82: Dr Serena Gonsalves-Fersch: Curious About Learning, Curiosity, AI, Leadership, Talent & Women in Leadership (Software One)

"L&D is dead - Long Live Learning" 

In this episode of The Curious Advantage Podcast, Simon Brown and Paul Ashcroft speak with Dr. Serena Gonsalves-Fersch, Global Head of Talent at SoftwareOne, to explore the intersection of curiosity, learning, leadership, and the future of work.

Together, they unpack:

• The evolution of Learning & Development (L&D)
• The role of AI in shaping modern learning strategies
• The importance of women in leadership
• How talent management and organizational change go hand in hand
• Why agility and curiosity are critical skills for future-ready organizations

Whether you're in leadership, L&D, HR, or talent development, this conversation offers fresh insights into the skills, mindsets, and strategies shaping high-performing, future-focused organisations.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Curiosity and Learning Leadership
02:42 The Evolution of Learning and Development
05:34 Rethinking Leadership Training
08:52 Agility in Learning Functions
11:36 Frameworks for Modern Learning
14:45 Building a Talent Pipeline
17:28 Integrating Learning with Business Needs
20:42 The Future of Learning and Development
27:14 The Connection Between Learning and Talent Management
33:44 Women in Learning Leadership: Bridging the Gap
38:06 AI's Impact on Learning and Development
44:42 Navigating Sensory Overload and Environmental Impact
50:24 The Future of Learning: Curiosity and Organizational Learning

About The Curious Advantage Podcast
Join the authors of The Curious Advantage in an exploration of how individuals and organizations can harness the power of curiosity to drive success in our new digital reality. In each episode, they engage in enlightening conversations with world-leading experts from a diversity of disciplines to bring to life the latest understanding of curiosity in a way that’s useful to anyone looking to embark on a journey of discovery, navigate challenges, and unlock opportunities.

About The Curious Advantage Book
The Curious Advantage is an exploration of the idea of Curiosity and its increasing importance for thriving in the digital age. Taking the widest possible exploration of things Curious – historical, contemporary, neuro-scientific, anthropological, behavioural, semantic and business-focused. At the heart of the book is our model of Curiosity, called ’Sailing the 7C’s of Curiosity’. This model provides individuals with a practical framework for how to be successfully Curious and use Curiosity as a power skill to unlock their own potential. To find out more visit: curiousadvantage.com

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The Curious Advantage Podcast is executive produced by Jessica Wickham and Aliki Paolinelis. Audio editing is done by Danny Cross and video editing by Jessica Wickham.