If Only...

I have been thinking of populating this blog for a very long time. But somehow, it just wouldn’t happen. Work pressure, delivery, deadlines, and all such criminal hindrances posed as stumbling blocks. Nothing new. Till this morning, when I literally stumbled upon this blog: The Writer’s Gateway. An avid reader of blogs related to ID, I wonder why I never read this one. One post by Rupa addressing this month’s big question was my trigger.
Big Question: Stuck? Getting Unstuck?

Her response struck a chord and I realized that I too was getting stuck. It is time to get unstuck and blurt out the thoughts…

I have called this post “If Only…” because for us IDs, at least in India, this has become a chant. That has been my experience. I am not complaining though because an ideal world where there are no “if onlies” (excuse the use of this non-word) is not conducive to learning or thinking or striving or brainstorming or any of the things that help us forge ahead. If onlies are our challenges and drivers that help us to get “unstuck”.

Some of my “If Onlies”:
If only the client increased the budget
If only the client was moving to e-learning for the right reasons and not merely to cut cost
If only the PM decided the deadline after consulting the delivery team
If only people did not equate e-learning with screens filled with texts and one or two clickable tabs and buttons added in the name of interactivity and learner engagement
If only the potentials of e-learning were better understood
If only the client did not want the ILT sessions to be replaced—word for word—with e-learning courses
If only internal team members were equally passionate and evangelistic about e-learning
If only e-learning was not seen merely as a business but also truly as a means of enhancing the quality of learning
If only clients did not resort to e-learning only to cut down the training budget
If only clients could be shown the cost of ineffective training—the tangible and intangible costs like missed opportunities and poor performance…

Only when we have our “if onlies” firmly articulated, will we be able to work towards achieving these one by one. I am waiting to say “We have arrived. Finally!” for each of my if onlies…


Please add your “if onlies” too.