Unit 1, Shield Drive, West Cross Industrial Park, Great West Road, Brentford, TW8 9EX
Introduction
Learning has the power to transform not just individuals but entire organisations. In this book, we’ve gathered insights, stories, and life lessons from leading professionals across various industries to explore the profound impact that learning can have. From fostering personal growth to driving team success and innovation, learning is at the core of what pushes us forward in today’s fast-paced world.
We invited experts from diverse fields to share their unique experiences and perspectives on how learning shapes careers, organisations, and the way we approach challenges. These voices emphasise that learning isn’t just
about content or theory — it’s about connection, growth, and real-world application. Whether it’s building stronger teams, developing new mindsets, or simply taking time to reflect, learning creates the space for change and possibility.
Inside, you’ll find stories that challenge conventional wisdom, explore the evolution of workplace learning, and highlight the importance of continuous development. We hope this collection not only inspires you but also helps you harness the transformative potential of learning in your own work and life.
Jonna Sercombe Founder, Interactive Workshops
James Robinson
Learning to Fail Ben Heath
Strengthen Yourself to Strengthen Your Team Meg Roberts
What Can Learning Do? Make Work Great, Again Juliette Somers
Making a Difference Sally Jones
Reviving the Child-like Curiosity Tirth Mathuria
Learning Scares Us All Katherine Gardner
Franca
Learning: A Cognitive Muscle to Exercise Konstantinos Tasis
Creating
Flourish Ian Walker
Alice Brackley
Emma Duncan
Andy
George
Daisy Whittle
David Onimisi
Reuben
Sanda Vieru
Tirth Mathuria
Moving
James Robinson Senior Consultant
Media Zoo
The first milestone in all our lives is learning to walk. After months of crawling desperately across the floor, struggling to get up only to fall again, those first wobbly steps are our path to independence. We begin to gain control of our own destiny — moving where we want, when we want, and at our own pace.
Most of us have learnt to walk. Arguably, humankind’s greatest achievement was walking on the moon, immortalised in the words, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
But the question we need to ask ourselves is: do we learn to move, or move to learn?
After taking those first steps, we expose ourselves to a brand-new world of experiences — some good, some bad, and some seemingly insignificant.
Each time we learn something new, our understanding of the world and those around us evolves. We unlock new levels of consciousness and discover valuable lessons.
As we learn about our environment, we also begin to learn from others: attending school, reading books, growing older, working, and sharing knowledge that helps others evolve, move faster, build higher, and achieve more.
Ironically, the last thing we often learn about is ourselves — who we are and what truly matters to us.
But now, we find ourselves at a new crossroads. For the first time ever, learning is expanding beyond our collective consciousness. We have taught machines how to learn, and these machines will soon surpass us, evolving at an unimaginable pace.
What does that mean for us? Do we stop moving? Do we try to walk, run, or sprint along the trail these machines will blaze for us? Or do we move in an entirely different direction? Will we even be able to comprehend an intelligence far greater than our own? Does it even matter? Will we matter?
For generations, we have focussed on speed — making things faster, more efficient. But what happens when we can no longer keep up? Does it signal the end of the race? Or, does it finally give us time to slow down, to pause and notice all the things we’ve missed while racing forward for millennia?
Will we lose our independence, falling back into a state of relative childhood? Or, will we move faster than ever imagined, progressing along a path toward true enlightenment?
Only time will tell. But either way, we will continue to learn — and move in a new direction.
Learning to Fail
Ben Heath Producer Interactive Workshops
The world is evolving. Innovation is moving at a pace never seen before, with each technological advancement accelerating the next. Compared to 100 years ago, today’s world is almost unrecognisable. But how did we get here? What has kept us moving forward at such a rapid pace? How have some of the biggest breakthroughs come about?
Failure — and learning from it.
The very word ‘failure’ makes most people uncomfortable, yet it has been a critical catalyst in shaping the modern world. Organisations that have accepted — and more importantly, embraced — the idea of failure have excelled. They learn from their mistakes. And the result? Their developments leave a greater impact on the world in which we live.
Truly innovative organisations are driven by the mantra: fail fast, fail often. They learn how to succeed by eliminating what doesn’t work. By narrowing down options and using facts and data to drive decisionmaking, they achieve their goals faster. Successful organisations want to be pioneers, but to do this, they must have a clear direction of travel as well as well-defined boundaries.
Take Richard Browning, the British inventor and founder of Gravity Industries. He created the world’s first ‘Jet Suit’ by learning from failure and being crystal clear on the risks involved in experimentation.
He posed three simple questions:
1. What is the risk to safety?
2. What is the risk to reputation?
3. What is the financial risk?
These questions served as straightforward, effective metrics to speed up the decision-making process — often one of the biggest barriers to progress. Did he invent a successful Jet Suit on the first try? No. But by allowing failure to guide him and using these questions to frame his approach, he eventually succeeded.
Accepting failure is neither easy nor natural. From an early age, we are conditioned to strive for success and accept nothing less. Generational differences, overprotective parenting, and an increasingly risk-averse society all contribute to viewing failure as a negative. Overcoming this mindset is a challenge, but those who actively work to remove the stigma surrounding failure help set the stage for innovation.
As the world continues to evolve, more organisations are showing that learning from failure — paired with a clear vision and well-defined risk tolerance — drives innovation. Those that fail quickly find solutions quickly, breaking through what once seemed like an ‘unbreakable’ ceiling — faster than anyone thought possible.
Strengthen Yourself to Strengthen Your Team
Meg Roberts Producer
Interactive Workshops
Self-confidence is a vital ingredient for personal and professional success, and one of the best ways to build this confidence is through learning and development. As individuals grow through continuous learning, they not only become more assured in their abilities but also enhance their efficiency in the workplace. This personal growth has a ripple effect, benefiting both the individual and their team.
Continuous learning allows us to acquire new skills and sharpen existing ones. When we feel competent in our roles, our confidence increases. This confidence translates into a proactive approach
to work, making us more willing to take on challenges, suggest innovative ideas, and contribute to problem-solving efforts.
The knowledge gained through learning and development helps us make informed decisions more quickly and accurately. Confident decision-making leads to increased productivity, as we are less likely to second-guess ourselves or waste time on unnecessary steps. In a fast-paced work environment, the ability to make quick, wellinformed decisions is invaluable. Moreover, when we have a thorough understanding of our roles and responsibilities, we are better
equipped to anticipate challenges and address them efficiently, leading to smoother workflows.
When we are confident in our abilities, we communicate more effectively and collaborate better with our team members. This contributes to a more cohesive and high-performing team dynamic. Learning new communication techniques, leadership skills, or collaborative tools enhances team interaction, resulting in stronger teamwork and shared success. As we grow in confidence as individuals, we become valuable contributors who help elevate the entire team’s performance.
In today’s rapidly changing business environment, adaptability is key to both personal and team efficiency. Learning new technologies, processes, or industry trends equips us with the skills needed to stay relevant and resilient. When we are confident in our ability to adapt to change, we remain productive during transitions, ensuring that our work — and, by extension, our team’s performance — doesn’t suffer.
By focussing on personal learning and development, we can strengthen our self-confidence, which in turn improves our efficiency at work. As we grow, we enhance not only our own performance but also that of our entire team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and success.
What Can Learning Do? Make Work Great, Again
Juliette Somers L&D Manager Hanson Wade LTD
Or if not great, maybe good, or even just bearable. We spend so many hours at work — not just time, but also energy, headspace, effort, and pride. It can sap us and leave us unable to enjoy our free time or, as I call it, our actual life. Or, it can be a source of fun, community, challenge, pride.
Learning can allow us to bring that fun, that community, that challenge and, importantly, that pride back to our work. And back into our lives. When I think of my own personal learning moments, the ‘aha’ moments we L&D professionals live for, I think not of the moment itself but about how it helped me further down the line or the impact it had. As an
L&D manager, I see this playing out everyday in my company; I see how those ‘aha’ moments translate to tangible improvements and changes.
But how? Through three things:
1. Relationships
One of the biggest changes I see is improvements in relationships. Where there are good relationships, great things happen. Where we can reduce friction, gain insight and understanding, or where we can see a different perspective, then the work is made better. A simple moment of reflection and understanding in a workshop can lead to a happier team — or even a happier marriage.
Psychometrics are something I always build into my programmes for this very reason, and it’s always the thing that my colleagues tell me had the most impact for them.
2. Efficiency
Sometimes a simple hack or a new skill can transform how we work and, importantly, the amount of time it takes to do our work — making us more efficient.
Coaching often helps embed learning as our participants take a concept or idea and talk through how they can implement it. Then they take ownership of whatever it is and make changes in their work (or life). I’ve seen colleagues transformed from the most simple of changes. They suddenly have time, headspace, and energy. They can finish their work, leave it behind, and get on with living.
3. Pride
Our most common, yet hated, conversation starter, “What do you do for a living?” can enable individuals to talk about their work with passion and pride. That is, if they are proud of it. Learning can enable that pride.
The desire to keep getting better and the impact this has on work creates a virtuous circle of learning: we hear or read about something, we apply it, we take a step back and feel proud of our work. Then we go again.
Learning comes in so many forms and it has the power to be transformative. It can make the day-to-day tasks and interactions we have closer, faster, brighter, stronger. And life is made up of thousands of these moments every single day.
What can learning do? It can make work great again And so transform our lives.
“Learning comes in so many forms and it has the power to be transformative.”
Making a Difference
Sally Jones Employee Experience Leader
Finance
The question, “What can learning do?” — well, it’s a bit like asking, “How long is a piece of string?” Is there a definitive answer, or are there several, more personal, answers? I believe it’s the latter. To me, learning can quite simply make a difference.
To an Individual
For someone floundering in their current role, struggling in a new one, or perhaps facing a crisis of confidence, learning can have a profound impact. It can open up new approaches to familiar tasks, provide clarity and direction when facing uncertainty, and transform an “I can’t” into an “I can.”
To a Team
Since a team is made up of individuals with varied experiences, characteristics, strengths, and areas for development, learning within a team can significantly enhance its dynamics. Working together and learning from each other can drive progress towards a shared goal, strengthen collaboration, and ultimately boost the overall performance of the team. It fosters
a culture of continuous improvement. A culture where every member grows alongside one another.
To a Business
Learning demonstrates how a business invests in its people. By continuously nurturing the development of its employees, a company ensures its own evolution and long-term success. It’s not just about solving today’s challenges, but preparing for tomorrow’s opportunities.
Learning can unlock untapped potential, allowing employees to reach new heights and driving innovation. Showcasing talent and anticipating future needs become strategic advantages, positioning the business to thrive in an ever-changing environment.
I could go on — there are countless examples of how learning transforms — but I’ll stop here. In my role, I have the absolute privilege of witnessing these differences being made every day. It’s what makes the power of learning so extraordinary.
“It’s not just about solving today’s challenges, but preparing for tomorrow’s opportunities.”
Reviving the Child-like Curiosity
Tirth Mathuria Manager, UK & Ireland Talent Development Tata Consultancy Services
In the modern, fast-paced world, everyone dreams for a brighter future. To achieve fresh breakthroughs, we must revive one of our most powerful childhood traits — curiosity.
A remarkable characteristic of a child is how many questions they ask, fuelling rapid learning and discovery. For adults, reviving this child-like curiosity is the need of the hour. As we grow up, the number of questions we ask, our curiosity, and inquisitiveness to find out new information dwindles. Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation of India, says, “Learn as if you were to live forever.” If we continue to learn in all aspects of our lives, we can revive this curiosity and we can innovate rapidly to create a brighter future: we can be lifelong learners. The possibilities of learning are
endless, particularly in organisations where there is a continuous need for upskilling and cross-skilling in the development of the world. Organisations that incorporate talent development can use it as a function to indicate performance. By developing their employees, they are able to measure the success of the individual and of the organisation itself.
One organisation which has brought back the culture of learning in their personnel is Tata Consultancy Services. By enabling their employees to become lifelong learners and create an innovative space for learning, their successes have been paramount.
So let us keep learning. Let us revive our child-like curiosity.
Learning Scares Us All
Katherine Gardner L&D Manager
Publicis Sapient
Hana had been in the same role for four years. She saw colleagues getting promotions and developing in other directions and wondered why the same wasn’t happening to her…
Jay had never liked his job. For as long as he remembered, he’d wanted to be a jeweller instead. He constantly dreamt about it and had created an alter ego in his head along with his own make-believe shop — ‘Jay’s Jewels’. But that was the only place his ambitions came to life.
What was stopping them from fulfilling their dreams and moving to where they wanted to be?
Fear.
A fear of stepping out of their comfort zone and into their growth zone. It is so common and a real thorn in the side of human beings. In order to learn, we need to put ourselves in a vulnerable
place. We first need to admit that we don’t know something, and that is scary. But as Confucius said, “To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.”
Learning opportunities are all around us — within organisations, thanks to L&D teams, within educational (day or evening) establishments, within mentoring or colleague conversations, and within books. But so often we don’t grab them.
We all fear the unknown to a certain extent, but fear of learning actually has a name: sophophobia. Sophophobia is often instilled early in life when someone has bad experiences at school or later in our careers when, as mentioned above, it becomes harder to admit to needing growth or change.
Isn’t it time we all became braver?
Learning can bring us skills and experiences, careers and opportunities, and, most of all, joy. It can work our brain in the ways it needs to stay bright and healthy. It can introduce us to people and places. It can lead us anywhere.
With the age of retirement getting later, maybe it’s time to change the expectation that we stay in one type of role or one career path for life. Why not learn more and try more? Surely then we have more chance of finding our niche. That place in the world where we feel powerful and proud.
It’s what Hana did. She enrolled in her organisation’s six-month-long leadership programme, and within 14 months was promoted.
And Jay? He committed to two evenings a week at Goldsmiths University and learned all he needed to confidently interview for a job within a Hatton Garden jeweller. ‘Jay’s Jewels’ hasn’t opened yet, but he’s on his way.
So, face the fear, step into your growth zone, and see where you are this time next year.
“To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.”
— Confucius
A Recipe for Connection
Blair Wagner Producer Interactive Workshops
A powerful element of L&D programmes is connection. The most impactful programmes deliver learning outcomes, of course, but the connections that people form from being in a room together create a sense of belonging. How do we ensure that people leave that room feeling like they were a part of something valuable?
We often (with good intentions) overcomplicate this aspect in an effort to be innovative. But the recipe can actually be quite simple. With the right balance of ingredients, we can create a programme that drives connection and brings people together.
Ingredients:
• Autonomy
• Discussions
• Team Challenges
• Shared Purpose
• Feedback Loops
1. Start by weaving autonomy into your programmes
This gives individuals a sense of ownership and freedom in their learning. When learners feel that they can make choices and influence their own development, they become more engaged, contributing not just to their own growth but to the group as a whole.
2. Include lots of discussions
This gives learners the space to share their experiences and knowledge. Learning happens in collaboration, not isolation. Open dialogue allows learners to see things from different perspectives, which deepens understanding and strengthens connections.
3. Host team challenges
When people have to overcome obstacles together, it creates camaraderie. These shared experiences foster stronger relationships. More importantly,
these memories stick with learners long after the programme is over, reinforcing both the knowledge and the bonds formed.
4. Add a shared purpose
When learners are working towards a common goal, they naturally begin to see each other as allies. Craft your learning outcomes so that individuals understand how their collective effort drives success, whether that’s through a group project or aligning on a meaningful challenge.
A shared purpose amplifies the sense of belonging.
5. Finally, integrate feedback loops
Open and constructive feedback strengthens trust and transparency within the group. When individuals feel heard and acknowledged, it creates a deeper connection. Feedback encourages continuous learning and reflection, both individually and collectively, bringing the group closer as they support each other’s progress.
Connection is at the heart of learning. By carefully mixing these ingredients into your programmes, you can create environments where learners feel valued, engaged, and deeply connected to one another.
It’s Not What You Do, It’s How You Do It
Nathan Rager Director Interactive Workshops
When taking space out of the busy working week to dedicate time to learning, we are often tempted to try and fit in everything. The business wants to see the ROI on the time committed, so we cram in extra sessions, additional topics, ‘quick updates’ from senior leaders. All of these things are great. But often the whole becomes far more overwhelming than the sum of the parts.
Sometimes, More is Less
We end up with tired, frazzled participants, running from session to networking to keynote, and reaching the end of the process struggling to remember what they heard ten minutes ago, let alone at the start of the week.
With the best intentions, this approach — trying to maximise the
time spent and cover as many topics as possible — frequently results in a dilution of the experience and makes it harder for those involved to take anything away (apart from the free pen/notebook/key chain).
Don’t Maximise, Optimise
To avoid this, we can focus on the real, highest-value outcomes of a learning event. Very often — though not always, admittedly — these outcomes include, at least in part, the story and opportunity for human connection. Sometimes we aim to energize and motivate, or to change mindsets. All of these goals are best achieved when there is space, time, and freedom to connect, not by adding more slides and content.
One inspiring story from a recent client conversation came about from a groundbreakingly successful
sales programme. In a drive to accelerate motivation, proactivity, and commercial results from a new, high impact sales initiative, they took a controversial stand. In a business focussed on high tech, complex solutions and a massive product portfolio, they chose not to talk about products. They focussed on motivation, on building a community of connected individuals, on developing mindsets and working together. And so far, the sales outcomes are awesome.
In our team at IW, as learning professionals, we aim to have a day every quarter set aside for our own learning. We usually talk a bit about strategy. We often have an interesting
topic or workshop to play around with but overall, it really doesn’t matter what we do. What matters most is resisting the urge to cram in a bit more, whether that’s an extra pipeline session, a detailed planning process, a client project review or lessons learned.
What we get real value from is having time. Working alongside a team every day, we can easily assume we are connecting, but we are actually just ‘transacting’. Using learning time to bring our team closer together, to reset and refresh our personal connections, to finish early and share a drink, is for me how to truly optimise the value from time taken out for learning.
Franca Senior Manager, L&D
L&D,
Jose
EMEA
CooperVision
How many of us have received a call or email from an internal client asking for team building support? If only I had a pound for every time we got that request, right?
We are L&D professionals and don’t like letting our customers and stakeholders down. After all, our success in the organisation depends on their feedback and us delivering what our customers and stakeholders need. Our performance ratings and bonuses might even rely on that. But — and I know we don’t like to use the word ‘but’ — are we taking a step back to ask: Is this the right thing to do? Is team building the answer? Do they just want a nice day out? Will it even make a difference?
If we want to change perceptions, add value, and drive organisational change, innovation, and performance, we need to turbocharge our agony aunt/uncle skills. We need to become internal consultants — not just order-takers — even if that means we become temporarily unpopular, talked about, or labelled as ‘the prickly one who asks difficult questions’ (as I have been countless times).
I recently received a request from a team going through some changes. They’re reorganising and coming together for some ‘team building; in a couple of months and they need L&D to support them. They want to talk about work and ‘business stuff’ and also do some ‘team building.’
The L&Der in me — the one who feels the need to please — would have jumped in and said, “Yes! I can help! There are lots of cool and fun things we can do — from personality profiles to team building games! You’ll love it, and your team will love it too!”
But the ‘prickly’ part of me immediately went into internal consultant mode and thought, “Stop! Hang on. Don’t say yes! Start asking questions...”
• Why are they coming together as a team?
• Why do they need team building?
• What do they want to achieve?
• Who are the people coming together for this meeting?
• Who’s the stakeholder/ decision-maker?
• Who do I need to talk to?
As I’m sure most of us in L&D have experienced, our biggest barrier is not the ‘difficult stakeholder.’ The barriers are often within our own team — the HR partners who want to act as the go-between for the client and L&D. This is when we need to turbocharge our agony aunt/uncle skills, channel our inner consultant, and start asking questions. So what if we annoy our HR partners? I suggest going one step further and
going straight to the source — with the HR partner’s blessing, of course (invite them along so they can be part of the conversation). Kill them with kindness, right?
I took this approach recently, and within two hours, it was already paying off. Fortunately, I was working with an HR partner who truly believes in collaborating as a strong team to add value to the client and the organisation. In just two hours of talking directly to the client, not only did I get the full context, vision, and direction for the team, but I also gained a true understanding of what they wanted to achieve over their three days together. I asked a lot of questions, sometimes uncomfortable ones, which made the client think about areas they hadn’t even considered — areas they will now act on. All that in the space of two hours!
So, will they get team building? Yes, but not the kind they expected or have been used to. They will also get more:
• Input and ideas for the organisational design process they are about to embark on.
• Input into their job descriptions to start setting the tone and expectations for the future.
• A team intervention session (what they call ‘team building’) for the leader to set their vision and
expectations, allowing the team to discuss, challenge, and have open conversations — and more importantly, build trust: the foundation of any highperforming team.
• Ongoing team coaching support, coaching for the leader and leadership team members, tools to help the leaders build their teams, and much more.
More importantly, that two-hour discussion got the leader thinking: Do I have the right people with the right mindset and skills for the organisation we are designing? What if I don’t? What difficult decisions will I need to make? Oh, and this isn’t just ‘team building’ is it? This will take time and can’t be solved in three days.
So, dear L&D, let’s change our narrative, and our narrative and our approach. Let’s make a difference! Let’s turbocharge our agony aunt/ uncle skills. Let’s channel our inner ‘prickly porcupine consultant,’ ask the right questions, and help build stronger — closer — teams and organisations.
STRONGER
Learning: A Cognitive Muscle to Exercise
Konstantinos Tasis
L&D Programme Manager Ipsos UK
In today’s fast-paced world, change is constant and rapid. The nature of work, the skills required, and how we learn and develop professionally has evolved significantly. The modern employee’s experience is vastly different from that of workers just a few years ago. A key factor driving this transformation is technological advancement, with one of the most notable being the rise of generative AI. Additionally, the global pandemic has reshaped not only the way we work but also the socio-economic environment in which businesses operate. Together, these factors have had a profound impact on how we develop new skills, knowledge, and behaviours in the workplace.
One of the most important shifts in recent years is the growing recognition of learning as an ongoing, continuous process. Thanks to modern science and research into the nature of learning, we now understand that learning often happens unconsciously. Even when we’re not actively focussing on it, we are absorbing information and developing skills through everyday interactions and experiences. This new understanding has changed the way we approach professional development, moving away from traditional methods — like scheduled training sessions or formal education — and embracing more collaborative forms of knowledge exchange.
We now know that the most effective way we learn is through interacting with others and exchanging ideas. Whether in the workplace or in our everyday social lives, these interactions provide opportunities to learn new skills and develop new behaviours. Learning is no longer confined to specific moments or settings; it is a continuous process that happens organically through our connections with colleagues, mentors, and even the broader world around us.
In this constantly evolving environment, it is crucial to take an active role in our own development. Adapting to the demands of the modern workplace requires us to continuously learn new skills and expand our knowledge base. Whether
it’s mastering the latest technology, like generative AI, or adjusting to new work environments post-pandemic, staying on top of these changes ensures that we remain competitive and excel in our professional roles.
In conclusion, the modern work environment is marked by rapid change and increasing complexity. To thrive, we must embrace continuous learning, both as individuals and as organisations. By recognising that learning happens all the time and through various interactions, we can more effectively develop the skills and behaviours needed to succeed. Investing in our ongoing development is essential to adapting to this fast-moving world and excelling in whatever we do.
“To thrive, we must embrace continuous learning, both as individuals and as organisations.”
Creating an Environment Where Learning Can Flourish
Ian Walker Senior Director, Employee L&D and On-Boarding Operations Salesforce
It is a truism that time is the scarcest commodity, particularly for leaders.
The pressure not only to perform, but to perform under ever-spiralling levels of pressure is relentless.
No wonder that leaders push back when asked to attend learning events. They think in terms of all the things that they could otherwise be accomplishing instead of being ‘stuck’ in a room being ‘forced to learn’, taking an online course, reading a book, or even listening to a podcast.
Yet, it is increasingly recognised that this focus on ‘do, do, do’ is counter-productive. Our brains, and our resilience, are not served by the undiluted, repeated action of execution. The leadership researcher, Nick Petrie, has identified that the most effective leaders build a ‘rhythm’ into their working days, weeks and months to ensure that they are able to function at peak levels of performance. As Petrie says, “They have a rhythm they’ve learned to work by which oscillates them between different polarities. This helps them perform but also seems to keep them fresh.”
And part of this ability to remain ‘fresh’ is the recognition that learning drives a healing and restorative purpose in our mental functioning. So, what is the implication for
companies and organisations? The paradox is that the drive for and achievement of high performance depends not only on the ability to execute consistently, but on creating and nurturing a learning culture. This needs to come from the topdown. It needs to be proclaimed and modelled by the CEO and the most senior leaders. It needs to be actively supported and propagated in the way in which the company speaks about its values and priorities.
Innovation cannot take place when we are running repetitive hundredmetre sprints. We need to pause, re-charge our mental batteries, look outside ourselves and the four walls of our own organisations and breathe. We need to create time and space for learning.
The country leader of a tech company I know attended a leadership development programme during lock-down. He came into the programme suffering from the initial symptoms of burn-out: he was unable to concentrate easily, was quickly distracted, and kept feeling the need to check his phone.
The simple act of being allowed — and allowing himself — to focus on giving his brain a break from execution, from the strains of managing, from the always-on demands of his role, created a space for realisation.
He realised that he needed to change his approach to work, and to reprioritise his life at the same time. He was not acting in service of his own values or his own personal priorities. The learning programme helped provide this space, but also stimulated his thinking with new ideas and examples of alternatives. He came away with a commitment to change, and immediately one of the actions he took was to block each Monday morning for ‘thinking and learning time.’
The act of deliberately creating time to think and learn is restorative but — crucially — it also leads to higher levels of sustainable performance. As Petrie’s work validates, we need to create time both at the micro-level, during our working days, but also at the macro-level in how we address our lives.
For companies interested in optimising performance, ensuring that the space for learning is enshrined in culture is key. Learning regenerates, it encourages and supports innovation and it fuels more effective and sustainable, long term attainment of goals.
The beginner’s mindset offers the grounds for cultivation and growth; a mind full of competing priorities, of activities and stress, is far less fertile. By giving our leaders the space and time to grow, we help them become healthier and more effective.
What could be more important as they address an increasingly complex environment?
“Innovation cannot take place when we are running repetitive hundred-metre sprints.”
Be a Better Professional… And Person
Emma Duncan
Group HR Manager Fever-Tree
I find it hard to imagine someone finishing a training course and thinking, “That has made me a worse person,” or, “That training hasn’t helped me professionally.” Whether an experienced leader or a university graduate, training should always make us better — both as professionals and as people. In turn, this helps businesses achieve their goals.
Consider a typical training package: mandatory sessions that everyone in the organisation must complete. For example, in a construction company, health and safety training is crucial to prevent injuries and protect the workforce. At a data firm, GDPR training is essential. This knowledge elevates employees’ professionalism in those specific areas. After all, no one would trust a builder who leaves tools running over lunch, right?
The same principles should go for business leaders. High achievers often progress into management roles because they’ve excelled in their jobs, but they may lack the skills to
help others perform at their best. So, businesses should always be asking the question, “What fundamental skills are needed to help our workforce — leaders included — be better?”
If that question can be answered — the benefits are endless.
While ‘L&D’ typically refers to workplace learning, many of these skills can be applied to personal life too. A conflict management course can help in personal relationships. Unconscious bias training will likely influence how we judge others in everyday situations.
It’s easy to say that training makes employees better at their jobs. The real challenge for L&D professionals is convincing businesses of its value, overcoming barriers, and fostering a culture of continuous learning.
In short — investing in training is almost never a bad idea!
“The real challenge for L&D professionals is convincing businesses of its value and overcoming barriers...”
Conclusion
Milly Gladstone Producer Interactive Workshops
Learning can be powerful. Learning can be fun.
But what’s the greatest impact from the workshops that we run?
I’d argue connection,
The network that we build.
The other people in the room
Joining our professional guild.
Our brain recalls emotions, of how we’re made to feel.
What better way to spark our memory,
Than through those with whom we deal?
That story that was shared
When in discussions we were paired
Might trigger an outcome, a solution, or idea
Of how to tackle that problem in our role that is
Drawing near.
We often talk about mindset,
Whether it’s open, growth, or fixed;
We value long-term thinking
Over short-term, easy picks.
Relationships are long-term; we have to work to earn
Trust amongst each other. We have to wait our turn
To speak, to share, to ask,
To pull off that work mask,
And connect on something deeper.
But once we do, it’s magic, a new confidante in sight,
For on those days when overwhelm threatens to bring tears to light,
A helping hand, a solution finder,
A “Can I just run this past you?” opinion
When the deadline’s getting tighter.
Someone who’s been there, done that,
Solved that challenge, got that different work hat;
Seen some things we haven’t yet. They’ve always got our back.
Having people to turn to when we need to ask a question
Can far outweigh the content or theory-based equation.
So, when designing workshops, make time for discussion,
Build the day around the breaks and the all-important luncheon.
The content is important to open up their minds,
But chatting to each other will help them solve their binds.
So don’t ignore the content, but remember it’s only part
Of the whole learning experience. What they will take to heart
Is the time they get to chat; the time we think is ‘cheaper’.
The theory makes us think,
But the connection draws us deeper.
We have worked with... and many more!
It’s easy to talk about what learning can do. We all have personal stories, unique perspectives, life lessons, and hopes for the future.
In this book, learning professionals across industries have come together to contribute their perspectives on what we can achieve together through learning. From groundbreaking approaches to education and development, to insights into the future of work, dive in to see what learning can truly achieve.
Whether you are an educator, corporate leader, or lifelong learner, this collection offers inspiration and practical wisdom on how we can grow, both individually and collectively, through the power of knowledge and collaboration.
SpeakEasy events by Interactive Workshops bring L&D, HR, and Talent professionals from all industries together to network, learn, and enjoy. Taking its name from the secret and exclusive bars of the 20s, these events are facilitated to encourage friction-free interaction and seamless networking. Speak, easy.
