Vision Consulting Services K.K. – IT Focused Staffing Solutions – Direct Hire, Temporary Staffing, Learning & Development

How do people learn ?

An obvious first question for anyone designing a training program. Here is some theory on different learning styles along with some suggestions as to how to apply it when designing training programs for your staff.

Kolb’s Learning Cycle:

David Kolb proposed that people progress round a cycle of (4) learning events, the starting point being determined by their own preferred style.

1. Concrete Experience

Many people like to learn by having a concrete experience, often with limited preparation. Example – how many people when faced with a new software will say: “Just let me try it myself”.

(more…)

Creating professional-level PowerPoint slides is an essential skill for Japanese managers communicating with their “global team”. Unfortunately, this is often done poorly due to a lack of English proficiency, training, or insight into how to do this well. Here are (5) points Japanese professionals need to remember when creating PowerPoint slides for a western audience:

1. Organize your ideas!

Great PowerPoint slides start first with a clear goal and great preparation. Many presentations fail simply because the presenter had not established the goal. Know your audience and what kind of information they are looking for. Know the goal of your presentation, what you want to achieve, and tailor your slides to meet this. Include only the main ideas and choose a flow structure to create smooth transitions and a clear message.

(more…)

As a manager, coming up with great new ideas is only part of the challenge. The next step, and hardest step, is getting your staff to understand and learn the new skill or idea. High quality Presentations are an effective and straightforward way to transfer ideas, however sometimes an alternative technique will be more appropriate.

Here are (9) successful techniques for transferring skills and concepts to your staff:

(1) Demonstration:

A demonstration is an expanded form or presentation, where the trainer demonstrates the skill or technique in action. This is particularly helpful when trainees will be expected to perform the skill or capability themselves.

(more…)