Virtual Training

8Rise Above Your Tech and Video Camera Phobia

Once you've committed to change your mindset, you're ready to tackle the tech stuff. For many trainers, this tends to be the most terrifying mindset shift.

An unstoppable digital tsunami is rolling over learning and development. You have two choices. You can grab your surfboard and ride the wave, or you can sink and drown. It is a binary choice. There is no in-between.

This chapter offers tough love. If you are making excuses that you aren't good with computers or don't get along with technology, it is a career death sentence. You must get out of your comfort zone and become proficient with new technology now, before it is too late.

I get that technology—especially new technology—makes you nervous. I am aware that learning and exploring new technology can make your brain ache. But I'm not going to let you off of the hook. You may be a talented instructor. However, talent will only carry you so far if you fail to embrace digital transformation.

It hurts me when I see one of our people struggling to learn new technology. One of my trainers was almost in tears as she struggled to learn to navigate our new learning management system (LMS). We leverage our LMS to manage and deliver our virtual instructor-led training courses. She said it was causing her so much anxiety that she could barely sleep and begged me to let her go back to the old way of doing things.

I refused and insisted that she put in the time to learn the new platform ...