Bring Out the Talent: A Learning and Development Podcast

Most organizations know the importance of continuous workplace learning, but are we teaching our teams how to learn? Oftentimes, corporations may miss the mark on developing a specific learning plan that identifies what is needed in order to close the skills gap. Furthermore, many employees enter the workforce without being fully prepared for the unstructured nature and complexities of the modern workplace learning environment.Organizations need a dynamic skills-focused strategy that enables employees to learn and apply desirable skills quickly and effectively.In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we talk with our special guest, Dr. Trudy Mandeville, CEO and Chief Learning Officer of TCP Learning about what learning leaders need to make learning strategies more effective, and uncover learning myths. Tune in as we learn how to support and create a culture of continuous learning in the workplace!

Changing careers has become a growing movement among our current workforce. A recent poll has found that approximately 52% of American employees are considering making a career change, and 44% have already embarked on making the switch.One area seeing tremendous change is teachers pivoting away from academia and moving toward corporate learning and development positions. In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we speak with Cyndi Threatt, Manager of Learning and Development at American Credit Acceptance. Cyndi was a 4th-grade teacher who after 7 years, pivoted into the corporate L&D space. She has since built a successful L&D department from the ground up and hired two teachers turned L&D contractors.  Cyndi discusses why teachers have the right skills and background that can help them quickly transition into corporate America.Tune in as we explore the career journey from a teacher to a learning and development professional!

A recent survey of large companies revealed that inadequate communication, both to and from employees, resulted in an average loss of $62.4 million per year.  In a separate study, it was reported that miscommunication costs smaller companies an average of $420,000 per year. Can your organization afford the cost of not focusing on developing effective communication skills?In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we dive into the importance of clear and confident communication in the workplace, why having strong communication skills matters, how to develop a framework for effective communication with employees, and the benefits that an improved communication framework can bring to an organization with our guest, Michael Broussard. Michael is a communications expert, trainer, and coach.Tune in as we learn tips for communicating clearly, effectively, and confidently in the workplace!

A recent Accenture report revealed that 63% of companies that have chosen to implement a remote or hybrid workforce model witnessed high-revenue growth, whereas 69% of companies that did not embrace either of these models experienced either negative growth or no growth at all. For those organizations embracing a hybrid or remote workforce model, there has been a growing need to improve the strategies surrounding team building. So, how can managers effectively build teams and set them up for success in an ever-increasing virtual world?In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we dive into how managers can effectively lead and support their teams in a virtual environment, common obstacles leaders may encounter when working with remote teams, and how leaders can create a positive and engaging culture for employees working remotely with our guest, George Karseras. George is a Coach, Author, and the Founder of TeamUp.Tune in as we learn how to maximize engagement and help teams thrive in a remote world! 

There is no doubt that employee happiness and a thriving workplace culture are deeply connected. So, what steps can an organization take to build the foundation for strong and happy teams?In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we discuss the current state of workplace happiness, proven methods to build high-performing teams, how to help teams establish trust, and ways to explore what it means to be happy. We will also learn more about the Better Teams Assessment and ways that everyone within your team can think and behave as a leader - regardless of their level of authority, with our special guest Leigh Ann Rodgers. Leigh Ann is an IAF Certified Professional Facilitator with over 20 years of experience in the human development field and the founder and CEO of Better Teams.Tune in as we learn how to create thriving and high-performing teams.  

According to The Harvard Business Review, over 60% of change initiatives undertaken in organizations end in failure. Could this be in part to leaders and employees lacking the guidance and support needed to fully embrace the change? A separate study from McKinsey revealed that 70% of all change programs fail due to employee resistance and lack of support from the management. So, what steps can an organization take to ensure a successful organizational change?In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we dive into change management within an organization, the skills and tools needed to be a successful change agent, challenges often faced when implementing changes, and tips on how to successfully manage change within an organization with our guest, Lynn Turner. Lynn is a Coach, Facilitator, Strategist, TTA consultant, and founder of Core XP Business Solutions.Tune in as we unlock the secrets to creating lasting and impactful organizational change!

Research has revealed that teamwork is more important than ever. So much so that approximately 75% of employees rate teamwork and collaboration as being very important and companies that promote collaboration and teamwork have reduced employee turnover rates by 50%. But in this new era of working, many leaders are struggling to cultivate strong teams and are looking for a roadmap for success. In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we discuss creating radical teams with the author of “Radical Outcomes: How to Create Extraordinary Teams that Get Tangible Results,” strategist, and CEO of Oxygen, Juliana Stancampiano. Juliana dives into common workplace models that are no longer effective and how leaders can begin fostering extraordinary teams. We also discuss some of the biggest challenges leaders face when creating radical teams, the value of transparency and role clarity, how to effectively measure results, and what we can expect to see in the upcoming years surrounding teams.Tune in as we learn some tips on how to create radical teams.

As leaders, we wear many hats: coach, mentor, motivator, problem-solver, and beyond. But one role many leaders aren’t always prepared for is the role of ‘bad attitude modifier.’ Unfortunately, an employee with a toxic attitude can seriously disrupt things in the workplace. Research shows that when faced with a toxic employee, 78% of employees become less committed to their organization. In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we take a deep dive into the importance of addressing a toxic attitude in the workplace and how to tackle the issue head-on. We discuss how leaders can address an employee or team who possess a toxic mindset, how to use feedback to create inclusion, and how to proactively promote a positive and inclusive workplace. To help answer these questions, we speak with Lisa Harrison. Lisa is a Diversity and Human Resources consultant with over twenty years of success in workforce diversity and inclusion.Tune in as we learn how to combat negativity to help promote an inclusive and positive workplace. 

A recent study revealed that companies that cultivate a positive and strong workplace culture could see as much as a 400% growth in revenue. 400%! A positive workplace culture is so important because it helps attract new talent, drives engagement, impacts happiness, and positively affects performance – do you know where your workplace culture rates? In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we take a deep dive into the importance of workplace culture. We explore why leaders need to think differently in order to keep culture thriving, how to align your practices with your mission and values, how to adopt behaviors associated with an “employee-centered” leadership culture, common pitfalls leaders make when trying to change corporate culture—and how to avoid them, and so much more with our special guest, John Mancuso. John is a seasoned educator, writer, founder of Authentic Communication Matters, and beloved TTA consultant. Tune in as we learn how you can lead with a culture-focused mindset and shape your organization’s culture and ensure stellar productivity.

Unless you live in a cave, emotional intelligence is a critical requisite skill needed to be an effective leader or team member. Unfortunately, there is not enough emphasis placed on developing this essential skill. The good news is that emotional intelligence can be learned. In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we take a deep dive into emotional intelligence and discuss the 4 fundamental competencies of emotional intelligence, how emotions can affect behavior and performance, the most effective EI assessments, and so much more with our special guest, Themum Crawford. Themum is an accomplished hands-on learning and development consultant with deep practical experiences in various workplace environments. She has the unique ability to expand the facilitation of topics into related principles, concepts, and theories while building an open and comfortable learning environment. Tune in as we learn from an EI expert how to develop a thriving emotionally intelligent workplace.