Performance Matters Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

What happens when personal values collide with professional responsibilities?

Jeremy Lewis, a senior inclusion trainer at GP Strategies, joins the show to explore how fundamental values can lead to conflicts in the workplace. He highlights the increasing prevalence of disputes rooted in core beliefs, driven by factors such as polarized politics, social media, and heightened awareness of societal issues.

Listen and learn how to disagree well, a concept that involves understanding and respecting differing perspectives while engaging in constructive dialogue. He introduces the seven pillars of disagreeing well, drawing from historical practices in debate and negotiation, and provides practical strategies for leaders to manage these dynamics effectively. Through real-life examples and insightful commentary, this episode offers valuable guidance on fostering an inclusive and harmonious work environment, even when values collide.

Are you ready to transform learning experiences and provide genuine performance support? In this episode of the Performance Matters podcast, host Michael Thiel welcomes learning strategists Andrew Joly and Ella Richardson to discuss a pivotal moment in technological advancements and AI: delivering true learning in the flow of work.

With AI-driven tools like super coaches and chatbots, along with emerging technologies, organizations can scale impact in the flow of work like never before. Given the current business pressures to drive change and grow rapidly, learning in the flow of work has never been more important.

Tune in to discover practical strategies for implementing learning in the flow of work and learn how to leverage technology to design performance support into your technologies and learning experiences.

We’re drowning in information, but we’re thirsty for insight. Disconnected systems and lack of confidence in data are two sides of the same coin. Mapping your data is like writing the first chapter of your organization’s success story. Centralizing data into a single source of truth doesn’t just streamline processes; it builds confidence in decision-making.

Lindsay Pineda and Ashlyn Elick, two seasoned performance consultants from GP Strategies, join the podcast to tackle the most pressing issues businesses face with data. From overcoming data paralysis to bridging organizational silos, this episode offers actionable strategies to turn data chaos into clarity. Learn how implementing governance frameworks, centralizing systems, and aligning data definitions can drive better decision-making and transform raw information into impactful stories that boost performance.

When we imagine a future workforce, it may spark images of a scene from a sci-fi movie where our everyday lives are completely automated by AI and run by robots that are indistinguishable from human beings. We may not be living in that reality just yet, but the global pandemic has accelerated how we work almost 8-9 years into the future, and we are quickly learning to adapt. It may be tempting to think the workforce of the future from the sci-fi movies is far away, but as the pandemic has proved, disruption can happen at any time. The future workforce is here, now.

Keith Keating, Senior Director of Global Learning Strategies, reveals some insights into the opportunities, challenges, and global trends impacting our workforce and how the pandemic has necessitated the need for both organizations and learners to be ready to fill the next skills gaps of today, for tomorrow.

Even before the pandemic, resilience, growth, agility, and creativity were buzz words for the ideals businesses should strive toward. Now, in a post COVID-19 world, they have become necessities for survival and relevance, especially for the traditionally risk-averse financial services industry. Turning this global ship in a completely new direction in a short amount of time, has forced people to think differently about learning and to adapt quickly.

Dan Miller, Senior Vice President, and Craig Stokes, Learning Architect, discuss how learning and development is changing in the financial services sector and the need for companies to rethink their people strategies to support these seismic shifts.

Innovation cycles of technology, while exciting, can also be anxiety-inducing when it comes to having to adopt new technology. Shifting employees from one mode of thinking to another without a plan can take a tremendous toll on morale and as a result, on ROI. But when there is a limited budget, how can stakeholders effectively communicate the value of investing in adoption strategies when implementing new technology?

In this week’s episode, Kimberly Kemp, Senior Director of Human Capital Management and Technology Implementation & Adoption, shares her experience for what works when building a business case to executives and decision makers for investing in the technology and ultimately, investing in the people to move to a desired state of mind, behavior, and productivity.

When it comes to instructional design, there has traditionally been a lot of emphasis on the delivery of the learning content. Designing for the modern learner needs to move beyond the delivery to the journey as a whole. It requires a systemic strategy that involves the learner in the process early, and often, and builds an experience that drives engagement.

Cara Halter, Director of Learner Innovation at GP Strategies, dives into the importance of the learner experience and shares insights for creating strategies that are driven by learner-centric design.

Black History Month may be coming to an end, but the conversations and education surrounding the triumphs and struggles of Black experiences should continue all year round.

This week’s podcast is joined by, Stephanie Wedgeworth, Product Trainer; Adrian McClelland, Vice President of Diversity and Engagement; and Maurice Bembry, Product Trainer for GP Strategies. Their lively discussion will touch on Black representation, Black history, and how organizations can drive diversity and inclusion for Black employees.

When employers talk about someone not being a “good fit” for a job, could it actually be code for biased hiring? There is no denying that when it comes to diversity in the workplace, there are countless benefits it plays in driving innovation, increasing productivity, and expanding into new markets. Hiring someone because they connected on a personal level isn’t a strategy. Before employers are sitting across the table from that potential candidate, it’s important that organizations revamp their approach to create a more equitable hiring environment and enable hiring top-notch talent.

Mary Ann Masarech, Lead Employee Engagement Consultant, shares some practical advice for inclusive hiring practices and what’s really at stake for companies when diversity is not a priority.

The famous line in the movie “Field of Dreams” goes, “If you build it, he will come.” Your users may come to your new technology platform because they have no choice, but will they know what to do once they’re there? You can design and build the best system out there, but if your users, your people, fail to adopt the system, you will not achieve your intended business results. Time and time again, analyst studies point to user adoption as being THE critical success factor for a technology implementation to reach its intended objectives.

In this episode, Neil Cucuzzella, Vice President of Enterprise Technology Adoption (ETA) at GP Strategies, shares some critical insight and practical applications for optimizing your organization’s next technology implementation and adoption.