Shifting to a Culture of Autonomous Learning With Toby Newman

Here Technologies has a fascinating culture of autonomous learning that fits perfectly with their company culture.

In this episode, Toby Newman talks about the shift that was made, what that looks like now, and his own journey from trainer to a totally modern Learning & Development professional.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• eLearning has changed radically over the years, putting far more control into the hands of users, and turning the experience into less of a teacher-pupil relationship. Access to online and remote access to professionals has changed the landscape.

 

• Online training is so popular because it fits in with people instead of trainers. But face-to-face training should never be discounted, as it has many of the benefits that remote training cannot.

 

• Autonomy is on the rise, with location technology at the core its DNA. From Smart Cities, to Navigation, location is an ever-expanding industry.

 

• Technological advances happen so frequently, and leaps in learning are so persistent, that Toby insists upon instilling and implementing a learning culture in the business, so that the company can always keep moving in the right direction.

 

• Learning is one thing, but discussing it in depth afterwards is just as powerful, and can help to embed the information in a different way.

 

• The main aim for Toby is to develop tools in order to build bridges between those with the expertise and those seeking the expertise, rather than building programs filled with content. It’s a far more “blended” approach.

 

• Toby’s autonomous approach to training allows those who wish to develop faster, the ability to do so. Often training takes place with large numbers of staff, many of which are not engaged, or do not wish to develop. By allowing those who wish to progress the opportunity to do so independently, the training becomes more targeted and effective.

 

• Go to expos - For Toby the biggest thing going to the Learning Technologies Expo, and simply walking around, talking to people, and listening, gives you an eye towards where the industry is heading. 

 

• Take responsibility for your own development as a professional, keep your ear to the ground, but also filter. Understand your own organisation, too.

 

• It’s important to ask our customers for direction, but we must also understand where the industry is going and use our own instincts.

BEST MOMENTS

• ‘I just went by what I felt was right’
• ‘What I’d love to be able to do is some kind of “Matrix” thing; plug yourself in, download it, and away you go’
• ‘We provide the solid foundation and a couple of walls, but they get to build the inner house’
• ‘You put your energy into the people who want to be there’
• ‘Provide people with the bridges and resources to be able to get what they want’

ABOUT THE GUEST

Toby is L&D Manager at Here Technologies, an Open Location Platform company, based in the Netherlands, with a fascinating culture of learning.

An experienced Learning & Development professional with 15 years in our profession, Toby has worked across different organisations and industries, including Telecommunications and Retail.

LINKS

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523

Toby Newman on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/theneverendinglearner

Toby’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoUEYHTCDPcdwXMsQNkb1Qg?view_as=subscriber

Toby’s TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hHrXGDqNzc&list=PLDoXrtJe8hy4EJ2PswlFy-zSTmv1LEddn

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/
• Website: https://www.looop.co/ . https://applysynergies.com/