The Mindtools L&D Podcast

As it's become increasingly apparent that we'll be living with coronavirus for some time, organisations have started to think about what that means for workplace culture. Is it possible to hold on to what came before, or do we need to think differently about 'how we do things around here'? To answer these questions, Ross G and Owen are joined by Bruce Daisley, former Twitter VP, author of 'The Joy...

Here at Emerald Works, we recently spent some time setting objectives for the remainder of the year. One of the areas Ross D wanted to work on was his productivity, so he turned to his colleagues on the Custom Learning team for advice.  This week on the Good Practice Podcast, Ross G, Tracey and Gemma share some of the techniques they use to keep on top of projects and 'get things done'. We discuss...

Working within a global L&D network has both opportunities and challenges. But how do they differ within the social sector? How do global organizations deliver learning in rural areas with poor internet connections? And what impact has COVID-19 had on their approach? This week on The Good Practice Podcast, Nicola Boyle and Ross Garner are joined by Claire Wilson, Head of Global Learning Lab at the...

This week on The Good Practice Podcast we're joined by instructional designer Cara North, who shares her experiences of working in both corporate and Higher Education environments. What are the similarities? What are the differences? And what can these two domains learn from each other? We discuss: the impact of working with subject matter experts who are educators designing for students vs design...

Coaching has historically only been available to senior leaders, but new digital platforms are creating opportunities to provide access for everyone. This week on The Good Practice Podcast, CoachHub's Svenja Haus joins Ross D and Owen to share her experiences. We discuss: how coaching can be delivered at scale the role of the manager when coaching is 'outsourced' the opportunities and drawbacks of...

Consulting duo Albina Shashyna and Chris Watt use the story of Alice in Wonderland  to create disruptive learning experiences that break from the norm. But like many practitioners, they had to quickly pivot to online when lockdown was introduced in March 2020. This week on The Good Practice Podcast, Albina and Chris join Ross D and Owen to share their experiences. We discuss: How the story of Alic...

In this special episode of The Good Practice Podcast, we say farewell to retiring CEO Peter Casebow. Joined by Nicola, Owen, James and Ross G, Peter reflects on what's changed in workplace learning, and what hasn't. We discuss: the early days of digital learning how GoodPractice introduced 'performance support' before there was a term for it our memories of Peter as CEO. Show notes Ross shared new...

In the past few months, many organisations have completely changed their approach to L&D because of the COVID-19 situation. But to what extent were these changes already in the pipeline? What has worked and what hasn't? And how long-lasting will these changes be? This week, Alan Brown, Learning and Development Consultant at Standard Life Aberdeen, joins Nicola Boyle and Owen Ferguson to share his...

Covid-19 has had a huge impact on organisations. We're constantly told that things won't go back to the way they were, rather that there will be a 'new normal'. So, what will that 'new normal' look like for L&D? This week on the 200th episode of the Good Practice Podcast, the team are joined by Andy Lancaster, Hannah Gore, Kenny Temowo and a live Zoom audience to discuss the future of: working lif...

In the past few months, we've all become fast friends with the concept of 'change'. But do you resist change when it occurs, or do you ask probing questions to shape your understanding - then act as a change superhero? In this episode of The Good Practice Podcast, author Lucinda Carney joins Ross G and Owen to discuss her new book: How to be a Change Superhero . We discuss:  superpowers that can h...

We've talked on this podcast about how L&D professionals can use storytelling techniques to create more engaging, memorable learning experiences. But what about the stories we tell ourselves every day? How do these stories shape our identity at work? This week on the Good Practice Podcast, Ross D and Owen are joined by Simon Arrowsmith, founder of Grow the People, to discuss: the relationship betw...

Learning and development conferences tend to follow a predictable format: an exhibition hall full of vendors, hour-long sessions from experts, and fringe events where people can socialise. The introduction of social distancing has disrupted that format, but might it also create an opportunity to try something different? This week on The Good Practice Podcast, Dr. Will Thalheimer and Matthew Richte...

Conversations are at the heart of everything we do: whether it's dealing with customers, managing team members or influencing our leaders. This week on The Good Practice Podcast, Sarah Harvey - author of  Savvy Conversations  - joins Ross G and Owen to discuss how thinking purposefully about our approach to conversations can lead to better outcomes. We discuss: Sarah's tools for approaching a conv...

The design of workplace learning typically requires input from a wide range of stakeholders, including HR, Legal and IT. But this week on The Good Practice Podcast, we hear from two people who decided to go it alone. Bushcraft instructor Paul Kirtley and YouTuber Craig Taylor share their experiences of designing online learning content, with Ross G and Owen. We discuss: The use of 'content splinte...

In  Shape Up , Ryan Singer shares the methodology that he and his colleagues at Basecamp use to 'ship work that matters'. The book presents itself as a guide for software developers, but what lessons does it hold for L&D?   On this week's episode of The Good Practice Podcast, Ross D is joined by Owen, Nicola and Ross G for the third in our series of bimonthly 'book club' episodes. We discuss:  our...

Self-management is increasingly seen as the most diplomatic way to run an organisation. But how does this work when critical, time-sensitive decisions have to be made? What structures do these organisations need to have in place to succeed? And how do they overcome the challenges they are presented with? This week, Nicola Boyle and Owen Ferguson are joined by organisational self-management coach L...

Evidence has shown that part-time workers can outperform full-time workers. So why is it that they often feel stigmatized or second-tier within their organization? And what can leaders and managers do to challenge this? This week on The Good Practice Podcast, Nicola Boyle and Lucy Bishop are joined by Nikki Slowey and Lisa Gallagher from Flexibility Works. We discuss: How to challenge the stigma o...

What ideas are L&D most excited about in 2020? Artificial intelligence? Learning experience platforms? Curation? This week on the Good Practice Podcast, Ross D and James are joined by Don Taylor to pore over the latest Global Sentiment Survey, and discover what's 'hot' (and what's not) in learning and development. We discuss:  the top-line takeaways from GSS 2020 the key regional differences in th...

This week on The Good Practice Podcast, e-learning specialist, author and consultant Clive Shepherd joins Ross G and Owen to discuss the promise of e-learning. Where has it succeeded? Where has it gone wrong? And with authoring tools now giving anyone the ability to create great e-learning, might the problem be... well... us? We discuss: the evolution of e-learning the business barriers to effecti...

Carol Dweck's Mindset  (2006) and Angela Duckworth's  Grit  (2016) are two of the most influential social science texts of this century, but difficulty implementing their ideas and a failure to replicate their findings has left them open to criticism. In this special crossover edition of The Good Practice and Emotion at Work podcasts, hosts Nicola Boyle and Phil Willcox are joined by Owen Ferguson...

In  Social by Design , an upcoming book from Mark Britz and James Tyer, the authors argue that we should purposefully build social connections within organisations. In this week's episode of The Good Practice Podcast, they join Ross G and Owen to discuss: the serendipitous nature of many workplace social connections the opportunities created by digital tools the impact of coronavirus on social con...

To what extent are our decisions at work based on data and testing, versus hunches and gut feelings? In Experimentation Works , Stefan Thomke argues that the scientific method should drive business decisions and has the potential to improve performance. On this week's episode of The Good Practice Podcast, Ross D is joined by Owen, Ross G and Nicola for the second in our series of bimonthly 'bookcl...

In the past few weeks, the rapid spread of Covid-19 has made 'self-isolation' an everyday term. 'Working from home' has stopped being a perk, and become a necessity (for those of us fortunate enough to be able to do so). But how do you adjust to working in isolation and communicating via remote meetings? On this week's episode of The Good Practice Podcast, Ross D is joined by Owen, Ross G and Emer...

This week on the Good Practice Podcast, Ross D is joined by Owen and Gent Ahmetaj to dig into the latest research report from Emerald Works — Back to the Future: Why Tomorrow's Workforce Needs a Learning Culture . We discuss:  the purpose of the Learning Health Check the top-line takeaways from the report the practical implications for L&D Show notes If you're interested in reading the report for...

Returning to work after parental leave can be a daunting time for parents. What can managers do to ease this process and support returners in the best way possible? This week on the Good Practice Podcast, Nicola Boyle and Cat MacLeod speak to Nikki Slowey from Family Friendly Working Scotland and Camden Council's Tom Spencer. In the episode we discuss: tips for managers supporting parental leave r...