People and Performance Podcast

What if the most powerful driver of workplace performance isn't complicated systems or cutting-edge technology, but something as fundamental as social support? Dr. Amanda Hagman, Chief Scientific Officer at Atana, reveals this insight in a conversation with Chris Bjorling about human behavior, organizational learning, and strategic development.

Drawing from her extensive research, Amanda challenges listeners to recons...

What happens when we forget the human beings behind job titles? Kristen Nielsen Donnelly, PhD, COO of Abbey Companies and founder of Abbey Research, tackles this question with refreshing candor in our conversation about workplace dynamics across generations.

Breaking from typical generational discourse filled with negativity and fatalism, Kristen offers a provocative perspective: "Nearly everything people complain abo...

What happens when you treat problems as gifts rather than obstacles? According to Mike Taylor, cybersecurity professional at Nationwide and instructor at Franklin University's instructional design program, this mindset shift creates the foundation for powerful organizational learning.

During this enlightening conversation with host Chris Bjorling, Mike challenges conventional L&D wisdom by emphasizing the critical...

Cutting through the noise of today's workplace requires more than just great content - it demands a true understanding of learners and their needs. In this engaging conversation Chris Bjorling had with Bianca Baumann, VP of Learning Solutions and Innovation at Ardent Learning, we explore how marketing techniques can revolutionize learning and development efforts.

Bianca shares her powerful guiding principle: "lea...

Professor Karl Kapp turns traditional learning and development on its head with his revolutionary Action First Learning framework. Rather than beginning with theory and content, Kapp advocates for jumping straight into action—allowing learners to try, potentially fail, and then receive targeted instruction based on their real-time experience.

The Commonwealth University professor brings years of research in gamification, i...

Ever wonder what happens when L&D professionals finally focus on their own development? Sarah Cannistra, founder of The Overnight Trainer, pulls back the curtain on this fascinating dynamic in our latest conversation.

Sarah brings dual perspectives as both an L&D career coach and the head of learning programs for a tech company, offering rare insights into what truly drives performance improvement. She challenges t...

Ever caught yourself scrolling through photos of presentation slides you'll never look at again? In this episode, cognitive science researcher Nidhi Sachdeva, PhD, challenges us to reconsider how we're learning in our digital age.

Nidhi, a teacher educator at the University of Toronto and microlearning specialist, shares a startling observation: we're thinking less and reflecting less—and it's impacting...

What if the key to career advancement was as simple as saying "yes" to opportunity? Howard H. Prager, President of Advanced Learning Group, believes this straightforward philosophy can transform professional development and organizational culture. During our conversation at ATD 2025, Howard reveals why our brains are naturally wired to say "no" and how overcoming this instinct unlocks tremendous growth potential...

What happens when we stop treating learning as a compliance checkbox and start designing it around human experience? Justin Seeley, e-Learning Evangelist for Adobe, reveals why most corporate training fails to engage employees and what we can do about it.

Having led learning teams at Twitter, LinkedIn Learning, Snapchat, and Walmart Marketplace, Justin brings a wealth of practical wisdom to this conversation about creating...

Dan Moore, Olympic high-performance coach for the GB men's rowing team, takes us behind the scenes of his recent success at the Paris Olympics, where he guided the men's four and men's pair to bronze and silver medals. Having started coaching at just 16 years old, Moore brings over half a lifetime of coaching wisdom to this conversation about team dynamics and leadership.

The discussion reveals a fascinating...

Today we are joined by Karl Dickson, a globally acclaimed figure in the realm of rugby, celebrated for his dual roles as a professional Rugby Union referee and a former England and Harlequins player. 

His illustrious refereeing career reached new heights during the 2023 Rugby World Cup, where he officiated the quarter-final between Wales and Argentina and served as the assistant referee in the final between South Africa an...

In the latest edition of this sports and business focused season, Chris and Bill are joined by Corey Samuels, Corey Samuels, a professional basketball player on the Bristol Flyers Men's Basketball team with a keen interest in business, HR, and inspiring others to perform at a high level. 

Corey’s experiences on and off the court provide a great lens into teamwork, adaptability, and the drive to achieve excellence. His...

Our guest this time is Felicia Rickards, an executive coach and leadership development consultant.

Felicia has worked with both sports stars and corporate C-suite leaders, making her uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between these two worlds. 

She’ll unpack how coaching strategies in elite sports can empower corporate leaders to unlock their full potential. 

Felicia is also co-organizer of events for...

In this episode, Chris and Bill chat with Steve Mellor, a high-performance Coach at GrowthReady and Host of The GrowthReady Podcast. 

Steve is a former top 50 globally-ranked swimmer and swim coach to olympic champions, All-Americans, and SEC medalists. Steve founded his company to serve executives, business owners, athletes and emerging leaders looking to attain optimal performance within their respective careers. 

Our guest this time is Zoe Thompson, who was once Britain’s second-strongest woman. After dealing with personal tragedy, Zoe Thompson embarked on a mission to change her life for the better. 

Zoe’s story is one of grit, determination, and relentless pursuit of goals. Her perspective on building mental and physical strength and how these traits can translate into professional resilience will leave you inspired.

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In this episode, Chris and Bill talk with Emma Ross, a trailblazing leader in sports science, a staunch advocate for women's empowerment in sport, and Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at The Well HQ. Emma was formerly the Head of Physiology at the English Institute of Sport, where her mandate included nurturing Team GB talent across the hugely successful Rio and Tokyo Olympics. 

Emma brings a wealth of knowledg...

Welcome to a very special preview episode of the People and Performance Podcast! Bill and Chris are thrilled to share a sneak peek into our upcoming Season 14. 

We’ve got an incredible lineup that’s going to take us in a slightly different, but super exciting, direction this season.

Usually, we bring you insights into the strategic competencies, behaviors, and results needed to boost workforce performance—from attraction an...

In the first People and Performance episode of 2025, we consider company culture and high achievement in the hospitality sector.

Our guest today is James Ferguson, speaker, employee engagement expert, and Corporate Director of Culture at The Wurzak Hotel Group, a Philadelphia-based, vertically integrated owner, developer, and operator of premium branded full-service, extended stay, and lifestyle hotels.

James is a...

In this episode of the People and Performance show, Dani Saadu, Head of People and Culture at Wavemaker, joins Bill and Chris to share some key strategies behind transformative workplace learning. 

Dani is co-author of The CAPEX Formula for Learning and Performance: Mega-Trends Driving the New World of Work, Learning, Skills, and HR.

With over 15 years of experience as a people and culture, talent management, and organisati...