Michelle Parry-Slater, L&D Director for Kairos Modern Learning and author of The Learning and Development Handbook, joins Blake Proberts on the Strategic L&D Podcast to 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. Listen to the full episode above or watch below.
Key takeaways
“Understanding the language of your business is a good first step, understanding who the people are that you’re working for and with.”
1. Focus on strategic intent.
Know what the business needs above all else, then what every department and team does within that.
“You don’t work individually, you work in a system, you’re part of a cog in a machine. And in that system, your cog needs to be oiled and working well.”
2. Focus on cultivating a learning culture.
Understand org goals and team goals and how they bisect before intervention. It’s more than just designing courses—it’s about holistic development.
“Without understanding that bigger picture… you’re not doing something that will potentially impact or land well.”
3. Don’t silo L&D.
You serve a greater purpose, so go out there and get to the heart of it and how you can empower it.
“It’s about using the technology that you have available in the most appropriate way for the learning activity that you want to undertake. Not going to get on a motorbike to ride down the river.”
4. Tech can get you a long way, but not all the way.
Stay on top of the best trends, but use what you have to the best advantage.
See more from our host: Blake Proberts
Learn about our guest: Michelle Parry-Slater
Hear more of the Strategic L&D Podcast on Spotify and Apple. You’ll also find us in video form on YouTube.
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