The Mindtools L&D Podcast
Episodes
289 — Live from the Metaverse: VR for learning
12 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In a first for The Mind Tools L&D Podcast, we are coming to you this week LIVE FROM THE METAVERSE. Gemma, Mike, Jonathan and Claire met in Horizon Wor...
288 — Who needs learning outcomes, anyway?
05 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this podcast, you'll learn: what learning outcomes are how to write learning outcomes and why presenting outcomes as a bulleted list is boring at ...
287 — What will be hot in workplace L&D in 2022?
29 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What are L&D practitioners excited about in 2022? Will we be drawn to bright, shiny objects like skills-based talent management? Or will we continue t...
286 — Can you grow your curiosity?
22 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Is curiosity a trait that we have, or a muscle we can build? To find out, Owen and Ross G are joined this week on The Mind Tools L&D Podcast by Stef...
285 — How do we 'mine for stories'?
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Why do learning professionals tell stories? How do we tell them to greatest effect? And where can we find them? This week on The Mind Tools L&D Podcas...
284 — Celebrating International Women's Day with Working Chance
08 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today is International Women's Day and we're celebrating it in partnership with Working Chance, a UK-based charity set up to help women with criminal ...
283 — How does nudge theory support workplace learning?
01 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 2008, Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein published Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness. Since then, nudges have been applie...
282 — What is the purpose of education?
22 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Is 'education' a liberating force that prepares children for a rapidly changing world? Or a system of control that kills their enthusiasm for learning...
281 — Does your team need a re-brand?
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is a 'brand'? Why is it important? And how can your team 'build their brand'? This week on The Mind Tools L&D Podcast, Ross G and Nahdia are join...
280 — Beginner's guide to the Metaverse, NFTs and Avatars
08 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Emerging tech will shape the future of how we work. It's just a question of when! This week on The Mind Tools L&D Podcast, Ger Driesen joins Ross G a...
279 — Why work is the ideal place to talk about race
01 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In The Business of Race, authors Gina Greenlee and Margaret Greenberg argue that the workplace is the ideal place to talk about race, racism, and ant...
278 — Why we write
25 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is it about writing that fires up our souls? And, for those who hate it, is there any hope? This week on The Mind Tools L&D Podcast, Ross G, Ross...
277 — Should learning be entertainment?
18 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
By some measures, the last two years have seen a surge in demand for consumer learning platforms like Masterclass, CreativeLive and Skillshare. Often,...
276 — A Mind Tools Christmas Carol
21 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Owen was miserable, to begin with. There is no doubt about that. Oh! But he was a long-suffering, data driven, learning-style hating, old L&D practiti...
275 — Into the metaverse
14 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Recent announcements from Facebook and Microsoft have brought the 'metaverse' into the mainstream. But what actually is the metaverse, and what are it...
274 — Book club: Rebel Ideas
07 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
To solve a complex problem, should we ask a single genius or tap into our networks? It's a question that's answered by Matthew Syed in his book Rebel ...
273 — Hybrid (net)working
30 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What are the challenges of managing a team who are sometimes present and sometimes not? How do we make sure hybrid working is inclusive? Is a hybrid m...
272 — Non-binary thinking and the tetralemma
23 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We're used to dilemmas: Do I take path A or path B? But in this episode of The Mind Tools L&D Podcast, we rally against binary thinking with the 'tetr...
271 — Jobcraft Country
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How can we make our jobs 1% - or even 2% - better? According to Rob Baker, the answer is 'job crafting'. Stemming from his work in positive psychology...
270 — Emotional wellbeing at work: The research
08 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we're delving into research focused on emotional wellbeing at work. Conducted by the Emotion at Work team, we discuss the findings a...
269 — Unlock insights with benchmarking
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Back in Episode 244, Ross G, Owen, Carrie and Gent discussed the value of benchmarking, as we prepared to launch the Learning Performance Benchmark. A...
268 — Sales enablement
26 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In some ways, sales enablement has the ultimate success metric - increased sales! So why is sales training so often a 'hard sell' for L&D? In this we...
267 — Spaced learning
18 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As a concept, spaced repetition has been around for decades. Yet in many organisations, learning is seen in terms of one-off interventions, delivered ...
266 — Supercharged skills for learning professionals
12 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
New business models, an increasingly hybrid workforce and the need for constant adaptability are changing what it means to be a learning professional....
265 — Setting boundaries
05 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Why are boundaries important? How do you set them? And what impact does hybird working have on how we interact with one another? This week on The Mind...
264 — What's in your L&D book bag? (Part 3)
28 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week on the podcast, Ross D, Owen and Ross G are taking another rummage through their L&D book bag. They discuss: Nudge by Richard H. Thaler and...
263 — The Mind Tools Book Club: Moneyball
20 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Published in 2003, Michael Lewis' Moneyball charts efforts by the Oakland Athletics baseball team to use analytics and statistical methods to assembl...
262 — Mind Tools Mailbox: Your questions answered!
14 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Creativity in online learning, agile learning frameworks, the role of HR, and business ethics are just some of the topics we tackle on this week's sho...
261 — Drama for learning
06 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Creating videos for training purposes is easy; launch a smartphone camera app and hit record. Creating effective pieces of drama that allow viewers to...
260 — Unlearning what we've learned
30 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The pandemic has been both a trigger and an opportunity for reflection and ultimately, change. We've had to forget, or "unlearn" our old ways. This we...
259 — What is organisational learning?
24 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What is organisational learning? Is it the same thing as people in organisations learning? And how does it overlap with learning culture? This week on...
258 — Are learner surveys a waste of time?
13 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
'What did you think of the trainer' and 'How was the lunch?' These are two questions we won't be asking today, as we get stuck into effective learne...
257 — Creating an organizational learning strategy
10 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Over the last two years, L&D has been forced to adapt to rapid, unprecedented change. As learning leaders find new ways of supporting their organizati...
256 — Discovering 'Jobs To Be Done'
03 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
'Jobs To Be Done' (JTBD) is a framework that can be used to define consumer needs and identify how to meet them. In this week's Mind Tools L&D Podcast...
255 — The MindTools Book Club: Noise
27 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We tend to assume that, faced with the same problem on separate occasions, professionals will typically arrive at the same judgements — doctors will...
254 — Social by Design: Revisited
20 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's been 17 months since we last spoke to authors Mark Britz and James Tyer. Since then, the world has shut down - on multiple occasions - and many o...
253 — One year on: How L&D leaders have responded to Covid
13 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Covid-19 has had a dramatic impact on L&D, super-charging existing trends and forcing learning leaders to re-evaluate pre-pandemic practices. More th...
252 — Employee engagement: Are you listening?
06 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Lots of organisations use survey tools to listen to employees, or capture 'employee voice'. But then we hear that no action is taken, or leadership te...
251 — Animation for learning
30 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Animations can be beautiful and mesmerising pieces of art. This week on the Mind Tools L&D podcast, Gemma talks to Selina Wagner, Creative Director at...
250 (Bonus) — Gemma Paterson and Danny Seals: Full interview
24 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the final of three bonus episodes to celebrate our 250th show, Ross G talks to Gemma Paterson and Danny Seals about product management. This interv...
250 (Bonus) — Sukh Pabial: Full interview
24 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the second of three bonus episodes to celebrate our 250th show, Ross G talks to Sukh Pabial about product management. This interview was recorded f...
250 (Bonus) — Myles Runham: Full interview
24 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the first of three bonus episodes to celebrate our 250th show, Ross G talks to Myles Runham about product management. This interview was recorded f...
250 — Documentary Special: What can L&D learn from product management?
22 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We're trying something new! For five years, The Mind Tools L&D Podcast (formerly The Good Practice Podcast) has enjoyed a conversational format. Today...
249 — Starting a career remotely
15 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Back in mid-March we spoke to Emerald Works' CEO John Yates and Frontline Pedagogy Lead, Laura Watkin, about their experience of starting senior roles...
248 — Forging a career in L&D
07 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As there's no set or prescribed route into or through a career in L&D, no two career journeys are the same. This week on the Mind Tools L&D podcast, G...
Farewell Good Practice, hello Mind Tools!
04 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this 1-minute announcement, Ross G, Ross D and Gemma reveal some exciting changes taking place at Emerald Works. To check out our new-look website,...
247 — Takeover special! How to podcast
01 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode, the regular Good Practice Podcast team have given up the microphone to Frontline's Laura Watkin, who returns to the show as g...
246 — The surprising truth about innovation
25 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When we think of 'innovation', we tend to picture the bright ideas that people have in the bath. In reality, innovation is the product of hard work, c...
245 — The menopause at work
14 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The menopause might seem like a strange topic for a show about work, performance and learning - but half of the world's population will experience the...
244 — The value of benchmarking
11 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How do you accurately measure the effectiveness of your learning and development function? Can you provide clear evidence that your team are deliverin...
243 — Working with vendors
04 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you work in L&D or HR and are looking to procure any kind of service, how do you know who to trust? If you work for a vendor or supplier, what appr...
242 — The unspoken rules of work
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On The Good Practice podcast this week, we're speaking about how to get ahead at work. Gemma and Ross G are joined by Gorick Ng, author of The Unspoke...
241 — Does diversity training work?
20 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Frequently criticised as box-ticking or virtue signalling by big business, diversity training has become a major talking point once again. Not least b...
240 — The GP Book Club: Humanocracy
13 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Good Practice Podcast, we're removing power dynamics and stripping away management layers with the return of our book club. Emerald W...
239 — Crazy about compliance
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The quality of compliance training is, let's face it, variable. So how do you get across the dos and don'ts so that they transfer into safe and effect...
238 — Supporting apprenticeships
30 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If your organisation had a pot of money that could either be used to fund apprenticeships or paid to the tax man, how would you choose to spend it? Th...
237 — Designing virtual classrooms
23 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Good Practice Podcast, we're following up on our recent virtual classroom facilitation episode with an in-depth look at design. Jenni...
236 — Working with strangers
16 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A year into lockdown, more and more people have started new roles without ever having met a colleague face-to-face. In this week's episode of The Good...
235 — Learning in the hospitality industry
09 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Few businesses have felt the impact of Covid-19 more keenly than those in the hospitality industry. Bars, restaurants and cafés have been forced to a...
234 — Facilitating virtual classrooms
02 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you're a trainer missing the thrill of face-to-face learning, but embracing online facilitation nevertheless, then this episode is for you! This we...
233 — Covid's impact on L&D
23 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Covid-19 has changed the world of work, but how has this affected our approach to learning and development? Until now, reporting has been largely anec...
232 — What will be hot in workplace L&D in 2021?
16 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What ideas are L&D most excited about in 2021? And what impact has Covid-19 had on perceptions within our industry? This week on the Good Practice Pod...
231 — Should we defund HR?
09 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Does your HR team add value to your organisation? Has HR spend spiralled out of control? Does HR's willingness to become the mouthpiece of bad news le...
230 — Room 101 (Part 3)
02 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What L&D trends, tropes and clichés would you put into Room 101? Back in 2019, we cast the misappropriation of 'agile', learning styles, and cheesy s...
229 — The Learning and Development Handbook
26 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you're looking to change up your approach to learning and development, or just seeking quick tips to focus on performance, this week's episode of T...
228 — Running a small L&D business
19 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Are you an L&D specialist running a small business? Or are you thinking of becoming one? On this week's episode of The Good Practice Podcast, Lightbul...
227 — Adapting digital learning for 2021
12 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We're back! In this first podcast of 2021, Ross G and Owen speak to digital learning consultant Myles Runham. We discuss: the success most organis...
226 — Christmas Special: Blankety Blank
21 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's customary at this festive time of year for well-meaning podcasts hosts to call upon their friends to participate in the annual Good Practice Podc...
225 — Achieving more with data and analytics
15 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Data and analytics have long been hot topics in L&D, frequently finding themselves the subjects of conference keynotes, fierce Twitter debates and enl...
224 — How men can be an ally to women
07 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to gender parity, we've made progress but have some way to go. Our guests on today's show believe it's not just up to women to make it h...
223 — Unpacking the L&D Detective Kit
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Author, speaker and presenter Kevin M. Yates last joined The Good Practice Podcast back in episode 117 to share his insights into whether we can measu...
222 — The impact of Covid on L&OD
24 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Covid-19 has profoundly altered our lives. Some changes have given us the space and time to build more positive habits; others have been purely restri...
221 — Start your Learning Health Check now
17 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sorry everyone, there's no podcast today! Instead, Ross G is here with a brief reminder to complete your Learning Health Check. Show notes For mor...
220 — Weekly learning science for your inbox
10 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Do you find learning science dry, academic and inaccessible? Then fear not: Learning Science Weekly is an email newsletter that provides short and pr...
219 — The GP Book Club: Remote (Office Not Required)
03 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Back in 2013, Basecamp's Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson published Remote (Office Not Required), a beautifully concise insight into how remot...
218 — Overcoming learner pain points
27 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Where do learners and managers experience 'pain points' at work, and how can organisations take steps to remove these? This week on The Good Practice ...
217 — Building empathy with video
20 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Being able to empathise helps us to better connect, communicate and respond to each other. It's a skill that can be developed through practice. This w...
216 — UX sells
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Love your Mac? Find your vacuum cleaner cumbersome? Despair at the booking system of your local leisure center? User experience design (or lack of) pl...
215 — Workplace design in the Covid era
06 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Earlier in the year, a report by academics at Cardiff and Southampton Universities found that a majority of people would like to continue working from...
214 — What do learners actually want?
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of ink has been spilt over the issue of workplace learning: what it is, when and why it happens, and the impact it has on organizations. But wha...
213 — Learning through community
22 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As the saying goes, "a problem shared is a problem halved". To create a safe space for L&D professionals to talk about their challenges and find solu...
212 — 12 levers for learning transfer
15 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Giving learners access to training does not guarantee any behavioural change whatsoever. Even the most engaging piece of learning doesn't necessari...
211 — 'We regret to inform you...'
08 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Before a job candidate ever submits an application or attends an interview, they will likely have several interactions with their prospective employer...
210 — Learning on furlough
01 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We're five months on from the start of the UK Government's 2020 furlough scheme, so this week on The Good Practice Podcast we're discussing what it's ...
209 — Diversity and inclusion at TSB
25 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Black Lives Matter movement has helped bring some of the issues surrounding diversity and inclusion to the fore, sparking conversations in and out...
208 — Workplace culture in the age of Covid
18 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As it's become increasingly apparent that we'll be living with coronavirus for some time, organisations have started to think about what that means fo...
207 — Productivity hacks
11 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Here at Emerald Works, we recently spent some time setting objectives for the remainder of the year. One of the areas Ross D wanted to work on was his...
206 — Global L&D in the social sector
04 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Working within a global L&D network has both opportunities and challenges. But how do they differ within the social sector? How do global organization...
205 — Higher Ed vs Corporate Learning
28 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Good Practice Podcast we're joined by instructional designer Cara North, who shares her experiences of working in both corporate and ...
204 — Democratising coaching
21 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Coaching has historically only been available to senior leaders, but new digital platforms are creating opportunities to provide access for everyone. ...
203 — Down the rabbit hole, on the web
14 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Consulting duo Albina Shashyna and Chris Watt use the story of Alice in Wonderland to create disruptive learning experiences that break from the norm...
202 — Farewell to Peter
07 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of The Good Practice Podcast, we say farewell to retiring CEO Peter Casebow. Joined by Nicola, Owen, James and Ross G, Peter ...
201 — COVID-19 and changing approach to L&D
30 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the past few months, many organisations have completely changed their approach to L&D because of the COVID-19 situation. But to what extent were th...
200 — The future of work
23 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Covid-19 has had a huge impact on organisations. We're constantly told that things won't go back to the way they were, rather that there will be a 'ne...
199 — Becoming a change superhero
16 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the past few months, we've all become fast friends with the concept of 'change'. But do you resist change when it occurs, or do you ask probing que...
198 — Storytelling in the workplace
09 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We've talked on this podcast about how L&D professionals can use storytelling techniques to create more engaging, memorable learning experiences. But ...
197 — Shaking up the conference format
02 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Learning and development conferences tend to follow a predictable format: an exhibition hall full of vendors, hour-long sessions from experts, and fri...
196 — Having savvy conversations
26 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Conversations are at the heart of everything we do: whether it's dealing with customers, managing team members or influencing our leaders. This week o...
195 — Crafting online learning
19 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The design of workplace learning typically requires input from a wide range of stakeholders, including HR, Legal and IT. But this week on The Good Pra...
194 — The GP Book Club: Ryan Singer's Shape Up
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In Shape Up, Ryan Singer shares the methodology that he and his colleagues at Basecamp use to 'ship work that matters'. The book presents itself as a...