The Mindtools L&D Podcast

Throughout human history, technology has disrupted the way we communicate with one another. But according to Andrea Pacini, the fundamental principles behind effective communication haven't changed, and are as relevant today as they were in the past. In this week's episode of  The Mindtools L&D Podcast , Andrea joins Ross D and Anna to discuss his forthcoming book, Timeless Presenter . We cover: w...

80% of the world's workforce are deskless, but L&D teams spend most of their time worrying about the 20%. Speaker, advisor and author JD Dillon is on a mission to change that with The Frontline Enablement Playbook . In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast , JD joins Ross G and Ross D to discuss: why the 80% get neglected why frontline managers are the most important people in the busin...

It's once again 'Bring Your Paper to Work' day here at Mindtools Kineo, as Ross G, Dr Anna and Ross D each take turns to share an academic study that they think has key insights for L&D professionals. In this week's episode of  The Mindtools L&D Podcast , we discuss the following papers: Rogelberg, S. G., Kreamer, L. M., & Gray, J. (2026). 'Thirty years of meeting science: Lessons learned and the...

Last year, we recorded an episode on whether "self-directed learning" is a myth. In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast , we ask how we can create an environment where this behavior thrives. Ross G and Cammy are joined by Stella Collins to discuss: What needs to be in place for self-directed learning to flourish? How can L&D pros create this ecosystem? What are the biggest barriers to...

Manager s are inundated with  potential  development areas , from technical skills to complex behaviors . But a re you focusing on the right  ones ?    In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast ,  our   in-house Insights experts Dr. Anna Barnett  and  Dr. Nina Harrison   speak to Claire  about:     how recent research reveals some unexpected co-benefits to managerial skill building   how...

Completion stats are a vanity metric. Happy sheets are pointless. Revenue impact will get you a seat at the table. We've all heard these statements from conference stages. Some of us, your hosts included, might even have said them. But in this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast , we wanted to dig a little deeper.  We invited Evolve L&D's Tom McDowall to join Ross G and Claire, to discuss:...

Hello listeners! No new episode this week, but we wanted to take the opportunity to dig into the vault and revisit an old favorite from 2024 with Ben Betts. At the time we recorded this one, Ben had receently published a blog post, in which he wrote that 'the LMS is the first point of entry to learning; the front-of-house of our industry.' While that front-of-house may look a little different now...

Often, leaders are promoted into their roles because of their ability to solve problems. But that strength can become a weakness when it leads to dependency, creating an environment where the leader is always swooping in to save the day. In t his   week's episode of   The Mindtools L&D Podcast , Ross D and Cammy are joined by Bill Flynn, CEO of Catalyst Growth Advisors and author of The Hero Trap...

In the introduction to the latest Global Sentiment Survey report, Donald Taylor describes this year's results as 'the most significant' in the survey's history. In t his   week's episode of   The Mindtools L&D Podcast ,   Don joins   Ross D and   Ross G to discuss: whether interest in AI has peaked; why Don believes the results reflect a breaking of old norms; the steady climb of 'showing value' a...

Cafes, restaurants and car washes all use points and rewards to drive behaviors. Can we do the same with our Learning Management Systems? In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast , Incentli's Jeff Campbell speaks to Ross G and Ross D about: how digital currencies give LMS administrators levers they can pull to drive behavior the role of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation on learning the...

If you're going in for surgery, make sure to get scheduled first thing. When you buy new clothes, wash them before you wear them. Never use a ceramic cup in a coffee shop. These are the kind of insider secrets that get shared on Reddit, and we thought it would be fun to ask the L&D community on LinkedIn to share a few of their own. And boy, did they have secrets to share! In this week's episode of...

To help organizations reap the benefits of AI while meeting regulatory requirements, many L&D teams are rolling out AI skills programs. But how do we design these programs in a way that shapes consistent, compliant behaviors, while helping colleagues develop the judgment they need to navigate messy, real-world situations? In this week's episode of  The Mindtools L&D Podcast , Ross D and Cammy are...

Pressure from above, pressure from below; little appreciation from either. That's the experience of work for many middle managers!  This week on The Mindtools L&D Podcast , author Gary Cookson joins Ross G and Dr Anna to discuss his new book, The Squeezed Middle , with a focus on: why managers are so misunderstood and undervalued the skills middle managers require to succeed how we can all help bu...

For most of us, compliance training is a regular feature of our working lives. Instead of inducing a mexican wave of eye-rolls, what can we do to design compliance training that has impact? In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Gemma, Cammy and Layla discuss: Creating compliance-based learning experiences that change mindsets and behaviors; Meeting the needs of time-poor learners; H...

Induction programmes play a crucial role in shaping the way a new starter thinks and feels about an organization. In this week's episode of  The Mindtools L&D Podcast , Ross D, Cammy and Claire discuss: what makes induction programmes different from other L&D initiatives; how an 'accomplishment framework' can help new starters (and learning designers!) break induction down into manageable chunks;...

Learning design work is often accompanied by various forms of uncertainty — ambiguous performance needs, vaguely defined scope, shifting stakeholder expectations... In his book The Instructional Designer's Guide to Project Management , Dr Guieswende Rouamba describes this condition as 'the fog of instructional design'. And he believes project management is the key to navigating it. In this week's...

Since its first release in 1978, A Manager's Guide to Self-Development has been one of the go-to texts for new and aspiring managers. Now in its seventh edition, authors Mike Pedler and Joan Keevil join Gemma and Ross G to discuss: why self-development is so key to a manager's capabilities what has changed since the first edition of the book as published (hat tip to Michelle Ockers for this questi...

Yippee-ki-yay, Christmas Turkeys! In our final episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast for 2025, the gang are climbing to the top of Nakatomi Plaza: foiling a criminal plot and solving L&D challenges as we go. We answer: What rule exists at work that, if broken, would have the biggest impact on performance? (Tony) What should L&D pros be stealing to maximise their impact this Christmas? (Heinrich) Wh...

The promise of self-directed learning is that employees will take charge of their own development, if we only create the environment for them to do so. But does this actually happen? In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast , Mindtools Kineo Head of Product Daniel Potter joins Ross G and Gemma to discuss self-directed learning, with a focus on: what self-directed learning journeys look...

What a year it was! In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast , HowNow's Nelson Sivalingam joins Ross G and Ross D to reflect on 2025 and look to emerging trends in 2026. We discuss: AI (obviously) and how it's evolving the rise of instructor-led training how market consolidation is changing the choice of suppliers for L&D leaders. During the discussion, Ross G referenced a number of new...

How do you run an organization-wide learning function with just two people? At LV=, that's the main focus for Talent, Learning and Development Partner Rob Foster. This week on The Mindtools L&D Podcast , Rob joins Claire and Ross G to discuss: how building relationships throughout the organization helps support induction, mentoring and reverse mentoring programs how internal champions expand the i...

The L&D industry has always talked about 'business value' as an elusive concept. Now, a new book from Laura Overton and Michelle Ockers, The L&D Leader: Principles and Practice for Delivering Business Value, articulates what that looks like in practice. This week on The Mindtools L&D Podcast , they join Ross D and Dr Anna to discuss: how L&D teams can transition through different stages of maturit...

In many organizations, not least within L&D, urgent and important short-term challenges often crowd out the bigger picture. So, how do we step back and take the long view? In this week's episode, Ross D and Claire are joined by Nina Bressler, founder of Reimagined Value, to discuss: Nina's background and what she means by the term 'societal learning' How to work with business stakeholders to help...

Since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, Donald Taylor and Eglė Vinauskaitė have released four reports exploring L&D's use of AI. In this week's episode, Don joins Ross D to discuss the latest report — AI in L&D: The Race for Impact . We cover: What's changed over the last three years, and why we're at an inflection point How L&D's use of AI has slowly matured over time, evolving into more so...

In his book Targeting Turnover , Dick Finnegan argues that, as the global population ages and more people enter retirement, it is imperative for organizations to retain the talent they already have. In this week's episode, Dick joins Claire and Cammy to discuss: Why turnover is a problem for businesses  The strategies organizations can deploy to reduce turnover  The impact this might have on the L...