L&D Revolution With Mike Bedford | The Learning & Development Podcast

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Episode description

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Episode description

In an article of the same name, Mike Bedford commentated on a revolution that he’s seeing - and experiencing - in the Learning & Development profession, and encourages us all to get involved.

In this episode, we discuss the revolution, which is a backlash against ineffective practice and maintaining the status quo.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Revolution is about change. In terms of an L&D revolution we need to change, but we also need to unite behind a common purpose. At present the L&D industry feels too fragmented, but needs to come together or risk becoming obsolete.

Employees often misperceive L&D as the training itself, rather than the functional improvement that results in effective targeting of training needs.

Disruption in the sector means breaking the cycle of Order - Content - Delivery. The disruption needs to come from us instead of elsewhere.

Telling an evidence-based story, and using effective evaluation is far more valuable to L&D and to their respective parent companies, than any kind of stat sheets or numbers.

Mike has adopted a blended approach towards L&D for his organisation. Because many of the workforce are scattered, he rules nothing out. Some development is done remotely or through e-learning, while some is done in-house. They are currently looking at the first six months of 2020 for potential direction.

Sometimes, when the training requested by the workforce does not seem a fit, it is Mike’s job to look at the deeper reasons that have led them to ask. The questions asked and the solutions are becoming more bespoke.

We need to stop being so entrenched in our preferred methods of delivering our craft. We need to be more fluid and embrace the entire profession.

Ask ourselves how equipped we are to hold the right conversations and develop the solutions that will move the needle.

BEST MOMENTS

‘It feels to me like revolution is in the air’

‘We’re in the business of improving performance outcomes’

‘Disruption needs to come from us’

‘LinkedIn knows more about you than your HR department does’

‘People think I’m anti-training, but I’m not’

‘We’re changing the world one conversation at a time’

‘We have more things in common than we do differences'

ABOUT THE GUEST

At the time of recording, Mike was Head of Learning & Development and Wellbeing at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. He is a self-proclaimed L&D modernist and blogger.

You can follow and connect with Mike via:

ABOUT THE HOST

David James

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

As well as being the Chief Learning Strategist at Looop, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D as well as an active member of the CIPD L&D Advisory Board.

CONTACT METHOD