Bring Out the Talent: A Learning and Development Podcast

In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we speak with Allessandria Polizzi, PhD, CEO and Founder of Verdant Consulting. Last year, more than 3.98 million workers quit their jobs each month, the highest average on record. This mass exodus of employees, or “Great Resignation” isn't necessarily indicative of people not liking what they do but according to mental health experts, many people are in search of employers who make them feel more psychologically safe.To better understand psychological safety as it relates to the workplace and training in the workplace, we speak with Dr. Polizzi who has over 20 years of experience leading teams to help unlock their potential and helping organizations thrive. Dr. Polizzi discusses the role that psychological safety plays in training, how to address psychological safety in a hybrid workplace, the role psychological safety plays in the learning process, how psychological safety affects business outcomes, and what can leaders can do or start today to create psychological safety for their teams. Tune in and discover how you can begin to actively foster a psychologically safe workplace.

For the first time in our economic history, there are five generations of employees making up our workforce. From the ‘Traditionalists’ generation to the newcomers ‘Gen Z’ – there are decades of experiences, cultures, and knowledge in our workplaces that each of us can learn from. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that by 2026 we can expect nearly two-thirds of people aged 55-64 to be working, and about 30% of people ages 65-74 to likely have full or part-time jobs.So how can business leaders and managers successfully lead multigenerational teams and unleash the power of a multigenerational workforce?In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we answer those questions and more, with Elana Kieffer and Carolyn Stem from The New York Academy of Medicine’s Center for Healthy Aging.@NYAMNYC @AgefriendlyNYC #Workforce #HealthyAgingCenter for Healthy Aging: https://www.nyam.org/center-healthy-aging/

While the economy is attempting to recover, the number of jobs still available has been a cause of concern for most employers. In fact, the latest data from the Labor Department revealed that there are currently 11.3 million job openings. Along with the slow return to work, we are experiencing the effects of the Great Resignation. With the challenge of finding talent - what should organizations do?To help us dive into recruiting and talent acquisition, we are joined by TTA’s Direct Hire Division’s Bryan Dick and Steve Miln. With over 20 years of combined experience in this field, tune in as this dynamic duo provides first-hand insight into the current state of Talent Acquisition.

Curiosity is an increasingly important skill for employees. In fact, a recent study from the Harvard Business Review revealed that curiosity allowed employees to think more innovatively and rationally about decisions and come up with new and creative solutions. Additionally, leaders who encouraged curiosity had more trusting and collaborative relationships within their teams. Who wouldn’t want that?Unfortunately, some leaders unwittingly stifle curiosity, fearing it will increase risk and inefficiency. So how can business leaders and managers successfully cultivate a curious mindset within their teams and unleash the power of free-thinking in the workplace?In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we answer those questions and more, with Dr. Jasmine Martirossian, Vice President of Marketing at TÜV SÜD Americas.

Learning engineering may not be new (it emerged in the 1960s) but new applications of AI in our industry, specifically adaptive learning, bring increased focus on that specialized skillset. How will learning analytics and adaptive solutions radically improve the speed and quality of learning?In this episode of "Bring Out the Talent," we speak with Michael Noble, PhD, President (Americas) for Area9 Lyceum, the industry leader in adaptive learning. We discuss the emergence (or re-emergence) of a unique role for learning engineers, how that role differs from that of instructional designer or LX designer, and why it's not just another trend. Innovations in technology are creating a demand for increased competencies in data analysis and data-driven design. And with a much more ambitious aim--to accelerate expert performance and mastery in our organizations. Tune in and discover the next big shift in the future of learning.

In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we speak with Pearl Walker, the Senior Learning Operations and Delivery Manager at SAE International. With millions of employees now working remotely, most businesses are placing a heavier reliance on video conferencing tools, such as Zoom, Teams, WebEx, and others. With the increase of virtual meetings and training sessions, many organizations have found the need for a technical Session Producers to help support their virtual training deliveries. As the leader in connecting and educating engineers, SAE International utilizes Session Producers to help ensure that their trainings run seamlessly so that their virtual hosts have the support they need in order to focus on training. Tune in as we discuss the importance of Session Producers and how they are a vital role in SAE’s virtual deliveries. 

In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we speak with Matt Resteghini, Chief Marketing Officer of Total Brain. It is no secret that there is a Mental Health Crisis impacting our world. Studies have found that 19% of people have a mental health condition and 51% are at risk for a mental health condition. So how can business leaders better understand employee stress levels, risks of mental conditions, and their impact on brain capacities? And more importantly, what can we do about it? Matt discusses their powerful work surrounding neuroscience-based mental health and brain performance. With digital neuroscience, mental health can be measured, improved, and managed - just like physical health. Matt will also discuss their recent work developing the Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition, the impact of COVID on mental health risks and brain capacities, some of the biggest challenges of the broader mental health crisis, and how to help remove the stigma around mental health. Tune in and learn how you can proactively support some of the challenges around the mental health crisis for your employees. 

In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we speak with Bonnie Rivers, Director of Employer Relations for Work Without Limits at UMass Chan Medical School’s Commonwealth Medicine. With one in four adults in the US living with a disability, what can business leaders do to support their success? With so many organizations increasing their focus on inclusion and diversity, many are looking to find ways to better support employees with disabilities. Bonnie and the team at Work Without Limits provide training and consulting services to help build the capacity of employers, employment service providers, state agency personnel, and educational institutions in advancing workplace disability inclusion. Bonnie will discuss how their programs work, training programs they offer, how to address neurodiversity in the workplace, and much more. Tune in and learn how you can support a more diverse workplace that thrives without limits.  About Work Without Limits: Work Without Limits is an initiative of Commonwealth Medicine, the consulting and operations division of UMass Chan Medical School. Their goal is to position Massachusetts as the first state in the nation where the employment rate of people with disabilities is equal to people without disabilities.

In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we speak with Erin Diehl on ways to engage and cultivate company culture in this new hybrid world. Erin is the energetic founder of “Improve it!” a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn, play, and grow. Erin has spoken on stages nationwide for associations including SHRM, HRMAC, and ATD. She has also worked with many amazing organizations such as United Airlines, PepsiCo, Uber, Groupon, Deloitte, Walgreens, and Warby Parker – just to name a few. Erin shares ideas on how leaders can improve engagement for remote, in-office, and hybrid employees. Tune in and learn from an expert how we can all shift our mindsets to focus on the quality of how we connect, ways to maximize engagement, and the tools to cultivate a thriving company culture.

In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we speak with Brian Boyle about extended reality (XR). Brian is a training designer, technologist, and founder of the award-winning CrossTrainer. With the global XR market expected to rise over 300 billion dollars by 2024 and more cost-effective solutions available, organizations are looking at XR to help increase learning engagement. Brian will discuss several XR solutions, share some interesting use cases, and give listeners tips to help determine which avenue is best for your organization. As the world accelerates its path of digital transformation, tune it and learn from an XR expert the key to the future of work and what is next for mixed reality.