I start every new training project with a sense of hope and excitement. I'm ready to build a lasting relationship with my client and I feel ready because I have a proven plan for my project kickoff. I'm not reinventing it every time I have a new project.
On today’s episode, I want to share that plan with you.
Whether you're a consultant or currently working inside an organization, this approach should work for you. And hopefully, you'll feel excited and hopeful about your projects when you use it.

▶️ 5 Things to Include in Your Training Project Kickoff

▶️ Key Points:
00:58 Starting a new training project with excitement
02:40 5 Things to include in your nonprofit training project kickoff

Resources from this episode:
Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇
Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Heather
Linkedin: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

As a training and leadership development consultant, I'm always wondering what we can learn from things around us, like the Olympics.

The Olympics brings together top athletes from around the world as they compete against each other and their best selves. It takes years of practice and dedication to achieve something like this.

We can learn a lot about leadership from the Olympics and I want to share that with you today with special guests Kirk Spahn and Sara Daum.

▶️ Leadership Development Lessons from the Olympics

▶️ Key Points:
02:06 The process that athletes and leaders follow
04:41 Taking the time to celebrate
06:11 Tools that can help shape the future
08:27 Commitment to learning agility
15:40 Connecting to your bigger purpose

Resources from this episode:
Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇
Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Kirk and Sara
Linkedin: Kirk Spahn & Sara Daum

Connect with Heather
Linkedin: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

We have so many tools available for how we design and deliver learning. From project management and identifying learning needs to delivering our learning solutions, we're using tech throughout the process.
Nonprofit L&D pros have very specific tech needs and we often have unique constraints that other organizations don't have. That's why I'm so excited that I got to chat with Shari Simpson about 10 tech habits that will change the way you lead talent development.

▶️  Talent Development: 10 Tech Habits for Nonprofit Leaders with Shari Simpson

▶️ Key Points:
01:29 Nonprofit L&D tech needs
05:38 Shari’s career journey: From the mental health space to a forward-thinking HR leader
09:52 Paylocity: A modern human capital management system
11:50 10 Tech habits that will change the way you lead talent development

Resources from this episode:
Using Data in Talent Development:
▶️ Episode 81: Using People Data to Drive Impactful Professional Development in Your Nonprofit
▶️ Episode 59: How to Measure the Impact of Your Training and Development
▶️ Episode 72: How Learning and Development Can Use Data to Create a Greater Impact in Training

Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective

Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇
Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Shari
LinkedIn: Shari Simpson
Website: askhrswagger.com and paylocity.com

Connect with Heather
Linkedin: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

Getting qualified candidates into the nonprofit leadership candidate pool can be challenging, so we tend to start thinking about our internal candidates. They already know and love our mission so it's logical to want to advance them into these open leadership positions.

But are your future leaders ready?

In this episode, we're going to explore 10 things nonprofits should do to develop their future leaders and build their internal leadership pipeline.

▶️ Building Your Leadership Pipeline? 10 Things Nonprofits Should Do When Developing Future Leaders

▶️ Key Points:
00:58 Are your nonprofit’s future leaders ready?
02:36 10 Things nonprofits should do to help build their leadership pipeline
15:36 L&D can help develop your nonprofit leaders

Resources from this episode:
Competency model episodes:
▶️ Episode 79: Taking an Asset-Based Approach to Competency Models
▶️ Episode 51: How to Use Your Competency  Model to Develop a Comprehensive Training Program
▶️ Episode 39: Ask These Two Questions to Identify Your Nonprofit's Core Competencies
▶️ Episode 20: How to Determine Which Competencies Are Right for You
▶️ Episode 19: One Nonprofit's Honest Opinion after 6 Months with a Competency Model
▶️ Episode 18: Four Reasons Your Competencies Don't Work

Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective:
https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective

Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇
Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Heather
Linkedin: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

What makes a DEIB training successful?

From meaningful discussion to skilled facilitation, there are a lot of things that make a DEIB training successful. But today, I want to talk about using cohorts in your nonprofit’s DEIB training.

A lot of DEIB trainings are one-off experiences. And if there is more than one training, it's not really set up as a cohort. But I'm a big believer in using cohorts for DEIB training and I’m going to tell you why in this episode.

▶️ Why You Should Use Cohorts in Your Nonprofit's DEIB Training

▶️ Key Points:
00:58 Advancing your nonprofit’s DEIB efforts
03:37 The power of relationships and effective communication
06:37 Why you should use cohorts in your nonprofit's DEIB training

Resources from this episode:
Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg
Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇
Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Heather
Linkedin: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

A good coach or mentor can be powerful. That’s why on today’s episode, I’m sharing five ways you can use coaching and mentoring in your nonprofit’s talent development strategy.

There are so many benefits to coaching and mentoring and these tools can be used in a variety of ways. While this isn’t an exhaustive list, it’s a good place to start.

▶️ The Role of Coaching and Mentoring in Your Nonprofit's Talent Development Strategy

▶️ Key Points:
00:58 The power of a good coach or mentor
02:54 Five ways you can use coaching and mentoring in your nonprofit’s talent development strategy

Resources from this episode:
Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇
Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Heather
Linkedin: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

Are you listening to your learners?
In this episode, our guest is strategic listener Emily Taylor. With a background in human-centered design, Emily is an expert listener. I've worked with Emily before and she's helped me and my clients be better listeners so we can identify skill gaps and create tailored training and resources to support behavior change.
She's sharing some of her best tips in this episode, so you can too.

▶️ How This One Needs Analysis Method Can Improve Your Nonprofit Training with Emily Taylor

▶️ Key Points:
00:58 Why listening is so important
07:40 Making listening part of your nonprofit training process
09:49 What makes listening challenging for talent development teams
13:15 The benefits of listening to learners in your nonprofit training
18:09 Do this one thing to improve how you listen to your staff right now

Resources from this episode:
Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective

Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇
Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Emily
LinkedIn: Emily Taylor
Website: teenybig.com

Connect with Heather
Linkedin: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

I couldn't do what I do as a training and leadership development consultant to nonprofits without my support system, and you need a support system too.

You are doing the work day in and day out to lead your L&D team (if you’re a supervisor), engage with your internal partners, and deliver quality learning experiences. There is a lot that goes into this.

That’s why on today’s episode, we’re talking about the four partners every L&D team should have.

▶️ Four Partners Every L&D Team Should Have

▶️ Key Points:
00:58 Why your L&D team needs partners
03:27 The importance of a support system
05:57 Four partners every L&D team should have

Resources from this episode:
Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇
Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Heather
Linkedin: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

In this episode, I’ve invited Karen Knight, volunteer extraordinaire, to give us some specific ways we can supercharge our nonprofit’s volunteer training.

The demand for nonprofit services has increased, but the number of volunteers has decreased before and since COVID. It’s important that volunteers are trained well so that they have a good volunteering experience, and continue to volunteer.

This is the first episode that we have had specifically on volunteer training and I can’t wait for you to hear everything Karen has to share.

▶️ 5 Ways to Supercharge Your Nonprofit's Volunteer Training with Karen Knight

▶️ Key Points:
04:11 Karen’s volunteer journey
07:18 The definition of volunteers and volunteering
10:25 Why it's important to train volunteers
14:07 Challenges in volunteer training
19:19 Supercharge your nonprofit volunteer training

Resources from this episode:
Episodes on creating training that is relevant, meaningful, and fun:
▶️ Episode 73: The Forgetting Curve: How to Make Your New Training More Memorable
▶️ Episode 63: 4 Ways to Use Humor and Storytelling in Your Nonprofit Training with Gita Kulkarni
▶️ Episode 36: How Nonprofit Learning and Development Leaders Can Use Play to Create Organizational Change with Acey Holmes
▶️ Episode 07: Do THIS and You Will Never Have a Boring Virtual Training Again with Melissa Dinwiddie

Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇
Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Karen
LinkedIn: Karen Knight
Website: karenknight.ca

Connect with Heather
Linkedin: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

As I think about all the challenges nonprofits face, all the burnout nonprofit leaders experience, and all the amazing things they want to accomplish, I am consistently reminded of how important strong trusting relationships really are.
That's why on this episode, I want to explore how good instructional design can break down silos and build those relationships in your nonprofit.

▶️ How Good Instructional Design Can Break Down Silos in Your Nonprofit

▶️ Key Points:
00:58 Why we need to build good relationships in nonprofits=
02:31 How training can support relationship building
03:14 4 Ways to build relationships through training

Resources from this episode:
Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇
Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Heather
Linkedin: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms