Busy reading the book called Busy

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Photocredit:Yesware
Literally I have been busy while reading a book called Busy: How to thrive in a world of too much. I read in the train, in planes and at home after playing with my son when he is tucked in bed. Daddy duties you can say.

As a learning professional, I decided to join the Learning and Performance Institute. I'm already a member of the Association of Talent Development (ATD) so why LPI. I think LPI has a lot of UK learning professionals and I think the L&D practice in the UK is strong so I decided to explore for further networking. 

Let's focus on the book I have been reading called Busy by Tom Crabble. You should read it. You know how people get so used to the idea of being busy and achieving nothing. We let go of our priorities and bask in the euphoria of busyness. We think by being busy and multitasking we achieve more. As I took a walk today, I thought of the application to training events. Have you seen those trainings where people plan so much that they focus so little on the needs and content? I don't know how many people have attended well planned trainings in term of logistics but content is wish washy. There is no balance in the two. I think that is a clear case of busyness. You are doing much but you are doing nothing.

Training should be carefully planned to include both content and logistics. It takes skills to balance the two elements. Some say they are training specialist but they can as well double for event planners. We plan the event so much that we forget to know about the participants, their work environment, skills gaps, training strategy, methodologies and evaluation. Some don't even bother about the agenda.

Let's apply it to online learning. We can be so busy with the IT that we forget to produce quality content based a careful needs assessment of what is needed and how the content brings about change. I commend the Global Health e-learning centre. This is a clear case of focus and quality content. We should also not forget that the aim of training is to drive learning and if we should have that in mind as we plan training. 

Let us not get too busy to forget what is really important: content.Set your priorities as a trainer and focus on them. You will always be swayed by event planning and IT but you should remember that content is also important. 

Lesson from the book so far: determine early what is important to you in life. If you don't, you will be swayed by the wind of busyness.

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