Learning Rebels Podcast

It all started with the BIG question on the table.   What are you reading this summer, and how are you finding the time to do it?   This Coffee Chat was a lighter edition and we kicked it off with a confession: "I don't have time to read" is often a convenient excuse. Shannon admitted she'd just spent an hour watching baby goats on YouTube, so, yeah, we all have minutes hiding somewhere. The idea...

It all started with the BIG question on the table.   What symptoms tell you it's time to try something different in your virtual training room?   This Coffee Chat dug into engagement techniques for virtual sessions—not brand new tricks necessarily, but fresh spins on tools we've gotten bored with. We opened by identifying the warning signs: nobody's responding to questions, cameras are off, people...

It all started with the BIG question on the table.   How do we give feedback that actually changes behavior instead of just making people feel good?   This Coffee Chat dug into feedback across three very different environments—e-learning, virtual live sessions, and in-person training—and how the mechanics of each shape whether feedback actually lands. One participant built a HAZWOPER training scen...

It all started with the BIG question on the table.   How do you find and recognize the people who are growing their skills quietly on their own time, with no LMS involved?   This Coffee Chat tackled the challenge of spotting and rewarding informal learning—the kind that happens in unplanned moments, not in a course or a system. We opened with a classic example: someone leans across the cube, drops...

It all started with the BIG question on the table.   When those subject matter experts drive you bananas, what do you do about it?   This Coffee Chat got real about the messy, human side of working with subject matter experts. We opened by asking the group about their main struggles, and the honesty flowed immediately: "Can't I just do it all myself?" One person pointed out that whether or not the...

It all started with the BIG question on the table.   How can we solve today's problems with yesterday's solutions? Spoiler: we can't.   This Coffee Chat dug into creative problem-solving—why we get stuck using the same tired approaches for every challenge, and how to break out of the rut. We opened up the conversation by asking the group what techniques they use when tackling common problems, espe...

It all started with the BIG question on the table.   How do we network like actual humans instead of robots collecting contacts?   This Coffee Chat tackled the awkwardness, fear, and internal dialogue that makes networking feel like pulling teeth. We kicked off identifying the barriers—introversion, social anxiety, imposter syndrome, fear of rejection, and that nagging voice asking "What can I pos...

It all started with the BIG question on the table.   What's the one skill you want to go deeper on this year—and how are you going to get there?   This Coffee Chat was about moving from broad knowledge to deep expertise. We kicked off with a quick level set: participants named skills they wanted to build—AI, gamification, executive presence, communication, writing learning objectives, digital acum...

It all started with the BIG question on the table. How do we actually build a habit of learning—for ourselves?   This Coffee Chat tackled a challenge we all share: making time for our own growth when everything else feels more urgent. We kicked off identifying the barriers—time, distractions, guilt, and too many deadlines. Someone admitted they schedule learning time, then say yes when someone els...

It all started with the BIG question on the table. What skills did we need in 2025 that we didn't see coming—and what does that mean for our careers?   This Coffee Chat was all about looking in the rearview mirror at the year behind us and thinking forward to what skills matter now. We kicked off with the big one: prompt engineering. Would we have known in January 2025 that mastering AI prompts wo...

It all started with the BIG question on the table. What do we wish our stakeholders knew about learning—and how do we actually tell them?   This Coffee Chat was all about the communication breakdowns between L&D and stakeholders, and how to fix them without just venting for an hour (though we did some of that too). We kicked off with a hard truth: sometimes the misunderstandings are our fault....

It all started with the BIG question on the table. How do we design learning fast without sacrificing quality? This Coffee Chat was all about scrappy design—doing more with less time, smaller budgets, and whatever tools you've got at hand. We kicked off with a reality check: sometimes your best work isn't your most polished work. It's the work that gets done and actually helps people. One particip...

It all started with the BIG question on the table. How do we measure the unmeasurable—those soft skills that don't fit neatly into a spreadsheet?   This Coffee Chat tackled one of the trickiest challenges we face: proving that leadership development, communication training, and other "fuzzy-edged" programs actually work. We moved beyond completion rates and smile sheets to explore what real eviden...

It all started with the BIG question on the table.  How do cognitive biases sneak into our learning designs—and what can we do about it?   It quickly became clear this conversation was going to hit close to home. We all fall into these traps—affinity bias, confirmation bias, halo effect, availability heuristic, and the Dunning-Kruger effect. It's not about shame; it's about recognizing that our br...

It all started with the BIG question on the table. How can we set goals that truly align with our personal and professional aspirations while making the process motivating, realistic, and actionable? This Coffee Chat was all about rethinking how we approach goal setting. Forget the old SMART goals you’ve heard about a thousand times—this conversation was focused on making goals meaningful, persona...

It all started with the BIG question on the table. What does burnout really look like, and how do we bring ourselves back from it without treating rest like another item on the to-do list?   This Coffee Chat opened with an honest acknowledgment that many of us are feeling stretched thin. Between back-to-school schedules, heavy workloads, shifting priorities, and the general pace of life, it has be...

It all started with the BIG question on the table. What if learning and development professionals thought more like anthropologists?   This Coffee Chat explored what it means to study the culture of our organizations instead of simply observing it from a distance. How do we uncover the stories, rituals, and behaviors that shape it?   We began by exploring the idea of acting as storytellers. We alr...

It all started with the BIG question on the table. Have we lost our edge when it comes to presentation skills?   This Coffee Chat centered on something many of us have noticed. With so much attention going to AI tools and digital platforms, it is easy to forget that connection and presence are still at the heart of great facilitation. Participants shared strategies they use to spark engagement, li...

It all started with the BIG question on the table. How do we write learning materials that people actually want to read?   This Coffee Chat focused on the art and challenge of writing for learning. Whether it’s job aids, workbooks, or PowerPoint slides, the struggle is the same: keeping things clear, concise, and human. The discussion centered on how to cut through the noise, remove the fluff, and...

It all started with the BIG question on the table. How do we partner with middle managers instead of clashing with them?   This Coffee Chat dove into one of the most complicated roles in any organization. Middle managers sit at the crossroads of leadership expectations, daily operations, and learning initiatives. They can be your biggest ally or your biggest barrier, often depending on how well th...

It all started with the BIG question on the table. How do we make learning environments feel safe for everyone who walks through the (virtual or physical) door?   This Coffee Chat explored the heart of psychological safety—what it really looks like in classrooms, workshops, and training sessions. We opened with five common mistakes that unintentionally chip away at that sense of safety: assuming h...

It all started with the BIG question on the table. How do we keep creating “champagne learning” when we’re working with a tap-water budget?   On this episode of the our Coffee Chat, the topic was all about getting scrappy, smart, and a little bit creative with the tools we already have. It’s that time of year when budgets tighten, priorities shift, and somehow the expectation still remains to deli...

It all started with the BIG question on the table. How do we make L&D visible in our organizations—and actually get recognized for the value we bring? It quickly became clear this touches a nerve for all of us. We hesitate to promote ourselves because it feels too "salesy," like we're used car salesmen. But here's the truth—if we don't advocate for our work, no one else will. And we've all bee...

It all started with the BIG question on the table. What do KPIs really mean for learning and development—and how do we connect to them in a way that makes sense?   It quickly became clear that KPI's stir up mixed feelings: exciting for some, confusing or even intimidating for others. Some departments track them obsessively, while others barely mention them. And yet, whether in higher ed, nonprofit...

It all started with the BIG question on the table. How do we work with subject matter experts in ways that build trust instead of tension?   Our Coffee Chat crew shared the full range of experiences—from relationships that clicked instantly to projects that felt like pulling teeth. We talked about SMEs who deliver 30-page data dumps, professors who think semester-long lectures are “online training...