Creativity and innovation
Conference overload? Why L&D events need creative reflection
Conference days can feel like a firehose: keynotes, chats, slides, then a tired journey home and a notebook nobody opens. AMC Newton and Amelia Wakeford show how intentional reflection breaks overload, helping brains consolidate learning. Their Creative Download approach uses calm pauses and hands-on making to turn insights into actions. We’ve all been there: train home from a conference, notebook full of insights, determined to implement everything. Days later, that notebook sits unopened. Weeks later, we struggle to remember what…
TJ podcast: The rise of the supermanager: Why AI transformation still needs human leadership – episode 330
Julia Bersin joins Jo Cook to explore the rise of the supermanager and why AI transformation still depends on human leadership. As organisations rethink management layers, managers remain critical to trust, experimentation and adoption, helping teams turn AI investment into meaningful change rather than another tool-led initiative with limited impact. Key takeaways: Created by ChatpGPT Podcast summary: Created by ChatpGPT Jo Cook speaks with Julia Bersin, Director of Research at The Josh Bersin Company, about the changing role of managers…
Your learning strategy makes too much sense
The New Coke fiasco in the ‘80s shows why L&D keeps repeating the same mistakes. When we design learning for the ‘logical human’, engagement, behaviour change and budgets suffer. Design instead for real people, who are time-poor, emotional and context-driven, will mean you bubble to the top. Matt Furness explores. In 1985, Coca-Cola did something that looked perfectly reasonable in a spreadsheet, but utterly deranged in real life. Their market share had been slipping for 15 years and Pepsi was swaggering around, winning…
The five habits of world-class learners
Most people mistake activity for learning, yet those who do it well, treat it as daily discipline. Charlie Curson shares five habits that accelerate growth: curiosity, embracing productive discomfort, reflecting before reacting, learning from diverse voices, and acting fast to turn experimentation into insight and sharper strategic judgement over time. Most of us stopped learning the moment we left school – or so we think. We attend courses, read the odd book and sit through training sessions. But real learning,…
Is your organisation truly data-driven – or just investing in tech?
Drawing on award-winning examples from healthcare, justice, media and policing, Jake O’Gorman argues that data-driven transformation depends on people, not platforms. He writes about why leaders must prioritise data quality, skills and ethical governance and shares stories that start with real problems, build confidence to turn evidence into everyday decisions. Despite billions invested in digital transformation, far too many organisations confuse technology spend with evidence-based leadership. In my roles at Corndel, from leading on Data and AI Strategy to serving…
From vendor to value partner: Turning learning conversations into real impact
External training providers face cultural barriers, politics and self-doubt when pushing for real impact. This conversation uncovers how to secure supervisor buy in, differentiate your offer, harness digital nudges, and use AI as a practice partner so that learning translates into behaviour change and business value inside modern organisations today. This discussion explores how external training providers move from delivering isolated events to shaping real organisational impact. It tackles the fear of challenging clients, the politics around “admitting we missed…
TJ podcast: Beyond courses: How AI transforms L&D into a strategic business partnership – episode 328
In this episode, Josh Bersin, Erica Farmer and Laura Overton join Jo Cook to unpack how AI is shifting L&D from static courses to adaptive support. They explore dynamic content, practice with AI coaching, and why learning teams must redefine impact in terms of performance, relevance, and real business value. Key takeaways: Created by CleanVoice Podcast summary: Created by CleanVoice and edited by ChatGPT Jo Cook, Erica Farmer, and Josh Bersin explore how AI is reshaping learning and development from…
From slow lanes to sprints: how Agile transformed our L&D delivery
Doubling output without burning out, Nassia Katroutsou shares how Agile project management reshaped her L&D team’s approach to course creation. Through clear preparation, sprint cycles and regular SME feedback, they boosted speed and quality, proving that with the right mindset, even small teams can deliver big, sustainably and with impact. When I first took over a small team of instructional designers, our content delivery cycles were slow and unpredictable. The company’s products and processes were complex, the audiences incredibly diverse…
Finally, a conference for self-employed folk in L&D!
The inaugural Free Spirits LIVE! virtual event next month is designed for L&D independent L&D professionals who crave connection, clarity and practical support. With a lively online community, real-time sessions and a laser focus on freelance life, it promises something different – and genuinely useful – for those building a solo business. If you’ve ever been to a conference and thought, “well what about the freelancers?”, we’ve got you covered. Free Spirits LIVE! is the very first conference from Kim…
L&D teams as agility champions in the age of disruption
Tristan Boutros argues that agility is no longer a niche methodology, but a core skillset for everyone. With AI reshaping work at speed, L&D leaders must embed iterative practices, real-time feedback, and shared ownership into learning strategies, ensuring teams can adapt, grow, and succeed in an era of constant disruption. L&D and HR can no longer rely on static training programs or traditional upskilling models. With AI accelerating the pace of change and disrupting how we work and learn, L&D…
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