Episodes

  • Strategic L&D – Aims, goals and the best way to get there
    Mar 20 2023

    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.

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    47 mins
  • Using facts, evidence and data to demonstrate the impact of learning with the L&D Detective
    Feb 8 2023

    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.

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    43 mins
  • Ask for a $2M budget, end up with $4.5M when you align L&D with business needs
    Jan 18 2023

    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.

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    55 mins
  • Lessons from a law enforcement instructor turned L&D Strategist
    Dec 20 2022

    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

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    53 mins
  • Think of yourself as a business executive first, learning leader second
    Nov 30 2022

    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


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    48 mins
  • L&D innovation is truly two things: enthusiasm and experimentation
    Nov 22 2022

    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


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    50 mins
  • Don’t get lost in learning impact and forget the bigger business picture
    Nov 16 2022

    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

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    56 mins
  • Driving high-performance digital L&D – context over content
    Nov 2 2022

    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

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    52 mins