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Swimming against the tide

Reg FriddleReading Borough

Council

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“You cannot force commitment, what you can do…You nudge a little here, inspire a little there, and provide a role model. Your primary influence is the environment you create.” Peter M. Senge

Taking charge of change

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Warm waters of learning

• So many opportunities!• Aren’t I great!

• Went on some authoring & DLE training • Sent an e-mail telling everyone how good e-

learning was

• A couple of people dipped their toes

What I thought

What I did

What they did

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The ring of hope

• I’ll start small with a useful project, they’ll love it

• Launched a re-purposed course on HR procedures • Sent an e-mail around

• Nothing much

What I thought

What they did

What I did

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Paralysis in the abyss

What I thought

What they did

• Nothing• Well, maybe a little when it was blended

• Kept the poolside clean & tested the water with that little bucket thing

• Sent another e-mail around

What I did

• Why aren't they using it?• How can they not want to use it?

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The lifeguard has left the building

What I thought

• I'll leave it to look after itself- it's been built so they will come

• I just don't have the time!

What I did• Not a lot• Worked on other things• Sent an email … with a screenshot of

the DLEWhat they did •Not a lot

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Treading the waters of

frustrationWhat I

thought•E-learning isn't as good as... face to face training or coaching, blah blah blah

What I did

• Carried on as if e-learning couldn't really achieve any real benefits

• You guessed it...another e-mail, plus an article in the monthly staff newsletter

•Nothing new or surprising

What they did

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Learned a few new strokes

What I thought

• I’ll keep it ticking along and develop a few new skills

What I did• Went on authoring tool refresher training• Developed a new module• Gained a little momentum• Dropped e-learning into more and more

conversations

What they did •The right people started taking

notice

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Engagement and timescales

What I thought

•Things are beginning to move

What I did

• Worked with SMS on key corporate goal – E&D

• Showed value to Equalities Officer/ Steering Group

• Corporate Management Team took noticeWhat they did • Commissioned org-wide implementation of E&D

module• Linked to compliance

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Provided solution to corporate need

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200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

Remote Working Young People and Risky Behaviour - Online Course

Capability Poor Performance Procedure

Time Management & E-mail Management Homepage

Capability Ill Health Procedure

Equality Impact Assessment E-learning Module

Coaching Pool and Coaching Resources

Being Green at RBC Appraisal Training Module Information Security E-learning Module

Equality and Diversity Online Course

Number of course completions

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So what changed?

I changed• Stronger - worked on my weaknesses

– Authoring– Instructional design & DLE– Sales skills

• More confident– I lead this – I can make it work– Top of mind

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"I am not going to allow myself not to perform well just because I don't feel well. I am bulletproof to the extent that a lot of things can be thrown at me, but it's about how much I am prepared to let them affect me". Ian Thorpe (Three times Olympic gold medal winner)

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Not everyone likes e-learning at the

beginningE-learning is an active

process

Be active

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I needed to be a• Coach

– Develop confidence – mine and others– Grow my own skills, work on making e-

learning

• Lifeguard & pool attendant – keeping things working and safe

• Pool manager & Head of Sales– Integration with everything – Evaluation & measure (80/20)– From 'why e-learning?’ to 'why not e-

learning?'

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What four things have worked for

me?

1. I’m responsible – I’m leading this2. I’m not alone3. I get below the surface – find out the sore

points & sell the right solution4. Organisations are often chaotic – I have become

comfortable with a bit of chaos

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What next?

• Still going • Still promoting• Lots more to do – more swimmers

needed!

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There is still time...just remember

The early bird catches the worm

the second mouse gets the cheese

but...