ATD Accidental Trainer – Details, episodes & analysis

Executive presence goes beyond confidence and charisma—it's a vital skill for every professional, not just those in the C-Suite. Hilary Blair, cofounder and CEO of ARTiculate Real&Clear, explores the evolving role of executive presence and its particular importance for trainers and instructional designers in the L&D field. 

Hilary delves into how executive presence shapes perceptions and challenges stereotypes tied to our “packaging.” She also shares strategies for developing an authentic executive presence that aligns with your personality, whether introverted or extroverted, and maintains your individuality. Leverage executive presence to foster stronger relationships, effectively communicate the value of your work, and deliver impactful training presentations.  

Resources:  

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hbarticulate  

• Website: https://articulaterc.com 

Alaina Szlachta, PhD, is the founder of By Design Development Solutions and author of the recently published Measurement and Evaluation on a Shoestring. Alaina’s book provides advice for L&D professionals navigating tight budgets, limited resources, and demanding expectations. 

In this episode, Alaina unveils her practical framework for measurement and evaluation, organized into three actionable strategies: Build, Borrow, or Buy. Build: Tailor strategies to your organization by forming hypotheses for desired outcomes and enhancing data literacy. Borrow: Maximize efficiency by leveraging existing data and systems. Buy: Invest wisely in external solutions when stakeholder buy-in, ROI, and expertise align. 

Tune in for more advice on using artificial intelligence, available tools and templates, and other insights from Alaina.  

Resources:  

• Website: https://dralainaszlachta.com/ 
• The Weekly Measure newsletter: https://dralainaszlachta.substack.com/
• Book: https://www.td.org/product/book--measurement-and-evaluation-on-a-shoestring/112406  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drszlachta/ 

Learn how to break up emotional disconnection and repair workplace relationships with organizational psychologist Lola Gershfeld, founder of EMC Leaders. Discover the evergreen importance of emotional intelligence, how to disrupt negative relationship patterns, and practical steps to build stronger connections within your team. We delve into building emotional connection training and explore metrics to measure its effectiveness.

Resources:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lolagershfeld
• EmC Leaders: https://emcleaders.com/
• TD Magazine article : https://www.td.org/magazines/td-magazine/together-everyone-achieves-more
• Emotional Connection Book: https://emcleaders.com/emotional-connection-book 

Hadiya Nuriddin is the CEO and founder of Duets Learning and author of the new release, Quality Management in Learning and Development. In this episode, Hadiya breaks down what quality management really is and the misconceptions around it. Go beyond the limited “review process” mentality of checking for typos and broken links and learn how to think bigger by developing a quality management system that works toward the success of an organization.   

The conversation also covers the challenges L&D professionals face when it comes to collaborating on a quality management system across departments. Hadiya shares her expertise on incorporating evidence-based procedures, designing for accessibility, and user-generated content in quality management guidelines.

Resources

• Hadiya on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadiyanuriddin  
• Book: https://www.td.org/book/quality-management-in-learning-and-development  
• Duets Learning Website: https://www.duetslearning.com/  
• Interlude Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/interlude-7036192515565240321/   

Matt Beane is an assistant professor in the Technology Management Department at UC Santa Barbara and the author of the groundbreaking book, The Skill Code: How to Save Human Ability in an Age of Intelligent Machines.

In this episode, we delve into leveraging technology and the "three Cs" of learning: Challenge, Complexity, and Connection. Matt also discusses the technological threats facing talent professionals, what it means to be a “shadow learner,” and practical strategies for protecting skill development in the age of artificial intelligence.

Resources:  

• Matt’s Website: https://www.mattbeane.com/
• Matt’s Substack: https://substack.com/@mattbeane  
• Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattbeane/  
• Access Free Chapter: accidentaltrainer.theskillcodebook.com
• The Skill Code: https://www.amazon.com/Skill-Code-Ability-Intelligent-Machines/dp/0063337797  

Karin Hurt and David Dye, CEO and President of Let’s Grow Leaders, join the podcast to discuss their newly released book, Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Workplace Conflict: What to Say Next to De-stress the Workday, Build Collaboration, and Calm Difficult Customers. The duo shares practical communication techniques from their book to help start difficult workplace conversations.

They empower listeners with a framework for handling any conflict conversation: the “Four Dimensions of Constructive Conflict.” Enjoy the episode now to learn more about the 4-Cs and how to inject powerful phrases into your organization when navigating common workplace challenges, such as overwhelming workloads, matrixed teams, and difficult bosses.

Resources: 

• Let’s Grow Leaders: https://letsgrowleaders.com/
• Powerful Phrases Book: https://letsgrowleaders.com/conflict-phrases-book/  
• Asking for a Friend Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/asking-for-a-friend-6850036657530507264/  
• Collaborative Conversations Guide: https://letsgrowleaders.com/conflict-and-collaboration-resource-center/  
• Synergy Stack: https://letsgrowleaders.com/team-collaboration-synergystack/  
• Karin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-hurt-7ab25910/
• David’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmdye/

Katy Chandler, the VP of Talent Management at DuraServ, developed an internal credentialing program to train her industry’s frontline technicians more efficiently and effectively.

Katy shares how the program evolved to become a talent recruiting and retention tool by creating a visible career path for both new and experienced employees. She reveals the lessons she’s learned and the progress made with each new iteration— from creating flexibility for different skill levels and adding new technology to avoiding scope creep, assessing the capability to sustain the program, and achieving stakeholder buy-in and end-user satisfaction.

Resources: 

• Katy Chandler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-chandler
• DuraServ Website: https://duraservcorp.com/ 
• DuraServ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/duraserv/   

Cortney Marchetti, HR Director at OverDrive, and Lindsey Levinsohn, Team Lead for OverDrive’s corporate market, join the podcast to discuss how digital libraries can enhance strategic alignment for organizations.

Cortney and Lindsey break down the inherent value of creating alignment, on both small and large scales. They share stories and examples of integrating digital libraries into work and team environments, including how to foster a diverse culture of perspectives, create shared spaces of community, and instill common vocabulary that helps set a unified vision. 

Resources:  

• OverDrive Website: https://www.overdrive.com  
• Cortney Marchetti on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cortney-marchetti
• Lindsey Levinsohn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-levinsohn-b9931922

Books covered in the discussion:  

• Upstream by Dan Heath: https://heathbrothers.com/books/upstream/  
• Radical Candor by Kim Scott: https://www.radicalcandor.com/  
• Matthew McConnaughey: https://greenlights.com/  
• Daniel Pink: https://www.danpink.com/books/  
• Venus Williams: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Venus-Williams/author/B001ITTU8U?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true  
• Karie Willyerd: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Karie-Willyerd/author/B003297IT2?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true  

In an era of technological disruption, the skill gaps craze continues to grow for many organizations. Bob Mosher, CEO of APPLY Synergies joins the podcast to offer an alternative way to think about skill building. 

In this episode of Accidental Trainer, Bob discusses how aligning on the definition of “skill” is a crucial first step, the undervalued role of applying upskilling into the context of the work, and the advantage of a performance-first mindset. Bob also shares the lessons learned from the competency-based model trend and how to increase skill application post-training. 

Resources:  

• Bob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmosher 
• 5MomentsofNeed.com 

Global leaders agree that many people across the world are feeling the impact of a “loneliness epidemic.” Speaker, author and thought leader Devin Hughes discusses the state of human connection and how loneliness affects employee productivity on this episode of the Accidental Trainer Podcast.  

Devin offers solutions for leaders struggling to approach the topic of loneliness with their team, how L&D can foster opportunities for connection, and improve the psychological safety of the organization’s culture. Check out the podcast for more insight into overcoming loneliness.  

Resources: 

• Devin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/  
• Devin’s Website: https://devinchughes.com/  
• Devin’s Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/DevinCHughes  
• Devin’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devinchughes/?hl=en 
• Devin’s Books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Devin-C.-Hughes/author/B008MEKDXU?ref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true