Future of Training and Development with Paul Matthews from People Alchemy

Join Ashish and Paul as they discuss the future of training and development when AI enters the playing field. Primarily, the podcast takes on:

How should training evolve to be fit for the future, given the perception that current training methods are often boring and ineffective?
How can learning transfer be improved so that learning is more sticky and leads to habitual behavior change?
What is the future of L&D, particularly with the advent of AI, and what are the key drivers for change in the L&D landscape?

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Meet the Speaker

Paul Matthews is founder of People Alchemy, an automated learning workflow platform which encourages real behaviour change through action, activities and tasks. He authored three books, ‘Learning Transfer at Work’, ‘Informal Learning at Work’ and ‘Capability at Work.’

Connect with Paul: LinkedIn

Key Takeaways on the Future of Training and Development

Training alone is inadequate for behavioral change: Training should be viewed as part of a larger set of interventions and experiences that enable people to better execute an organization’s strategy.
Learning transfer is crucial: Training programs must incorporate elements that promote learning transfer on the job, such as repetition, practice, and experimentation, to ensure that learning translates into behavioral change. One model suggests using 12 levers to promote learning transfer.
Relevance and context are key: Learning content needs to be personalized and relevant to an individual’s specific context, challenges, and problems for it to be effective.
Learning should happen in the flow of work: Providing support and learning opportunities at the point of work, when they are needed, can be more effective than traditional training sessions.
L&D needs a strategic mindset: The L&D function needs to be more strategically involved in executing organizational strategy, focusing on how to enable people to perform effectively at the point of work, rather than just providing training on request.
AI is a powerful tool with potential and risks: AI has the potential to shape up the future of training and development a lot, but it also has risks, such as the possibility of AI-generated content becoming corrupted over time. There is a wide range of attitudes toward AI among L&D professionals.
Focus on better content that grabs attention: Rather than blaming short attention spans, L&D professionals should focus on creating better, more engaging content that is relevant to learners.

What four pillars shape the future of leadership development?

According to the discussion between Ashish and Paul, the future of leadership development is shaped by four key pillars:

Hyper-personalized content: Content should be tailored to the individual’s specific context, problems, and challenges, rather than being generic. This is essential for ensuring relevance and maximizing the impact of learning. If the content is not personalized, it may not be valuable to the learner because their context is different, as we often see with ineffective manager development programs.
In the flow of work: Learning needs to be integrated into daily work routines, providing support and solutions when they are needed, instead of relying on separate training sessions. This approach enables learning to become more habitual and effective for your people.
On-demand support: Your team should have control over their learning, accessing support and resources when they need them, rather than having content pushed to them at pre-determined times. This allows for greater flexibility and relevance.
Solution-oriented and action-oriented content: Learning content should focus on solving specific problems that learners are facing and provide them with practical steps that they can implement immediately, rather than just imparting knowledge. The goal is to help people take action and see results.

These four pillars are driven by changes such as generational shifts, shorter attention spans, and remote workforces. These factors create a need for more personalized, flexible, and relevant learning experiences just like Risely does. The traditional modes of learning are becoming inadequate to meet the needs of today’s learners.

Meet the Host!

Ashish is an entrepreneur tackling workplace development challenges through Risely, an AI copilot that helps managers and leaders build essential people skills.

Drawing on his experience in technology and organizational behavior, he’s passionate about creating scalable solutions that transform how companies develop their talent. His mission is to empower leaders to build thriving teams and sustainable organizational success.

Connect: LinkedIn

Grab free assessments to support you on the leadership journey!

Explore your capabilities in 30+ core and advanced leadership areas with Risely’s suite of assessments.

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Building a Coaching Culture with Jo Wright

coaching employees

Why is it important for managers to coach their teams? We start by talking about the benefits of coaching for the team, the manager, and the organization. Ashish and Jo noted that coaching empowers the team, builds confidence, and improves performance. For managers, coaching saves time in the long run by developing the team to solve their own problems.

What is the impact of coaching on organizational culture? As the discussion progressed, we defined a coaching culture as a place where leaders help people grow through effective conversations, feedback, and trust. Examples of companies that saw improved customer satisfaction, talent retention, and employee confidence were shared.

What are the attributes of a coaching-ready culture, and what are the signs of a missing coaching culture? A coaching-ready culture is supported by senior leadership, expects and respects feedback, and fosters open conversations. Metrics such as well-being and talent retention improve, and the culture is not toxic or blameful. Conversely, a missing coaching culture is characterized by poor results, low morale, lack of growth, and a fear of speaking up. Ashish and Jo discuss this in detail in the episode.

Meet the Speaker!

Loren Sanders is a leadership & development consultant with two decades of leadership experience in the HR and Talent Management space and more than half in the Fortune 4 and authored ‘Empathy is Not a Weakness and Other Stories from the Edge.’

Connect with Jo: Website

Coaching culture 101

Coaching is a win-win for everyone involved. It benefits the team by empowering them, builds their confidence and helps them develop. It benefits the manager by saving time and developing team capabilities, and it benefits the organization through improved results and culture.

Managers who don’t coach limit their teams. By answering all their team’s questions and solving all their problems, managers limit the growth of their team members and increase their own workload. A manager should ask, “What do you recommend?” and allow team members to come up with their own solutions.

A lack of investment in people is a problem for organizations. Many organizations are afraid to invest time and resources in people. However, not investing in people can cost more in terms of morale, retention, and performance. Coaching is a process of growth and development that takes time and effort.

Coaching should be accessible to all levels of an organization. It shouldn’t be limited to the top levels of an organization, because it has the potential to be life-changing

How can you build a coaching culture in your team?

Adopting a coaching style requires a shift in mindset and skills. Managers need to believe in their team’s potential, be curious, ask questions, listen, care, and build trust. As Jo explained, it’s about being a good human being in a professional setting. Vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness that you need to embrace as a manager.

A coaching culture is built on trust and communication. Open conversations, honest feedback, and trust are essential elements of a coaching culture. It is important that people know that feedback is coming from a place of support rather than attack. The most important aspect of coaching is communication.

As a manager, you can take charge of your own and your team’s development. Managers don’t have to wait for their organizations to invest in coaching; they can start by using available resources, asking coaching questions, and practicing with their teams.

Meet the Host!

Ashish is an entrepreneur tackling workplace development challenges through Risely, an AI copilot that helps managers and leaders build essential people skills.

Connect: LinkedIn

Grab free assessments to support you on the leadership journey!

Explore your capabilities in 30+ core and advanced leadership areas with Risely’s suite of assessments.

Start Now