Magazine Articles

I was having brunch recently with the former VP of sales for one of the world’s most prestigious and elegant hotels, which is based in Singapore. As we got to talking, he mentioned that he was asked to be the VP of sales for a brand new hotel that was considered one of the top hotels in the world. I mentioned that one of the areas I work in is the training and development of expatriates for international assignments. His reaction was one I have heard more than 50 times: “I wish I had known you before I went to Asia.”

A country famous for its islands, forests, and fjords, Norway never ceases to amaze the world, especially during the Winter Olympics. Her graceful athletes usually win countless gold medals based on their great skill and connection to the land. This country has a population of approximately 5 million and is blessed with natural resources. Your organization will benefit greatly by doing business in this Scandinavian paradise. Building your training capacity here can benefit your company in myriad ways.

Almost all Learning and Development professionals have experienced the demand, “we need the training delivered yesterday!” This has led to the development of a range of rapid prototyping design and development methodologies—techniques that require a strong needs analysis in order to be successful. As Peter Drucker wryly noted, “There is nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency something that should not be done at all.”

Today’s business landscape requires that companies foster the development of new ideas, tap into critical employee thinking and knowledge, and enable the synergy of teams to revolutionize their existing business in order to establish an effective roadmap for a strategic employee lifecycle.

For companies smart enough—and lucky enough—to sustain a strong brand, that brand is a gold mine. For a great brand, customers will drive the extra mile, pay the extra dollar, and refuse to consider lower-priced “me too” offers from competitors.

Find out about the latest advances in training technology.

While not yet back to the levels seen in a buoyant economy, a substantial majority (72%) of respondents to a BlessingWhite survey believe they personally have the biggest control over their next career move (as opposed to their manager or the company they work for).

The latest products and services launching in the training industry.

The latest training industry mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and more.

One question business leaders are still asking: “How are we going to get a return on our training investment in people who don’t stay for the long haul?” The question you should be asking: “How are we going to change our approach to training so our investment is not so vulnerable?”