Communication
Say it better, hear it smarter – the new rules of workplace feedback
Feedback without the freakout: smarter ways to share and receive input, and overcome feedback anxiety by Becky Westwood Feedback has become an essential part of the training and development process in organisations. Not only is it seen as crucial to the business for maximising workforce skills and contribution, it is also often seen as a valuable contribution for personal and career growth by individuals. However, because work is deeply intertwined with people’s sense of identity, purpose and social connection it is…
Struggling with trust at work? Blame ‘attachment theory’
Anxious, avoidant or secure? Our early attachments shape how we connect and communicate at work – but coaching helps rebuild trust and foster healthier workplace relationships, writes John Perry Attachment theory, a concept introduced by British psychologist John Bowlby, provides profound insights into how early-life relationships shape our ways of connecting with others. Originally centred on caregiver-child bonds, it has far-reaching implications in the workplace. It reveals how our ability – or struggle – to trust, connect and communicate is…
Behind the scenes of planning a new learning event: Exploring ticket sales tactics
Kirsty Lewis on the ups, downs and wild ideas behind getting people to SOFest 2025 How are you? If you are new to this blog it is all about my crazy idea to put on a festival for 100-plus facilitators, trainers, coaches and consultants from 10 to 12 June 2025, in Essex, UK. I mean how hard can it be to create a large-scale event, in a field, for people who love to learn, connect into the community and have experiences? …
Organizational Learning Communities – book review
Practical, insightful and inspiring, this go-to guide is packed with fresh ideas and real-world strategies – Peter Plumlee reviews essential reading for L&D professionals, team leaders and anyone seeking smarter collaboration Book: Organizational Learning Communities – Empowering social learning and collaboration to improve performanceAuthor: Andy Lancaster When I first picked up Organizational Learning Communities – Empowering social learning and collaboration to improve performance, I wasn’t sure what I was getting into. A 400- page book about learning communities? It sounded…
Letting go of your agenda: How Open Space Technology helped us co-create an exceptional event
Ever wished your training or events had more personal spark? Phil Walsh shares his approach to making any experience more connected When we began planning a forum, we were eager to explore new ways to tap into the collective intelligence of our incredible audience. Six of us, representing three different organisations, sat down to brainstorm ways we could turn control over to the attendees, trusting that they had the knowledge, creativity, and insight to lead meaningful discussions. We wanted a…
The thousand post sprint – one person’s extreme challenge to test the power of connections on social media
Engage more on LinkedIn, get more views – Faris Aranki really took that advice to heart and shares his epic adventure I recently undertook a gargantuan social media challenge; partly to learn more about human behaviours and the algorithm that sits behind LinkedIn and partly because I was bored. In this first of a two part blog series I explain what I did and why. “You don’t have to do this Faris, just stop now!” But I didn’t stop… Have…
How to help talent and learning development teams automatically get a seat at the table – part two
Build credibility for L&D influence through transparent dashboards, strategic storytelling, and robust resource management practices – Ryan Austin concludes his epic feature Part one of this feature covered: And now, continuing the list of actionable strategies: 4. Operationalise strategy Execution is where strategy meets impact. By embedding operational excellence into daily workflows, L&D teams can consistently translate plans into action with measurable outcomes. This requires integrating strategic goals into every stage of program design, development, and delivery while establishing clear…
How to help talent and learning development teams automatically get a seat at the table
Explore actionable strategies for L&D teams to align with corporate priorities and prove measurable impact as Ryan Austin shares insights in this epic feature For over 20 years, Learning and Development (L&D) leaders have discussed earning a seat at the leadership table. While progress has been made, as outlined in the LearnOps Maturity Model, it is time for L&D teams to not just seek recognition but to operationalise their strategy and earn that seat automatically. Of the $130 billion invested…
Behind the scenes of planning a new learning event: Show me the money
How much does a new learning summit cost? Kirsty Lewis shares an eye watering amount This month I want to share the emotional rollercoaster that is creating a festival from scratch with NO financial backing. If you are discovering this blog for the first time today, let me introduce myself: My name is Kirsty Lewis, founder of School of Facilitation and the architect of SOFest. A three day, in-person, learning event, space, summit (call it anything but a conference) SOFest…
Behind the scenes of planning a new learning event: The workshops
Kirsty Lewis focuses her new festival planning on the different themes and workshops we need For those of you who missed the previous blog, let me catch you up: Imagine walking through a glade of trees with a lake by your side, along a path that leads you to a large field filled with tipis, yurts, a campfire and 120 people. That is what SOFest is going to be like, no stuffy hotel or boring conference centre. I am even…
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