
The Mindtools L&D Podcast
The Mindtools L&D Podcast is a must-listen for anyone involved in Learning and Development or Human Resources. The weekly show features regular appearances from the Mind Tools team plus special guests to get right to the heart of issues affecting the L&D and HR communities. From learning needs analysis and evidence-based practice through to the impact of technology on work and hot topics at industry conferences, you'll get critical insights into the world of work, performance and learning.
Latest episodes

Dec 18, 2018 • 34min
126 — Christmas Special: Have I Got L&D News For You
Come in and know us better, man! It's time for the GoodPractice Podcast Christmas Special! Always a holiday favourite (and, for many, the true start of the festive season), this year we're hosting a panel quiz. Rosses D and G are hosting, with Owen Ferguson and Keira Hodge pitted against Jonny Anderson and Jo Cook. Topics include L&D trends, automation and the end of face-to-face training. And we reveal a definitive answer to the question: 'Did virtual reality transform L&D this year?' If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, you can find us on Twitter @RossGarnerGP, @Ross__Dickie, @OwenFerguson, @KezzaFarley, @BioFractal and @LightbulbJo. To find out more about GoodPractice, visit goodpractice.com or tweet us @GoodPractice or @GoodPracticeAus. You can find out more about Jo at lightbulbmoment.info. If you're wondering what the buzzer noises are, check out episode 49 in evidence-based practice (which also happens to be one of our most popular episodes): http://podcast.goodpractice.com/evidence-based-practice-for-hr-and-ld If you're just looking for a quick definition: Handschuhschneeballwerfer (n.): a coward willing to criticize and abuse from a safe distance Fremdschämen (n.): the almost-horror you feel when you notice that somebody is oblivious to how embarrassing they truly are See Hello Giggles for more: https://hellogiggles.com/lifestyle/10-fabulous-german-words-english-equivalent/ Cathy Moore, who Jo referenced, has appeared on the GoodPractice Podcast here: http://podcast.goodpractice.com/112-how-do-you-design-for-behaviour-change ... and on the Training Journal podcast, here: http://blog.cathy-moore.com/action-mapping/audio-interviews-about-action-mapping/action-mapping-interview-january-2018/ You can download our latest research into 70:20:10 here: https://www.goodpractice.com/ld-resources/the-evolution-of-702010/ We'll be back in the new year. Until then, have a great Christmas!

Dec 10, 2018 • 39min
125 — Are we failing our profession?
Every year we discuss hot trends and the latest fads, but are we failing our profession by always chasing the shiny and new? On this week's GoodPractice Podcast, Ross G and Owen are joined by HMRC's Andrew Jacobs to discuss. If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, you can find us on Twitter @RossGarnerGP, @OwenFerguson and @AndrewJacobsLD. To find out more about GoodPractice, visit goodpractice.com or tweet us @GoodPractice or @GoodPracticeAus. Andrew blogs at lostanddesperate.com. For more on why people love horoscopes so much, check out the 'Barnum Effect' on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnum_effect The Innovators Dilemma is available from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Innovators-Dilemma-Technologies-Management-Innovation/dp/142219602X The book Ross referenced was Chess by Stefan Zweig: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chess-Modern-Classics-Stefan-Zweig/dp/0141196300 Andrew told us all about the word 'procrastiworking': https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Procrastiworking The Lexus ad, written by AI, is covered here: https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/lexus-creates-the-worlds-first-filmed-advert-entirely-scripted-by-ai If you were wondering what Ross' 'electric sheep' comment was about, it's a reference to the Philip K. Dick book that was filmed as Blade Runner. Finally, the Sourtoe Cocktail was covered by Atlas Obscura: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/sourtoe-cocktail Sleigh bells used courtesy of GowlerMusic (https://freesound.org/people/GowlerMusic/sounds/265458/) / CC BY3.0

Dec 4, 2018 • 40min
124 — Are we training people for their next job?
"What if we train people and they leave? What if we don't, and they stay?" This phrase is a terrible cliché, but it has some truth. So this week on the GoodPractice Podcast we're digging into it to explore the relationship between recruitment and development. Ross G and Owen are joined by Radial Recruitment's Susan Lindsay and CIPD's David Hayden to discuss. If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, you can find us on Twitter @RossGarnerGP, @OwenFerguson and @HaydenDavidhrd. Susan is available on LinkedIn. To find out more about GoodPractice, visit goodpractice.com or tweet us @GoodPractice or @GoodPracticeAus. The article David referenced from Forbes is available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/meghanbiro/2018/07/23/developing-your-employees-is-the-key-to-retention-here-are-4-smart-ways-to-start/#1a0a36bc3734 The CIPD Podcast he mentioned on rethinking staff inductions is online at: https://www.cipd.co.uk/podcasts/rethinking-staff-inductions We didn't have time to discuss it on this podcast, but workers are not switching jobs more often (or not as often as it's fashionable to claim): https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2017/10/21/workers-are-not-switching-jobs-more-often The Guardian Implant Files are available at: https://www.theguardian.com/society/series/the-implant-files If you're in to herbs and spices, the KFC story Susan discussed is online at: https://www.adweek.com/digital/kfc-quietly-followed-11-herbs-and-spices-on-twitter-then-waited-to-see-if-anyone-would-notice/ And to escape from all that is horrendous, check out the finalists in the Comedy Wildlife Awards 2018. As good as it sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-46302730

Nov 27, 2018 • 43min
123 — Live from London: What does 70:20:10 actually look like in practice?
As GoodPractice launch their new report, 'The Evolution of 70:20:10 – Will L&D Survive or Thrive?', Ross G and Owen are joined on stage by two L&D practitioners keen to share their stories. In front of a live audience, Aaron Bradley from multinational law firm Ashurt and Mercy Kesiena Clement-Okooboh from Veolia Ireland discuss implementation, working with stakeholders and changing budgets. If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, you can find us on Twitter @RossGarnerGP, @OwenFerguson and @KesienaMercy. Aaron isn't on Twitter, but message Ross and he'll make sure to pass the message on. To download the report, visit: http://bit.ly/evolution-702010 To find out more about GoodPractice, visit goodpractice.com or tweet us @GoodPractice or @GoodPracticeAus. The 'sprint' concept that Owen shared can be found online at: http://www.gv.com/sprint/. Friend-of-the-show Phil Willcox was tweeting about this, so follow him @PhilWillcox. To find out more about Chan Hong Meng, the street food vendor in Singapore who was awarded a Michelin star, see: https://mymodernmet.com/chan-hon-meng-street-food-michelin-star/ If you really want to know more about Darwin's finches, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin%27s_finches The recipes Mercy learned were 'Matse's plantain bread' (http://matsecooks.co/plantain-bread) and 'Fruits of the Sea Dodo' (http://matsecooks.co/fruits-of-the-sea-dodo/).

Nov 20, 2018 • 36min
122 — How do we contribute to the customer experience?
In a volatile, highly competitive business environment, organisations need to do more than just provide great customer service. They need to provide a great customer experience. But what exactly is CX and what does it mean for L&D? This week on the GoodPractice Podcast, Ross D is joined by Owen and River Island's Mike Collins to discuss how L&D can contribute to the customer experience. If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, you can find us on Twitter @ross__dickie @owenferguson and @Community_Mike. To find out more about GoodPractice, visit goodpractice.com or tweet us @GoodPractice or @GoodPracticeAus. You can watch the Jimmy Kimmel video Owen mentions on YouTube.

Nov 13, 2018 • 38min
121 — How do I build a Personal Learning Network?
Who do you turn to when you need to learn something new? The person sitting next to you? Your manager? A former colleague? By developing a Personal Learning Network (PLN), you can expand this list as wide as you like. On this week's GoodPractice Podcast, L&D consultant Fiona McBride joins Owen and Ross G to share her advice and experiences with her PLN. If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, you can find us on Twitter @RossGarnerGP, @OwenFerguson and @FionaMcBride. To find out more about GoodPractice, visit goodpractice.com or tweet us @GoodPractice or @GoodPracticeAus. Fiona's website is fionamcbride.com. The book Ross referenced was Bowling Alone, by Robert Putnam, available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bowling-Alone-Collapse-American-Community/dp/0743203046 The Brene Brown 'marble jar' story is online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6442YcvEUH8 If you want to talk to a random Swede, dial +46 771 793 336. Details are here: https://www.theswedishnumber.com/ The paper Owen discussed was: Whiten, A., Allan, G., Devlin, S., Kseib, N., Raw, N., & McGuigan, N. (2016). Social learning in the real-world:‘over-imitation’occurs in both children and adults unaware of participation in an experiment and independently of social interaction. PloS one, 11(7), e0159920. Available online at: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0159920 And the autobiography of David Scott and Alexei Leonov was Two Sides of the Moon, available from: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Two-Sides-Moon-David-Scott/dp/1480449237

Nov 5, 2018 • 33min
120 — Why are most webinars so terrible?
At face value, webinars seem pretty great. They're cost-effective, they're accessible and they can be recorded for later use. So, why are they always so rubbish? This week on the podcast, Ross D is joined by James McLuckie and Jo Cook to look at what ails the webinar, and what can be done to make it better. If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, you can find us on Twitter @ross__dickie, @JamesMcLuckie and @LightbulbJo. To find out more about GoodPractice, visit goodpractice.com or tweet us @GoodPractice or @GoodPracticeAus. To learn more about Lightbulb Moment, visit lightbulbmoment.online.

Oct 29, 2018 • 38min
119 — How can data transform your L&D function?
Two weeks ago we spoke about how all of our training efforts have the potential to create data. This week, we're discussing what that looks like in practice. Sky's Derek Mitchell joins Owen and Ross G to discuss how we can collect and visualise data so that it can help us shape our learning engagements. If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, you can find us on Twitter @RossGarnerGP and @OwenFerguson. Derek is on LinkedIn. To find out more about GoodPractice, visit goodpractice.com or tweet us @GoodPractice or @GoodPracticeAus. You can see Derek's data dashboard by following this link: https://s3.amazonaws.com/goodpractice-podcast/sky-dashboard.pptx If you were intrigued by the use of the term 'Luddite', the BBC has an excellent article explaining the origin of the term. It explains that the Luddites were not anti-technology, but were anti-wage-cuts, which could be a useful lesson for those of us embracing automation at work. The article is available here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17770171 The book that Owen recommended was Creative Selection: Inside Apple's Design Process by Ken Kocienda, available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-Selection-Inside-Apples-Process-ebook/dp/B07F18HYX3 Ross recommended Adam Kay's This Is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor, available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Going-Hurt-Secret-Diaries-ebook/dp/B06XWDJRGS With thanks to Mike Koenig for his 'Happy Halloween' sound effect, downloaded from http://soundbible.com/2080-Halloween-Vocals.html / CC BY 3.0.

Oct 22, 2018 • 41min
118 — How do you develop a remote workforce?
Technology has made remote working a reality in many organisations, unchaining us from our desks and freeing us to get stuff done no matter where we are. But what does that mean for learning? How do you develop a workforce dispersed across different regions and time zones? To help answer this question, Ross D is joined by Jonny Anderson and Stewart Hardie from GoodPractice, alongside return-guest Gina Lodge, CEO of the Academy of Executive Coaching. If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, you can find us on Twitter @ross__dickie, @biofractal, @shardie15 or @theaoec. To find out more about GoodPractice, visit goodpractice.com or tweet us @GoodPractice or @GoodPracticeAus. The book Gina mentioned is Remote: Office Not Required by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson. To learn more about the AoEC, visit their website.

Oct 16, 2018 • 39min
117 — Do we have evidence for training's impact?
Around the globe, billions are spent on workplace training. Some people even do it for a living. But does it have an impact on performance? On this week's GoodPractice Podcast, Ross G and Owen are joined by McDonald's Kevin M. Yates to discuss. If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, you can find us on Twitter @RossGarnerGP, @OwenFerguson and @KevinMYates. To find out more about GoodPractice, visit goodpractice.com or tweet us @GoodPractice or @GoodPracticeAus. You can find out more about Kevin at kevinmyates.com. Contact Kevin at kevin@kevinmyates.com for a free copy of 10 Questions that Forecast Training's Impact. The study Ross cited was: Milligan-Saville, J. S., Tan, L., Gayed, A., Barnes, C., Madan, I., Dobson, M., ... & Harvey, S. B. (2017). Workplace mental health training for managers and its effect on sick leave in employees: a cluster randomised controlled trial. The Lancet Psychiatry, 4(11), 850-858. The book Owen recommended was Turn the Ship Around! by L. David Marquet, available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Turn-Ship-Around-Building-Breaking/dp/1591846404 The book Ross recommended was The Consolations of Physics by Tim Radford, available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Consolations-Physics-Wonders-Universe-Happy/dp/1473658160
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