Have you noticed that e-Learning is not free from the politics of project implementation in organizations, whether we observe and admit it or not? Sometimes, I get so frustrated with internal politics that I wish Tony Soprano were working for me.
Don’t get lulled into feeling that e-Learning will be accepted just because it is “cool” or a novel way of learning. Someone can torpedo your e-Learning projects and bring them to a halt.
To be forewarned is to be forearmed. What do you do? Consider these ideas.
| 1. | When implementing an e-Learning program, commonly known as LMS (Learning Management System), identify your sponsors, champions, and leaders who are recipients of the programs. |
| 2. | Educate them about the business impacts, benefits, and potential challenges of the e-Learning program. |
| 3. | Using an OD (Organizational Development) term, you need to provide the appropriate “unfreezing process”. Most of your sponsors are frozen in time with old practices and hang-ups. Invest in time and effort to make them current. For example: One time I needed to convert a video about a CEO to enable it to be shown in an iPod and show how the iPod works! |
| 4. | In most cases, organizations learn and apply changes incrementally. If it is appropriate for you, introduce small e-Learning programs. Pick those topics that the business is really “hurting” about. |
| 5. | Metaphorically, there is no harm at all that you identify a Tony Soprano (the command and control leaders or “I’ll break your leg or I will fire you” leaders) in your organization. In fact, more than we want to accept, having a muscle supporting your e-Learning works! |
Index of e-Learning Survey – Learn more about the Index. Compare your e-Learning programs with the 10 e-Learning standards. Complete the survey and download an article on “Index of e-Learning“.
Ray Jimenez, PhD
Vignettes Learning
“Helping Learners Learn Their Way”