WISH I WAS METHOD MAN
Not that I ever aimed for a career as rapper, director, actor or Kung Fu Master (although Kung Fu Master would have been cool!) Only for the love for methods.
I have built a long career in Learning & Development and I am very happy with that. I had the privilege to always work with engineers. They create. They create great stuff. By the use of models, measures and methods. That’s like magic to me. I’ve always talked myself into ‘methocial’ opportunities at work. Creating opportunities to learn methods. And learn more methods. Like a preditor I could ‘hide’ in the corners of the organisation doing my day to day job until a new chance was there. Then I jumped full in. It started with Total Quality Mangement evolving in to Six Sigma, Lean and continuous improvement. Worked for a Japanese company which felt like working at Willy Wonka for a Method Man. Not so many of my peers like ‘method’ compared to me- at least not at the same level. A method works best when you understand it inside and out, ever detail of it. And you got to use it with discipline for the best result. I learned that by being a certified Kepner-Tregoe facilitator for many years. I see a method as a congeald thinking process. Or maybe the congeald result of best practices of thinking processes. The step by step approach that will lead you to your desired outcome. Wonderful.
Most of my peers told me they prefer more creative approaches with more degrees of freedom and not like so much 'the constraints' of a strict method. But believe me: being able to apply a good method in all its details in a disciplined way gives SO many degrees off freedom! Being able to trust the steps of the method that you apply, frees up thinking power to 'fill in'each of the steps.
What is someone would tell me ‘Ger you are Method Man’ would I be happy? Yes, but only for a little while: I would pass it on immediately to Guy Wallace. Guy is the Method Man. Look him up and learn from the fabulous things has shared over the years. Keep sharing Guy!
Oh, and I have a 'method wishlist' for 2025. Here it is:
I hope that 70:20:10 will see a 'revival' in 2025. This unparalleled L&D method masterpiece has so much unused potential if you really open up for the great work behind the numbers. Please Jos Arets, Vivian Heijnen and Charles Jennings give it another push!
领英推荐
John Helmer can you please create a podcast on methodical work and please invite Owen Ferguson as a guest - he knows a lot about everything!
Donald H. Taylor can you please include 'application of methods' in your next sentiment survey? And invite speakers on this topic for the Learning Technologies conference?
David Kelly can you please include the topic in the Guild events? And Jane Bozarth maybe create a piece of research on the most important L&D methods?
And for all my peers: I hope you'll get the opportunity in 2025 to discover the magic of method!
Co-Founder Tulser Netherlands - Co-Founder Tulser Global - Co-Founder Partners in AI
2 个月Hi Ger, 2025 marks the launch of my new book:?Amplifying L&D – Turning L&D Business Models into Gold. This book is the culmination of five years of rigorous research, real-world experimentation through Tulser’s innovative practices, and a deep commitment to reimagining value-creation by L&D. Using Alexander Osterwalder’s renowned Business Model Canvas as a foundation, I’ve designed four archetypes of L&D business models. These archetypes empower L&D professionals to make strategic choices, evolving from?evidence-informed formal learning?to?evidence-informed performance-based learning and ultimately?value-based learning. This transition is not just about improving L&D but about ensuring every learning experience contributes meaningfully to both individual, team and organisational performance. This is not about playing small. It’s about redefining the rules of the game—moving towards a zero-sum paradigm where every form of learning contributes to greater outcomes. Whether it’s formal-, social-, informal or organisational learning. We all benefit?when L&D steps up to its full potential to design, develop, implement and evaluate evidence-informed value-based learning solutions. Now I have to stop and start writing ??
Sr. Learning, Performance & Organisational Development Advisor | Skills-based Workforce Management | Digital Illustrator | Co-Founder at Curious Crew | Author of the 20 Questions L&D Should ask... book!
2 个月Well said Ger Driesen! And big shoutout to you as you continue to inspire
Retired Performance Analyst & Instructional Architect - Award-winning consultant to Enterprise L&D in performance-based Instructional Architecture Analysis, Design & Development 1979 to 2023.
2 个月Thanks, Ger! I believe that there are many 'Methodites' among us, but most are too busy doing work to share their methods, or are afraid to. There are a lot of elbows in the sharing space. Your grounding in the methods KT and TQM (and working with engineers who get it) is what I would wish for all of us - as I had that, too. My mentor, Geary A. Rummler, PhD was also a Methodite. He was a degreed engineer before he swapped disciplines - and it was his work at Ford while in college that opened his eyes and started him on his path. He also worked with KT in the late 70s after he and Tom Gilbert went their separate ways. My take on methods/processes is that they should be as rigorous as required but as flexible as feasible. That was my takeaway regarding how "lean" was described in The Machine That Changed the World - a mix of craft and mass production techniques. And that the issues facing L&D start at the top - with what the L&D leaders put into place and what the Enterprise Leaders tolerate. Happy holidays!
Learning Innovation Leader
2 个月Guy W Wallace is the real MethodMan !