We're always curious to hear how our members and contributors tackle the challenges that the ever-changing world of L&D throws at them. We've got a wealth of experience and knowledge across the site, and what better way to showcase the diversity of our community than to get them to walk us through an average day?
Want to tell us about your way of working? Email us at editor@trainingzone.co.uk, or let us know in the comments below.
Sarah Danzl is the Marketing & Communications Lead at Degreed, a learning & development platform based in sunny San Francisco. Sarah is a newcomer to TrainingZone and has written for us about content curation in learning, and is looking forward to writing more!
So, Sarah, talk us through your average day...
07:00 – Get my sweat on at aerobics or cycle class. This day will be my….well I’m pumped. Let’s just say that.
09:00 – Grab an espresso and my laptop, and invest in myself for 30 minutes, completing that days recommended learning on Degreed and checking up on industry news.
11:00 – I am tucked away deep in the right side of my noggin, writing new content for a webinar we have coming up. Don’t even think about Slacking me.
13:00 – I am mid-sprint, running upstairs to exchange my pajama’s for a nice shirt before my video call with a client. I politely smile as I exchange my first born for use of their logo, joint participation in an award applications and speaking engagements.
15:00 – Writers block. And I need a snack and some sunshine. I leash up our furry children and we head for a quick walk (or the second sprint of my day if I’m at their pace) with our 2 blockheads, Harvey and Cici. “Learning how to learn – oh yeah that’s a great one. We should do that.”
15:30 – Time to find some inspiration. Thank goodness for Google and Degreed. How can I communicate better? What topics are people searching for in L&D this month? My ADD undoubtedly kicks in and my content search turns into getting lost in a diversity article or personal branding e-book. I make sure to log my experiences in Degreed because I’m going to get the most learning points on the marketing team this week if it kills me, or my brain. It’s all about winning, right?!
17:00 – Tummy. Hungry. Time to whip up dinner for the family and reflect. 4 meetings, 1 new blog post, 1 webinar dry run, and edited a client case study. A good, productive day. But my red wine is helping me find new themes, better event titles - jotting a few ideas down as I stir the marinara.
19:00 – Family dinner and I shut down my brain and the computer. But the pen and paper is never far for those few and far between moments of genius!
Now, tell us...
What are your main passions within L&D?
Making learning easy, so much so that people can turn it into a daily habit. It’s the first thing to go when we get busy, yet it’s the key to our next promotion and future success.
What part of your job do you enjoy the most?
Getting to see the lightbulb go off for an L&D leader when they see a solution to learner complaints. Most of these folks are passionate, looking for a way to be more effective, and when they find that solution, it’s a feel-good for sure!
And it’s the world’s biggest cliché but I’m not ashamed – I love my job and my company. And I’m not ashamed or bothered that you’re rolling your eyes at me. I am an empowered, listened-to millennial who also happens to be a female, and those are considered benefits at my company! I sit here with my pup snuggled on my lap, team mates open to helping me if I need it, interacting with Fortune 500’s leaders, helping people realize their potential both personally and at their organizations. Nuff’said.
What one thing would you improve?
Being more present. Like most, my to-do is embarrassingly long. It sounds counterintuitive but I want to get better about not multi-tasking. I want to be in a meeting when I am there, not checking email and half-focusing. I want to be writing and not letting my mind wander. I want to be at the dinner table, not checking my phone and email. I think that will help me be more effective in all aspects of my life.
One tip you’d pass on to your peers?
Don’t skip the learning opportunities. Even if you take 10 minutes a day, it will set you up for success by expanding your knowledge base. And to L&D managers, find a way to reward those that are making the time. It’s a note-worthy achievement, millennials or not.
