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/

When we have an opportunity to understand L&D and Leadership trends from global L&D experts we should take them, right? On the eve of DevLearn, David Kelly (Chairman of the Learning Guild) gives us his perspective on the things we should be paying attention to as well as the areas we should be focusing our development on. KEY TAKEAWAYS Technology is changing the L&D landscape and we need to evolve with it, but this is something L&D has always done, the same conversations are happening the circumstances are just slightly different. L&D can sometimes be one of the first departments to be downsized if a company just looks at them as a cost centre, rather than how they should be looking at them, as a performance partner that is connected to driving the organisation forward. Mixed reality is very powerful, AR and VR can be good solutions to specific problems but their advantages and speed have slowed down, with AI taking a lot of attention away from development.  Whilst AI is impacting many areas of almost all organisations, it’s important to understand where your organisation sits on takeup and where you can fit into that and act accordingly. L&D can appear to be susceptible to 'trends' but this isn't negative. Those who work in L&D are naturally curious and are looking for ways to help and support people's growth which naturally lends itself to new ideas and tools.  As the world develops and changes around us, so does how we learn, are our education and learning models keeping up pace? Leadership is something that is given by others and it isn't a set of traits but skills that can be learnt. Leadership is about what we do, rather than who we are. You can be an effective leader at any level of an organisation; it's about how you approach the job you are assigned.  A modern L&D organisation always needs to be looking to what's next, what does the L&D need to look like to support the organisation in the future.  BEST MOMENTS 'I was always very involved in my career at giving back to the industry’ ‘The industry is in the exact same space it’s been for 20 years’ ‘I can tell you that the industry is growing rapidly…doesn’t make a difference where I am working for an organisation where I am seen as a cost that needs to be mitigated' 'AI is sucking all the energy out of the room' 'Hype is nothing more than shared energy, but what is driving that energy' 'We don't want to do something because it's cool but because it can make a difference' 'My focus in leadership in the L&D space is removing the role from the equation and focusing more on the environment that learning exists' David Kelly Bio As Chairman of the Learning Guild, David Kelly constantly explores the convergence of learning and technology, demonstrating a profound commitment to transforming workplaces and enriching lives through innovative learning strategies. With over two decades of experience in learning and performance leadership and consulting, he brings his passion to life in his daily work building events and resources with the Guild and as a dynamic speaker and writer, inspiring others to view their work through a fresh, technology-enhanced lens. You can follow and connect with David via: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lnddave/ Learning Guild Website: https://www.learningguild.com/ DevLearn: https://devlearn.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/

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/

CLOs today must ask: Is our work building lasting, relevant skills right now? Are we delivering business impact? Is the work building or diminishing L&Ds effectiveness and credibility? If the answer to any of these questions is no, then perhaps it is time for a skills accelerator approach. This is the title of a CLO Lift report and in this episode, we unpack what it means and why it’s critical to us, in L&D, but more importantly to our organisations and employees. KEY TAKEAWAYS L&D professionals need to become true business partners instead of just trainers and focus on the development aspect of their role. When you focus on data you are effective, and the rest of the business understands that data. Leverage AI and simulations to deliver fast.  Understand the relevance of each skill. What is it about that skill or new technology that will enable the learner to do their job better? When your business does something new, be a part of the rollout so truly relevant learning is available from the start. BEST MOMENTS “Capability building can't just be through learning programs. It needs to be truly employee-centric.” “If we can spend less time churning content, we'll be able to spend more time developing people.” “The scope of an L&D leader can no longer be just what training program.” Heather Stefanski Heather Stefanski is a Partner and Chief Learning and Development Officer at McKinsey & Company, overseeing Learning & Development for 45,000+ global colleagues and leading the People Data and Analytics Teams.  During 28 years at McKinsey, she has held various roles in talent acquisition, professional development, and learning. She has an MBA and MA in Education from Stanford University, and a BS in Engineering and Operations Research from Princeton University. Bjorn Billhardt  Bjorn Billhardt is co-author of The 12-Week MBA and CEO of Abilitie which has trained 100,000 learners in 50 countries, including rising leaders at Fortune 500 companies like Coca-Cola and GE. He also co-founded Enspire Learning a custom e-learning development company and was a consultant and corporate trainer for McKinsey & Company. Bjorn holds a BA from the University of Texas and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He has served on multiple boards, including The Magellan International School, Spa Partisan, the Advisory Board of the University of Texas at Austin School for Undergraduate Studies and the UT-HDO Program. Report: https://learningforum.substack.com/p/clo-lift-the-skills-accelerator 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 leaders in large organizations often cite a lack of time as the main barrier to upskilling and reskilling. While increasing learning hours is important, the CLO Lift team found that time is not the most critical factor. Instead, the quality of learning has equal or greater influence on performance than the quantity of time spent. Rather than focusing solely on hours, business leaders and L&D professionals should emphasize value. This episode explores these insights with Lisa Christensen and Huw Newton-Hill. KEY TAKEAWAYS CLO Lift is a community of 20 CLOs who have got together to solve the biggest unresolved challenges in the L&D industry. You have to create true value before enough time will be allocated to employee learning. If you are not 100% in step with the business the training that you provide will be out of date and not relevant. The learning you deliver must genuinely enable people to make progress in their careers. L&D needs to stop only being order takers. Work more closely with managers to understand business challenges and be actively involved in finding solutions. Certain elements of people´s roles impact the way they behave. If a learning intervention cannot change that element speak up and ask those who can solve that underlying issue to do so. Create a learning culture, e.g. include skill acquisition in personal reviews. Democratize access to learning. Use generative AI to make the training more relevant in every role in every geography. Measure progress against actual business objectives. Start now. Create some small experiments and generate wins. You only need one win to create credibility and act as a springboard. BEST MOMENTS “Ensure that the whole body of L&D is in lockstep with the business.” “The more courage you lean into, the more credibility you build.” “Be bold and go forth.” “Any good action today is better than perfect action a month from now.” CLO Lift, From Time to Value report: https://learningforum.substack.com/p/clo-lift-from-time-to-value?r=ivpaq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true Lisa Christensen Bio: As Director of Learning Design and Innovation at McKinsey & Company, Lisa leads a global team focused on cutting-edge learning solutions. She founded McKinsey’s Learning Research and Innovation Lab and is a recognized thought leader in learning. Lisa is a founding member of CLO Lift and was previously a senior leader at a learning design firm. Huw Newton-Hill Bio: Huw leads Attensi’s US office, delivering AI-powered training solutions. A former strategy consultant at BCG, he now drives growth and innovation in L&D, contributing to forums like CLO Lift. 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/

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/

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/

L&D at enterprise scale is very difficult. To say the least. This is why so many start and end by ‘providing learning’ in the hope that some of it sticks and makes a difference. But the opposite to relying on hope is to stand for addressing skills gaps and holding yourself accountable to actually closing them. This is what Ryan has aimed to achieve in his roles and what he shares with us in this episode. KEY TAKEAWAYS Lead from the front. Start with skill-based learning now. Treat your skills-based framework as an organic document. Update it regularly. AI is transforming skills-based learning. Ryan shares several real-world examples, during the podcast. You need to complement what AI tells you with your own research and consultation and be specific about your business needs. AI is great at giving you a foundation for discussion. You no longer sit down with a blank piece of paper. AI frees up an incredible amount of time, enabling you to be far more effective. Prioritise the skills that matter most, something many people still do not do. Build out blended learning experiences. At the end of the training session, provide a call to action that ensures that new skill is actually used. Provide an independent validation of the skill. Invite people who have applied that skill to demonstrate it and share how they have used it in their job. Go where the positive energy is. Collaborate with managers who want your help and get them to share the results. The nay-sayers and those short on time will soon be asking for your help. BEST MOMENTS 'Skill-based learning is not knowledge-based learning. So instead of focusing on what you know, it focuses on what you do.' 'AI is going to do a great job. But then you need to round that out with your own work.' 'Be dogged in identifying what that business metric is that this stakeholder, wishes to improve.' Ryan Tracey Bio Ryan Tracey is a senior Learning & Development manager having worked in the corporate sector for over 20 years in addition to roles in government and higher education. Ryan holds a Master’s degree in Learning Sciences and Technology from the University of Sydney and is a prominent commentator of in the field of L&D. You can follow and connect with Ryan via: X/Twitter: @ryantracey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryantracey/ Blog: https://ryan2point0.wordpress.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/

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/

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/

A new report, published by 360Learning, illustrates how far online has come in recent years: from poor relation to classroom training to expected and respected and recognised for helping learners bridge their skills gaps. But is that enough? In this episode, Alice and Ross join David to explore the findings and what this tells us about our ability to scale L&D today. KEY TAKEAWAYS Both employers and employees have finally become more comfortable with digital learning. Employees now honestly believe that online learning is going to help them to do a better job while upskilling. Online learning works well in both big and small organizations. But it is smaller firms that are more receptive and are adopting AI and digital learning faster. For large organizations scalability is still a big challenge. Learning from their peers and colleagues, followed by their line managers is still preferred by most employees. A combination of face-to-face and digital learning works well. Tech is making it easier for people to share their knowledge, L&D can better tap into and benefit from this. Demonstrating to employees how the training can benefit them greatly improves the level of engagement. Clearly identify the skills people need to progress and share that knowledge with them. BEST MOMENTS 'People now expect some respect, online learning,' 'In a smaller company, it is just a bit more dynamic.' 'You can capture SME knowledge that's valuable to the entire organization.' 'Capitalize on people's primary reasons for wanting to engage and develop their skills.' EPISODE RESOURCES Link to 2024 State of Online Learning Report: https://360learning.com/guide/2024-state-of-online-learning-report/2024-report-introduction/ Alice Thompson Bio Alice is a Development Partner for Marks & Spencer and is passionate about designing performance training, data-driven decision-making, measuring impact and creating a continuous learning culture. Prior to M&S, Alice played key roles in the L&D teams at ASOS, Monzo and Butternut Box. You can follow and connect with Alice via: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-thompson-849154b8/ 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 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/

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/

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/

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/

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/

There’s often a huge difference between the rhetoric around L&D leadership and the reality. It’s not all about creating a Learning Culture and sailing a course to L&D nirvana. The reality is it’s a lot messier with a lot of hustle, winning some days and losing many more. In this episode, presented by 360Learning, Simon Gibson lifts the lid on his reality and how L&D leadership today is evolving and changing within these turbulent times. KEY TAKEAWAYS Hiring people from diverse backgrounds and disciplines results in a more innovative and resilient team. L&D is evolving fast, so there are some big skill gaps, e.g. data analysis.  Those professionals who can prove the positive impact they have had on the business are the most likely to get hired. Get under the skin of what the managers you work for really need. Getting managers together to discuss what challenges they face and how they overcome them is incredibly instructive for them and you. Discovery sessions are powerful. Being clear about what you are trying to fix and staying focused on that is essential. Analysis is essential, without it you cannot prove that you are actually closing the skills gap. Consumption does not equal competence. If that knowledge is not retained and applied on the job, the training is useless. BEST MOMENTS 'Theory is one thing, but show me how, show me when and what that meant. Build that body of evidence.' 'They're bound by restricted and empowered by the culture.' 'Go build that commercial muscle, go find out how things work, go find out how things are made.' 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/ Simon Gibson Bio Simon is Group Head of Learning & Development at Marks & Spencer and an experienced executive-level People Leader/Chief Learning Officer. He has a passion to deliver meaningful commercial change and transformation via learning, organisational development, and talent initiatives. You can follow and connect with Simon via: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongibsonlearning/ X / Twitter: @simon1gibson 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/

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/

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/

In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore what has helped Josh achieve senior leadership in different sectors, what it means to make a planned and demonstrable impact as well as how HSBC is changing to a skills-based organisation. KEY TAKEAWAYS Josh has headed up L&D for several large companies including for Warner Music Group and is now VP of People Experience and Insights for HSBC. Take things back to basics and make sure everything you do boosts or at least defends revenue. If something is not working, retire it early. Don´t be afraid to call your own baby ugly. You have to talk in financial terms to be truly relevant.  Little time-saving tweaks make a huge difference. Even saving 30 seconds per day, per employee adds up to a big saving for large companies. HSBC is a skills-based organisation.  Thoroughly read the end-of-year board paper to fully understand the direction the business is heading in. Keep it super simple, if you can´t describe what you're doing to a toddler without them looking confused, don´t do it. BEST MOMENTS 'Just take a step back and ask, what is this doing for the organisation?' 'It´s taking all the stuff that we need them to do and making it frictionless.' 'Never wed yourself to a single way of doing stuff because the world will change around you.' 'You can´t be a one-trick pony, you have to have a whole arsenal of things.' 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/ Josh Novelle Bio Josh Novelle is VP of People Experience and Insights at HSBC and an internationally recognised specialist in his field, with more than ten years of award-winning corporate experiences to employees. During his career he has worked both in-house - at brands such as Warner Music Group, BP, Deloitte and Carphone Warehouse -  and on the supplier side. His passion is to take HR and talent to the next level, taking into account the wider experience of employees, ensuring rich experiences that are accessible to all, but with a clear connection to the real business goals and profitability of the company. 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 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/

It was clear that one podcast episode wouldn’t be enough to cover everything we wanted to so Kenny’s back to unpack what leadership development at Netflix means and what it’s there to achieve. This conversation is both revealing and inspiring.  KEY TAKEAWAYS There are universal leadership principles that apply to any industry. However, each leadership role is still different. Context is crucial in developing effective leaders. First, understand the business impact solving the problem is going to have. Discovery is essential. Without it, the understanding of the problem is not deep enough. Fall in love with the problem. Netflix uses powerful stories or cases to exemplify key issues in the business. Using a one-and-done solution is only going to have a limited impact.  It is continuous learning and embedding learning that will be transformative. Simulations that engage people emotionally and sometimes physically are incredibly impactful. Start with the why. Next look for quick wins, the simpler the better. BEST MOMENTS 'I've seen the power of being part of a team where you can be honest, you're cared about, you're loved.' 'If you want to change something, you've got to understand the problem.' 'You need to design for the terrain and not actually do something idealised.' 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. EPISODE RESOURCES Reed Hastings No Rules Rules - https://www.amazon.co.uk/No-Rules-Netflix-Culture-Reinvention-ebook/dp/B082261K3F 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/

Like so many professions, Learning & Development is evolving and transforming fast. Starting out in the profession had a standard path just a short while ago but expectations and technological advances have been catalysts for great change. In this episode, presented by 360Learning, John and David explore what it takes now to start out - and grow a career - in L&D. KEY TAKEAWAYS In the past, L&D professionals were created mainly in the classroom. Technology has changed the way people learn, so, how people enter the L&D sector and the type of person that works in the industry has changed too. Become a good content curator. It will enable you to, very quickly, create truly effective and tailored learning resources. Learn to repurpose content. It is a great way to create easily digestible learning resources, e.g., taking a 20-minute video and dividing it into 10 1 to 3-minute blocks. Data analysis is essential. Without it, you can't see what works and prove L&D's value to the business. New technology creates new opportunities to engage with people and help them to build new skills. Stay up to date. Look at what others are doing, be open-minded and ready to emulate them. L&D has a strong role to play in helping people to see where they can take their careers next. BEST MOMENTS 'Bizarrely I think that everything and hardly anything has changed.' 'Understand what people need, what the organization needs, rather than what it wants.' 'Get a mentor.' John Hinchcliffe Bio John Hinchcliffe is a Digital Learning Experience Manager at Emirates National Bank of Dubai and an internationally recognized award-winning digital learning expert. You can follow and contact John via: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-hinchliffe-yourskillshub/ X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourskillshub Skills Report: https://360learning.com/guide/2023-global-state-upskilling-and-reskilling-report/introduction/ 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/

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/

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

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/

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/

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/

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/

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/

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/

Business impact is an elusive goal for Learning & Development, but it needn’t be. In this episode, as part of a series on achieving measurable impact, Bonnie Beresford unpacks what we should mean by business impact and how we make it attainable as well as planned and measurable. KEY TAKEAWAYS Learning must be aligned with business goals. Effectively measuring learning effectiveness based on business impact drives change and increases profitability. Without measurement you cannot improve the learning. 100% attendance means nothing when it comes to achieving business goals. Ask the client what a good result would look like for them, then work with them to come up with the measurement. This conversation will also highlight what must be included in the training. To measure, use the cause precedes the effect model. You will always have some people that have been trained and some that have not, so you compare their performances Start by addressing the critical failures of the organisation or company. BEST MOMENTS ' Measurement drives alignment. ' 'What gets measured, gets done.' 'You don´t need a statistician to get started. ' 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/ Bonnie Beresford Bio Bonnie is a human capital strategist and performance consultant, researching, designing, analysing and evaluating human performance improvement initiatives that are aligned with real business needs that are focused on improving measurable business outcomes. Bonnie is also the creator of the Measurement Map(R) to illustrate the causal chain of evidence between human capital interventions and measurable business outcomes. You can follow and connect with Bonnie via: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bberesfordphd/ Website: https://www.gpstrategies.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/

If L&D can’t influence or change behaviour, then we need to ask ourselves “What are we for?” Similarly, if we can’t measure whether behaviour change has occurred then our position should be precarious. In this episode, Laura Paramoure tackles this topic head-on to make it measuring behaviour change accessible and attainable. KEY TAKEAWAYS Giving knowledge to an employee doesn't make any difference unless they apply it in their job. Learning courses are instruments for change. The established measures of learning - attendance, completion, and satisfaction are not sufficient. Measurement needs to be built into the learning. Think of behaviours as standards you want people to meet, so you can measure the level of change. Before designing a course, check if people already have that skill or not. Often, they will but may not know how to apply it. In that case, bridging the application gap is what your course needs to address. Behaviour change has to be measured on the job. Tell people that you will be measuring the impact of the course and will be doing so repeatedly and share that data with them. You must have firm data to use. Labour shortages mean L&D is needed more than ever, but you´ll only keep your job if you can demonstrate that your learning courses are effective. BEST MOMENTS 'It's very important for L&D to understand that behaviour change is the goal. Without this, nothing changes ' 'The before-state and after-state verify our instructional design.' 'They can argue with you all day long, but they cannot argue with the data.' 'It's really simple, but we've not held ourselves accountable for doing it.' 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 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/

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/

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 evolved, technology has advanced enormously, employee expectations have shifted, and work patterns are more flexible. So how has the nature of leading L&D changed and what’s the key to successfully evolving? KEY TAKEAWAYS  Cultural intelligence has become increasingly important for L&D. Blended learning provided with context is greatly improving effectiveness. Identifying the goal and how it will be measured is important, but the measurement needs to be simple. L&D needs to be an integral part of the team. Simulations are proven to be effective in teaching complex skills. AI could be used to generate different scenarios, for people to respond to and test their skills so they can gain confidence. Proving tech before it is rolled out is essential. BEST MOMENTS 'We tend to be an industry that moves pretty fast, sometimes too fast. ' 'Drill down and say what are the real skills and behaviours that are the difference between normal performance and really high performance.' 'We've seen a huge opportunity with chat GPT now and generative AI in order to plug some of the gaps.' ABOUT THE GUEST John Tomlinson Bio John is Head of Learning & Development at the UK Foreign Office as well as the host of the Trainer Tools podcast, a writer, and a conference speaker. John is also a qualified coach and has extensive experience in leadership development, change management, and partnering with senior leaders to develop and deliver L&D strategies. GUEST RESOURCES You can follow John via: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntomlinson/ Twitter: @JohnRTomlinson Podcast: https://trainertools.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/

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 David James. KEY TAKEAWAYS L&D can´t be all fun and games. It also needs a challenge. Changing someone's performance is not always about learning, other resources need to be used too. Providing effective guidance means you do not need such a highly skilled workforce. People need context, show them how to apply what they learn to their job. BEST MOMENTS 'Effortable learning is critical.' 'Your analysis has to look at the entire context. ' 'We've got to start whitewashing the problem. ' 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 Gabrielle Bayme Bio Gabrielle is Chief Learning Officer at the New York City Mayor's Office of Management and Budget and a forward-thinking Learning and Development leader with 20+ years of experience of designing, facilitating, and managing learning programs throughout the entire learning lifecycle and building innovative learning solutions from the ground up. A lifelong learner and promoter of emerging best practices, cutting-edge tools and techniques, and performance consulting approaches. Gabrielle is passionate about helping organisations and other talent development professionals make the shift from "training" to "performance" believing that learning solutions should focus on practice over content and should have a measurable impact on the work itself. You can follow Gabrielle via: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielle-bayme/ Nick Shackleton-Jones Bio Nick is a genuine thought leader in Learning & Development, responsible for coining the ‘courses to resources’ shift and the effective 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 Guy Wallace Bio Guy 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 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 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/

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 problems. Be relentless about understanding the problem you are solving. If people have not actually used what you taught them 9 months before they have probably forgotten it. Learning needs to be delivered at the point of need. Often, on the job itself. Identify who is going to support the learner when they are doing their job, they will be the ones who can see if the training works.  L&D needs to step into the world of those they are seeking to influence rather than expecting people to step into the world of learning. Training does not have to be a course; it could be a list of resources or a simple memo or short video to remind people of how to deal with an issue or do something.  There is a lot more to development than learning. To solve the problem, you need to collaborate with other departments. BEST MOMENTS 'The point of need is extremely important.' 'The intervention on the reinforcement of learning isn't necessarily with the training department. ' 'It's you going forward and say, I've noticed that we have a problem with that. And I think we can help.' 'The trick is to be completely consistent with your approach.' 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 Lila Warren Bio Lila is Global Head of Retail Academy at Pret a Manger, a counsellor, and psychotherapist and makes it her goal to create and embed solutions that drive employee engagement and performance. 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/

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 explores what this means and the practical steps it will take us to make a planned and meaningful impact. KEY TAKEAWAYS Work out in advance how you are going to measure the outcomes. Get down to the brass tacks of what each department and person should be doing. Seek clarification, and ask what does that look like?  Often, it will take time to get proper answers. Communicate your success using stakeholder metrics and language. Use success case interviews and qualitative data. BEST MOMENTS 'What we're striving to do then is show that our training or learning interventions can impact on some business metric. ' 'Make impact a forethought rather than an afterthought.' 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/ Bonnie Beresford Bio Bonnie is a human capital strategist and performance consultant, researching, designing, analysing, and evaluating human performance improvement initiatives that are aligned with real business needs that are focused on improving measurable business outcomes. Bonnie is also the creator of the Measurement Map(R) to illustrate the causal chain of evidence between human capital interventions and measurable business outcomes. You can follow and connect with Bonnie via: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bberesfordphd/ Website: https://www.gpstrategies.com 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 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/ 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/

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 transition failure costs about 10 to 30 times their salary. Most executives get no extra support or training when they transition. The failure rate between internal and external hires is not that different. Navigating politics (organizational diplomacy) is a challenge. Providing an honest roadmap helps. Someone needs to sit down with the executive and map out the stakeholders in detail. Hiring a transition coach is a worthwhile investment. Ask each executive what areas they need the most help with. BEST MOMENTS 'Soft skills are only soft when they are out of context. ' 'The theory behind what an executive does is as different as it could possibly be to the actual experience.' 'Less than 10% is spent on making that same hire successful. ' Navid Nazemian Bio When it comes to executive transitions, award-winning author Navid Nazemian speaks with an authority that is grounded in research and complemented by authentically demonstrated experience. His ICF-accredited coach education took him on a three-year journey across three continents in Europe, Africa, and America.  Working with over 100 C-level coaching clients worldwide, Navid distils key insights, guidance, and coaching for maximizing leadership impact in Mastering Executive Transitions: The Definitive Guide. Using strategies designed to avoid and overcome obstacles quickly, Nazemian has helped numerous coaching clients to successfully eliminate unproductive actions and solve their toughest, most complex transition challenges. In 2022, Navid was awarded the global winner of Coach of the Year by CEO Today and HR Most Influential Practitioner by HR Magazine. You can follow and connect with Navid via: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/navidnazemian/ Mastering Executive Transitions: The Definitive Guide: https://www.masteringexecutivetransitions.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/

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 AI is here to stay. Seek out those who are using it and learn from them. Play with ChatGPT, take a real-life learning need, and use it to create a solution. People need support when learning. ChatGPT actually can be a learning assistant. ChatGPT 4 is way more advanced than 3.5 and includes an API so you can link it into other systems. Khan Academy, Duolingo and others are already accelerating learning using AI plugins. Creating learning content is much faster and cheaper using AI and opens up the chance for users to do it too. BEST MOMENTS 'It´s mind-blowing… It´s not a fad ' ' It´s dialogue not a monologue. ' 'Generative AI draws upon a body of knowledge that is sort of infallible. ' '(Using AI) learning and development can be truly achieved bottom up. ' Donald Clark Bio Donald Clark is an EdTech Entrepreneur, CEO, Professor, Researcher, Blogger and Speaker. He was CEO and one of the original founders of Epic Group plc, which established itself as the leading company in the UK online learning market, floated on the Stock Market in 1996 and sold in 2005. As well as being the CEO of Wildfire, an AI-driven learning company, he also invests in, and advises Learning technology and EdTech companies. Donald is an award-winning speaker at national and international conferences, author of the books ‘AI for Learning’ and ‘Learning Experience Design’ and co-host on the podcast ‘Great Minds on Learning). You can follow and contact Donald via: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donald-clark-04553022/ Twitter: @DonaldClark AI For Learning Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Artificial-Intelligence-Learning-Employee-Development/dp/1789660815/ Website: https://t.co/c6Wvp8yOOZ Great Minds In Learning Podcast: https://greatmindsonlearning.libsyn.com Khan Academy + ChatGPT4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnIgnS8Susg South Park ChatGPT episode is Season 26 Episode 4 - Deep Learning 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/

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/

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 around them, we need to tap into the fact their peers and supervisors have a lot of knowledge to impart and provide content that helps them to learn on the job. The list of skills people need includes things like capabilities, talent, and mindset. Identify the experiences people need to be exposed to so that they can develop the right skills. Then make sure they get to do that type of work. There is still a tendency for stakeholders to expect L&D to do what they are told. To get results, this has to change. The panel discusses ways to drive that change. We all need to look at performance as the output and make that our starting point. Identifying critical business issues and addressing them is essential. BEST MOMENTS 'The issue is really about; I call it bench strength; how agile we are. ' 'We need to address skills in context' 'When we offer suites of generic content, we leave people hanging. They can master that content, but they may not know how to apply it in their jobs 'Talk to the people who will talk to you. Start there.' GUEST RESOURCES HR Goes Agile – Harvard Business Review article - https://hbr.org/2018/03/hr-goes-agile 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 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 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/

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 over 40 years bringing behaviour science into practical, down-to-earth application. KEY TAKEAWAYS You can deliver fantastic training, but if the business does not make changes to provide the right conditions to enable people to apply what they have learned, better results will not be generated. What you want is ongoing accomplishment-based talent development.  Using plain English is essential for making your training accessible to all and getting stakeholder buy-in. Design is all about the stuff that supports behaviour. In particular, the conditions people work in. To get engagement, you need to evangelise about the process and benefits. Without it, people will not understand and will not buy in. You need to give people the time and space to become fluent in using tools. Delivering training at the right pace and in bursts that prevent fatigue is essential. BEST MOMENTS 'You need to define performance first. ' 'An accomplishment has to be an accountable thing.' 'Generic training, and development, I think is just enormously wasteful.. ' 'People who are just going to do the same old thing, the same way they always do as a checkbox, probably are not going to be my clients.. ' GUEST RESOURCES You can follow and contact Carl via: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcarlbinder/ Website: https://www.performancethinking.com ABOUT THE GUEST Carl Binder Carl is the CEO of The Performance Thinking Network. He was one of the last graduate students of BF Skinner at Harvard University.  He has published dozens of articles, chapters, and books and presented dozens and dozens of times, and workshops and presentations at conferences. Carl is the recipient of two of ISPs highest awards, the Thomas F Gilbert Award, and the honorary life member award. He's also received the Fred s Keller Award from the American Psychological Association for his work in education. And he's received a lifetime achievement award from the organisational behaviour management network, a sub-discipline of ABA, the Association of Behaviour Analysts. 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/

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. In this episode, Mirjam Neelen talks about her pivot to performance, her approach to analysis, design, and stakeholder management.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Get stakeholders involved from day 1. Asking gently probing questions is a diplomatic way to get stakeholders to properly identify the business problem and sign off on training that works instead of simply ticking a box. Periodically ask – “what´s the deliverable?” as a way of ensuring that the focus remains in the right place i.e., solving the problem. It is easy to get side-tracked. Asking questions that prompt the stakeholders to think more deeply about the work and how it is carried out helps them to realise what is needed. It can be difficult to get objective data from stakeholders, but you must persist in asking for it. Using task analysis reminds or informs the stakeholder about how the work gets done so they can 100% understand what type of training is needed. Asking stakeholders to create examples for the training really focuses them on what needs to be taught and how. BEST MOMENTS 'I pick with my team, one or two projects each quarter so that we're actually solving real business problems. Then, from that, we extract things like case studies, but also frameworks, models, and more. ' 'You have, which I don't think could be understated, diplomacy.' ' I really try to focus on what they are trying to always achieve and keep that front and centre. ' 'In the end, it just really helped to move from what I call a training focus to a capability building focus. ' ABOUT MIRJAM NEELAN 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 of industry experience, she has worked in a wide variety of learning design roles in organisations such as Accenture, Google, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 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/

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/

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/

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/