Mental wellness and the human aspects of future workplaces

From Isolation to Connection

Nick Johnson, managing director of EGN and executive coach, authentically shares his journey from leadership roles across the globe to addressing executive loneliness. Nick discusses the evolving landscape of work and the rising pressures on leaders. He opens up about his personal experience with loneliness at the top, the competitive nature of the corporate world, and the masking of personal struggles. Nick introduces concepts from his book 'Executive Loneliness', including the five steps to overcoming executive loneliness and rebuilding relationships, which have proven to not only improve personal well-being but potentially save lives. The episode concludes with practical advice for listeners on how to cultivate meaningful professional and personal relationships to combat loneliness.

Nick can be reached on Linked In and at www.NickJonsson.com.

00:00 Future of Work: A 2042 Perspective on Leaders

00:45 The Evolving Role of Leaders in a Changing World

02:15 Executive Loneliness: The Hidden Struggle at the Top

04:20 Unmasking the Facade: The Reality of Executive Life

07:39 The Power of Vulnerability: Sharing Personal Struggles

10:00 A Path to Recovery: Steps to Overcome Executive Loneliness

17:23 Finding Purpose and Leaving a Legacy

19:13 Spreading Awareness and Encouragement

Persuading Tomorrow: L&D's New Era

Jeff Weaver, Director of Training, discusses the rise of disposable content, emphasizing the growing importance of bespoke, high-quality learning materials. He highlights the increasing role of persuasion in L&D, moving beyond knowledge transfer to motivating behavior change. He advocates for L&D professionals to become learning influencers within their organizations, staying abreast of trends while meeting the evolving needs of their workforce.

1. Trends in Automation: Jeff highlights the inevitable rise of automation, which will shift focus from content creation to problem identification and measuring the success of training programs.

2. Content Evolution: A prediction is made about a divide between disposable AI-created content and bespoke, high-quality learning materials, emphasizing the increasing value of thoughtfully crafted resources.

3. Changing Learning Dynamics: Jeff foresees shorter attention spans influencing the need for bite-sized, persuasive content over traditional knowledge transfer methods.

4. The Role of Persuasion: The conversation delves into persuasion as a central element in L&D, transitioning from mere knowledge transfer to motivating behavior change.

5. Skill Development Over Knowledge Transfer: The emphasis shifts towards developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as information becomes readily accessible via technology.

6. Influencer Culture in L&D: Jeff encourages L&D professionals to become influencers within their organizations, sharing their passion for learning and setting examples for others to follow.

7. Adapting to Cultural Shifts: He stresses the importance of staying informed about trends while being responsive to organizational needs.

Conclusion:

This episode offers perspectives on the evolving landscape of learning and development. Jeff concludes with advice on preparing for future opportunities in L&D and being proactive in adapting to changes, persuading the organization, and leading beyond knowledge transfer.

Not Using AI is Bad For Business

With 90 patents, 2 books, and pivotal roles at Google and Qualcomm, Ajay Malik, CEO of Secomind, passionately suggests that AI is a tool to be embraced in businesses and not perceived as a threat. He corrects misconceptions about AI replacing jobs, indicating that it's about augmenting human capacities and improving efficiency. Malik provides examples of AI application in supply chain management and manufacturing, underscoring its predictive capabilities. He also emphasizes the importance of an open attitude and problem-solving skills over technical abilities in this AI-enabled future. The podcast concludes with an invitation to individuals seeking to better understand and incorporate AI in their lives.

00:07Introduction

01:18The Impact of AI on Business Landscape

02:48Common Misconceptions about AI

03:24AI and Job Security

04:47The Role of Humans in AI

07:14AI in Supply Chain and Manufacturing

10:01AI as a Tool for Augmentation

10:38AI in Human Resources and Talent Development

12:50Leadership and AI Adoption

14:10AI for Everyone

14:43Conclusion

The Future is Now

Gina Jeneroux, a Chief Skills & Innovation Officer (ORG AI) who now focuses on preparing people for the future of the work, shares her insights on the five key trends that are driving the future workplace, and how to use these trends to prepare.

These trends include the acceleration of technology, personalization, demographics, a more social human work experience, and the economic changes as a result of these shifts. She touches on the importance of continuous learning, upskilling, re-skilling, and 'pre-skilling' for anticipation of future skills. Gina emphasizes the combination of digital and human skills, and recommends ways to stand out in the future professional landscape. Her insights can be found in her popular Future is Now newsletter.

00:14 Introduction and Guest Background

01:37 Five Big Trends Shaping the Future of Work

02:51 The Impact of Technological Acceleration on Work

05:58 The Changing Landscape of Work and Skills

10:45 The Role of Skills in the Future of Work

11:37 The Importance of Continuous Learning and Pre-Skilling

17:49 The Future of Jobs and the Role of Skills

23:15 The Three Buckets of Skills for the Future

25:37 Conclusion: Telling Your Unique Story

Learning is Change

Change is not an obstacle; rather, learning embodies change. Meet Caterina Ichkhanian, a senior learning professional, who discusses the evolving role of learning and development in the future workplace, especially in the context of advancing technologies. As she encourages professionals to prove their value by understanding needs and evaluating outcomes, Caterina expresses concern over how organizations often misunderstand the role of learning and development. The conversation also explores the importance of fostering partnerships within organizations, staying abreast of industry trends, and aligning with KPIs.

Key Points Discussed:

1. Learning Professionals at a Crossroads: Caterina talks about the current state of learning and development professionals, who are at a pivotal point with the advent of various technologies.

2. Harnessing Learning Fundamentals: The importance of sticking to the roots of learning – understanding needs assessment, development, and evaluation – to make learning professionals irreplaceable, despite technological advancements.

3. Proving Value in Learning and Development: Caterina stresses the necessity of aligning training with organizational KPIs, emphasizing evaluation and the impact of training on behavior and business outcomes.

4. Misunderstandings and Challenges in Learning and Development: She highlights common misconceptions about the role of learning and development in organizations and the risks of underestimating its value.

5. The Role of Technology as a Tool: Caterina discusses how technology should be viewed as an enhancer, not a replacement, for the strategic role of learning and development.

6. Advocacy and Marketing in Learning: The need for learning professionals to market their capabilities and educate stakeholders about their strategies and the impact of their work.

7. Community and Global Perspectives: Caterina encourages learning professionals to form communities of practice, sharing research and staying abreast of global learning trends.

8. Agility, Resilience, and Learning from Failures: She underscores the importance of agile and resilient approaches in learning, accepting and learning from failures, and taking calculated risks.

9. Collaboration and Partnerships: The significance of forming partnerships across different functions within organizations to strengthen the position of learning and development.

10. Final Thoughts: Caterina's parting advice is to stay true to the core principles of learning, stand firm in beliefs, and consistently prove the value of learning initiatives.

Conclusion: Caterina's insights shed light on the critical role of learning and development professionals in shaping the future of work, emphasizing the importance of advocacy, evaluation, and embracing change while staying rooted in fundamental learning principles.