Our next meeting occurs in the evening on Tuesday, May 30, 2006, at our new meeting "home":

Atlantis Casino Resort Hotel
3800 South Virginia Street, Ballroom A

Time: 5:30p - 7:00p.

Parking is available on the west side of Virginia Street and you can cross over the breezeway.
(If you get lost, give Kurt a call at 742-6834.)

Meetings - Full and Corporate members: No charge; ASTD Basic or Quarterly Members: Evening $10.00; Non-members: $20.00

This month's topic is The Ten Minute Trainer. Using Advanced Adult Learning Strategies to Make the Learning Last, delivered by expert trainer and author, Sharon Bowman!

Take your presenting and training skills to the next level with this hands-on, fast-paced session. Explore the best of adult learning research and how to apply that research to your own topics, classes, and training. Learn how to use two powerful training design tools - the Learning Compass and Training Map - to polish what you already do well. In addition, collect a variety of instructional strategies based on the “Get a CLUE” elements - four ways to increase both motivation and memory in learning.

Leave with a trainer’s toolbag of instructional strategies and resources you can use immediately with your own learners to make the learning last.

Learning Objectives:

• Design new training and presentation programs and polish existing ones using two powerful design tools: the Learning Compass and Training Map.
• List the five basic human psychological needs and explain how to take care of these needs in a learning situation.
• Use the two “primacy and recency” rules to open and close a training.
• Include four crucial elements (as represented by the acronym “CLUE”) of motivation and memory to make the learning last.Check out her website at www.bowperson. com

Hello everyone!

If you were fortunate enough to attend the April membership meeting hosted by Mr. Bill Parsons, Director of Organizational Development for Washoe Health, you received a great refresher on Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, plus the Eighth Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness.

Of the eight habits presented, the one that stuck with me since then is Number 7: Sharpen the Saw. Why? Because for me, it's the hardest to implement.

Hopefully, I'm not alone in this territory. The idea that one's spiritual, mental, physical and social/emotional aspects need nurturing and attention sounds great...but who has the time?

As Mr. Parsons allowed us to discuss and reflect on each of the now-famous habits, it occurred to me that not only do we need to take time to sharpen our own saws, we need to make it safe for our employees and co-workers to do so as well.

In a work world driven by a never-ending series of deadlines, back-to-back meetings, and trying to integrate the family calendar with work calendar, it's no wonder that our saws become dull. There always seems to be some sort of pressure to abandon our saw-sharpening needs in favor of one more meeting, one more late night work session, or working on the weekend to "get caught up." Or worse yet, making our employees and co-workers feel pressured to join us in the same pattern.

So where is this going? After listening to the comments of my fellow members at the April meeting, at the end of my reflection, I realized that active involvement in our tight-knit ASTD family has been keeping my saw sharp for four years now. The quality of ideas, competence, caring, and professionalism in the areas of learning, development, coaching, and consulting have been inspirational on numerous occasions. Our members are a giving group and provide saw-sharpening opportunities to each other on a regular basis. And we have another opportunity coming up...

If you've never had the chance to attend one of Sharon Bowman's presentations, don't miss Tuesday night's meeting. Even if you've been in the training trenches for years, you will leave with at least one new idea or technique. And Sharon's enthusiasm will rub off on you, making your next set of training events not only more enjoyable and effective for your attendees, but more fun for you as the trainer as well.

That's all for now, and see you soon.

Kurt Frohlich

The ASTD Learning System is the complete, self- directed learning resource for individuals preparing for the knowledge-based exam of the ASTD Certification Insititute’s CPLP program. This nine-volume set comprises 1,200 pages and aligns to the nine areas of expertise as defined by the ASTD Competency Model. Modules are designed to help learners focus their test preparation efforts and include key knowledge content aligned to the specific to each area of expertise, plus study questions. The ASTD Learning System also serves as the body of knowledge for the workplace learning and performance (WLP) profession as classified by the ASTD Competency Model, and is a leading reference source for all practitioners. Click HERE for more information.

If you would like a copy of the 2006 ASTD Sierra Nevada Chapter Membership Directory, please e-mail your request to info@astdnevada. org and we will provide via email.