Jaimie Francis is vice president of policy and programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Center for Education and Workforce. This nonprofit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to strengthening the nation’s educational standards and the quality of its workforce.  In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Celisa Steele talks with Jaimie about the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Talent Pipeline Management initiative and its related TPM Academy and National Learning Network. They also discuss general challenges and opportunities in workforce development and ways learning businesses can foster effective collaboration with employers. Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode313.

Over the years, we’ve created a variety of tools aimed at helping elevate learning businesses. And while we’ve mentioned them in various places before, we’ve decided to shine the spotlight on each one in an informal series we’re calling “Tool Talks”. These episodes, which will air in between interviews over the next few months, will showcase how and why to use each tool. In this first installment of Tool Talks, we’re highlighting the Market Insight Matrix. We explain what it is, why you should use it, and the three stages and three activities that support its framework. We also offer specific examples of what learning businesses can do throughout each step in the market assessment process. Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode312.

As a seasoned adult education and leadership expert, Debra Zabloudil is the recently appointed vice president of learning at the American Society of Association Executives. ASAE is a professional society with more than 44,000 members that educates and develops association professionals at all stages of their careers.  In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Celisa Steele talks with Debra about her priorities as she steps into the role of leading ASAE’s learning portfolio, her philosophy of learning, and the important work to be done in diversity, equity, and inclusion. They also discuss the power of peer-to-peer learning, the importance of focusing on learning outcomes, and the imperative to keenly understand your audience.  Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode311.

Stephanie Mercado is CEO of the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ), whose mission is to prepare a coordinated, competent workforce to lead and advance healthcare quality across the continuum of healthcare. They believe that workforce readiness and healthcare quality competencies are key to achieving quality, safety, equity, and value in healthcare.   In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Celisa Steele talks with Stephanie about NAHQ certifications, competency frameworks, and their solutions-based approach to building their learning portfolio. They also discuss workforce development, partnerships with employers in academia, and the value in asking, “If your organization ceased to exist tomorrow, would anyone start the organization again and why?” Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode310.

It’s been an exciting year here at Leading Learning. We recently reached the 300th episode of the podcast. And last month Tagoras, our parent company, marked 15 years in business, yet another celebratory milestone. If you’ve been listening to Leading Learning Podcast for a while, you know that we’re big fans of the power of reflection. That’s why in this episode we highlight some of the biggest changes—15 to be exact—that have fundamentally changed the learning business landscape over the 15 years since Tagoras got its start. Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode309.

Dr. Veronica Diaz is director of professional learning at EDUCAUSE, an international nonprofit professional association whose mission is to advance higher education through the use of information technology. In her role, she ensures that learning and development programs support and advance the overall strategic priorities of the professional learning, member communities, and research teams. She also supports the development and design of career pathways that guide the professionals supporting and transforming higher education through the innovative use of technology. In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Jeff Cobb talks with return guest Veronica about microcredentials, mentoring, professional pathways, personalization, the need to reevaluate COVID pivots, and a “three Cs” approach to sourcing your portfolio of offerings: curate, create, and commission. Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode308.

A passionate advocate for the global association community, Peter O’Neil is a seasoned leader known for transforming organizations by creating high-performing, diverse, and inclusive teams and cultures. Since 2016, he has been CEO of ASIS International, which serves over 30,000 security management professionals from around the globe. In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Jeff Cobb talks with Peter about the important role associations play both in society and in lifelong learning. They also discuss certificates, certifications, what it takes to be an effective international organization, and ASIS’s focus on four pillars: global, mobile, digital, and agile. Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode307.

After not attending in-person conferences for a couple of years due to COVID, we had the chance to attend several. That return to in-person sparked some serious thinking related to learning (or not) at conferences. In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, we apply our unscientific but deep first-hand knowledge of the world of conferences to unpack key elements conference planners need to incorporate to foster effective learning. We also discuss the broader conference landscape and the comparative advantages of offering virtual versus in-person conferences. Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode306.

David M. Rozsa is CEO of Metacred, an association management company dedicated to developing, managing, and growing the best credentialing programs in the world. They act as the certification or accreditation department for its clients, which include both not-for-profit associations and for-profit companies. In this episode, co-host Celisa Steele gets David’s expert perspective on the world of credentialing, including current related opportunities and threats; what it takes to create a successful credential; and why stakeholder input—beyond potential applicants—is so important. They also discuss how to demonstrate the impact of credentials, what learning businesses need to consider before launching a new credentialing program, and the value of digital badges. Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode305.

Diane Elkins, founder of Artisan E-Learning and E-Learning Uncovered, is passionate about helping others design thoughtful, equitable, and impactful learning experiences. She has over two decades of experience in the e-learning industry, speaks regularly at national conferences, and is co-author of E-Learning Fundamentals: A Practical Guide and the E-Learning Uncovered book series. In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Jeff Cobb talks with return guest Diane about the likely long-term implications of the pandemic-driven, massive shift to online learning. They also discuss meaningful interactivity; accessibility; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and why Diane favors the terms “access” and “ability.” They also talk about augmented, virtual, and mixed reality, and why it’s important for tech tools to add value, not just a cool factor. Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode304.