The Gamification Quest in Talent Development

Whether we like it or not, life is like a game with rules, challenges, and scores – so let’s take the advantage and make it FUN! Gamification captures measurement, behavior analysis, and engagement in ways that can provide a real-time understanding of performance, generate needed change, and enable organizations to meet their objectives.

Gamification is at the beginning of what will likely become an incredibly successful industry. Organizations will seek designers to help them explore the potential of gaming technology and ideas that produce behavioral and attitudinal change in education, talent development, productivity, and even, quality of life. 

In this week's episode of Gamification Talk Radio, discover how to create fun, collaborative gamification experiences in which ‘players’ are interested in greater interaction and understanding of the ‘rules of the game.’ 

 

About Your Host: Monica Cornetti
Founder and CEO, Sententia
www.SententiaGames.com
www.monicacornetti.com

A professional speaker and gamification designer, Monica Cornetti is rated as the #1 Gamification Guru in the World by UK-Based Leaderboarded. She is the author of the book Totally Awesome Training Activity Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, writes The Gamification Report blog, and hosts the weekly Gamification Talk Radio program.  

Training: It's Gotta Be More Than Delivering Facts

Training should not be just about delivering facts. Good gamification in training should consist of good storytelling. Studies show that learners comprehend and retain more through stories. Storytelling in training allows us to connect to the learner on an emotional level. Therefore, whenever feasible, weave stories into the instructional design and delivery of your courses.

When a story reaches our hearts, it takes hold of us, and we want to hear more. Your players will remember stories, especially stories with emotions attached, much better than they remember lists, numbers, or concepts.

What Can I Fail At This Week?

Typically when faced with an uncertainty, we don’t carefully evaluate the information or look for facts and statistics. Instead, in making decisions we use biases and shortcuts that are hardwired into our thinking process. These shortcuts can be dangerous because they create blind spots … so we fail to recognize them as we fall into a trap of faulty thinking.

Daniel Kahneman in his book, Thinking, Fast and Slow gives a great example, a simple arithmetic question: A bat and ball cost a dollar and ten cents. The bat costs a dollar more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

If you are like most people you respond quickly and confidently, and tell me that the ball costs ten cents.

Well that answer is both obvious and wrong.

Is This the Right Problem to Solve?

Imagine if you did not speak until you were four years old and didn’t read until you were seven. What if your teachers described you as “mentally slow, unsociable and adrift forever in his foolish dreams.” Do you know that is true for one of the greatest thinkers of all time – Albert Einstein.

Albert Einstein said, “If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I know the proper question; I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.”

How often do you spend time and resources on problems which don't necessarily demand such attention? 

Too often our approach to problem solving is reactive; we wait for the problems to arise. The real starting point then for any problem solving process is to find the right problem to solve.

Ask yourself, "Is it the right problem to solve?" and "What opportunities are created by this problem?"

Society teaches us that to see what is good in life is to be naïve, whereas to be critical is perceived to be informed, grounded, sophisticated, and grownup. This is why when we are looking at a situation and thinking of possibilities, we often focus on what is wrong and what can go wrong, instead of possibilities.

The consequence is that our thinking is usually based on an unbalanced and, therefore, incorrect picture. In this video I am delivering my What Were You Thinking? keynote at the Las Colinas IAAP 25th Anniversary celebration dinner.

You'll see that you can learn how to change the way you think... FAST!



Fear constricts everything, especially thinking. Thinking stops when we are upset. But if we express feelings just enough, thinking re-starts. Laughter actually improves thinking.

And did you know that you become smarter after a good cry? 

Unfortunately, we have this backwards in our society. We think that when feelings start, thinking stops. And so when crying starts, for example, we try to stop the crying. When we do this, we interfere with exactly the process that helps a person to think clearly again.

So the next time a colleague or friend begins to show signs of feelings – relax and welcome them. Good thinking lies just around the corner.

More articles on thinking differently to achieve uncommon results:

• The Five Most Common Self-Limiting Beliefs
• Perception of Reality is Everything
• Ask the Wrong Question... Get the Wrong Answer

About the Author: Monica Cornetti
Founder and CEO, Sententia www.SententiaGames.com www.monicacornetti.com

A gamification speaker and designer, Monica Cornetti is rated as a #1 Gamification Guru in the World by UK-Based Leaderboarded. She is the author of the book Totally Awesome Training Activity Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, What Were You Thinking, and Your Face Isn't Finished Until Your Lipstick is On, writes The Gamification Report blog, and hosts the weekly Gamification Talk Radio program.

Baggage on the Trip of Life

Have you ever had to drag a load of luggage through an airport? As you’re running to catch your flight you think to yourself, “Why did I pack so much junk?” I just got back from a three week speaking and gamification design tour that included places with diverse climates -- Las Vegas, Boston, Johannesburg, and Cape Cod, and each trip to the airport had me calculating if maybe I had packed far too much and was carrying too much weight with me.

Yet, we may walk around every day carrying a couple suitcases full of shame, fear, insecurities, and a distorted view of who we really are. It may be words or thought patterns that have stayed with you your whole life. This kind of baggage weighs you down as you drag it around, day after day.

Its torture and you end up getting nowhere fast.

Take a play from my What Were You Thinking Playbook that I do in many of my workshops called The Baggage Sweep. This tool will help you to unpack and start travelling a little lighter.

The Five Most Common Self-Limiting Beliefs

There are a set of theories that I call Monica’s Laws of the Universe. Granted, these theories are not based in science, or documented research… just behaviors and results that I observe in family, friends, clients, colleagues, and even enemies.

One of the Laws is called Greatest Fear – Greatest Success. It states that your greatest area of fear, the thing you are most afraid of, the thing that causes your hands to get clammy and shake, your heart beat faster, and your stomach churn, whatever that is … your greatest fear will be your ultimate area of success and triumph...

I believe for example that people who are terrified of getting in front of a group of people to speak really have something to say that others need to hear. Your main area of fear is more than likely the area where you are called to shine.

In every situation that you face there is a filter that frames your perception of the world and the Law of Perception says, “You do not see the world as it really is, you see it as you perceive it to be.” Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you see someone being successful in something and you say, “I could never do that?” That kind of statement is based in a habit of fear or self-limiting belief.

Although I grew up with an athletic sister, I never saw myself as an athlete. Only 18 months older than me, people often compared us and my earliest memories involve comparisons of our looks, singing talents, brains, athleticism, and weight.

I have an old black and white photo that became the main theme of my beliefs and habits that shaped my childhood, teens, and most of my adult life. It is a picture of Melanie (my sister) and me. Melanie is about 4 ½ and I am 3 years old. In the picture we are facing each other; my sister has a pink and white gingham bikini with ruffles on the butt… cute, cute, cute! I have on the ugliest navy blue tank suit you have ever seen.

The annoying thing is that my sister has no “fufu” in her at all – she could care less about those adorable ruffles on the butt. I asked my mom if I could have a cute suit like Melanie’s, and I was told that I was too “chubby” to wear a bikini that I need to cover my belly and my thighs.

So from the age of 3 all my decisions were based on the belief that I was the chubby girl and when you are the chubby girl you make decisions based on the “chubby girl factor.”

I learned that big and beautiful aren't ideas that go together. Chubby girls aren’t the most popular, don’t become cheerleaders, never date the hot guys, and aren’t as smart as the thin, pretty girls. Most of my important life decisions were based on my belief of the “chubby girl factor” – that I was not good enough, thin enough, smart enough, strong enough, or pretty enough.

I only did those things that are appropriate for chubby girls to do – play an instrument in the band, sing in the choir, become a cast member in the musicals, earn straight B’s, and serve as editor of the yearbook – all acceptable for chubby girls. I squashed many of my own desires, dreams, and ambitions because of these feelings of unworthiness.

Reality Check: Your fear or self-limiting beliefs may have nothing to do with being a chubby girl, but you've got something. Here are five of the most common self-limiting beliefs:

1. Believing that you are not good enough to do anything. You weren't born into the right family, not the right race, not the right gender, born on the wrong side of the tracks, whatever it is; you are just not good enough to achieve anything. Maybe someone said you weren't smart enough, that you don't have special abilities or qualities, or that you just need to do the “best that you can.” If you aren't smart enough, have no special qualities, than you aren't worthy enough to achieve great things.
2. People just don't like me. This is a big one a lot of people believe. Now I'm not talking about rude people, I'm talking about your basic nice person. This belief makes you think that no one wants to be your friend or would like you because of the flaws you have. The reality is that we all have flaws. We are all likeable. People like people who like them. To have a friend be a friend.
3. You will be rejected. Driven by fear that people might not like what you have to say, or may object to what are asking them to do. One of the main reasons that sales people don't “ask for the sale” is because they are afraid they won't get it, they are afraid they will be told “No.” The trouble is, if you don't ask, you don't get.
4. Something is impossible to achieve. For example, I've been told for a couple years now by people who hear me speak that I am as good as the $15,000 keynoter they saw recently. I've not yet been paid that kind of money, so evidently I'm not. It’s not that I actually believe that it is impossible to achieve, it’s just that I don't know how to make it happen, and if I don’t learn, it is impossible. The same may be true for you, you think that you can, but you don't really know how to achieve your dream, and if you don’t find out how, study with the right people, study, learn, change mindsets, etc. it will be impossible to achieve.
5. The belief that you are destined for failure. This is one of the most damaging self-limiting beliefs that you can have, the belief that whatever they do will end up in failure. If you try, it is not going to work, so why bother. So they don't do anything beneficial or you stop half way and then ultimately you do fail. That could be why you haven’t started or put much energy into the 3 or 4 things that you know will make the difference in achieving your dreams. Perhaps you are afraid of failing, or you believe that you will fail. So, if you don't do it, then you can’t fail.

As an adult I still fight that chubby label. I often take clothes into the dressing room that are way too large, but when eyeing up the smaller sizes, my belief is that I would never fit into them. It is amazing how the faulty belief system causes you to make certain decisions such as a career choice, fees charged to clients, the friends, colleagues, and even lovers you choose.

So what is your greatest area of fear? Push through it because it may be your  ultimate area of success and triumph!

About the Author: 

Monica Cornetti

Founder and CEO, Sententia

www.SententiaGames.com

www.monicacornetti.com

A gamification speaker and designer, Monica Cornetti is rated as a #1 Gamification Guru in the World by UK-Based Leaderboarded. She is the author of the book Totally Awesome Training Activity Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, writes The Gamification Report blog, and hosts the weekly Gamification Talk Radio program.

Roman Rackwitz - Why Gamification Works – Even for Serious People

Roman Rackwitz is a Gamification Pioneer.

Based in Germany, Roman brings us his unique perspective of gamification design and implementation in his country -- with the serious Germans.

In this episode of Gamification Talk Radio we explore:  

• How Gamification succeeds by focusing on the individual level rather than on the organizational one?
• Why Gamification is a natural fit for societies like Germany?
• How is the Gamification industry in Germany doing?
• What are the particular challenges for the industry in Germany or let’s say central Europe?
• What kind of organizations are looking for Gamification?
• Is there a significant market coming up for Gamification approaches?
• Can you see interesting connections between Gamification and other actual trends?

About Roman:  Roman Rackwitz is a Gamification Pioneer from Germany. As the founder of Engaginglab (engaginglab.com) he leads the first established Gamification Agency within the German speaking countries (D-A-CH). He is rated a Top 10 Gamification Guru in the World by the agency Rise.Global, and is a Partner at the Enterprise Gamification Consultancy (enterprise-gamification.com/).

In 2015, Roman founded RACKSOCIAL. It uses the knowledge, and the experience from Gamification, about how to create attention and engagement on Social Media. He is the Chair at GamifyCon, Germany's first Gamification Conference (gamifycon.org) and co-founded GamFed, the worlds first Gamification Association.

About Your Host: A gamification speaker and designer, Monica Cornetti is rated as the #1 Gamification Guru in the World by UK-Based Leaderboarded. She is the author of the book Totally Awesome Training Activity Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, writes The Gamification Report blog, and host of the weekly Gamification Talk Radio program. 

Monica is a former Corporate Executive and an influential speaker, writer, and gamification expert in the Talent Development industry. She holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology, a Masters in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship and has been featured on the cover of Bloomberg's BusinessWeek. 

She is a professional consultant and known for being one of the leading players in thinking differently to create remarkable results. In fact, as an early adopter, she has been designing and delivering gamification programs for her clients since 2008.

www.monicacornetti.com
www.sententiagames.com
 
More about Gamification World Conference:  https://gamification.world/congress

An Coppens - Using Gamification to Create Immersive Learning Communities

Learning communities—when done well—create a collaborative environment where learners thrive, contributors do their best work, and learning is fostered that can be applied to tackle complex real-world issues.

In this episode of Gamification Talk Radio, my guest, Gamification Guru An Coppens, and I delve into how to create a Gamified Learning Community and that advances these types of immersive experiences.

With an extensive background in eLearning, An has earned a reputation for bringing solid gamification strategy and fun to create more enriching learning experiences.

Learn how to stretch your thinking about the value of adding a Learning Community into your organization’s talent development plan.

 

About An Coppens:  An Coppens is the Chief Game Changer at Gamification Nation Ltd, where the vision is to make business and learning more fun and engaging. She is an award winning business coach, learning & development professional, author and speaker. An offers gamification design services and online learning programs designed to encourage winning behaviors and improve business results in sales, recruitment, learning and productivity. Connect with An at:  www.gamificationnation.com

About your host:  A gamification speaker and designer, Monica Cornetti is rated as the #1 Gamification Guru in the world by UK-based Leaderboarded. She hosts a weekly Gamification Talk Radio program, as well as author of the book Totally Awesome Training Activity Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You. Monica’s niche is gamification techniques that can be used within the corporate talent development environment. Connect with Monica Twitter @monicacornetti. Website: www.monicacornetti.com

Don’t miss the 4th edition of Gamification World Congress:10-13 November 2015
Barcelona, Spain
For more info:  https://gamification.world/congress 

Begin Your Change Imaginations...

While prepping content recently for a strategic planning retreat with a client, I stumbled upon the story that you’ll read below.

As tears filled my eyes and threatened to overflow, I was reminded of how our thought process and frame of reference determine what we believe to be true… whether it is true or not.

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.

The doctor explained the situation to her older brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, “Yes… I’ll do it. If it will save her.”

There’s Gotta Be a Better Way…

"There’s gotta be a better way!"

How often have you used that phrase at work ... or when doing some kind of household chore?

There's gotta be a better way is the phrase at the heart of most innovation. Innovation creates value for you as a customer through solutions that meet a new need or an old need in new ways.

Recently while on the road for a speaking tour, I stayed with my mom and dad for a few days between gigs. The night before I was to leave, I decided to launder a few items and so asked my mom if she had anything to add to my small loads. She said to me, “Oh, you can just throw all your clothes in together.” I looked at her as if she had lost her senses.

Gamification and Player Centric Design

In gamification design, it is important to realize that you, as a developer and/or player, have different motivations for playing than most of the people you encounter. The problem for the designer is without identifying the motivation profile of you, the designer, and anticipating different motivation profiles of potential players, the designer will not be able to identify why some people engage and others disengage.

In other words, if a gamification designer is highly motivated by one Motivator, say, Social Contact, and a player is low motivated in the same area, the designer won’t understand why the player doesn’t want to share their experience or knowledge with team members. The designer will view the player as obstinate and cantankerous, when all they really are is low motivated by Social Contact. The player doesn’t want to “play games” with other people. They’d much rather work on their own and have their own experience with the gamified process.

Here is a short video of a presentation by Jonathan Peters, PhD on the power of understanding the 16 Motivators - or Identifying the Why? in player-centric gamification design.

As you can see, a great gamification designer must identify their own motivation profile so they can anticipate what elements will be missing from their design, where disengagement is likely to happen, and where the strategy is likely to fall apart.

For instance, a designer who is average or low motivated in Expediency won’t anticipate that high motivated Expediency people will game the system. Those players will find ways to “cheat.” However, anticipating this blind spot, a designer can build “cheating” routines into the gamified processes, even reward the behavior as long as the players achieve the end goal for the activity.

The best gamification designers begin by understanding their own Motivation Profiles so that they can anticipate weaknesses in their design.

For more information on Sententia and Gamification Design please contact us at guru@sententiagames.com

About the Author: 
Monica Cornetti
Founder and CEO, Sententia www.SententiaGames.com www.monicacornetti.com

A gamification speaker and designer, Monica Cornetti is rated as a #1 Gamification Guru in the World by UK-Based Leaderboarded. She is the author of the book Totally Awesome Training Activity Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, writes The Gamification Report blog, and hosts the weekly Gamification Talk Radio program.

Gamification Design and Strategic Thinking

You may hear lots of people talking about gamification, but seldom do you see anyone peeling away the layers to demonstrate how to think strategically in gamification design to achieve your business objective(s).

One of the areas that we consistently see a lack of strategic thinking in gamification design is in the planning phase. Most people just dive into a design of points, badges, and leaderboards, without thinking through their ‘plan of attack’ or why they are implementing a gamification strategy.

In great gamification strategy design, strategic thinking is focused on the overarching business objectives, not just a tactical step-by-step function.

Strategic gamification design is always monitoring the situation and adjusting in real-time to stay on track.

Recently Sententia had the opportunity to design a gamification strategy for Mafikeng University in Mafikeng, RSA. In this video, you'll see our Chief Strategy Officer, Darryn van den Berg giving a brief overview of Day 1 activities -- defining process flow, required player behaviors, and feedback loops. From there we went on to build the player journeys.

So what is thinking strategically in gamification design?

1. Start by asking why you’re being asked to do what you’re doing and identifying the broader business objective.
2. Design your core process, define necessary player behaviors, and map your player journey(s).
3. Determine how to monitor progress against the broader business objective so you get early data on what’s going well and where you need to adjust.

For more information on Sententia and Gamification Design please contact us at guru@sententiagames.com

About the Author: Monica Cornetti
Founder and CEO, Sententia www.SententiaGames.com www.monicacornetti.com

A gamification speaker and designer, Monica Cornetti is rated as a #1 Gamification Guru in the World by UK-Based Leaderboarded. She is the author of the book Totally Awesome Training Activity Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, writes The Gamification Report blog, and hosts the weekly Gamification Talk Radio program.