EPI EmPower! ENews 1107

Using Wikis for Collaboration
by Darlene Ferras, EPI Performance Consultant

Dani Watkins and I attended the ASTD TechKnowledge conference this past February in San Antonio, Texas. Along with the excitement of presenting our session "On-the-Fly: Fill Skill Gaps with Customized E-Learning", we also had the opportunity to attend other sessions at the conference. One of them was "Learning 2.0: The Learning Collaboration Revolution" by Kevin Jones with GTS Services.

This session provided a foundation for developing, implementing, and growing "wikis" for collaborative learning.

“A wiki is a collection of web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content. Wikis are often used to create websites and to power community websites” (Wikipedia). We left the session with several key ideas.

First, clearly define the goals for collaborative learning. This is an essential part of obtaining buy-in from stakeholders and will guide how the organization develops and uses wikis and how the ROI for the wiki is evaluated.

Second, always keep in mind the What’s In It For Me? (WIIFM) principle:

• Make the wiki easy to use so no extra work is involved and it becomes simply another part of people’s work flow, just like emails are now.

• Post important information that is available on the wiki and nowhere else: meeting agendas, meeting notes, status reports, etc.

• Constantly encourage people to ask questions on the wiki and provide answers on the wiki, not in emails.

• Identify and reward people who use and contribute to the wiki.

Third, recognize that the informal learning that occurs with a wiki cannot be easily tracked. The ideal way to evaluate a wiki is with stories of how people are using the wiki in their daily work flow to improve their efficiency and effectiveness.

If you’d like to learn about setting up and using a wiki, the following resources will help you get started:

Wikipedia article defining and using wikis

Wikipedia article comparison of wiki software and hosting companies (wiki farms)

Adapting Your Messages for More Effective Communication
by Sarah Blithe, EPI Performance Consultant

Adaptation: modifying your behavior to match the preferences of your communication partner.

Adaptation is the most important aspect of effective communication.
True adaptation requires you to change your natural communicative behavior to suit the person you are speaking with. It is essentially taking what you know about a person and then crafting your messages to suit their preferences.

We all have natural communication tendencies and preferences. While we often use personality profiles, such as Myers-Briggs, our communication tendencies are also based on our learning style, generation, gender, or culture. A skilled communicator will uncover the tendencies of the other party and will adapt his own personal style. For example, if your coach is more productive in the morning, schedule meetings during the morning. If your new employee wants feedback delivered with a tender touch, deliver it as gently as possible.

You will have many chances to adapt your communication throughout the work day. If you are a trainer or a coach, be mindful of your teaching/coaching style. Does it match your employees’ learning style? Often baby-boomer trainers develop material for younger generations without considering their differing preferences. Are you a manager? Get to know your team’s time and medium preferences and try to accommodate them as much as possible.

Adaptation is essential when delivering verbal feedback and when using email; times when emotions may run high or might be misinterpreted.

Why do I have to adapt MY style?
Consider business communication as you would a negotiation. You are communicating with others to meet your own needs. If you want more positive outcomes, you need to put in more effort. Always put yourself in the other person’s shoes. A little empathy goes a long way toward building relationships, and communication is always better between people with a positive relationship. Sometimes it is hard to put in the extra effort, especially in a strained relationship.

Our egos, personal opinions, values, beliefs, and job roles often stand in the way of adaptation. Tackle these obstacles and your communication interactions should improve. Adapting your style is well worth the effort, and will come back to you in the form of smoother communication and more effective working relationships.