Future-Focused with Christopher Lind

Has anyone found that their ‘highly personalized’ digital learning experience is somewhat ‘highly impersonal’? Do you think personalization has been over-marketed or misunderstood? Personally, I would argue it’s a little of both. Learning leaders are often guilty of having unrealistic expectations for their software deployment and regularly overlook the necessary infrastructure for high retention and adoption. Leaders need to espouse the software experience, and it is integral that everyone that is part of the value chain does too. How do we ensure that all of the pieces of the puzzle fit together? In this episode of Learning Tech Talks, I have the privilege to host Krishna Dunthoori, Founder and CEO of Apty, to talk about the value of DAPs in 2023 and to find out where most organizations are on their journey of digital adoption and discuss some of the observable successes and failures of adoption and what strategies can be employed to create personalized and scalable solutions that work.

What are some personal items that you maintain on a regular basis? For a lot of people, it’s their car. I tend to dance a fine line between proactive and reactive maintenance on our family vehicles. I  don’t particularly enjoy active maintenance as some people do, but I  know that if I take care of things by spending the time and money, in the long run, my investment is significantly greater than starting over multiple times. For most of my audience, I don’t really have to sell employee development. We all know the enormous benefits that it provides, yet I  still find colleagues struggling with retaining talent and maintaining engagement with their teams. Is employee development something that is often said but not espoused? In this Learning Tech Talks, I have to privilege to host Ben Brooks from PILOT Inc. to dig deeper into the world of employee development and unwind some of the buzzwords by taking a closer look at some of the more pragmatic strategies that provide impact for organizations and stakeholders alike  in a simple and effective way.

"There's so much room for activities!" - Brennan Huff (Step Brothers, 2008) Engagement is so much more than a like, share, or private message.  As we navigate the future of work, we continue to look for opportunities to maximize engagement in a way that develops authentic relationships and is effective at connecting team members in a remote setting.    Corporate team activities and outings have long been the eye role of anyone who isn't organizing them, or the token suck-up. However, they do work. Even if its only function is to create a common enemy. What sort of remote activities have you hosted or participated in that has blossomed a remote connection?   In this episode of Learning Tech Talks I'm joined by Jordi Figols from Remote Boost to get a bird's eye view of some of the creative ways that organizations can formulate authentic relationships through a multitude of virtual activities and to gain insight into the interpersonal strategies learning leaders employ to engage their teams in a creative and exciting way.

2023 is well underway, and I'm happy to announce that microlearning is STILL a relevant conversation!    Haven’t bought into the microlearning wave yet? When  I first started researching platforms, it took me some time to digest some of the pragmatic use cases. During a conversation, someone  mentioned that the experiences that resonated with them were the ones the felt the same as all of the other apps they use on a day-to-day  basis. Bingo. Learning applications need to feel AND function familiar to users for increased retention and adoption. What’s familiar to me may not be familiar with my team or company culture. Do your research, quantify familiar, and take action to create results.   In this Learning Tech Talks, I'm catching up with Kate Udalova from 7taps Microlearning to talk about some of the vast changes in the space and with their product since our chat in 2021 and what the outlook for microlearning is moving forward with it's easy-to-digestits learning content that caters to users in a wide range of ways that promotes learning on something that feels familiar and not something they’re forced to deal with.

The journey continues! There's no shortage of trends in our industry. Some are new; some are rebranded flavors of things past. While it's never advisable to chase a trend simply because it's a trend or because someone else is doing it, there is value in knowing what they are and their implications. Unfortunately, a lot of information skims the surface without the necessary depth to consider thoughtfully whether the trends fit your situation. In an effort to help, this Learning Tech Talks is the second in a two-part mini-series on 10 of the most notable trends we should be considering as learning and talent leaders in 2023. Hopefully, you'll find this helpful as you consider your plans and investments in the coming year.

There's no shortage of trends in our industry. Some are new; some are rebranded flavors of things past. While it's never advisable to chase a trend simply because it's a trend or because someone else is doing it, there is value in knowing what they are and their implications. Unfortunately, a lot of information skims the surface without the necessary depth to consider thoughtfully whether the trends fit your situation. In an effort to help, this Learning Tech Talks is the first in a two-part mini-series on 10 of the most notable trends we should be considering as learning and talent leaders in 2023. Hopefully, you'll find this helpful as you consider your plans and investments in the coming year.

Skills. In the famous words of Inigo Montoya, “I do not think it means what you think it means.” Like many other trendy buzzwords, people often say the same words but mean very different things. Given their significance and the critical role L&D plays, we  must be clear on the definitions, their implications across the talent  spectrum, and the specific impact on our operations. To start the year, I’m hosting an ad-hoc Learning Tech Talks  covering all of the above and more. As we embark on the new year,  there’s no better time to revisit our strategies and ensure they're  aligned with one of the most significant opportunities of our time.

Last week's session just wasn't enough time.   The effort to support folks dealing with a job loss, potential upcoming loss, or even struggling with the overall uncertainty in their current role continues. The first session focused primarily on skill development, staying relevant, and networking as an L&D professional. This week, the focus is on standing out and navigating seemingly impossible and defeating application processes. I'll also highlight some watch-outs that may inadvertently hinder your success. Additionally, I'll share some of what I believe are the best skills you can develop to shine in an interview. While far from a guaranteed playbook for success, I hope people find this two-part Learning Tech Talks mini-series helpful.

I've recently seen and heard from an unfortunate number of folks in my network about the loss, or potential loss, of a job. Even many securely in their positions are questioning their stability and planning for the worst. With global economic uncertainty and many companies attempting to get their bearing, I predict it's a trend we'll see for a while. To help people through this turbulent time, I captured some of the experience I've gleaned over the years and my perspective as an L&D  hiring manager. While there was originally an intended break in content planned, this seemed important enough to supersede the original plan. While far from a guaranteed playbook for success, I hope people find this two-part Learning Tech Talks mini-series helpful. In part one, the focus is on best practices and considerations for  building skills, staying relevant, and networking as an L&D  professional.

“I’m confidently competent in constructing critical core criteria and capable in connecting conditional constraints with care,” said the alliterating learning leader during their annual review. Learning and competency assessment is, well, complicated. The biggest challenge lies within the burden of proof. Streamlining evidence-based assessment at scale is still something L&D often overlooks as a result of its traditional format and application in specific sectors. I predict as we continue to experience a remote work shakedown, we will see more evidence-based assessment tools to validate our roles. In this Learning Tech Talks, I'm hosting Japman Bajaj from Vametric to go deeper into assessment tools and what sort of applications learning leaders can take from them and their potential to shape the future of L&D.