The BLOC Podcast

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, 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: LinkedInUseful L&D CommunityUseful Stuff

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: To learn more and get more great resources: LinkedInUseful L&D CommunityUseful Stuff

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: Please don't forget to visit our brilliant sponsor, Yellowdig, if you're looking to create more engaging learning communities. To learn more and get more great resources: LinkedInUseful L&D CommunityUseful Stuff

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: Please don't forget to visit our brilliant sponsor, Yellowdig, if you're looking to create more engaging learning communities. To learn more and get more great resources: LinkedInUseful L&D CommunityUseful Stuff

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. With 25+ years of experience in instructional design and a PhD in adult/workplace learning, Dr Carrie Graham consistently transformed organizational training into measurable business growth. Her research and hands-on work with businesses has proven that effective learning strategies directly impact bottom-line results. After observing countless workplace training programs fail to deliver ROI, Dr Graham developed the ERA Training Method—a strategic framework that improves client training outcomes by 90% while accelerating business development. Business leaders who implement my methodologies report significant improvements in team performance, operational efficiency, and ultimately, revenue growth. Dr Graham's expertise helps companies identify training-related barriers to expansion and implement solutions that align learning initiatives with strategic business objectives. She's guided organizations through critical growth phases by ensuring their teams develop the exact capabilities needed to support scaling operations. 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. To learn more and get more great resources: LinkedInUseful L&D CommunityUseful Stuff

In this episode, I chat with Hanan Harb Sahourieh, author of Everybody, Be Cool! 6 Personal Development Lessons to Elevate Your Workplace Vibe. We talk about what it really takes to level up at work, from asking tough questions to embracing self-awareness -- with plenty of pop culture and real talk along the way. Hanan Harb Sahourieh is a writer, workshop facilitator, and learning & development strategist with over 20 years of experience in writing, marketing, and workforce development. As the author of 'Everybody, Be Cool!'—a practical (and real) guide to employee growth and communication—she’s captivated audiences as a keynote speaker at events like the ATD Sacramento Learning Conference and UKG’s Thrive Summit. Her insights have been featured in top industry outlets, including Training Industry, eLearning Industry, Chief Learning Officer, and Big Think. Hanan’s mission is simple: to help people and organizations grow, connect, and thrive by developing essential skills like empathy, introspection, and curiosity. Learn more about her work and approach at everybody-be-cool.com. To learn more and get more great resources: LinkedInUseful L&D CommunityUseful Stuff

Linnéa Sjögren is a Stockholm-based educational training professional passionate about creating learning opportunities. With extensive experience in planning, developing, delivering, and evaluating various types of training, she creates everything from classroom training to blended learning and e-learning. Having worked in organizations that haven't always had the resources to hire external support, Linnéa has developed the skills to build everything from start to finish. Instructor materials, participant materials, exercises, videos, audio files, podcasts, and infographics are just a few of the things she can produce. More about her work can be found at www.linneasjogren.se, and her educational tips are available under the hashtag #pedagogiskaverktygsladan or at www.pedagogiskaverktygsladan.wordpress.com. Linnéa's suggestion on honing in on your freelance skills? Ask your favorite AI or a friend "What it is I do that is so great?" Please don't forget to visit our brilliant sponsor, Yellowdig, if you're looking to create more engaging learning communities. To learn more and get more great resources: LinkedInUseful L&D CommunityUseful Stuff

In this episode I answer the question "What process, model, or framework do you use for needs analysis? Does it have to be a formal process?" For some great questions to ask during needs analysis, visit the Ultimate Guide to Working with SMEs on the Useful Stuff website. For more on Roger Kaufman's work, I highly suggest visiting the HPT Treasures website! Thanks for listening to the BLOC! To learn more and get more great resources: LinkedInUseful L&D CommunityUseful Stuff

On this episode, my friend, Lata Hamilton, returns to talk about her new book, Pioneering Your Career Change. Lata shares stories from her own career that taught her to have the confidence to do the kind of work she loves - and how you can find work that excites you too. Lata Hamilton is a Change Leadership and Confidence expert who empowers ambitious women to carve their own paths in career, leadership, and life with confidence, authenticity, and fulfillment. A speaker, author, leadership trainer, and consultant, Lata has worked with some of Australia’s largest companies on transformative initiatives, including global cultural shifts, digital innovations, and operating model changes impacting thousands. After tripling her salary in just three years to nearly $200,000, she is on a mission to help millennial women find their worth, step into their leadership, and embrace the magic of change. Make sure you go back and listen to Lata talk with me about change management in L&D on episode 55. Thanks for listening to the BLOC! To learn more and get more great resources: LinkedInUseful L&D CommunityUseful Stuff

To end the year on a high note and to continue the celebration of 100 episodes of the BLOC, I'm sharing a replay of the #1 most downloaded episode of the BLOC of all time - a chat I had with my L&D BFF, Tim Slade. Tim Slade is a speaker, author, award-winning freelance eLearning designer, and creator of The eLearning Designer’s Academy. Having spent the last decade working to help others elevate their eLearning and visual communications content, Tim has been recognized and awarded within the eLearning industry multiple times for his creative and innovative design aesthetics. Tim is also a regular speaker at international eLearning and instructional design conferences, a LinkedIn Learning instructor, and author of The eLearning Designer’s Handbook. I took it upon myself to recommend Tim's free community of eLearning professionals to anyone who is looking to get into instructional design. Thanks for listening to the BLOC! To learn more and get more great resources: LinkedInUseful L&D CommunityUseful Stuff

It's the 100th episode of the BLOC! On this episode, I reflect on how this podcast turned into an L&D business and how human connection is what separates us from the robots. Thanks for listening to the BLOC! To learn more and get more great resources: LinkedInUseful L&D CommunityUseful Stuff

This special episode is a replay of a live podcast recording I did with Tom McDowall on November 15 in London as part of the Learning Network's Connect 2024 conference. You can also find the replay (with video) on Tom's The iDeas Podcast. I also highly recommend joining The Learning Network if you want to connect with other brilliant L&D folks! In the episode, Tom suggests everyone read Human Competence by Thomas Gilbert. Thanks for listening to the BLOC! To learn more and get more great resources: LinkedInUseful L&D CommunityUseful Stuff

In this episode, I invite all of you to join the Useful L&D Community I launched back in September. I share a little bit about why I started this (global - as I forgot to mention in the episode) safe space for aspiring, new, and expert L&D pros to connect and working together to make learning more useful. We are having great discussions, hosting events, and we're just getting started! Join us here: https://useful-stuff.circle.so/join?invitation_token=729b68d43899a5f480ee11363cc12b7a9b766573-aea3a980-a69c-4a70-b0f4-8d3b27a526c4 Thanks for listening to the BLOC! To learn more and get more great resources: LinkedInUseful L&D CommunityUseful Stuff

In this episode, I chat with Fred Thompson, CEO of Thirst, about staying current in L&D and how he's managed to continue to take a modern approach to L&D, despite beginning his career with Flash. Fred Thompson is CEO of Thirst and is a seasoned learning and development expert with over two decades of experience helping businesses create engaging learning environments that level up learner engagement. Fred has spearheaded numerous initiatives that have empowered employees to learn and develop in the most intuitive way possible. His insights into the latest learning technologies and trends have been invaluable to countless organizations looking to turbocharge their learning cultures with game-changing learning platforms. Fred has a passion for using AI and machine learning to create social learning experiences that meet the unique needs of each employee and help them enhance their skills and grow their careers. Fred's suggestion for taking a modern approach to L&D: Thanks for listening to the BLOC! To learn more and get more great resources: LinkedInUseful L&D CommunityUseful Stuff