Kit Prendergast, PCC
Kit brings you a wealth of expertise and experience as well as a wonderful spirit, energy, and a gift for inspiring you to create the life you truly want for yourself.Kit's Tips & Books
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Tag Archives: learning
Rise of the Robots
Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future, Martin Ford, 2015.
This is an eye-opening book that is the recent winner of the Business Book of the Year 2015. It’s hard to put down for any of us working in the areas of career transition, leadership and economic growth.
Ford is an author and founder of a Silicon Valley-based software development firm committed to helping us see the tsunami of a “perfect storm” of accelerated technology, long-term unemployment and income disparity. He begins by taking us back in history to WWII and the impact automation technology had on individual employees – short-term losses with long-term benefits.
But it is very different now. Technology is accelerating so fast that humans have already been left behind. The surge in “information technology” or artificial intelligence in the form of robots, computers, iPhones, etc. is rapidly replacing highly skilled workers in all industries. Ford speaks directly to the impact of this on our college graduates and gives us a disturbing prediction on the future of their careers. Pick up the book and let me know what you think.
Posted in Kit's Resources & Book Reviews
Tagged business, Career, change, learning, transition
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Association of Talent Development (ATD) TD Magazine
I’ve been an active member of our local and national chapter of the Association of Talent Development (ATD) (formerly ASTD) for years. Professional trainers, HR professionals and executive leadership coaches have always known that ATD is a wealth of knowledge and resources for internal and external leaders working to recruit, retain and engage top talent in their organizations.
I particularly like ATD’s monthly magazine – now called TD – which I save and refer back to frequently. The articles are excellent and provide the latest research and insights from the industry’s thought leaders. The focus is squarely on talent management and how training supports those initiatives. I’ve even been a contributor to their website ATD.org community of best practices blogs. Check this association out – it’s well worth it!
Posted in Kit's Resources & Book Reviews
Tagged communication, Leadership, learning, Talent Development
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You Are Strong! What Your Hands, Head and Heart Already Know
How do you help someone else recognize their own strengths? Their own potential? To believe in themselves and their future when the odds are against them?
This was the challenge when our team of Global Volunteers was asked to design and deliver a motivational workshop for the teenage boys aging out of their orphanage in Lima, Peru. They had lived there for years and now they would be on their own in just a few short months.
Would they recognize their unique strengths and be able to use those assets to achieve the future they wanted for themselves? How could we help set them up for success, and do it in a second language, with limited training supplies and in just 45 minutes?
It was actually the boys talking about their passion for soccer that sparked the idea of using a simple picture of a hand, a head and a heart to capture their individual strengths. Our goal was to have each young man recognize and appreciate his own foundation of unique strength.
Here’s how we did it in five simple steps – so simple but so powerful – and you can do the same with any young person in any life circumstance.
- Start with a large piece of white paper for each teen and several colored pencils. In the left bottom corner, ask them to outline their hand with outstretched fingers. On each finger, ask them to write a skill or strength that they have with their hands. (For example: soccer, art/drawing, cooking, electrical repair, wood working, etc.)
- Next, ask them to draw a picture of their face or head in the upper middle page. Ask them to write down their “head” strengths, usually from their schooling (math, writing, music, etc.)
- Finally, ask them to draw a picture of their heart in the lower right corner of the page. Here they write their “heart” strengths like courage, persistence, faith, etc.
- Connect the three pictures (hand, head & heart) with a triangle and ask them to write “Soy Fuerte” or “I Am Strong” in the center.
- From here, you can flip the paper over and help them identify their future or dream jobs and finally, what resources they will need to use to achieve those goals.
Did it work? Yes! Very Well.
It was amazing to see how quickly the teenage boys grasped these concepts of interpersonal strengths and were able to apply them directly to their future. We were amazed and so inspired by their courage and spirit. Thank you boys for allowing us to be part of your journey!
Film Review: McFarland USA
McFarland USA, with Kevin Costner by Disney, 2015.
Okay, I admit that I’m a big Kevin Costner fan, especially in sports movies that are based on true stories. This movie, McFarland USA, is just that kind of inspiring story.
It’s about a coach, Jim White (Costner), down on his luck who moves to a farming community, McFarland, in the central valley of California. White begins to recognize the raw talent of the high school boys who are not only physically strong but show incredible perseverance and courage as they work in the fields every day to help provide for their families. White believes in their potential (and convinces them to believe in themselves) and along with the support of this hard-working, farming community, he builds a champion cross-country running team, winning the California State Championship 9 out of 14 years.
It’s an amazing story about seeing and believing in others’ strengths as well as our own!
Here’s a link to one of the movie’s trailers, via IMDb (Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1125297945/
Posted in Kit's Resources & Book Reviews
Tagged coaching, inspiration, Leadership, learning, motivation, Talent Development, training
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Stepping Up to Be a Global Volunteer: Why & Who?
Painting the schoolyard wall with the children and staff, as part of Global Volunteers, 2015.
It’s a good question . . . Why volunteer time, energy and money to work in a totally different country with all its risks and unknown challenges? And who would even want to do that anyway?First, the question of “why” . . . although the answer is different for everyone, it almost always gets back to a strong sense of wanting to be part of something bigger than just ourselves – to find meaning and purpose in our own individual efforts. It’s that spark – that hope that each of us in some small way can contribute to making the world just a little better for others.
Second, is the “who” . . . who takes on these kinds of challenges? Our work in Peru was intense but relatively easy compared to the tough Peace Corp assignments, Doctors Without Borders or other similar humanitarian efforts around the world today.
Making handprints for the schoolyard wall, with Global Volunteers, 2015
Now what about you? At this time in your life, are you thinking (and maybe even excited) about stepping up to this kind of experience? It takes a lot of planning, preparation and can cost significant money as well as time away from work and family commitments. Are you ready for that kind of adventure and challenge?
If so, here are five excellent more personal questions to honestly ask yourself before raising your hand and submitting your application.
- What are my expectations of this experience and are they realistic?
- Am I physically and emotionally healthy enough for this experience and possible risks?
- Am I truly open and receptive to learning and appreciating a new culture/way of life?
- Am I really flexible regarding time schedules, new foods, different personalities (on the team), work responsibilities etc?
- Do I have a love of people and a sense of humor!
There are many other criteria to honestly see if global volunteerism is for you at this time in your life. Be honest with yourself – this may be a great time or perhaps not “yet”. Either way, it’s a delicious option!
Posted in Global Training & Coaching, Kit's Tips
Tagged communication, Global Volunteerism, learning, Visioning
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