The Mindtools L&D Podcast

489 — Are you levelling up your managers?

Managers are inundated with potential development areas, from technical skills to complex behaviors. But are you focusing on the right ones? In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast, our in-house Insights experts Dr. Anna Barnett and Dr. Nina Harrison speak to Claire about: * how recent research reveals some unexpected co-benefits to managerial skill building * how these insights can help us to look at organisational problem areas differently. You can download the infographic at mindtools.com/thought-leadership/reports/building-better-managers-infographic [https://www.mindtools.com/thought-leadership/reports/building-better-managers-infographic/]. In 'What I Learned This Week', Nina discussed her new reading technique to absorb more of 'Scattered Minds' [https://drgabormate.com/book/scattered-minds/] by Dr Gabor Maté. For more from Mindtools Kineo, visit mindtools.com [https://www.mindtools.com/] or kineo.com [https://kineo.com/]. There, you'll also find details of our Learning Management Systems, Content Hub for leaders and managers, and custom learning design service. Like the show? You'll LOVE our newsletter! Subscribe to The L&D Dispatch at lddispatch.com [https://www.lddispatch.com/] Connect with our speakers If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with us on LinkedIn: * Claire Gibson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairefordgibson-learning-design/] * Dr Anna Barnett [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-barnett-phd/]

488 — L&D is a bit more complicated than that

Completion stats are a vanity metric. Happy sheets are pointless. Revenue impact will get you a seat at the table. We've all heard these statements from conference stages. Some of us, your hosts included, might even have said them. But in this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast, we wanted to dig a little deeper. We invited Evolve L&D's Tom McDowall to join Ross G and Claire, to discuss: * why the context behind completion metrics is crucial to understanding them * how to design effective learner surveys * how 'metric chains' help broaden our understanding of learning impact. During the discussion, we referenced Dr Will Thalheimer's book Performance-focused smile sheets [https://smilesheets.com/]. In 'What I Learned This Week', Claire discussed the design of the London Tube map [https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/culture-and-heritage/art-and-design/harry-becks-tube-map]. Ross G discussed a novel genetic modification technique [https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/03/04/a-basket-of-new-fruit-varieties-is-coming-your-way] known colloquially as 'agriculture'. And it's recent acceleration. To find out more about Tom, visit evolve-ld.com [https://www.evolve-ld.com/]. For more on the IDTX conference, see idtx.co.uk [https://idtx.co.uk/]. For more from Mindtools Kineo, visit mindtools.com [https://www.mindtools.com/] or kineo.com [https://kineo.com/]. There, you'll also find details of our Learning Management Systems, Content Hub for leaders and managers, and custom learning design service. Like the show? You'll LOVE our newsletter! Subscribe to The L&D Dispatch at lddispatch.com [https://www.lddispatch.com/] Connect with our speakers If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with us on LinkedIn: * Ross Garner [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ross-garner/] * Claire Gibson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairefordgibson-learning-design/] * Tom McDowall [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-mcdowall/]

487 — The future of e-learning interfaces (Rebroadcast)

Hello listeners! No new episode this week, but we wanted to take the opportunity to dig into the vault and revisit an old favorite from 2024 with Ben Betts. At the time we recorded this one, Ben had receently published a blog post, in which he wrote that 'the LMS is the first point of entry to learning; the front-of-house of our industry.' While that front-of-house may look a little different now than it did twenty years ago, and despite the oft-repeated claim that the LMS is dying, it remains the default gateway to digital learning in organizations. But are things changing? To answer that question and others, Ben joined us to discuss: * the many eras of the LMS, and how we got to where we are now; * the forces that have shaped e-learning interfaces over time; * how AI and other changes in the tech landscape might usher in a new era. You can read Ben's blog post, 'What's the Next Generation of E-Learning Interfaces?', on his website [https://benbetts.co.uk/whats-the-next-generation-of-e-learning-interfaces/]. For more from Mindtools Kineo, visit mindtools.com [https://www.mindtools.com/] or kineo.com [https://kineo.com/]. There, you'll also find details of our Learning Management Systems, Content Hub for leaders and managers, and custom learning design service. Like the show? You'll LOVE our newsletter! Subscribe to The L&D Dispatch at lddispatch.com [https://www.lddispatch.com/] Connect with our speakers If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with us on LinkedIn: * Ross Dickie [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ross-dickie-88408388/?originalSubdomain=uk] * Owen Ferguson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/owenferguson/] * Ben Betts [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benbetts/]

486 — How to escape the 'hero trap'

Often, leaders are promoted into their roles because of their ability to solve problems. But that strength can become a weakness when it leads to dependency, creating an environment where the leader is always swooping in to save the day. In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Ross D and Cammy are joined by Bill Flynn, CEO of Catalyst Growth Advisors and author of The Hero Trap, to discuss: * what the 'hero trap' is and why leaders fall into it; * why the behaviors that bring early success often limit growth later on; * how leadership development programs need to change to address this issue; * how we can help leaders make the shift from problem-solvers to systems-architects. You can pre-order The Hero Trap here [https://promo.porchlightbooks.com/pages/promotions/herotrapmindtools], and find out more about Bill's work on his website [https://catalystgrowthadvisors.com/]. In 'What I Learned This Week', Ross D recommended the podcast Rabbit Hole [https://www.nytimes.com/column/rabbit-hole]. For more from Mindtools Kineo, visit mindtools.com [https://www.mindtools.com/] or kineo.com [https://kineo.com/]. There, you'll also find details of our Learning Management Systems, Content Hub for leaders and managers, and custom learning design service. Like the show? You'll LOVE our newsletter! Subscribe to The L&D Dispatch at lddispatch.com [https://www.lddispatch.com/] Connect with our speakers If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with us on LinkedIn: * Ross Dickie [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ross-dickie/] * Cammy Bean [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cammybean/] * Bill Flynn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/billflynnpublic/]

485 — What will be hot in workplace L&D in 2026?

In the introduction to the latest Global Sentiment Survey report, Donald Taylor describes this year's results as 'the most significant' in the survey's history. In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Don joins Ross D and Ross G to discuss: * whether interest in AI has peaked; * why Don believes the results reflect a breaking of old norms; * the steady climb of 'showing value' and the relative decline of 'learning analytics'; * the key challenges L&D professionals are facing; * the things these professionals are doing now that they weren't doing a year ago. You can download a copy of the Global Sentiment Survey report here [https://donaldhtaylor.co.uk/research_base/global-sentiment-survey-2026/]. In 'What I Learned This Week', Ross G drew an analogy between content in the pre-AI era and low-background steel [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-background_steel]. Don recommended A Knight's Own Book of Chivalry [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Chivalry] by Geoffroi de Charny. And Ross D referenced the article 'An AI Agent Published a Hit Piece on Me [https://theshamblog.com/an-ai-agent-published-a-hit-piece-on-me/]' by Scott Shambaugh. For more from Mindtools Kineo, visit mindtools.com [https://www.mindtools.com/] or kineo.com [https://kineo.com/]. There, you'll also find details of our Learning Management Systems, Content Hub for leaders and managers, and custom learning design service. Like the show? You'll LOVE our newsletter! Subscribe to The L&D Dispatch at lddispatch.com [https://www.lddispatch.com/] Connect with our speakers If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with us on LinkedIn: * Ross Dickie [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ross-dickie/] * Ross Garner [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ross-garner/] * Donald Taylor [https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaldhtaylor/]