When it comes to reaching out to your learners, perfect professionals can be kind of boring, just like robots lack engaging personality.
Our funny ways, flaws and eccentricities make us human, and more interesting. So, why hide our imperfections. Our characteristics are obvious in the classroom so why try and hide them behind an electronic screen.
When you embrace your quirks, you stand out and become more visible. And when you admit your flaws, learners will recognise themselves, and feel touched and comfortable.
It’s well known that over the last few years my instructional design style has tended to disclose more and more of my experiences working with corporates. There are many real-life stories woven into the narrative. If some of the people I’ve worked with were to watch some of my Modlettes they may well find themselves in there as a cautionary tale.
Be Generous
Recently a student emailed me: ‘Why do you give away so many ideas when you can use them in your business?’
The unreal thing is this: the more I give away for free, the more work comes in through our screens.
Generosity is part of selling ourselves and our ideas, (this is what training is). To do this honestly you need a mindset of abundance to succeed.
A mindset of abundance means that:
- You’re not in competition with anyone . . . because everyone is different
- You can never give too much information away for free
When you focus solely on telling people what to learn, you quickly tire them. However, when you focus on helping people, they give you more of their minds. And to change people’s behaviour