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February 02, 2009
Stick to your knitting
My sister Jennifer was visiting from Minnesota last week, and it was clear that knitting, once a casual hobby, had grown into an obsession: She brought two projects in progress—a sweater and socks—and was constantly working on them.
By the second day, I had caught her fever. I wanted to be a knitter, too. (About 15 years ago, I tried to learn to knit, but I couldn’t figure it out.) So I asked Jennifer to help. Turns out she’s a terrific teacher, and, before she left for the frozen north, she helped me master the basics: casting on, knitting and purling.
But I worried about what I would do when I was alone with the yarn and the needles. How would I learn new techniques? What if I ran into trouble? What if I simply forgot how to do something?
Since Jennifer has her own life, she didn’t agree to my proposal to set up a 24-hour video iChat help line. Instead, she suggested that there might be other resources available. For example, you only have to Google to find hundreds of how-to videos, on nearly every aspect of knitting:
This is not your grandmother’s knitting circle! Last time I tried to learn knitting, help was only available by reading a book, going to a class, or relying on a person you knew. But now you could be completely alone anywhere in the world, and help is as close as your computer.
You’ve been waiting for me to relate this to communicating with employees, so here goes: Have you explored opportunities for how-to video on your intranet? Videos could be used to communicate safety. Sales. HR programs (“How to have a performance discussion. How to think about benefits choices.”). Quality. Process improvements.
Actually, the possibilities are endless. And, as you see in the knitting examples, you don’t need professional quality—homemade and handheld are fine.
Consider how video could give employees the how-to help they need.
Posted by Alison Davis at February 2, 2009 11:19 AM
(Find me around the web)
