The Learning & Development Podcast

We’ve both been in Learning & Development (or Training, as it was known) since the 1990s. It seems that so much has changed and yet so much remains the same. I.e., Classroom training was the primary means of development, tech was emerging but seen as supplementary (and perhaps inferior), and we struggled to demonstrate our value beyond attendance and satisfaction. And yet the nature of work has ev...

Have you ever wanted to hear learning experts with different views explore ways in which they disagree? Respectfully, of course. Well, this is our opportunity to listen in on a couple of L&D titans as they debate. Enjoy Guy Wallace and Nick Shackleton-Jones as they discuss and debate the differences in their opinions and approaches in response to questions posed by Gabrielle Bayme and moderated by...

What does a pivot to performance-oriented L&D look like in a fast-paced high street environment? In this episode, Lila Warren, Global Head of Retail Academy at Pret a Manger, shares her motivations and approaches to affecting performance with learning solutions designed to make a meaningful impact. KEY TAKEAWAYS  L&D should be seen as the experts, somewhere people automatically turn to solve probl...

Measuring impact is notoriously difficult but without it, our profession cannot progress, and we won’t fulfil our potential. There is a huge role for Learning & Development in the upskilling and reskilling efforts required to plug the skills gap, but we won’t do that without holding ourselves accountable for actual impact. In this episode - and first in a mini-series on L&D impact - our panel expl...

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 ha...

Would it surprise you to learn that 40% of executive transitions fail during the first 18 months? These can work out to be expensive failures. So, what can L&D do to ensure a more successful transition? In this episode, Navid Nazemian, author of Masting Executive Transitions shares insights and practical steps that organisations can take. KEY TAKEAWAYS  The ripple effect means that every executive...

So far, it seems 2023 has been the year of Chat GPT but what does it mean for L&D? Should you be using it now? Should your learning tech provider be incorporating it into their platform? Does this mean that the robots are coming for our jobs? This episode offers an intriguing glimpse into the future of corporate learning and the transformative potential of generative AI. KEY TAKEAWAYS Generative A...

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 si...

In the final episode of this series, we welcome back Mirjam Neelen, Carl Binder, Teemu Lilja, Fredrik Peterson Herfindal, and Judith Hale to answer your questions. KEY TAKEAWAYS Being agile means we have to provide personal/career development and performance improvement. The two are closely connected, doing well in your job leads to career development. The opportunity for people to learn is all ar...

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 u...

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...

In this episode, Carl Binder talks about Pivot to Performance, and his methodology, and brings this to life with real-life examples. Carl is CEO of The Performance Thinking Network, helping organisations accelerate results through the performance of their people.  A widely published author, keynote speaker, and consultant, Carl began as a Ph. D. student with B.F. Skinner at Harvard, and has spent...

Welcome to series 2 of L&D’s Pivot to Performance and the first of 5 conversations.  As with series 1, Guy Wallace and David James are speaking with esteemed guests about their own pivot from ‘Learning-focused’ practice towards a ‘performance orientation’ that more predictably and reliably, let alone efficiently and successfully, achieves demonstrable results for both employees and organisations....

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 t...

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. A...

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 kne...

Has the role and remit of Instructional Designers changed in the era of Google and YouTube? What needs to happen to counter the vast suite of bad ‘click next’ e-learning? Dr Robin Sargent explores the approaches and skills required for the Instructional Design profession to evolve and meet the demands of the modern hybrid workforce. KEY TAKEAWAYS An instructional designer is somebody who can analy...

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 & 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...

We learn how to do Learning & Development in the organisations and sectors we work in but what is the experience like in the US Air Force and Elon Musk’s SpaceX? In this episode, I speak with Matthew Gjertsen, who has done both and learned some important lessons about what really works. KEY TAKEAWAYS Good instructors and L&D professionals can identify the gaps and know how to fill them. If someone...

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 percept...

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...

In response to the COVID pandemic, remote working became the norm for organisations to continue operating. As restrictions eased and employees both proved that remote working was viable and preferable, Hybrid Working emerged as a term to describe the mainstream adoption of this flexible approach to working from home and commuting, when required. However, in line with a new way of working emerged a...

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...

Where is L&D going? Ask vendors and they will tell you it’s heading in the direction of their product. Ask a seasoned L&D professional with a keen eye on the future of work and you get a balanced and nuanced view of the factors affecting our profession and its practitioners. In this episode, Lloyd Dean shares his experience, his view of the profession and practical steps forward.   KEY TAKEAWAYS V...