Over the years, we’ve created a variety of tools aimed at helping elevate learning businesses. And while we’ve mentioned them in various places before, we’ve decided to shine the spotlight on each one in an informal series we’re calling “Tool Talks”. These episodes, which will air in between interviews over the next few months, will showcase how and why to use each tool.
In this first installment of Tool Talks, we’re highlighting the Market Insight Matrix. We explain what it is, why you should use it, and the three stages and three activities that support its framework. We also offer specific examples of what learning businesses can do throughout each step in the market assessment process.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode312.
As a seasoned adult education and leadership expert, Debra Zabloudil is the recently appointed vice president of learning at the American Society of Association Executives. ASAE is a professional society with more than 44,000 members that educates and develops association professionals at all stages of their careers.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Celisa Steele talks with Debra about her priorities as she steps into the role of leading ASAE’s learning portfolio, her philosophy of learning, and the important work to be done in diversity, equity, and inclusion. They also discuss the power of peer-to-peer learning, the importance of focusing on learning outcomes, and the imperative to keenly understand your audience.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode311.
Stephanie Mercado is CEO of the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ), whose mission is to prepare a coordinated, competent workforce to lead and advance healthcare quality across the continuum of healthcare. They believe that workforce readiness and healthcare quality competencies are key to achieving quality, safety, equity, and value in healthcare.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Celisa Steele talks with Stephanie about NAHQ certifications, competency frameworks, and their solutions-based approach to building their learning portfolio. They also discuss workforce development, partnerships with employers in academia, and the value in asking, “If your organization ceased to exist tomorrow, would anyone start the organization again and why?”
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode310.
It’s been an exciting year here at Leading Learning. We recently reached the 300th episode of the podcast. And last month Tagoras, our parent company, marked 15 years in business, yet another celebratory milestone.
If you’ve been listening to Leading Learning Podcast for a while, you know that we’re big fans of the power of reflection. That’s why in this episode we highlight some of the biggest changes—15 to be exact—that have fundamentally changed the learning business landscape over the 15 years since Tagoras got its start.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode309.
Dr. Veronica Diaz is director of professional learning at EDUCAUSE, an international nonprofit professional association whose mission is to advance higher education through the use of information technology. In her role, she ensures that learning and development programs support and advance the overall strategic priorities of the professional learning, member communities, and research teams. She also supports the development and design of career pathways that guide the professionals supporting and transforming higher education through the innovative use of technology.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Jeff Cobb talks with return guest Veronica about microcredentials, mentoring, professional pathways, personalization, the need to reevaluate COVID pivots, and a “three Cs” approach to sourcing your portfolio of offerings: curate, create, and commission.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode308.
A passionate advocate for the global association community, Peter O’Neil is a seasoned leader known for transforming organizations by creating high-performing, diverse, and inclusive teams and cultures. Since 2016, he has been CEO of ASIS International, which serves over 30,000 security management professionals from around the globe.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Jeff Cobb talks with Peter about the important role associations play both in society and in lifelong learning. They also discuss certificates, certifications, what it takes to be an effective international organization, and ASIS’s focus on four pillars: global, mobile, digital, and agile.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode307.
After not attending in-person conferences for a couple of years due to COVID, we had the chance to attend several. That return to in-person sparked some serious thinking related to learning (or not) at conferences.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, we apply our unscientific but deep first-hand knowledge of the world of conferences to unpack key elements conference planners need to incorporate to foster effective learning. We also discuss the broader conference landscape and the comparative advantages of offering virtual versus in-person conferences.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode306.
David M. Rozsa is CEO of Metacred, an association management company dedicated to developing, managing, and growing the best credentialing programs in the world. They act as the certification or accreditation department for its clients, which include both not-for-profit associations and for-profit companies.
In this episode, co-host Celisa Steele gets David’s expert perspective on the world of credentialing, including current related opportunities and threats; what it takes to create a successful credential; and why stakeholder input—beyond potential applicants—is so important. They also discuss how to demonstrate the impact of credentials, what learning businesses need to consider before launching a new credentialing program, and the value of digital badges.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode305.
Diane Elkins, founder of Artisan E-Learning and E-Learning Uncovered, is passionate about helping others design thoughtful, equitable, and impactful learning experiences. She has over two decades of experience in the e-learning industry, speaks regularly at national conferences, and is co-author of E-Learning Fundamentals: A Practical Guide and the E-Learning Uncovered book series.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Jeff Cobb talks with return guest Diane about the likely long-term implications of the pandemic-driven, massive shift to online learning. They also discuss meaningful interactivity; accessibility; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and why Diane favors the terms “access” and “ability.” They also talk about augmented, virtual, and mixed reality, and why it’s important for tech tools to add value, not just a cool factor.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode304.
Whitney Johnson is an innovation and disruption theorist and CEO of the tech-enabled talent development company Disruption Advisors. She hosts the long-running Disrupt Yourself Podcast and is the author of multiple books, including Disrupt Yourself: Putting the Power of Disruptive Innovation to Work and, most recently, Smart Growth: How to Grow Your People to Grow Your Company.
Leading Learning Podcast co-host Celisa Steele and Whitney dive into key concepts from Smart Growth, particularly the S Curve of Learning, and why knowing where you and others are on the curve leads to individual, team, and organizational growth. They also discuss the relationship between leading and learning and how the S curve can be used as a powerful tool to guide, assess, and elevate your learning business.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode303.
Workforce development and credentialing have both been the focus of recent episodes. Though we didn’t set out to treat these as a series, some common themes have naturally emerged that we would like to call out and connect.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, we synthesize our thoughts around workforce development and credentials, and the related challenges and opportunities they present for learning businesses. We analogize them to the tried-and-true combination of peanut butter and chocolate—both are good on their own, but they take on an even richer flavor when combined. We also share the key takeaways that emerged from the credentialing and workforce development experts we recently talked with: Clare Marsch (ABA), Jim Fong (UPCEA), Van Ton-Quinlivan (Futuro Health), and Jenna Cohen (ACT).
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode302.
We are grateful to our sponsor for this episode, BenchPrep.
***
BenchPrep is an award-winning learning platform purpose-built to help learners feel confident and prepared to take difficult entrance, certification, and licensing tests by delivering an intuitive, efficient, and engaging study experience. BenchPrep helps you accelerate test prep revenue growth by offering the tools you need to create market-ready products and data to improve your content and understand learner behavior.
Many of the world’s leading associations, credentialing bodies, test providers, and training companies trust BenchPrep to power their online study programs, including ACT, the Association of American Medical Colleges, CFA Institute, CompTIA, GMAC, McGraw-Hill Education, AccessLex, and more. More than 8 million learners have used BenchPrep to attain academic and professional success. To discover more, visit BenchPrep.
Jenna Cohen is the workforce product manager at ACT. where their mission is to help people achieve education and workplace success. ACT’s mission is to help people achieve education and workplace success. It serves millions of people around the world with learning resources, assessments, research, and credentials to help them succeed from elementary school throughout their careers.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Celisa Steele talks with Jenna about ACT’s WorkKeys products, National Career Readiness Certificate, and Work Ready Communities program. They discuss the importance of listening to the market and using data and research to truly understand needs and solve real problems. Jenna also shares how the pandemic has created opportunities around credentials, remote work, and an overall emphasis on adapting to future disruptions.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode301.
We are grateful to our sponsor for this episode, BenchPrep.
***
BenchPrep is an award-winning learning platform purpose-built to help learners feel confident and prepared to take difficult entrance, certification, and licensing tests by delivering an intuitive, efficient, and engaging study experience. BenchPrep helps you accelerate test prep revenue growth by offering the tools you need to create market-ready products and data to improve your content and understand learner behavior.
Many of the world’s leading associations, credentialing bodies, test providers, and training companies trust BenchPrep to power their online study programs, including ACT, the Association of American Medical Colleges, CFA Institute, CompTIA, GMAC, McGraw-Hill Education, AccessLex, and more. More than 8 million learners have used BenchPrep to attain academic and professional success. To discover more, visit BenchPrep.
It’s hard to believe, but here we are at episode 300 of the Leading Learning Podcast. When we sat down to record episode 1 back in 2015, we had no idea we’d make it this far. We are truly grateful for the thousands of learning business professionals who tune in each month and make this show part of their own lifelong learning.
Milestones are a natural time to pause and reflect, so we’re doing exactly that. In this commemorative episode, we highlight the value of embracing your integral role as a provider of lifelong learning and as a learning business. We explain why recognizing that you are part of the ecosystem serving lifelong learners better positions you to serve them and deliver on the goals of reach, revenue, and impact.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode300.
We are grateful to our sponsor for this episode, BenchPrep.
***
BenchPrep is an award-winning learning platform purpose-built to help learners feel confident and prepared to take difficult entrance, certification, and licensing tests by delivering an intuitive, efficient, and engaging study experience. BenchPrep helps you accelerate test prep revenue growth by offering the tools you need to create market-ready products and data to improve your content and understand learner behavior.
Many of the world’s leading associations, credentialing bodies, test providers, and training companies trust BenchPrep to power their online study programs, including ACT, the Association of American Medical Colleges, CFA Institute, CompTIA, GMAC, McGraw-Hill Education, AccessLex, and more. More than 8 million learners have used BenchPrep to attain academic and professional success. To discover more, visit BenchPrep.
Having escaped with her family from the Vietnam War to start again in the U.S., Van Ton-Quinlivan is passionate about paying forward the opportunities that an education afforded her. She has built a career as a highly impactful workforce development expert and currently serves as CEO of Futuro Health, a nonprofit with the mission of improving the health and wealth of communities by growing the largest network of credentialed allied healthcare workers in the nation.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Celisa Steele and Van discuss the three-legged stool of workforce development, creating a high-quality talent pool, the benefit of having clearly articulated goals, and the essential role an ecosystem of partners plays in delivering scale, equity, and agility.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode299.
We are grateful to our sponsor for this episode, BenchPrep.
***
BenchPrep is an award-winning learning platform purpose-built to help learners feel confident and prepared to take difficult entrance, certification, and licensing tests by delivering an intuitive, efficient, and engaging study experience. BenchPrep helps you accelerate test prep revenue growth by offering the tools you need to create market-ready products and data to improve your content and understand learner behavior.
Many of the world’s leading associations, credentialing bodies, test providers, and training companies trust BenchPrep to power their online study programs, including ACT, the Association of American Medical Colleges, CFA Institute, CompTIA, GMAC, McGraw-Hill Education, AccessLex, and more. More than 8 million learners have used BenchPrep to attain academic and professional success. To discover more, visit BenchPrep.
Jim Fong is chief research officer at the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), where he and his research team help university leaders understand the trends impacting higher education. They also support the development of new programs and credentials to meet the complex needs of the ever-changing learner and the new economy.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Jeff Cobb and return guest Jim Fong talk about why higher ed needs to evolve to meet the needs of employers and the new adult learner. They discuss the opportunity for unbundling the traditional degree with alternative and stackable credentials, the role of employers in shaping education and training, recent UPCEA research, and the collaboration between associations and academia to meet the needs of lifelong learners.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode298.
We are grateful to our sponsor for this episode, BenchPrep.
***
BenchPrep is an award-winning learning platform purpose-built to help learners feel confident and prepared to take difficult entrance, certification, and licensing tests by delivering an intuitive, efficient, and engaging study experience. BenchPrep helps you accelerate test prep revenue growth by offering the tools you need to create market-ready products and data to improve your content and understand learner behavior.
Many of the world’s leading associations, credentialing bodies, test providers, and training companies trust BenchPrep to power their online study programs, including ACT, the Association of American Medical Colleges, CFA Institute, CompTIA, GMAC, McGraw-Hill Education, AccessLex, and more. More than 8 million learners have used BenchPrep to attain academic and professional success. To discover more, visit BenchPrep.
When it comes to workforce development, learning businesses play a critical role in identifying and then delivering the skills employees need and those that employers want. From attracting and educating workers new to the field to upskilling and reskilling those already working, learning businesses can have a significant impact on the profession or industry they serve.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, we break down the topic of workforce development, including how we define it, key stakeholders involved, and its history in the U.S. We also look at workforce development today and the related opportunities for learning businesses.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode297.
We are grateful to our sponsor for this episode, BenchPrep.
***
BenchPrep is an award-winning learning platform purpose-built to help learners feel confident and prepared to take difficult entrance, certification, and licensing tests by delivering an intuitive, efficient, and engaging study experience. BenchPrep helps you accelerate test prep revenue growth by offering the tools you need to create market-ready products and data to improve your content and understand learner behavior.
Many of the world’s leading associations, credentialing bodies, test providers, and training companies trust BenchPrep to power their online study programs, including ACT, the Association of American Medical Colleges, CFA Institute, CompTIA, GMAC, McGraw-Hill Education, AccessLex, and more. More than 8 million learners have used BenchPrep to attain academic and professional success. To discover more, visit BenchPrep.
Clare Marsch is senior vice president of training and development at the American Bankers Association (ABA). Throughout her career, she’s been involved in developing training and learning programs for customers, members, and clients across a wide range of industries and in a variety of formats.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Jeff Cobb talks with Clare about her role in leading learning for ABA, credentialing, and workforce development. They discuss the evolution of learning, the extended reach that virtual provides, and how to carry that benefit forward post-pandemic. They also talk about how to take calculated risks and innovate in smart, measured ways.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode296.
We are grateful to our sponsor for this episode, BenchPrep.
***
BenchPrep is an award-winning learning platform purpose-built to help learners feel confident and prepared to take difficult entrance, certification, and licensing tests by delivering an intuitive, efficient, and engaging study experience. BenchPrep helps you accelerate test prep revenue growth by offering the tools you need to create market-ready products and data to improve your content and understand learner behavior.
Many of the world’s leading associations, credentialing bodies, test providers, and training companies trust BenchPrep to power their online study programs, including ACT, the Association of American Medical Colleges, CFA Institute, CompTIA, GMAC, McGraw-Hill Education, AccessLex, and more. More than 8 million learners have used BenchPrep to attain academic and professional success. To discover more, visit BenchPrep.
Credentials offer more potential than ever to learners and to the organizations offering them. And learning businesses in particular are uniquely positioned to leverage them to address challenges and create opportunities for the people and industries they serve.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, we share the key macrotrends making credentialing even more valuable today and what learning businesses may need to consider when offering credentials. We also break down and compare various types of credentials and their different purposes.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode295.
We are grateful to our sponsor for this episode, BenchPrep.
***
BenchPrep is an award-winning learning platform purpose-built to help learners feel confident and prepared to take difficult entrance, certification, and licensing tests by delivering an intuitive, efficient, and engaging study experience. BenchPrep helps you accelerate test prep revenue growth by offering the tools you need to create market-ready products and data to improve your content and understand learner behavior.
Many of the world’s leading associations, credentialing bodies, test providers, and training companies trust BenchPrep to power their online study programs, including ACT, the Association of American Medical Colleges, CFA Institute, CompTIA, GMAC, McGraw-Hill Education, AccessLex, and more. More than 8 million learners have used BenchPrep to attain academic and professional success. To discover more, visit BenchPrep.
Tamer Ali, a seasoned learntech entrepreneur and founder of Authentic Learning Labs, believes in the power of technology to deliver transformative learning experiences. Authentic aims to address the challenges and elevate the status of learning within organizations through learning technologies and a global team to support initiatives.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Jeff Cobb talks with Tamer about entrepreneurship, the evolution of the learntech market, and typical challenges for learning businesses. They also get into the importance of culture and strategy in making learntech work well for an organization and the key characteristics of a successful learning business.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode294.
Courtney Vital, vice president of learning at the Association for Talent Development, describes herself as a learning leader for learning leaders—and for good reason. ATD is the largest association for professionals who develop others in the workplace, and its membership reflects individuals from all over the world, in all industries and sectors. ATD is focused on advancing talent development, convening a community of people who do talent development work, and supporting them with the necessary knowledge and resources.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Celisa Steele talks with Courtney about how the pandemic forced us to rethink in-person learning as the default, the need for equitable experiences in hybrid learning, and the role of credentials in elevating the learning and development industry. They also discuss ATD’s Talent Development Capability Model, a future-focus for the learning profession, and the skyrocketing importance of intentionality in learning design.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode293.
We are grateful to our sponsor for this episode, Web Courseworks.
***
Web Courseworks is a learning technologies company with an ever-evolving learning management system, CourseStage. CourseStage LMS is leveraged by organizations of all sizes to build a learning business and track education outcomes for proven success. Download the Web Courseworks guide “Four Ways an LMS Can Help Build a Revenue-Generating Learning Business,” and learn how your organization can leverage a learning management system to generate revenue for your learning practice.
As CEO of Web Courseworks, Amber Winter is committed to helping their clients maximize value and deliver high-quality, impactful professional development to their learners.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, Jeff talks to Amber about her transition to the CEO role, the state of the learntech industry, and which trends are having an impact on learning businesses and learntech. They also talk about opportunities and threats for associations in the current learning landscape and what learning businesses can do to stand out.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode292.
We are grateful to our sponsor for this episode, Web Courseworks.
***
Web Courseworks is a learning technologies company with an ever-evolving learning management system, CourseStage. CourseStage LMS is leveraged by organizations of all sizes to build a learning business and track education outcomes for proven success. Download the Web Courseworks guide “Four Ways an LMS Can Help Build a Revenue-Generating Learning Business,” and learn how your organization can leverage a learning management system to generate revenue for your learning practice.
Learning businesses often rely on subject matter experts (SMEs) to develop and deliver learning products. But those SMEs—although highly regarded experts in their particular field—likely don’t know how to develop and deliver products in ways that align with brain science and adult learning principles.
In this episode, we focus on the importance of going beyond telling presenters what they need to do to be effective to playing an active role in showing them how. We discuss the tremendous opportunity for learning businesses in helping SMEs understand and apply learning science, key reasons this can be a challenge, and solutions, including resources, such as our new video-based online course offering, “Presenting for Impact,” to help make it happen.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode291.
We are grateful to our sponsor for this episode, Web Courseworks.
***
Web Courseworks is a learning technologies company with an ever-evolving learning management system, CourseStage. CourseStage LMS is leveraged by organizations of all sizes to build a learning business and track education outcomes for proven success. Download the Web Courseworks guide “Four Ways an LMS Can Help Build a Revenue-Generating Learning Business,” and learn how your organization can leverage a learning management system to generate revenue for your learning practice.
Longtime listeners of the Leading Learning Podcast have heard us talk about the Learning Business Maturity Model™ before. We’ve dedicated entire episodes to it in the past, covering what it is and how to leverage it. In this episode, we focus less on the logistics and specifics of the model and more on the purpose of the maturity model.
We explain how the model can be used by learning businesses for three interrelated purposes: dialogue, diagnosis, and direction. We also share how our latest offering, the Maturity Accelerator Program (MAP), can help organizations effectively manage this process and why using the maturity model is an inherent reminder that it’s not just about reaching a desired state as a learning business. It’s the journey to get there that matters most.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode290.
We are grateful to our sponsor for this episode, Web Courseworks.
***
Web Courseworks is a learning technologies company with an ever-evolving learning management system, CourseStage. CourseStage LMS is leveraged by organizations of all sizes to build a learning business and track education outcomes for proven success. Download the Web Courseworks guide “Four Ways an LMS Can Help Build a Revenue-Generating Learning Business,” and learn how your organization can leverage a learning management system to generate revenue for your learning practice.
As CEO of Vista Cova and a Certified Professional Facilitator, Lowell Aplebaum collaborates with organizations to create transformative dialogue around vision, strategic planning, community, and value. He’s passionate about building a better future and his inclusive, learning mindset carries through in his work helping others recognize their potential for lasting impact.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, Celisa talks with Lowell about the components of an effective strategy, how strategy has evolved related to learning and education, and the importance of having an invitation mindset to involve others on the journey set by the strategy. They also discuss inclusion as a silver lining from the coronavirus pandemic, what to consider about hybrid events going forward, and the difference between doing things for those we serve versus doing things with those we serve.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode289.
As professor emeritus and senior fellow at the University of Illinois Springfield and senior fellow at the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), Ray Schroede is a leading expert in higher education and online learning. With decades of experience teaching, leading, curating, and writing, Ray brings unmatched knowledge and passion to the conversation around emerging technologies and the future of education.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, Jeff talks with Ray about COVID’s indelible impact on teaching and learning, the metaverse, blockchain, non-fungible tokens, artificial intelligence, teaching ahead, and how Google’s wildly popular certificates make the case for relevant, efficient, economical learning going forward.
Full show notes and a transcript are available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode288.