By Eleanor Shakiba Impact tips 0 Comments

How I made my Zoom training even better than face-to-face

Presenting online training is tricky. Indeed, before Covid 19 forced me into the online space, big time, I believed Zoom training was a poor second to face-to-face. 2020 proved me wrong. It taught me that masterful facilitation leads to deep learning, regardless of the delivery medium.

If you’ve been disappointed or exhausted by an online program, don’t blame Zoom. Blame the facilitator. There is a real knack to keeping engagement and energy levels high online. Trainers who specialise in experiential and group work techniques seem to have an advantage over those grounded in pure presentation skills.

I’ve been very pleasantly surprised by the versatility online training can provide. During my unexpected foray into online delivery, I’ve learned that small group, online sessions can very productive. Even more so than learning events delivered classroom style. Here are five surprising benefits of working online as a facilitator.

Breakout rooms are great for small groups to work in

Zoom breakout spaces are far less hectic than on-site breakouts. Provided that participants manage background noise, Zoom spaces create a more intimate and easier to manage dynamic than poorly designed training rooms. The biggest advantage Zoom has over a physical classroom is that it enables small groups to work in a far more confidential manner. More than is possible in a live training environment involving a single space with small work groups spread around it. I confess, this is my favourite discovery about working online.

 

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Trainers are forced to be more disciplined about briefing

Whoever designed Zoom breakout spaces didn’t factor in a trainer’s need to display slideshows in breakout spaces. This forces facilitators to create separate briefing documents for all their group activities. An unexpected benefit of this, is that groups stay on focus far more effectively than when they’re working from a slide displayed at the front of the training room. During 2020, I discovered that exactly the same exercises I use face-to-face work equally well once briefing documents are converted to fit the online environment.

Names are easier for everyone to read

Name tags and place cards have their limits. As they get older, for example, many people cannot read a name tag across the room. Working online enables us to all have our names clearly displayed at all times. This subtly influences group dynamics, because it allows people with poor memories to refer to their co-learners by name. Several participants in my online programs have commented on how much difference this single aspect of Zoom delivery makes for their comfort levels.

Learner personalities are often easier to read in virtual environments

You’ve probably noticed how you get a different sense of someone when you can see their home environment behind them. Even if a learner is using a virtual background, this still creates an interesting frame for their personality. Facilitators can capitalise on this peak into people’s individuality by subtly making use of learners’ own environments during training programs.

Distant peers become closer during online delivery

The most exciting part of my 2020 online experience was delivering a sustainability program. This involved participants Zooming in from Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia. The group was small enough to enable us all to have our cameras switched on, rather than working in webinar mode. This made participants’ experiences far more real as people told their stories. The Zoom environment provided us all with a fascinating glimpse into others’ cultures and working environments. The end result was a more connected and stronger learning environment.

So who would have thought I’d be singing the praises of online delivery? Certainly not me 12 months ago. I’m grateful to the COVID-19 19 pandemic for giving me a reason to explore ways to translate effective facilitation into the online environment. After all, now I’m in this space, it will be easier to reach my goal of bringing positive psychology to 100,000 people around the world.

If you’d like to find out more about how to be an expert facilitator, not just a presenter, download my Positive Psychology Toolkit for HR and L&D Practitioners now.

 

About the author: Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a trainer and coach, with a passion for unleashing the power of positive deviance in talented people. She has taught more than 50,000 people how to excel professionally. An expert in the field of Positive Psychology, Eleanor is also qualified in Social Anthropology, Counselling, Coaching, Adult Education and Neuro Linguistic Programming. She specialises in helping HR and L&D practitioners to unleash the power of positive psychology in business. Her major focus in developing three key areas that support positive workplace cultures: positive mindset, proactive communication and purposeful leadership. Eleanor is the author of the Positive Psychology Toolkit for HR and L&D Practitioners. Download your free copy here.

By Eleanor Shakiba POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 0 Comments

Building culture is like trying to see a blind spot

If you’re struggling to ‘build’ or restructure your organisational culture, you’re probably grappling with a little-known paradox. You can’t shape culture from within that culture, because the culture is shaping you. As a positive psychology trainer with a background in anthropology, I see the task of redefining cultural norms is exactly the same as trying to see a blind spot.

Only people with a real blind spot (and I am one of them) know that you never can see a blind spot. So, the commonly used metaphor of exposing a blind spot in order to gain insight just doesn’t work. If you have a blind spot, although you know it is there, your perception is still always influenced by the ‘whole’ in your visual field. Thus, despite knowing you have areas of blindness, you will still inevitably collide with objects that fall into the blind spot. To prevent this happening, you therefore need to adapt the way you look at the world.

Exactly the same principle applies to ‘seeing’ problematic aspects of organisational culture. A trainer or facilitator situated within a business cannot fully understand the culture of that business, simply because they are part of it. This doesn’t mean internal efforts to build culture are doomed. However, it does mean it’s wise to broaden your perspective and get input from outside the system in order to accelerate your culture change efforts.

 

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As a positive psychology trainer with a bent for the anthropological, here are three ways I suggest you do this.

  • Pay attention to the gap between what people say and what they actually do. Culture change experts call this the gap between espoused theory and theory in use.
  • Seek input from people outside your system. This can include customers, industry experts and culture change consultants.
  • Focus your efforts on strengthening what’s working, rather than trying to eliminate what isn’t working. Being strengths focused shifts your attention to activities which will improve engagement far more than punishing people for so-called negative behavioural norms.

During the chaos of pandemic change that characterised 2020, did you notice how organisations with positive cultures thrived? This isn’t a coincidence. This is why all leaders and organisational development experts should take culture seriously. Make reflecting on and shaping culture an ongoing process, though. In this way, you will develop the reflective practices that we advocate in every session we develop in our Learn with Eleanor Shakiba online programs.

If you’re interested in using positive psychology training tools to develop thriving organisational cultures, download my free e-book, Positive Psychology Toolkit for HR and L&D Practitioners.

 

About the author: Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor consults in the area of culture-building and behaviour change training. Her customers are people who want to embed positive psychology in teams and organisations. Since 1994, she has been teaching talented professionals how to think, communicate and lead in ways that build success. Eleanor holds qualifications in Social Anthropology, Positive Psychology, Counselling, Coaching, Adult Education and Neuro Linguistic Programming. Eleanor is the author of the Positive Psychology Toolkit for HR and L&D Practitioners. Download your free copy here.

By Eleanor Shakiba HR AND TRAINING TIPS 0 Comments

12 tools for smart trainers: experiential learning

Reading about how to do something isn’t the same as doing something. If you want to learn to fish, you need to master the use of a fishing pole. The same concept can be applied to corporate training. Smart facilitators don’t tell people how to do things. They use experiential learning techniques to foster skill development.

The idea behind experiential learning is that people learn best by doing. Instead of listening to a lecture, they learn by trying things out, taking action or reflecting on past experiences. Your job, as the group leader, is to ensure that positive learning emerges (even when individuals experience setbacks, challenges or ‘failures’). This is why having a grounding in positive psychology training techniques will help you use experiential learning methods with better results.

Internships are an example of experiential learning. Interns develop their skills by observing the work of experienced individuals in their fields. They also have the chance to apply their skills and knowledge under supervision. Experiential learning in a business setting offers the same benefits.

David Kolb is credited with developing an easy-to-apply model of experiential learning. He defined four components of experiential learning, all of which align well with positive psychology techniques.

  • Concrete experience
  • Reflective observation
  • Abstract conceptualisation
  • Active experimentation

 

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What does this mean for your work as a facilitator or training? To use experiential learning techniques, you need to provide opportunities for learners need to be actively involved. Then you need to help them reflect on their experiences and develop ‘wisdom’ and understanding. Finally, you need to encourage learners to develop plans for building on their knowledge and continuing to reflect on their results. Repeating the cycle allows individuals to continue growing and developing.

Here are some techniques that trigger experiential learning:

  • Role play
  • Real play (in which learners share a story and re-enact it)
  • Simulation
  • Action learning projects
  • Review-and-reflect written activities

Are you keen to start using experiential learning techniques? Great idea! They can be used in a huge range of contexts. Start by mastering these four skills, without which activities are simply space-fillers in a training session.

  1. Activity design
  2. Framing and briefing
  3. Feedback and coaching
  4. Debriefing

Yes, learning to facilitate experiential activities does take time. However, it’s time worth investing. Ultimately it will lead to faster, more sustained learning. It’s also a useful way to begin building critical thinking skills in your learners. It allows them to use their existing skills and knowledge, which promotes confidence. It also encourages people to explore new concepts and solutions, boosting problem-solving skills.

Want to master experiential learning techniques? Enrol in a trainers’ master class with Eleanor Shakiba today.

 

About the author: Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a specialist in positive psychology training. Her core strength is creativity, which she expresses in the training room through storytelling and visual design. She has dedicated her career to helping experienced professionals break through glass ceilings by developing their confidence, communication skills and leadership mastery. Eleanor is qualified in a range of fields including Social Anthropology, Positive Psychology, Counselling, Coaching, Adult Education and Neuro Linguistic Programming. She is also the author of the Positive Psychology Toolkit for HR and L&D Practitioners. This is a free resource for trainers and facilitators.

By Eleanor Shakiba POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 0 Comments

What is ‘organisational culture’ and how do you build it?

Imagine a business where everyone is committed, engaged and inspired to do their best. A workplace where people are resilient, positive and creative. You can build that business by working on your organisational culture. The science of positive psychology provides concrete steps leaders can take to shape workplace culture and build flourishing teams.

Anthropologists define culture as ‘a way of life’. Culture impacts how people think, speak and behave. But what about ‘organisational culture’? It is probably a term you throw around regularly. Do you actually know what it means? The idea that the culture of an organisation influences the actions of workers was introduced in 1951, by Dr Elliott Jaques. He studied the development and impact of corporate group behaviours. His conclusion was that the overall culture of an organisation guides the actions of everyone working there.

A social psychologist named Edgar Schein made the term ‘organisational culture’ popular. He defined culture as the “beliefs, values and interactions followed by a group”. He also pointed out subcultures emerge in large organisations. For example, a business division or regional group may operate differently to other parts of the organisation. This point is particularly relevant if you work in a multi-national organisation.

In 2011, Flamholtz and Randle claimed that organisational culture is equal to the ‘corporate personality’. They defined organisational cultures as being an outcome of the beliefs, values and norms people adhere to. However, it is important to recognise that most people are not consciously aware of their beliefs, values and norms. As positive psychology trainers know all too well, gaps often exist between what people say and what they do. For example, a leader might claim to value employee input. At meanings, though, everyone might be afraid to speak up because the leader does not tolerate new ideas.

 

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Over the years, positive psychology trainers have developed a variety of techniques and practices for driving a cultural change within an organisation. Before an organisation can change its culture, you need to have clearly defined values and behaviours for others to follow. People cannot fit into a culture if they don’t know that it exists. Translate the values that you want to achieve into actionable behaviours. For example, if you want to promote inclusiveness, provide real-world solutions for achieving this goal.

Leaders need to take a detailed look at current policies and practices to determine what works and what needs to change. Keep the elements of your organisational culture that work well and promote your goals.

Focus more on the strengths of your organisational culture. In positive psychology, identifying and enabling a positive trait is believed to foster greater resilience. By focusing on what works, you naturally begin shifting the culture of your organisation.

After devising a plan and setting a new agenda, it is up to the leaders to set an example. Supervisors and managers need to adopt the changes if you want the rest of the workforce to follow them. Measuring your efforts is also essential. You cannot evaluate the effectiveness of your strategies without monitoring the impact. Use concrete metrics to measure employee engagement, morale and productivity to determine whether your culture is shifting toward the positive.

You know as soon as you walk into an organisation with a vibrant culture. There is a buzz of positive conversation and energy levels are high. You notice people solving problems together and finding constructive solutions to challenging situations. If your business doesn’t have this type of culture yet, it’s time to start learning more about positive leadership and culture change. By actively setting the values and beliefs for an organisation, you can get others to follow the same vision. Contact Eleanor Shakiba for more advice on how to build a positive organisational culture, using positive psychology training techniques.

 

About the author: Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor consults in the areas of culture-building and behaviour change training. Her customers are people who want to embed positive psychology in teams and organisations. Since 1994, she has been teaching talented professionals how to think, communicate and lead in ways that build success. Eleanor holds qualifications in Social Anthropology, Positive Psychology, Counselling, Coaching, Adult Education and Neuro Linguistic Programming. Eleanor is the author of the Positive Psychology Toolkit for HR and L&D Practitioners. Download your free copy here.

By Eleanor Shakiba POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 0 Comments

Shifting perspectives on a problem by Eleanor Shakiba


 
Enrol in Eleanor Shakiba’s online courses and coaching here. Or download her free e-book, the Positive Psychology Toolkit for HR and L&D practitioners here.

Confident and resilient people respond to problems differently to those of us who feel helpless or anxious. They shift perspectives and seek solutions. Hear positive psychology trainer, Eleanor Shakiba, explain how perspective-changing works at a psychological level. Find out how to shift into solution-finding mode and overcome feelings of low confidence or overwhelm during stressful times.

 

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About the author: Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a specialist in positive psychology. Her passion is teaching talented people to use social and emotional intelligence to excel in business. These skills centre around building positive mindsets, proactive communication habits and purposeful leadership behaviours. Eleanor’s qualifications include degrees and diplomas in Social Anthropology, Positive Psychology, Counselling, Coaching, Adult Education and Neuro Linguistic Programming. She is also the author of the Positive Psychology Toolkit for HR and L&D Practitioners. This is a free resource for trainers and facilitators.

By Eleanor Shakiba POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 0 Comments

What is cognitive reframing? by Eleanor Shakiba


 
This video is part of a positive psychology series. Find out more about positive psychology in Eleanor’s free eBook, the Positive Psychology Toolkit.

Don’t allow stress and anxiety to overtake your thoughts. Learn how you can do this with cognitive reframing. In this video, Eleanor Shakiba shares how you can focus on the positive using one of the most-used stress relief strategies. Cognitive reframing is changing the way that you look at something in a more positive light. By reframing your perspective of a situation, you minimise the perceived stress, allowing you to focus on overcoming your challenge.

This video on cognitive reframing is part of a playlist of positive psychology videos by master trainer, Eleanor Shakiba. If you’re looking for resilience videos or positive thinking videos, subscribe to Eleanor’s channel for regular updates. To book Eleanor to train your team, visit her official site at Think Learn Succeed. To purchase training materials on resilience, learned optimism and employee wellbeing, visit the Think Learn Succeed shop.

 

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About the author: Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a specialist in positive psychology. Her passion is teaching talented people to use social and emotional intelligence to excel in business. These skills centre around building positive mindsets, proactive communication habits and purposeful leadership behaviours. Eleanor’s qualifications include degrees and diplomas in Social Anthropology, Positive Psychology, Counselling, Coaching, Adult Education and Neuro Linguistic Programming. She is also the author of the Positive Psychology Toolkit for HR and L&D Practitioners. This is a free resource for trainers and facilitators.

By Eleanor Shakiba Impact tips 0 Comments

Did you know Eleanor specialises in resilience training?

Did you know Eleanor specialises in resilience training? It’s a hot topic this year! If your team is tired or burning out as a result of Covid19 stress, book a half day session on Resilience in Turbulent Times. Read the course outline here to find out how this course will help your team bounce back.

 

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By Eleanor Shakiba Impact tips 0 Comments

Three things you didn’t know about confidence

Everyone wants to be confident, right? Yet it’s surprising how few of us understand the psychology of confidence. This means many of us believe myths about what it takes to be a thriving, confident person. Sadly, some of these myths actually erode our self-assurance. So let’s bust three very prevalent – but incorrect – assumptions about confidence right now.

Myth 1: you need high self-esteem in order to be confident

Actually, it turns out there’s something far more significant. This is your level of self-agency. “What’s that?” I hear you ask. It’s your sense of personal power, reflected in how much you believe you can change your own world. It turns out that people with high levels of self-agency are far more likely to have high levels of self-confidence than those with strong self-esteem.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that working on your self-esteem is a wasted effort. It simply suggests that in boosting your confidence, you also boost your self-agency. You benefit from improving your mindset about your capacity for meaningful action. The more that you believe you can make positive changes, the more likely you are to feel confident.

Myth 2: competence is a prerequisite for confidence

Again, this isn’t the case. Competence is your ability to do something. Confidence, on the other hand, is your belief that you can succeed. Think about this difference. Being confident means that you can overcome competence gaps. After all, having a strong conviction that you can succeed means you will be willing to learn. Thus, you will be able to boost your confidence.

It turns out that having a growth mindset is strongly correlated to willingness to learn. If you operate from the growth mindset position, you’ll see challenges and even mistakes as opportunities to learn. This will help you feel confident, as you tackle the task of mastering new skills.

 

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Myth 3: all introverts lack confidence

There is no connection at all between confidence and introversion. Remember that introversion is a preference for drawing energy from within. This preference might lead introverts to prefer quiet settings and being alone. However, that doesn’t mean introverts lack social skills or confidence.

It’s worth remembering that extroverts and introverts behave in different ways when they lack confidence. Introverts tend to retreat from social situations. Meanwhile, extroverts may start talking more than normal. Although this might make them look confident, it doesn’t reflect true confidence. Learning this often makes introverts feel a great sense of relief. To me, this is ample evidence that comparing yourself to others doesn’t really help you understand how to genuinely be confident.

Remember that anyone can be confident, regardless of their personality preferences. However, many of us have learned to have low levels of confidence. If this is the case for you, there’s lots you can do about it.

 

About the author: Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a positive psychology trainer and coach. Her passion is teaching skills for positive thinking, proactive communication and purposeful leadership. Her clients work in academia, education, IT, engineering, finance and health. Eleanor is qualified in Social Anthropology, Positive Psychology, Counselling, Coaching, Adult Education and Neuro Linguistic Programming. She’s the author of the Positive Psychology Toolkit for HR and L&D Practitioners, a free resource for trainers.

By Eleanor Shakiba HR AND TRAINING TIPS 0 Comments

Influence your audience with NLP stage anchors

I’ve been using NLP training techniques since 1995. They’re still my favourite techniques because they are versatile, engaging and effective. Some trainers define NLP as ‘the difference that makes the difference’. I like that definition because NLP has impacted my own training style in many positive ways.

So what makes it so special? Basically, NLP codifies the skills associated with excellent performance. It gives you ‘recipes’ for doing things well. In training contexts, for example, you can use these recipes to:

  • Use language patterns that help people learn
  • Tell great stories
  • Move with purpose and impact on stage
  • Structure each section of your session to enhance unconscious learning

This list is just a starting point. In my trainers’ retreats I cover 20 NLP techniques. My favourite, though, is stage anchoring. It is versatile and fun.

 

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In NLP, anchoring involves deliberately creating a connection between a stimulus and a response. It’s a great way to influence the way your audience responds to different types of content. For example, if I’m working with a potentially hostile audience, I record their objections or complaints on a whiteboard. Then I cross to the other side of the room and stand in front of a strategically placed flipchart. I ask the group to suggest solutions to all their ‘problems’. The ideas are recorded on the flipchart, which is then stuck on the wall. Next, I wipe the whiteboard clear of complaints and move centre stage to wrap up.

This sequence of movements looks ‘spontaneous’ but is carefully staged to anchor the key stages of solution focused thinking. The group soon picks up the habit of being positive and solution oriented whenever I stand in front of the flipchart: which is exactly what I want. This is just one way that anchoring can be used to influence group dynamics and enhance learning. I love experimenting with anchors and I am sure you will, too.

 

About the author: Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor specialises in positive psychology and NLP. She works with HR and L&D teams create vibrant organisational cultures, by delivering training that makes a difference. Eleanor’s qualifications include degrees and diplomas in Social Anthropology, Positive Psychology, Counselling, Coaching, Adult Education and Neuro Linguistic Programming. Her passion is fostering the success of ‘positive deviants’ in the workplace. Download a copy of Eleanor’s free ebook Positive Psychology Toolkit for HR and L&D Practitioners .

By Eleanor Shakiba Impact tips 0 Comments

When I studied NLP, here’s what I learned

I first heard about Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) in 1995. Back then, NLP courses were hard to find in Australia. However, I was intrigued and persistent. I kept searching until 1998, when I finally found a practitioner course in Sydney. Back then, I was sceptical about the transformative powers attributed to NLP. These days, I know they are triggered by the intensely personal, experiential nature of well-designed NLP programs. My practitioner certification took 20 days. Master practitioner was an additional 20 days. Several years later, I completed trainers’ trainer. Yep. That was 20 days (and two flights to London!) too.

Would I say NLP transformed my work as a trainer? Absolutely. Did it transform my personal life? Yes, indeed. These days, I unconsciously embed NLP patterns in most coaching and groupwork sessions. Looking back, I see that NLP equipped me to excel. I ‘learned heaps’ in every course I attended. But three skills still stand out as my favourites: cognitive reframing, metaphor construction and meta-model questioning techniques.

Does that all sound like a lot of jargon? Welcome to the world of NLP! The guys who created NLP seemed to have a knack for inventing serious-sounding labels. Behind the names, though, are some seriously useful techniques. Here’s a quick rundown on my favourites and how they are useful to trainers and coaches.

Cognitive reframing

The more I learn about cognitive reframing, the more firmly I believe it is the foundation for all learning. Reframing means shifting your perspective on a situation or event. It involves making new meaning and interpreting things differently. The purpose of reframing is to generate new understanding or insight. As a positive psychology trainer, for example, I often encourage learners to view challenging situations through a lens of childlike curiosity. This simple reframe helps people find new solutions to old problems – and have fun while they’re doing it!

As a rookie NLP practitioner, I was intrigued by the pragmatic approach NLP took to reframing. I learned step-by-step language patterns I could use to reduce resistance and increase learning, whilst honing my reframing skills. 25 years after learning those techniques, I continue to teach them to participants in my Learn with Eleanor Shakiba courses and retreats. Why? Because they work.

Metaphor construction

Metaphors were the reason I enrolled in my first NLP course. I’d heard NLP practitioners were exceptional storytellers. I wanted to be an exceptional storyteller, too! I soon learned this would involve mastering ‘therapeutic metaphor construction’. Hmm. What did this mean? Put simply, it involved crafting storylines and characters which would engage conscious minds whilst teaching to unconscious minds. It’s an incredibly creative process, which every trainer should master. My own passion for metaphor construction runs deep. I learned the structure for this in my NLP Practitioner course back in 1998. And I’ve never found a better way of building teaching metaphors.

 

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Meta-model questioning

Speak to any NLP practitioner and it won’t be long before they sing the praises of ‘the meta model’. This mysterious title is actually an abbreviation. Originally, this foundation-stone of NLP was known as ‘the meta-model of language in therapy’. This is a complex, deeply structured model. For now, let’s stick to a basic definition. The meta model is a set of questions practitioners can use to shift or expand mindsets.

Why would trainers and coaches want to do this? The applications of the meta-model are limitless. For example, just this week I have used meta-model questions to:

  • Draw out strengths during career coaching sessions
  • Surface limiting assumptions which are preventing people solving their own problems
  • Handle hecklers or people who aggressively challenge content in training sessions
  • Subtly guide the thinking processes of individuals or groups
  • Manage my own thinking, especially when faced with tough problems.

To me, NLP rocks. Admittedly, though, it is not an evidence-based discipline. This means it is viewed with scepticism in some circles. Why do I still suggest that trainers explore it? Because no other discipline teaches you to listen with the precision and accuracy of NLP. What NLP contributed to the world was a fascinating breakdown of the language patterns which promote change. Learning those patterns will make you a masterful facilitator and coach. Which, after all, is much better than simply being a good trainer.

Want to learn more about NLP and how it can transform your work as a trainer? Download my Positive Psychology Toolkit for HR and L&D Practitioners now.

 

About the author: Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a positive psychology trainer and coach. Her passion is teaching skills for positive thinking, proactive communication and purposeful leadership. Her clients work in academia, education, IT, engineering, finance and health. Eleanor is qualified in Social Anthropology, Positive Psychology, Counselling, Coaching, Adult Education and Neuro Linguistic Programming. She’s the author of the Positive Psychology Toolkit for HR and L&D Practitioners a free resource for trainers.