The Strategic L&D Podcast
By Acorn
The Strategic L&D PodcastNov 22, 2022
Strategic L&D – Aims, goals and the best way to get there
In this episode, we welcome Michelle Parry-Slater – L&D Director for Kairos Modern Learning and author of ‘The Learning and Development Handbook’. Michelle and Blake discuss building a productive learning culture, how to play into an engaged audience before intervention, and the power of trust and vulnerability in L&D to deliver business impact. You can learn more about Kairos Modern Learning here: https://www.kairosmodernlearning.co.uk/ You can also check out Michelle’s book here: https://thelndhandbook.com/ -- The Strategic L&D Podcast ventures through what L&D key opinion leaders are doing today to ensure they are delivering a strategically impactful L&D function. It covers everything from aligning learning strategy to business strategy, what learning strategies best remedy identified organisation under-performance, how to execute on leading practices in L&D strategy and how to ensure L&D is seen as a strategic partner to the business. Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest podcast releases.
Using facts, evidence and data to demonstrate the impact of learning with the L&D Detective
Today we welcome Kevin M Yates, the L&D Detective who solves measurement mysteries. Kevin and Blake discuss overcoming the perception issue of L&D, transitioning L&D from being reactive to proactive, getting optimal impact by mixing human performance and business performance metrics, and how it’s the volume of content linked to your performance metrics that matter rather than the volume of content overall.
You can connect with Kevin via his L&D Detective website: https://kevinmyates.com/
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The Strategic L&D Podcast ventures through what L&D key opinion leaders are doing today to ensure they are delivering a strategically impactful L&D function. It covers everything from aligning learning strategy to business strategy, what learning strategies best remedy identified organisation under-performance, how to execute on leading practices in L&D strategy and how to ensure L&D is seen as a strategic partner to the business.
Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest podcast releases.
Ask for a $2M budget, end up with $4.5M when you align L&D with business needs
In this episode we welcome Guy W Wallace, a Performance Analyst and Instructional Architect for Enterprise Learning & Instructional Development. Guy and Blake discuss aligning L&D and business strategy by putting a governance board in place with the CEO, creating advisory councils with specific people leaders to ensure alignment, and how to get the attention, acceptance and demand from business executives. You can connect with Guy via his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guywwallace/
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The Strategic L&D Podcast ventures through what L&D key opinion leaders are doing today to ensure they are delivering a strategically impactful L&D function. It covers everything from aligning learning strategy to business strategy, what learning strategies best remedy identified organisation under-performance, how to execute on leading practices in L&D strategy and how to ensure L&D is seen as a strategic partner to the business. Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest podcast releases.
Lessons from a law enforcement instructor turned L&D Strategist
In this episode we welcome Rick Jacobs, Principal Consultant at Jacobs, et al – a full service performance consultancy and training organisation. Rick and Blake discuss why you should look outside your business to find what a high-performing L&D department looks like (don’t silo yourself), Rick’s eight point structure to optimally deliver training, and how a codified knowledge of the business lets you truly measure training as opposed to just independent will.
You can learn more about Rick’s company on his website: https://www.jacobsetal.com/
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The Strategic L&D Podcast ventures through what L&D key opinion leaders are doing today to ensure they are delivering a strategically impactful L&D function. It covers everything from aligning learning strategy to business strategy, what learning strategies best remedy identified organisation under-performance, how to execute on leading practices in L&D strategy and how to ensure L&D is seen as a strategic partner to the business.
Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest podcast releases.
Want more strategic L&D content? Check out Acorn Labs: https://acornlms.com/enterprise-learning-management
Think of yourself as a business executive first, learning leader second
In this episode, we’re joined by Keith Meyerson – Director of Talent Management at POWDR. Keith and Blake discuss the need for stakeholder buy-in to deliver results in L&D, diagnosing L&D problems based on the symptoms stakeholders describe and how to use a needs analysis to move from being a transactional cost centre to a true business partner.
You can connect with Keith via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithmeyerson/
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The Strategic L&D Podcast ventures through what L&D key opinion leaders are doing today to ensure they are delivering a strategically impactful L&D function. It covers everything from aligning learning strategy to business strategy, what learning strategies best remedy identified organisation under-performance, how to execute on leading practices in L&D strategy and how to ensure L&D is seen as a strategic partner to the business.
Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest podcast releases.
Want more strategic L&D content? Check out Acorn Labs: https://acornlms.com/enterprise-learning-management
L&D innovation is truly two things: enthusiasm and experimentation
This week we’re joined by Rita Slogrove, Learning and Organisational Development Manager at Fletcher Building. Blake and Rita discuss defining how L&D deliver on business outcomes (both business improvement and people uplift), the power of piloting programs first, and how to give learners freedom within a framework.
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The Strategic L&D Podcast ventures through what L&D key opinion leaders are doing today to ensure they are delivering a strategically impactful L&D function. It covers everything from aligning learning strategy to business strategy, what learning strategies best remedy identified organisation under-performance, how to execute on leading practices in L&D strategy and how to ensure L&D is seen as a strategic partner to the business.
Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest podcast releases.
Want more strategic L&D content? Check out Acorn Labs: https://acornlms.com/enterprise-learning-management
Don’t get lost in learning impact and forget the bigger business picture
This week’s guest in Marco Hönig, Global Capability Development Director at DSS+. Blake and Marco discuss how to evolve learning strategies during business change, why defining competencies and technical skills allows you to focus on impactful learning, and how defining capabilities and competencies brings benefits down the line, even if it all seems theoretical at first.
You can connect with Marco on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcohoenig/
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The Strategic L&D Podcast ventures through what L&D key opinion leaders are doing today to ensure they are delivering a strategically impactful L&D function. It covers everything from aligning learning strategy to business strategy, what learning strategies best remedy identified organisation under-performance, how to execute on leading practices in L&D strategy and how to ensure L&D is seen as a strategic partner to the business.
Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest podcast releases.
Want more strategic L&D content? Check out Acorn Labs: https://acornlms.com/enterprise-learning-management
Driving high-performance digital L&D – context over content
In this episode. Blake is joined by Josh Cardoz – an independent Digital Learning Strategist with over a decade’s experience helping organisations go digital the right way. Blake chats with Josh about why designing with a digital mindset enables you to scale your learning at speed, how you can empower stakeholders by thinking of learning data as a conversation with learners, and the important role digital learning plays in capability building.
Josh is also the creator and producer of Digital Learning Done Right – an audio series catered to supporting digital learning leaders and their organisational strategies: https://www.digitallearningdoneright.com/
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The Strategic L&D Podcast ventures through what L&D key opinion leaders are doing today to ensure they are delivering a strategically impactful L&D function. It covers everything from aligning learning strategy to business strategy, what learning strategies best remedy identified organisation under-performance, how to execute on leading practices in L&D strategy and how to ensure L&D is seen as a strategic partner to the business.
Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest podcast releases.
Want more strategic L&D content? Check out Acorn Labs: https://acornlms.com/enterprise-learning-management
Why ‘living in the mess’ of L&D is actually a structured and effective approach
In this episode, Blake chats with Holly Cook, Founder and Director of North. North aims to develop courageous leaders, shape united teams, and secure impressive performance.
Blake and Holly talk about what we need to do to fulfil our organisation purpose, the key to striking a balance between self-directed and guided learning, and how to prioritise, plan and persuade in an L&D budget session.
You can connect with Holly via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-cook-5a641993/
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The Strategic L&D Podcast ventures through what L&D key opinion leaders are doing today to ensure they are delivering a strategically impactful L&D function. It covers everything from aligning learning strategy to business strategy, what learning strategies best remedy identified organisation under-performance, how to execute on leading practices in L&D strategy and how to ensure L&D is seen as a strategic partner to the business.
Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest podcast releases.
Want more strategic L&D content? Check out Acorn Labs: https://acornlms.com/enterprise-learning-management
Building performance in L&D – removing barriers versus building solutions
We're joined by Dan Gallagher, an experienced L&D professional. Blake talks with Dan about how mindset is key to aligning performance and strategy within L&D, how accountability helps improve learning impact by up to 70%, and why being called a ‘performance team’ better shows what you do.
You can connect with Dan via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-gallagher-acipd/
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The Strategic L&D Podcast ventures through what L&D key opinion leaders are doing today to ensure they are delivering a strategically impactful L&D function.
It covers everything from aligning learning strategy to business strategy, what learning strategies best remedy identified organisation under-performance, how to execute on leading practices in L&D strategy and how to ensure L&D is seen as a strategic partner to the business.
Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest podcast releases.
Want more strategic L&D content? Check out Acorn Labs: https://acornlms.com/enterprise-learning-management
How L&D deliver when the CEO delivers a capability-led business strategy
In this episode we welcome Julie Fitzgerald, Organisational Learning Manager at Z Energy New Zealand. Blake talks with Julie about how to work with business units to ensure their requests are aligned with business strategy, the best way to do bottom-up and top-down capability assessments, and why more data isn’t always better for your L&D strategy.
You can learn more about Z Energy here: https://www.z.co.nz/
Or connect directly with Julie via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-fit...
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The Strategic L&D Podcast ventures through what L&D key opinion leaders are doing today to ensure they are delivering a strategically impactful L&D function.
It covers everything from aligning learning strategy to business strategy, what learning strategies best remedy identified organisation under-performance, how to execute on leading practices in L&D strategy and how to ensure L&D is seen as a strategic partner to the business.
Want more strategic L&D content? Check out Acorn Labs: https://acornlms.com/enterprise-learning-management
L&D Strategy - why starting at the end pays off
Today we're joined by Matt Gjertsen, former instructor pilot for the US Air Force, former Head of Learning and Development at SpaceX and current Chief Learning Officer at Better Every Day Studios.
Blake and Matt talk about flipping your learning management cycle to start with strategic impact, why your learning budget doesn’t dictate results (sometimes lean budgets drive the best innovation) and when self-directed learning is actually impeding strategic impact.
Learn more about Better Every Day Studios via their website: https://www.bettereverydaystudios.com/
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The Strategic L&D Podcast ventures through what L&D key opinion leaders are doing today to ensure they are delivering a strategically impactful L&D function.
It covers everything from aligning learning strategy to business strategy, what learning strategies best remedy identified organisation under-performance, how to execute on leading practices in L&D strategy and how to ensure L&D is seen as a strategic partner to the business.
Want more strategic L&D content? Check out Acorn Labs: https://acornlms.com/enterprise-learning-management
The detail in retail – breaking down transferable L&D strategies from Kathmandu
Joining us in this episode is Kelly Hopkins, People Manager of Capability and Development at Kathmandu. Blake and Kelly talk about utilising consultation to align business objectives with learning objectives, why you need to go out and listen to people leaders to build trust, and what to do when you have high turnover of early tenure employees. Hint: Address your onboarding training experience.
Want to learn more about Kathmandu? Check out their website: https://www.kathmandu.com.au/
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The Strategic L&D Podcast ventures through what L&D key opinion leaders are doing today to ensure they are delivering a strategically impactful L&D function.
It covers everything from aligning learning strategy to business strategy, what learning strategies best remedy identified organisation under-performance, how to execute on leading practices in L&D strategy and how to ensure L&D is seen as a strategic partner to the business.
Want more strategic L&D content? Check out Acorn Labs: https://acornlms.com/enterprise-learning-management
How to link your Statement of Corporate Intent and L&D strategy
Melinda Varley, the Learning and Development Manager for JAS-ANZ, joins Blake Proberts to talk through the importance of team in delivering strategic L&D, linking L&D strategy to your company strategy, and the key stages of building a LMS business case (and why data matters).
Learn more about Melinda's organisation JAS-ANZ (Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand) via their website: https://www.jas-anz.org/
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The Strategic L&D Podcast ventures through what L&D key opinion leaders are doing today to ensure they are delivering a strategically impactful L&D function.
It covers everything from aligning learning strategy to business strategy, what learning strategies best remedy identified organisation under-performance, how to execute on leading practices in L&D strategy and how to ensure L&D is seen as a strategic partner to the business.
Want more strategic L&D content? Check out Acorn Labs: https://acornlms.com/enterprise-learning-management
Avoiding L&D value debt and investing in strategically impactful initiatives
Ant Pugh, an industry leading Performance Consultant, joins Blake Proberts to talk about the importance of having the strategic impact conversation upfront, value debt in L&D (and how to avoid it), prioritising solutions, and thinking about the best way to solve the business problem rather than just taking a large training deck and repurposing it.
Learn more about Ant Pugh and his daily newsletter by visiting his site: https://www.antpugh.com/
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The Strategic L&D Podcast ventures through what L&D key opinion leaders are doing today to ensure they are delivering a strategically impactful L&D function.
It covers everything from aligning learning strategy to business strategy, what learning strategies best remedy identified organisation under-performance, how to execute on leading practices in L&D strategy and how to ensure L&D is seen as a strategic partner to the business.
Want more strategic L&D content? Check out Acorn Labs: https://acornlms.com/enterprise-learning-management