The Mindtools L&D Podcast

Markus Bernhardt, an AI strategist and founder of Endeavour Intelligence, shares key insights on upskilling managers in AI tools. He emphasizes the importance of bottom-up strategies for AI adoption rather than relying on top-down mandates. The discussion highlights the critical need for AI literacy and awareness of the limitations of AI models. Engaging employees in hands-on activities is essential to foster confidence and creativity. They also unveil a new course designed for managers, focusing on practical AI skills, spaced learning, and team engagement.

In this insightful discussion, Adam Lacey hosts Paul Buller, Head of Content at Mindtools and an executive coach with expertise in leadership psychology. They dive deep into the impact of AI on content creation in learning and development. The duo explores how AI can enhance productivity while emphasizing the irreplaceable value of human connections. They discuss the evolving skill sets needed for content creators and share practical strategies for integrating AI into workflows. The conversation encourages embracing AI with optimism to optimize learning experiences.

In this enlightening discussion, Adam Lacey, co-founder of AssembleYou and innovator of engaging training solutions, joins Paul Buller, an organizational psychologist and executive coach. They dive into the resurgence of performance support, emphasizing its importance in enhancing job efficiency over traditional training methods. The duo explores the integration of AI in workplace learning, the productivity paradox, and even touches on how taking breaks can rejuvenate personal and professional motivation. Plus, they share insights on the mental health impact of social media on Gen Z.

Mel Cooley, Head of L&D at Newsquest Media Group, discusses the evolving role of AI in learning and development. She emphasizes the need for a continuous learning mindset to support AI integration within teams. Key topics include overcoming behavioral challenges in AI adoption, the importance of ongoing support, and using innovative tools like Copilot to enhance productivity. Additionally, the conversation humorously touches on the curious partnership between figs and wasps, showcasing the value of experimentation and collaboration in work culture.

Victoria Craig, Global Head of People Development at Spire, discusses the critical intersection of hard science and soft skills in the space sector. She explores the importance of leadership and communication skills, highlighting how they bridge existing workforce gaps. Victoria emphasizes the need for diverse talent and how emotional intelligence enhances collaboration. She also offers insights into supporting mental health in the workplace and shares personal stories about the transitions into management and nostalgic video game experiences.

In this engaging discussion, Mike Taylor and Bianca Baumann, co-authors with a flair for merging marketing and learning, delve into how L&D can borrow from marketing techniques. They explore the creation of learner personas to tailor training and emphasize understanding employee needs. The duo also shares insights on leveraging data for training enhancement and evolving perceptions of learning within organizations. Excitingly, they touch on integrating AI in L&D, showcasing its potential to transform approaches to leadership training.

Danielle Ware, Head of People Development at Busy Bees Nursery, shares her insights on establishing a Learning and Development (L&D) team from the ground up. She discusses the key triggers for creating an L&D department and emphasizes the importance of quick wins. Danielle dives into how data can inform decisions and adapt training initiatives to align with business goals. Additionally, she highlights the balance between compliance training and engaging learning experiences, touching upon the challenges and triumphs faced during this transformative journey.

Collaboration is a vital skill across many fields and disciplines. But effective collaboration is about much more than just working together. In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Ross D and Paula are joined by Fraser Mcdonald, Head of Collaboration at Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI) and Deputy Director of the Data for Children Collaborative, to discuss: why collaboration is important when it comes to solving 'wicked problems'; how Mindtools worked with the EFI to develop a game that's designed to build collaboration skills; why a game was the right solution to this problem, and how it's being deployed within the EFI. To find out more about the work Fraser does, check out the Edinburgh Futures Institute and Data for Children Collaborative's websites. In 'What I Learned This Week', Paula mentioned that she'd been digging into the surprisingly wild history of papal conclaves. Fraser recommended the website ToS;DR, which provides an eye-opening breakdown of what we're agreeing to when we use different websites and platforms. And Ross D talked about a recent episode of the 99% Invisible podcast, focusing on the relationship between architecture and tax codes. For more from us, visit mindtools.com. There, you'll also find details of our award-winning Content Hub, our Manager Skills Assessment, our Manager Skill Builder and our custom work.  You can also subscribe to our newsletter. Connect with our speakers If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with us on LinkedIn: Ross Dickie Paula Hughes Fraser Mcdonald

Kenny Temowo, Senior Director of Talent Acceleration at SharkNinja and host of the Inside the Art of Making podcast, shares his fascinating journey from the music industry to workplace learning. He discusses how to unlock creativity in L&D roles, arguing that everyone can tap into their creative potential. Kenny also explores balancing artistic expression with professional expectations, strategies for engaging content creation, and the importance of fostering a supportive creative culture at work. His insights inspire a fresh perspective on learning and development.

Often on this podcast we've spoken about how AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are enhancing our capabilities. But do they also come at a cost? In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Ross Stevenson from Steal These Thoughts joins Ross G and Dr Gent to discuss: the relationship between tasks and skills; whether we are over-relying on AI; the long-term impact of AI use on critical thinking. During the discussion, Ross S discussed the recent robot race in Beijing and the concept of vibe coding, via Lovable. He also mentioned Apple's sometimes-hilarious AI summaries. Gent discussed cognitive offloading. The paper Gent discussed was: Gerlich, M. (2025). AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking. Societies, 15(1), 6. In 'What I Learned This Week', Ross G shared how you can use a sausage to interact with your smartphone screen. For more from Ross S, visit Steal These Thoughts. For more from us, visit mindtools.com. There, you'll also find details of our award-winning Content Hub, our Manager Skills Assessment, our Manager Skill Builder and our custom work.  You can also subscribe to our newsletter. Connect with our speakers If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with us on LinkedIn: Ross Garner Dr Gent Ahmetaj Ross Stevenson