Shift the Power

As a long-time facilitator, improv actor, therapist and social entrepreneur, Andres Marquez-Lara, is in the business of healing. He channels this passion as Founder and CEO of UFacilitate where he helps purpose-driven leaders create spaces for deep connection, collaboration and transformation. In this episode, Andres and Tyler explore some of the key points of effective facilitation and how those translate to critical leadership skills. Andres shares the story of how one of his greatest...

Parker J. Palmer is a celebrated author, activist, and Founder of the Center for Courage & Renewal. Parker created the Circle of Trust® approach after a decade of living and learning at Pendle Hill, a Quaker community and retreat center. The approach is a social technology of time-tested principles and practices to create a safe space to nurture personal and professional integrity. In this episode, Tyler and Parker examine the critical role that building trust and modeling vulnerability play...

Troi Bechet founded the Center for Restorative Approaches in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. For Troi, a restorative approach offered an alternative to the culture of punitive justice systems – a way to resolve conflict and build equity through dialogue. Through their creativity, innovation, and a vision of peace at the center, restorative circles and learning-centered approaches have much in common. Listen to this revealing podcast episode to hear more. Read the transcript...

Bill Baker, Founder and Principal of BB&Co Strategic Storytelling, knows the value of a good story. Whether you’re garnering support in your organization for a new strategic plan or teaching parents about child healthcare, stories help people make meaning that sticks. In this episode, Bill shares key insights on how to pick and tell the right stories, for the right moments to build rich connections and inspire deep learning. Read the transcript for the episode here. Sign up for a...

At the end of the violent dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet in 1990, Chileans united for a newfound democracy. The short interview you are about to hear picks up at this historic time, when primary care doctors at Chile’s leading medical school called for a revolutionary approach to their own learning, and that of the communities they served. Stay tuned for a conversation with a leader of that movement, Dr. Joaquín Montero. This short exchange with Dr. Jane Vella and Dr. Joaquín Montero...

We are very excited to announce a brand new Global Learning Partners podcast: Simply True with Dr. Jane Vella. On this limited series, GLP Founder Jane Vella explores the simple truths behind some of her favorite axioms about how adults learn with friends and colleagues. We can't wait to share these veritable “fireside chats" with you all! In the meantime, listen to this special announcement to find out what axioms are, why they stick, and what Jane is most excited about for this new...

With the recent rise in remote work, many of us are faced with the challenge of designing and facilitating engaging and inclusive meetings while in a virtual setting. Today we’re joined by Andrea Van Liew – GLP Consultant and leader of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Team – to talk about how we can be sure to tend to the core principle of “inclusion” in virtual meetings. Read the transcript here. Follow us on Twitter @GLPconsultants for the latest updates about the show and resources...

Over the last year, as more and more learning is moving to an online or virtual setting, we have begun fully embracing the importance of “blended learning” within GLP. Today we are going to talk to GLP Consultant Claudia Quinonez about what we mean by “blended learning” and why we think this should be the future for most learning events. Read the transcript here. Follow us on Twitter @GLPconsultants for the latest updates about the show and resources available for businesses and...

First 5 Alameda County funds innovative programs and advocates for policies that produce better futures for children up to age 5. Beth Hoch from First 5 Alameda and Shawn Bryant from the Teaching Excellence Center talk about adapting “Mind in the Making”, an impactful training on children’s brain development, to a virtual setting. GLP consultant Sylvia Saenger shares how the addition of micro-learning nuggets helped increase the transfer of learning from the virtual sessions to their daily...

New Moms positioned themselves as a leader in the field of workforce development through their science-informed social enterprise, Bright Endeavors. In 2019 GLP had the opportunity to document insights from their work through a learning-centered case study. These insights were later incorporated in a toolkit for other organizations involved in workforce development and employment social enterprise. Gabrielle Caverl-McNeal and Dana Emanuel from New Moms join us to share the impact of the case...

Sometimes our learning designs go off without a hitch… and sometimes, they don’t! We’ve all been there – you’ve thoughtfully planned out your learning tasks and facilitation techniques, but when you get in the room it’s just not working for one (or more) of your learners – the resistance is palpable! GLP Consultant Tonjala Eaton has a few tips to help you embrace and respond to resistance. Read the transcript here Follow us on Twitter @GLPconsultants for the latest updates about the show...

Sinapis Group started in 2010 in Kenya as an accelerator program for entrepreneurs. Since then, they have grown to operate in 9 different countries. Scaling up meant stepping back to take a hard look at their training design. Sylvie Somerville, Director of Training for Sinapis Group, and GLP Senior Partner Jeanette Romkema talk with us about their collaborative effort to re-design Sinapis’ training program to maximize impact for their entrepreneurs. Read the transcript here Follow us on...

During a year infamous for Zoom fatigue, the annual Right Horse Summit went virtual – and the results were surprising. GLP Consultant Val Uccellani and Christie Schulte Kappert from The Right Horse Initiative – the ASPCA’s equine adoption program – share the unique strategies they used to design a virtual summit that had participants engaged – on and away from the screen. The virtual summit fostered innovation and boosted collaboration between adoption and industry partners. Find the...

Most of us share at least one workday challenge: finding time and capacity to fit all the meetings and events we need into our workload. It can be a challenge to convene and design meetings that will successfully engage people who are stretched thin. GLP Consultant Sylvia Saenger shares three key strategies she swears by when designing for people with no bandwidth. Read the transcript here. Follow us on Twitter @GLPconsultants for the latest updates about the show and resources available...

Jon Baratta from the Summer Jobs Connect (SJC) Program at Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund and GLP's Tyler Phillips talk with us about their recent experience moving SJC’s annual convening to a virtual space. They talk about how encouraging relationship-building, highlighting participants’ expertise and creating a flexible space for meaningful exchanges increased engagement and strengthened the learning community. Read the transcript. Follow us on Twitter @GLPconsultants for the...

Christian MacKinnon with Elanco, an international animal pharmaceutical company, and GLP’s Jeanette Romkema speak with us about how Elanco came to embrace a learning-centered approach throughout their organization. They share the story of how a “learning-centered spark” ignited a years-long journey of organizational change within every level of Elanco – from the veterinarians, to the sales representatives, to the senior leadership. Read the transcript. Follow us on Twitter @GLPconsultants...

Ahead of the holiday season, Shift the Power co-host Peter Noteboom got a call from Prime Minister Trudeau’s office. The ask: to convene a virtual conversation between the Prime Minister and faith leaders across Canada about responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Follow us on Twitter @GLPconsultants for the latest updates about the show and resources available for businesses and individuals alike. You can also find us on Instagram @GlobalLearningPartners, Facebook, and LinkedIn! You can...

Dr. Jane Vella, Founder of Global Learning Partners, is loving what she calls “The School of the 80’s” – not the 1980’s… her 80’s. Jane shares how in the last decade she has discovered a new way of learning that is rooted in leisure, experience and vulnerability. Listen to how these insights have expanded Jane’s thinking about her original teachings on Dialogue Education™. Read Jane’s full blog post here. Follow us on Twitter @GLPconsultants for the latest updates about the show and...

Cindy Stover used to say her engaging style, appealing PowerPoints, dynamic videos, and great jokes made her feel like a workshop rockstar! We share her reflections on how Dialogue Education™ led to her “aha moment” about the importance of seeing your learners as rockstars too. Listen for tips on moving from a teaching-centered to a learning-centered approach in your learning events. For more tips, read Cindy’s full blog: Confessions of a Former Workshop Rockstar. Cindy Stover is a Justice...

Applying a learning-centered approach within the context of international development comes with its own unique set of challenges. In this episode we talk to Julia Rosenbaum, GLP Board Member and "midwife of change," and Dina Shafaqouj, Certified Dialogue Education Teacher from our Dialogue Education hub in Jordan. They share insights on navigating the tensions between funder goals and learners’ needs, and tips for shifting traditional education practices and power dynamics before the...