The Learning & Development Podcast (David James)

More and more, forward-thinking organisations are exchanging traditional hierarchies for networks of empowered teams. These teams are more agile, connected by tech and may only be brought together for short amounts of time. In this podcast, we discuss the importance of measuring high performance in teams and what we need to do to develop them accordingly. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

• There are now fusion teams that are brought together for a specific activity. 
• You are not just part of a set team you are teaming with others. 
• Our environments are highly complex so it’s important that our definitions of high performing teams continue to evolve. 
• When a measure becomes a target, it is no longer a measure. 

• A measure will always help the team to learn more and work out where look for it. 
• In real situations, the dynamics are continually changing. 
• We need to understand what we want to affect,  the current state of play and what the priorities are for the people within the team. 
• When you are in a complex environment you cannot ask the question ‘what’ or ‘how’ you can only ask  - who can I speak to? 
• Currently, you have to learn the tool first and then use it with the team. 

• The team has to be able to self-service the data and deal with its environment and the individuals. 
• To start you can identify the number of teams you have and what types of teams you have within your organisation then look at the environment. 
• If you are at a point where you are moving teams you can look at a different way of evaluation, one that empowers people. 
• Find out what you need your teams to be able to do and the environment they need to do it in. What environments need to be created so that teams can be effective. 
• Start from a place of knowing not a place of assumption. 

• What teams are currently using as tools are far too slow we have the technology, the people, the knowledge and the science its now about creating the tool that  works in real-time helps us learn on the go  providing the information that indicates progress is in the right direction. People are then in a position to make decisions and performance  becomes a by-product because the team are energised 
• If people are coming in happy and leaving happy it’s an indicator of positive team energy. 

BEST MOMENTS 

‘The answer are everywhere else but in your own industry’ 

‘It’s making the world your classroom’ 

‘As a team lead, I wanted help to be able to practically support my teams’ 

VALUABLE RESOURCES 

The Learning & Development Podcast 

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Imran Rehman Bio 

Imran Rehman is an organisation and performance specialist, with an expertise in measuring and developing high performance. 

Based in Vienna, Imran is a leadership coach as well as co-founder of Kokoro, an intuitive app to measure emotions in teams, in real-time. 

CONTACT METHOD 

You can follow and connect with Imran via: 

Twitter: @ImsRehman 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imranrehman/ 

Website: https://bekokoro.com/ 

ABOUT THE HOST 

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board. 

CONTACT METHOD 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning?lang=en 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 

Website: https://www.looop.co/ 

Skills-based learning is the response to the skills gaps and skills shortages being experienced across organisations, industries, and even entire economies. But how do we ensure that we achieve this, and that skills-based learning isn’t just another fad that departs as swiftly as it emerged without achieving what it’s intended to? In this episode, James Griffin talks about how L&D can step up, upskill, and deliver on the much-heralded promise of skills-based learning.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• L&D as a function needs to be brave and make the change. Skills-based learning is the opportunity to lead the way and make a difference.
• The use of skills data leads to L&D being far more effective.
• You can only measure business impact when you fully understand the problem you are addressing.
• Getting yourself organized around skills is more dynamic. 
• Assess people for the work they are doing.
• Being able to build fast and edit regularly keeps the training relevant.
• Skills need to be identified and described using natural, easily understood language.
• Proficiency levels need to be measurable. AI can play a role in this task.
• AI will help us to bridge the gaps. However, each solution needs to be rigorously evaluated.
• Not all businesses are equipped to go down the skills-based learning route. James explains how to get them ready.
• People are an asset; we need to measure their performance and learning and development ROI.

BEST MOMENTS

'The ability for them to be more efficient in the work that they do is now real.'

'Go to the people that do advocate for skills…. go where there is the appetite.'

'Skills are not the end game….increase performance and productivity are.'

James Griffin Bio

James is customer-focused executive, with in-depth consulting experience in enterprise SaaS innovations across the Skills & Talent spectrum.

Over the last 5+ years, James has spent a huge amount of time consulting with the largest enterprises on the planet on how to reimagine their talent transformation strategies and how to get started with skills.

You can follow and contact James via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesthegriff/

Website: https://skillcollective.co.uk/

SkillsGPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-bE1ZPceUl-skillsgpt

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

As remote and hybrid work redefine the modern workplace, leadership must evolve to meet new challenges and opportunities. In this episode, Wayne Turmel, co-author of The Long-Distance Leader: Revised Rules for Remarkable Remote and Hybrid Leadership, shares invaluable insights on leading in this new era.

Wayne explores how leadership has fundamentally changed, the unique challenges of asynchronous and hybrid environments, and what leaders can do to foster strong team cultures and productive collaboration. Packed with actionable advice, this conversation offers a roadmap for leaders and organizations navigating the complexities of remote and hybrid work.

See the full agenda for L&D Next, which runs from March 3rd to 6th and register for free today at https://360learning.com/l-and-d-next/2025/

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• For many, leading long-distance is the new norm. Despite pushback, remote and hybrid working is here to stay.
• We need to move from monitoring activity to monitoring output.
• Get back to first principles.
• Some types of work are best done remotely, while other tasks are better done in the office.
• Build a strong culture – ensure remote workers work collaboratively and network internally. 
• Have good one to one conversations with remote workers and don’t leave them out of group discussions. 
• Remote workers need to actively demonstrate their value and seek out training and development opportunities.

BEST MOMENTS

“We are in the middle of the most seismic workplace change since the 1920s and 30s.”

“What we do as leaders hasn't radically changed. How we do it has.”

“Micromanagement never worked great, and it's actually impossible to do in the modern workplace.”

“We need to move from monitoring activity to monitoring output.”

Wayne Turmel

Wayne Turmel is the co-author of The Long-Distance Leader and a recognized authority on leadership in remote and hybrid work environments. As co-founder of the Remote Leadership Institute, Wayne has dedicated his career to equipping leaders with the skills and strategies needed to thrive in distributed workplaces.

With decades of experience in communication and leadership training, he has written multiple books on leadership, team collaboration, and professional development. Wayne is a sought-after speaker and podcast host, known for his practical advice and engaging storytelling that resonates with leaders across industries.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/wayneturmel

Book and special offers: https://longdistanceworklife.com/long-distance-leader

Kevin Eikenberry Group https://kevineikenberry.com

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Maturity Model: https://360learning.com/maturity-model/

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
• L&D Maturity Model: https://360learning.com/maturity-model/
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home

According to Bob Mosher, Workflow Learning is "learning that occurs while I do my job" - not when I stop work to engage in learning content like when we attend a course, complete e-learning, log into a webinar or other ‘learning activity’. It’s performance-focused and is measured in terms of its ability to deliver results. 

This conversation unpacks this, along with the 5 Moments of Need framework, and is a fascinating exploration of L&D practice that makes real difference.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The danger of “training” is that there’s so much baggage in terms of what that word means, and what it has meant in the past.

• The Five Moments Of Need are:
  • New
  • More
  • Change
  • Solve
  • Apply

• Designing for the moment of apply is hugely different from the current approach of content-driven learning. It’s equal to the question of “are we learning to swim, or are we learning not to drown?”

• Happiness in learning does not always equate to a leap in performance. As trainers and developers, we need to remember that. 

• We must make sure that we understand that failures in the classroom is a legacy problem. It has become overburdened, and is not good at the main purpose for which it has been designed. 

• When you are done with your deliverables, and you look back on the effect that it has had on the workforce, if they have not enabled learners to perform effectively on their own in the workflow, it has failed, because transfer and sustain did not happen.

• Performance support needs to be re-evaluated by the industry as a whole. It is a discipline, it’s not a thing.

• If you want to shift to performance first, but you build training first, you will never have time to build performance assets.

• We need to orchestrate the asset appropriately, not just for the thing it solves, but the way in which it solves it.

• Workflow learning is consumed while doing the work, guiding learners along so that ultimately they perform while learning. By far, the most effective form of learning Bob has seen is trial and error.

BEST MOMENTS

• ‘We’ve got to get out of the training business’
• ‘I am a performance architect’
• ’The sweet spot of learning and development is the moment of apply’
• ‘What is the deep end like for a learner?’
• ‘Carpentry is not a hammer. Surgery is not a scalpel'

ABOUT THE GUEST

Bob Mosher is a genuine Thought-Leader in L&D and Chief Learning Evangelist, at The 5 Moments of Need™, an organisation that specialises in helping learning professionals design, develop, and measure effective learning and performance support through the 5 Moments design methodology.

Bob has been an active and influential leader in the learning and training industry for over 30 years and is renowned worldwide for his pioneering role in new approaches to learning.

You can follow and connect with Bob via:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bmosh

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmosher/

Website: https://www.5momentsofneed.com/

Performance Matters Podcast: https://performancematters.podbean.com/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/

Website: https://www.looop.co/

With a low barrier to entry, everyone fancies themselves a learning designer. How hard can it be? In this episode, Greg Arthur shares his approach to creating engaging and impactful learning experiences, honed over his years of working in L&D teams at highly successful, world-renowned companies.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Because you are dealing with people, every business is different, even those operating in the same industry.
• Ask the 2 basic questions to cut through the noise – What is happening right now? How do you want to change it?
• Understand who you are talking to and why they will care and listen to you.
• Ask yourself if I were to put this out a real-life product, would I buy it?
• The medium you use to provide the learning must be right for the person.
• Make sure you do the work upfront and solve the problem, even if it takes a little longer.
• Try different things while the problem is small.

BEST MOMENTS

'Some teams, learning teams, regardless of industry are just better than others.'

'You don´t move ahead until you are ready to move ahead. You don´t bring in the wrong people at the wrong time.'

'Basically, it´s like Lego for learning design.'

'This is changing a whole department's attitude to learning design.'

Greg Arthur Bio

Greg Arthur is a learning professional with experience of designing learning and leading teams at blue-chip brands such as BP, ASOS, HSBC and Philip Morris. Greg has devised the Learning Experience Design Log Book, and his own design studio (Two Circles) that catalogues his approach and guides followers to develop impactful and engaging learning experiences themselves.

You can follow and contact Greg via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-arthur-flpi-736b288/

Website: https://www.twocirclesstudio.com/

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Fully established in other fields, Product Management is finding its way into L&D. As an emerging discipline in L&D, Product Management is growing in prominence due to its focus on delivering demonstrable, meaningful results. 

Anne-Marie Burbidge has been applying the principles of PM to her L&D and as a successful Head of L&D has recruited for Product Managers. So what is it? How is it different? And is it better than traditional approaches at reaching desired outcomes? Find out in this episode.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The training or resource you provide is your product.
• Taking a product approach to L&D, changes your mindset.
• The product management approach to L&D mirrors the way businesses work when serving external customers.
• Speak to your customers, and understand what their pain points are.
• Often, the questions people have that need answering first are incredibly basic e.g. how do I sign-on.
• Start fresh with each problem. Don´t rule any solution in or out.
• Recognise that transitions and change generate new questions and needs.
• If you have a backlog, tackle the issues that solve a problem for as many people as possible.
• Being through with your research and measuring the impact will slow you down initially. But over the long term, it will actually speed things up.
• Make sure that the resource is available at the point of need and can be used to easily find the answer to very specific questions.
• It’sts not about the input, it is about the output.

BEST MOMENTS

'The product way of working is a mindset around how you do what you do.'

'A lot of the challenges occur at transition points…starting a new role, changes to the business.'

'Demonstrate to the business that you understand the problem. '

'Once you know what the problem is, you can be laser-focused on solving that.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/

EPISODE RESOURCES

You can connect with Anne-Marie via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-marieburbidge/

ABOUT THE GUEST

Anne-Marie is a Head of Learning & Development drawing on 15 years experience of running L&D teams. Anne-Marie is keenly interested in Agile principles and understanding how data can help us, using a range of tools and approaches to understand what's really going in order to grow capability and confidence effectively.

Anne-Marie is a Head of Learning & Development drawing on 15 years experience of running L&D teams. Anne-Marie is keenly interested in Agile principles and understanding how data can help us, using a range of tools and approaches to understand what's really going in order to grow capability and confidence effectively

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/

The aim of this series is to highlight the important shift that some L&D leaders and practitioners have made in order to more predictably and reliably affect individual and organisational performance, achieving much more as a consequence. 

For the third episode, Guy Wallace and I speak with Anne-Marie Burbidge, Head of Learning & Development at Utility Warehouse (a UK-based multiservice utility provider) who draws on 15 years experience of running L&D teams. Anne-Marie is keenly interested in Agile principles and understanding how data can help us, using a range of tools and approaches to understand what's really going on in order to grow capability and confidence effectively.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Often, training is only a part of the solution. It will not work if issues with the underlying processes are not addressed.
• Ask what good looks like. How will the improvement be measured? The more clearly this is defined the more targeted and effective the training will be.
• If you don´t think training is the answer, don´t be afraid to say so.
• Position yourself as a partner, as an enabler, within the organization.
• Don´t wait for the perfect situation before pivoting.
• Start small. Those little wins add up, build trust and ultimately lead to big changes.
• Find the keen bean in the organization, they will be a great early adopter.
• Build your internal network.
• Talk to users, people at all levels, and from all areas of the business. The more you do the more your understanding grows.
• Approach all of your conversations wearing opportunity goggles. Always be on the lookout for ways to improve things for the business. Don´t wait to be asked.
• Look at things holistically.
• When you find a solution to a problem, ask where else in the organization that problem exists, so the solution can be used there too. This is an important aspect of product management.
• Short videos are a great way to share those little bits of knowledge that smooth things out.
• When you do not fully understand the problem there are always unintended consequences.
• Identify what is being produced and measure that. Ask how can you tell good from bad results?

BEST MOMENTS

'People can only perform to a level that the environment around them allows.'

'Understanding what the real problem is, leads you a fair way towards the solution.'

'When someone comes to you and says I need training, don´t hear training, hear help.'

'Pilot, test, experiment, and scale-up.'

'Good L and D is quite stealthlike in many respects, but you are also well networked.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• Website: https://www.looop.co/
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/

As the last episode of 2020, we pause for reflection, summarise some of the learning from 26 episodes so far and look forward to next year.

The first episode of 2021 will be released on 5th January.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Many priorities from the world of 2019 were put aside in the wake of the COVID pandemic. It has forced us to re-evaluate what's important, and how we work in the world of today.
• Emerging trends have had a chance to shine in the new working landscape, including agile, experimentation and digital resources.
• Things have accelerated almost ten years in the space of a mere few months. Expectations of L&D have allowed us to modernise solutions at a never before seen pace.

BEST MOMENTS

'We talked through the opportunities for L&D as organisations needed to adapt - and fast'

'We're moving fast to address the emerging needs of employees'

'L&D should become more proficient in its use of data'

VALUABLE RESOURC ES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

The aim of this series is to highlight the important shift that some L&D leaders and practitioners have made in order to more predictably and reliably affect individual and organisational performance, achieving much more as a consequence. 

For the second episode, Guy Wallace and I speak with Sebastian Tindall, Head of Learning & Development at Vitality. Sebastian has also held strategic roles in Santander Bank and The Co-Operative Bank. Over recent years his work with global L&D functions in South Africa, India, and the USA have catalysed his passion for creating a diverse range of innovative high-impact learning solutions.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• You need more than training in your arsenal to solve an organization's problems.
• A resource that improves performance could be anything, for example, a tool or a system tweak.
• Ask what people need to do to get it right every single time. This approach identifies impossible or inefficient processes.
• Training should not be the go-to. Processes should be so simple and intuitive that training is not necessary.
• People should not be over-trained and boxed in. The aim is to make them intuitive, flexible, and agile.
• The initial conversation should always be about the business performance issue. Ask managers to explain exactly why they want the training.
• Sebastian´s team typically turns a project around in 7 days.
• Taking a lego block approach enables any team member to pick up and work on any stage of any project, which greatly reduces delays.
• Analyze how people use your systems to make sure they can find information fast.
• Sharing good results provides you with instant permission to change and improve things even more.
• Managers need to see the training and to have more access to L&D while their teams are being retrained, so they do not get blind-sided.

BEST MOMENTS

'I don´t have a training bias, I have a performance bias.'

'Typical turnaround for a project for us is 7 working days. We are built for speed. '

'Our definition of performance is the ability to complete a task correctly, every time. '

'Flip it and ask what will support them in their role'.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

This is the first in the ‘L&D’s Pivot To Performance’ series, in which David James and Guy Wallace speak with Dr. Kenneth Yates about Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA). 

The aim of this series is to highlight the important shift that some L&D leaders and practitioners have made in order to more predictably and reliably affect individual and organisational performance, achieving much more as a consequence. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• L&D needs to pivot from being learning-focused to being performance-focused.
• In the modern workplace, most tasks involve decision-making. How those decisions are to be made is hard to capture and turn into meaningful training.
• Experts omit up to 70% of the critical information when describing what they do.
• Using the CTA approach to conduct interviews with 3 or 4 experts fills in much of the missing information.
• Knowledge, motivational, cultural, and organisational factors all influence human performance in the workplace.
• Identifying the actual problem you are trying to address is essential. Yet, frequently this step is rushed.
• Asking if a problem was solved what would be achieved focuses everyone´s attention and motivates them.
• Dr. Yates uses gap analysis to diagnose problems. He explains why and how in the podcast.
• The gap analysis framework can be used for problem centred issues and to improve processes.
• Culture influences our performance and how we learn. As well as the language that needs to be used.
• The Human Performance Framework can be done surprisingly quickly when people buy into the process.
• Conducting CTA is time-consuming, but because it is highly effective you get good ROI.

BEST MOMENTS

'Experts actually omit up to 70% of the critical information the novice needs.'

'When we find a procedural gap in human performance we need to conduct CTA.'

'Ask – if this problem were solved, what goal would be achieved.'

'Motivation accounts for up to 40 and 50% variance when it comes to learning achievement.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

SUPPORTING RESOURCES

Clark, R. E., Pugh, C. M., Yates, K.A., Inaba, K., Green, D., & Sullivan, M. (2012) The use of cognitive task analysis to improve instructional descriptions of procedures.  Journal for Surgical Research. https://hpttreasures.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/journal-for-surgical-research-clark-sullivanedit.pdf

Clark, R.E., Feldon, D., & Yates, K. (2011, April) Using Cognitive Task Analysis to capture expert knowledge and skills for research and instructional design. Workshop presented at the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA. https://hpttreasures.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/aera_cta_workshop_2011_04_11.pdf

Yates, K. A., Sullivan, M., and Clark, R. E. (2011).  Integrated studies in the use of Cognitive Task Analysis to capture surgical expertise for Central Venous Catheter Placement and Open Cricothyrotomy. American Journal of Surgery. 203(1). 76-80. https://hpttreasures.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/yates_sullivan_clark_2011_integrated-studies-on-the-use-of-cta.pdf

Sullivan, M. E., Yates, K. A., Baker, C. J., & Clark, R. E. (2010). Cognitive task analysis and its role in teaching technical skills. In Tsueda, S., Scott, D. and Jones. D. (Eds.). Textbook of Simulation, Skills and Team Training. Woodbury, CT: Cine-Med. https://hpttreasures.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/chapter-in-textbook-of-simulation-cognitive-task-analysis-and-its-role-in-teaching-technical-skills-sullivan-yates-baker-clark.pdf

ABOUT THE GUEST

Dr. Kenneth Yates Bio

Ken is a Professor of Clinical Education in the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California. He is also Co-Director of the Center for Human Applied Reasoning and IOT, a joint center of the Rossier School of Education and the Viterbi School of Engineering to combine cutting-edge cognitive science and education research with the emerging Internet of Things technologies to revolutionise personalised learning.

His research focuses on the use of Cognitive Task Analysis methods to capture the underlying knowledge and skills that experts use to solve complex problems and the design of instruction to effectively teach this expertise to others. He is also interested in how information communication technologies can be used to deliver instruction more efficiently to a wider audience.

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at Looop by 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

Organisations are facing a skills crisis, and some are more aware than others. But these organisations will find themselves let down by their L&D departments if the market-driven myths around skills development are believed. As Peter Sheppard and David James discuss in this episode, skills can only be developed if they are understood in the context in which they are to be employed. There are no silver-bullet solutions that enable companies to avoid this.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Companies and individuals see developing the right skills as a way to give themselves a competitive edge.
• Providing people with the chance to learn and enjoy career mobility improves retention.
• Maintaining up-to-date, high-quality skills data is essential. How that can be done is discussed in-depth during the episode.
• Demonstrating that the skill has been learned to a point where it can be practically applied is important. Simulations are one way to do this.
• Making it easy for people to learn, motivates them to learn even more.

BEST MOMENTS

'Skills' is the first top-down initiative that individuals have latched onto. '

'The vast majority of people in the workforce can expect to reskill during the next 8 to 10 years,'

'Create more of that daily learning. '

'Start with solving problems. '

Peter Sheppard Bio

Peter is the Global Head of L&D Ecosystems at Ericsson. He has a broad HR background in L&D, talent management, employee relations, and general HR. Working with all aspects of several businesses including sales, manufacturing, research, and development, Peter has built up great experience in "blue chip" tech companies: IBM, Philips Electronics, and now Ericsson.

VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

It’s not a case of ‘if’ but ‘when’ L&D fully jumps onboard with Data & Analytics.

This is the view of Trish Uhl, who, in this episode, explores how data has already transformed organisations, industries and consumer expectations and why L&D can no longer wait until the hype has passed. L&D is late to the party but the good news is it’s not too late. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• What few people in L&D really understand about how data can help their business practice is:
  • It’s not just about having numerate skills
  • It’s about quality, not just quantity
  • Data should be formative, not just used in retrospect
• We need to have the right perspective in order to understand the urgency moving forward. Data and analytics have existed in L&D for decades. The period we’re in now is not the “early adopter” phase, but the mainstream.
• In businesses and organisations today, we’re in the largest IT migration in the history of humankind. We’re moving from information processing to cognitive computing. Data is not just for archives anymore, but also for dynamic use that allows us to anticipate.
• In much the same way that households are now using a more data-centric environment to determine things like energy usage, businesses too, should be using data in a more immediate way to determine direction.
• People are put off by the fact that data is seen as a monolith of numeracy, when in fact the figures themselves are a small percentage of how data should be translated and used.
• The first thing we have to do is change our minds about being right. We need to be willing to be wrong. We have to be willing to test and experiment to see if we’re on the right track.
• The world is moving whether we’re on board or not. Through productivity tools, we can see the data flowing through our business, and see how effective our on-boarding strategies are. 
• It starts with an assumption or a hypothesis. Ask the question, and instead of looking to previous, perhaps outdated methods of answering it, look to how we can find creative ways to seek out the solution. 
• If we fail to adopt and create new ways of learning, then how can we hope to implement new ways of working? To avoid it, we need an adaptable learning eco-system.

BEST MOMENTS

• ‘It’s being a “citizen-data” scientist’
• ’There is no big reveal at the end’
• ’The early adopter phase is over’
• ‘It’s no longer about aspiration, it’s about expectation’
• ‘We’re putting intelligence into our households’
• ’80% is coming up with the right questions of value’
• ‘What you’re describing here isn’t the future of L&D, but the present, and we need to grab hold of’
• ’This digital disruption requires that people in enterprises adopt new ways of working'  

ABOUT THE GUEST

Trish is a globally experienced strategist and consultant leveraging data science, artificial intelligence (AI), emerging technology, analytics and evidence-based actionable insights to deliver business value. Her work sees Trish keynote speaking at conferences, teaching workshops and working directly with client leadership teams across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

You can follow and connect with Trish via:

Twitter: @trishuhl

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trishuhl/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

David & Kattie led L&D in different regions - at the same - at The Walt Disney Company and in this episode they reminisce about what it was like, some of the great opportunities they had and some of the challenges they faced. 

This is a candid conversation that will appease Disney fans - and L&D fans - alike.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• For large organisations like Disney, the approach to L&D has to be different for each business unit and its growth trajectory.
• Teaching someone something, changing them and then putting them back into an unchanged environment does not move the needle much.
• In Orlando, 18 to 20,000 people go through orientation, every year. In the podcast, Kattie explains how that is achieved.
• For Disney storytelling was an effective way to immerse new hires into the culture and get them to understand that they were playing a role in creating the guest´s stories.
• All employees need to be clear on the company´s mission and how they fit into achieving it.
• It is not enough to teach people processes, they need to be equipped to quickly make decisions on the job.
• There is no point in teaching a class using the standard corporate approach if it means that the learning objective will not be achieved.
• When a business is moving super fast, you need different techniques and smaller training blocks. Kattie shares some ways to create and deploy them.
• The best learning resources enable people to learn at the moment that they need it, or shortly thereafter.
• Flexible approaches and tools that adapt to the audience, culture and environment are best.

BEST MOMENTS

'

'It starts with the mission, the shared value.'

'When you are training masses of people keep it simple and help them to navigate their day, their job. '

'You’ve got to have tools and resources available for individuals to tap into learning in the moments they need it.'

'The means and methodology needs to be flexible enough to adapt and adjust to the audience and culture.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

EPISODE RESOURCES

You can follow and connect with Kattie via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kattie-capozza-8695b07/

Website: https://www.discoporcupine.com/

House of Apis: https://www.houseofapis.com/

ABOUT THE GUEST

Kattie Capozza

Kattie Capozza spent more than 25 years in L&D at Disney, in the Parks and Studios, and worked

in both the US and in Asia. Since leaving Disney, Kattie has led Talent and Development

for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and now runs both her own consulting and

coaching firm as well as House of Apis, which aims to inspire women and girls to realise

their superpowers for greatness in their own unique ways.

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

With global economic uncertainty and hardship, organisations are likely to be making tough decisions in 2023, and if Learning & Development departments are going to survive and succeed, they are likely to be challenged to achieve more with fewer resources. In this episode, David explores his experience of leading L&D at Disney during the post-2008 banking crisis and shares lessons on how he rose to the challenge of achieving more with less.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Whenever there is a recession, it is normally the L&D and marketing departments that are cut.
• Becoming more visible is an important part of ensuring the organisation appreciates the value of L&D.
• The fact that employment rates in the UK are high means that developing people is going to be important for businesses. L&D is not a perk, it is essential.
• L&D must stop leaning on generic online content that is not effective. If they don´t they will fail, and the department will be slimmed down.
• Focus on addressing issues that impact the organisation’s profitability and solve real problems.
• Technology is expensive, it must be a solution that is designed to solve the actual business problems your organisation has.

BEST MOMENTS

'My stock internally rose because I grasped the nettle, and I knew what needed to be done.'

' Help stakeholders to address critical points of failure in their operation, what's not working, what's costing them opportunity? what's costing them good people?'

'Any good digital product needs to work with a notepad and a pen first, if you can't make it work with a notepad and a pen, it's not gonna work with a website. '

'If you're laser-focused on solving real problems, then your solutions are smaller, thinner, lighter, and more agile,

ABOUT ADAM HARWOOD

Adam Harwood Bio

Adam is Associate Director of Talent & Culture at Genomics having previously led L&D at luxury hospitality brand D&D and challenger bank Revolut. Adam has also worked in the L&D departments at ASOS and Ted Baker.

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Since it’s rise to prominence, e-Learning has promised so much and often failed to deliver. Is this the fault of the medium or the fault of L&D? 

This episode explores the evolution of technology-enabled learning and what it will take for L&D to truly capitalise on the potential of digital.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• L&D has had a strange relationship with technology. It has been very difficult to get the average person to engage with tech-based development, but although strides have been made, we are still not there yet.

• Technology is best at educating large numbers of people remotely, and at once. The problem is that many companies use tech to educate when they don’t want to. This generally results in an unpalatable product.

• If you don’t engage with your target audience early enough, and effectively enough, you’ll end up shaping your development in ways that may not be suitable. Remember you have two customers: the business and the learner. Each person has different requirements in terms of learning practices.

• Once we do understand the business and client needs, we need to make the learning experiences engaging, accessible and relevant.

• If you can solve real problems for people, you don’t just help them, you can disrupt entire industries. Disruption can be uncomfortable, but incredibly innovative.

BEST MOMENTS

• ‘Learning is a very human experience’
• ‘L&D has not kept up with the world, and is not delivering the experience people want’
• ‘Given the choice, people can choose bizarre and unsuitable ways of learning’
• ’The simplest things are often what people need’
• ‘We know so much more now about what makes good learning'

ABOUT THE GUEST

Clive Shepherd is a workplace learning and development specialist, with a particular interest in the application of media and technology. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Clive has headed up a corporate training function, co-founded a leading multimedia development business and operated as an independent consultant. In recent years, Clive has devoted his attention to the new role of the learning architect, the design of next generation blended learning solutions and the design of digital learning content.

You can follow and connect with Clive via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cliveshepherd/

Twitter: www.twitter.com/CliveShepherd

Blog: hhttp://www.cliveonlearning.com/

Website: https://skillsjourney.com/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

TikTok and Facebook are just two companies that consider their culture to be crucial to their success and this week’s guest, Michal Oshman, has not only worked for both but she is Head of Culture at TikTok EMEA. In this episode, we explore what culture is; why it’s important; and what Michal does at TikTok to maintain and grow theirs

When culture is at the heart of a company it is everything and being intentional with care and dedication is what makes people feel they are truly part of something, listen in and hear more

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Culture is at the core of the company, it’s about values, behaviours, branding, diversity, inclusion and meaningful moments
• The founders of Tiktok think about culture as a product and give it the same amount of attention
• With a product mindset, you take greater accountability  making sure your  results change things
• You can measure culture by the amount of engagement
• People want to feel they are part of something and that they matter, that is culture
• The role of learning and development is translating business into behaviours  
• Culture doesn’t live within one individual it's connected to community and being together
• We want our company to be a safe creative place where people can share their narrative
• You need to understand what  people need from the culture of the company
• The L&D team needs to be able to build and have the honest conversations that mean companies can have a positive culture
• Culture is everything, how we compensate, how we promote, how we have a career conversation, how we get feedback
• Culture is hard to define but you know when it’s there and anyone working on culture needs to be curious and willing to learn because it’s a very personal experience

BEST MOMENTS

‘I love the idea that our space is where people can share their content and creativity’

‘When leaders think about things in a different way they open up’

‘Culture is not static it's ever-changing’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

EPISODE RESOURCES

You can follow and connect with Michal via:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@michaloshman?lang=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michalho/

ABOUT THE GUEST

Michal Oshman

Michal Oshman is Head of Company Culture, Diversity & Inclusion and Employer Branding at TikTok EMEA and formerly responsible for international leadership and team development at Facebook. Throughout her career, Michal has trained and coached hundreds of tech leaders. She has three university degrees in psychodynamic and systemic thinking, sociology and anthropology. Michal is also published author of the book What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?: Discover A Life Filled With Purpose And Joy Through The Secrets Of Jewish Wisdom.

CONTACT METHOD

You can follow and connect with Michal via:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@michaloshman?lang=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michalho/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board. 

CONTACT METHOD 

•   Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
•   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
•   Website: https://www.looop.co/

As organisations face disruption from digital advancements, a parallel skills shortage is being experienced in the labour market. In the face of these two challenges, Learning & Development teams are seeking ways to make a predictable and reliable impact on developing their people. In this episode, we explore what Aviva is doing to upskill and re-skill in digital skills to ensure the company thrives in the future.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

•  All 22,000 colleagues at Aviva have access to learning, so they can perform at their best and develop their careers.
• Take a collaborative approach, consult the experts in your business and understand what your learners want to achieve.
• Start small to learn what works for your organisation. Initially, focus on a few roles.
• Take a multi-prong approach, provide the learning in a range of formats. Once you have identified what works best you can potentially dispense with some programmes.
• Some people are resistant to being educated about digital tools. One-hour immersion sessions are a good way to ignite interest and overcome this reticence.
• Make sure that those who engage in the learning process can actually progress in their careers.

BEST MOMENTS
'Learning for the future is where we're really focused right now. '
'Our digital boot camps are split into two different sectors – software engineering and product.'
'Start with a handful of roles, '

ABOUT THE GUEST
Sarah Allen Bio
Sarah is Head of Learning at Aviva and previously Head of Learning, Talent & Leadership for AXA UK, having risen through the ranks of the L&D team at AXA Investment Managers.
You can follow and connect with Sarah via:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahnelsonallen/

Molly Howes Bio
Molly is Foundry Project Lead at Aviva having joined the company in 2015 and transitioned into roles including Team Leader and Digital Product Owner. The Aviva Foundry is a learning community, developing the knowledge and skills Aviva needs to succeed in an increasingly digitised world.
You can follow and connect with Molly via:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-howes-3a76a71b2/details/experience/

EPISODE RESOURCES
UK Skill Gap Report - https://industrialstrategycouncil.org/sites/default/files/attachments/Rising%20to%20the%20UK%27s%20skills%20challenges.pdf
https://decoded.com/

VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST
David James 
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

The consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have been dramatic and far-reaching. Many organisations and even industries have faced existential threats. But the situation has also provided L&D with huge opportunities. In this episode Robb Sayers explains how these opportunities have presented themselves to him and how he sees L&D progressing from here. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Lockdown has allowed certain activities in development to be brought forward, with the aim of increasing engagement, and investment in skills and capabilities.
• People aren’t always interested in how they learn. They simply want to learn. By improving their skills, they make their jobs easier and more intuitive. 
• It is our role in L&D, to look at the landscape as we return, and do our best to provide disruptive thinking. We must talk about the things that we do not wish to return to.
• Fundamentally, onboarding should be condensed to two objectives: 
  • To help someone feel as though they’re welcome and that they have joined the right organisation
  • To help that person achieve efficiency in their role at speed
• The biggest learning we’ve all taken from 2020 is that the world can change in an instant. We will walk forward from this period with a greater ability to be ready for change.

BEST MOMENTS

‘We learn most when we’re muddling along’

‘If you change the context in which people operate, everything else changes’

‘People want the stuff that’s going to help them when they need it’

’The world around us has changed, and therefore you have to adapt'

VALUABLE RESOURC ES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE GUEST

Robb is UK Capability Lead for Viiv Healthcare, having held various People Development roles at GlaxoSmithKline, including the position of Director of Learning Capabilities.

You can follow and connect with Robb via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robb-sayers-1b896225/

 ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

Whether L&D are advising others’ on their careers or we’re navigating our own, it’s useful to acknowledge how careers are changing and how societal shifts mean we need to shift our approaches to progressing our careers. In this episode, we explore current thinking and practice for post-COVID times.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The COVID situation has demonstrated the importance of being ready for change and challenges.
• Everyone needs to become a continuous learner and embrace the growth mindset, so they can quickly adapt.
• There is no such thing as failure. Regardless of what happens, you are still learning.
• The job market is constantly evolving, so you must too.
• People love helping friends, so there is no need to try to do everything on your own.
• Work out what you like and what you are good at. Create a vision for yourself.
• As you go through life your why will change. Recognise this and adjust your goals to accommodate that fact, a lot of people forget to do that.
• Build your personal brand (reputation). In a gig economy, this is especially important.
• Understand that everything happens for you, not to you. In the podcast, Andy explains what that means and how it radically improves your mindset.
• The opportunities we have now are amazing. The fact you can work anywhere opens up all kinds of possibilities.
• You’ve got to be the one to take the initiative and act.

BEST MOMENTS

'We can all do things to prepare ourselves for major challenges and opportunities.'

'Invest time in learning, growing, networking and connecting with others.'

'When we focus on gratitude, we choose to be happy.'

'There is no better time to truly take ownership of your career than right now. The opportunities are amazing.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

EPISODE RESOURCES

You can follow and connect with Andy via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystorch/

Website: https://andystorch.com/

Twitter: @AndyStorch

Own Your Career, Own Your Life Book: https://ownyourcareerownyourlife.com/

Podcasts: https://andystorch.com/podcast/

ABOUT THE GUEST

Andy Storch Bio

Andy Storch is a Consultant, Coach, Author, and Speaker. He is the host of two podcasts including The Talent Development Hot Seat and the Own Your Career Own Your Life Podcast as well as the author of the book, Own Your Career Own Your Life. Andy is also the founder and host of the Talent Development Think Tank conference and community.

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

• What do 146 L&D professionals care most about?
• What are the killer stats L&D should know about right now?
• Is ‘learning content’ really necessary?
• What questions will be pulled from the cuddly toy’s posterior?

Find out the answers to all these questions and more in this very special live edition of The Learning & Development Podcast with guests Nick Shackleton-Jones and Kenny Temowo.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Understanding how to provide their organisation with greater value and impact is a big concern for L&D professionals.
• 75% of people said their work leader had more of an influence on their mental health than their life partner does.
• Experiential training for leaders enables them to better understand how their behaviour and expectations impact those who work for them.
• The fact that future generations look at work differently is having a huge impact on L&D.
• When people are offered face-to-face training, they feel invested in.
• Gamification isn´t working but simulations are.
• If you can´t see a measurable change (ROI) the chances are you should not be doing it.
• Content has to be carefully crafted to be relevant.

BEST MOMENTS

'I would make sure that we're really involving and holding accountable the leaders.'

'How do we help organizations manage stability, the sense of belonging and psychological safety that we need.'

'Content only matters to you if it's relevant somehow.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE GUESTS

Nick Shackleton-Jones Bio

Nick is a genuine thought-leader in Learning & Development, responsible for initiating shift from ‘courses to resources’ and for the affective context model of learning.

He began his professional life as a psychology lecturer and went on to lead learning functions at Siemens, BBC & BP. He’s now a consultant and author of ‘How People Learn’ (Kogan Page, May 2019) as well as winning several awards for people development strategy, innovation, and learning content, including the Learning & Performance Institute’s Award for Services to the Learning Industry, 2017.

You can follow and contact Nick via:

Twitter: @shackletonjones

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shackletonjones/

Shackleton Consulting: https://shackleton-consulting.com/

Kenny Temowo Bio

Kenny Temowo leads Talent Management and Leadership Development for Netflix UK. He’s spent almost two decades in learning and education, working as a consultant with clients such as the BBC, Vodafone, and Rolls-Royce, as well as leading in-house L&D teams.

You can follow Kenny via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennytemowo/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

When Sean Cooper took over L&D at Jet2 he was given a blank sheet of paper to redesign it but to achieve real business outcomes. By believing that he could this with digital-first, rather than classroom-first, and by adopting a data-driven and Agile approach, he transformed L&D, achieving more than he thought he could - and was recognised by the industry. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The traditional form of eLearning is not engaging. Many are simply clicking through until they reach the end with the aim of taking the test so that they can tick a box. They are not truly learning this way.
• The aim is not to create a single bank of information that is irrelevant to many users. It should be an entirely bespoke resource that fits each worker and their unique journey through business.
• Not every form of learning has to be set in stone. By making small, incremental changes, even in terms of ease-of-access, we slowly change the face of learning and development for the user.
• By solving problems that are truly important to the organisation, it becomes important to stakeholders or the individuals we are seeking to influence.

BEST MOMENTS

’eLearning: that’s not learning to me’

‘You need to employ this quickly, otherwise you’ll lose what you’ve learned today’

‘Where I’ve now seen my passion is looking at the blend; the classroom and the digital’

‘By challenging whether you need to bring people together for the delivery, you create something that is so fit for purpose'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE GUEST

Sean is Learning Demand Design & Delivery Manager at Drax Group, having previously been L&D Manager at Jet2. He is a forward-thinking, outcome-focused L&D leader who uses data, experimentation, Agile principles and digital-first solutions to affect the way the work is done and desired results. In recognition of this, he and his team at Jet2 achieved the Silver Award at the Learning Tech Awards

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

DESCRIPTION

L&D is as renowned for not knowing the impact that interventions have as the training that's delivered. For some stakeholders and organisations it’s enough to know that training took place but that’s becoming less and less the case. In this episode, Kevin brings his experience of investigating learning impact via his latest ebook: The L&D Detective Kit For Solving Impact Mysteries.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Impact is the extent to which training and learning is activating performance and business goals. The aim of the book is help L&D teams to help measure how training and learning are activating behaviour and performance.
• Before trying to solve a problem or measure the impact, we must use the impact standards in order to ascertain whether or not it was designed for impact at all. There are six questions designed to define this.
• We must seek to challenge the ingrained L&D approach, by where a set schedule for training is established, but also the expectations of stakeholders, who see development in a more analogue way, by returning to the question of “What is the business goal?”
• We must build training and learning solutions with intention, with purpose and specificity, for activating performance in business goals. It is not enough to simply reserve training time and assume that it is enough. We are better to narrowly focus on communication skills that the business has identified as critical.

BEST MOMENTS

’This is my way of giving back to the L&D community’

‘You don't want to put too much work into something and then find that it wasn’t designed for impact’

‘If all we’re talking about is providing more water-cooler moments, then we’re diminishing our value’

’The greater opportunity is when we are investing in employees in a way that helps them achieve business goals'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE GUEST

Kevin is the Learning & Development detective, solving the mystery: “What is the impact of learning?” He does this by investigating how learning activates performance and business goals. He is also author of the eBook, 𝘓&𝘋 𝘋𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, in which he shares the secrets to his success. for investigating and measuring impact. 

You can follow and connect with Kevin via:

Your free copy of The L&D Detective Kit For Solving Impact Mysteries:  https://kevinmyates.com/l%26d-detective-kit

Twitter: @KevinMYates

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinmyates/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kevmyates/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevmyates/

Website: https://kevinmyates.com/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

With a backdrop of cuts in the L&D team at ETS, Gabe needed to re-evaluate how he could achieve the aims of the function. By refocusing on problems experienced within the organisation rather than learning to provide and applying the principles of lean, powered by automation, he achieved more than many L&D teams do with bigger teams. But how did ETS do this? 

In this episode we explore what it means to run a lean, problem-driven L&D function, incorporating digital marketing principles and automation.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• CoVid forced Gabe to go from being client-focused to being problem-focused.
• Build and leverage client communities to find the expertise and input you need.
• Use people´s everyday work as a curriculum for growth. It ensures training is highly relevant and current.
• Find evergreen problems that affect the whole organisation e.g. manager development.
• Newsletters and short meetups that invite people to respond to what you are doing and share their current needs uncover problems and test your effectiveness.
• To automate processes Gabe uses Loop and MS Power Automate etc. He shares details of how in the episode.
• Be clear about what is on offer, ask tough questions to focus attention and help users to determine if that piece of training is what they need. Manage expectations.
• Drip feeding content in 10 to 15-minute bites via email, followed by a group meeting is highly effective.

BEST MOMENTS

'I had to dig into my bag of lean tactics that I had developed, over the years. We went from being client-focused to problem-focused '

'Figure out how to optimise your product and to optimise your understanding of the need in the marketplace. '

'Hitch a ride on your day job is all about carving time out for conscious reflection.'

'If you get people together and get them talking, they will likely come up with a great solution '

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/ 

Gabe Gloege Bio

Gabe is Senior Director of Learning & Organizational Development at ETC and an advocate of modern, performance-oriented approaches to people development.

You can follow and contact Gabe via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabegloege/

Twitter handle:@gabegloege

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabegloege/

LI article on Lean L&D: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-lean-ld-gabe-gloege

Description of "Hitch A Ride On Your Day Job": http://guide.cultivateme.xyz/pages/developing.html#hitch-a-ride-on-your-day-job

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/

What’s it like to lead L&D at one of the world’s most renowned and successful companies? Netflix has grown into an international powerhouse of home entertainment and is almost as famous for its people practices as its product. In this episode we lift the lid on L&D at Netflix and explore what development looks like at this aspirational and ambitious brand.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The culture informs everything Netflix does.
• Netflix takes a different approach to performance management.
• At Netflix the culture is innovation, L&D emanates from that culture.
• Ongoing feedback is a key component of Netflix culture.
• Onboarding is extensive and immerses people in all areas of the business.
• Because they have a global workforce there are some cultural differences, but the important principles are the same across the entire company.
• It is cheaper to develop and promote from within, which Netflix does a lot.
• Don’t be afraid to push the boundaries.

BEST MOMENTS
'We talk a lot in Netflix around good processes.'

'You cannot make a distinction between the technical skills or industry knowledge and culture.'

'We do a good job of codifying the culture.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE GUEST
Kenny Temowo Bio
Kenny Temowo leads Talent Management and Leadership development for Netflix UK. He’s spent almost two decades in learning and education, working as a consultant with clients such as the BBC, Vodafone, Rolls-Royce, as well as leading in-house L&D teams.

ABOUT THE HOST
David James 
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Learning & Development functions need to move beyond education if they are to fulfil their potential but what does that actually mean?

In this episode, Nick shares his Learning Maturity model and we discuss what this means practically for L&D, organisations and each stakeholder within it.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Learning Maturity is Person-Centred Design.
• Audience interest is critical. You need to address the things they care about in ways that transform.
• Emotion plays a vital role in learning.
• People prefer face-to-face to e-learning.
• Being better and faster at their job is the No. 1 thing people want.
• Training should help people to develop not just perform better. People stay if they feel valued and included.
• L&D needs to facilitate and increase the availability of learning experiences that are already being used within an organisation.
• Hybrid learning is different from blended learning. How is explained in the podcast.
• Often managers are there for the rain dance and they don´t care if it rains.

BEST MOMENTS

'L&D is still largely set in an education mindset.'

'Understand what matters to your audience. That´s going to determine what they remember, It´s your key lever.'

'When the word learning is included in the communication, people are around 25% less likely to engage with it.'

'They were there for the rain dance, and they didn´t really care if it rains or not.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

ABOUT THE GUEST

Nick Shackleton-Jones Bio

Nick is a genuine thought-leader in Learning & Development, responsible for initiating the shift from ‘courses to resources’ and for the affective context model of learning.

He began his professional life as a psychology lecturer and went on to lead learning functions at Siemens, BBC & BP. He’s now a consultant and author of ‘How People Learn’ (Kogan Page, May 2019) as well as being the winner of several awards for people development strategy, innovation, and learning content, including the Learning & Performance Institute’s Award for Services to the Learning Industry, 2017.

You can follow and contact Nick via:

Twitter: @shackletonjones

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shackletonjones/

Shackleton Consulting: https://shackleton-consulting.com/

CONTACT METHOD FOR DAVID JAMES

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/

Transitioning to a senior leadership position can be hugely challenging as experienced managers enter unchartered terrain. Without understanding quite what to expect, professionals are thrust into the most challenging of circumstances and many of them will fail. 

In this episode, insight is shed onto this transition, with stories, tips and advice from one of the world’s most renowned CLO’s.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• We must recognise that the building blocks of any successful learning begins with being great business colleagues and partners. A more product-centric approach weakens the strategy.
• Delivering learning well is of primary focus. We must also consider the potential impact of this learning, and then tell this story in way that demonstrates value.
• We must consider capability building so that we can source initiatives, externally or internally, in order to meet the needs of the business.
• Saying yes to any request has almost been seen as validation by learning professionals. But we should never be afraid to say no. We must make each decision meaningfully, and for the good of the business. If we recognise that it is not, we must not compromise.

BEST MOMENTS

’The focus starts always with the business’

‘Don’t be afraid to say no’

‘First and foremost we must always be aligned to the business’

‘Being agile is at the core of our being able to grow our business for the future'

VALUABLE RESOURC ES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE GUEST

Kimo Kippen is a thought leader, speaker and advocate for life-long learning and talent development. A native of Hawaii, Kimo was Chief Learning Officer at Hilton, recognised by CLO Magazine as Chief Learning Officer of the year - 2015, and former VP of HR at Marriott International.

You can follow and connect with Kimo via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimokippen/

Website: https://www.alohalearningadvisors.com/

Email: aloha@pobox.com

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

Workflow Learning, Learning In The Flow of Work, or Learning at the Point Of Work? However we wish to call it, guidance and support at the moment they need it is a sure fire way of gaining engagement in L&D solutions and, more importantly, helping people do more of the right things in order to get results. In this episode, Conrad Gottfredson, a true pioneer in this field, shares his insights and experience of this methodology and approach.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Workflow learning environments

1 Experience acceleration model

The real environment for learning is the workflow and real learning happens when people apply what they have learnt in the workflow.

The greatest skill an employee can have is adaptiveness, Its about the transition from formal learning and the reach into the workplace.

2 Flow of work

People learn exclusively in the flow of work, this is where we build a digital culture

This enables individuals to initiate their learning in the flow of work

3 Gear

G – gather online to learn

E – expand understanding

A – apply what you have learnt

R – report back and receive feedback

When we build a workforce solution we draw on all 3 of the models.

It is around creating an environment where it is seen as a complete solution. You are with them when they need guidance and support the most.

The discipline of performance support

This is about understanding that when you build an infrastructure that supports people I the flow of work that carries with it the ability to gather data about how they are doing

This has opened up our ability to truly measure impact in every way possible

If you provide people with what they need when they need it then engagement is the least of your problems.

Having performance support infrastructure enables a move towards workflow learning and also supports more formal learning

At the heart of the skill set is being able to map the moment of apply, as it occurs in the flow of work.

We focus on the point of apply at the work flow level.

Once you have a map and you know what it is you need people to do then you can orchestrate the tasks to fit.

BEST MOMENTS

‘You are missing the tools that are needed to measure’

‘Organisations waste a lot of time searching for the right tools and resources to do the job’

‘Half of what is done formally could be pushed into workflow learning.

‘You have to know how to design a solution that encompasses all 5 moments of need’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning & Development Podcast 

ABOUT THE GUEST

Conrad Gottfredson


Conrad Gottfredson has more than 30 years of experience in the field of Learning & Development and holds a PhD in Instructional Psychology and Technology. His consulting work has helped governments, non-profits, and multi-national organisations wisely employ emerging technologies and methodologies to help people achieve personal and organisational goals. Conrad has pioneered methodologies (The 5 Moments of Need) for developing and delivering Workflow Learning to those who need it, when they need it, in the language and form they require. 

CONTACT DETAILS 


You can follow and connect with Conrad via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conrad-gottfredson-84149255/

Website: https://www.applysynergies.com/

The 5 Moments of Need (including White Paper): https://www.5momentsofneed.com/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning?lang=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/

Website: https://www.looop.co/

We kick off our mini-series on Measuring Impact with Kevin answering questions about how we plan to make a measurable difference rather than leaving it to chance or trying to retrospectively seek value once we’ve delivered an agreed - if not largely hopeful - solution.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

•  Start with the end in mind. Intentionally align to the performance requirements that help organisations achieve goals,
• Don´t measure too many things.
• One person in the team needs to be assigned to focus on measuring impact.
• Measuring impact means measuring performance, how effectively people are working, and how that affects business outcomes. Several examples are shared during the episode.
• There will be times when you cannot measure the impact.
• Go in with a performance mindset, not just an L&D one.
• Be realistic about what can be achieved and measured.

BEST MOMENTS
'If your first discussion with business partners and stakeholders is about training, it's more than likely that you are headed in the wrong direction for alignment. '
'In essence, you're then seeing yourself as a performance consultant first, and an l&d practitioner second,'
'When I talk about performance, I'm talking about skills, capability, talent, behaviour, and actions. '
'Training and learning will not do it alone. '

Kevin M.Yates Bio
Kevin is the Learning & Development detective, solving the mystery: “What is the impact of learning?” He does this by investigating how learning activates performance and business goals. He is also author of the eBook, 𝘓&𝘋 𝘋𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, in which he shares the secrets to his success. for investigating and measuring impact.
You can follow and connect with Kevin via:
Twitter: @KevinMYates
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinmyates/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kevmyates/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevmyates/
Website: https://kevinmyates.com/

VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST
David James 
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

The market for off-the-shelf content and programmes for the L&D profession is huge. This is despite it equating to next to no demonstrable return on investment. It’s seductive to think we can plug in a ready-made ‘solution’ but what does it really solve? And is our dependency on it going to be our downfall?

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The purpose of L&D has to be to make it easier for people to do their jobs. Anything that does not contribute to this is usually just a tick-box exercise.
• What is provided needs to create meaningful behaviour change. In most cases, a standardised training course doesn’t do that.
• If people are sent on mind-numbing courses, they tend to assume it is all going to be rubbish and just switch off to all of it.
• The examples used must be relevant to what each department does. A one size fits all approach does not work.
• Only 29% of people think that the online learning they have completed has been effective.
• Off-the-shelf training can be useful, but only in limited circumstances, Stewart provides some examples in the podcast.
• Asking people what is stopping them from doing their job is an effective way to identify training needs.

BEST MOMENTS

'Until we understand the reason for poor performance, you can't really move the needle on it. '

' I do think there is a reluctance to dig deep, we kind of fear what we might find sometimes, I think all organisations are guilty of that.'

'Unless there's a way to relate the material to someone's world, there's always going to be a mess, '

'There is such an over-reliance on solutions that don't understand the problem. '

ABOUT STEWART EVERSON

Stewart Everson Bio

As manager of the National Bank Independent Network learning team, Stewart is responsible for driving the digital adoption of the company’s technology and ensuring employees have access to skills training and development opportunities, to grow their careers.

EPISODE RESOURCES

Nigel Paine’s work and resources - https://www.nigelpaine.com/

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Since Shannon first appeared on the podcast in 2021, podcasting has grown exponentially into a mainstream channel for organisations and individuals. However, despite this growth, it is still a marginal tool in corporate learning and not fully embraced for its potential to make culture accessible and make exclusive conversations open for employees to hear. In this episode we address some of the challenges organisations face - and overcome - to make podcasting work for them.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

•  There are about 5 million podcasts out there. 
•  Over 460 million people regularly listen to one.
• Studies show that people absorb what they hear through audio.
• There is enormous potential for L&D teams to use podcasts in-house to help people learn from others and understand the diverse opportunities on offer in their organisation.
• Mapping out episodes in advance helps to keep things flowing in the right direction. Record at least 6 before you launch.
• The technical side of recording podcasts is not complicated, and it is not expensive.
• Sharing more about what is going on behind important decisions via internal podcasts improves transparency.
• Podcasts are evergreen but can also be recorded and sent out within an hour to address urgent issues.
• You need to know your audience and promote your podcast.

BEST MOMENTS
'Podcasts have the unique ability to allow the listener to multitask. '
'At its very essence, it is learning from colleagues.'
'Understand your internal audience. '

Shannon Martin Bio
Shannon is a podcast and communications specialist working with podcasters and organisations to share their message and make the best possible impact. Shannon has worked with creators of all types and sizes in creating and growing their podcasts. This experience has led to helping companies/brands develop the best possible podcasts for their goals, both for external and internal audiences. Having worked on the platform side at Podbean Shannon is now in production, strategy, and growth with Lower Street.
You can follow and connect with Shannon via:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonmartinwrites/

VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST
David James 
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.

CONTACT METHOD 
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

"L&D is fast becoming more than just a support function, one that is a strategic partner to the effective operation of any business”: this is a phrase Jeremy McLellan uses in his LInkedIn bio and a great description of the value he brings to his employers. 

In this episode, we talk about how Jeremy has evolved his own practice, how he has brought his organisations along with him and achieved real business results.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The paradigm shift in technology and its everyday applications has driven change in the way we consume education. The result is that we have adapted our own behaviours to suit this, but business training and development hasn’t yet caught up.

• Expectations from our stakeholders, organisations and bosses, are that we run programs based on requests. Jeremy has begun to solve this by blogging, opening discussions and holding conversations. Communication is key.

• An effective tool was to role-play the candidate experience with staff members, everything from arriving at the office to the setting of each environment. It even went so far as to include calls and conversations. The feedback proved extraordinarily accurate when real candidates arrived.

• We do not tend to acknowledge the actual situations and challenges that people face in the context of their work, then a great deal of effort and credibility loses out.

• When development was certificate-based, people saw each session as little more than a step toward their goal, instead of a real and fruitful development experience. Once the certificate was earned, the experience and knowledge was sidelined.

• trust is vital between candidates and L&D. We all face resistance due to the expectations of candidate’s prior experiences. It’s best not to force something. We need to go where we’re wanted and needed, and look for the areas that are open to embracing change.

BEST MOMENTS

• ‘Business L&D needs to bridge the gap’
• ‘Googling our way through life’
• ’There were so many rituals that I thought were bonkers and unreasonable’
• ‘When you write something down it frames that thing in your own mind’
• ’To try something different in an organisation requires currency’
• ‘Resistance can be born out of miscommunication or lack of vision'

ABOUT THE GUEST

Jeremy McLellan is Head of Learning and Development Europe at Alvarez & Marsal and previously held the same title at Hudson. As a progressive L&D leader who focuses on performance and results, Jeremy challenges his teams to make the difference that makes a real difference, helping people to do what they’re trying to do better and helping his organisation to more effectively and efficiently achieve its aims.

You can follow and connect with Jeremy via:

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/jeremy-mclellan-evolving-learning-b6a12711

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

In an article of the same name, Mike Bedford commentated on a revolution that he’s seeing - and experiencing - in the Learning & Development profession, and encourages us all to get involved. 

In this episode, we discuss the revolution, which is a backlash against ineffective practice and maintaining the status quo.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Revolution is about change. In terms of an L&D revolution we need to change, but we also need to unite behind a common purpose. At present the L&D industry feels too fragmented, but needs to come together or risk becoming obsolete.
• Employees often misperceive L&D as the training itself, rather than the functional improvement that results in effective targeting of training needs.
• Disruption in the sector means breaking the cycle of Order - Content - Delivery. The disruption needs to come from us instead of elsewhere.
• Telling an evidence-based story, and using effective evaluation is far more valuable to L&D and to their respective parent companies, than any kind of stat sheets or numbers.
• Mike has adopted a blended approach towards L&D for his organisation. Because many of the workforce are scattered, he rules nothing out. Some development is done remotely or through e-learning, while some is done in-house. They are currently looking at the first six months of 2020 for potential direction.
• Sometimes, when the training requested by the workforce does not seem a fit, it is Mike’s job to look at the deeper reasons that have led them to ask. The questions asked and the solutions are becoming more bespoke.
• We need to stop being so entrenched in our preferred methods of delivering our craft. We need to be more fluid and embrace the entire profession.
• Ask ourselves how equipped we are to hold the right conversations and develop the solutions that will move the needle.

BEST MOMENTS

• ‘It feels to me like revolution is in the air’
• ‘We’re in the business of improving performance outcomes’
• ‘Disruption needs to come from us’
• ‘LinkedIn knows more about you than your HR department does’
• ‘People think I’m anti-training, but I’m not’
• ‘We’re changing the world one conversation at a time’
• ‘We have more things in common than we do differences'

ABOUT THE GUEST

At the time of recording, Mike was Head of Learning & Development and Wellbeing at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. He is a self-proclaimed L&D modernist and blogger.

You can follow and connect with Mike via:

Twitter: @BeddyMike

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikebedford/

Read ‘The L&D Revolution’: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ld-revolution-mike-bedford

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

In this fascinating episode, David is in conversation with Haydn Bratt founder of MINDSET and a personal leadership coach. He works to change the ways people lead so people can express their brilliance in the workplace. 

They discuss the changing face of leadership and the different drivers that impact on business today. 

The old models of leadership are no longer achieving the results businesses are striving for so what needs to be different and how can it be achieved? 

This thought-provoking discussion will benefit any Learning and Development professional listen in and learn. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

• Future leadership is about how do we equip the people in our businesses to lead into and master tomorrow. 

• The world is changing there is a lot of different drivers impacting business today. 
• The old models of leadership are no longer working or achieving the results businesses are striving for. 
• There are a group of people coming into the workplace with a completely different set of expectations. 
• There is rapid growth in technology and this is driving different ways of working. 
• Knowledge is no longer the currency it used to be and there is a change in the dynamic around how people are working together. 

• There is an emergence of the need for leadership with an emotional connection. 
• People want to feel a sense of belonging to the people around them and a connection to the leaders of the organisation. 
• There is a genuine fundamental foundational need for an alternative way to lead organisations. 
• As an L&D professional, you need to invest in yourself in the areas you are passionate about. 
• Become more of a challenger and build your ability to look beneath. 

• If you are passionate about learning and development first educate yourself about the trends and then start thinking about where your organisation is going. 
• No organisation fails from a lack of hard work we fail through a lack of quality thinking 

BEST MOMENTS 

‘One career in one organisation is gone for many’ 

‘They want to feel more than just a number in the organisation’   

‘There are a set of behaviours that have always existed in great leaders over the years and we are now seeing a greater demand for these leadership skills’ 

‘There is a fundamental shift in the power dynamic’ 

VALUABLE RESOURCES 

The Learning & Development Podcast  

Mindset Leadership website 

Haydn Bratt LinkedIn 

ABOUT THE HOST 

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board. 

CONTACT METHOD 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning?lang=en 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 

Website: https://www.looop.co/ 

Skills-based approaches to organisations, the workforce and development are gaining in prominence. This is hardly a surprise when one of the biggest problems across entire industries and economies is the growing skills gap. So a skills-based approach is aimed at meeting these problems head-on. In this episode, we explore what this all means for L&D and our stakeholders and how we get involved.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• A skills-based organization organises a lot of their work and talent structures around skills, rather than roles only.
• The idea is that focusing on skills rather than roles results in a more agile organisation.
• The most talented people want the chance to develop new skills and progress.
• Training your workforce to get the right skills mix is far less disruptive than constantly getting rid of and recruiting people.
• Generative AI has potential to help us to map out the skills we need and identify problems. But, remember garbage in garbage out, give it the right base data.
• To be effective, workplace learning has to engage both sides of the brain.
• You have to provide concrete examples of where that skill is applied. Skill development has to be contextual to be effective.

BEST MOMENTS
'It’s a fundamental challenge to our beliefs.'

'Talent seeks career progress. People go places where they can go places.'

'I like to say separating roles from souls.'

'Always talk about the activity and the skill.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Gabe Gloege Bio
Gabe is a leading voice in modern L&D and is co-founder of CultivateMe, a people development agency. He is also formerly the Senior Director of Learning & Organizational Development at ETC and an advocate of progressive, performance-oriented approaches to L&D.

You can follow and contact Gabe via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabegloege/
Gabe's Maven Course "Becoming a Skills-based Organization”: https://maven.com/cultivate-me/skills-based-org
Take A Selfie Of Your Skills: https://cultivateme.xyz/selfie/
Red Thread Research Podcast: https://redthreadresearch.com/rtr-podcast/

ABOUT THE HOST
David James 
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

The step-up into L&D leadership can often be underestimated because it’s hard to understand unless you’re doing it. Too often L&D professionals bemoan the absence of the conditions for change but this is where leadership comes in. In this episode, we discuss what it means to become a leader of an L&D function, what the new expectations are, what a leader needs to do, and how to bring people with them.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Successful L&D teaches people the skills they need to solve problems the business faces.
• L&D is about creating business solutions.
• When your L&D strategy is resisted, show true leadership. Stand your ground and negotiate for the type of L&D you know the business actually needs.
• Don´t wait for the perfect conditions to modernise. Take the lead instead.
• Establish where people are on the learning development readiness scale and tailor what you offer to that individual's needs.
• Facilitation is a key component of successful L&D. In the podcast, Paul explains how he uses book clubs to break down barriers and facilitate change.
• Getting people to learn together is fantastic for team building and reducing the hierarchy.
• You can´t force change. Guidance, support, and two-way conversations are essential when leading people to do things differently.
• Give people what they ask for, add something extra, then watch them adopt and use those new techniques and skills.
• Be humble enough to recognise that you do not know it all.
• Develop your network. It is great to have someone to turn to for counsel.

BEST MOMENTS

'You are not developing learning and development solutions. You´re developing business solutions.'

'Ask where do they sit on the learning and development readiness scale, tailor that story to their needs and bring them on the journey.'

'The art of negotiation is getting a deal. '

 VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

EPISODE RESOURCES

Scrum by Jeff Sutherland

ABOUT THE GUEST

Paul Smith

Paul is Head of Learning & Organisational Development at Retail Prodigy Group in Melbourne Australia, having relocated from London whilst working with Apple. Since then, Paul has led Learning and Talent functions with BUPA Australia, Momentis, CPA Australia, and Officeworks.

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

John Helmer is the host of two outstanding Learning & Development podcasts: The Learning Hack and Great Minds On Learning. In this episode, John condenses his insights and learning from the conversations he’s led with Donald Clark about the people and approaches that have informed so much of the L&D profession.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Experts tend to forget the gaps they had in their knowledge when they knew less, so tend to skip over things. It’s a form of educated incapacity.
• A surprising amount of learning is unlearning some of the things that are almost instinctive to us.
• Learning and development professionals don't know or aren't aware of as much of learning theory and science as perhaps you'd expect.
• Our job as learning professionals, as special as any field, is to disentangle what is valuable about the new and not be scared of innovations.
• There is a tendency for the industry to repackage old approaches. That is only OK if it has been updated and tweaked to work in a modern setting.

BEST MOMENTS
' The expert has difficulty unpacking. So, my job is to help Donald unpack. '
'How do you know that it works, and if you don't know that it works, does it work, and then do less of the stuff that you don't know works,'
' There's a whole lot of counterintuitive stuff involved in learning, which is sort of something we talk about in the learning theory, that has to be to get around to make learning work. '
'You should be ambitious for your profession. '

ABOUT JOHN HELMER
John Helmer is a writer, editor, and communications strategy expert specialising in the fields of learning, training, education, and publishing, with a particular focus on digital technology innovation. He has led many programmes bringing together thought leaders and practitioners for knowledge sharing and debate, and writes for and edits numerous blogs, as well as producing many white papers and research reports (including articles for peer-reviewed journals).

GUEST RESOURCES
You can follow and connect with John via:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer/
Great Minds On Learning: https://greatmindsonlearning.libsyn.com
The Learning Hack: https://learninghack.libsyn.com

VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Learning Games have been popular in L&D for a number of years but whilst the number of games designed and launched for organisational use has been significant, whether they’ve achieved what they’re designed for is another matter. So what does it take to design Learning Games that affect performance and results - and when is it most appropriate? We explore these questions and much more in this episode.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Learning games are still very basic, not user-centric, and not even considered to be game-centric. People seem to expect that the addition of leaderboards or the like are enough to create a lasting, impactful experience.
• Games must be designed around business objectives. We must clearly and initially identify the problem we need to solve before thinking about how to use games to get there.
• We must design for success. Why are we looking at learning, and what can we do to design true innovation into the learning experience we hope to offer?
• Games help with specific needs, and aid in a targeted way. For maximum effectiveness, they must be deployed en masse, and if no other type of learning will suit the audience and need.
• While many L&D budgets are low, it is simply not good enough to produce something lacking in quality and effectiveness. It must meet expectations. 

BEST MOMENTS

‘In learning game terms, we’re still in the Pong era’

‘It’s really hard to build a game that gets any kind of traction’

‘What does success look like? What is it that you want your learners to do differently?'

‘Games are not a silver bullet’

‘Game learning is incredibly effective if done well'

VALUABLE RESOURC ES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE GUEST

Deborah Baird is Learning Design Lead at Philip Morris International as well as a Game Learning Producer and Lecturer. A self-confessed game fanatic, Deborah combines her passion for Learning and Gaming to produce solutions that solve real business problems.

You can follow and connect with Deborah via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gamelearndebs/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

In a time when organisations must adapt and evolve more rapidly than ever, the role of learning is at a crossroads. In this episode, Nigel Paine, author of The Great Reset: Unlocking the Power of Organisational Learning, shares his vision for transforming L&D into a strategic driver of culture, leadership, and inclusion-focused change.

Nigel outlines the dimensions of organisational learning, the five values that underpin it, and the critical questions that leaders must ask to shift from transactional L&D to a more holistic and impactful approach. He also discusses the role of generative AI in reshaping learning and how L&D professionals can rise to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing landscape.

With philosophical reflections and practical guidance, this conversation provides a roadmap for those ready to reset their thinking, elevate their practice, and embrace a bold vision for the future of learning.

Take your L&D to the next level

Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.

It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Sharing and supporting is a component of agile organisations. 
• Provide people with the freedom to work holistically and across departments.
• Ensure your systems are relevant.
• Create a culture of trust so people are free to support each other.
• Use team targets instead of individual ones.
• Set benchmarks to prove you have achieved it.
• Empower people to look after their own development and remove barriers.
• AI can be a personal development engineer for each person.
• Inclusion genuinely brings different perspectives.

BEST MOMENTS

 “I don't believe you can rely on individuals being smart enough ... We need collective intelligence.”

“Value decency and human kindness.”

“Detoxify your culture.”

“The 5 values create an agenda for action.”

“AI is going to be life enhancing.”

“Build credibility based on making meaningful impacts.”

Nigel Paine Bio

Nigel Paine is a renowned author, speaker, and thought leader in the field of L&D. He is a passionate advocate for innovative, people-centred approaches to organisational development.

As the author of several influential books, Nigel challenges L&D professionals to think beyond traditional boundaries and embrace the profound potential of learning to shape culture, foster leadership, and drive inclusion.

Nigel’s career spans senior leadership roles, consulting with global organisations, and teaching at institutions such as the University of Chicago and IE Business School. 

Twitter: @ebase

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelpaine

Book: https://store.bookbaby.com/book/the-great-reset Use the discount code: LDAP10

https://www.nigelpaine.com

VALUABLE RESOURCES

L&D Master Class: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home

ABOUT THE HOST

David James has been a People Development professional for 20+ years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

David is Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

•   https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
• https://360learning.com/blog

Without a doubt, generative AI dominated the conversation, not only in L&D but in wider business and politics - and it’s not going away. So where are we now in terms of advancement, adoption, and application? These are important questions explored with Egle Vinauskaite in this episode, presented by 360Learning.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Most L&D departments have not yet fully integrated AI. Around 30% have tried it and decided not to use it.
• AI is coming, if you don´t keep experimenting with it, you will fall behind.
• L&D will inevitably play a big role in the organisation's successful adoption of AI for its processes. This is our time to shine.
• AI will be able to provide personalised feedback to help with upskilling, it will also be good at analysis.
• In time, AI will be able to spot emerging capabilities and skill needs.
• Don´t be sucked in by AI shiny objects that don´t solve an actual problem.
• Do an audit of the tools you are using and see if you can use AI to improve things.

BEST MOMENTS

'Very few, if any, L&D departments seem to have integrated AI in a strategic and holistic way.'

'I am very excited by the potential for upskilling.'

'For most organisations using AI has become a competitive imperative.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Egle Vinauskaite Bio

Egle Vinauskaite is an award-winning learning innovator and strategist advising blue chip companies, vendors, and some of the most exciting edtech startups around. Combining evidence-based learning design, behavioural science, and product development expertise, she specialises in using the latest technologies and approaches for digital and blended learning at and outside of work. Her work spans large-scale programmes, academies, alt education, apps, XR and beyond.

You can follow and contact Egle via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinauskaite/

Focus on AI in L&D Report: https://donaldhtaylor.co.uk/research_base/focus-on-ai-in-ld/

Website: https://www.nodes.works/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

The opportunity with digital L&D has always been to achieve more but when online learning has been resisted by employees and with eLearning being tarnished by poor click-next courses, it seemed the opportunity was beyond us. However, by pivoting to Agile, working closely with their clients and leading with resources Sebastian and his team at Vitality Health address almost 10x the number of projects they could before; they’ve achieved real results, and grown their team because of their success. So it is possible. Find out how in this episode.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Resource L&D customised L&D reduces training time by 56%.
• Effective training that does not take people away from their jobs for long is what businesses want.
• To be truly relevant and up to date training needs to be created fast. Sebastian´s team do it in about 7 days.
• Sit down with your client and use data and guided processes to help them to identify the critical tasks and the steps the training needs to cover.
• Trust the end user to tell you what they need and be guided by them when tweaking the training.
• Analyse after every release and make adjustments to make the training better, based on feedback from your client and trainees.
• The training you provide needs to be fluid and able to evolve as the business does.
• You want people to be able to dip in and out of your training resources to address small skill gaps without having to take a full-blown course, every time.
• The tools the L&D department provide should not be limited to courses or handouts. Things like calculators and other modern resources can be provided too.
• L&D has to be an integral part of the business. It plays a role in delivering the right product at the right time to the customer.

BEST MOMENTS

'L&D departments can demonstrate value'

'Identify what needs to be done, not what people need to know.'

'The number one thing for us is to be able to support our staff members to be able to do their job as quickly and efficiently as possible.'

 VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE GUEST

Sebastian Tindall

Sebastian is Head of L&D at Vitality Health and has also held strategic roles in Santander Bank and The Co-Operative Bank. Over recent years his work with global L&D functions in South Africa, India and the USA have catalysed his passion for creating a diverse range of innovative high impact learning solutions.

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

When the role of Learning & Development - and Enablement - is linked to employees’ readiness to perform it is critical that solutions work and demonstrably prepare people to perform. Strangely, too many in Learning & Development focus too much on the ‘learning’ and not enough on the actual ability to perform. 

The criticality of the focus on preparation and performance led Alexis to up skilling from within by seeking an efficient way of leveraging internal expertise for the benefit of all. This is explored in conversation alongside how a product management approach helps to achieve desired outcomes.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Understanding why you are teaching something is essential. 
• There is no point in teaching people something if you then set them up for failure by not equipping them to perform.
• Sprint planning principles ensure that people use what they learn before moving on to the next round of training.
• Use product management principles to create far more effective training. How, is explained in the podcast.
• Building personas focuses you on what each type of employee needs.
• Collaborative learning is highly effective.
• Replicating how people ingest information in their everyday life works e.g. breaking information into smaller chunks.
• The more people you engage with, the stronger your understanding of the business and what is needed becomes.

BEST MOMENTS

'Enablement at Flexport is a combination of training, change management, and scalable communications.'

'I am a huge advocate for product management in L&D. '

'Our onboarding program is, in part, on-demand and automated for anybody in the company to use.'

'You have to understand what's in it for them. You have to understand what they are focused on. '

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/

EPISODE RESOURCES

Atomic Habits Book: https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-James-Clear-audiobook/dp/B07RFSSYBH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=21VO449B979Z4&keywords=atomic+habits&qid=1649694292&s=books&sprefix=atomic+%2Cstripbooks%2C148&sr=1

ABOUT THE GUEST

Alexis Burbul

Alexis is Senior Manager of Customer Enablement at Flexport, a company that coordinates the complexity required to move freight across a diverse network of logistics, improving the user experience for brands moving freight. Prior to her role in Customer Enablement, Alexis managed Sales Enablement at Flexport. Alexis is also experienced in Product Management, experience which she brought into her roles in enablement.

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/

Reskilling is high on the agenda for many organisations, but how do you do it reliably—and at scale? In this episode, Molly Howes returns to share the incredible progress of the Aviva Foundry, an ambitious initiative to upskill employees from Customer Support roles into Digital careers, alongside Alex Price, who was a successful participant in the program.

They discuss what’s changed since their last appearance, the processes that have made large-scale reskilling successful, and how they’ve ensured employees aren’t just exposed to learning but are truly ready for new roles. They also dive into the challenges of expanding the program internationally, launching new initiatives like the Data Upskilling Bootcamp, and securing buy-in from stakeholders.

Packed with insights and real-world lessons, this episode is essential for L&D professionals looking to move beyond training and deliver reskilling programs that change lives and drive business success.

Take your L&D to the next level

Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.

It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The Aviva Foundry trains people for emerging roles and reskills those whose roles are no longer needed.
• The Foundry is available to anyone who wants to retrain.
• The key is really understanding the skills stakeholders need and focusing on the way your organisation works.
• Learners are supported by people who do the role they are training for and apply what they learn in practical ways.
• Colleagues that reskill bring something fresh to their new roles.
• The Foundry approach is now in Canada and works there too.
• Take the leap and set up your own Foundry.

BEST MOMENTS

“If those roles are no longer there for them, they get the opportunity to re-skill.”

“This isn't us hand-picking people … this is people saying I want to learn.”

“You have to build that trust.”

“We knew that if we started making that progress, we'd learn.”

Molly Howes 

Molly is Foundry and GenAI Capability Lead at Aviva having joined the company in 2015 and transitioned into roles including Team Leader and Digital Product Owner. The Aviva Foundry being a learning community, developing the knowledge and skills Aviva need to succeed in an increasingly digitised world.

Alex Price

Alex is Group Brand Expression & Design Manager at Aviva having successfully transitioned from a Broker Development Associate via the Aviva Foundry program.

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home

ABOUT THE HOST

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home

Agile is at risk of becoming a buzzword in L&D and misinterpreted, watered down or disregarded as just a fad. However, it’s working to help Sky move at pace, achieve more and achieve real results. In this episode, Tracey Waters, Director of People Experience at Sky, talks about her team’s adoption of Agile, what this actually means, and how it is experienced - from all sides.

Discover today on The Learning & Development Podcast why we need to be disruptive with our L&D approaches (e.g. classroom learning), what technologies we can utilise inside our business, how you can influence more value to the team, how Agile can help you and your team’s perfomance, and many more.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Why transition to Agile? It encourages better understanding of each team member, it’s built it on iterations, and it’s data-driven. It delivers capacity, flexibility, responsiveness and adaptability.
• Tracey believes that classroom learning has not been very effective and only brings little to no benefits. It does not improve how people work. Here are the 4 R’s that classroom learning causes:
  • Relationships – People get a lot from meeting others in the same boat as them and learning from their experience.
  • Recuperation – It gives them a chance to get away from tasks even just for a while.
  • Recognition – They get motivated to complete the training because of the awarded certificate.
  • Reward – People felt good about being nominated or accepted onto a programme.
• Focus instead on how every operation can be valuable to each individual. If they see that what they’re doing have beneficial outputs, it’s easier for them to get influenced and motivated to perform well. With this approach, they can still build relationships, learn new things, and improve themselves.
• Utilise technological innovations (i.e. Agile). There’s better understanding, and reaching out becomes easier when the data is always available when you need it. You also make every moment memorable for them and offer invaluable support when there is full awareness of the situation.
• Some might have doubts on incorporating Agile. The key thing to remember here is it helps distinguish what works and what doesn’t anymore in your business. And with these as the basis, we can choose what to improve and what to change.
• Visual management is very useful. You need two softwares: one is where the team can communicate (e.g. Slack, Microsoft Teams) and the other one is a visual planning board where the work flow can be tracked (e.g. Trello).
• Before looking into different approaches such as Agile, know your WHY. Take the time to go back to your planning board and evaluate your goals, visions, and objectives. If you think Agile is the vehicle that will get you to all of them, then it’s easier to get started from there.

BEST MOMENTS

• “If we run L&D, we should be embracing a philosophy that is fundamentally built in learning and high-performing teams.”
• “When you also learn from psychology perspective and neuroscience perspective how people learn, it makes classroom learning more bonkers.”
• “If you start with a consumer-grade technology experience and build around that, then you can actually be flexible of what you offer to people.”
• “The whole emphasis is on we’ll get better at this together, we’ll make mistakes together, and we’ll make sure that we get better.”
• “If you aren’t getting resistance, then I’m not sure you’re disrupting the model.”

VALUABLE RESOURCES

• Agile Software | Wikipedia
• The Learning & Development Podcast: How People Learn With Nick Shackleton-Jones | Apple | Spotify | Omny
• How People Learn: Designing Education and Training that Works to Improve Performance by Nick Shackleton-Jones
• Slack
• Microsoft Teams
• Trello

ABOUT THE GUEST

Tracey Waters is Director of People Experience at Sky UK and a pioneer in the application of Agile to Learning & Development.

With over 15 years of experience in the profession, Tracey has overseen Sky’s transition from a traditional L&D operating model to fully embracing Agile to move at speed and solve real business problems.

You can find out more about Tracey’s work and the Agile HR Community via:

• Agile In Learning Blog: https://medium.com/agile-in-learning
• Fosway Innovation Profile on Sky: http://www.fosway.com/innovation-profile-sky/
• Agile HR Community: https://www.agilehrcommunity.com/new-events

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for over 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

At some point or another, we’ve all found ourselves struggling to demonstrate the value of our L&D solutions, wondering if there has been value or whether we’ll find it. For many of us, it’s a constant search. In this episode, Neil John Cunningham unpacks this for us and lets us in on the steps outlined in his most recent book, Numbers & Narratives, to prove the value of our L&D.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Don´t worry about not understanding the data. Someone in the business will just ask them to explain it to you.
• Using data stories to prove the effectiveness of what you are doing is good for you as well as for the business. Most of us are not getting the most out of existing business data.
• Storytelling is incredibly powerful, especially if you back it up with data.
• The Hero´s Journey storytelling framework is often a good way to structure a data story.
• Once you´ve got your hypothesis, where the business is going and where it needs to go, break that down into learning objectives.
• Using data stories appeals to people who are emotionally driven as well as to those who are data driven.
• Understand what commercials are important to the people in your business.
• If you don´t know what the financials are e.g. how much it costs to handle each call talk to the people that do know.
• Be really honest about L&D can offer.
• If you can´t help with a certain issue, be brave enough to say so.
• Keep things simple and succinct. As much as possible use simple, universally understood data.

BEST MOMENTS

'I´d been creating these little data stories, I could prove that what I was doing was having an effect.'

'The way you solve the L&D engagement issue is to solve problems that matter to individuals.'

'Show where L&D can do better.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Neil John Cunningham Bio

Neil is the author of the books, 19 Low-cost Ways to Improve Your L&D Offering; The Strategic Order Taker: A Guide for L&D to be Seen, Heard, and Valued; and his most recent Narratives & Numbers. Neil is an experienced Head of Talent & Learning and following a career of running Learning and Talent functions, he now supports others doing so with his consulting and writing. 

You can connect with Neil and follow his work via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neiljohncunningham/

Website: www.alignlearndo.com

Link to book: https://alignlearndo.com/narratives-and-numbers/

Code for 10% off book: 360

The Hero´s Journey - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heros-Journey-Joseph-Campbell-Collected/dp/1608681890

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

With so much talk, and perhaps hype, around skills-based learning, how do we tune into the signal and tune out the noise? One way to do this is to talk with the leaders who have incorporated skills-based learning in more than one organisation and are making it work for them, their workforce, and organisation. In this episode Brandon Caldwell explains how he’s done just this - the hard way and the AI-powered much faster way - and how you can too.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Skills-based learning is a language that everybody can understand.
• AI is accelerating the rollout of skills-based learning at a staggering pace.
• Using AI a task that would take 4 to 5 years has been done in 18 months.
• Skills-based learning largely solves the issues caused by today´s tight labour market.
• Business leaders already understand that skills-based learning works. They desperately want you to provide it.
• Because the skills are the nuts and bolts that help enable people to do the tasks, this is wholeheartedly performance oriented.
• Introducing skills-based learning is costly, so starting in the right place matters. Brandon explains how to do that.
• Skills are truly transferable. If someone in marketing wants to become an HR manager, they can do that and do it quickly. A marketer knows how to promote the job to attract the best new personnel.
• Anticipate roadblocks and adapt. 
• Embrace the technology. It now works and will transform your ability to deliver.

BEST MOMENTS

'With skills-based learning, you are using a language that everybody can understand.'

'Skills are the nuts and bolts that help enable people to do the tasks.'

'The ability to do what used to take years and do it now in a matter of months is significant, and you can't ignore that.'

Brandon Caldwell Bio

Brandon is Director of People & Culture at 365 Retail Markets, the global leader in unattended and self-checkout retail technology. With more than 20 years of experience in HR and L&D leadership, Brandon is a highly credible and impact-driven leader in our field.

Useful links

SkillsGPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-bE1ZPceUl-skills-gpt

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Having introduced Agile into River Island, Nebel is in the process of doing the same at her current organisation, Roche. Not just into the HR team, where she is Director of HR & Communications, but across the entire employee population. Learn from Nebel’s rich experience of succeeding with Agile in HR and L&D - with real examples - and how you can do the same.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Working in an agile space is about breaking things down incrementally, delivering at a pace that suits the business, iterating, and creating effective channels of communication so as to better encourage co-creation.
• Checking in with your team is a founding principle of agile working, and one of the practices that encourages accountability, creativity in solutions, and the close-knit bonding of teams, no matter how remote they may be.
• The pace of agile can sometime be daunting for those who have not experienced it. But businesses should always be evolving, and we must never limit progress based upon unfounded preconceptions.
• Initial development is often so focused towards ensuring that someone can perform the breadth and depth of their new responsibilities, but making sure that we engender a feeling of excitement, creativity and comfort, is far more important in the initial phase.
• Agile can be introduced to a cautious environment by introducing small elements at first, and then building upon these slowly. Focus on impactful solutions that will demonstrate effectiveness.

BEST MOMENTS

’There’s an element of discipline in the way you work with agile’

’The biggest impact that I’ve observed is how it brings people together’

‘Find the advocates and build your army’

‘Unless you listen to feedback, how can you ever know what the solution needs to be?’

‘Agile brings a level of curiosity'

VALUABLE RESOURC ES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

Natal Dank: @nataldank

Agil8 Scrum Master Training: https://www.agil8.com/training/certified-scrum-training/certified-scrummaster/

ABOUT THE GUEST

Nebel is an award-winning HR leader with a track record of building Agile HR and L&D teams that deliver real business value. Currently Director of HR & Communications at Roche, Nebel spent more than 4 years at River Island where she led the Talent team before becoming Head of People Experience. Prior to these roles, Nebel was also Head of Learning, People & Performance at Virgin Holidays.

You can follow and connect with Nebel via:

Twitter: @BrightonBelle39

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nebel-crowhurst-2999648/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

Learning & Development roles can vary greatly depending on the individual’s specialism, ambition, and the opportunities within any given team. But the opportunity to run an L&D department solo is a unique experience and one that brings as much freedom and excitement as it does challenge and resourcefulness. In this episode, Aimee compares and contrasts her experience in L&D teams and her solo role now and provides insights into how to make this successful and a career move of choice.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The term standalone R&D roles different things to different people. In this case, it means working alone in an organisation, as a generalist, doing whatever is required. 
• Working alone forces you to grow your skillset quickly.
• With standalone L&D you have to lean on others in the organisation.
• You have to be careful not to burn out when working in a standalone role.
• Working in a standalone role forces you to properly identify what is effective. 
• You cannot afford to reinvent the wheel. Tapping into what is there and building on it is essential.
• You end up being very close to all of your internal clients.

BEST MOMENTS

'What is rarely explored is how one person does this (L&D) on their own. '

'In a standalone role, you really have to be passionate.'

'Reserve your energy. Please look after yourself. You can´t do it all. '

ABOUT AIMEE YOUNG

Aimee is L&D Manager at Snowplow, a behavioural data company, and is the only person in L&D. Before this role, Aimee worked in L&D for OLIVER Agency, Sumitomo and Taylor Wessing. Aimee began her L&D career at Towards Maturity benchmarking L&D teams and providing insights for the profession.

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/

Not many in L&D recognise the opportunity to automate L&D administration, compliance and entire digital learning journeys, saving enormous amounts of time as well as guiding employee performance. 

But what does it take to get to this and how do L&D teams take advantage of this opportunity, especially during these tough times? We explore all this and more in this episode.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The most rewarding and satisfying results come from helping organisations get to a better place in terms of improvements in culture, performance and communication.
• There is a low expectation of what learning and development offers. It can be seen as a perk of sorts, which has led to a perceived “dumbing down” of the profession.
• Spend less time trying to work out what solutions there are out there, and more time understanding the performance problems in your organisation. 
• One of the main advantages provided by smart technology has been building user insights into any campaign, allowing us to move away from “content play” to a real dialogue.

BEST MOMENTS

‘One of the biggest challenges for organisations is data’

‘It’s about predefining a route that you want people to take’

’Those conversations are what gets me out of bed in the morning'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

New eBook: Digital Learning That Works Harder (So You Don't Have To) - https://www.looop.co/digital-learning-that-works-harder/

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE GUEST

Mike Collins is a pioneering and influential voice in L&D, having been Senior People Experience Specialist at River Island and in the Learning Transformation team at Direct Line.

You can follow and connect with Mike via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/communitymike/

Twitter: @Community_Mike

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

Since 2014, the L&D Global Sentiment Survey has been a barometer of what’s hot and what’s not in the Learning & Development profession, guiding people development professionals towards the trends that their peers are most concerned about. In this episode, Donald H Taylor takes a deep dive into the recently published report and explores in conversation what we should all be taking note of.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Because it is self-selecting most of the people who fill out the survey are innovators.
• It looks at what is hot in L&D, what is likely to take hold and what is likely to fall by the wayside.
• This year AI dominated, but many are overwhelmed and unsure how to use it.
• AI is good at content, which frees up time for L&D to do more in other areas. 
• Yet, there is likely to be a backlash against AI-generated content because initially, people will be awful at using it.
• Lots of people are missing the fact that AI can play a role in coaching and mentoring.
• Collaborative and social learning have slipped down the list.
• There are geographical differences, what they are and why they exist is discussed.

BEST MOMENTS

'There's somewhere between the wisdom of the crowd and the derangement of the mob.'

'Personalization is one of the obvious and very valuable implementation points for AI.'

'The top four for 2024 … are all things which are fuelled by good use of data.'

Donald H Taylor Bio

A recognised commentator and thinker in the fields of workplace learning and supporting technologies, Donald is committed to helping develop the learning and development profession. 

He has chaired the Learning Technologies Conference in London since 2000 and writes and speaks worldwide about Learning and Development (L&D).

His annual L&D Global Sentiment Survey started in 2014, provides a unique perspective on L&D trends from over 100 countries. He chairs the Workforce Development board for VC firm Emerge Education, and invests in, and advises, several EdTech start-ups.

From 2010 to 2021, he chaired the Learning and Performance Institute. He is the author of Learning Technologies in the Workplace, a graduate of Oxford University and in 2016 was awarded an honorary doctorate by Middlesex University in recognition of his work developing the L&D profession.

You can follow and contact Donald via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaldhtaylor/ 

X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonaldHTaylor 

L&D Global Sentiment Survey 2024: https://donaldhtaylor.co.uk/research_base/global-sentiment-survey-2024/ 

Website: https://donaldhtaylor.co.uk/ 

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

All the talk is of AI but what about the action? Is it too soon to act or are we at risk of missing the bus? In this episode, seasoned CLO, Christopher Lind, explores how he has led his team and organisation in the age of AI towards expecting and achieving more.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• L&D teams need to adapt fast to both technological and economic disruptors and learn to use a new bag of tricks.
• You have to understand what is needed before you can deliver, so you have to push back a bit on the pressure to do everything in a rush.
• When you change the way L&D works you are going to get pushback. You will have to stand your ground but pick your battles.
• Be very patient with your stakeholders when you change things. It will take many months for them to see the improvement and fully understand the change.
• To help the stakeholder recognise whether this thing is really that important, ask what things will look like once we have fixed this,
• Get to know people on a personal level. Building strong relationships opens up communication and makes things far easier down the line.
• Use AI to work faster, but also think creatively and ask how you can use it to do things differently.
• AI makes true real-time active learning possible.
• Use AI to improve your skills and help you to do your job better and faster.
• AI creates time for you to do things you simply didn´t have enough capacity for before.

BEST MOMENTS

'I can get an algorithm to create more creative content than a person now.'

'You actually can use this (AI) for yourself as well.'

'People aren't transactions, they are relationships… focus on relationships.'

'Technology is radically opening new pathways to do stuff like we've never been able to do before.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Christopher Lind Bio

Christopher Lind is VP and Chief Learning Officer at ChenMed, leading enterprise learning strategy. He’s also the host of Future Focused, a podcast and newsletter that explores the landscape of learning leadership and strategy (and much more), an advisory board member of the CLO Exchange, and the founder of Learning Sharks, which offers comprehensive advisory on all things learning innovation and technology. Previously, he was Head of Global Digital Learning at GE Healthcare.

You can follow and connect with Christopher via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherlind/

Future Focused: https://christopherlind.substack.com/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

The current crisis has changed plenty, some will last well beyond lockdown and some will pass. One thing for sure is that organisations will want to make up for missed opportunities, when restrictions are relaxed, and businesses will want to make up for lost revenue. 

We can anticipate an unforgiving period in the short- to mid-term and L&D will be under greater scrutiny to make a significant contribution. To this end, we can expect a hastening of some emerging trends in L&D, such as the pivot from a ‘learning’ focus to affecting performance and productivity more reliably, in order to achieve results. This is explored with 3 experienced L&D leaders: Kevin M. Yates, Gemma Paterson and Alice Collier-Niblett. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The current situation has reversed many long-held expectations around the capabilities and benefits of programme development, and has helped to accelerate plans to overhaul current development strategies.
• To understand the effectiveness of any training, we need to understand our deliverables from the outset, instead of focusing on the format or appeal of the courses themselves.
• No matter what our working environment looks like, there is still the need to measure results and impact. The challenge is in working out how to measure results remotely.
• We can’t hope to know about the driving motivations of our workforce, and the areas in which they wish to improve, unless we are the centre of that world alongside them.
• In order to ensure that we’re advancing in the correct manner, the first ingredient to be considered should be the people themselves. Do we have the right people, and the right mix of people in order to achieve that goal?

BEST MOMENTS

• ‘We had to change, we had to adapt. And as a result, we’ve been able to help a lot more people’
• ‘Perpetual data should be a desirable state’
• ‘We need to now be contextualising what performance means at home’
• ‘Move away from creating a course, and move toward creating impact’    

VALUABLE RESOURC ES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE GUESTS

Kevin M Yates

Kevin’s expertise is answering the question, “Did training work?”, with facts, evidence, and data. His work is global and multi-industry. He's a sought after subject matter expert and international speaker.

You can follow and connect with Kevin via:

Twitter: @KevinMYates

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinmyates/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kevmyates/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevmyates/

Website: https://kevinmyates.com/

Gemma Paterson 

Gemma has been leading teams to develop, manage and market digital products in learning, talent, social media and marketing for over 10 years.

As Head of Technology & Innovation for Learning at Aviva, Gemma leads a team to deliver commercial outcomes through innovative approaches to learning, talent and organisational development, with a focus on the digital transformation. Using innovation, technology, storytelling and experience design her ultimate aim is to deliver real business results. 

You can follow and connect with Gemma via:

Twitter: @GemStGem

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemmacritchley/

Alice Collier-Niblett

Alice is a thoroughly modern L&D professional with a background of leading with digital solutions and bringing her team and organisation along with her. Previously at ASOS and now with Monzo, Alice is a member of a team that operates in a way that is leading-edge and aspirational for many: Data-driven, performance-focused and agile.

You can follow and connect with Alice via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-collier-niblett-849154b8/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

Do we need to concede that we’ll never be able to accurately measure the impact of our soft skills development solutions? If so, that’s an enormous amount of spending without knowing if we’re making enough of a difference. In this episode, we discuss how it is possible to plan, design and deliver for real impact and how this is already working.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Tell people upfront how what they learn applies to their job. 
• Use proprietary internal knowhow to plug content gaps. 
• Have people practice what they learn.
• Improve 1st line management training.
• Understand outputs and how they are measured.
• If processes are not being followed by top performers, the processes are wrong.
• L&D needs to develop too, to set an example.

BEST MOMENTS
'We do too much one size fits all.'

'They can learn from each other’s best practice.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home 

Guy Wallace Bio
Guy W. Wallace is a retired Performance Analyst and Instructional Architect and had been designing and developing performance-based Instruction - Performance Guides & Learning Experiences - for Enterprise Learning functions and their business-critical target audiences since 1979. 

Guy started as a Training Developer at Wickes Lumber in 1979 and then became a Training Project Supervisor at Motorola in 1981. Since 1982, he specialized in Curriculum Architecture Design via a Facilitated Group Process. In 1984, he co-authored two articles on these approaches: a Training Magazine article on Curriculum Architecture Design via a Group Process - and another on Creating Models and Matrices using a Group Process - for NSPI's Performance & Instruction Journal. Guy completed his 76th performance-based Curriculum Architecture Design consulting project - since 1982 - in 2019. 

Guy, an ISD consultant since 1982 and a partner/owner at three consulting firms, personally served over 80 clients, primarily in Fortune 500 firms in the USA and firms in Canada, Germany, and The Netherlands.  

See his websites for lists of clients, descriptions of 250+ projects, publications, presentations, and over 600 free ISD and Performance Improvement PDFs, plus links to free audio & video resources:

Guy Wallace LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guywwallace 
HPT Treasures https://hpttreasures.files.wordpress.com/2018/12/Harless-PIJ-1983-Interview.pdf
https://hpttreasures.files.wordpress.com/2018/12/Harless-1985-Performance_Improvement.pdf
Carl Binder: https://www.sixboxes.com/The-Team.html
Dawn Snyder: https://www.dawnsnyderassoc.com
Steve Villachica: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-villachica-96a0a69 

ABOUT THE HOST
David James 
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective 
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog 
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home 

Stepping into a new L&D leadership role is challenging, and establishing both yourself and your team can be even harder. It’s not just about filling gaps—it’s about aligning your vision with the business’s needs and building a strategy that delivers tangible results. In this episode, Sam Allen, Global Head of Learning and Development at Ideagen, shares how he has navigated this journey, from understanding the company’s culture and expectations to creating an L&D strategy that drives real performance.

Sam talks about the key steps to establishing yourself in a new L&D role: how to build trust with stakeholders, identify the right learning needs, and bring your team on the journey. If you're a new L&D leader or looking to reposition your team, this episode offers real-world insights into how to take L&D from a function to a business partner.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Work really hard to understand where the business you have joined is going.

• Identify the decision makers and sit down with each one to find out what their priorities are and where they are heading. To do this you need an effective way to take notes and analyse what you learn.

• Assess how your team currently performs.

• Make it clear to everyone what your approach to L&D is.

• Acquire the right tools for your L&D team and for your stakeholders.

• Set up self-serving learning resources that enable departments to fill skill gaps themselves.

• Break skills content down to enable truly targeted learning.

• Establishing yourself is about creating a strategy that truly drives business impact.

BEST MOMENTS

“How capable are the team members within that organisational structure?”

“Build credible relationships with stakeholders.”

“Create content where there are gaps.”

Sam Allen Bio

Sam Allen is the Global Head of Learning and Development at Ideagen, where he leads the company’s L&D strategy to drive performance, capability, and career growth. Before joining Ideagen, Sam was the Interim Head of L&D (Central Functions) at Cazoo, where he established the central L&D function, delivering leadership programs and automating onboarding and compliance. Before that, Sam founded Insightful People, partnering with businesses to deliver strategic L&D projects. He also held senior L&D roles at Whitbread, developing management teams, and at Argos, where he led the L&D strategy for IT, Digital, and Marketing, supporting around 500 colleagues and delivering high-potential and leadership development programs. Throughout his career, Sam has been committed to transforming L&D into a strategic driver of business performance.

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin 

• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective

• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog

• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home

L&D can sometimes fail to make sense to even the most seasoned L&D leader but what about our colleagues in other departments? What do they make of our products and approaches? What do they make of our inability to equate our spend and effort to ROI? Well Ajay Pangarkar can tell us. His frustrations with L&D had him lean in from his Accounting background and tell us. But not just by heckling. But by giving us advice. In this episode, Ajay will tell us how we’re perceived and what we can do to better measure the impact of what we do.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Using business terminology, you are not 100% familiar with undermines your credibility.

• Knowledge is now genuinely driving businesses, so L&D is seen as far more important.

• Focus on the end result.

• Use the Kaizen approach – keep asking why.

• Become a listener, get into people´s heads and skill them up in a non-intrusive way.

• Data analytics is essential to L&D.

• Work with your financial team to deliver your business case.

BEST MOMENTS

“With all respect and love for Learning and Development, they  are the nerds in the schoolyard trying to fit in with the cool kids.”

“Nobody in the organization cares about learning. They care about the doing.”

“We are in the golden age of L&D.”

“I always say they cut their budget because you didn't deliver value.”

Ajay Pangarkar Bio

Ajay is the author of four books, with the most recent titled, “Learning Metrics: How to Measure the Impact of Organizational Learning" (Kogan Page). He’s an award-winning author receiving multiple prestigious TrainingIndustry Readership and Editors’ Award, eLearning Magazine’s Learning Champion, and the World Training Development Congress named Ajay their “Distinguished Trainer”. He is a broadcast media commentator addressing workplace performance issues and contributor to leading international publications.

Ajay is also a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants (FCPA, FCMA), Certified Training and Development Professional (CTDP), and a world-renowned workplace performance authority on integrating employee performance strategies within operational environments. 

On top of all this, he is a professor at the Sprott School of Business (Carleton University) and Smith School of Business (Queens University) as well as being actively involved with workplace learning working closely with LinkedIn Learning.

You can follow and connect with Ajay via:

Twitter: @bizlearningdude

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajaypangarkar/

Book: https://www.koganpage.com/hr-learning-development/learning-metrics-9781398615366

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 

• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/

• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/

• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Good or bad? Positive or toxic? Powerful or incongruent? Culture plays a huge part in our working lives. In L&D we ignore culture at our peril. But what does it mean to understand and change organisational culture? In this episode, former Deloitte Management Consultant, Lily Woi, unpacks this for us and provides insight and guidance on how we can change culture in our organisations.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Culture is about more than behaviour and working practices. Structure and governance both have a significant impact.
• Don´t overcomplicate things, a simpler approach is easier to follow and iterate.
• Keep improving. Change should be ongoing and happen quickly.
• Understanding your culture is the key to shaping it.
• Instead of assuming you understand the culture, observe how people actually behave.
• What is your data telling you about your culture?
• Using consultants helps to overcome not being able to see the wood for the trees and can cut through a lot of internal politics.
• Collective decision-making works best.
• Involve employees in the design phase.
• Using the 4 pillars - mindset, abilities, process, and structure leads to sustainable change.
• Measure the change.
• What has worked in one project is not necessarily going to work for another project. You have to tailor your approach.

BEST MOMENTS

'In my experience, the simplest approaches are more often the most effective.'

'Removing culture from an aspect of L&D is like trying to remove the egg from a cake.'

'I tend to ask a lot of annoying questions… to understand why, what´s really going on.'

'The approach that I use for one company would not work for my next company or client.'

Lily Woi Bio

Lily is a former Deloitte Management Consultant, focused on Organisation Transformation and Culture, Leadership & OD Lead at Next Pensions. On both sides of the table (in-company and consultancy), Lily has built deep and rich experience of organisation culture change.

As a Culture Change Catalyst, Lily now helps leaders and teams drive transformative change, unlock their full potential, and ignite a high-performance, collaborative culture. Over the past eight years, she has worked with global leaders and businesses to shift behaviours, unlock potential, transform careers, and develop courageous cultures. She has coached and trained clients working in multinationals such as Hello Fresh, Nike, Pureaffinity, and the British Film Institute. 

You can connect with Lily and follow her work via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilywoi/

Website: https://lilywoicoaching.com/

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Adult Learning Theory can help L&D to improve learner engagement, knowledge retention and skills application. In this episode, Dr Carrie O. Graham explores this topic and its application to the priorities of today’s L&D departments.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Adult learning theory focuses on the fact that adults learn very differently from children.
• Improving information retention and ensuring new skills are appropriately and accurately applied cement that learning.
• Learning can thrive in informal settings.
• Design the learning experience so that it places the environment where they will use those skills.
• Make things real for people by comparing what they are doing now with what they will do when using the new skills or information.
• Incorporate opportunities for problem-solving.
• Understand what motivates your learners, Carrie shares a couple of examples to help you with this.

BEST MOMENTS

'My work focuses on improving the engagement of the adult learner. Supporting their information retention.'

'Understand who they are as a learner.'

'If you’re thinking long-term, using a quantitative assessment of learning is absolutely mandatory. '

'As you are building your content, make references back to who they are as a learner.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning and Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/

EPISODE RESOURCES

You can follow and contact Carrie via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcarriegraham/ 

Website: https://www.drcarriegraham.com

ABOUT THE GUEST

Carrie O. Graham Bio

Owner of Carrie O. Graham Learning & Solutions, Dr. Graham helps subject matter experts improve learning outcomes by strategically integrating adult learning best practices. A published author, researcher, and conference presenter with 25+ years’ experience in learning, instructional design, and leadership development across industries.

Dr. Graham has a reputation of understanding problems that are stated and revealing what is not stated, then asking critical questions to help people uncover clear and insightful solutions. Not believing in the “one-size-fits-all” approach she customises solutions to support unique individual and organisational needs. 

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/

‘Our understanding of the human learning process at work has  fundamentally changed’ 

David is in conversation with Sukh Pabial, a talent development partner at Reed Business Information. 

It’s generally accepted that Learning & Development is changing, and that the skill set required is broadening. In this episode, David and Sukh discuss what these broader skills are and how L&D should evolve to adopt these. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

• What role do you see yourself as having on social media?
  I’ve ended up creating a certain type of persona which at times is provocative and challenging, at times a stream of consciousness. I’ve never planned my twitter or blogging in detail and learnt along the way. I use my podcast to focus on positive psychology and emotional intelligence, areas I have a particular interest in. 

• What’s the idea behind ‘Modern Learning Leader’?
  The skills required for L&D professionals are becoming more fragmented and are not always comparable or related disciplines. This can result in individuals focusing on deep learning for each particular specialism in a linear way to further their own development and be able to fulfil the role of a modern learning leader. The program provides a springboard for professionals in the acquisition of new knowledge and the development of further skills. It enables L&D professionals to gain an overview and sense of the differing specialisms required for the modern learning leader. 

• Has the role of L&D changed or are the mechanisms for delivery different?
  It is both and more. When you start to look at what people do on a day to day basis to further their own learning you realise it is radically different from the learning products we provide.
  
  Our understanding of the human learning process at work has also fundamentally changed resulting in mechanisms needing to change. 

• Providing learning is easier than affecting performance, why rock the boat?
  We have to start to question what we are doing and how we are impacting?
  
  YouTube came along and was the learning platform we never knew we needed.
  
  We are putting ourselves at risk of leaders seeing the role as redundant if we do not move forward and change. 

• Are we reaching a tipping point in L&D?
  There is a community of voices that help to remind us this is a movement. When you look at conference content it has not changed. It is still looking towards long form programs and there is not anything that is genuinely different.
  
  There is a world of knowledge out there and if you know how to access it and you understand how to use it to develop what you know and what you do, it’s a good thing to be a part of. 

BEST MOMENTS 

• ‘It can be challenging to know which stuff out there to pay attention to and which stuff to disregard’ 
• ‘We are getting our hands dirty quicker than we ever did because we can access someone who has already done it’ 
• ‘People understand what you have said because it’s the English language, but they don’t understand what it means for their profession’ 
• ‘We don’t dig deep enough it the questions that make a difference’ 

VALUABLE RESOURCES 

L&D Connect group on Twitter 

ABOUT THE GUEST 
Sukh Pabial   

Sukhvinder (Sukh) Pabial, is a learning development and organisational development professional who started his career in this field in 2003. He has worked across a range of sectors and industries. Armed with an education in Occupational Psychology, he develops leading-edge creative and positive solutions and does so ensuring everything he works on is centred with strong academic research and knowledge.  

CONTACT METHOD 

Twitter @sukhpabial
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sukhvinder-pabial-01113b1b/ 
Podcast: http://threegood.podbean.com/ 

ABOUT THE HOST 

David James   

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board. 

CONTACT METHOD 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning?lang=en 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
Website: https://www.looop.co/ 

Using data effectively is a growing priority for - and skill set in - L&D. It’s essential for both planning for and measuring impact. In this episode, presented by 360Learning, we explore this in detail in the hope that 2024 is our year for greater planned and demonstrable impact.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Data-wise, L&D has always looked at what they have done – in the rear-view mirror. Now, it is necessary to use data to see where we are.
• Business impact must be proved and the data that enables you to do that is now at your fingertips.
• L&D is all about creating capability by creating skills. That is the impact L&D has on the business and the bottom line.
• Identify the skill(s) you need to add, teach it, and check that people are using it and that this is improving the business´ results.
• To create skills that work for your particular business, your courses must be tailor-made.
• Measure the effectiveness of the course, by including a realistic test. If most people fail, you need to change the course content.
• Making sure things are changing in the workplace is essential. If it isn´t tweak the training.
• Create a blueprint for the outcomes of each course, before building it.
• At first, you may have to chase to get the data you need to properly analyse whether the course is working.

BEST MOMENTS

'We are out there cranking out those courses. But how much do we really understand about what our impact is?'

'Eventually, someone's gonna say, Where's the quantifiable data that actually says you did this?'

'Without this data, we are hiding our work, our impact.'

'We’re the only department that builds skills, we need data on skills.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Laura Paramoure Bio

Laura Paramoure, EdD, has 25 years of experience in performance improvement, training design, and evaluation. She is the author of ROI by Design™ (2014) and a featured speaker on the topic of return on investment for training organizations. Her private sector experience includes Director of Training and Development with Parata systems where she was responsible for the establishment and deployment of both domestic and international training. She is currently the CEO of eParamus, a company which helps organizations of all types and sizes optimize and verify the impact of their training programs.

You can follow and connect with Laura via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-paramoure/

Website: https://www.eparamus.com

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Too often, L&D delivers learning solutions that fail to drive real behaviour change. But why does this happen, and how can we design interventions that truly make an impact? In this episode, learning design expert Julie Dirksen unpacks the science behind effective learning and what actually motivates people to apply what they’ve learned.

Julie explores the biggest reasons training fails, the role of attention and habit formation, and how L&D can move beyond information delivery to solving real performance challenges. She also shares strategies for diagnosing root causes, overcoming engagement barriers, and designing for complex skill development.

With practical insights and research-backed strategies, this conversation is a must-listen for L&D professionals looking to create learning that sticks—and that leaders take seriously as a driver of business success.

Take your L&D to the next level

Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.

It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• When people do not see the value in the action they do not do it.
• If what you are asking for is not viable people won´t do it e.g. They can´t see their work clearly while wearing safety glasses.
• Learning does not have to be short; it has to be relevant.
• User testing learning before rollout is effective.
• Teaching people how to examine and solve problems is powerful.
• Create opportunities for feedback to reinforce learning.
• AI can help you in ways humans can´t.
• Break down why the behaviour is not happening.

BEST MOMENTS

“They know the right actions to take, yet it’s still not happening.”

“Sometimes people don't see the value in the action.”

“AI can pull out what is successful and then use that as a model.”

Julie Dirksen's Bio

Julie Dirksen is an expert in instructional design, learning science, and behaviour change. She is the author of Design For How People Learn and a sought-after consultant who helps organisations create learning experiences that drive real performance improvement. With a background in UX, game design, and cognitive psychology, Julie focuses on bridging the gap between what we teach and what people actually do. Through her work, she equips L&D professionals with the tools to design learning that truly sticks.

You can follow and contact Julie via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliedirksen/

Blog: http://usablelearning.wordpress.com/

Website: https://usablelearning.com/

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home

The aim of this series is to highlight the important shift that some L&D leaders and practitioners have made in order to more predictably and reliably affect individual and organizational performance, achieving much more as a consequence.

Dr. Villachica has consulted and worked in business, government, and non-profit settings for more than 25 years. He joined the faculty of the Department of Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning in the College of Engineering at Boise State University in 2007.

Prior to joining Boise State, Steve collaborated with colleagues and clients at DLS Group, Inc., to create large-scale performance support systems, e-learning, instructor-led training, job aids, and a host of award-winning performance improvement solutions for pharmaceutical companies, law enforcement agencies, securities companies and regulators, the Intelligence Community, and others. At Boise State, Steve teaches courses in instructional design, needs assessment, and workplace performance improvement. 

Dr. Villachica’s research interests focus on identifying and leveraging exemplary performance throughout organizations. His current research efforts investigate aspects of student readiness for the workplace.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Enabling people to perform in ways that contribute to achieving strategic business objectives, is not only about training. You also need to identify what is getting in their way and remove it.
• Often, organizational stakeholders come to L&D with ill-informed requests for training.
• Be systematic and look at things systemically.
• Determine whether the gap is worth closing. Does it really contribute to achieving business objectives and is it worth the time and $ cost?
• Gather organizational intelligence – find out what is keeping your clients up at night.
• Don´t try to educate people. Instead, address their pain points
• Each project needs adequate sponsorship. Someone who has skin in the game.
• Interacting causes produce the performance gap. In the podcast, Steve explains how to identify the many, overlapping underlying causes, behind each issue.
• From day one of any project, implementation needs to be a part of the process.
• Align your efforts with strategic business objectives and keep re-aligning them as things change.
• It is possible to launch effective projects using remotely hosted meetings. In the podcast, Steve shares the approach he and his team have found to be effective.

BEST MOMENTS

'If you want to address resistance, address people´s pain point, don´t try to educate them. '

'Ask what do you want people to be doing in the workplace that they´re not doing now?'

'Know the difference between what an organization says about itself and what it actually does. '

'The first step is to get in there and do the organizational intelligence work. Find out what the lay of the land is. '

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

EPISODE RESOURCES

You can follow and contact Steve via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-villachica-96a0a69/

Website: https://www.boisestate.edu/opwl/

SUPPORTING RESOURCES: - Addison, R., Haig, C., & Kearny, L. (2009). 

Performance architecture: The art and science of improving organizations. Pfeiffer. - Chevalier, R. (2008). 

The evolution of a performance analysis job aid. Performance Improvement, 47(10), 9-18. https://doi.org/10.1002/pfi.20034 Gillum, T., & Mortenson, K. (2019). 

Performance eating rabbits: What B.O.L.D. people see and do. Outskirts. - Hale, J. (2007). 

The Performance Consultant’s Fieldbook: Tools and Techniques for Improving Organizations and People (2nd ed.). Pfeiffer. - Rosenberg, M. J. (2005). 

Beyond E-Learning: Approaches and Technologies to Enhance Organizational Knowledge, Learning, and Performance. Pfeiffer. - Rummler, G. A. (2006). 

The anatomy of performance. In J. A. Pershing (Ed.), Handbook of human performance technology: Principles, practices, and potential (3rd ed., pp. 986-1007). Pfeiffer. - Silber, K. H., & Kearny, L. (2009). 

Organizational intelligence: A guide to understanding the business of your organization for HR, training, and performance consulting. Pfeiffer. - Uday-Riley, M., & Guerra-Lopez, I. (2010). 

Process Improvement. In R. Watkins & D. Leigh (Eds.), Handbook of improving performance in the workplace: Selecting and implementing performance interventions (Vol. 2, pp. 418-437). John Wiley & Sons. - Watkins, R., & Kaufman, R. (1996). 

An update on relating needs assessment and needs analysis. Performance & Instruction, 35(10), 10-13. https://doi.org/10.1002/pfi.4170351005

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/

‘To solve real problems requires challenge, and a change in mindset and skillset’

Is L&D really prone to solving problems that are only really problems for L&D and neglecting the real problems that our organisations and employees need addressing? In this episode, the topic is explored and examples given of where L&D are guilty and what we all need to do instead.

In this episode, David is in conversation with Rob Moors who has considerable experience in Learning and development and is passionate about connecting L&D professionals with real problems and equipping them with the understanding and skillset to make a difference.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• A non-problem is a symptom and in L&D it is still the symptoms that are dealt with.
• Why do L&D attempt to solve non-problems?
• L&D measure themselves through how many people apply to do their courses and don’t always align themselves to the vision and organisational goals of the company.
• How many training courses have been supplied rather than how many problems been solved.
• It’s about concentrating on what important not what’s urgent.
• To solve real problems requires challenge and a change in mindset and skillset that L&D may not have.
• It’s not just L&D professionals who need to change its also a requirement of the stakeholders to change to uncover the real problems.
• L&D need to be performance partners understanding what they are trying to achieve within and for the organisation.
• Switching from the language of training to the language of performance is critical if you want to uncover real problems.
• By understanding what’s really going on and what needs to go on, the blockers and what is actually being experienced by people working in the situation L&D can then influence and do something that actually works.
• The key actions are;
• Trust in the positive intention of others – reconnect everyone with the vision and goals of the organisation.
• Believe in people to help you  find the answers – L&D professionals often only ask other L&D people
• Understand your team and you are your responsibility -  you need to be your own case study to move forward and develop.

BEST MOMENTS

‘L&D professionals are not intentionally getting up every day intending to be ineffective’

‘There will be 3 or 4 critical things going on in an organisation at any time and its vital L&D prioritise those’

‘Look to achieve the greatest value over the greatest number of people’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning & Development Podcast 

ABOUT THE GUEST

Rob Moors

Rob has been Learning & Development professional for over 20 years; with large organisations such as Sky, TalkTalk and the NHS, as well as a number of smaller tech security enterprises. Rob’s passion is that of bridging the gaps between training and learning; learning and performance; and performance and people. 


Rob is now Chief Learning Officer with Learn Do Get.

CONTACT METHOD

You can follow and connect with Rob via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbymoors/

Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/learn-do-get/

Website: https://www.learndoget.com/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning?lang=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/

Website: https://www.looop.co/

In this episode, Paul Matthews explains how a workflow approach to people development can link learning to the work itself and make a demonstrable difference to the way the work is done.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Learning workflow is not the same as learning in the flow or blended learning.
• Learning workflow is a sequence of orchestrated activities that are designed to achieve a behavioral change.
• Behavioral Needs Analysis (BNA) and measurable results are essential components of the learning workflow.
• Starting with an LMA OR TMA will send you down the wrong path, Paul explains why.
• Working out how to reduce the friction that is stopping change is also part of the process.
• The learning workflow approach can be very effective for people who are taking on new roles internally and for onboarding.
• A multi-rater tool used alongside measuring key KPIs is the most effective way to assess progress.

BEST MOMENTS

'Usually, it takes, time, effort, and energy over a period of time for change to embed and become habitual.'

'If you don’t have a set of outputs defined in behavioral terms you actually don´t know where you are going.'

'Learning workflow is particularly good where behavior change is required, rather than when you only want people to memorize stuff.  '

'Wherever you have the need for people to do a sequence of actions over time…you can use learning workflow. '

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/

EPISODE RESOURCES

You can follow and contact Paul via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulmatthews100/

Website: https://paul-matthews.com/

Website: https://peoplealchemy.com/

ABOUT THE GUEST

Paul Matthews Bio

Paul Matthews is a leading Learning & Development professional with a series of best-selling books to his name. An accomplished keynote speaker, he speaks around the world on a diverse range of topics. He brings learning and performance to life with stories that both fascinate and inspire. He also prides himself on reducing complex theory down to simple ideas and sharing them in a way that everyone can understand, and more importantly, use to get better results. As well as being a sought-after speaker, Paul provides consultancy services, training workshops, and webinars for blue-chip clients in the UK and beyond.

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/

As L&D Manager for CastUK, Eva doesn’t just talk the talk, she walks the walk of modern, progressive L&D, focusing on business performance outcomes and creating learning experiences that combine digital and face-to-face. Hear Eva’s stories about her progress and her principles of Learning & Development in practice.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Did you have an idea of how you wanted your L & D function to run?

• I wanted to move away from classroom-based training and to establish what great looked like for the company.  We explored what sort of skills we needed and what were the skills people already had.
• Every skill needs to be tackled differently and when you are addressing reality you are able to achieve real results.
• People are afraid of experimenting and trying something new because at some point failure is guaranteed but what you do with the lesson learned is what makes the difference.
• I was open to challenge and they were prepared to challenge, this combined has enabled us to change.

What have you done to broaden and challenge the expectations of what L & D looks like?

• I wanted to initially to understand what the challenges were across the business for differing individuals.
• Learning has to be hard fun; people should be doing something different to what they do in the workplace
• Using role-play in the training room enables individuals to learn from their mistakes in a safe environment.
• We underestimate people’s need for autonomy, to be able to go through things at their own pace and develop true understanding.

Can you explain how you have saved time in induction with digital solutions?

• The induction is not shorter, but the approach is different. Anything that is knowledge or content-based people access themselves digitally at their own pace.
• The digital solution is curated content- some of which is created internally capturing the knowledge within the company, it’s the ‘how to’
• The face to face sessions are opportunities to summarise and check the understanding.

You are have been exploring automation with digital resources, how is that developing?

• It is useful to be able to target various groups with different content and send it out when it is needed.
• The Looop solution allows me to be more timely, proactive and efficient with my time.
• If we don’t understand what people are trying to do when they are facing critical points of failure, unfamiliar situations or challenges then we can’t support them.
• Go out and do it, give it a try and see how it works for you, get into that experimenting mindset
• It’s about solving the real problems out there, being curious and using technology as your tool.

BEST MOMENTS

‘The biggest challenge in L & D is capturing what works’

‘The want and will to constantly review their own performance and understand it’

‘You are making an assessment based on readiness through observation’

‘If you are results-driven you are not precious about content, you view it as a tool to achieve the results’

ABOUT THE GUEST

Eva Adam

Eva Adam is L&D Manager at CastUK, a recruitment consultancy specialising in sourcing executive and management level roles.

Whilst Eva is relatively new to L&D, having spent time before in operational and management roles, she is clear about the impact she wishes to make with her practice and leadership and has successfully sold this vision to her stakeholders. 

You can connect with Eva via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eva-adam-25947787/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning?lang=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/

Website: https://www.looop.co/

Today on The Learning & Development Podcast, David talks to Nick Shackleton-Jones, the author of How People Learn and a genuine thought leader on Learning & Development, to talk more about how we can improve our learning and training strategies for our employees. It must be centred on how they could grow and develop themselves so we can expect high performance. Discover in this episode how we can use simulations to determine solutions, the pull and push method, producing content, and many more. 

Start changing your perspective on learning for the better when you tune in. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

• How can a genuine thought leader be differentiated from a fake one? Genuine thought leaders don’t say what you want to hear; they say what you need to hear. Be ready to what they say even though some truths might be unpleasant. 
• When producing content for learning, it’s important to know how it can help. Know the main concerns first, so you’ll know what can be the solutions to present. Do an analysis of what worked and what didn’t work for them in the past. 
• How can Learning & Development align better to the business? “Solve their problems first, not translate them into your solutions.”  
• Models that exist today only serve those who are at the top, not the people who really need the service. Find out who your audience is.  

• The effective context model is supposed to underpin all learning phenomena for all in different contexts. The pull and push approach is useful since we only react to things we care.  
• What to Consider When Redesigning L&D Strategies: 

• Creating resources 
• Experience design—responding to challenges and creating challenges 

• The Learning & Development sector should be ready for disruptions that could boost the strategies and services. For example, technology is becoming more functional for everyone. 

BEST MOMENTS 

• “I’d like to think that people entering the world of learning development believed that it was an antidote to the weirdness and bureaucracy.” 
• “Our challenges drive our learning.” 
• “The only way to get them to efficiently to just know it is to find out what they care about today.” 
• “Let’s not come to people with PowerPoint presentations when we have some time to have valuable time together to talk about what they think, to share experiences, and to learn from each other.” 

• “We are eliminating learning in the interest of making everything more usable.” 

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Nick Shackleton-Jones 

Nick is a genuine thought-leader in Learning & Development, responsible for coining the ‘courses to resources’ shift and the affective context model of learning.  

He began his professional life as a psychology lecturer and went on to lead learning functions at Siemens, BBC & BP. He’s now a consultant and author of ‘How People Learn’ (Kogan Page, May 2019) as well as winning several awards for people development strategy, innovation, and learning content, including the Learning & Performance Institute’s Award for Services to the Learning Industry, 2017.  

You can follow and contact Nick via: 

• Twitter: @shackletonjones 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shackletonjones/ 
• How People Learn: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-People-Learn-Designing-Performance/dp/0749484705 

ABOUT THE HOST 

David James  

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.  

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.  

CONTACT METHOD  

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/ 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/  
• Website: https://www.looop.co/ 

Sukh Pabial recently conducted some research to understand the impact of COVID-19 - and subsequent restrictions - on L&D. In this episode, the results of this research are shared and explored in order to help understand where we are now and where we, as a profession, should prepare to go.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The furlough scheme saw to it that many jobs were saved, but for those in L&D, if robust remote learning methods were not implemented, then a huge proportion of workforces could not be developed while furloughed.
• The shift to remote development has been significant. 85% of workforce learning is now done digitally and virtually.
• Everyone who pivoted from their original existing L&D strategy and content delivery, to one more focussed upon needs and priorities, created a huge contrast to the way things worked previously – an as-and-when framework.
• From a professional capability perspective, the shift to digital and virtual has been transformative.

BEST MOMENTS

'The overall finding is that 85% shift to virtual’

‘This has left a huge population who cannot access skills development’

‘I think our “solutions” are so insubstantial that they require support from elsewhere’

‘This has allowed them to make the shift they wanted to make’

 VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE GUEST

Sukhvinder (Sukh) Pabial is a senior Learning & Organisational Development leader who, as CLO of Challenging Frontiers, actively works to progress the thinking and practice of L&D. Sukh’s interests lie in L&D strategy and consultation, innovation in business, positive psychology and emotional intelligence.

Sukh is an occupational psychologist by education, and has extensively studied the fields of positive psychology and emotional intelligence. 

Twitter @sukhpabial

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sukhvinder-pabial-01113b1b/

How Has COVID Impacted L&D? Research Results: https://challengingfrontiers.com/impact-covid19-ld

Website: https://challengingfrontiers.com/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

Performance Consulting is recognised as a key skill-set for the modern L&D professional who wants to make a difference in their organisation. In this episode, Nigel Harrison helps us to understand what Performance Consulting is and how it’s helping L&D to align to its organisation to achieve more. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

• Performance Consulting is how you ask your client questions to uncover the apparent need. It doesn’t assume that learning and training are the best solutions. Deliberate beforehand if what L&D strategy is the way to go. 

• Some use L&D for work compliance, some use it for personal development, and some use it to improve the business performance. You need consulting when something’s bound to be crucial to the business goals. Great L&D can help you in cost reduction and in work efficiency. 
• There are great risks when we become lenient of people we take in our company. We want people who understand your business needs and can move with us forward.  
• Application > Theory. Your priority is to ready them in what they’ll be facing in work. Give it a second thought if an academic or educational appraoach is the correct one for them. You should be able to introduce them to the work culture, increase their productivity, and be knowledgeable with your obectives. 
• Why people have the hard time seeing that performance is greater than training courses? Some seniors are immovable in incorporating changes in the traditional apporach they’re used to—the mentality has to change. Some, though know of the recent developments in L&D, just don’t have the means to push through such changes. 

BEST MOMENTS 

• “A lot of learning and development are misaligned with the business.” 
• “Our job is to help people do things better.” 
• “We are so fixed in our training bubble and we don’t have the time to see what’s really going on.” 

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Nigel Harrison is recognised as an authority in Performance Consulting and has worked globally with clients to develop the skills for sustained business impact. He’s a Chartered Business Psychologist, Author of “How to be a True Business Partner by Performance Consulting” and founder of Performance Consulting UK Ltd. 

You can find out more from Nigel via: 

• Website: https://performconsult.co.uk/  
• The Performance Consulting Process: http://performconsult.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/new-web-site-7StepProcess.png  
• ‘How To Be A True Business Partner’ Book: https://performconsult.co.uk/book-shop/ 

ABOUT THE HOST 

David James  

David has been a People Development professional for over 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.  

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.  

CONTACT METHOD  

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• Website: https://www.looop.co/ 

Christopher Lind is Head of Global Digital Learning at GE Healthcare and a seasoned L&D executive. 

In this episode he talks about how speaking the language of business, rather than the language of L&D, has helped him influence his stakeholders, transform his function and do more with digital.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• One of the biggest differentiators in Christopher’s success is the ability to speak the language of business, as well as the language of L&D.
• In L&D there’s a tendency to be caught up in your own space; the way thinking is done, even down to the phrases used. But to business leaders, lots of what they hear doesn’t make sense.
• It’s fine to be passionate about L&D, but we need to communicate that passion, along with ideas and input, by using laguage that everyone understands, otherwise it seems like a closed community.
• We can either take what business leaders say and start talking about learning needs and solutions, or stay with their map and talk about the business.
• A better place to start is not to enquire about the state of the people, who are of course important, but to enquire about the state of the business itself.
• L&D people need to have a genuine curiosity about the business when you ask the questions, which will allow an authentic response. Remember also that you’re going to get knocked down. Get back in there and keep trying.
• There’s a misconception that Learning And Development should mimic the school scenario, but it’s up to us to bust that preconception. It should not take the form of “learn before work”.
• Technology is allowing entirely new ways of learning, including livestream tutoring and networking that can allow people to learn on the job with the help of a connected mentor.

BEST MOMENTS

• ‘We talk about things that make sense to L&D practitioners, but to business leaders it’s just Greek’
• ’The first conversation we have with stakeholders, there’s a fork in the road’
• ’Speaking the language of business requires us to refocus the conversation’
• ‘You’re gonna get knocked down, and that’s okay’
• ’Technology is changing things at a pace that is out of this world’
• ‘Instead of being a content department, we can be an experience department'

ABOUT THE GUEST

Christopher is a bold, digital-first learning and talent development leader that’s always been directly embedded in the businesses he serves. As a result, he’s spent his entire career reimagining the landscape of learning and talent development while going head-to-head with business operation leaders and being directly accountable for the outcomes.

You can follow and connect with Christopher via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherlind/

LINKS

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

Gemma Critchley is Head of Technology & Innovation for Learning at Aviva and her mission is to make work feel more like real life by focusing on creating effortless, useful, beautiful experiences that solve real business problems. 

We discuss this in detail in relation to the actual work Gemma and her team do and the results they seek.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• One of the most important things in learning and development is to design things with and for people, really focussing on what they care about, what they’re struggling with, what their problems are, and design accordingly.

• Innovation can be a scary word. But by looking at what is taking place within organisations, and not keeping learning and development within a bubble, we can listen to the people who do the actual work, and develop in a positive way.

• The Five DI Methodology is about defining a problem before you start the work: Define, Discover, Design, Develop, Deploy, Iterate.

• There can be a mentality that when you create a learning project and put it out into the world, you’re done. But you should always look at the impact it’s having, measure it, and make it better.

• Technological innovations in L&D mean that instead of treating development as some kind of field trip, companies can treat it more as though it’s part of the workflow, meaning that it can be communicated and absorbed more efficiently.

• When people go through transitions within the context of an organisation, things become predictable, repeatable and then it’s all about the timeliness. If you can anticipate when people experience that then you can have that point on an automated workflow to surface the things that people require, and when.

• Gemma found something of a culture shock when she moved from marketing to L&D, in that marketing is very much data led. By tapping into the data being amassed about her customers, she was able to pinpoint the exact requirements and most effective methods of reaching them at all times. L&D’s data only seems to come after the fact, and so being able to pinpoint the development required is much more difficult. But the industry is getting there.

• Judge the success of any venture by measuring the difference in the business as a result of having implemented something new.

BEST MOMENTS

• ‘We forget that there’s a human in Human Resources’
• ‘Let’s not focus on what’s wrong, let’s focus on what could be better’
• ‘Learning and development is about finding out what people are up against and then helping them’
• ’That’s what learning is missing: that campaign mentality’
• ‘We use data as the autopsy’
• ‘You’ve got a North Star that you can work to. You need a guiding light'

ABOUT THE GUEST

Gemma Critchley has been leading teams to develop, manage and market digital products in learning, talent, social media and marketing for over 10 years.

As Head of Technology & Innovation for Learning at Aviva, Gemma leads a team to deliver commercial outcomes through innovative approaches to learning, talent and organisational development, with a focus on the digital transformation. Using innovation, technology, storytelling and experience design her ultimate aim is to deliver real business results.

You can follow and connect with Gemma via:

Twitter: @GemStGem

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemmacritchley/

LINKS

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

How People Learn by Nick Shackleton-Jones https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-People-Learn-Designing-Performance/dp/0749484705/ref=sr_1_1?crid=4QWWKQ5GU5HT&keywords=how+people+learn&qid=1565856607&s=books&sprefix=how+people+learn%2Caps%2C132&sr=1-1

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/

Website: https://www.looop.co/

Serena Gonsalves-Fersch is conducting extensive research, as part of a doctorate, on the future of our profession. 

In this episode, we explore Serena’s findings so far, how these findings map to Serena’s considerable experience and what the future of Learning & Development could mean for all of us.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• There are a remarkable number of opinions on what L&D should and could be doing. However, when you’re working in the sector, and beneath the expectations of internal stakeholders, the experience is radically different.
• When you are in a startup or hyper-growth organisation, it requires a completely different approach and way of thinking when it comes to how we can best effect business change.
• Learning is an ever-evolving pursuit, but so too is the methodology of learning itself. We cannot hope to advance our knowledge, if the practices do not evolve with us on a personal level.
• We should never be afraid to experiment when it comes to learning. Even if we fail, we have learned a lesson. 
• Recognising the difference between an individual’s learning requirements and their personal attitudes and approaches, is key to discerning the real needs. By mislabelling a personal issue as a learning issue, essentially offer complicity.

BEST MOMENTS

• ‘It’s easier to start from the bottom up, and look at how we build’
• ‘In a smaller organisation, the critical path seems more obvious’
• ’The human race would not have survived if we were not constantly learning’
• ’There’s no such thing as an L&D emergency'

VALUABLE RESOURC ES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE GUEST

Serena Gonsalves-Fersch is an experienced L&D leader with 20 years in the profession, having worked at IBM and KPMG, amongst others. With your most recent role as Global Head of Learning at Cloudreach.

You can follow and connect with Serena via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/serena-gonsalves-fersch-flpi-a23589/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

Each week David has talked to guests about what lights them up in the world of people development across 31 episodes this year. 

As a way of wrapping this up for2019 in this episode, he shares a summary of his learning so far and looks ahead to next year. 

In 2020 truly understanding user-centricity, human-centred designed will be key and learning what this really is that will be important for every learning and development professional. 

By understanding what it is people are trying to do, the experiences they are having what’s required of the organisation then better experiences can be designed in order to improve performance and insight. If we can understand the experiences people have then we can design even greater experiences   

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

• The shift from learning to performance is well underway and it was a key theme for many of the guests on the podcast. 

• The emergence of data in learning and development that is far beyond the valuation data available previously is a good signifier of where we should be applying our attention. 
• if we are going to address the primary concerns of our workforce and organisations it’s going to be around performance. 
• We need to move forward and with the changes to the workplace and work, we need to change the way we work to bring greater impact. 
• An agile mindset which is working with and for the client understanding what it is they are trying to achieve and iterating this over a period of time to affect performance, output, results and data can be a game-changer for learning and development. 
• Resources, not courses are both a mindset and a practice and it continues to gain momentum within the learning and development arena. 

• Learning in the flow of work is learning while you are working it’s not stopping work to learn 
• You are building your knowledge and incite from where you work and is focused on what you are trying to achieve. 
• People are already having experiences at work – these may be good, bad, effective, ineffective or largely indifferent and it’s about understanding what people are already experiencing in relation to what they are trying to do and designing Learning and Development experiences that move the needle in the right direction. 

BEST MOMENTS 

‘What  does acceptable performance look like and what performance needs to be addressed and what needs to be the focus to understand performance to a greater degree?’ 

‘Everyone is now experimenting to see if they can move the needle in the right direction’ 

‘It’s not an emerging trend it’s one that’s being embraced a lot more and will help us to affect performance’ 

VALUABLE RESOURCES 

The Learning & Development Podcast  

ABOUT THE HOST 

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board. 

CONTACT METHOD 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning?lang=en 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 

Website: https://www.looop.co/ 

A company that looks to the future will know how to prepare for it. Strategic Foresight takes a comprehensive view of your past experiences and decisions, and brings dynamic clarity and focus to your company by creating a transformational framework for you to understand your decisions, processes, landscape, and pathways. In this episode, Frank and David explore Strategic Foresight and the work they did together at Disney.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Strategic foresight is about leveraging what is emerging and on the horizon, not accurately predicting the future.
• Firms that use it adapt and transform quickly and are resilient.
• Strategic foresight ensures that you build a workforce with the talent and skills to be ready for what comes next.
• Using strategic forsight it is possible to model and be ready for crisis events ”black swans” like CoVid. Events that speed up change.
• The disruption of CoVid has drastically changed the way we look at education. In some countries, students are now graduating with businesses as well as degrees.
• Generation cohort, purposeful work, neuro breakthroughs, phygital and the metaverse are just five examples of how the way we think and live is changing. All of which are talked about in the podcast.
• Research + data + intuition + creativity is the equation for strategic foresight. How that is applied is discussed in the podcast.
• It is not enough to identify trends. They merge and form new patterns of behaviour and create new worlds that organisations need to be ready to operate within.

BEST MOMENTS

'Foresight really is a way for people to leverage the future. '

'You need people that are able to meet whatever is coming next..to lay ahold of new opportunities.'

'In foresight, we have to look at multiple alternative futures. '

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

CONTACT METHOD FOR GUEST

You can follow and connect with Frank via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankspencer/

Website: https://thefuturesschool.com/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wicked-opportunities-podcast/id1527341331

ABOUT THE GUEST

Frank W. Spencer

Frank W. Spencer holds a Master of Arts in Strategic Foresight from Regent University and has worked on strategic foresight projects for companies such as Kraft, Mars, Marriott, Duke University and The Walt Disney Company. He is a prolific speaker, having delivered presentations to groups and conferences in Atlanta, Buenos Aires, London, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Shanghai, Melbourne, Washington, New York City, Singapore, Mumbai, Wellington, Moscow and San Francisco over the last 20 years on topics such as leadership development, the importance of developing the skill of futures thinking, creating environments of foresight in businesses & organisations, recognising emerging trends and issues, identifying unseen opportunities, reaching aspirations and preferred futures, talent management, work, technology, and social innovation.

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

“The field of play has evolved for L&D and now includes supporting a dynamic learning performance ecosystem. If the field of play changes, it implies we must evolve and adopt new rules of engagement.” 

What Gary is referring to here is the the Point Of Work. In this episode, the point of topic is the Point Of Work, which is broader than workflow learning and an essential area of focus if we (L&D) are to make a real difference in our organisations. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Workflow learning is learning in the workflow where the worker does not have to disengage with the work in order to resolve a moment of need. 

• The concept of learning in the workflow is one where learning is accessible, but you have to disengage with the actual work to go and find it. 

• Point Of Work is not necessarily a destination. It’s a discipline. The whole concept is a mind-shift, a strategic re-think of how we are going to approach a dynamic learning performance eco-system. 

• “Changing the conversation” is one of the key objectives that a Point Of Work assessment is designed to facilitate. It has to start at the top. 

• The question we should truly be asking is what is that operationally, people-wise, or systemically, might actually be the problem that is preventing your people from doing what they are here to actually do? 

• If you go down through from a senior leadership position to an individual contributor, you have multiple points of work, and you have multiple perspectives that are influencing those points of work. 

• The shift from learning to performance is one that comes up more and more these days. In a study, only 26% of respondents said that the ability to support performance was prevalent within their function. 

• We need to pick the greatest pain-point that we’re dealing with and figure out how to resolve that. What that will then become is proof-of-concept. Conversations will arise from this, which will fundamentally shape development.

BEST MOMENTS

• ‘It’s in the workflow. It’s in the application. There’s no downtime’ 

• ‘Off-task time is required in order to engage in learning in the workflow’ 

• ’No. I want it all’ 

• ‘What is the problem that we are truly seeking to address here?’ 

• ’There was a landmine there of a different kind!’ 

• ‘It starts small and it scales’ 

• ‘Human performance outfitters drives living and learning’   

ABOUT THE GUEST

Gary Wise is an established Workforce Productivity Strategist and Coach with over 35-years of cross-industry leadership experiences in corporate Learning & Development. During the first 20-years he amassed an impressive string of failures; not failures in team leadership or poorly designed Training solutions, but failures to recognise a blind spot – the myth that Training solutions drive and sustain workforce performance.  

During the next 15-years, he postured a reality that Training only promotes potential; measurable workforce performance does not manifest until knowledge workers reach a new ground zero – Point-of-Work 

You can follow and connect with Gary via: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garywiseprofilemyca/ 

Website: https://livinginlearning.com/ 

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 

• Website: https://www.looop.co/

Too often, L&D technology implementations promise so much and deliver so little. The word ‘transformation’ is used prior to launch but, due to lack of sustained engagement, driving traffic to justify the expenditure becomes the goal. In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, Lori and David talk about what it really takes to make large-scale, organisation-wide digital transformations successful.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• L&D transformations today mostly depend on learning experiences not on business KPIs. This is the reason tech implementations are very hard to do inside the companies. Lori adds that before choosing any tech platform, it’s best to base it on the exisiting problems.
• Lori forms strategies rooted on what’s really needed in the business. She does this after evaluation. Will it target the KPIs? Is it revenue-generating? Is it regulatory?
  • She suggests using the software Workfront.
• There are many resources out there, but there will only be enough resources which create meaning and impact to the team. Learning should be about presenting content with nurturing, understanding, and connections.
• Use the data that already exists when designing better solutions. Observe ‘digital body language’ by analysing the online engagement of each individual so you can respond properly to their needs.
• Implementing the emerging technologies in the company does not remove the clasroom trainings. The existing learning strategy might be improved with some new implementations.
• Based on Lori’s observations, she sees a pattern in the companies management of L&D programs. One-third of them are on-board with L&D tech implementations and have high learnability scores, another one-third are on-board but they won’t get through, and the ones left are the traditionalists who won’t make it also.
• What are the main pitfalls that L&D fall into, in their best efforts to digitally transform?
  • They don’t start with finding the solutions.
  • They fall inlove with the platfomr before realising it’s gonna work.
  • They aren’t talking to the learners.
  • They don’t engage enough with the Chief Technology Officer.

BEST MOMENTS

• “It’s funny we find L&D teams themselves don’t initiate the change. It usually coming from pressure—they might be not meeting their sales or there might be new regulatory requests—whatever it is, it’s the external pressure that’s on them they now have to respond to. And, we try to get them back in control.”
• “We’re speaking to them like true business partners.”
• “The pressure on them to continue to learn maybe lies in being relevant and redundant.”
• “Fix the root problem.”

VALUABLE RESOURCES

• Workfront - https://www.workfront.com

ABOUT THE GUEST

Lori Niles-Hofmann is a senior learning strategist with over 20 years of L&D experience across many industries, including international banking, management consulting, and marketing.

Having held L&D leadership roles at KPMG and Scotiabank, Lori’s specialisation is large-scale digital learning transformations.

You can follow and connect with Lori via:

• Twitter: @LoriNiles
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorinileshofmann/
• Website: http://www.loriniles.com/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for over 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

In the last 12 months, Adam has gone from Digital Learning Partner at ASOS, to L&D Manager for Revolut and, finally, Head of L&D at D&D London. And not because he’s flighty but because his skills are in high demand. In the episode, Adam talks about his rapid rise in L&D and what others can take from his focus and development. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

Resources before courses 

• The sweet spot is where we can help people to get stuff done by creating things that speak to their challenges and questions. 
• It all comes down to asking the questions. 
• A business starts and ends with the people. 
• It's working with and for the client in an agile sense focusing on the outcomes rather than the product. 
• It’s all about taking them on a journey building resources that can actually help. 

• Performance support is at the core of resources. Asking questions and unpacking the answers ensures you can really help and drive effective change across an organisation. 
• If you want to be the change that you see and create the job you want then you need to understand the background and mandate of the organisation. 

Finding the right people 

• You have to work hard to find people who are truly forward-thinking, reframing what you are looking for to attract the disrupters who will drive change. 
• Its someone who is willing to find out what the real challenges are, and seek the real answers. 

• It's having an appreciation that digital is woven into our lives at all points of time 
• For any young aspiring learning and development person, there are great opportunities 
• It's about being in real life and wanting to make a difference 

Understanding  what is holding L&D back from having a greater impact 

• Organisations have an expectation of what an L&D department is for within the company. 

• We are stuck in the prison of what we have always been doing when there are real problems and challenges that need to be supported. 
• When learning and development reappraises and understands that it can have a more important role then it will be able to focus on creating that role within a company. 
• It's about what the problems really are and understanding how you can support individuals in solving them. 

BEST MOMENTS 

‘Wanting to affect what is important to the business and increase the expectations of what the L&D function can do, it's bold and it's brave’ 

It's easy to run a schedule of programs because it's easy to measure 

 ‘I looked at what they are trying to achieve as a company and how L&D could remove the friction’  

VALUABLE RESOURCES 

The Learning & Development Podcast 

ABOUT THE GUEST 

ADAM HARWOOD 

Adam Harwood is Head of L&D with D&D London, having recently been both L&D Manager at Revolut and Digital Learning Partner at ASOS.  

Adam is renowned for his views on digital and its potential to transform L&D and truly affect employee performance in service of organisational results.  

In addition, Adam is active in the L&D community. 

GUEST CONTACT METHOD 

You can follow and connect with Adam via: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/adamharwood26 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamharwood1984/ 

Article Adam mentioned in the chat: https://peopleatwork.cipd.co.uk/2018/12/21/were-the-ones-who-bring-people-together/

ABOUT THE HOST 

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board. 

CONTACT METHOD 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning?lang=en 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 

Website: https://www.looop.co/ 

The latest CIPD report on the Learning & Development profession is both revealing and inspiring. L&D practitioners and leaders have had a huge amount to deal with, in recent years, with many using circumstances to make radical changes. For others, not so much. So, what does this all mean and what do we need to do about it? In this conversation, we unpack the report and highlight some key findings - as well as provide commentary and insight ourselves.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The CIPD report seeks to uncover what´s changing, what´s new, and what is important for the L&D community.
• Despite challenges, the industry is optimistic.
• There is now more emphasis on digital.
• It will soon no longer be possible to recruit yourself out of the skills gap, a fact that is driving businesses to invest in training their personnel.
• When it comes to organizational priorities and alignment there has been some slippage.
• Learner time constraints and a lack of engagement are still issues.
• Line managers are still not playing a key role in learning.
• Ongoing learning, reflection, and adaptation are all essential.
• 57% of L&D professionals seek to understand performance issues before recommending a solution.
• Zoom out on the data to get the bigger picture.
• Use the report to look at things through a different lens and learn from it on a personal level.

BEST MOMENTS

'Leaders recognize the value we have on organization priorities.'

'The hardest way to do L&D is to tell somebody a different way to do the job without understanding the job.'

'By increasing your value, you increase your currency.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Laura Overton Bio

Laura Overton is an experienced international speaker, author, facilitator, and award-winning learning analyst dedicated to uncovering and sharing effective practices in learning innovation that lead to business value. Her work is based on 30 years of practical experience and a commitment to supporting evidence-based learning decisions and has shared her ideas as the author of over 40 reports and hundreds of articles over that time. As the founder of Towards Maturity, she is also known for leading the first 15 years of a longitudinal study program (2004 – February 2019) respected for uncovering and sharing learning strategies that lead to business success.

You can follow and connect with Laura via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraoverton/

Twitter: @lauraoverton

CIPD Learning at Work 2023 Report: https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/reports/learning-at-work/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

A governance structure in L&D is a move from implicit to explicit practices. It brings rigour and structure to decision-making practices that would otherwise be nebulous and ill-defined. It is a recognition that L&D is, fundamentally, a strategic function – equally critical for the organisation’s growth and for its survival in turbulent times. But it doesn’t exist in every L&D team. 

In this episode, Noah and Tom break down why it is essential and how we, as L&D, get to grips with it.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Governance aligns L&D more closely with business objectives and ensures consistent, scalable impact.

• The decision on where the L&D budget is spent has to be made by the business so that the budget can be allocated to training that generates profit.

• Governance includes careful management of your key constituencies and relationships.

• Alignment, communication, consistency, planning, measurement, execution, tracking, and project management are all equally important.

• Ask yourself what does better look like? Properly define what you are aiming for.

• New technologies are not always better, be sure to properly assess them.

• Good governance is never 100% done, it is an ongoing process.

• Taking a “solid core, flexible edges” approach to governance works well for most organizations.

• Be brave. It´s worth a little bit of pain to make big gains.

BEST MOMENTS

“Governance is about aligning learning to the strategic objectives and needs of the business… so that you can demonstrate the value of that learning function.”

“You have to create consistency in the learner experience .”

“AI is going to be a lightning rod.”

“Shiny object syndrome  is the enemy of good governance.”

“We not only define what governance is, but we define what's what it's not.”

Noah Rabinowitz Bio

With 25+ years of experience in learning and leadership development, Noah has been Chief Learning Officer at Intel and Moderna and consulted globally with Korn Ferry and Deloitte. He specializes in innovative learning strategies, executive development, and large-scale digital upskilling programs, driving impactful results across industries.

Tom Kupetis Bio

Tom brings over 25 years of management consulting and learning solutions experience with Fortune 500 companies. As Executive Vice President at St. Charles Consulting Group, he oversees the firm’s go-to-market strategy. Previously, he held senior roles at Xerox Learning Services and Intellinex LLC (EY subsidiary).

Report: https://learningforum.substack.com/p/clo-lift-governance-as-a-strategic

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 

• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/

• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/

• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Without doubt, 2023 has been dominated by AI. Whether it’s through fear, anxiety, excitement or over-exposure, generative AI - and most prominently ChatGPT - has been at the forefront of thinking, development and investment as the world rushes to catch up with this emergent technology. But what could it mean for L&D? According to Ross Stevenson, quite a lot. Listen as Ross shares his exhaustive exploration of this technology and tells us how we can be benefitting today.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• ChatGPT is a game-changer for (L&D), turbo charging their efficiency.
• Those who adapt to generative AI first will reap the rewards.
• ChatGPT empowers you to work at an unprecedented speed.
• Don't dismiss ChatGPT as a mere content generator; it's much more.
• ChatGPT is your ultimate research assistant, simplifying the daunting task of summarizing extensive reports.
• It offers a fresh, emotion-free perspective, swiftly uncovering valuable insights from data you input, long reports and the web.
• An AI task assessment framework helps identify optimal use cases.
• Companies are creating custom generative AI systems tailored to their data.
• ChatGPT is a potent educational tool, nurturing skills development.
• L&D is on the path to teaching individuals how to leverage AI for self-directed learning.
• With an in-house AI system, L&D can pinpoint and solve real business problems, sidelining ineffective generic tools.
• Microsoft Co-Pilot will further enhance data analysis, presentations, and spreadsheet tasks.

BEST MOMENTS

'Just using if for thought partnership has been very powerful.'

'It is an extension of you… it will make you smarter.'

'Do the case/task assessment first, and then figure out if generative AI could help.'

'Just be curious.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Ross Stevenson Bio

Ross is Chief Learning Strategist and founder of Steal These Thoughts, an independent L&D think tank. He’s spent 16 years leading L&D teams, strategies, and tools within global organisations. Ross is also at the forefront of exploring the potential of generative AI in L&D.

You can follow and connect with Ross via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rstevensonuk/

Twitter: @_Rsvenson

Website: www.stealthesethoughts.com

What L&D Teams Can’t Afford To Get Wrong article: https://stealthesethoughts.com/2023/09/08/why-ld-teams-cant-afford-to-get-it-wrong-with-generative-ai/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

In this episode, Teemu Lilja and Fredrik Peterson Herfindal speak about their pivot to a performance-oriented approach at their organisation, the Swedish company Telia, and how this has led to both incredible business impact and recognition by their colleagues and the industry.

Theirs is an inspiring story that started by listening to podcast conversations just like this...

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• You have to measure the impact training is having on the company to demonstrate that it has positive business outcomes. If it is not producing that, there is little point in doing it. Taking this approach also secures the future of your department.
• Steer things in the right direction from the first planning conversation you have. Using The Programme Performance Path from Brinkerhoff is a good way to ensure you do this. In the episode, Teemu explains how he does this.
• When designing training it is essential that you use the people who actually do the job to show and explain the workflows to you. As well as share what they need to get from the training. Tap into their expertise to tweak things, but don´t forget to speak to low performers too so you can include what not to do in your training.
• Create a user story and make sure everyone can respond appropriately regardless of what the customer does. In the episode, Teemu shares, in detail, how they did this to double the sales of their streaming services. An example anyone, regardless of industry, can use to create laser-focused and effective training.

BEST MOMENTS

'I was oriented to performance from day one. '

'Evaluate the outputs you produce, the business outcomes.'

'By involving people in our analysis, we create ambassadors and champions for further initiatives. '

'Knowing your competitors is a big success factor. '

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

If addressing Skills Gaps was as easy as plugging in a new platform filled with categorised content then L&D wouldn’t be recognised as part of the Skills Gap problem rather than addressing it. Yes, that’s right, Organisational Learning is deemed under-skilled at addressing ‘broad-based re-skilling efforts’. So how did we get here and how do we sort ourselves out? These questions - and many more are explored in this episode.

 KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Training and learning are different things. We are creating a flawed system through our own educational institutions. We are taught the basics, but not taught how to apply these lessons.
• The industrial strategy council has highlighted that five million workers could become acutely underskilled in basic digital skills by 2030.
• Skills gaps are impacted both positively and negatively by more factors that many realise, including the political landscape and economic requirements of any given territory.
• Approximately, we spend 44 billion pounds per year on L&D, and yet the returns do not seem to be worth the investment.

BEST MOMENTS

'We're not addressing a skills gap - it's just keeping a nice chat going'

'We can't just go out and recruit to make this business successful - we're going to have to grow some'

'As a learning profession we have turned the other way'

'What is the outcome that we deliver, year on year, for that spend?'

 VALUABLE RESOURC ES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

Industrial Strategy Council ‘UK Skills Mismatch 2030’ Research Paper - https://industrialstrategycouncil.org/uk-skills-mismatch-2030-research-paper

UK’s Digital Skills Gap Poses Risk To Economic Recovery - https://news.microsoft.com/en-gb/2020/11/23/uks-digital-skills-gap-poses-risk-to-economic-recovery-research-reveals/

ABOUT THE GUEST

Simon is a modern and experienced Executive-level People Leader who has delivered meaningful commercial Change and Transformation via appropriate Learning, Organisational Development and Talent initiatives. Simon has a varied history and experience of working in different sectors and economic climates. From start-up to large multi-national companies, including NBC Universal, Fujitsu, Sonnedix and NatWest / RBS. 

You can follow and connect with Simon via:

Twitter: @simon1gibson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongibsonlearning/

 ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

The consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic have been immediate and far-reaching. L&D teams have had to move quickly to respond to very real, and very urgent needs. But what could this mean for our profession in the mid- to long-term? And to what extent are there opportunities for L&D?

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• COVID’s effects have not just been on a business and economic scale, but also on a personal level. We have had to deal with issues pertaining to business, staff, and ourselves. The strain has been unprecedented.
• There have been challenges, but also obvious benefits to the new way of working. It’s a case of capturing these benefits and ensuring that putting them into practice ensures we do not slip into less efficient ways of working.
• Needs are emerging constantly, and prominently, for many workers, and they need to be swiftly addressed. These challenges need focussed, creative thinking, and rapid delivery.
• There is a real opportunity for L&D professionals now to spend more time in discovery, to become more fluent in thinking in the same ways as data scientists, in order to deliver more targeted solutions.
• It is incumbent upon us to provide inspiration, empowerment, and the agency to think more creatively in terms of identifying developmental needs.

BEST MOMENTS

• ’There’s no competitive advantage to be gained from COVID’
• ‘We’ve been able to move at pace and provide people with what’s needed’
• ‘Leading with digital solutions can meet people where they are’
• ‘Classroom solutions have been thrown at poorly-defined problems for far too long’

VALUABLE RESOURC ES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

Ben Chambers LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benchambers/?originalSubdomain=uk 

Ben Chambers Twitter - https://twitter.com/benchambers99

ABOUT THE GUEST

Ben Chambers leads the Business School at Grant Thornton and is responsible for learning, talent and performance, having held senior positions at GSK and Tesco, amongst others. He is also founder of the Talent and Leadership Club, a collaboration group for talent and leadership professionals that has been going for over ten years now and has around 500 members.

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

The Talent Fueled Enterprise seeks to provide insight into key disruptors driving an imperative for talent in organizations. The book also provides a fresh perspective on how leaders should consider navigating the evolving landscape of talent management. It challenges the conventional framework for talent management, urging leaders to reimagine how they perceive, nurture, and leverage the people within their organizations.  In this episode, we unpack what this means for organisations, their Talent teams and the workforce.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• A talent-fuelled enterprise provides a skills deal that works for employees as well as the organization.

• Talented employees are no longer willing to only serve the business they want to develop skills that also progress their careers.

• If you don´t give people the chance to learn they will go elsewhere.

• A talent-fuelled enterprise values and cultivates the entire organization.

• Identify what makes performance sustainable, adaptable and scalable.

• Hire for agility, people who learn and adapt.

• Ongoing transformation has to be part of a company´s DNA.

• L&D has to start setting the agenda.

• Developing the workforce of tomorrow is an essential investment.

• L&D needs to develop itself to be able to deliver a talent-fuelled workforce. Mike explains how in the episode.

BEST MOMENTS

“The talent-fuelled enterprise is one that's …. going to cultivate, and it's going to celebrate that wealth of talent, that already exists in the organization .”

“Skills are the currency of the organization …  it's also the currency of the people themselves.”

“Talent is something that we need to rethink.”

“It's really about our ability as professionals to be a good business partner and to be curious and to go and study.”

Mike Ohata Bio

Mike Ohata is the author of the book The Talent Fuelled Enterprise and has a career-long history of transforming Big Four and Fortune 15 organizations through talent frameworks, comprehensive people development, and workforce solutions.  During his 26-year executive career, Mike strategically navigated Microsoft Corporation and KPMG through disruption and challenges, honoured with the LearningElite Gold Award for pioneering exemplary learning and development strategies at KPMG. 

The Talent-Fuelled Enterprise was written for leaders who aspire to build a culture that truly embraces continuous learning and a workplace that is based on trust and collaboration. 

You can follow and connect with Mike via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeohata/

The Talent Fuelled Enterprise book (discount code for listeners: DJPODCAST30):   https://a.co/d/c2Ppn3N

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 

• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/

• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/

• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

As the world copes with the Coronavirus pandemic, L&D departments are adapting to lead with digital solutions, to engage a remote workforce and influence their working. In this episode, Alice talks about how she’s been leading with digital solutions, in her current and previous roles, and how she uses data, experimentation and a campaign approach to achieve real results.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The new way of remote working is forcing innovation in digital learning through, which is a huge opportunity for L&D professionals to implement long-planned methodologies.
• We need to look at the problems before we attempt to fix them, analyse the data to see if the issue is authentic, evaluate the issues impact on people, and using our skills to ascertain the best way of making a difference.
• Every organisation is different. They are the composites of values, beliefs and core drivers, influenced greatly by the cultures we establish. They are as unique as a fingerprint.
• People will always approach challenges from their own perspectives, and through their own filters. It is the job of L&D to guide and engage people in doing so.
• L&D must always recognise that there are inefficiencies in any organisation, and unless we engage appropriately and at speed, we will only ever make peripheral differences.

BEST MOMENTS

• ‘We have to be a little more thoughtful about what we’re trying to do’
• ‘It’s about developing an experiment that will move the needle’
• ‘You need to refine that part of you, otherwise this organisation is going to eat you up!’
• ’We should be thinking about designing for performance first'   

VALUABLE RESOURC ES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE GUEST

Alice is a thoroughly modern L&D professional with a background of leading with digital solutions and bringing her team and organisation along with her. Previously at ASOS and now with Monzo, Alice is a member of a team that operates in a way that is leading-edge and aspirational for many: Data-driven, performance-focused and agile.

You can follow and connect with Alice via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-collier-niblett-849154b8/

'Supporting People During COVID-19: Working In Sprints' Article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/supporting-people-during-covid-19-working-sprints-collier-niblett/?trackingId=dsrrK3dMwZjYtPXHlThPJA%3D%3D

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

In this episode, Judith Hale, Performance Improvement expert, and thought leader will be sharing her experience and approach to working with stakeholders and clients to make a real impact on performance and results.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Building a strong relationship with stakeholders is essential. How to do that is covered in-depth during the episode.
• Why work to solve a symptom when you can solve the underlying problem?
• Your analysis needs to start at the first point of contact, not once the contract is signed. They don’t self-censure as much at that stage.
• Help your clients to improve the physical environment in which people are working e.g. improve ventilation or stop subtle bullying behaviour.
• People are terrible writers, but great editors. Giving them something to work with in writing is a fast way to get things started.
• Don´t be afraid to ask tough questions.
• The phrase “Oh by the way other companies have found that XYZ helps with …”, is a great way to plant seeds.
• Sometimes the only way to influence an intransient executive is through their peers.

BEST MOMENTS

'I pay a lot of attention to the physical environment. '

'Play the long game, work on the relationship and incrementally build currency with your stakeholders. '

'We think that people have the information that they need, but they don´t. '

'When your client gets what they need, rather than what they asked for, then we're all better and richer all around for it. '

GUEST RESOURCES

You can follow and connect with Judith via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judith-hale-halecenter/

Website: https://tifpiedu.org

The Performance Consultant´s Fieldbook by Judith Hale - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Performance-Consultants-Fieldbook-Techniques-Organizations-ebook/dp/B008O5JZPY/

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

In this special live episode, with guests Lisa Christensen, Hillary Miller and Christopher Lind, we explore their experience and deep expertise on the topics of L&D strategy and team structures - and it’s a masterclass of a conversation. 

Register for L&D Next 3rd - 6th March for free today at https://360learning.com/l-and-d-next/2025/

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Understand what L&D is there to achieve.
• Team structures have to evolve and be flexible.
• L&D structure has to be right for achieving L&D aims, so it may be different from other teams in the organisation.
• Build adaptable teams by focusing on skillsets.
• Leverage data and hone in on one KPI.
• Understand which relationships and functions you need to focus on. That will evolve.
• Work holistically with other areas of the business.

BEST MOMENTS

“I've never seen a truly centralized model, ever.”

“We can get hung up on the hierarchy of things and miss out.”

“You gotta know who your players are, their bench strengths.”

“We need better data capabilities in learning.”

“Figure out what they care about and then lean on that.”

Lisa Christensen 

Lisa leads McKinsey & Company's Learning Design and Development Center of Excellence, a global team of design experts, designing and building the learning that develops McKinsey Partners and professionals, enabling them to deliver incredible client impact. Lisa founded and leads McKinsey's Learning Research and Innovation Lab and sits on the global learning leadership team.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisachristensen

Christopher Lind 

Christopher Lind is a dynamic leader at the intersection of business, technology, and human experience, serving as an executive advisor, AI ethicist and sought-after voice in the L&D space.

As a former Chief Learning Officer for ChenMed and GE Healthcare, Christopher has led transformative learning strategies that enhance workforce capability and business performance. A prominent commentator, speaker, and thought leader, he is known for his forward-thinking approach to digital learning, AI, and the evolving role of technology in talent development.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherlind

Future Focused: https://christopherlind.substack.com

Hillary Miller 

Hillary Miller is a seasoned Learning & Development leader currently heading L&D at HCA Healthcare. With a passion for driving workforce capability and business impact, she brings extensive experience in healthcare education and leadership development.

Previously, as Chief Learning Officer at Penn State Health, Hillary led enterprise-wide learning strategies, fostering a culture of continuous development and innovation.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hillarybmiller

VALUABLE RESOURCES

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home

THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
• L&D Maturity Model: https://360learning.com/maturity-model/
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home

The aim of this series is to highlight the important shift that some L&D leaders and practitioners have made in order to more predictably and reliably affect individual and organisational performance, achieving much more as a consequence. 

For the fourth episode, Guy Wallace and I speak with Dawn Snyder. Dawn consults on learning and performance strategies, curriculum architecture, performance assessment, evaluation, and change management and has a proven track record of bringing practical, cutting-edge solutions to organisations that want to take performance to the next level. She helps these organisations achieve results using an interdisciplinary approach and is the go-to consultant for initiatives that impact global learning and performance and talent development.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Approach all of your work through a performance mindset.

Create research strategies that focus on the problem and the results, you need to achieve e.g. gap analysis and cause analysis.

Structured interviews, followed by validation of what is gleaned from them is essential.

Look at all of the data that relates to the problem at hand/the objective. Dawn explains how to do this without being overwhelmed.

Behavioural and performance issues, e.g lateness, should be addressed immediately, that means during induction and training. 

Training a new hire to handle everything, including rarely performed tasks is a mistake. Focus on the core tasks.

Training has to be an opportunity for people to practise what they will actually be doing. Not just theory-based.

Most training is too heavy on the content and way too light on practice time.

Training criteria are not dictated by trainers. It is dictated by what has to happen on the job.

L&D done right, often results in systems and work environment changes.

Starting small, with stakeholders who are willing to do things differently, creates small wins that snowball.

BEST MOMENTS

'I was very interested in the fact that educational systems can empower and enable people or they can disenfranchise people. '

'Look at any data that informs that performance.'

'if you take people and train them to do X, but you actually reward them for something different, you can pretty much kiss that training effort goodbye'

'We reverse engineered all the practices and all the content to be geared towards preparing them to do those things that they had to do on the job.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

EPISODE RESOURCES

You can follow and contact Dawn via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-snyder/

Website: https://www.dawnsnyderassoc.com/

Books Dawn Mentions: 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fundamentals-Performance-Improvement-Optimizing-Organizations-ebook/dp/B007RT1Q50

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Serious-Performance-Consulting-According-Rummler/dp/1890289167

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Human-Performance-Improvement-Building-Practitioner-ebook/dp/B079H317YH

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Performance-Consultants-Fieldbook-Techniques-Organizations-ebook/dp/B008O5JZPY

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ounce-analysis-worth-pound-objectives/dp/B00070OSJM

International Society for Performance Improvement - https://ispi.org/

The Association for Talent Development - https://www.td.org/

The Learning Development Accelerator Organisation - https://ldaccelerator.com/

The Hale Center - https://halecenter.org/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 

L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/

Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/

We’ve discussed the principles of Digital Marketing and its application to L&D in previous podcasts but this one is slightly different. Satoshi and the team at SwissRe have up-skilled themselves and experimented with both the approaches and tools of Digital Marketing to get closer to employees and create a compelling Digital Learning offering.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Too few L&D professionals see the overlap between L&D and digital marketing when it comes to efficiently influencing behaviour.
• The main challenge for democratised learning is how people can find the most relevant content in the moment of need.
• We recognise things as learning needs based on minimal observation, or even because of our preference, but these things are not real needs. They are assumptions.
• The principles of marketing can be used to enhance the learning experience. Effective marketing is used to nudge a user along a funnel and towards a proposed end goal. It's the same with learning.

BEST MOMENTS

'We put a lot of emphasis on the learning experience. We wanted to be more digital and personalised'

'We have to find ways to promote the right content through digital channels'

'It's so much about education, but it has to start with them'

'We don't have a crystal ball to predict the skills of the future'

VALUABLE RESOURC ES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE GUEST

Satoshi is Learning Experience Lead at SwissRe and is passionate about learning and emerging technologies. Especially how technology can help to build the most impactful learning solutions and provide everyone access to knowledge at anytime, from everywhere, in the moment of need.

You can follow and connect with Satoshi via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/satoshi-probala-7a546097/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

By pivoting their approach from a learning orientation to a performance orientation, Fredrik and Teemu have built a reputation for achieving real results. This has led to them being recognised within their organisation, including them being asked to take over the entire Learning & Development function at Telia and Teemu being awarded Telia Reinventor of the Year. As well as this, they were awarded Learning Team of the Year. In this episode, we explore their pivot and the impact this has had.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Combining the skills of trainers, coaches and eLearning producers has led to a successful team.
• If L&D does not have a positive impact on the company´s bottom line, they are not being effective.
• You need to understand your learner´s workflows.
• The processes you use need to be agile, so you can create learning tools that adapt as the company does.
• They have someone anyone can contact when they are trying to work out how to do something or solve a problem.
• Another member of the team is responsible for pulling together the stats for new projects and those needed to monitor results.
• Methodologies solve problems, not platforms. 
• Invest in upskilling your team.
• If you meet resistance to change within the organisation. Say yes to their requests but insist on analysis. They soon understand whether what they are asking for has true value.

BEST MOMENTS

'There is no silver bullet in learning and development.'

'We are not generalists who do everything. We are good at what we do separately, and we collaborate. '

'Stop talking about learning and start talking about performance.'

'I think that the point of no return for our team members came when they got to see the impact that their new initiatives gave had on KPIs that they had set out to improve. '

ABOUT FREDRIK PETERSON HERFINDAL

Fredrik is Head of Learning & Performance at Telecoms company Telia.

ABOUT TEEMU LILJA

Teemu is Learning & Performance Lead for Sales at Telia.

GUEST RESOURCES

Fredik Peterson Herfindal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredrik-peterson-herfindal-825958a4/

Teemu Lilja LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teemu-lilja-79a11bba/

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/

As generative AI continues to evolve from novelty to everyday adoption, its transformative potential for Learning & Development is becoming increasingly clear. In this episode, Sean Bengry, a senior L&D leader, shares his experiences and insights on harnessing AI to drive impact and innovation in our field.

Sean discusses the pivotal moment that revealed the power of generative AI, offers jaw-dropping demonstrations of its current capabilities, and explores its applications in personalised learning and talent development. From enhancing human understanding  to redefining L&D’s core aims, this conversation is packed with practical examples and forward-thinking strategies.

With actionable advice and a look at the industry’s leading AI adoption, Sean provides a roadmap for L&D professionals ready to embrace this game-changing technology and rethink what’s possible.

See the full agenda for L&D Week March 3rd to 6th and register for free today at https://360learning.com/l-and-d-next/2025/

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• AI can create content that is designed to specifically appeal to and engage with each person.
• A lot of what we do is gathering data from one place, reworking it and sharing it for application. AI is very good at this e.g. Notebook LM podcast feature.
• Most people have still not explored how AI can help them to do their L&D job.
• You can use voice and your camera to interface with AI.
• Tell AI to take on personas to explore, test and get feedback for your ideas.
• There are ways around any issues related to putting your business data into AI.
• AI enables you to get down to the micro level and create content to close very specific skills gaps.
• Be curious and start small.

BEST MOMENTS

“AI provides real impact.”

“It was a new mode of content synthesis that I had never seen before.”

“The more data you can put in there around who a person is … the more AI can personalise that learning information.”

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home

Sean Bengry Bio

Sean Bengry is a senior Learning & Development leader with a passion for driving innovation and leveraging cutting-edge technologies to empower organisations and their people. Currently the Director of Learning Transformation & Technology at DaVita Kidney Care, Sean leads strategic initiatives to enhance talent development and organisational growth.

At the forefront of L&D transformation, Sean is known for his forward-thinking insights and ability to inspire action, helping organisations navigate the opportunities and challenges of a rapidly evolving learning landscape.

Connect with Sean via:

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sbengry/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
• L&D Maturity Model: https://360learning.com/maturity-model/
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home

When pressed to run a Learning & Development team that reliably, efficiently, and predictably impacts performance, time and time again professionals turn to Agile. As an approach, it has long been employed in HR and L&D teams but like most trends, when the hype dies down many move their attention to elsewhere. However, why move on from something that works? In this episode, Natal Dank returns to the podcast to bring us up to date with how Agile is continuing to make impact to L&D teams.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Building business agility is about creating a toolkit tailored to how the business operates.
• Increasingly businesses are building the customer experience around the product.
• You often need to move and make decisions without knowing everything. Things move too quickly for this not to be the case, which is why Agility is so important.
• Mapping the skills is the key to being able to move fast and be adaptable.
• See the whole employee experience as the L&D product and keep that understanding up to date.
• Human-centred design sprints help you to identify which problems to solve first.
• Understand how you sit in the business stream.
• To get started with Agile use it to solve a single problem. Natal explains how in the podcast.
• Establish some core principles from you hypotheses and start to design around that.

BEST MOMENTS

'You´ve got to deliver now, and not tomorrow.'

'You can´t solve complex problems in silos.'

'Agile is about being laser focused.'

Natal Dank Bio

Following over a decade working in senior HR, Talent and Organisational Development roles, Natal is now a leading figure in Agile HR and People Experience.

Natal heads-up learning, coaching, and community at PXO Culture and is seen as a pioneer in the Agile HR movement. In 2016 Natal hosted the first Agile HR Meetup in London with the aim of building a community of like-minded disrupters, which has since grown into a regular event held across the world from Sydney to Paris and online. A year later she co-founded the Agile HR Community and has recently published the book, Agile HR. Now, through PXO Culture, Natal is focused on defining modern HR for the 21st Century. 

You can follow and connect with Natal via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataldank/

X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/NatalDank

Events & Meetups: https://www.pxoculture.com/events

Agile L&D Book: https://www.koganpage.com/hr-learning-development/agile-l-d-9781398613256

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

In this fascinating episode packed with thought-provoking content David is in conversation with Guy Wallace, Performance Analyst and Instructional  Architect for Enterprise, Training and Development.

With more than 40 years in the field of Learning & Development, Guy Wallace knows that focusing on performance and taking the time to analyse the performance context is essential for making meaningful change. The problem is, he’s been banging this drum for decades and the profession is still yet to fully switch on to this. In this episode, David and Guy explore the current state of L&D, what it’s going to take for the profession to refocus and Guy’s rich experience.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Our clients come to us because they think that the training will solve their problems.
• They really want to improve the performance impact and they see training and learning as a means to that end.
• A lot of content is focused on topics. We don’t teach reflecting the performance orientation
• We don’t look at the current performance state or the variables and the barriers.
• In Learning and Development, we give the hard work to the learner expecting them to be able to transfer the learning into their context.
• When you have reviewed and created a gap analysis if you can’t resolve the gaps you need to teach the novice performers what the master performers already know.
• In a facilitated group process 8-12 subject matter experts along with supervisors, management work together to produce a performance output model and then review what’s missing, what are the barriers.
• You need to account for what people already know and then provide self-paced content training.
• Teams that aren’t afraid to ask the difficult questions are those that make the most difference.
• The more that is explored in discovery and analysis, the higher the chance of doing things that will make an impact.
• With technology Learning and Development can centralise job/performance aids making them easily accessible and evergreen.
• The question is do we understand the performance context? do we understand things as a system flow?
• Learning and development professionals initially learn in the classroom, learning from delivery onwards so it takes time for them to be able to have conversations around performance.
• A pivot is required from learning focus to performance focus

BEST MOMENTS

‘Learning and Development  will either disrupt or be disrupted’

‘The research shows that all of us operate on non-conscious knowledge – we don’t even know what we know’

‘We are opportunity-rich and legacy poor’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning & Development Podcast 

ABOUT THE GUEST


Guy Wallace Bio


Guy Wallace is a Performance Analyst and Instructional Architect and has been designing and developing Instruction/ Training/ Learning and Performance Support content for Enterprise Learning and business-critical target audiences since 1979. In 2010 he was the recipient of ISPI’s Highest Award, approved by two successive Boards of Directors, Honorary Life Member, for his contributions to the technology of Performance Improvement, and for his contributions to the Society.

You can follow and connect with Guy via:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/guywwallace

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guywwallace/

Website: https://eppic.biz/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning?lang=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/

Website: https://www.looop.co/

Learning In The Flow of Work - or Workflow Learning - has been a hot topic in Learning & Development in recent years but how does this approach match up with employees’ expectations and what they believe to be effective to meet their development goals? In this special episode, David and Bob Mosher explore the findings of a recent survey conducted to explore the expectations of learners and perceptions of L&D to see where we are right now and what we need to do to meet learners where they need us to be.

Link to Learning In The Flow Of Work Survey: https://360learning.com/guide/learning-in-the-flow-of-work-report/learning-in-the-flow-of-work-report/

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Fitting learning into the workflow is incredibly effective. It turns training from something that is done once a year into an almost daily experience.
• Building materials for use in the workflow ensures the L&D team´s focus is on delivering the product or service the company they work for has to offer.
• Not having to take people off the job, means not having to find time for training.
• In all countries, on-the-job training delivered by peers was deemed to be the most effective. But quality varies and those that are good at it do not always have enough time available to train others.
• A lot of new managers do not get training before taking on their new roles.
• Build life rafts first, then teach swimming. Training has to solve the most critical issues first.
• Contextualised training is far more effective.

BEST MOMENTS

'In the workflow is the most powerful and intrinsically motivating place for learning to occur. '

'Only 29% of UK learners and slightly more in the US said online training was effective.'

'We´ve got into the habit of trying to educate generic managers. '

'In the workplace, performance is the outcome. Learning is just one tool to get there. '

ABOUT BOB MOSHER

Bob Mosher is a genuine Thought-Leader in L&D and Chief Learning Evangelist, at The 5 Moments of Need™, an organisation that specialises in helping learning professionals design, develop, and measure effective learning and performance support through the 5 Moments design methodology. Bob has been an active and influential leader in the learning and training industry for over 30 years and is renowned worldwide for his pioneering role in new approaches to learning.

GUEST RESOURCES

You can follow and connect with Bob via:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bmosh

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmosher/

Website: https://www.5momentsofneed.com/

Performance Matters Podcast: https://performancematters.podbean.com/

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/

‘We are not always the best at learning in learning’ 

David is in conversation with James Poletyllo, Director of the Learning Effect, he has extensive experience in people development and champions the development of the profession and brings challenge to ineffective practice. 

Is Learning and Development sleepwalking into extinction? 

This is an uncomfortable question to be asking - let alone to be answering - but it’s an important one. One that James Poletyllo explored in a recent article. In this episode, we dive deeper into our experiences of L&D to seek examples of this and where our profession might need to more consciously evolve to stay relevant. 

There is a blurring of boundaries as we move into a more connected world and this is an opportunity for L&D to do things differently and in a more agile way, listen in and hear more. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

• It seems to be different modes of delivery but the same old stuff. 
• Sometimes you get excited by and driven by the newness of something regardless of whether it is the right solution.  
• A good learning professional is really involved in the business and there to make sure the change that is being implemented will resonant with those on the front line who are trying to make it work and it’s not just one hit and will have real value to the business 
• We are still viewed as not having a real impact on the business 
• We need to get better at creating an architecture and infrastructure that allows a business to learn and share knowledge more quickly and to impart knowledge and information across the business more quickly. 

• There is an opportunity to look at things and ask how we can identify learning opportunities in a more agile way? 
• How can we get solutions out there more quickly? 
• How can we drive personalisation 
• How can we really make adaptive learning work 
• As a L&D professional, we don’t have to know everything but we have to be facilitators of the organisation 

• A myriad of skills are needed in L&D including engagement, data, curation of content, technology and being able to create experiences that add value. 
• Get close to what’s important in the business and ask how are you going to create purpose for the learner. 

BEST MOMENTS 

‘We should work on being solution-focused to solve problems at the speed  business needs’ 

‘Let’s step back and look at what we are trying to achieve’ 

‘We can’t just rebrand we have to do things differently’ 

VALUABLE RESOURCES 

The Learning & Development Podcast  

Article ‘Ten reasons why learning and development is sleepwalking into extinction’ 

ABOUT THE GUEST 

James Poletyllo Bio 

James has almost 20 years of experience in People Development in sectors as diverse as Telecoms, Local Council, Healthcare, and Hospitality, with many of his roles at a senior level. Now, as a consultant, he champions the development of the profession, whilst challenging ineffective practice that seems to be holding us back. 

CONTACT METHOD 

You can follow and connect with James via: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamespoletyllo/ 

Website: https://www.thelearningeffect.co.uk/ 

Article ‘Ten reasons why learning and development is sleepwalking into extinction’: https://www.trainingjournal.com/articles/opinion/ten-reasons-why-learning-and-development-sleepwalking-extinction 

ABOUT THE HOST 

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board. 

CONTACT METHOD 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning?lang=en 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 

Website: https://www.looop.co/ 

So many people talk about where L&D is going but who’s actually doing it? Brian Murphy is. 

In this episode (recorded prior to lockdown), Brian explains his approach to L&D, how it focuses on - and seeks to address - performance, his "from courses to campaigns" approach and the journey he’s taken with his teams and organisations.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Thinking about the profession through a business lens, and being more marketing oriented, has allowed us to see the elements of L&D that require adjustment and upgrading.
• We cannot hope to implement the same strategic development across a business that stretches across many divisions. The culture of certain departments will be drastically different, and therefore require a unique approach.
• Informal learning is a huge part of how we learn and develop. We assimilate information far more effectively through exposure to others, and through experiences.
• We must seek to learn and understand the language of the people that we are trying to support, and what they are trying to do. Beginning from a place of data helps us to realise the critical points of failure.

BEST MOMENTS

’There’s never been a better time to be in L&D’

‘We want people to actually be ready, and what is it that you can do to help us?’

’Sometimes we mythologise our own abilities and products’

’The right answer is the right answer'

VALUABLE RESOURC ES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE GUEST

Brian is an experienced and award-winning L&D leader with a reputation for innovation and achieving results. As Head of Learning & Leadership at Citi, Brian achieved the Gold Award for Innovation In Learning from the LPI (2017) and the same standard for Best Use of Social & Collaborative Learning Technologies from Learning Technologies (2016). Now at AstraZeneca, Brian is Head of Learning Transformation.

You can follow and connect with Brian via:

Twitter: @bnmurphy14

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/murphybrian1

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

The digital skills gap within L&D has been called out as one of only 4 areas that could be critically holding back organisations and unless we recognise this and develop ourselves then we’ll continue to be part of the problem rather than those at the forefront of addressing it. In this episode, we discuss the difference between what L&D perceive to be digital and the opportunity that it actually presents.

 KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Having the right mind-set is a prerequisite of success. You can't succeed in digital initiatives without a good mindset as it limits your chances.
• L&D has taken a long time to warm to themes of remote development, but this thawing of attitudes has been greatly sped up by the impact of lockdown. Remote is now seen as the norm, and so L&D has begun to fully embrace the possibilities.
• We do not necessarily make the most of the connection theme. We tend to think of it as being connected to a system, or connected to an instructor, but while they are important, this is limiting.
• It is incumbent upon us to measure success not in the number of clicks or downloads of software, but the success and penetration of ideas and learning.

BEST MOMENTS

'Part of it's about how you organise. Part of it's about how you take decisions'

'L&D is starting to warm to these themes now'

'It's been a huge area of growth, and I don't think it's going to stop'

'These are themes from my working history that I still think are very valid'

 VALUABLE RESOURC ES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE GUEST

Myles is an experienced consultant, senior manager and general manager of online and digital business in the private and public sector. He has a particular depth of experience in digital transformation, leading the development of digital and online learning and products in the corporate and education worlds with extensive experience of digital learning strategy, managing implementation and digital product strategy and design.

You can follow and connect with Myles via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/myles-runham/

Twitter: @MylesRun

Blog: https://mylesrunham.com/blog/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

Want to know how to level up your employee experience using design thinking? Want a no-nonsense approach to designing people-centred products, services, and experience? Well, Danny Seals has written the book on these and tells us all about it in this episode.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Levelling up your employee experience has never been more important.
• Examine the problem properly, don´t simply go with what you think the issue is. Use the ladder technique that Danny shares in this episode.
• People need to stop simply looking at how things are and focus on what could be e.g., instead of delivering an off-the-shelf leadership programme, challenge the fundamental DNA of leadership.
• You need to be creative, and genuinely open-minded to look at what could be.
• Make the implicit explicit. Be open and have those difficult conversations early.
• The businesses that retain their workers, design for the human. Their systems and processes equip their people to succeed.
• Create experiments that can be conducted within the flow of work to evaluate things and hone your design.

BEST MOMENTS

'Make work better by good design.'

'Work in transparency.'

'If you don´t add that human at the centre of everything you do, who are you really designing for.'

Danny Seals Bio

Danny is Head of Employee Innovation at Legal & General, founder of Get Knotted and author of the book The Insightful Innovator. Danny has led and developed various teams using these innovative approaches to design employee experience products that exceed BAU.

Danny also hosts his own successful podcast, Mindchimp, where he talks to friends in his network and challenges the industry on the future of work. 

You can follow and contact Danny via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyseals/?originalSubdomain=uk

Get Knotted: https://www.weareknot.co.uk/

The Insightful Innovator book: https://www.amazon.com/Insightful-Innovator-Experience-No-Nonsense-People-Centered/dp/1739346505

Mindchimp Podcast: https://mindchimp.podbean.com/

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

In 2021, Michelle published her book, The L&D Handbook, aimed at providing practical steps and tools for L&D professionals wanting to move away from traditional classroom teaching but not sure where to start. Since then, the need for this pivot has only increased. In this episode, we explore what L&D can do to make a greater impact in what is likely to be a tough time for all.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The handbook provides a framework for L&D professionals to dip in and out of.
• Live online learning is a great example of how L&D can become more dynamic and quickly transfer knowledge.
• Whatever format you use, it must always address and solve a real issue.
• Play into the language and culture that the business uses.
• There is huge value in using old-school text and checklists for certain tasks.
• In the right situation, physically doing something in VR is incredibly powerful.
• Be creative in your thinking to get more out of the learning experience without spending more.

BEST MOMENTS
'It's a handbook. It's a dip-in-and-out type of thing…. I certainly don't expect anyone to start at the beginning and finish at the end,'
"We get lost in chasing engagement when really, we should be just chasing doing stuff that works. '
'It's all about having these better conversations, isn't it? It's all about having a better set of questions to ask. '

Michelle Parry-Slater Bio
As well as the author of The Learning and Development Handbook, Michelle works with corporate, public, and third-sector organisations to improve their people development offer. In 2017, Michelle headed up the Volunteer Learning & Development team in Girlguiding UK, supporting the digital learning transformation which is taking place for Girlguiding’s 80,000+ adult volunteers.
You can follow and connect with Michelle via:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiPS1608
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleparryslater/
Book: https://thelndhandbook.com

VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

It’s a comparison that provokes strong reactions from L&D professionals who see mostly distinctions between Digital Marketing and Workplace Learning. But both seek to be where people are looking for answers to their questions in order to influence their behaviour, via education and prompts. Not only does L&D have more in common with Digital Marketing than we’d like to admit but Marketers have also been on a journey we’d be wise to follow. We explore all of this and more in this episode.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• We are competing for the attention of our people. There is a significant amount of noise in the world right now. The key is to prove the value of learning experiences, and start to build trust in order to win that attention back.
• There is a huge transformation occurring that has meant a powerful learning for marketing forces, who are able to use this to adapt and evolve as impacts are required to be proven.
• Far too often, we zero in on the sinister, and some would say intrusive side of digital marketing, instead of looking at the grand opportunity to provide the help that people so clearly crave.
• Data must never be treated as absolute, but as a tool to help us hypothesise. Data does not mean everything. It merely helps us to gather an informed perspective on proposed outcomes.

BEST MOMENTS

'We are in an attention economy'

'It is at that point of need that we have the biggest opportunity to influence'

'The biggest thing is understanding your audience'

'The best decisions I make are based on data'

VALUABLE RESOURC ES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE GUEST

Ashley has extensive experience of building Marketing functions and is an expert in Marketing automation, search engine optimisation (SEO) and content marketing. Ashley is a Marketing Consultant delivering Marketing skills and solutions for L&D and learning technologies. Branding. Strategy. Original, lead-generating campaigns. Copywriter and storyteller. HubSpot expert; enablement coach.

You can follow and connect with Ashley via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashsinclair/

Website: https://www.maas-marketing.co.uk/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/

Learning & Development seems to be constantly evolving but at the same time revisiting and reinventing what has come before. In this episode, we discuss the emerging trends that have their origins in the past and the pioneers that we all need to pay more attention to.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Even today, much of what we do in L&D is not evidence-based. This has to change.
• We are not taking successful methods from the past and reworking them for the modern world. Instead, we are simply rehashing old theories, without looking for evidence that they work.
• We don´t look back to see who might have done what we are trying to achieve before.
• You have to understand the jobs of the participants, and do the cognitive task analysis.
• L&D is not all about delivering learning. They are there to solve problems that are holding the business back
• Stakeholder management is a vital component of delivering solutions that work.

BEST MOMENTS

'There is a big gap between positive endeavour and evidence-based practice.'

'Do it well, or don´t do it

'You need to work with problem analysis teams and then with problem-solving teams.'

'We need to think more holistically '

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/

EPISODE RESOURCES

You can follow and contact Mirjam via:

Twitter: @MirjamN

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirjamneelen/details/experience/

How Learning Happens by Paul Kirschner - https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Learning-Happens-Paul-Kirschner/dp/0367184575/

How Teaching Happens by Paul Kirshner - https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Teaching-Happens-Effectiveness-Practice/dp/1032132086/

Guy Wallace Books - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Guy-W-Wallace/e/B08JQC4C4V?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1662104935&sr=8-1

Joe Harless - https://hptmanualspring16.weebly.com/harless-model.html

Donald Clark - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Donald-Clark/e/B08HVS5QSP?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1662105350&sr=8-1

Dr. Jane Bozarth - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jane-Bozarth/e/B001JS7VKO?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_4&qid=1662105930&sr=8-4

Patti Shank - https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=patti+shank&crid=1I6XTHRPN5DBM&sprefix=patti+shank%2Caps%2C123&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Connie Malamed - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Connie-Malamed/e/B001SQ2JHW?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1662106345&sr=8-1

Mike Taylor - https://mike-taylor.org/

ABOUT THE GUEST

Mirjam Neelen Bio

Mirjam Neelen is the Head of Global Learning Design and Learning Sciences in Novartis. She is part of a team that redefines how Novartis Associates build competence. With 15 years' industry experience, she has worked in a wide variety of learning design roles in organisations such as Accenture, Google, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Masterclass Series: https://360learning.com/blog/

Learning communities transform organisations through sharing knowledge, spearheading practice, solving problems, seeding innovation, and supercharging development. So how can you develop a culture of learning in your organisation? In this episode, Andy Lancaster addresses this question - and many more.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• From the very start of humankind people have learned from each other, often in groups. Animals do it too.
• Learning from friends and colleagues is seen by practically everyone as being the most effective way to learn.
• People like human connection and want to feel they belong, so peer connection is powerful.
• The best learning takes place in context.
• Learning communities can be just a few people. 
• We need to empower different types of learning communities.
• Learning communities share knowledge, spearhead practice, solve problems, seed innovation, and supercharge development.
• What the group does needs to be structured to a degree.
• Encourage people to work aloud to ensure everyone is actively involved.
• Reward the subject experts.

BEST MOMENTS

'The social context in which we learn is really important.'

'I think reflective practice ought to be embedded in all learning and development.'

'Subject experts play a vital role in communities in terms of coaching, mentoring and supporting.'

'Communities are a way of validating skills, which maybe organizations overlook. '

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Andy Lancaster Bio

Andy Lancaster is the Chief Learning Officer at Reimagine People Development consultancy, specializing in supporting, coaching and mentoring learning leaders and teams to create impactful development strategies and solutions, transform learning cultures and empower socialized learning communities. The former Head of Learning at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Andy is a trusted thinker, commentator and inspiring speaker, renowned for his insights that have helped reshape the organizational learning landscape globally. His book Driving Performance Through Learning gained a Business Book Award.

You can follow and connect with Andy via:

Twitter: @AndyLancasterUK

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-lancaster-ab995418/

Book: https://www.koganpage.com/hr-learning-development/organizational-learning-communities-9781398615496

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

Organisations have moved quicker than they could have ever predicted in light of the current crisis, and L&D teams within these organisations have had to do the same. 

Sarah Allen and her team at AXA UK are an example of how quickly things changed, and how swiftly an L&D team needed to respond in order to meet changing needs. So what did that mean - and what will it mean from here on out?

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The insurance industry has a responsibility to protect customers during normality, and to support customers when life hits hard. L&D’s role in insurance is to enable teams to be at their best during this time of support.
• Connection to teams, especially those working remotely now, is crucial to determining the needs of managers facing the problem of how to motivate, and get the best out of their teams.
• Working digitally has accelerated the deployment of the four guiding principles: agile mind-set, digital-first, design once-deploy often, and outside thinking.
• The question now is which parts of this new normal should we embrace, develop, and incorporate into our new way of working, and which parts of the pre-COVID world we can, and should, leave behind.

BEST MOMENTS

• ’I’m excited to be in a profession where I can see that we only have an opportunity to add more value’
• ‘We’re doing a lot more listening than talking’
• ‘It makes you wonder what we were so scared of before’
• ’There’s going to be a lot of “new”, moving forward'

VALUABLE RESOURC ES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

ABOUT THE GUEST

Sarah is Head of Learning, Talent & Leadership for AXA UK, having risen through the ranks of the L&D team at AXA Investment Managers.

You can follow and connect with Sarah via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahnelsonallen/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/