How can we overcome change and learn to create a better experience at work—for ourselves and our teams? To launch us into Season Three of Learning Through Experience, my first guest explores with me the pedagogy of hope and transformation, focusing on interpersonal and group dynamics.

As Dr. Lisa Lahey aptly put it during our conversation, “When we invest in our relationships and our own development, we pave the way for a more hopeful and transformative future.” A renowned author on adult education and development, Lisa specializes in identifying personal and organizational impediments to change, and helping them unpack and understand these insights to ultimately break free of unproductive habits in order to achieve their goals.

Watch this episode on YouTube.

Key Topics

05:34 Formative experiences – Lisa shares two personal experiences that shaped her commitment to (and emphasized the importance of) listening and understanding group dynamics

08:06 Adult development theory – Introduction to adult development theory and its impact on personal growth

09:11 Navigating personal relationships – The challenges of balancing personal relationships and self-identity

12:13 The role of development – Emphasis on the necessity of personal development to navigate workplace challenges

16:09 Distinguishing learning and development – The difference between learning and deeper personal development

19:09 The role of others in development – How interpersonal relationships can support or hinder personal growth

30:50 Immunity to Change approach – How the immunity to change approach can help individuals and groups overcome barriers to personal and professional growth; applying the framework in the workplace

35:00 Future of work – How the evolving nature of work requires a shift in mindset toward collaboration and shared leadership

Additional Resources from Lisa

• Vox—I’ve spent my career studying bad habits. Here’s what I’ve learned about breaking them.

• Brené Brown podcast episodes—Immunity to Change, part 1 and part 2

• Putting the “Development” in Professional Development: Understanding and Overturning Educational Leaders’ Immunities to Change—a substantive piece linking adult development with ITC