In this solo episode of The Edge of Work podcast, host Al Dea introduces a new approach to leadership: becoming developers of talent. Al explores how managers and leaders can embrace their roles in fostering employee growth and development in the day-to-day workflow, beyond formal training programs. By offering practical strategies, lightweight tools, and actionable insights, this episode provides listeners with a fresh perspective on embedding development into their management style, empowering their teams, and boosting organizational performance. Discover how small moments can create big impacts in talent development and retention.

• Al Dea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsaldea/
• Al's Website: https://www.al-dea.com/

Dani Johnson is the Co-Founder and Principal Analyst at RedThread Research. During this conversation, Dani shares some of her observations and insights from some of her recent conversations and research on the topic of L&D Strategy, the shifting role L&D has within organizations and the implications for learning and talent leaders. 

Dani also shares some of her thoughts on the potential implications of AI, the ever-present but evolving conversation about the importance of aligning learning to business needs, and the potential impact of AI on learning and the workplace. Finally, Dani also shares her thoughts on what’s new and next within the learning tech startup ecosystem.

Links

• Redthread Research: https://redthreadresearch.com/home
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dani-johnson/
• Dani’s LinkedIn Post: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7249051389455138816/#

Lisa Christensen is the Director of Learning Design at McKinsey & Company. Drawing from her research, Lisa discusses how McKinsey uses apprenticeship as a key element of its culture, focusing on how it serves as a powerful mechanism for transferring skills and fostering collaboration. 

During this conversation, Lisa shares insights from her work on apprenticeship, emphasizing its importance in developing talent within the professional services environment. 

They also explore how apprenticeship can be applied beyond traditional hierarchical models, and the potential for integrating AI into the future of apprenticeship.

Links

• https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/people-in-progress/embracing-apprenticeship-as-a-way-of-life-a-new-definition-for-an-old-idea 
• https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/apprenticeship-gets-a-makeover 
• https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/reviving-the-art-of-apprenticeship-to-unlock-continuous-skill-development 

Ana Maria Sencovici is the Chief Talent Officer at Royal Caribbean Group. In this role, she oversees talent management, career development, and leadership strategies for the organization. 

During this conversation, she shares her approach to career development, focusing on empowering employees through a systemic approach to career development that goes beyond traditional roles and promotions. Ana Maria discusses how Royal Caribbean’s 'My Career Journey' platform enables employees to take ownership of their growth by emphasizing skills, feedback, and personal aspirations. 

She also explores the evolving nature of careers, stressing the importance of adaptability and the development of career 'meta skills' to navigate today's dynamic work environment. 

Finally, Ana Maria offers insights into how leaders can create a culture of development that supports meaningful employee growth and engagement.

Links

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asencovici/
• Al: https://al-dea.com/leadership-offerings/

This is an episode that features 4 interviews from key leaders and speakers at SIOP’s Leading Edge Consortium in late October 2024. In this episode, we speak with four key leaders including Shonna Waters, Trish Vassar, Sophia Lamuraglia, and Richard Chambers.

During the conversation, we explore key topics including what it means for leaders to lead effectively in a changing workplace, the role of AI in leadership development, and what’s top of mind for those in the organizational psychology profession in today’s workplace. 

This episode also explores key leadership development practices, including AI-driven coaching tools, simplified competency models, and the critical role of learning agility in preparing leaders for an uncertain future. 

Links

• SIOP Leading Edge Consortium: https://www.siop.org/Leading-Edge-Consortium
• Trish Vassar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trish-vassar-phd-96aab1/
• Richard Chambers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-chambers-phd-aa680a56/
• Shonna Waters: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shonna-waters/
• Sofia Lamuraglia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofialamuraglia/

In this special episode, we traveled to Nashville to attend the Guild Opportunity Summit.

This episode features conversations with Matthew Daniel, Talent Strategist at Guild, Terrence Cummings, Chief People & Opportunity Officer at Guild, and Katie Giles, VP of Associate Experience at Gentiva and Board Member at AMPED Louisville. 

During each interview, they explore key themes such as skills-based organizations, the impact of AI on talent development and the workforce, and creating equitable opportunities for all those who have been underserved.

Links

• Guild Opportunity Summit: https://events.guild.com/opportunitysummit2024
• Guild Website: https://guild.com/ 
• AMPED Louisville: https://ampedlouisville.org/ 
• Work with Al Dea: https://al-dea.com/leadership-offerings/

Jennifer Buchanan is the VP of Walmart Academy at Walmart. In her role, Jennifer is responsible for a learning ecosystem that supports millions of Walmart associates with the development resources they need to be effective today while setting them up for success and opportunities for development in the future.

During the conversation, Jennifer spoke about the Manager Academy, a program aimed at developing leadership skills through purpose-driven training focused on culture, values, and empathy for thousands of Walmart’s store manager. Jennifer also highlighted Walmart’s investment in their associates' growth, including the global expansion of the Manager Academy and the introduction of programs like Live Better U. along with the company’s commitment to fostering a learning culture.

Links:

• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/8-ways-we-improved-one-nations-largest-training-walmart-buchanan-vmzic/?trackingId=oZtVrrRlRSiw7UkxPeJUZA%3D%3D 
• Jennifer’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferabuchanan/

Sarah Franklin is the CEO at Lattice. After starting her career as a chemical engineer, Sarah spent 15 years at Salesforce and along the way has spent a lot of time collaborating and partnering with different C-Suite roles on using technology and AI to enhance the employee experience. Now, in her role as CEO of an HR software company, Sarah spends her time talking with Chief People Officers and has a keen understanding of how they navigate the strategic and operational challenges in today’s work environment.

During this conversation, Sarah shares her reflections on the evolving role of HR, the CEO-CPH relationships, and the role of and how companies can foster manager effectiveness to drive performance and employee engagement. Sarah also shares insights on the role of AI in HR, balancing technology with human skills and strategies for creating high-performing teams in today’s dynamic workplace.

Links

• Sarah Franklin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahfranklin/
• Lattice: www.lattice.com
• Lattice & YouGov Research: https://lattice.com/library/lattice-research-reveals-what-employees-really-think-about-hrs-impact-on-culture
• V2MOM Background: https://www.salesforce.com/blog/how-to-create-alignment-within-your-company/
• Al Dea: https://al-dea.com/contact/

Rob Cross is an SVP of Research at the i4cp. A longtime expert, researcher, and author on the collaboration, teams, and organizational network analysis, Rob and his colleagues at the i4cp have recently conducted research to unearth the leading practices of how leaders collaborate effectively in today’s workplace. 

During this conversation, Rob Cross discusses the challenges of collaboration overload in the workplace. He explains that the explosion of collaborative work is drowning people today, leading to stress and burnout. He emphasizes the need for organizations to be intentional and precise in their collaboration efforts, rather than simply throwing meetings and teams at everything. 

Rob also highlights additional findings from The Team Network Effective, including the importance of effective talent practices and leadership behaviors in driving precision collaboration, what gets in the way of productive collaboration, and how leaders can make time to collaborate in intentional and precise ways.

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crossrob/
• Web: https://www.i4cp.com/
• Research: The Team Network Effect: https://go.i4cp.com/teams
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Note: This is a replay from a LinkedIn Live Virtual Conversation with Lindsey Pollak

Lindsey Pollak is a Career and Workplace Expert, Best-Selling Author, and Keynote Speaker.

In this conversation, Al and Lindsey discuss the evolution of career development strategies as outlined in Lindsey's latest book, 'Getting From College to Career.' They explore the significant changes in the job market, the impact of technology and AI, the importance of flexibility in work-life integration, and the need for a supportive environment for first-time professionals. Lindsey emphasizes actionable advice for job seekers, the value of networking, and the necessity of a growth mindset in navigating career transitions.

Links

• Lindsey Pollak: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseypollak/
• Lindsey’s Website: https://lindseypollak.com/ 
• Al's Website: https://al-dea.com/leadership-offerings/