In this episode I answer your questions about inspiration, adding value, skills development, L&D tools, and the L&D job search! Here are some of the resources mentioned in the show:

• 75-why-is-there-so-much-bad-training.mp3?download=true">Bloc Podcast Episode 75: Why is There SO Much Bad Training?
• 3-positive-organizational-change-with-latoya-smith.mp3?download=true">Bloc Podcast Episode 3: Positive Organizational Change with LaToya Smith
• Intro to Copyright for L&D

Thanks for listening to the BLOC! Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiekirby/Or check out what I'm working on over at https://www.getusefulstuff.com/

In this episode, I explain 5 helpful tips for making your training (and I'm talking ANY kind of training - job aids, virtual sessions, instructor-led, and even eLearning) more engaging. And if you know me, you know that I believe the best way to make training engaging is to make it useful. So, forget all the bells and whistles and gimmicks, and let's talk making training highly effective. 

Thanks for listening to the BLOC! Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiekirby/Or check out what I'm working on over at https://www.getusefulstuff.com/

In this episode, I chat with my new friend, Yen Tan. We chat about why they founded Kona and how they've built a product that uses AI to help coach remote managers. We talk about why you shouldn't "slap AI on everything" and how we can take a more deliberate approach to using AI in L&D. We also explore some use cases where it can really help teams and managers be their best. Yen is co-founder of Kona, the AI-powered coach for remote managers. Yen's work on people-first leadership and employee happiness has been featured by The Guardian, Fortune, Yahoo, TechCrunch, Entrepreneur, Harvard Business School, Forbes, and more. They've led remote management, employee well-being, and feedback workshops at Mercury, Mailchimp, Circle, and more. In their free time, Yen likes exploring LA's bookstores and boba shops and convincing their partner that they could use another plant.Yen's suggestion for folks who want an intro to practical AI use:

• HBR's Guide to AI Basics for Managers Toolkit

Thanks for listening to the BLOC! Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiekirby/Or check out what I'm working on over at https://www.getusefulstuff.com/

In this episode, I talk about how I moved from an individual contributor role as an instructional designer to an L&D leadership role and give you tips if you're interested in doing the same. I talk about how to break it to your manager, how to create a plan to upskill, weighing the risks of staying at your current organization or trying to branch out to a new one, and how to get people leadership experience outside your full-time day job. 

Thanks for listening to the BLOC! Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiekirby/Or check out what I'm working on over at https://www.getusefulstuff.com/

In this episode, I bring Tim Slade back to talk about building your reputation on LinkedIn. We use it to look for work... We use it to find new clients... We use it to connect and learn about each other... But there's so much noise! How do we know what's real?Tim's suggestion for folks who are getting into instructional design? 

• Read a BOOK - you're more likely to get expertise because of the time and effort it takes to write and publish a book than what FURUs can accomplish in brief social media posts

Tim's suggestion for people as they begin to post on LinkedIn?

• Be yourself
• Don't try to create something that you're not
• Write what comes to mind
• Include what you LEARNED when you share a certificate

Thanks for listening to the BLOC! Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiekirby/Or check out what I'm working on over at https://www.getusefulstuff.com/

In this episode, I chat about the lessons I learned in 2023 and what I think are L&D's brightest possibilities for 2024. 

Thanks for listening to the BLOC! Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiekirby/Or check out what I'm working on over at https://www.getusefulstuff.com/

In this episode, I answer YOUR questions on L&D leadership, upskilling in tools, working cross-functionally, getting data for needs analysis, and more! Resources mentioned in the episode:

• Rachel Schell's Emerging Leaders in L&D
• ScreenPal (which I referred to by its former name, Screencast-o-matic)
• OpenShot Video Editor
• Audacity
• Canva

Thanks for listening to the BLOC! Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiekirby/Or check out what I'm working on over at https://www.getusefulstuff.com/

In this episode, I chat with Hannah Waddams -- or Han -- from MAAS Marketing about why you need a marketing strategy for learning projects and what other best practices we can borrow from our marketing departments!Marketing for learning® expert, Han is part of the duo that make up MAAS Marketing. With over a decade of experience, Han is on a mission to help L&D embrace the power of marketing within their function (and get the learner engagement we all so want!)Here's where you can connect with Han:https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahwaddams/ marketing.co.uk/">https://www.maas-marketing.co.uk/ marketing.co.uk/podcast/">https://www.maas-marketing.co.uk/podcast/ Hannah's suggestion for starting to market your learning projects:

• marketing.co.uk/guides/">MAAS Marketing's Guides (especially on Learner Personas!)

Thanks for listening to the BLOC! Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiekirby/Or check out what I'm working on over at https://www.getusefulstuff.com/

In this episode, I chat with Rachel Koblic about why she isn't buying into the hype around hustle culture and how she founded Starling to support middle management. Rachel Koblic is a leader at the intersection of learning, design, and strategy. Her mission is to create high-quality learning for life in the digital economy, and foster nurturing and inspiring workplaces for the people around her. With nearly 20 years of interdisciplinary professional experience as both a doer and a leader, she is adept at designing effective learning programs, growing engaged and efficient teams, and connecting disparate dots to solve complex problems.Rachel lives in Saratoga Springs, NY with her partner Luke and their two dogs, three cats, and four chickens.Here's where you can find her:https://www.starlinglx.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/rkoblic/Rachel's suggestion for middle management to hone their skills:ChatGPT Premium Subscription (for ideas for questions, ways to solve problems, ways to word emails, etc.)

Thanks for listening to the BLOC! Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiekirby/Or check out what I'm working on over at https://www.getusefulstuff.com/

In this episode, Alexandria and I talk about L&D from the healthcare lens -- but the conversation is important to ALL of us in L&D as we talk about the importance of remembering that there are solutions that aren't eLearning out there, we can learn a lot from UX design, and that proving our impact and being able to scale training is crucial to our success in L&D. With a decade of experience in the field of learning and development, Alexandria has had the privilege of contributing to the growth of individuals and organizations. Her journey began as a career development coach, where she had the opportunity to work closely with underserved populations in the nonprofit social services sector. Alexandria's passion for helping others led her to her current role as the Crisis Prevention Training Program Manager at one of New York City's largest hospitals.In her role, Alexandria is dedicated to providing professionals with the knowledge and skills they need to support individuals in crisis effectively. She also focuses on creating safe environments within organizations, prioritizing the well-being of employees and the communities they serve. Alexandria remains committed to enhancing human potential and fostering compassionate workplaces.Alexandria's recommendation for those who want to learn more about the healthcare industry:

• Road to Resilience Podcast by the Mount Sinai Health System

Thanks for listening to the BLOC! Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiekirby/Or check out what I'm working on over at https://www.getusefulstuff.com/