Let me tell you MyStory

What's it like to be a new manager in today's very different working world? How do you learn from example, and avoid the pitfalls and disasters waiting to befall a newly promoted manager?

Lockdowns across the globe have created a massive shift in the way we work and live. One sector that has experienced significant growth during this period is online training. However, increased competition has made it harder to stand out, so the best training providers are looking for new ways to engage learners beyond the usual videos, PDFs and quizzes.

At Cegos, we have been busy developing a creative take on the video training approach. MyStory is a series of videos that recreate the experience of a novice manager, Clara, as she navigates the trials and tribulations of meeting her new team and encourages them to adapt to her way of doing things.

“The concept is that people who are new to management can watch someone going through a similar experience and learn from their successes and failures,” says François Debois, Head of Innovation at Cegos. “They also get a chance to analyse Clara’s performance, then compare their observations with that of our expert’s. It’s an immersive experience but engaged from the safety of the learner’s own space.”

Each self-contained video highlights a specific challenge any new manager might face. For instance, when Clara meets a new team member for the first time, we see how she gets him to warm to her. But the mood changes when Clara tries to impose a new system of working and criticises her predecessor.

Trainee managers should easily identify with each of Clara’s predicaments and want to know what happens next. The videos are shot in the style of the hit BBC/NBC series “The Office”, with its fly-on-the wall observations. Think of it as Netflix for management training!

The videos can be followed as a series, but each works as a standalone training resource, too. In fact, all the videos are designed to complement existing training programmes, using storytelling to engage the learner in a way that helps them identify with a peer going through a similar experience. This should encourage learners to implement best practice and avoid the pitfalls that rookie managers often face.

New modules for a new era

Cegos has long been known as an innovator in the online learning space, and we continually adapt our training programmes to fit with the needs of modern society.

The MyStory concept is the latest initiative that forms part of a series of online training modules we have developed recently. Each type of module is bite-sized to help busy professionals engage in effective learning on-the-go, in an environment that suits them.

• Classic modules
Around 15 minutes’ duration, these modules give the core instruction and form the basis of a solid e-learning programme. Each individual course provides an engaging, interactive learning experience on a key business skillset, such as ‘time management’ and ‘interpersonal effectiveness’.

• Focus modules
Video-based learning – on average 10 minutes’ duration – features real-life interactive decision-making scenarios reflecting common situations learners encounter in the workplace. These modules are designed to help make learning stick through practice. Skills covered include ‘professional efficiency’ and ‘project management’.

• Intensive modules
These short, intensive mobile modules of around 7 minutes, allow learners to practise new skills based on various situations. An ideal way to reinforce learning in the moment. Topics include ‘develop your assertiveness’ and ‘conducting negotiations’.

As the online learning industry continues to grow – accelerated by shifts in workplace practices since the advent of Covid-19 – Cegos will continue to bring our clients imaginative new concepts that enhance learning and offer variety and surprise.

Could MyStory benefit your business? Find out more by watching the video orcontact us today.