Bring Out the Talent: A Learning and Development Podcast

As more research and case studies emerge, the evidence supporting the benefits of a shorter workweek continues to grow, making it an increasingly popular choice for forward-thinking organizations. However, despite the positive outcomes, the majority of companies still struggle with the idea of adopting a four-day work week. In this episode of “Bring Out the Talent” we explore the findings from a 12-month study on a four-day workweek - unveiling its impact on success rates, revenue, well-being, and more. Joining us to discuss this popular topic is our returning guest, Jordan George. Jordan is a Principal Consultant and Head of Client Solutions at Curium Solutions US, an award-winning business transformation consultancy working with global brands. Tune in as we arm you with actionable insights for navigating this transformative shift.

Did you know that a staggering 60% of leaders experience burnout by the end of each day? Another study revealed that an astonishing 87% of leaders reported regularly switching between three or more roles throughout their workday. These statistics highlight the need for leaders to prioritize their own mental and physical well-being. What impact will this have on the organization if your leaders are burnt out? In this episode of 'Bring Out the Talent,' we are joined by Dr. Allessandria Polizzi, CEO, and owner of Verdant Consulting, to better understand the importance of self-care for leaders. With her extensive expertise, Al shares valuable strategies that leaders can implement to enhance their overall well-being, effectively manage stress, and maintain resilience in the face of challenges. Tune in as we discuss this very important topic and learn strategies on how to prioritize our mental and physical well-being with Dr. Allessandria Polizzi.

In today's competitive market, sales professionals encounter numerous obstacles that can significantly impact their success. However, with the right strategies and techniques, salespeople can effectively overcome these common challenges and build strong relationships with potential customers. In this episode of "Bring Out the Talent," we are joined by Tom Hurley, the managing partner at OwenCollier Partners, a leading sales consulting company. Tom shares key insights to help salespeople flourish in the face of changing market conditions and customer preferences. Tune in to this week's episode of "Bring Out the Talent" and learn practical tips and expert insights that will empower sales professionals to be more successful and thrive in today's competitive market.

Celebrate our momentous 50th episode of Bring Out the Talent with an inspiring exploration of individual strengths and their profound impact on collective success. Join us as we dive into the world of CliftonStrengths coaching, where we uncover the transformative power that lies within each of us. In this episode, we chat with Kisha Dixon, a certified CliftonStrengths coach who has empowered countless individuals and teams to reach their full potential. Discover the significance of self-awareness, and how embracing our unique strengths can be the key to unlocking unparalleled synergy within groups and organizations. Whether you're an entrepreneur, team leader, or simply someone seeking personal growth, this episode promises invaluable insights to elevate your understanding of self and others. Embrace the power of individuality and learn how harnessing diverse strengths can propel us towards collective achievement. Join us as we mark our 50th episode in true podcast style, with a thought-provoking conversation that illuminates the path to harnessing individual strengths for a future filled with limitless possibilities.

Public speaking is the number one phobia in the world. The good news is there are specific, actionable steps you can take to decrease your anxiety about public speaking. In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, our guest, Terry Bean, will help us navigate through the most common challenges people face when presenting and will provide strategies to overcome them. Terry's expertise as a three-time TEDx speaker, Business Development Coach, Author, Trainer, and Consultant has empowered individuals and organizations to enhance their presentation skills and build meaningful connections with their audiences. Tune in to discover how you can cultivate unwavering confidence, speak with poise, and make a lasting impact in any situation. Don't miss this opportunity to unlock your true speaking potential!

68% of customers leave a company because they feel the business doesn't care about them. So, as leaders, it's crucial to prioritize customer service and create a culture that values and fosters excellent customer experiences. In this episode of Bring Out The Talent, we are joined by Holly O'Donnell, founder of Slone Solutions, a leading customer service consultancy firm, to discuss ways that leaders can prioritize customer service, empower their employees, and drive long-term success. Tune in as we explore how service leadership can drive customer loyalty, increase revenue, and ultimately transform your business, highlighting the indispensable role customer service plays in today's competitive landscape.

In this episode of "Bring Out The Talent," we to discuss the power of generative AI and its potential for HR and Learning and Development departments with our guest Gary DePaul, PhD. Gary unravels the potential and the power of generative AI, shedding light on its positive and negative implications for those in L&D and HR roles. From personalized learning experiences to ethical considerations, we delve into how this technology is reshaping the landscape. Discover how generative AI is revolutionizing training programs and the challenges it poses in terms of data privacy. Tune in for a captivating exploration of the dynamic effects of generative AI on learning and development!

In this episode of "Bring Out The Talent," we are joined by Maggie Redling and Coleman Williams, owners of Wrestling With Talent, to discuss how each of us can drive effective change and develop an emotional connection that will engage our workplace by using the power of storytelling. Learn how storytelling can evolve into a companywide theme that unites teams and fosters high participation and positive change. Maggie and Coleman share their journey of transforming a mundane compliance learning program into a fun experience that everyone wanted to be a part of. Drawing from their expertise in leadership development, HR consulting, and learning innovation, Maggie and Coleman share their experiences and creativity to guide us in creating impactful learning experiences and cultivating a stronger, more engaged workplace culture. So, tune in as we uncover the power of storytelling to drive performance and engagement in the workplace.

In this episode of "Bring Out The Talent," we explore the importance of psychological safety in the workplace with our guest, Kristy Busija. Kristy breaks down the four stages of psychological safety and shares how leaders can cultivate each of these stages. We also discuss how leaders can create a personal action plan to establish a psychologically safe environment for themselves and their teams, misconceptions surrounding psychological safety and its impact on mental health and wellness, and the different aspects of psychological safety when working in a hybrid workplace. Tune in as we welcome Kristy Busija, CEO and Founder of Next Conversation Coaching, to help us prioritize psychological safety and create a workplace that empowers personal growth, innovation, and mental health.

In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we are joined by Karan Ferrell-Rhodes. Karan is an organizational psychologist, a leadership development strategist, an HR consultant, and the CEO of Shockingly Different Leadership. In today’s conversation, Karan shares her research of over 10,000 global high-potential leaders and their organizations and shares how they rose to the top of their game in their profession or industry. She also discusses the top 7 characteristics of successful leaders, whether or not those characteristics can be developed, the best way to spot these traits in emerging leaders, and so much more. Tune in and gain a better understanding of the most effective leadership styles and even identify our own strengths and weaknesses to ultimately become better leaders or spot emerging leaders in our workplaces.

We are in the midst of a collaboration revolution. We are working with everyone, all the time, across silos and different platforms, but sometimes it feels as if we're stuck in a no-win cycle. We’re dealing with a sometimes-overwhelming influx of asks, with unclear lines of communication, and authority. This leaves many of us asking - how can we improve the way our teams work together? In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we are joined by one of our favorite returning guests, Bruce Tulgan. Bruce is the founder and CEO of Rainmaker Thinking and internationally recognized as a leading expert on the best practices of effective management. He earned a B.A. magna cum laude from Amherst College and a J.D. from the New York University School of Law. In this conversation, Bruce helps us improve the way we work together, motivates us to rethink collaboration in the workplace, when to say "no" or "not yet," and how to better understand the peculiar mathematics of real influence. Tune in as Bruce shares invaluable insight and helps us improve the way our teams work together!

A surprising Gallup survey recently revealed that 77% of employees have some degree of mistrust of their leaders. This alarming number is important to address because trust touches every area of a business. Research tells us that there is a direct correlation between high trust and high engagement and productivity. So, what can leaders do if their employees lack trust, and more importantly, how can leaders build and maintain it? In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we are joined by Dr. Darryl Stickel. Dr. Stickel helps us explore the important topic of trust in the workplace and what we can do to develop it. Dr. Stickel has devoted his career to understanding trust, what it is, how it functions, and how to increase it. He holds a PhD in Business from Duke University and wrote the book, “Building Trust: Exceptional Leadership in an Uncertain World.” After leaving Mckinsey & Company in 2001, Darryl founded Trust Unlimited and he is also a professor at the Luxembourg School of Business teaching in the MBA program and in their executive education program. Tune in as Dr. Stickel shares invaluable insight and helps us explore his revolutionary blueprint for developing trust within leaders.

The past few years have caused many business leaders to rethink the way their organizations work, where they get the work done, and how long a workweek should be. Since the 1900s, a 40-hour work week has been the accepted standard in the workplace. But has the idea of a 40-hour – five-day workweek evolved? Research seems to suggest that less is more. But what are the ramifications of a shorter work week and do the benefits outweigh them? It also leaves the question of which is better: a 4-day work week, a reduced-hour work week, or a flexible schedule. In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we dive into the benefits and potential challenges of a 4-day work week, discuss alternatives schedules, the effects a reduced hour work week can have, what to do if a reduced hour initiative flops, and so much more with our special guest, Jordan George. Jordan is an award-winning talent development leader and international speaker focused on empowering people and businesses to achieve their full potential. He is the Principal Consultant – Head of Client Solutions at Curium Solutions US, an award-winning business transformation consultancy working with global brands. Tune in as Jordan shares invaluable insight and helps us better understand the possibilities of a four-day work week.

In this episode of “Bring Out the Talent,” we speak with Dr. James Stanger, Chief Technology Evangelist at CompTIA and recognized authority in security, information technology, workforce development, analytics, and open source. Dr. Stanger consults regularly with organizations such as the University of Cambridge, Oxford University, West Point, AstraZeneca, Target, and Dell – just to name a few. As an award-winning author, blogger, and educator, Dr Stanger’s writings for Linux Magazine, O’Reilly Media, McGraw-Hill, and Eselvier have been translated into over a dozen languages. In addition to his work as an active IT professional, he has helped design global education, certification, and badging programs in topics as diverse as security analytics, Linux administration, and web development. Tune in as we explore the rapidly changing technology landscape and hear what Dr. Stanger predicts will be the emerging tech trends and focus for 2023. Dr. Stanger will talk about some of the major issues the IT workforce will face the workforce in 2023 including: security, data analytics, and cloud technologies. He also will discuss issues facing the IT workforce today such as skill shortage, skill development, IT worker burnout, and more.

There are numerous studies showing the significant impact that leaders have on the quality of a company’s culture. A leader’s talent, skill, and knowledge can improve company culture and productivity exponentially. In fact, there is a 70% difference in culture quality between companies with great leaders versus inadequate leaders. In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” our two special guests, Angie Tinch and Kisha Dixon share a powerful story on transformational leadership. They note how an organization was both brave and vulnerable enough to admit when things were broken, and that in order to move forward, it was necessary to take a step back to assess and then address the dysfunction. It was discovered that there were misalignments and unclear visions between the management team and team members – they needed to come together. Through both weekly training sessions and the utilization of several workshops – including Clifton Strengths – they were able to turn their team around and have never been stronger. They now accept being vulnerable, have open communication, share their visions, increased their sales; and still use the principles taught, years later. Tune in as we discuss how the changes that the Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road Council adopted have made a tremendous impact on the way they operate and lead, and how other organizations can achieve similar success.

Leadership can be defined in many different ways, but author Joanne Ciulla said it best when she wrote, “Leadership is not a person or a position. It’s a complex moral relationship between people based on trust, obligation, commitment, emotion, and a shared vision of the good.” There are many leaders among us, and they’re found in various kinds of people, places, and even the most unlikely positions. Unfortunately, many people – especially women – struggle with leadership, as only 35% currently hold a leadership position out of the 54.3% that make up today’s workforce. What’s more, is that individuals may not even realize that they have the ability to lead or influence, because they believe that to be an effective leader, they must have a title, or they view leadership as something that has to be earned. People don’t need to change who they are to be an effective leader – they simply need to have a passion for what they do and learn how to leverage who they are to make an impact. In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we are joined by Ashley Cox. Ashley is the Founder and CEO of SproutHR and author of “Transform Your Stories: Overcome Your Toxic Stories, Become a Courageous and Confident Leader, and Impact the World.” Tune in as we learn some tips to lead successfully and confidently in the workplace!

Research by the Brandon Hall Group found that organizations with a strong onboarding process improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%. While creating a strategic employee onboarding process continues to be a key focus for many organizations, many miss the mark when it comes to building an effective new-hire program. In fact, a report from Gallup uncovered that 88% of organizations ‍don't onboard well at all! What successful organizations have come to know and reinforce is that a successful onboarding program is ongoing, with an emphasis on fostering relationships and creating connectivity and much more than paperwork. In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we are joined by Zakiya Khalfani. Zakiya is a Facilitator, Trainer, and Senior TTA Consultant with over 32 years of experience. She is passionate about helping organizations create onboarding programs that help increase success and retention. Tune in as we learn how to onboard for long-term success!

Most organizations know the importance of continuous workplace learning, but are we teaching our teams how to learn? Oftentimes, corporations may miss the mark on developing a specific learning plan that identifies what is needed in order to close the skills gap. Furthermore, many employees enter the workforce without being fully prepared for the unstructured nature and complexities of the modern workplace learning environment. Organizations need a dynamic skills-focused strategy that enables employees to learn and apply desirable skills quickly and effectively. In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we talk with our special guest, Dr. Trudy Mandeville, CEO and Chief Learning Officer of TCP Learning about what learning leaders need to make learning strategies more effective, and uncover learning myths. Tune in as we learn how to support and create a culture of continuous learning in the workplace!

Changing careers has become a growing movement among our current workforce. A recent poll has found that approximately 52% of American employees are considering making a career change, and 44% have already embarked on making the switch. One area seeing tremendous change is teachers pivoting away from academia and moving toward corporate learning and development positions. In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we speak with Cyndi Threatt, Manager of Learning and Development at American Credit Acceptance. Cyndi was a 4th-grade teacher who after 7 years, pivoted into the corporate L&D space. She has since built a successful L&D department from the ground up and hired two teachers turned L&D contractors. Cyndi discusses why teachers have the right skills and background that can help them quickly transition into corporate America. Tune in as we explore the career journey from a teacher to a learning and development professional!

A recent survey of large companies revealed that inadequate communication, both to and from employees, resulted in an average loss of $62.4 million per year. In a separate study, it was reported that miscommunication costs smaller companies an average of $420,000 per year. Can your organization afford the cost of not focusing on developing effective communication skills? In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we dive into the importance of clear and confident communication in the workplace, why having strong communication skills matters, how to develop a framework for effective communication with employees, and the benefits that an improved communication framework can bring to an organization with our guest, Michael Broussard. Michael is a communications expert, trainer, and coach. Tune in as we learn tips for communicating clearly, effectively, and confidently in the workplace!