Great leaders are great teachers
Effective leaders function as teachers, using team meetings and one-on-one interactions to develop future leaders and embed organizational principles. Rather than viewing these moments as criticism opportunities, great leaders teach their teams to learn from mistakes and understand strategic decisions deeply.
Caption comp: March/April 2015
EJRoden won the March/April 2015 caption competition with a clever joke about classroom training reduction. The free monthly contest is open to all members who submit humorous captions for featured images.
L&D news round-up: 26 March
This week’s L&D news roundup covers remote coaching techniques, interview tips from Google, leadership strategies for navigating change, and predictive analytics in HR. Additional highlights include UK investment in quantum engineering training, skills initiatives in the energy sector, and continued progress on gender equality in UK boardrooms.
Are the managers you’re training ‘too busy’?
Managers often struggle with training engagement and cite being “too busy” as an excuse for not applying new skills. This typically stems from their inability to delegate and shift from task-focused work to strategic thinking, creating stress and limiting business results.
L&D news round-up: 12 March
This L&D news round-up covers digital skills development in healthcare, leadership inspiration, emerging technology trends, and early IT education initiatives from March 12th.
Four steps to energising and retaining talent
Retain your best talent by identifying disengagement early and creating a workplace environment that matches individual motivations. Great leaders communicate constantly, understand what inspires each team member, and resolve motivational issues before they drive staff to seek jobs elsewhere.
L&D news round-up: 19 Feb
This L&D news roundup covers key stories including HR Zone’s relaunch, skills academy initiatives, and leadership development trends. Topics range from strategic HR challenges and digital economy impacts on leadership to digital skills education reform and unconventional leadership insights.
What we need from leadership training pt2
Effective leadership training requires mastering diverse techniques through experiential learning, developing core personal skills, and gaining real-world experience where mistakes can be made safely. Wisdom emerges from combining theoretical knowledge with practical experience and learning from both successes and failures.
Thinking out aloud…
Designing a World War II-based war game activity for executive leadership training to teach strategy, teamwork, and decision-making. The author seeks framework suggestions, historical context, and feedback on integrating this immersive scenario throughout a full training session.
What we need from leadership training
Effective leadership requires both teachable tools—like strategic thinking and decision-making—and personal growth skills that develop through experience and training simulations. Unlike management, true leadership inspires extraordinary achievement and creates long-term organizational success through vision, decisive action, and the ability to communicate strategy and marshal resources effectively.
Infographic: 2015 resolutions for managers
It’s never too late to improve your management practices. This infographic shares actionable tips managers can implement throughout the year to enhance their workflow and professional effectiveness.
I want my leader to…
A good leader combines vision with practical preparation, inspiring teams toward ambitious goals while ensuring careful planning, clear communication, and recognition of individual value. Essential leadership skills include strategic foresight, thorough planning, and the ability to adapt to unexpected challenges while keeping team members informed and valued throughout the journey.
Does L&D need a seat at the top table? pt2
L&D must become an integral business partner at every organizational level, challenging decisions and linking learning initiatives to business objectives and performance metrics. Rather than fighting for a “seat at the table,” L&D professionals should establish credibility through data-driven insights, understand the business model deeply, and lead a performance improvement culture while addressing organizational barriers to collaboration.
L&D news round-up: 30 Jan
This week’s L&D news roundup covers leadership lessons, HR technology trends for 2015, and insights on developing skills in children through play and mentorship.
Does L&D need a seat at the top table?
L&D professionals must evolve beyond traditional training roles to become strategic partners and insight-driven leaders, aligning learning initiatives with business objectives. Operating in isolation limits impact; effective performance improvement requires collaboration across the organization and demonstrable measurement of learning outcomes.
Caption competition: Jan/Feb 2015
Audrey won this month’s caption competition with a clever joke about Dulux’s sheep-dip colour chart. The monthly competition is free to enter for all members and invites creative captions for featured images.
L&D news round-up: 22 Jan
This week’s L&D news roundup covers key developments in learning and development, including insights on infant learning through napping, leadership resolutions for 2015, HR resources for entrepreneurs, and digital learning’s potential to transform education globally.
What makes a good leader?
Good leaders inspire teams to step outside their comfort zones and empower others to realize a shared vision, while strong managers organize resources and handle operations. Leona Barr-Jones shares insights from her Army and Olympic leadership experience on why both leadership and management are essential to organizational success.
Why being accountable matters
Accountability is essential for effective leadership and organizational performance. A global survey found that 46% of managers fail to take responsibility for their actions, yet leaders who keep their promises, admit mistakes, and model accountable behavior build trust, increase engagement, and drive higher team performance.
How strong leaders tackle the talent challenge
Strong leaders must tackle the growing talent challenge by devising clear strategies, strengthening HR capabilities, and investing in employee re-skilling programs. With 63% of CEOs citing skills availability as a serious concern amid automation and global shifts, companies need sophisticated talent planning and structural workplace flexibility to remain competitive.