Welcome to the CLO-Blogs, featuring a collection of posts from the editors of Chief Learning Officer magazine that explore the latest trends, issues, ideas and methods in the learning industry. http://www.clomedia.com Published November 20, 2008 - With all the dire economic reports churning through the news cycle lately, it’s easy to forget that in spite of all the problems we face, we still have much to be thankful for. Most of the people reading this still have good jobs at good companies and perform work that makes a difference in the lives of others.With Thanksgiving coming up this week, I thought it might be nice if we all shared something that we’re thankful for in our professions. What people, solutions or ideas really help you in what you do for a living? They might be indispensible, or just a nice thing to have around — just something you’re grateful for because it improves your work life. http://www.clomedia.com/clo-blog/2008/November/2457/index.php Published November 20, 2008 - Remember that “Seinfeld” episode where George Costanza’s father said “serenity now” to deal with anger-provoking moments? Unfortunately, his method, as we learned later in the episode, caused him to bottle up frustration, which led to “insanity later.” That’s what came to mind when I came across a recent article from WSJ.com about fostering good conflict. http://www.clomedia.com/clo-blog/2008/November/2459/index.php Published November 17, 2008 - You may never have thought that being in learning a recent article by the Business Review Western Michigan proves otherwise. The environment you provide learners with can be almost as critical as the material you provide them with. Steelcase designed its Steelcase University Learning Center (SULC) with this in mind. It’s a new-age space that is all about connections. http://www.clomedia.com/clo-blog/2008/November/2456/index.php Published November 12, 2008 - I got a question from Martyn Bullard, an “early adopter” of our recently launched CLO-Network and the head of IS learning and development for the EMEA region of law firm Mayer Brown. He’s working on a dissertation for his MBA that asks whether “the concept of chief learning officer as practiced in the U.S. [is] transferable to the U.K.,” and he wanted my — ahem — “expert” advice on this subject. http://www.clomedia.com/clo-blog/2008/November/2453/index.php Published November 11, 2008 - Since the presidential election, media coverage has focused on the tasks President-elect Barack Obama faces, such as following through on his promise of change in the midst of such uncertain times.I’m reminded of the criticism from his opponents: “This is not a time for on-the-job training.” They cited Sen. John McCain’s decades in the Senate and his military experience as the more appropriate background for leading the country. As I looked back on those frequent references to on-the-job training (OJT), I began to wonder about its organizational relevance today. When recruiting a leader, do you look for McCain- or Obama-like experience? How much value do you place on OJT for your organizational leaders? http://www.clomedia.com/clo-blog/2008/November/2452/index.php Published November 10, 2008 - Google, Campbell Soup and Johnson & Johnson are the three most socially responsible companies in the United States, according to research from the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship and Reputation Institute. Interestingly, the companies that invest more in corporate social responsibility (CSR) get a much higher level of support than other companies, as almost 66 percent of the U.S. public would recommend the top 20 socially responsible companies, and only 26 percent would recommend the bottom 20 companies. The implication is that organizations that invest in social responsibility have a better reputation than other companies, and that inevitably impacts the bottom line. http://www.clomedia.com/clo-blog/2008/November/2451/index.php Published November 5, 2008 - As many of you already know, we unveiled our new CLO-Network, a virtual meeting place for our readers, at the beginning of last week. The results thus far have exceeded our already lofty expectations: After just a few days, we’ve had more than 700 members join, with participants hailing from Mumbai to Minnesota, from London to New Zealand.Additionally, CLO-Network members have started more than 20 discussions on topics ranging from LMSs to next-generation leadership development. We’re thrilled to have such an enthusiastic response to this new medium, and I wanted to share just a couple of the highlights so far. http://www.clomedia.com/clo-blog/2008/November/2448/index.php Published November 3, 2008 - It seems that companies are talking and schools are listening. In “Universities Tailor Courses for Companies," universities partnered with companies to create tailored educational programs. We recently covered this topic in CLO magazine’s July issue, "A Customer-Driven Approach to Molding Tomorrow's Leaders." Just as no two people are alike, no two organizations are alike, and the issues they face are unique to their cultures, their workforces and their circumstances. http://www.clomedia.com/clo-blog/2008/November/2447/index.php Published October 30, 2008 - As learning leaders, most of you are probably focused on how to instruct and engage employees in your enterprise to achieve organizational performance goals. But what about you? What approach do you take to develop your proficiency in your role? http://www.clomedia.com/clo-blog/2008/October/2442/index.php Published October 29, 2008 - This is week two in a three-week series of blogs about executive education. In “And Now, Something Completely Different,” one of the many articles published in The Wall Street Journal about this topic, there is a list of innovative, or unusual, EMBA programs. http://www.clomedia.com/clo-blog/2008/October/2440/index.php