Believe it or not, there is an application on the iPhone for coaching. Jason Alba, noted author and social networking rock star, brought iPocketCoach by Tony Deblauwe to my attention. At first, I was skeptical. How can an iPhone app that costs $0.99 teach someone how to coach another individual?

iPhone Can Do It All

Of course, I had to check out iPocketCoach for myself. A few clicks and $0.99 later, I am faced with a screen with 8 different options to choose from as seen in the app’s screen shot here. Interestingly enough, iPocketCoach is a good reference point to get started or as a quick guide to help someone out in a pinch.

Just In Time Learning Has A New Meaning

After playing with iPocketCoach a little more, I came to the conclusion that this one app is a true game changer for “just in time” or informal learning. How cool is it that I have a quick reference guide to leadership and coaching at my fingertips? Think of the implications this has on the training profession! Think about:

• How supplemental training materials are designed and delivered
• Quick reference guides are delivered electronically to a mobile device
• Learning happens instantaneously at the learner’s whim
• Updates are easy to get to with devices like the iPhone

iPocketCoach Is A Must Have

As an unsolicited endorsement for iPocketCoach, I believe it is a must have for any person in a leadership role (iPhone is a must too!). This is the only the beginning in a world where we have the information we want, when we want it and where ever we want it. That’s the beauty of mobility! Here’s why this app is so great:

• Simple reference guide for just about any topic under the talent management umbrella
• Fantastic supplement for leadership training and development
• Pragmatic examples that can be used immediately in the real world
• It only costs $0.99

I had the chance to attend International Association of Correctional Training Personnel (IATCP) conference in Orlando, FL. After talking with some fellow attendees and sitting on a great session called “Blend Baby Blend”, training professionals in the corrections field have some challenges ahead of them when faced with learning technologies. What was totally cool about this session is that there was a collective 185 years of training experience in the room!

What’s the Story

Conference attendees were comprised of training professionals at the U.S. federal, state and local levels. It was interesting to listen and participate in conversations about the challenges they are facing when it comes to training their people. Some of the main pains are:

• Budget constraints
• Not enough training personnel
• Inconsistency in who has access to what technology
• Need to get more done with less resources
• Lack of knowledge on how to implement new technology for learning purposes

What They Have

Surprisingly, some agencies had access to more technology than I thought they would. The issue remains that not all agencies had the same access to the same technological resources. Some agencies barely have Internet access or just obtained it. Yikes! Here are some of the technology tools they have:

• Virtual classroom
• Learning Management System (LMS)
• Courseware development software and developers
• Learning labs equipped with computers
• Internet access
• Access to Web 2.0 applications like Facebook, Twitter and blogs

What They Want

While not all agencies have the same tools, budgets or resources, they do have one thing in common: a desire to advance their training toolkit! There is a push among correctional training professionals to start doing more with less, especially with the budget cuts some agencies are facing. Some ideas of how to accomplish this:

• More online courses covering basics so in person facilitation is concentrated with hands on training
• Virtual classroom offerings on leadership, change management and other professional development topics vs. in person classroom training
• LMSs or other online systems that can handle online registrations and automating functions surrounding training operations (printing certificates, online approval process, etc.)
• Use of social networking so learners can share information and trainers can interact post class (great for level 3 and 4 analysis)

What is the Facebook generation (a.k.a. Generation F)? This is the new generation of people who live, learn and laugh using social networking sites. Facebook is one of the more well known social networking communities where people are connecting, sharing and exchanging knowledge all around the globe.

The Generation F Personality

What does Facebook (and social networking in general) have to do with learning? Plenty! Let’s start with some general personality traits of Generation F:

• Likes working independently (telecommuting huge draw for this talent)
• Works in spurts to accomplish tasks instead of dedicated 8 hour day (flexible work day a must)
• Drawn to and can learn new technology easily
• Wants freedom of choice (prioritizing their own days, working on projects that ignite their passion)
• Collaborative and self-directed (let the team assemble and run relatively autonomously, see what shakes out)

Preparing for Generation F

How can a learning professional prepare for Generation F? Professional development is a big part of keeping these talented resources engaged and happy. Training and development has its work cut out for them. Here are some suggestions on how to prepare for Generation F in the learning arena:

• Beef up your self-paced learning offerings (this generation will eat up online courses)
• Virtual training instead of classroom based courses (they will like the convenience of taking training virtually)
• Good variety of professional development (offer lots of topics in professional development, survey employees and give them what they want)
• Train management to engage Generation F (communicating with, motivating, and engaging this generation is different than others. Give management what they need to be successful.)
• Collaborative learning is huge (Generation F learns as much from others as from a course. Give them the opportunity to share knowledge with each other in an online setting.)

Meet the Needs of Generation F

It’s no surprise that many will ask “why must we do this?” Bottom line, Generation F will be in the talent pool in full force before we know it. It’s important to keep them satisfied, well-trained and have no thoughts of leaving the organization. Their knowledge and skills will go right out the door with them. Here’s a few facts to show what companies will be facing:

• The top 10 most in-demand jobs 2010 did not exist in 2004.
• Students in 2009 are preparing for jobs that don’t yet exist.
• According to the U.S. Department of Labor will have 10 to 14 jobs by the age of 38.
• 1 in 4 workers has been with their current employer for less than a year.
• 1 in 2 workers has been with their current employer for less than 5 years.
• 59% of the U.S. workforce is either ready to leave or “stuck” in a job.  Only 14% of employees are completely engaged.

What does all this mean? Companies will be fighting more fiercely than ever for skilled talent. If investing in Generation F’s professional development and future keeps them, it’s a win-win for all!

In technology, you never want to be labeled as “legacy”. It’s like someone calling a pregnant lady fat. Duck and cover! Legacy means that your technology is on its way out. It’s fallen behind the times because there has been such a shift in how technology has emerged and what it does.

If your company trains, odds are there is a learning management system (LMS) being used to some capacity. Odds are also that the LMS is quickly becoming antiquated. Sure, you can track your training, take online courses, pull up transcripts, manage talent pretty much end to end. Thanks to Web 2.0, the collaborative piece has changed and the definition of “content” is dramatically different from my days as an eLearning developer.

Essentially, eLearning 1.0 is dead. People are looking for more out of their learning experience. Social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, LinkedIn and slew of others has changed the game. These platforms are all about user driven content and a sense of community. Both are major components that most LMS technologies are missing.

In turn, social learning technologies may have mastered the community and connection, but lack what a traditional LMS can provide. In the social world, just about anything can be content used for learning purposes. Videos, images, blog posts, articles, slide shows, online courses, music and the list goes on! In the LMS world, content is defined as an object used in an online course that can be viewed and tracked. You can see there is a massive difference!

So what is a company, employee or consultant to do? My technology is old! There are few vendors in the training space that have mastered a true social learning platform. The good news is there are many great LMS’s and social networking platforms out there. While they are stand alone, integrations are a beautiful thing. The solution does not always have to be an all in one. And eventually, the vendors will catch up to the market needs. It will be interesting to see who gets there first!

What is this social networking stuff all about? Why do I need it? How do I get started? I’m on “insert social network name here”, now what do I do? Can I find a job using online social networking? How can I use it for business? What’s the value? How long does it take? Is it safe?

Ever heard these questions or been asked them? Well, I certainly have. Plenty of times! And I’m not the only one. I absolutely love technology, especially social networking, and training people how to use it. With all these questions coming my way, requests to keynote, webinars, events, calls and individual coaching, a light bulb went off in my head with the idea that there is a big need out there for people to have a site that can teach them how to use social networking.

So what came next? The big idea! I got with a trusted colleague, April Forcier, and we brainstormed on what could be done to spread the knowledge stuck in our brains. We both love technology, are avid trainers and we like the notion of helping others. Hence, Socialnetnet was born!

What is Socialnetnet? It is an online social network designed to help people learn how to use social networking to their advantage. Socialnetnet is different from other social networking sites because it is a “learning playground”. It provides:

• Ability to set goals, qualitative or quantitative, that can be analyzed, measured and tracked
• Virtual mentoring with the ability to select one or more coaches
• Share learning experiences with others and get real time feedback
• Use and share resources and information
• Post and/or attend events, webinars or classes

Socialnetnet is all about the interaction. It is truly a member driven community. If you are looking for a specific coach and that person is not part of the network, simply invite him to join! Do you have a learning experience you can share? That’s what the Learning Impact widget is designed to handle. This is a great way to be a part of a genuine social learning experiment! The best part is that site membership is FREE!

Why did we do it? The simple truth is we wanted a place too not only capture our knowledge and share it with others, but to give people a place to do the same. Socialnetnet accomplishes that goal. That’s why our tag line is “the network of social networks.” We want you to grow your skill set on how to develop, implement and maintain a social networking strategy that fits your purposes.

Socialnetnet is the gateway to learning about online social networking and branching out to the platforms you choose to join. We certainly do not take away from the popular social networking sites, but instead enhance what they have to offer by teaching people the best possible uses for it.

So, we are two girl geeks with a mission: to provide the ultimate resource for people to learn the why’s, what’s and how’s of online social networking! Join us today and thanks for your support!