate in my ears “keep your common sense head on”.

In this very strange year from business I pose the question just who do you hook your wagon up to?  So that you do some great business and see the rewards of your labour and enhance your company’s reputation.