Retain outstanding talent with a successful training and development program One of the best ways to retain great talent in your business is to deliver a strong training and development program--and this book gives you the tools to do just that. Featuring the latest strides in talent development, such as social learning, hybrid training, creating videos, and more, it arms you with everything you need to upskill employees to be more effective, productive, satisfied, and loyal. Develop a robust training and development program Foster a supportive and innovative work environment Use mentoring, coaching, and informal learning effectively Align learning to your organization's needs Engage your employees with a motivating training program using the helpful guidance in Training & Development For Dummies!

Develop and deliver a robust employee training and development program Training and Development For Dummies gives you the tools you need to develop a strong and effective training and development program. Covering the latest in talent development, this informative guide addresses classroom, virtual, and blended learning to open up your options and help you design the program that's right for your company. You'll explore the different modes of formal learning, including social learning, m-learning, and MOOCs, and delve into the benefits and implementation of self-directed and informal learning. The discussion covers mentoring and coaching, rotational and stretch assignments, and how to align talent development with the company's needs. You'll learn how to assess employee skills, design and deliver training, and evaluate each step of the process to achieve the goals of both the employee and the organization. Most employees have some weaknesses in their skill sets. A robust training program allows you to strengthen those skills, and a development program brings all employees up to the highest possible level of productivity and success. This book helps you create consistency in your company by developing and delivering the exact training and development program your people need. * Develop a strong training and development program * Foster a supportive and innovative work environment * Learn about social learning, m-learning, and MOOCs * Assess and evaluate your staff more effectively A great training and development program boosts performance, productivity, job satisfaction, and quality of services, while reducing costs and supervision. Investing in your employees gives an excellent ROI, as talent development is a primary driver behind both motivation and loyalty. Training and Development For Dummies shows you how to reap these benefits, with step by step guidance and essential expert insight.

"90 World-Class Activities by 90 World-Class Trainers" gathers classic activities from ninety master trainers in one convenient place. The stellar list of trainers includes Bellman, Blanchard, Booher, Crum, de Bono, Kouzes, Masie, Pike, Robinson, Scannell, Silberman, Thiagi, Zenger, and 77 other names you'll know.

Elaine Biech (editor of the Pfeiffer Annuals and author of "Training for Dummies") has gathered a powerful and exciting collection of activities from around the globe. The sixteen topics include change management, coaching, diversity, leadership, and teamwork. This invaluable resource presents the favorite activities of some of the most talented trainers in the world--all seven continents are represented.

All of these activities have stood the test of time and are presented here for your use to engage teams and groups in collaborative learning. The contributors provide helpful suggestions for adapting the activities to a particular setting or audience and present ideas for adding zest to their favorite activities to ensure that you are as successful with them as they have been.

The book is filled with experience and expertise. Combined, the contributors have written and edited almost 800 books and over 3,700 articles and have received hundreds of awards. Many are members of the HRD Hall of Fame and they advise some of the largest organizations in the world. Draw on their expertise and implement several of the activities. Your success is guaranteed.

Millions of Americans have to train others as part of their jobs. Whether you're an employee training your co-workers on a new process or skill, a volunteer asked to train new volunteers, a chef training your staff, or a paramedic giving CPR training, it's just as important to know how to teach others as it is to know what you're talking about. It doesn't matter how much you know about your subject if you can't share it with others. Fortunately, Training For Dummies offers all the nuts and bolts of training for anyone who has to educate others on any subject and in any field. It covers all the modern, interactive instructional methods and dynamic training approaches available and helps you get trainees inspired, involved, and enthused. Training For Dummies will help you: * Keep it interesting so trainees learn more eagerly * Master the jargon of training * Use audio and visual aids effectively * Prepare for the training certification process * Evaluate your results and improve your tactics Elaine Biech, President and Managing Principal of Ebb Associates, Inc., and known as "the trainer's trainer" shows you all the tips and tricks of the trade. Based on her long experience as a trainer and her work for clients such as the IRS and many Fortune 500 companies, Biech helps you discover: * Tips, techniques, and tidbits for enhancing your training sessions * Methods that improve trainee participation * Alternatives to the traditional lecture method * Tactics for gauging and managing group dynamics * Strategies for addressing problems in the classroom * Hints for understanding and adapting to different learning styles * Helpful resources and other extra material you can put to immediate use No matter what you do for a living, there will probably come a time when you have to teach others what you know. Training For Dummies cuts through the complicated jargon to present the basics of teaching and learning in straightforward, plain English so you can share your specialized knowledge with those who need it.

Everything you ever wanted to know about consulting--a practical roadmap for aspiring entrepreneurs Seismic changes occurring in the workforce are leading to more and more people entering the world of contract, freelance, and contingency work. Rapid changes in demographics and advances in technology have led companies and talent to engage in profoundly new ways and consulting is one of the keys to success. The New Business of Consulting is authentic and practical, and shares the knowledge and skills required to start and grow a successful consulting business. From how to make a smooth career transition, to how to determine a consulting fee, to how consultants inadvertently create a bad reputation, it covers everything you need to know to thrive and flourish in this competitive field. Covers contemporary topics, such as how to achieve success in the gig economy Discloses a reliable technique to land the clients you want Presents options to help you balance your life and your business Prepares you for naming your business, managing critical financial issues, and building a client relationship Shows you how to take your income and impact beyond working as a solopreneur The crucial start-up days of a consulting business may be frenetic and fraught with questions. This new edition provides sanity and answers all the questions. It includes practical tools, templates, and checklists that you can download and implement immediately.

Avoid costly litgation!

You'll want to keep this user-friendly overview of legal issues on your desk at all times! This is the only complete "how-to" guide and overview of legal issues you face as a consultant. You'll learn how to make sense of legal jargon and a variety of contracts as well as learn when to seek out the advice of legal counsel and when to walk away from losing relationships. This book isn't intended to replace competent legal advice-rather it is a time- and cost-effective means to understand legal issues before pursuing legal.

Includes a diskette with useful tools, sample forms, checklists, and links to technology-based resources.

"I beg you, do not start your own consulting business without first reading The Consultant's Legal Guide. And if you already have, read it now! I assure you that when you put into practice the sound advice of Elaine Biech and Linda Byars Swindling you will save yourself the heartache and headache of needless legal hassels...The Consultant's Legal Guide will help you every day of your business life."
--James M. Kouzes, chairman, Tom Peters Group/Learning Systems, co-author of The Leadership Challenge and Encouraging the Heart

"A great flight plan to avoid turbulence...Whether you are a consultant or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, this book should be on your desk for a reference in so many areas."
--Howard Putnam, Former CEO, Southwest Airlines and Braniff International, author of The Winds of Turbulence

"A well thought out, practical approach to dealing effectively with lawyers and other consultants. If followed, it should help all parties be better prepared and do a better job."
--Rita Reuss, attorney, former vice president, Land O' Lakes

"The Consultant's Legal Guide is better than an MBA in business relationships. Clear, concise, thoughtful and thorough. . .after reading this book, consultants will sleep better at night!"
--Pamela J. Schmidt, vic

An action plan for working as a consultant Management consulting is a $250 billion industry and growing at a rate of over four percent annually. Many predict that more than 40 percent of the U.S. workforce will soon be contingent, freelance, or consulting members of the workforce--making this book more relevant than ever. Individuals become independent consultants out of necessity or preference: necessity because they lost their job or the company offered an attractive exit package; preference because they want a career change, more control over their time, or an enriched, varied work situation. Consulting also appeals to the Millennial workforce who are searching for careers that offer a good salary as well as meaningful work. The New Consultant's Quick Start Guide: - Serves as a companion to The New Business of Consulting - Provides you with a place to plan your transition into consulting - Helps you identify your niche, develop a business plan, charge what you're worth, and create a marketing strategy to ensure a steady stream of clients - Prepares you for changes you will encounter beyond your professional life, including social, family, and financial aspects The New Consultant's Quick Start Guide helps you work through the challenges of consulting such as working alone, deciding on necessary insurance coverage, finding your first clients, struggling with cash flow, and understanding market trends.

Continuing education and development lie at the very heart of any successful organization. Time and time again, studies show that the best organizations, those that deliver better-than-average return on investment, also happen to be the ones with the highest commitment to training and development. Moreover, training has become a powerful ally in the war for talent. Job seekers frequently cite a strong commitment to development as one of the principal reasons for joining or remaining with an organization.

In your hands is a working toolkit, a valuable source of knowledge for the training professional. Offering entirely new content each year, the Pfeiffer Training "Annual "showcases the latest thinking and cutting-edge approaches to training and development, contributed by practicing training professionals, consultants, academics, and subject-matter experts. Turn to the "Annual "for a rich source of ideas and to try out new methods and approaches that others in your profession have found successful.

The book is divided into four sections: Experiential Learning Activities (ELAs); Editor's Choice; Inventories, Questionnaires, and Surveys; and Articles and Discussion Resources. All the material can be freely reproduced for training purposes. The ELAs are the mainstay of the "Annual "and cover a broad range of training topics. The activities are presented as complete and ready-to-use training designs; facilitator instructions and all necessary handouts and participant materials are included. Editor's Choice pieces allow us to select material that doesn't fit the other categories and take advantage of "hot topics." The instrument section introduces reliable survey and assessment tools for gathering and sharing data on aspects of personal or team development. The articles section presents the best current thinking about training and organization development. Use these for your own professional development or as lecture resources.

While a single training company is often the provider for a client specific solutions, the combination of innovative approaches uncovered through the exchange of the collective experience of many providers/training suppliers creates a powerful arsenal of tools. These tools make a difference in the success of corporate enterprise-wide performance. ISA (The Association of Learning Providers) is the trusted network that brings suppliers together to share and debate the art and science of innovative learning and performance for work-related, enterprise-wide people performance on the job. This volume brings together ISA members to tell their story of what really works through a variety of activities, instruments, and articles.

"Training legend Elaine Biech oversees this edited collection of classic activities and games created by stalwarts of the learning community and used successfully for years by professional, front-line trainers. Spanning all types of activities--icebreakers, role-playing, simulations, and energizers--the book covers classic games and activities with new hooks and variations to encourage audience engagement and participation"--