I was at IDTX last Friday, a fabulous event, aimed squarely at practitioners rather than strategy-makers, with real time to discuss and explore ideas rather than just sit and receive them. It was about taking an evidence-based approach to our learning development practice. Very real, very relevant, very applicable. There were concurrent sessions running throughout…
You can teach someone everything about climbing a mountain. They still might never climb one. That image, from Kurt Ewald Lindley’s session at IDTX last Friday, is the one I keep coming back to. This session in particular, brought together a lot of the pieces I already had and helped me to form them into…
Knowing how something works is not the same as being able to do it Sara Farwell and Matt Zatonski’s session at IDTX last Friday was built around a deceptively simple problem: we’ve got very good at helping people feel like they’ve learned something, and much less good at helping them actually change what they do….
Sukh Pabial asked a question that sounds simple but isn’t: when we say a tool or approach is evidence-based, what do we actually mean by that? It’s a question worth considering, because if we’re honest, most of us take things at face value. We adopt models that feel right, that were taught to us by…
Motivation gets people in the room. Then what? Matthew Richter’s session on the Motivation Blueprint focused on the distinction between motivation as a catalyst and motivation as a mechanism for change. They’re not the same thing. Motivation, Richter argued, is what gets people through the door. It doesn’t keep them there, and it certainly doesn’t…
Why shared experience adds more value than the curriculum My husband and I tend to travel independently in Europe. We book our own flights, find our own way around, and generally prefer the freedom of working things out as we go. But, having never ventured to South America before, and unsure of how we would…
Why it matters and how to build it into your training design Let’s talk about motivation for learning. This is partly prompted by my first day back volunteering in the wet and sludgy Mersey Forest, and partly due to the fact that it’s annual objective setting time! See my ‘Musing’ live from the wet, muddy…
Experience should make things easier — but sometimes it does the opposite. This blog explores how doing everything “right” can still lead to frustration, whether that’s in losing weight or creating great learning and development solutions
For nearly four years I’ve been volunteering with Mersey Forest, working with a brilliant group who are helping to restore Griffen Wood. You can learn more about the work of the Mersey Forest, why I started and the value I get from it HERE. When I first joined, the place was dark and crowded. Willow…
Thoughts from the Learning Network Connect Conference Since attending the Learning Network Connect conference on Friday, I’ve been full of optimism. In a world increasingly dominated by tech and AI, there’s a real need for human connection, even in training design. Themes that came up time and time again in various forms, was creativity and…
Being an “order taker” in L&D isn’t a bad thing—it’s often what gets results. This blog explores why implementing a well-researched solution is just as valuable as designing it, and shares 12 practical ways training designers and L&D practitioners can add real value while delivering solutions that work in context.
But clever shortcuts DO exist (even if not in the form you expect) Every so often, a post goes viral on LinkedIn promising the magic wand we’ve all been waiting for. Six ChatGPT prompts that will “revolutionise your L&D function.”One tool that will “transform training design overnight.” Tempting, isn’t it? Because wouldn’t it be nice…
Master quick and effective training design with a simple process: rough cut, refine, and polish — lessons from chainsaw carving.
On-demand learning is convenient, but it can’t replace the impact of learning together. Discover why cohort-based programmes boost engagement, deepen understanding, and create lasting networks, and what L&D professionals can do to harness these benefits.
Missing Google Jamboard? Take another look at Zoom! There’s no doubt that blended learning is here to stay, so facilitators need to be able to run virtual training sessions just as easily as they can run face to face ones. However, when you work alone, it’s hard to get the confidence (and practice) outside of…
