While most children spent their days playing games, Alex had a passion for houses and buildings.

Their dream was to become a real estate agent and help people find their perfect homes.

Every day after school, Alex would explore the town, observing the unique features of each house and imagining the stories they held.

Their favorite house was a charming cottage with a white picket fence, where an elderly couple named Mr. and Mrs. Johnson lived.

One sunny day, Alex noticed a “For Sale” sign in the Johnsons’ front yard.

Curiosity sparked within them, and they decided to seize the opportunity to learn more about real estate. Alex mustered up their courage and knocked on the Johnsons’ door.

Mr. Johnson greeted Alex with a warm smile. “Hello, young one! How can I help you today?” he asked kindly.

Alex explained their interest in real estate and asked if they could shadow Mr. Johnson to learn about the process of selling a house. Mr. Johnson was delighted by Alex’s enthusiasm and happily agreed.

Over the next few weeks, Alex joined Mr. Johnson on his real estate adventures.

They learned about pricing, negotiations, and the importance of building relationships with clients.

Mr. Johnson emphasized the value of being kind, courteous, and helpful to others.

Alex took these lessons to heart and started applying them in their daily life.

They helped their neighbors carry groceries, volunteered at community events, and always greeted people with a smile.

One day, while Alex was exploring the town, they came across an abandoned house.

It looked neglected and sad, with overgrown weeds and peeling paint.

Alex felt a pang of sadness and wondered if they could make a difference.

With determination in their heart, Alex decided to ask the townspeople for help.

They organized a community clean-up day and invited everyone to join. People of all ages came together, armed with paintbrushes, rakes, and tools.

As they worked, Alex realized that by caring for the house, they were also caring for the town. The community spirit grew stronger, and friendships blossomed along the way.

Word about the community clean-up day reached the local news. The town’s mayor, impressed by Alex’s initiative, presented them with a “Pagedale Hero” award.

The success of the clean-up day caught the attention of a real estate developer, who saw the potential in the house. They decided to renovate it and turn it into a community center for all to enjoy.

Through their kindness, courtesy, and helpfulness, Alex not only became a successful real estate agent but also a beloved member of Pagedale.

They learned that the value of relationships and making a positive impact on their community were more significant than any house or sale.

And so, the story of Alex, the kid who became a real estate agent, reminded everyone in Pagedale that kindness and caring could turn dreams into reality and transform houses into homes filled with love and friendship.

The End.

This entire short story was created by ChatGPT.

You might have your own story to tell however you might not know how to create it.

Try writing your own using ChatGPT and email it to me. I would love to read it.

The post The House that Alex Built first appeared on Doug Devitre.

You.

Hit.

Send!

Realize there might be a better way to communicate your thoughts and feelings in a way that is useful to your direct reports, customers, and partners.

In a message to a coworker, what would YOU type if they are being – acting – doing ______________?

If you receive over 100 emails a day, it can be extremely difficult to respond to each one with clarity, compassion, and understanding.

You might know what to say however you might not have the time to say it.

You might know what to say however your emotional bandwidth might leave your message short with others.

You might not know what to say because no one you know has demonstrated the leadership for what a positive, collaborative, and concise email looks like.

Either way, ChatGPT is here to help.

It’s time we take a closer look at some communication breakdowns that can occur in the workplace (or at home) and find better ways of expressing yourself to improve the likelihood you influence others with care.

Here are some common examples:

Lack of clarity

When the message is unclear or ambiguous, it can lead to misunderstandings and confusion among team members.

In a message to a coworker, what would I type if it seems a message is unclear or ambigious and I don’t want to hurt their feelings?

When responding to a coworker whose message seems unclear or ambiguous, it’s important to approach the situation with empathy and a genuine desire to clarify the information without causing any offense. Here’s an example of what you could type:

“Hi [Coworker’s Name],

I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to reach out regarding the message you sent earlier. I’m not entirely clear about [specific aspect or details that are unclear]. I apologize if I misunderstood anything, but could you please provide some additional clarification? I want to make sure I fully understand your intentions to ensure we’re on the same page.

Thank you so much for your understanding. I appreciate your help in clarifying this matter.

Best regards,

[Your Name]“

This approach conveys your willingness to seek clarification while maintaining a polite and professional tone. It shows that you value their input and are genuinely interested in understanding their message better.

Poor listening

When individuals fail to actively listen to others, important details can be missed, leading to misinterpretation and miscommunication.

In a message to a coworker, what would I type if it seems as if they are not listening to me and I don’t want to come off too strong when I don’t think they are listening to me?

When you feel like a coworker is not listening to you and you want to address the issue without being too strong or confrontational, you can try the following approach:

“Hi [Coworker’s Name],

I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to discuss something that has been on my mind regarding our recent conversations. I’ve noticed that there have been instances where I’ve shared my thoughts or ideas, but I feel like they may not have received the attention I was hoping for. It’s essential for us to have open and effective communication to achieve our goals.

I genuinely value your input, and I believe that when we actively listen to each other, we can collaborate more effectively. I understand that we all have busy schedules and competing priorities, so I wanted to address this concern with you to ensure we’re making the most of our discussions.

If there’s anything specific I can do to help facilitate better communication between us, please let me know. I’m open to suggestions and would appreciate your thoughts on how we can improve our communication moving forward.

Thank you for taking the time to read my message, and I look forward to hearing your perspective.

Best regards,

[Your Name]”

This approach acknowledges the issue while maintaining a respectful and collaborative tone. It expresses your desire for effective communication without directly accusing or criticizing the coworker. By asking for their input and suggestions, you demonstrate a willingness to work together to improve the communication dynamic.

Information overload

In situations where there is an excessive amount of information being shared, individuals may struggle to absorb and retain key details, leading to incomplete or inaccurate communication.

In a message to a coworker, what would I type if they are bombarding me with information and I’m unable to keep up in a way that is productive without sacrificing their contributions in a meaningful way or hurting their feelings by telling them to stop?

When dealing with a situation where a coworker is bombarding you with information, and you want to address it in a productive manner without hurting their feelings or dismissing their contributions, you can use the following approach:

“Hi [Coworker’s Name],

I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to discuss something that I’ve been experiencing during our interactions. I genuinely appreciate your expertise and the valuable insights you bring to our discussions. However, I’ve noticed that sometimes the amount of information shared can be overwhelming, and I find it challenging to process everything effectively.

To ensure that I can fully absorb and make the most of your contributions, I was wondering if we could explore some strategies for sharing information in a more structured manner. For instance, could we schedule dedicated meetings or touch base at specific times to discuss important updates? This way, I can allocate the necessary time and attention to fully understand and appreciate the insights you provide.

Please understand that my intention is not to discourage or diminish your contributions in any way. On the contrary, I want to make sure I can fully grasp the valuable information you share so that we can collaborate effectively.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this matter and any suggestions you might have. Thank you for your understanding, and I believe that by finding a better approach to information sharing, we can enhance our collaboration even further.

Best regards,

[Your Name]”

By approaching the situation with an appreciation for their contributions and suggesting a more structured approach to information sharing, you convey that you value their input and want to make the most of it. This approach allows for open dialogue and invites their perspective on finding a solution that works for both parties.

Language barriers

When team members come from diverse cultural backgrounds, language barriers can hinder effective communication, causing misunderstandings and miscommunication.

In a message to a coworker, what would I type if they come from a different cultural background and there are language barriers preventing us from getting work done?

When communicating with a coworker from a different cultural background and facing language barriers that hinder productivity, it’s important to approach the situation with understanding and a collaborative mindset. Here’s an example of what you could type:

“Hi [Coworker’s Name],

I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to discuss a challenge we’ve been facing in our work together. As we come from different cultural backgrounds, I’ve noticed that there are occasional language barriers that make it difficult for us to fully understand each other and work effectively as a team.

I want to emphasize that I value your contributions and perspectives, and I believe that by addressing this challenge, we can find better ways to collaborate. I suggest that we explore some strategies to enhance our communication and overcome these language barriers.

One approach could be to schedule regular check-ins or meetings where we can clarify any misunderstandings or uncertainties. Additionally, we could consider using visual aids, such as diagrams or charts, to supplement our verbal communication and ensure a clearer understanding of concepts.

I also want to encourage you to feel comfortable asking for clarification or expressing any difficulties you may be experiencing due to the language barrier. We’re a team, and it’s important that we support each other in our work.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions or preferences regarding how we can improve our communication. I’m committed to finding solutions that work for both of us, and I believe that by working together, we can overcome these language barriers and enhance our collaboration.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Best regards,

[Your Name]”

This message conveys your willingness to address the language barriers while emphasizing the value you place on their contributions. It encourages open communication and invites their input in finding effective strategies to improve collaboration despite the language differences.

Nonverbal communication issues

Body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice can greatly impact the message being conveyed. Misinterpretation of nonverbal cues can lead to misunderstandings and breakdowns in communication.

In a message to a coworker, what would I type if their facial or body expressions are awkwardly disrupting our productivity?

When dealing with a coworker whose facial or body expressions are awkwardly disrupting productivity, it’s important to approach the situation with tact and a focus on maintaining a positive and productive work environment. Here’s an example of what you could type:

“Hi [Coworker’s Name],

I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to discuss something that has come to my attention regarding our work interactions. I’ve noticed that during our discussions, there have been instances where facial or body expressions seem to cause some disruption or distraction, affecting our overall productivity.

I wanted to bring this up in a respectful manner because I believe that open and effective communication is crucial for our success as a team. I understand that everyone has their unique mannerisms and expressions, and it’s important to respect individual differences.

However, to ensure that our conversations flow smoothly and that we can focus on the tasks at hand, I thought it would be helpful to discuss this matter. Is there anything specific that I might be doing or saying unintentionally that causes these reactions? It would be helpful for me to have an understanding so that I can make any necessary adjustments to our communication style.

Moreover, if there’s anything that I can do to make our discussions more comfortable and productive for both of us, please let me know. Your input and feedback are highly valued, and I believe that by addressing this matter openly, we can create a more harmonious work environment.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this.

Best regards,

[Your Name]”

In this message, you address the issue respectfully, expressing a desire for open communication and a productive work environment. By asking for their perspective and feedback, you show a willingness to make necessary adjustments to improve the dynamic between both parties.

Lack of feedback

When team members fail to provide timely and constructive feedback, it can hinder the effectiveness of communication and prevent individuals from improving their communication skills.

In a message to a coworker, what would you type if I wasn’t receiving the appropriate feedback on a project in a timely manner that is affecting your ability to do your job well?

When you’re not receiving timely and appropriate feedback on a project from a coworker, and it’s impacting your ability to perform your job effectively, it’s important to address the situation while maintaining a professional and collaborative tone. Here’s an example of what you could type:

“Hi [Coworker’s Name],

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to discuss a concern that I’ve been facing regarding the feedback on our recent project. I genuinely value your input and believe that your feedback is crucial to the success of our work together.

However, I’ve noticed that there have been delays in receiving the necessary feedback from you, and this has been affecting my ability to move forward with certain aspects of the project. Timely feedback is essential for me to complete my work effectively and meet our project goals.

I understand that we all have busy schedules and competing priorities, but I wanted to bring this to your attention, as it directly impacts my ability to do my job well. Is there any specific reason for the delays in providing feedback? I would appreciate any insight you can share so that I can better understand the situation.

To ensure we can work together more efficiently and meet project deadlines, I suggest that we establish a clear timeline for feedback exchange. This will help me plan my work accordingly and address any concerns or adjustments promptly.

Please let me know your thoughts on this matter and if there are any specific actions we can take to improve the feedback process. I’m open to discussing potential solutions that benefit both of us and our overall project outcomes.

Thank you for your understanding and collaboration.

Best regards,

[Your Name]”

By expressing your concerns in a professional and understanding manner, you highlight the importance of timely feedback while also seeking clarification on the situation. The suggested approach of establishing a clear timeline for feedback promotes better communication and helps both parties align their expectations.

Hierarchy and power dynamics

In hierarchical organizations, power dynamics can hinder open and honest communication. Subordinates may hesitate to express their ideas or concerns, leading to a breakdown in communication between different levels of the organization.

In a message to a boss, what would you type if you felt hesitant in sharing information or feedback because of your position in the company or boss’s strong personality?

When you feel hesitant to share information or provide feedback to your boss due to your position in the company or their strong personality, it’s important to approach the situation respectfully and assertively. Here’s an example of what you could type:

“Dear [Boss’s Name],

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to address a concern that I’ve been experiencing regarding sharing information or providing feedback. As you may be aware, the hierarchical structure within the company can sometimes make it challenging for me to express my thoughts openly, especially when it comes to offering feedback or sharing certain information.

I genuinely value open and honest communication, as I believe it is crucial for the growth and success of our team. However, I must admit that due to my position in the company and your strong personality, I have felt hesitant to voice my opinions or share important information that could benefit our work.

I wanted to take this opportunity to express my desire to contribute effectively and provide valuable input. I believe that by fostering an environment that encourages open dialogue, we can work together more efficiently and achieve better outcomes.

I kindly request your support and encouragement in creating a culture of open communication, where all team members feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and ideas, regardless of their position. Your guidance and understanding would be greatly appreciated in this regard.

Thank you for taking the time to read my message. I am eager to hear your thoughts and suggestions on how we can improve communication within our team.

Best regards,

[Your Name]”

In this message, you express your concerns about sharing information or providing feedback and highlight the desire for open communication. By respectfully addressing the hierarchical structure and the boss’s strong personality, you seek their support in creating a more inclusive and collaborative environment. This approach demonstrates your willingness to contribute and fosters a dialogue for improving communication within the team.

Remote work breakdowns

Reliance on email as a primary communication tool can lead to misinterpretation due to the absence of nonverbal cues and tone. Tone can be misconstrued, and important details can be overlooked, resulting in communication breakdowns.

In a message to a coworker, what would you type if you are having a hard time communicating by email because of your remote working arrangement?

Here’s an example of what you could type:

Hi [Coworker’s Name],

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to reach out and discuss the challenges I’ve been facing with remote communication recently. Due to our remote working arrangement, I’ve noticed that email communication has become a bit difficult for me. It seems that some nuances and clarifications get lost in written messages, leading to potential misunderstandings.

I believe that finding alternative communication methods or adopting certain strategies could help alleviate this issue. Perhaps we could schedule regular video calls or utilize instant messaging platforms for quick questions and clarifications. Additionally, I’m open to any suggestions or solutions you may have to improve our remote communication.

Let’s discuss this further and find a way to enhance our communication effectiveness. I appreciate your understanding and support.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

While face-to-face isn’t always realistic, its healthy to have alternative approaches. The more remote breakdowns that exist require teams to revisit back to the office before trust and day-to-day work can reconvene productively.

Lack of follow-up

When discussions or decisions are not followed up with clear actions or next steps, it can create confusion and lead to misunderstandings about who is responsible for what.

In a message to a coworker, what would I type if someone on my team was not followed up with clear expectations and next steps that lead to confusion?

When a team member fails to provide clear expectations and next steps, leading to confusion, it’s important to address the issue in a proactive and collaborative manner. Here’s an example of what you could type:

“Hi [Coworker’s Name],

I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to discuss a situation that has been causing some confusion in our team. In our recent interactions, I’ve noticed that there have been instances where clear expectations and next steps were not clearly communicated, leading to some uncertainty and difficulty in moving forward effectively.

To ensure that we can work together smoothly and achieve our goals, I believe it’s essential to have clarity on expectations and clearly defined next steps. This will enable us to align our efforts and ensure everyone is on the same page.

In light of this, I kindly request that we establish a practice of setting clear expectations and defining specific next steps after our discussions or when assigning tasks. This could include clearly outlining the objectives, deadlines, and any dependencies or additional resources required to complete the work successfully. By doing so, we can minimize confusion and ensure a more streamlined workflow.

I understand that sometimes oversights can occur, and we all have different working styles. My intention is to promote open communication and collaboration within the team. If there are any challenges or concerns preventing you from providing clear expectations and next steps, please let me know. I’m here to support and find solutions that work for all of us.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. I look forward to your feedback and working together to establish a more transparent and efficient workflow.

Best regards,

In this message, you address the issue while emphasizing the importance of clear expectations and next steps. By proposing a solution and offering support, you foster a collaborative environment that encourages effective communication within the team.

[Your Name]”

Technology failures

Technical issues with communication tools, such as video conferencing platforms or project management software, can disrupt communication and hinder collaboration among team members.

In a message to a coworker, what would I type if there seems to be issues with your company-provided technology and you are not able to work through the issue on your own?

When you’re experiencing issues with company-provided technology and are unable to resolve the problem on your own, it’s important to reach out to a coworker or the appropriate IT support team for assistance. Here’s an example of what you could type:

“Hi [Coworker’s Name],

I hope you’re doing well. I’m reaching out regarding an issue I’m currently experiencing with the company-provided technology. I’ve tried troubleshooting the problem on my own, but unfortunately, I haven’t been able to resolve it.

The issue I’m facing is [describe the specific problem you’re encountering]. It’s impacting my ability to [mention the specific tasks or work that are affected].

Given the expertise and knowledge you have in this area, I was wondering if you could spare a few minutes to assist me. I believe your guidance would greatly help in finding a solution or directing me to the appropriate resource.

If you’re unavailable or if you think this is better suited for the IT support team, please let me know. I don’t want to impose on your time, but I’m hopeful that you might be able to provide some insight or point me in the right direction.

Thank you in advance for your support and assistance. I truly appreciate your willingness to help.

Best regards,

[Your Name]”

This message politely and clearly explains the issue you’re facing with the company-provided technology and kindly requests the coworker’s assistance. By acknowledging their expertise and leaving the option open for them to direct you to the IT support team if needed, you demonstrate respect for their time and expertise while seeking a solution to the problem.

In Summary

It’s important to address these communication breakdowns proactively by promoting open dialogue, encouraging active listening, providing clear instructions, and fostering a culture of feedback and transparency within the workplace.

When you use ChatGPT as your personal assistant for responding to specific breakdowns at work, not only are you able to respond clearly, you learn to type better responses on your own with proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, and most importantly with care.

Be careful not to overuse ChatGPT for your responses or send without previewing your message first. The time you saved in creating a more articulate response can be used to add your own personal touch to demonstrate your own sense of humanity.

If you want more clarification, please click the image below to regenerate a more appropriate response for your team leaders.

The post Humanizing Conversations Using ChatGPT first appeared on Doug Devitre.

I’m not kidding.

Whoever in your organization is responsible for education and events, I’m going to introduce five new concepts that will help you save a significant amount of time, frustration, and growing pains as you will be equipped with practical solutions you can implement right away after reading this post.

#1 Budgeting and Forecasting Education and Events using ChatGPT

Create an example budget for delivering a seminar in person that an education director could use to determine its profit and loss for one year of hosting 50 courses where12 of them are offered for free, 12 of them are offered at $99 each, 12 of them are offered at $49 each, 12 of them are offered for $199 each, and 2 of them are offered at $300 each with an average number of 50 participants per course.

ChatGPT prompt

Sure! Here’s an example budget for delivering a seminar in person, considering the parameters you provided:

Expenses:

1. Venue rental: $2,000 per seminar x 50 seminars = $100,000
2. Instructor fees: $500 per seminar x 50 seminars = $25,000
3. Marketing and advertising: $2,000 per seminar x 50 seminars = $100,000
4. Administrative costs: $1,000 per seminar x 50 seminars = $50,000
5. Materials and supplies: $500 per seminar x 50 seminars = $25,000
6. Travel and accommodation for instructors: $1,000 per seminar x 50 seminars = $50,000
7. Miscellaneous expenses: $500 per seminar x 50 seminars = $25,000

Total expenses: $375,000

Revenue:

1. Free courses: 12 courses x 50 participants = 600 participants
2. $99 courses: 12 courses x $99 x 50 participants = $59,400
3. $49 courses: 12 courses x $49 x 50 participants = $29,400
4. $199 courses: 12 courses x $199 x 50 participants = $119,400
5. $300 courses: 2 courses x $300 x 50 participants = $30,000

Total revenue: $238,200

Profit/Loss: Total revenue – Total expenses = $238,200 – $375,000 = -$136,800

In this example, the projected profit and loss for one year of hosting 50 courses would result in a loss of $136,800. Please note that this is a simplified budget, and there may be additional factors and costs to consider, such as taxes, insurance, and other miscellaneous expenses specific to your situation. It’s always a good idea to consult with a financial professional for accurate and detailed budgeting.

This took two minutes!

Now you can start getting creative by changing the variables in the prompt text.

#2 Writing Course Copy for Education and Events using ChatGPT

Write me a creative course name, course description, three actionable learning objectives participants can achieve by taking the course and some sample exercises where you can teach people how to sell their products and services without physically being present.

ChatGPT Prompt

ChatGPT Response

Course Name: “Virtual Selling Mastery: Unlocking Remote Success”

Course Description:
In today’s digital age, the ability to sell products and services remotely is becoming increasingly important. “Virtual Selling Mastery: Unlocking Remote Success” is a comprehensive course designed to equip participants with the skills and strategies needed to effectively sell their offerings without the need for physical presence. Through interactive sessions and practical exercises, participants will discover innovative techniques to engage and persuade customers, leveraging technology to build trust and close deals from anywhere in the world. Get ready to revolutionize your sales approach and achieve exceptional results in the virtual marketplace.

Learning Objectives:
By taking this course, participants will be able to:

1. Develop an Effective Virtual Sales Strategy: Create a robust plan to reach and engage potential customers, leveraging various virtual selling channels and tools.
2. Master Persuasive Communication in the Virtual Realm: Learn how to deliver compelling sales presentations, build rapport, and address objections remotely, utilizing technology to enhance communication impact.
3. Establish Trust and Close Deals Remotely: Gain techniques to build trust and credibility with prospects, and confidently navigate the virtual sales process to achieve successful conversions.

Sample Exercises:

1. Virtual Sales Pitch Practice: Participants will create and deliver virtual sales pitches, focusing on effectively conveying product/service benefits, addressing customer pain points, and showcasing unique selling propositions.
2. Virtual Role Play Scenarios: Through role-playing exercises, participants will simulate virtual sales interactions, exploring various customer scenarios, objections, and negotiating techniques, to sharpen their virtual selling skills.
3. Digital Sales Collateral Creation: Participants will design persuasive digital sales collateral, such as interactive presentations, engaging videos, or captivating infographics, to enhance their virtual sales efforts.

Note: The course name, description, learning objectives, and sample exercises provided here are for illustrative purposes. Feel free to adapt and customize them to fit the specific context and objectives of your course.

Supplement Resource: Screen to Screen Selling

#3 Writing Learning Exercises for Courses using ChatGPT

This was produced with the assistance of ChatGPT and the learning standards compiled by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. https://dese.mo.gov/college-career-readiness/curriculum/missouri-learning-standards.

A prompt is entered into ChatGPT to include the grade level and learning standard that helps produce the text you see in the Learning Exercises section of this guide.

This is a sample prompt and response.

Write a learning exercise for a kindergarten student drawing conclusions, inferring by referencing textual evidence of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text that represents one aspect of St. Louis.

ChatGPT prompt

ChatGPT Response

Predicting St. Louis: Using the Cover, Title, and Illustrations

Objective:

The objective of this exercise is to help kindergarten students practice making predictions about a text based on visual cues such as the cover, title, and illustrations. By examining these elements, students will develop their critical thinking skills and engage their imaginations as they anticipate what might happen next in a story about St. Louis.

Materials:

– Picture book or storybook about St. Louis with a cover, title, and illustrations

– Pencils or crayons

– Drawing paper

Instructions:

1. Begin by discussing the concept of predicting with the students. Explain that when we predict, we make educated guesses or estimations about what might happen in a story based on clues and evidence we find. Tell them that they will be using the cover, title, and illustrations to predict what might happen in a book about St. Louis.

2. Show the students the picture book or storybook about St. Louis, focusing on the cover, title, and illustrations. Ask the students to observe and describe what they see.

3. Encourage the students to make predictions about the story based on the visual cues they have observed. Explain that their predictions can be about the characters, the setting, or the events that might take place.

4. Provide sentence starters to help the students formulate their predictions. For example:

   – “I predict that the story might be about…”

   – “I think the characters in the story will…”

   – “Based on the title and illustrations, I believe that…”

   – “I can imagine that the story will…”

5. Give each student a piece of drawing paper and pencils or crayons.

6. Instruct the students to draw a picture representing their prediction for the story. They can use the cover, title, and illustrations as inspiration. Encourage them to be creative and use their imagination.

7. Allow the students sufficient time to complete their drawings. Walk around the classroom, offering guidance and support as needed.

8. Once the students have finished their drawings, bring them back together as a group.

9. One by one, ask each student to share their prediction and show their drawing to the class. Encourage them to explain why they made that prediction and how the visual cues influenced their thinking.

10. After the students have shared their predictions, read the actual story aloud to the class.

11. Engage in a discussion about the similarities and differences between the students’ predictions and the actual story. Ask the students to reflect on why their predictions were accurate or different from the story.

Extension:

For an extension activity, you can have the students compare their predictions and drawings to the actual events in the story. Ask them to identify the similarities and differences and discuss why those differences might have occurred. Additionally, you can encourage the students to write or dictate a short sentence or two describing what actually happened in the story based on their new knowledge.

Supplemented Resource: 101 Homeschooling Activities in St. Louis

#4 Develop a Curriculum Library of Speaking Topics

Write creative course titles for 50 topics in the real estate industry that could be spread out along a calendar year that could offer an annual update on the latest trends and tactics to help residential real estate agents sell more homes.

ChatGPT Prompt

ChatGPT Response

Here are 50 creative course titles for topics in the real estate industry that can be spread out along a calendar year to offer an annual update on the latest trends and tactics to help residential real estate agents sell more homes:

1. “Real Estate Market Outlook: Navigating Trends and Forecasting Success”
2. “Mastering Digital Marketing for Real Estate Agents”
3. “Crafting Irresistible Property Listings: Words that Sell”
4. “Leveraging Social Media for Real Estate Success”
5. “The Art of Virtual Tours: Engaging Buyers Remotely”
6. “Winning Negotiation Strategies for Real Estate Professionals”
7. “Creating Memorable Open Houses: Turning Visitors into Buyers”
8. “Unlocking the Power of Home Staging: Selling the Lifestyle”
9. “Mastering the Art of Effective Client Communication”
10. “Building a Strong Personal Brand as a Real Estate Agent”
11. “Pricing Strategies: Finding the Sweet Spot”
12. “Understanding Real Estate Investment Opportunities”
13. “Maximizing Your Online Presence: Real Estate Agent Websites”
14. “Navigating Contracts and Legalities with Confidence”
15. “Generating Quality Leads: Strategies for Lead Generation”
16. “Converting Leads into Lifelong Clients”
17. “Mastering the Listing Presentation: Securing Seller Trust”
18. “The Power of Visual Storytelling in Real Estate Marketing”
19. “Effective Time Management for Real Estate Agents”
20. “Mastering Client Relationship Management (CRM) Tools”
21. “Selling Luxury Properties: Secrets to Success”
22. “Conquering Objections: Turning ‘No’ into ‘Yes'”
23. “Effective Farming Techniques: Dominating Your Local Market”
24. “Understanding Real Estate Financing Options for Buyers”
25. “Building a High-Performing Real Estate Team”
26. “The Future of Real Estate: Embracing Technology and Innovation”
27. “Effective Follow-Up Strategies: Staying Top of Mind”
28. “Closing Techniques: Sealing the Deal with Confidence”
29. “Mastering the Art of Networking for Real Estate Professionals”
30. “Understanding Real Estate Appraisals and Home Inspections”
31. “Marketing Strategies for Selling Unique or Challenging Properties”
32. “Working with Millennial Homebuyers: Insights and Strategies”
33. “Real Estate Photography Tips and Tricks for Stunning Listings”
34. “The Power of Emotional Intelligence in Real Estate”
35. “Navigating the Seller’s Market: Strategies for Success”
36. “Turning Rentals into Sales: Converting Tenants to Buyers”
37. “Managing Multiple Listings: Organizing and Prioritizing”
38. “The Art of Effective Client Presentations: Winning Hearts and Contracts”
39. “Real Estate Investment Strategies: Beyond Traditional Buying and Selling”
40. “Mastering Video Marketing for Real Estate Agents”
41. “Attracting International Buyers: Understanding Global Real Estate”
42. “Understanding Home Valuation: Pricing with Precision”
43. “The Rise of Green Homes: Selling Sustainability”
44. “The Power of Testimonials and Referrals in Real Estate”
45. “Effective Advertising Campaigns for Real Estate Professionals”
46. “Navigating Market Fluctuations: Strategies for Stability”
47. “Building Trust with First-Time Homebuyers”
48. “Mastering the Art of Multitasking: Balancing Clients and Transactions”
49. “Conducting Effective Buyer Consultations: Uncovering Needs and Desires”
50. “Real Estate Coaching and Mentorship: Elevating Your Career”

Feel free to adapt or modify these course titles as per your needs and preferences.

#5 Criteria for selecting educators using ChatGPT

What are 50 criteria that education directors look for when selecting professional speakers to deliver real estate education

ChatGPT prompt

ChatGPT Response

When selecting professional speakers to deliver real estate education, education directors may consider various criteria to ensure the highest quality of content and delivery. Here are 50 criteria that education directors commonly look for:

1. Expertise in the real estate industry
2. Knowledge of current trends and market conditions
3. Experience as a successful real estate professional
4. Strong communication and presentation skills
5. Ability to engage and captivate an audience
6. Track record of delivering impactful and informative presentations
7. Demonstrated ability to tailor content to specific audiences
8. Depth of knowledge in a specific area of real estate (e.g., commercial, residential, investing)
9. Strong understanding of real estate laws and regulations
10. Relevance of the topic to current educational needs and interests
11. Proven ability to deliver practical and actionable advice
12. Positive reputation and references from past speaking engagements
13. Ability to effectively use visual aids and technology in presentations
14. Understanding of adult learning principles and instructional design
15. Ability to adapt content to different learning styles
16. Evidence of continuous professional development and staying up-to-date with industry changes
17. Demonstrated ability to engage and interact with diverse audiences
18. Clarity and organization in presenting complex information
19. Ability to inspire and motivate learners
20. Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills
21. Ability to provide real-life examples and case studies
22. Incorporation of interactive elements and group activities
23. Ability to create a comfortable and inclusive learning environment
24. Flexibility in accommodating specific program requirements or time constraints
25. Demonstrated ability to effectively handle Q&A sessions
26. Understanding of the target audience’s needs and skill levels
27. Ability to communicate complex concepts in a clear and accessible manner
28. Strong storytelling and narrative skills
29. Demonstrated ability to deliver engaging virtual presentations
30. Professionalism and reliability in meeting commitments
31. Ability to adapt content to different experience levels (beginners, intermediate, advanced)
32. Familiarity with the latest technological tools and platforms for virtual education
33. Evidence of positive learner feedback and evaluations
34. Willingness to customize content to address specific learning objectives
35. Ability to address common challenges and obstacles faced by real estate professionals
36. Ability to inspire creativity and innovative thinking in learners
37. Strong networking and relationship-building skills
38. Demonstrated ability to present complex data and statistics in an accessible manner
39. Understanding of the ethical considerations and professional standards in the real estate industry
40. Ability to effectively manage time during presentations
41. Demonstrated ability to handle difficult or challenging learners or situations
42. Awareness of cultural sensitivities and ability to foster inclusivity
43. Understanding of marketing and branding principles in real estate
44. Ability to provide actionable strategies for business growth and success
45. Proven ability to deliver engaging and impactful virtual workshops or webinars
46. Ability to demonstrate the value and ROI of real estate education to learners
47. Commitment to ongoing professional development and improvement as a speaker
48. Evidence of thought leadership and contributions to the real estate industry
49. Ability to build rapport and establish credibility with learners
50. Passion for real estate education and a genuine desire to contribute to the professional growth of learners

These criteria can help education directors ensure they select speakers who can deliver high-quality real estate education that meets the needs of their audience.

Supplement Resource: Screen to Screen Selling Assessment

Thinking about the future of education with AI

This post took less than an hour to write.

If this makes you unnerved, stop. It’s time to let go of your traditional model and embrace what is coming. Let’s pretend I took this list of 50 courses, descriptions, and learning exercises, and used ChatGPT to build out the curriculum. Let’s pretend I took the curriculum and used the text to create a speech, and a video avatar to act as the educator delivering content to you with the supplement resources to you. If you aren’t taking a serious look at how content and education are being delivered, you should be.

Eliminate the Excuses for ChatGPT

What are the reasons why chatgpt is not good for writing course names, descriptions, and building learning exercises for real estate

ChatGPT Prompt

Chat GPT Response

While ChatGPT can generate text and provide information on various topics, including real estate, there are several reasons why it may not be the ideal choice for writing course names, descriptions, and building learning exercises specifically for the real estate industry:

1. Lack of industry expertise: ChatGPT is a language model trained on a wide range of text data, but it does not possess real-world experience or domain-specific knowledge in real estate. It may not be able to accurately capture the nuances and complexities of the industry, leading to potentially inaccurate or incomplete course content.
2. Inability to provide up-to-date information: ChatGPT’s training data only goes up until September 2021, and it does not have access to real-time information. Real estate is a dynamic industry with rapidly changing regulations, market trends, and best practices. Without access to current data, the course content generated by ChatGPT may quickly become outdated.
3. Limited customization: ChatGPT generates text based on patterns it has learned from its training data. While it can provide general information and generate text, it may not be able to tailor course names, descriptions, and learning exercises to specific requirements, target audiences, or learning objectives that are unique to the real estate industry.
4. Quality control challenges: ChatGPT generates text based on the patterns it has learned, but it does not possess the ability to evaluate the quality, accuracy, or effectiveness of the content it generates. Developing high-quality educational materials requires expertise, experience, and a thorough understanding of instructional design principles, which may be lacking when relying solely on AI-generated content.
5. Legal and compliance considerations: Real estate courses need to adhere to specific legal and regulatory requirements, varying by jurisdiction. ChatGPT cannot guarantee compliance with these regulations or provide legal advice, which is crucial when creating course content for the real estate industry.

To ensure the quality, accuracy, and relevance of course names, descriptions, and learning exercises for real estate, it is advisable to consult with subject matter experts, experienced educators, and professionals within the industry who can provide up-to-date and tailored content that meets the specific needs of learners in this field.

So what is the best solution to sourcing authentic, real estate expertise to save you three months a year?

Airtable

The post A Year’s Worth of Real Estate Education Built by ChatGPT first appeared on Doug Devitre.

30 years later I bought paddles and started playing with my son.

The more we played, the better he became.

He was hooked and I was too.

Each day when I picked him up after school, the first thing he wanted to do was play pickleball.

Playing ice hockey was expensive for my parents growing up.

Investing a few hundred dollars in paddles, 100 balls, a ball hopper, and ball picker uppers seemed like a no-brainer.

Graciously, other players at the park taught us how to play pickleball.

It was YouTube that helped us understand more specifics about the game.

Now, we have the whole family involved including my parents at the assisted living home.

What warms my heart the most is when my son sees kids watching on the other side of the fence, he stops our play, and invites them to participate. He enjoys see kids playing for the first time and will teach them some skills he has learned just like his Dad.

Pickleball Expanded Outside My Own Community

I’ve met some really incredible people trying to coordinate playing times, finding new places to work while I’m on work assignment out of the area, and trying to make new friends outside of my normal circle.

When I started sharing places I’ve played, I learned my existing network was either playing pickleball or wanted to learn.

Here is a short list of places where I’ve played pickleball:

• Sunset Park – Las Vegas, NV
• Newport Beach Pickleball Club, Newport Beach, CA
• Pictona – Daytona Beach, FL
• Palmetto Dunes Tennis & Pickleball Center, Hilton Head, SC
• Asheville Racquet Club, Asheville, NC
• Vetta Sports, St. Louis, MO
• Naples Pickleball Center, Naples, FL
• Evergreen Racquet Club
• Worthy Park – Huntington Beach, CA
• On the beach
• In an empty hotel conference room
• Inside the airport waiting for a flight
• Inside the airport waiting at baggage claim.

If you have hired me in the past to speak to your organization, let’s find a time to play and I can stay afterwards to lead an informational session about pickleball or host a private clinic for your team.

The Birth of a Pickleball Apparel Line

It’s on ESPN, YouTube, and the Wall Street Journal.

You can’t ignore it, especially if courts are close to your house and you hear the sound of balls popping on your way home from work.

Slogans like “One More Game!”, “Dink until you Drop”, and “Zero Zero Start” were said by players but only a few players wore pickleball gear to support their love for the game.

In January 2023, I created a pickleball apparel line called the Dinking Zone with my business partner Julie Funke. She has over 30 years in the custom print and design of promotional products and is an amazing human too. While it’s her job to help create amazing products, it’s my job to help get them into your hands too.

The Birth of a Pickleball Training and Coaching Division

In February of 2023, I attended the Professional Pickleball Registry’s Annual Conference and Symposium. This congregation of esteemed pickleball coaches, suppliers, and tournament directors showcased the latest trends. Not only did I get PPR Certified to be a pickleball coach, but I was also randomly chosen as a coach to be an extra in the PPR coaching video library.

If you have ever wanted to get pickleball certified from the premiere training partner of USA Pickleball, here are the steps:

If you are a PPR Certified Coach with the Professional Pickleball Registry and would like to use some resources I created, here you go! Hope to see you at the next event!

How can you get better at playing pickleball?

You not might go the distance and get PPR Certified however you might have been curious on how to get started playing the game.

There is no age limit on your participation. My son Harry started when he was seven and my Mom is seventy and Dad 80. There is also accessible pickleball for those who operate out of a wheelchair.

Soon you will start seeing pickleball featured at the Special Olympics.

What Pickleball Equipement Should You Buy?

The best thing you can do when starting out is get the right equipment.

The best investment is in shoes so you don’t hurt yourself. It will be the day you don’t bring court shoes or leave them at home and think you will be ok without them is when you will get injured. Trust me on this.

Pickleball players don’t realize that proper pickleball shoes are the 2nd most important piece of equipment next to the paddle. Even though many use tennis shoes for pickleball, our foot movement on the courts is much different, and pickleball is played on different surfaces. In fact, a good pickleball shoe feels very different than a tennis shoe. You really can up your game using the best shoes and a high quality paddle that suits your needs. I’ve recently started using the Acacia Tyler Loong Pickleball Shoes, and I can say first hand that increased stability contributes to increased consistency. It took 2 years of playing pickleball to realize this obvious need to properly equip my feet.

Chuck Connolly, PPR certified Coach from Lewes, Delware

If you need a paddle, Chuck recommends Selkirk.

Where are Places to Play Pickleball?

Pickleball is an extremely social sport because you need someone else to play. Many times you can show up at a court for open play or register at a facility where you can meet other players at your same skill level.

Find a place to play pickleball online and ask other players where they play. Each place has their own rules, times when you can play, and some are just open for you to figure it out at your leisure. Courts are popping up daily across the United States and pickleball has gone global.

What are Pickleball Ratings?

If you are just starting, your pickleball rating is between 1-2.

The more skills you acquire and learn to win games, the higher rating you will have.

Keep in mind ratings start out as self-assessments.

When you start playing tournaments, you can add your scores to help calculate your ratings that are automatically calculated however these ratings can vary widely based on who you play against.

One of the best ways to receive your pickleball rating is to be evaluated by a PPR Certified Coach who has been trained on assessing a player’s pickleball rating.

How to Become the Best Pickleball Player

Competitive players are constantly searching for ways to improve their game.

They don’t like losing and are super critical of their mistakes with the awareness that they need help beyond what watching a YouTube video can do for them.

I’ve started offered pickleball coaching for groups up to four people, created a proprietary pickleball rating assessment, workbook aimed to close performance gaps, and have more resources in the works to offer more value to those who are more serious than others.

Take these steps if you are serious about improving your pickleball game.

• Take this pickleball skill ratings assessment.
• Consider hiring a PPR certified coach for a 90-minute clinic.
• Register for a pickleball tournament near you.

Here’s a sneak peek at a workbook I’m creating in collaboration with PPR Certified Clinician Taylor Taylor who operates her professional pickleball consultancy out of Memphis, TN. Taylor’s non-profit Picklemania that helps underserved communities in Memphis.

What’s next with pickleball in 2024?

It’s very likely the sport will double again with the amount of professional pickleball leagues, high profile celebrities now involved, and amount of courts that are being installed. In my primary work with real estate organizations I will be exploring new ways where communities can use pickleball as a social impact tool for underserved communities as well as offer insights to how pickleball affects property ownership values.

Zero, Zero, Start!

The post How Pickleball is Transforming Communities One Dink at a Time first appeared on Doug Devitre.

What was surprising was how incomplete the answers were.

One of the best member benefits you receive is your ability to volunteer.

Doug Devitre

I thought to myself if these dedicated volunteers were not able to articulate the value proposition, much work needed to be done to reinforce the messaging many already believe.

In my active participation in several non-profits over the years I have helped create and market value propositions to members. I have been hired as a copywriter but I needed a faster way to gather some substance. If I were going to create a list of 100, it would have taken me about a week to type each reason for the first draft.

Instead, I used ChatGPT.

#1 Create a list of reasons/benefits/excuses using ChatGPT.

Here were the responses for 100 reasons to volunteer for a real estate organization:

1. Gain valuable knowledge about the real estate industry.

2. Expand your professional network with industry experts.

3. Learn about different aspects of real estate, such as property management or investment.

4. Develop skills in property research and analysis.

5. Gain exposure to real estate transactions and negotiations.

6. Enhance your understanding of local real estate markets.

7. Learn about property development and construction processes.

8. Gain insight into real estate financing and investment strategies.

9. Develop project management skills through involvement in real estate projects.

10. Enhance your understanding of zoning regulations and land use planning.

11. Learn about property valuation and appraisal methods.

12. Develop marketing and advertising skills for real estate listings.

13. Gain experience in property leasing and tenant management.

14. Learn about property maintenance and facilities management.

15. Develop skills in real estate contract drafting and review.

16. Enhance your understanding of real estate laws and regulations.

17. Gain exposure to real estate technology and software.

18. Learn about real estate investment trusts (REITs) and other investment vehicles.

19. Develop negotiation and communication skills through interactions with clients and stakeholders.

20. Gain a deeper understanding of real estate market trends and forecasting.

21. Learn about real estate investment analysis and risk assessment.

22. Develop skills in property due diligence and risk management.

23. Enhance your understanding of property insurance and risk mitigation strategies.

24. Gain exposure to commercial real estate transactions and leasing.

25. Learn about property tax assessment and strategies for tax optimization.

26. Develop skills in property title research and title insurance.

27. Gain experience in real estate marketing strategies and campaigns.

28. Learn about green building and sustainable real estate practices.

29. Develop skills in real estate data analysis and market research.

30. Enhance your understanding of real estate economics and finance.

31. Gain exposure to real estate investment syndication and crowdfunding.

32. Learn about real estate investment strategies for wealth creation.

33. Develop skills in real estate portfolio management.

34. Enhance your understanding of real estate risk assessment and management.

35. Gain experience in real estate asset management.

36. Learn about real estate market analysis and feasibility studies.

37. Develop skills in real estate asset valuation and performance analysis.

38. Enhance your understanding of real estate taxation and financial planning.

39. Gain exposure to real estate development and urban planning initiatives.

40. Learn about real estate crowdfunding platforms and investment opportunities.

41. Develop skills in property renovation and rehab projects.

42. Enhance your understanding of real estate foreclosure and distressed properties.

43. Gain experience in real estate investment property management.

44. Learn about real estate investment strategies for retirement planning.

45. Develop skills in real estate investment risk analysis and mitigation.

46. Enhance your understanding of real estate investment financing options.

47. Gain exposure to real estate investment partnerships and joint ventures.

48. Learn about real estate investment strategies for passive income generation.

49. Develop skills in real estate market forecasting and analysis.

50. Enhance your understanding of real estate investment tax strategies.

51. Gain experience in real estate contract negotiation and drafting.

52. Learn about real estate investment strategies for diversification.

53. Develop skills in real estate market research and demographics analysis.

54. Enhance your understanding of real estate investment exit strategies.

55. Gain exposure to real estate investment software and tools.

56. Learn about real estate investment strategies for long-term wealth accumulation.

57. Develop skills in real estate investment property financing and management.

58. Enhance your understanding of real estate investment risk assessment.

59. Gain experience in real estate investment property analysis and due diligence.

60. Learn about real estate investment strategies for capital appreciation.

61. Develop skills in real estate investment property marketing and leasing.

62. Enhance your understanding of real estate investment market cycles.

63. Gain exposure to real estate investment networking and deal sourcing.

64. Learn about real estate investment strategies for tax advantages.

65. Develop skills in real estate investment property valuation and appraisal.

66. Enhance your understanding of real estate investment property financing options.

67. Gain experience in real estate investment property acquisition and disposition.

68. Learn about real estate investment strategies for cash flow generation.

69. Develop skills in real estate investment property renovation and improvement.

70. Enhance your understanding of real estate investment property management strategies.

71. Gain exposure to real estate investment property analysis software.

72. Learn about real estate investment strategies for retirement income.

73. Develop skills in real estate market analysis and investment decision-making.

74. Enhance your understanding of real estate investment property legal issues.

75. Gain experience in real estate investment property tax planning.

76. Learn about real estate investment strategies for passive wealth creation.

77. Develop skills in real estate investment property financing and refinancing.

78. Enhance your understanding of real estate investment property risk assessment.

79. Gain exposure to real estate investment property syndication and partnerships.

80. Learn about real estate investment strategies for portfolio diversification.

81. Develop skills in real estate market research and investment analysis.

82. Enhance your understanding of real estate investment property management strategies.

83. Gain experience in real estate investment property negotiation and deal structuring.

84. Learn about real estate investment strategies for value-add opportunities.

85. Develop skills in real estate investment property marketing and promotion.

86. Enhance your understanding of real estate investment property cash flow analysis.

87. Gain exposure to real estate investment property financing sources.

88. Learn about real estate investment strategies for tax-deferred exchanges.

89. Develop skills in real estate market forecasting and investment planning.

90. Enhance your understanding of real estate investment property legal documentation.

91. Gain experience in real estate investment property due diligence and inspections.

92. Learn about real estate investment strategies for international markets.

93. Develop skills in real estate investment property analysis software.

94. Enhance your understanding of real estate investment property risk mitigation.

95. Gain exposure to real estate investment property asset management.

96. Learn about real estate investment strategies for short-term rentals.

97. Develop skills in real estate market analysis and investment evaluation.

98. Enhance your understanding of real estate investment property financing strategies.

99. Gain experience in real estate investment property acquisition and development.

100. Learn about real estate investment strategies for generational wealth transfer.

While ChatGPT isn’t always accurate, you can assume its best practice to review each one with critical thinking skills to edit each one so they hit the mark.

The reasons from ChatGPT look pretty solid however plain text isn’t as sexy.

The next step is to create a presentation slide deck, document, and social media graphics to reinforce this messaging if we want to help make it stick and provide others with content they can share specific content instead of the entire deck.

Create a CSV file from the list

Now that you have the list of reasons, copy and paste them into Google Sheet spreadsheet. But before you can do that you need to remove the number from the list if you want to highlight the number for each page instead of side by side with a bullet point.

Try using this spreadsheet to save time.

Then export the .csv file you will need to upload into Canva.

Create a Template in Canva

There are plenty of templates to help you get started in Canva to help you design your content. Use this template to save you some time.

Mail Merge Spreadsheet to Canva

In Canva, there are apps that allow you more functionality than traditional design software. One of them is Bulk Create found on the left sidebar. Note, you need to have a template that supports Bulk Create since not all of them do. Presentations are the best templates for this use case.

Once you click Bulk Create, you will be prompted to upload your .csv file.

Canva will recognize the field types and it’s your responsibility to connect each text input to the corresponding column in the spreadsheet.

Once you click Generate pages, you can then edit the formatting just in case some text takes up too much space and needs to be resized or you need to reformat the template to avoid changing each page significantly (like you had to do in the past).

Here is what the final looks like.

19 examples where businesses can use bulk/edit in Canva

1. Mass produce motivational quotes as images
2. Mass produce agent stats card using MLS data
3. Mass produce certificates that show achievement for completing courses
4. Mass produce certificates acknowledging a milestone
5. Mass produce learning aids that support knowledge and skill development 
6. Mass produce YouTube thumbnails
7. Mass produce a personalized welcome to the team images
8. Mass produce agent business cards with a new design
9. Mass produce promotion images for upcoming seminars.
10. Mass produce real estate flyers using MLS data
11. Mass produce customer testimonial graphics
12. Mass produce branded team member profile graphics for their social profiles
13. Quickly produce a catalog that contains products or services from a spreadsheet
14. Quickly produce multiple infographics using data sources
15. Quickly produce visually stimulating shipping labels
16. Quickly create graphics using survey data
17. Mass produce personalized virtual backgrounds
18. Mass produce images for WhatsApp products and quick replies
19. Mass produce custom screen prompts for screen-enabled voice assistants.
20. Upload a PDF document to Linkedin as a post.

This one software feature will save your administrative assistant, marketing specialist, or training and development team at least a week a month.

Find a non-profit organization where you can volunteer your time. Consider it an investment in yourself and the future of your community.

The post 100 Benefits of Volunteering in Real Estate Organizations first appeared on Doug Devitre.

The Association for Talent Development is hosting its annual Techknowledge 2022 this week. Our session What They Don’t Teach You in Kindergarten represents ideas you can implement to help your company stay relevant today.

When others ask me about my son Harry’s story, some have said the apple didn’t fall from the tree. Others scoff at the idea of empowering a child so young with so many skills and tools because of the risks associated with his maturity. What I believe to be true is his age is not a limiting factor when using technology safely. The biggest limiting factor is getting started today.

Please subscribe to Harry’s YouTube channel.

View presentation slides.

The Virtual Workforce Rules Have Already Been Written

The world didn’t change when I published Screen to Screen Selling in 2015 with McGraw Hill. I had no idea everyone and their families would be using Zoom today. Ironically, when Harry was born, we used Zoom to introduce him to our family and friends who lived around the country. The rules for meeting remotely didn’t change either. The world hadn’t fully accepted rules written in #screentoscreen because face-to-face was so much easier, personal, and meaningful.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the world was forced to change. In fact, it became against the law in some states to meet in person. Then companies were forced to make revisions to business processes, office policy and procedures, and training. You had to change or you would be out of work. There was no turning back.

Defining New Rules

In 2021, I took a homeschool approach with Harry because his school didn’t have the time or the resources to dedicate to his needs. The entire year was dedicated to empowering him with the skills and tools that they don’t offer at his school and in many cases, large organizations haven’t figured out either. When Harry steps up to start recording videos using a very complex setup, there is no excuse for training departments with a talented workforce that cannot do the same for themselves.

Read These Resources

In this post, a ton of resources are summarized to take you deeper into the possibilities of working remote, virtual training, and improving your office productivity. Each one will challenge the way you think about your world, your rules, and how you bring your team together for success in 2022 and beyond.

101 Questions to Ask About Your Training and Development in 2022

Accelerated Empowerment for Economic Development

St. Louis Startup Week and Other Announcements

The Benefits of Homeschooling a Budding Entrepreneur

Massive Virtual Marketing Makeover

Social Learning with a Six-Year Old

Metrics to Measure Your Remote Workforce

Preventable Mistakes You Make on Screen

A Closer Look at Your Video Feed

101 Things You Can Teach Your Kid About Technology

Why Your Zoom Virtual Background Isn’t Working

Eight Alternative to Elevate Your Leadership Academy

Question to Ask About Your Virtual Presence

Implicit vs Explicit Virtual Meeting Policies

Non-Profit Association Makeover

Tips for Selecting Best Webcam

Awareness vs. Action in Virtual Meetings

First Kindergarten Post

Participant Chat Templates

Why Invest in a Professional Sound Board

Eight Ways to Show Up Differently Inside of Zoom

Screen Capture Video

Virtual Team Building Exercises

Virtual Event Templates

Stream Deck Tutorial

Convert Video to Audio and Text Transcript for FREE

Questions to Ask About Your Internet Connection

Digital Whiteboard as a Virtual Background

Eight Things You Should NEVER do While Sharing Your Screen

The post What They Don’t Teach You in Kindergarten first appeared on Doug Devitre.

In order to start a sustainable business, you need to be passionate about what you do and have a support system to help you navigate the perils of entrepreneurship. Otherwise, one swift blow from out of nowhere can easily take you out of the game. If you ask Harry about his passion. It’s Minecraft. YouTube. Teaching others. That’s when he is smiling the most. That’s all he thinks about. This is a recipe for a successful entrepreneur.

Schools do their best. I applaud the teachers who sacrifice hours behind the scenes and have to deal with unreasonable parents too. My Mom was a retired school teacher from Riverview Gardens and witnessed her stress first-hand. However, schools are unequipped today despite their best intentions. Each is using outdated systems, reinforcing outdated policies, and teaching outdated methods that are not meeting the students’ each own’s preferred learning style. Instead of focusing on the problem, I have chosen to provide Harry with a homeschooling opportunity of a lifetime by being his teacher, mentor, coach, and connector. This is where it continues and I’m excited to share the benefits of taking a homeschool approach regardless if your kids go to a public, private, or charter school.

10 Benefits of Homeschooling

You don’t own your homework until it’s part of your business.

Each drawing. Each writing journal. Each math assignment you have ever done in school might have reinforced a learning objective. However, your assignment has either been thrown away or buried a box somewhere you only see again until you move.

When you start a business as part of your homeschooling plan, you make each assignment a contribution to your business as simple as it may be. If Harry is six now, he will have complied 12 years of assignments together into one business by the time he graduates high school.

Instead of going to camp, he will be teaching camp.

Instead of obtaining certifications, he will be teaching his own.

There is a lesson to be learned every second at every level.

The state of Missouri has listed several core standards for education where students must meet each year to ensure they are on track so that they increase the likelihood each student graduates on time. While each teacher has their own discretion as to how those lessons are taught, they are limited to what happens inside the school, not the real world.

In the real world, you can learn from people watching. You learn from transactions. You learn when you or your parents make mistakes. The best lessons happen through life experiences, not books or simulated exercises.

You don’t complete uninteresting homework.

Harry wouldn’t pick up a math book until it was a Minecraft math book. He crushed the assignments. Harry would much rather read a Minecraft book to extend his vocabulary and comprehension more than a reference on trucks or dogs. When his homework is interesting to him, he will surpass my expectations and improve faster. It’s really that simple.

Routines are adaptable.

After the pandemic, I don’t think anyone carries a normal schedule. I know many large companies are still trying to figure out work from home even though they’ve been in business for 100 years. While it is important to keep a consistent schedule, I believe routines must be adaptable in order to fit in the core activities kids need to become socially, emotionally, physically, and intellectually fit. There is always something you can do or learn when there are reliable options you can turn to at any moment.

The library is the center of learning, not the teacher.

Teachers come and go. The library will always be there. We visit the library at least once a week to explore new selections, search for favorites, and check out books. I don’t check out books. I taught Harry how to check out books using the computer terminal and his library card number. In the St. Louis County Library, there are 216 Minecraft books, and the most we checked out was 45 at one time. Now we check out fewer books, return them more often, and avoid paying fines by being more responsible (another lesson). And he is always ready to teach someone else if they need help at the library too.

Social groups are global.

Last night Harry played Minecraft with kids in three time zones. Not only is he learning how to play with new friends, but he is also learning geography at an incredible rate. Since most everyone is familiar with Zoom and 100 million Minecraft players are available to play, there’s a tremendous opportunity to create your own social network that could lead to strategic partnerships, facilitators, and teachers of content in his community.

Skill acquisition happens at your own pace.

When you homeschool, you don’t have to suspend your kid’s learning at the pace offered by class. You have 100% control over how you blend in learning activities that meet your child’s needs, their interest level, and how they stack on top of one another.

In Harry’s case, he can now start his Minecraft server from my AWS console using the command line by typing in the command that loads the script to initiate the server. Before that, he was learning how to edit Python scripts to build structures from his Raspberry Pi. I’m pretty sure they don’t teach that in elementary school but I’ve been wrong before.

Schools cannot embrace technology options at scale.

You can’t please everyone if you are the school administrator. Each family operates a Mac or a PC. Android or Apple. Safari or Chrome. Alexa or Google Assistant. Privacy, security, and interoperability represent a significant challenge. The more students in the school, the more of an issue this represents.

At home, we use a computer, a tablet, a mobile phone, and Alexa with a purpose. If we are not sure of an answer to a question, we ask Google, YouTube, or Alexa. On top of that, he has his own professionally produced YouTube channel with 74 subscribers and we are building an Alexa skill to make his resources available on FireTV.

No one knows your child better than you.

Harry has been diagnosed with ADHD by his doctor and has a hard time sitting still (much like me). When he was enrolled in virtual kindergarten, he was so bored he would either fall out of his chair or be watching YouTube videos with the Zoom class going on. Additionally, I would feel irresponsible as a parent if I forced him to be patient to relearn things he did two years previously. If you want to unlock the key to learning potential, the key has to be custom fit. This takes special attention, care, and discipline. You have to make the time. There is no one way to do this.

You can make money from your homework.

We published his 101 Homeschooling Activities in St. Louis on Amazon Kindle. Places in St. Louis that offered experiential learning opportunities, exercise options, entertainment, places to eat, or about his business were colored categorized. You can see pictures, recommendations, and QR codes on each one. The book can be downloaded for $9.99 USD. After the design was finished, we printed out each image at Walgreens to sort by number and give away when we revisit each place, bringing the community together under his brand.

BONUS TIP!

After you download the 101 Homeschooling Activities in St. Louis to your Kindle, take a screenshot of these activities, save them as an activity to put on your list, and share it on social media with your friends. When we build together, we learn together.

Follow Harry on Twitter for his updates, experiences, and progress as he helps rebuild the St. Louis Community with one block, one kid, and one parent at a time.

Subscribe to Harry’s YouTube channel to experience his builds in Minecraft and lessons.

Download the Java Edition of Minecraft and help set your kid up to play. Then join us!

The post The Benefits of Homeschooling a Budding Entrepreneur first appeared on Doug Devitre.

You have the world’s greatest branding expert on your team.

Your VP of Learning has been teaching virtual since the dawn of the Internet.

You are blessed with having a former Hollywood producer on your team too.

But still… you seem to struggle in putting the technology you already have together in order to create remarkable experiences and digital communications for when you hop on your next Zoom meeting, OR produce high-quality training videos for your company OR onboarding new customers FAST.

You don’t have time to figure this all out on your own.

Macarena Rose, Operating Principal of the Keller Williams in Belize, is a celebrity REALTOR, star of House Hunters International having been on multiple episodes.

Let me share some of her concerns:

• Overwhelmed with technology.
• Lack of creativity when making new designs.
• Existing high cost of producing visually stimulating graphics of multiple sizes.
• Zero-knowledge on editing videos.
• What new equipment she needed to buy without breaking the bank.
• Didn’t want to overspend on buying technology she didn’t need.
• How to use the technology she already invested.
• Needed to scale a breakthrough customer experience that could be customized on the fly.
• Wanted to differentiate herself and the company from the competition.
• Needed a faster turnaround time to receive marketing collateral from assistants.
• She didn’t know what she didn’t know to outsource marketing activities to her team.
• Needed to stop wasting time on inefficient tasks that kept her from running her business.

This Operating Principal of a Keller Williams franchise, a full-time practicing REALTOR, and Keller Williams rainmaker didn’t have time to figure all of this out. That’s when she asked for my help. Click the play button at the top of this post to see a video produced from her new environment.

This is what we did in a short period of time.

#1 Find (or Create) the Brand Styling Guide

Every brand has preferred logos, colors, and font types listing in their brand styling guide. The red you see in a graphic design tool might not be the same exact red used for the brand. If you use the wrong red (or another color), it will dilute the brand and look unprofessional when you compare two different marketing pieces from two different shades of red.

Find the right colors in the brand styling guide and add them into Canva inside of your Brand Kit. The same goes for Brand Fonts, and Font Size. You want a minimum 32 font size, especially since many customers will be viewing your graphics and videos from a mobile device.

#2 Create Your Templates in Canva

When you build out virtual background images or videos, you need to think about what question the customer has, how you help them visualize the answer with a supporting image or video, and the text that summarizes the background.

Make a list of these scenarios before you start designing the templates in Canva so you can focus on higher priority scenes instead of those you will use in unique circumstances.

If you are building virtual background templates for your brand, the pixel size dimensions are 1920 x 1080. After you build the best template, you can resize them to be used into different social media channels.

The picture above is a video background template with containers for the logo, headline, sub-headline, call to action URL.

#3 Steps to editing Canva assets

• Open Canva.
• Open existing design templates for virtual camera scenes.
• Copy design template as a new editable file.
• Rename the file as the name of the scene.
• Swap existing headline with a new headline.
• Swap existing sub headline with new sub-headline.
• Swap existing call-to-action URL with a new call-to-action URL.
• Swap existing photo/video with new photo/video.
• Check design for spelling or grammar errors.
• Adjust text or photo/video positioning only if absolutely necessary.
• Change the font size of the text for the headline, sub-headline, or call to action URL instead of changing the font placement.
• Check design one last time for accuracy, brand consistency, and overall look.
• Download the file to the computer using the appropriate file format for the scene in the virtual camera.
• Add the newly created file into the assets folder.

There’s a chance you might delegate these tasks to someone else on your team. If so, record a video using Loom to show the tasks performed in real-time so your team members know exactly what must be done in the right order. Instructions on how to create a Loom video appear later in this post.

Do you make videos for Facebook Live? If so you might need a Countdown video. If you are a Canva Pro user you can select from pre-made countdowns.

Here is an example Countdown Video with music to help increase the anticipation for what others will see next.

All of your designs in Canva appear in the All Your Designs tab on the left side. It’s important to start creating folders to better organize your Canva designs so you can find them faster and share specific folders for team members to edit on their own.

Once you finish building out your design templates and designs, download each one of them into a separate asset folder stored in the cloud (Dropbox Google Drive, iCloud Drive). This will become particularly useful for when you want to transfer them to another computer.

#4 Create Screen Capture Video Training Videos

Loom is one of the easiest tools used to create screen capture videos. They are perfect for creating training videos on how to use web-based tools and short snippets to be sent to customers to receive a visual representation of your answer.

Read more about Loom here.

#5 Program Your Stream Deck Console

Stream Deck is the secret weapon. Most people don’t have one yet because they have the wrong digital media coach, haven’t taken Stream Deck out of the box, or have not been training properly on how to use it for the optimum time to task execution when transitioning between multiple virtual experiences.

Stream Deck offers a 32 button console, a 15 button console, or you can use their mobile app. My personal preference is the 32 button console (even though you can add folders and create multiple Stream Deck profiles.

It can be intimidating to know where to start so I suggest grabbing a piece of paper, drawing a big rectangle, and dividing the rectangle into the appropriate amount of squares. Each square represents a button you press on the Stream Deck console.

Write the name of each image or video background, camera number (if using multiple), website (if using screen share), or music you want to be played.

Once you have drafted your best environment, then use the Stream Deck software to begin mapping the buttons to each scene or multi-action sequence you want performed.

#6 Airtable Asset Management

Dropbox, iCloud, and Google Drive are great online storage alternatives however Airtable is the best. Over time. Think of Airtable as the intersection between Microsoft Excel, Dropbox, customizable database that allows attachments, SurveyMonkey, and programmatic capabilities.

The biggest benefit of using Airtable to build out your assets is that you can define rules for sharing each database as a project, each tab, and assign access to different team members who do not need to be tech-savvy. Each column is a field type. Each row is an entry. The column field types are 100% customizable.

#7 Additional Tech Tools for Your In-Home Studio

Desk light stands. You need two.

LED lights for desk. You need two.

Retractable green screen.

USB C Hub for Macbook

USB charging station

Ecamm virtual camera for Macbook

Stream Deck 32 button

Stream Deck 15 button

What Keller Williams Operating Principal and Rainmaker Macarena Rose is saying about her new virtual marketing makeover…

Hello Doug. I just needed to stop in and say thank you. What you have done is nothing short of a miracle. You’ve taken someone like myself that’s not very techie and certainly doesn’t have an eye for creativity or vision or anything like that. And certainly what you’ve done is prove that I’m wrong.

You’ve shown me the tools and the manner in which to put these things together. So I don’t have to send something off, wait for it to come back in a day or two or longer. God forbid and then I can manage it myself and actually do these things. So I just want to say thank you because I know that if you are able to help me, you’re going to be able to help other people.

It has a lot to do with how incredibly talented you are, but also how wonderful you are because you listen. You solve the problem and absolutely make it something seamless that someone like myself. You know I’m just like all the other REALTORS and agents. I just happen to manage, and working belief central America, right?

So that’s the only difference. But I still need to make sure I’m doing marketing. I need to make sure that I can handle all these different kinds of assets and media things and figure it all out and make it just seamless and you have made this possible in such a short quick time.

So I just want to let you know if anyone’s asking you a question or if they want any kind of testimonial or if they want to just talk to someone that did it. I’m here. You can count on me for certain because again if I can do it, I know it’s going to help so many people just like myself that really need to make sure they get out there and you know how to do that. Talk to you soon. Thank you so much.

Macarena Rose, CIPS, Operating Principal, Keller Williams Belize

How you can get started with a massive virtual marketing makeover

There are a limited number of spots available for organizations and businesses since there is a high-level of hand-holding that needs to happen, sometimes with multiple team members. Please schedule an appointment to see if this is a good fit, how long it will take, and the budget you will need to support this initiative.

Schedule an appointment with Doug Devitre

The post Massive Virtual Marketing Makeover with Macarena Rose first appeared on Doug Devitre.

It was December 2020 when Harry approached me about Minecraft. At first, I thought it was just another game and deflected his request to play. Little did I know schools AND universities like MIT around the world were using Minecraft as a social learning tool to help students acquire new, and practical skills to solve some of the biggest problems of the future.

And so I was hooked.

Harry had always been a builder. Legos. Magnet tiles. You name it. He was always stacking and exploring new ways to express his creativity.

He had already been on Zoom for four hours a day from virtual kindergarten so he was accustomed to using a mouse, keyboard, and operating a web browser. He had been crushing Minecraft books I bought from Amazon and borrowed from the library. We would sit together and watch safe videos on YouTube of some of the best builds. I didn’t have to teach him Minecraft. All he needed was access to a safe and secure environment.

I was blown away at what my boy could do within a month. He had built a fortress, a virtual school, and edited Python scripts to create structures with different block types. I never attempted this before.

I thought to myself. If Harry could learn this fast, he could show others how to build something similar too. The trouble though was most kids his age at his school weren’t into Minecraft yet, nor was it offered at the kindergarten level. You had to enroll in an activity outside of school and his teachers wouldn’t collaborate. There was a real need to empower Harry with technology and enable him who thrive in an unstructured learning environment, ideal for someone who doesn’t perform well when isn’t being challenged.

Each week. Each month. Each step that started with a what-if soon became a reality. Harry soon developed a brand, a business, and a model where he could invest his time and energy helping others. The apple didn’t fall too far from the tree.

Here are some of the projects we completed together so far:

Created a YouTube channel to publish the videos we made of our builds and has them organized using playlists.

Please consider subscribing to his channel.

Created design templates in Canva to advertise his new brand.

Check it out on his website.

Created a self-hosted WordPress blog hosted on AWS Lightsail to inform, educate, and get more participants involved in his community.

Created business cards designed in Canva and printed from Walgreens photo.

Bring your own device

Programmed a SIM card for his new Motorola smartphone.

Recorded screen capture videos from his Motorola smartphone.

Programmed a wireless phone number and chatbot using Twilio to manage incoming calls and text messages.

Host our own version of Minecraft multiplayer mode with strict player settings on an AWS Lightsail server managed from the command line.

Built a website from scratch to help kids and parents get involved in Harry’s community builds.

Created a Mailchimp email newsletter opt-in form to collect email addresses to notify parents about upcoming sessions.

Created a Learning Photos Album to summarize what we are learning.

Created a Patreon membership website with multiple tiered packages to help earn money, save for college, save for a down payment on a house, or save for the future.

Designed image for merchandise on Canva and had shirts printed for giveaways and events.

Created a facilitator’s guide to provide directions and block types to better collaborate on builds.

Compiled Programs for Different Community Builds

Harry is available to offer virtual Minecraft builds using his ever-expanding facilitation guide, tools, and skills he has acquired by being actively involved in the process.

Created a speaker request form to invite Harry to speak at schools, libraries, parent groups, and teaching conferences.

Created the Certified Master Builder Certification to help the community uphold the highest standards for kids and parents when playing Minecraft.

I joined a couple Minecraft for Parents groups in the last couple weeks and this is what I’ve learned:

1. There are kids who want to play with other kids, not just their parents.

2. There are kids who don’t have anyone to play with because their parents don’t know how to help get them set them up.

3. There are some kids who are kind and helpful. There are some kids who are bullies.

4. Some kids have earned a reputation for being destructive when playing on other people’s servers, they have been blocked from playing.

5. There are different versions of Minecraft and you may have to buy two or three different versions of Minecraft so your kids have more options to play with more kids.

6. You can establish participation rules for your own Minecraft server but that does not mean others will follow them all of the time.

7. If you are going to successfully build a world with the help of other people, you need to make it as easy as possible for others to understand your vision, gather the right tools, and exemplify the behaviors you too want to see demonstrated by other people.

8. The one-time fee for a Minecraft license is cheaper than one night out at the movies.

9. Helicopter parents are everywhere. You need to watch out for them as much as you do your kids.

10. You can learn a lot about managing technology by enabling your kids. There’s new equipment to buy, new software to explore, and some of these tasks to get kids started may help you at your job.

Tonight 4/15/2021 we are going to play at 6 pm CST on the Java version of Minecraft.

Here’s the feedback we received.

Social learning is one of the most often underutilized utilities of the learning function. It’s what happens when we attend conferences, participate in networking groups, and thrive in the face-to-face environment. I have learned so much from working with Harry already. I hope you can join us in one of his next builds.

Thank you, Harry’s Dad

The post Social Learning with a Six-Year-Old first appeared on Doug Devitre.

Surviving the impact of the pandemic is a good start. However, let’s take a closer look at how much money your organization has saved by working remote, how much easier you have made it for others around you, and why still pushing your team to improve their work home performance is necessary even though there’s a chance some will go back into the office.

Here in no particular order, I have made a list of metrics. Each one represents a unique look at how video meetings can improve sales performance, improve brand awareness, improve the quality of learning performance, and improve overall team performance. I suggest you take a look to identify specific metrics you will look to increase, decrease, or maintain a satisfactory level. Make a list of those important to you and start a conversation with your team today.

1. Number of meetings  
2. Number of on-time meetings
3. Transportation costs to meeting per person
4. Number of new customers (virtual)
5. Customer response time
6. Absenteeism
7. Number of call attempts   
8. Number of files reworked     
9. Technology costs
10. % of opportunities closed virtually       
11. Length of meetings
12. Real property/office costs
13. Number of virtual sales
14. Customer churn
15. Disposal of out-dated technology
16. Revenue per customer
17. % of the day prospecting
18. Carbon footprint
19. Number of last-minute meeting cancellations
20. Number of training modules delivered
21. Time to create high-quality training videos
22. Employee turnover
23. On-time deliverables
24. Customer feedback (virtual)
25. Brand impressions from meetings and virtual events
26. Social media engagement
27. Number of presentation errors
28. Hoteling
29. Lead response time
30. % of productive meetings
31. Administrative labor for meetings
32. Length of the sales decision-making cycle
33. Employee morale (working from home)
34. Time to task when sharing screen
35. Stress management (working from home)
36. Number of virtual interviews
37. Number of team accountability meetings

The post Metrics to Measure the Effectiveness of Your Remote Workforce first appeared on Doug Devitre.