The Mindtools L&D Podcast

This week on the Good Practice Podcast, Ross D is joined by Owen and Gent Ahmetaj to dig into the latest research report from Emerald Works — Back to the Future: Why Tomorrow's Workforce Needs a Learning Culture. We discuss:

• the purpose of the Learning Health Check
• the top-line takeaways from the report
• the practical implications for L&D

Show notes

If you're interested in reading the report for yourself, you can download a copy at: https://emeraldworks.com/resources/research-and-reports/strategy/back-to-the-future

The LinkedIn thread about the need for an L&D 'revolution' can be found at: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6636178119965454336/?actorCompanyId=468788

Tom Chivers' Twitter feed, including his thoughts on COVID-19, can be found at: https://twitter.com/TomChivers

Gent's book recommendation was Crystallizing Public Opinion by Edward Bernays, and it can be found at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crystallizing-Public-Opinion-Edward-Bernays/dp/1684113040/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3QA437F7TFVD1&keywords=crystallizing+public+opinion&qid=1583836784&sprefix=crystalizing+public+opinion%2Caps%2C234&sr=8-1

If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with our speakers on Twitter:

• Ross Dickie @RossDickieEW
• Owen Ferguson @owenferguson
• Gent Ahmetaj @GentAhmetaj

Returning to work after parental leave can be a daunting time for parents. What can managers do to ease this process and support returners in the best way possible?

This week on the Good Practice Podcast, Nicola Boyle and Cat MacLeod speak to Nikki Slowey from Family Friendly Working Scotland and Camden Council's Tom Spencer.

In the episode we discuss:

• tips for managers supporting parental leave returners
• some of the classic pitfalls managers fall into
• the perceived (or actual) gender differences in attitudes towards returners

Show notes

To find out more about Nikki Slowey and Family Friendly Working Scotland, check out their website https://www.familyfriendlyworkingscotland.org.uk/

The Harvard Business Review article Cat mentioned can be found at https://hbr.org/2020/03/whats-really-holding-women-back?sf117680049=1

To find out more about more Katherine Johnson and her career at NASA, click here: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/24/science/katherine-johnson-dead.html

Tom's book recommendation was 'You're not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters' by Kate Murphy - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Youre-Not-Listening-Missing-Matters/dp/1787300951

To learn more about Aviva's parental leave policy, click here - https://www.aviva.co.uk/business/business-perspectives/featured-articles-hub/equal-parental-leave/

To find out your own unique 3-word address, click here: https://what3words.com/

If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with our speakers on Twitter:

• Nicola Boyle @Nicola_BoyleEW
• Cat MacLeod @CatGoodPractice
• Nikki Slowey @nikkislowey73
• Tom Spencer @TomBSpencer

Working in L&D, we spend a lot of time focusing on the development of others. But how much time do we spend thinking about our own development?

This week on the Good Practice Podcast, Ross Garner and Owen Ferguson are joined by Lightbulb Moment's Jo Cook to discuss:

• the benefits of formal training for L&D professionals
• the value of experience over expertise
• how people working in L&D can support each other.

Show notes

The book Owen recommends is Shape Up by Ryan Singer, and it can be found at: https://basecamp.com/shapeup

The article Jo mentions regarding the demise (or not) of the smartphone is available at: https://www.trustedreviews.com/opinion/fast-charge-over-for-smartphones-3973705

The Exponent podcast can be found at: exponent.fm

How Will You Measure Your Life by Clayton Christensen is available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Will-Measure-Your-Life/dp/0007449151

To find out more about Jo's work, head over to her website: https://www.lightbulbmoment.online/

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• Google Play Music
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Connect with our speakers

If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with our speakers on Twitter:

• Ross Garner @RossGarnerEW
• Owen Ferguson @owenferguson
• Jo Cook @LighbulbJo

You can follow Emerald Works on Twitter @Emerald_Works and LinkedIn.

Learning Technologies is one of the biggest industry conferences in the L&D calendar. But what did we learn from attending? This week on The Good Practice Podcast, Nicola Boyle, James McLuckie and Gemma Towersey discuss their highlights and key takeaways from the conference.

In the episode we discuss:

• Personalisation
• The ethics of AI
• Getting back to the basics of learning design

Show notes

The Good Practice podcast episode that James referenced, featuring Nick Robinson, was episode 89 'Introducing Learning Design' - https://podcast.goodpractice.com/89-introducing-learning-design

To find out more about Learning Technologies 30 under 30 -https://www.learningtechnologies.co.uk/learning-thirty-under-30

Subscribe to the Podcast

There are so many ways to subscribe to The Good Practice Podcast. Click your preference below and subscribe.

• Google Play Music
• iTunes
• Overcast
• Pocket Casts
• Podbean
• Spotify
• Stitcher
• TuneIn

Connect with our speakers

If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with our speakers on Twitter:

Nicola Boyle @Nicola_BoyleEW James McLuckie @JamesMcLuckie Gemma Towersey @gemmatowersey

You can follow Emerald Works on Twitter @Emerald_Works and LinkedIn.

For many organisations, the workplace is no longer local. Technology has helped create a global talent market, where the primary job requirements are a computer and a stable internet connection.

There are obvious benefits to this, but what does it mean for L&D? How do you deliver a consistent experience to a multilingual, multicultural workforce, spread across different regions?

This week on the Good Practice Podcast, Ross Dickie and Gemma Towersey are joined by Emily Decker from Comtec Translations to discuss:

• the specific challenges of translating e-learning content
• the benefits of working with a translation agency
• when and when not to use machine translation

Show notes

The National Geographic article Gemma mentioned can be found at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2020/01/scientists-are-unraveling-the-mysteries-of-pain-feature/

For those who wish 'to Meghan Markle' like the lady herself, this article covers the nuances of the new verb: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/jan/24/to-meghan-markle-verb-how-to-use-it

Subscribe to the Podcast

There are so many ways to subscribe to The Good Practice Podcast. Click your preference below and subscribe.

• Google Play Music
• iTunes
• Overcast
• Pocket Casts
• Podbean
• Spotify
• Stitcher
• TuneIn

Connect with our speakers

If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with our speakers on Twitter and LinkedIn:

• Ross Dickie @ross__dickie
• Gemma Towersey @gemmatowersey
• Emily Decker @ComtecTranslate

What are some of the L&D challenges faced by the not-for-profit sector? And how do they overcome these challenges on restricted budgets? This week on The Good Practice Podcast, Nicola Boyle and James McLuckie are joined by Cat Kernohan, Head of L&D at Oxfam, and Kate Kellaway Moore, Head of Talent and Resourcing at Oxfam to discuss. In this episode you'll find out:

• How Oxfam deliver their L&D initiatives on restricted budgets
• How not-for-profit organisations can attract and retain talent in the workplace
• How Oxfam increase women's opportunities for promotion and senior leadership

Show notes

The article Kate highlighted on Gender Equality can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gender-equality-at-work-research-on-the-barriers-to-womens-progression

To find out more about beauty brands use of AR: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2020/01/28/l-oreal-signs-up-pinterest-s-roll-out-ar-t

Subscribe to the Podcast

There are so many ways to subscribe to The Good Practice Podcast. Click your preference below and subscribe.

• Google Play Music
• iTunes
• Overcast
• Pocket Casts
• Podbean
• Spotify
• Stitcher
• TuneIn

Connect with our speakers

If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with our speakers on Twitter and LinkedIn:

• Nicola Boyle @Nicola_BoyleEW
• James McLuckie @JamesMcLuckie
• Cat Kernohan - www.linkedin.com/in/catherinekernohan
• Kate Kellaway Moore - www.linkedin.com/in/kate-kellaway-moore

This week, we're taking a break from our usual format to bring you some exciting news!

Tune in to hear CEO Peter Casebow speak to regular hosts Ross Garner, Nicola Boyle and Ross Dickie about what's changing.

You can also check out our new website at emeraldworks.com

Or get in touch on Twitter @Emerald_Works.

The LPI recently surveyed learning leaders, asking them to name their toughest workplace challenges. The results? Creating a learning culture, developing the workforce of the future, digital transformation and digital learning, leadership and management development, and self-directed learning.

This week on The GoodPractice Podcast, Owen and Ross G are joined by LPI CEO Ed Monk to discuss what these findings mean for learning organisations.

We discuss:

• increased confidence among learning professionals
• the meaning of 'learning culture' and how it is created
• and the longer-term meaning of 'performance'.

If you'd like to share your thoughts on the show, you can find us on Twitter @RossGarnerGP, @OwenFerguson, and @EdmundMonk.

To find out more about GoodPractice, visit goodpractice.com or tweet us @GoodPractice or @GoodPracticeAus.

The LPI are online at: thelpi.org and run a free social network at: https://learningprofessionalnetwork.com/

The article that discussed Ed, Owen and Ross discussed was 'Driving performance through learning in 2020', from TrainingZone, available online at: https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/develop/business/driving-performance-through-learning-in-2020

The Google project Ed referenced was 'Project Aristotle', described by Google at: https://rework.withgoogle.com/print/guides/5721312655835136/

The podcast that Owen recommended was 'Keeping Track Of Your HEART – Tomer Sharon on The Product Experience', from The Product Experience, available online at: https://www.mindtheproduct.com/keeping-track-of-your-heart-tomer-sharon-on-the-product-experience/

The podcast that Ed recommended was 'How Did We Get Here?', online at: https://podtail.com/en/podcast/how-did-we-get-here/

Our Women in Learning Special, referenced by Ross, is online at: https://www.goodpractice.com/blog/podcast-145-women-in-learning-special

The film that Ross recommended was 1917, directed by Sam Mendes.

Can learning and development ever adopt the same rigour as clinical research? And how should we judge the usefulness of existing research?

This week on The GoodPractice Podcast, Ross G and Owen welcome return guest Mirjam Neelen to discuss her new book (co-written with Paul A. Kirschner): Evidence-informed learning design

We discuss:

• the problems with research into learning
• the mis-use of terms like 'neuroscience' to justify beliefs
• the difference between corporate learning and academia.

If you'd like to share your thoughts on the show, you can find us on Twitter @RossGarnerGP, @OwenFerguson, and @MirjamN.

To find out more about GoodPractice, visit goodpractice.com or tweet us @GoodPractice or @GoodPracticeAus.

Mirjam's book is available from Kogan Page and she blogs at: 3starlearningexperiences.wordpress.com

The blog Mirjam referenced, by Robert Slavin, was 'Why Can't Education Progress Like Medicine Does?', available online at: https://robertslavinsblog.wordpress.com/2020/01/09/why-cant-education-progress-like-medicine-does/

The Willingham (2012) book Mirjam referenced was When Can You Trust the Experts?, available from Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Can-You-Trust-Experts/dp/1118130278) but summarised here: https://3starlearningexperiences.wordpress.com/2018/06/26/working-in-an-evidence-informed-way/

The summary of the 'growth mindset' debate, referenced by Owen, is online here: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/debate-arises-over-teaching-growth-mindsets-to-motivate-students/

Ross' recommendations were:

• 11.22.63 (novel), by Stephen King
• Little Women (film), directed by Greta Gerwig
• and Dolly Parton's America (podcast), available on all your usual podcast feeds.

This week on The GoodPractice Podcast, it's the return of our much beloved Christmas episode! This year, GoodPractice guardian angels Nicola, Owen, Ross G and Ross D share their favourite clips from the past year in an effort to help Bedford Falls' own George Bailey rediscover his love of learning and development.

We discuss:

• the L&D community
• behaviour change
• remote working
• learning analytics
• and women in learning.

The episodes we referenced were:

Podcast 150 — Live from London: The past, present and future of learning!, with Andy Lancaster (https://www.goodpractice.com/blog/podcast-150-live-from-london-the-past-present-and-future-of-learning)

Podcast 137 — What will be hot in workplace L&D in 2019?, with Don Taylor (https://www.goodpractice.com/blog/podcast-137-what-will-be-hot-in-workplace-ld-in-2019)

Podcast 168 — Inside 'Messengers': Are attractive people more believable?, with Joseph Marks (https://www.goodpractice.com/blog/podcast-168-inside-messengers-are-attractive-people-more-believable)

Podcast 157 — Why should we care about behaviour change?, with Julie Dirksen (https://www.goodpractice.com/blog/podcast-157-why-should-we-care-about-behaviour-change)

Podcast 152 — How can we support remote workers?, with Chris Coladonato (https://www.goodpractice.com/blog/podcast-152-how-can-we-support-remote-workers)

Podcast 158 — Attention spans: With apologies to goldfish, with Jonathan Marshall (https://www.goodpractice.com/blog/podcast-158-attention-spans-with-apologies-to-goldfish)

Podcast 163 — Evidence: The No. 1 L&D detective agency, with Rob Briner (https://www.goodpractice.com/blog/podcast-163-evidence-the-no-1-ld-detective-agency)

Podcast 145 — Women in learning special, with Barbara Thompson and Sharon Kaliouby (https://www.goodpractice.com/blog/podcast-145-women-in-learning-special)

Referenced, but not played, were:

Podcast 146 — How do people learn?, with Nick Shackleton-Jones (https://www.goodpractice.com/blog/podcast-146-how-do-people-learn)

Podcast 171 — If only I had the time: achieving work-life balance, with Stephanie Hubka (https://www.goodpractice.com/blog/podcast-171-if-only-i-had-the-time-achieving-work-life-balance)

In What I Learned This Week, we discussed:

• quadratic voting, explained in more detail at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadratic_voting
• In Our Time's podcast on coffee: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000c4x1
• David D'Souza's daughters planet rap: https://twitter.com/dds180/status/1205438446921306112

With apologies to James Stewart and Frank Capra.