The BLOC Podcast

110: Goodbye to the BLOC!

In this episode, I say goodbye to the Building Learning and Organizational Culture (BLOC) podcast after 5 years.  Thank you so much to each and every guest that made this podcast special! I couldn't have don it without you. It'll continue to be posted on your favorite podcast platforms so you can go back and listen at any time.  I've compiled a list of the resources shared from all 110 episodes of the podcast. You can find it here [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xACoNvr0esaQysSuguyqMd39FdybZWjMtsMyu9ODT1M/copy], where you'll be prompted to make a copy so that you can filter, edit, and sort and create a professional development plan for yourself.  To learn more and get more great resources: * Connect with me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiekirby/] * Join our global Useful L&D Community [https://useful-stuff.circle.so/join?invitation_token=729b68d43899a5f480ee11363cc12b7a9b766573-aea3a980-a69c-4a70-b0f4-8d3b27a526c4] * Work with me or see what I'm working on with Useful Stuff [https://www.getusefulstuff.com/]

109: Combating Burnout with Hana Michels

In this unique, unfiltered, and completely unedited episode, I chat with my brilliant life coach, Hana Michels, about burnout: what it is, how it shows up differently for different people, and how to fight it when you aren't able to quit your job and rest for a year.  Hana Michels has been written up in the LA Times, LA Weekly and others.  She received her life coaching certification from the Wainwright Global Coaching Institute. She has also been trained in The Tools methodology & techniques (recently featured in the Netflix documentary Stutz) by Barry Michels, co-author of The Tools and Coming Alive, whom she can’t pretend is not her father because they share a last name. She knows how hard it is to form and keep habits and is here for anyone who needs to do so. She works hard to help clients with whatever they wish to address, including overall discipline and organization, talking through creative ideas and/or help bringing specific projects to fruition, overall mood and emotional regulation, finding your own personal answers to key life decisions, mindfulness techniques, enduring life’s transitions or difficulties, rekindling passion for a creative practice, communication between couples, communication between work partners, adapting personalizing and fitting a tools practice into your life, adapting personalizing and fitting a shadow work practice into your life, combating part x (also part of The Tools methodology,) weird family stuff, normal but still difficult family stuff, accountability and help when trying to establish new habits, accountability and help when trying to replace or eliminate old habits, and more! Whew, that was a lot! To work with Hana or learn more about her work, visit her linktree: https://linktr.ee/sparkcreativecoaching Hana's suggestions for dealing with burnout: * If you're creatively burnt out and unable to create, try a brand new art form you know you'll be bad at so there's no pressure! * If you're plagued by dwelling on the future or the past, try mindfulness and getting in touch with your five senses.  * If you have a lot of baggage from childhood, look into the books that exist on this topic (there are so many - just start a Google search)! * If productivity guilt is weighing you down, check out Devon Price, PhD's book "Laziness Does Not Exist." * If your nervous system feels overloaded, try breathing exercises while having your finger on your pulse so that you can feel the heartbeat slowing or modify the exercise so you're not holding your breath so long. And don't hold your breath too long, or you'll pass out. Splash cold water on yourself.  * If grounding helps, carry something in your pocket that has an interesting texture.  * If you are overvaluing anyone's opinion of you, create a silly visual to represent that person (instead of picturing people naked -- weird!).  To learn more and get more great resources: * Connect with me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiekirby/] * Join our global Useful L&D Community [https://useful-stuff.circle.so/join?invitation_token=729b68d43899a5f480ee11363cc12b7a9b766573-aea3a980-a69c-4a70-b0f4-8d3b27a526c4] * Work with me or see what I'm working on with Useful Stuff [https://www.getusefulstuff.com/]

108: Pracademia with Dr. Owen Chamberlain

In today's episode,  I chat with my new friend, Dr. Owen Chamberlain, about pracademia and how we can narrow the gap between theory and practice by approaching what we learn in academia with more practical intent. We talk about the role of truth in learning and asking the kinds of questions that matter.  Owen Chamberlain is a strategist, writer and speaker with 15+ years of experience in organizational transformation, remote work culture, and the future of leadership. He currently works at a Fortune 500 company, shaping strategy at the intersection of people, systems, and power. A British-born ‘pracademic’, he is currently based in Colorado. Owen has a doctorate in education and critical theory, and his research draws heavily from Foucault, systems thinking, and lived experience. He is particularly interested in the evolution of professional identity, how invisible power shapes our working lives, and the role of technology in shaping the future of work. Owen has spoken at major conferences in both the US and UK on topics ranging from the future of remote work to the politics of knowledge in corporate systems. He is a guest lecturer, podcast contributor, and behind-the-scenes advisor to executives seeking to redesign their organizations with humanity in mind. His writing has been featured in business journals and online platforms. Before his current role, Owen held senior positions in both corporate and educational sectors, often serving as the bridge between legacy institutions and emerging models of work. His previous roles include strategic advisor, director of execution, and consultant on distributed teams and transformation initiatives. He is best known for blending sharp analysis with irreverent humor, frequently asking the questions others avoid, whilst delivering this with a Northern British accent. He’s also after the perfect curry recipe. When not interrogating the cultural machinery of work, he spends weekends either hiking, fixing things, or playing music. He misses British pubs, but not British weather. Find him on  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/owenchamberlain Website: owenchamberlain.com Owen's suggestions for: * Learning more about pracademia: Google "arts-based learning" and "arts-based research" to see pracademia in action * For your general professional journey: do a therapy course to learn how to ask great questions and listen well Please don't forget to visit our brilliant sponsor, Yellowdig [https://www.yellowdig.co/], if you're looking to create more engaging learning communities. To learn more and get more great resources: * Connect with me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiekirby/] * Join our global Useful L&D Community [https://useful-stuff.circle.so/join?invitation_token=729b68d43899a5f480ee11363cc12b7a9b766573-aea3a980-a69c-4a70-b0f4-8d3b27a526c4] * Work with me or see what I'm working on with Useful Stuff [https://www.getusefulstuff.com/]

107: How to Get Better Support for Your Learning Initiatives

In this solo episode, I share 3 best practices for getting more or better leadership support for your learning initiatives based on my experience and research.  Those three tips include: 1.  Knowing the common obstacles and how to overcome them 2. Aligning your work with business goals from the beginning 3. Showing the impact of your work (going above and beyond survey and assessment data) Please don't forget to visit our brilliant sponsor, Yellowdig [https://www.yellowdig.co/], if you're looking to create more engaging learning communities. To learn more and get more great resources: * Connect with me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiekirby/] * Join our global Useful L&D Community [https://useful-stuff.circle.so/join?invitation_token=729b68d43899a5f480ee11363cc12b7a9b766573-aea3a980-a69c-4a70-b0f4-8d3b27a526c4] * Work with me or see what I'm working on with Useful Stuff [https://www.getusefulstuff.com/]

106: Strategic and Intentional Learning Consulting with Dr. Carrie Graham

In this episode, I chat with Dr. Carrie Graham about how to consult with intention in the learning space, specifically how to treat clients and organizations with patience, respect, and grace when you begin work with them and have to tell them they're doing things wrong or poorly.  Carrie is a Learning Solutions Architect known for translating executive vision into tangible performance outcomes. She specializes in designing training strategies that align with organizational values, support business goals, and deliver measurable impact—often within just 90 days. Carrie’s strategic approach has led to a 40% reduction in onboarding time, an 85% improvement in knowledge retention, and a 3x return on training investment. Her work ensures consistent execution across all levels of an organization, seamlessly integrating learning with broader business strategy to drive real, scalable results.  Carrie's suggestion for someone getting started with consulting to try an focus in their strategy/vision? The best resource is your mind -- you have to understand your own process and document it so that you can implement it.  Please don't forget to visit our brilliant sponsor, Yellowdig [https://www.yellowdig.co/], if you're looking to create more engaging learning communities. To learn more and get more great resources: * Connect with me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiekirby/] * Join our global Useful L&D Community [https://useful-stuff.circle.so/join?invitation_token=729b68d43899a5f480ee11363cc12b7a9b766573-aea3a980-a69c-4a70-b0f4-8d3b27a526c4] * Work with me or see what I'm working on with Useful Stuff [https://www.getusefulstuff.com/]