The Mindtools L&D Podcast

The Mindtools L&D Podcast

The Mindtools L&D Podcast is a must-listen for anyone involved in Learning and Development or Human Resources. The weekly show features regular appearances from the Mind Tools team plus special guests to get right to the heart of issues affecting the L&D and HR communities. From learning needs analysis and evidence-based practice through to the impact of technology on work and hot topics at industry conferences, you'll get critical insights into the world of work, performance and learning.

Episodes

August 19, 2025 36 mins

Here at Mindtools Towers, we're no strangers to benchmarking in L&D. We've regularly mentioned our Learning Performance Benchmark over the years, and we dedicated an entire episode to 'The value of benchmarking' back in 2021.  So, naturally, we were intrigued when David James released the 'L&D Maturity Model', and wanted to invite him onto the show to discuss it.

This week on The Mindtools L&D Podcast, David joins us to explore:

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Now for something completely different!

A couple of weeks ago, Carl Akintola wrote a provocative guest post for The L&D Dispatch, challenging L&D practitioners to interogate their motives for measuring learning impact. Are they in it purely for the sake of evaluation and continuous improvement? Or are they merely trying to justify their own existence?

This week on The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Carl takes over hosting duties, and runs ...

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We know that surrounding ourselves with diverse people at work brings variety in expertise, opinions and ways of working, which can boost creativity and productivity. Sometimes...

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In their new book, In Praise of the Office, Wharton professor Peter Cappelli and workplace strategist Ranya Nehmeh argue that 'the case for in-office work has never been stronger'.

This week on The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Peter and Ranya join Ross D and Claire to explain why they believe this to be true. We discuss: 

  • The benefits and downsides to in-office work, both from an employer and employee perspective
  • The challenges of r...
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If we want to motivate learners to engage with an experience, it stands to reason that we need to present that experience in a way feels authentic and relatable to them. But what are the limits to authenticity in the workplace? And are some of the conventions of learning design at odds with authentic communication?

This week on The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Kineo's Matt Mella joins Ross D and Claire to discuss:

  • What 'authenticity...
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If you spend any time scrolling LinkedIn, attending L&D conferences, or listening to industry podcasts, it might seem like AI is about to usher in the end of e-learning as we know it. But is e-learning really dying, or is it just evolving?

This week on The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Kineo's Cammy Bean joins Ross D and Ross G to discuss:

  • The probability that AI will bring about the e-learning-pocalypse
  • How the work of learning desi...
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July 8, 2025 49 mins

Frontline managers have to support decisions they didn’t make, translate organizational goals into actions, identify meaningful opportunities for people to develop, remember to acknowledge successes, regulate their emotions, and resolve team conflicts. And they're usually 19-years-old.

This week on The Mindtools L&D Podcast, one of our favourite guests - JD Dillon - returns to the show to share insights from his upcoming book on th...

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Exciting news at Mindtools Towers this week, as we launch our first 'Expert Skill Bite' course with Dr Markus Bernhardt, available now to all Mindtools Content Hub users! 

To share more about what the course covers, and how it builds capability over time, Markus joined Ross G and Claire to discuss:

  • Why a 'big top-down AI strategy' is never coming
  • How to help managers build AI skills
  • What to do if your organization bans AI tool...
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This week, we're handing the reigns of The Mindtools L&D Podcast over to our friends at Assemble You. Including the show notes!


In this excellent interview, Adam sits down with Ross Garner and Paul Buller of Mindtools to explore one of the most pressing topics in L&D today: the role of AI in content creation and the future of learning.

Ross is Chief Learning Officer at Mindtools and a former Learning Designer of the Year. H...

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Remember 'performance support'? Amid all the talk of AI, adaptive learning, and skills, it's kind of been forgotten.

But not by us! Or by respondents to Don Taylor's Global Sentiment Survey, who ranked it 11th hottest trend this year (up two from last year).

In the first of a two-part series of crossover episodes with our partner Assemble You, Ross G and Paul are joined by Adam Lacey to discuss:

  • What makes great performance su...
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June 10, 2025 35 mins

Should we be adopting AI more into our day to day lives? How can L&D professionals move beyond reactive training on specific tools to cultivate a c...

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Armed with a STEM qualification or two, you might think technical brilliance is all one needs to succeed in the space sector. Is this the case though?

Read more

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Effective marketers have an uncanny way of know

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May 21, 2025 33 mins

Having the opportunity to set up a new team can be both exciting and daunting. Where would you start when it’s an L&D team?

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Collaboration is a vital skill across many fields and disciplines. But effective collaboration is about much more than just working together.

In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Ross D and Paula are joined by Fraser Mcdonald, Head of Collaboration at Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI) and Deputy Director of the Data for Children Collaborative, to discuss:

  • why collaboration is important when it comes to solving ...
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Whether it comes to facilitating workshops, designing learning experiences, or developing campaign assets, L&D practitioners are increasingly expected to bring creativity to their roles. But how do you do this if you don't have a creative background, or if you don't think of yourself as a 'creative person'?

In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Ross D and Gemma are joined by Kenny Temowo, Senior Director of Talent Ac...

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April 29, 2025 40 mins

Often on this podcast we've spoken about how AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are enhancing our capabilities. But do they also come at a cost?

In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Ross Stevenson from Steal These Thoughts joins Ross G and Dr Gent to discuss:

  • the relationship between tasks and skills;
  • whether we are over-relying on AI;
  • the long-term impact of AI use on critical thinking.

During the ...

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What are the benefits of podcasts for learning? How does L&D respond to people leaving the profession? Should we get rid of email?

In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Ross G is joined by Anna and Ross D to answer your questions!

During the discussion, Ross D referenced our post 'If your podcast isn't available on mobile, does it make a sound?', and Cal Newport's Deep Work.

Ross G referenced the AI 2027 forecast. He...

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What drives your delegation decisions? Is it what's best for the business? Is it what's best for your team member? Is it what's best for you?

In this week's edition of The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Ross G, Ross D and Dr Anna discuss:

  • Why managers sometimes delegate tasks that they know are too difficult
  • How the organization's culture shapes those decisions
  • How to help managers delegate better.

The paper we discussed through...

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Many organizations treat 'inclusion' and 'wellbeing' as separate issues, but Dr Serena Huang - author of The Inclusion Equation - argues that the two are intrinsically linked. And, that data is how you can make better decisions about how to make a positive impact on both.

In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Serena joins Ross G and Dr Anna to discuss:

  • Why these two areas are inseparable
  • Why data in this space i...
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