TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

While the majority of the work you’ll find throughout this site falls into the learning and organization development sector, I’ve also designed and launched specific training and educational programs over the years. Below are a few examples of those programs.

Creative Lunches

Creative Lunches are an important tradition in Myriad’s culture. Employees take turns sharing videos or presentations designed to inspire and educate the team. Many styles and ideas we’ve watched together have shown up in later work.

We also invite guests to present, such as actors, producers, account managers, professors, animators and art directors. I like inviting new freelancers to attend or present. It is tough to begin working with new freelancers because they are “unproven.” Their participation in these lunches leads to relationships and project partnerships developing much more quickly.

Storytelling Training

To help the creative team improve storytelling and production skills, I launched a formal, three-month training course. Employees completed the specific training individually and then worked together each week to discuss the lesson and implement specific take-aways.

I did not design the actual storytelling training. Rather, I designed the bigger picture launch, schedule and weekly group experiences to incorporate the lessons into our work. Stillmotion, a high-end production company, provided the training content.

improv and feedback Training

In an effort to improve communication, trust, feedback and creativity, I worked with two different types of improv and communication instructors over the course of two-and-a-half years. The instructors led us through company-wide and team specific trainings to strengthen those skills, as well as improve listening and collaboration.

myers-Briggs Training

Towards the beginning of my HR career, I became a certified Myers-Briggs practitioner and coached my team on the MBTI framework. Employees had the option of completing the assessment and receiving training and tools to help them self reflect. There are controversial opinions on the MBTI, and I think they are valid. That being said, the biggest benefit that came out of this process was the opportunity for employees to self reflect and to then have a language to communicate those reflections to others. It also facilitated a great exploration and better understanding of extroversion and introversion, which is the dichotomy best supported by psychological research. I originally implemented this tool to improve empathy and communication at our company, and we absolutely succeeded in our goal.