With me today is Sandra Loughlin, Chief Learning Scientist at EPAM Systems, an organizational psychologist and a self-proclaimed 'skills nerd.' Sandra has dedicated her career to transforming the way businesses approach learning, employee enablement, and technology-driven transformation.
She’s at the forefront of helping organizations cultivate business agility and engineering excellence through AI-enabled, skills-based strategies. With her work featured in Forbes and CEO Magazine and recognition as a Global Leader in Consulting, Sandra is here to share her expertise on building cultures of continuous learning and innovation.
I'd like to give our listeners some context about EPAM - has been on this journey for 3 decades - the art of the possible - built in-house, home grown - how it is configured, is to server the business - and is like a foreign country. EPAM and SKILLS have been married from day one.
Ross and Sandra talk about software engineering, data, AI, building sophisticated digital platforms, skills, finding the right people, skills-based organisations, systems of work, understanding your people, compelling change, being certain about change, digital transformation, human capital and framing to the right people. The pair also discuss set expectations, knowing where you are going, chief administration officers, AI in the workforce, transforming businesses, understanding AI, disruptive AI, autonomous robots, pushing your capabilities, understanding tasks, building teams, learning capabilities, dynamic learning, being outside our comfort zone and pickleball.
Timecodes:
- 00:16 Intro to Sandra
- 01:01 Sandra's background
- 01:51 EPAM
- 03:34 Tasks related to skills
- 05:06 What Sandra is currently working on
- 08:51 Leaving a set system that time and money have gone into
- 14:01 Making big changes while avoiding too much stress
- 21:09 EPAM approaching structuring business roles differently
- 25:34 Slowing down before speeding up
- 26:54 Being leaner and AI colleagues
- 34:04 Evolving communication skills in teams and collectives
- 37:47 Shifting away from limitations
- 40:18 Learning through incentivising
- 41:52 The difference between learning and training
- 44:39 The last time Sandra did something for the first time
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