Gen AI leaves many professionals in one of two boats: you either love it, and spend all of your time in it, or you're completely perplexed. To help sharpen your skills, or start from the bottom and build, we brought in AI expert Michelle Lentz to demonstrate practical applications on generating personas and building more structured prompts. Michelle's guidance, tailored to a design thinking approach, emphasized the importance of strategic building and empathy in AI use.

By understanding and aligning with user emotions and needs, you can provide AI with specific, context-rich information that enhances interaction quality. The stages of design thinking — Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test — can transform your experience with AI prompting into a more engaging and relevant one. This structured approach ensures that each stage contributes to developing prompts that aren't only functional but also innovative.

To dive into the practical application of AI prompt design, watch Michelle's step-by-step exploration of how design thinking can be a powerful tool in the realm of AI, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in digital interactions.

Watch the full webinar to hear Michelle's step-by-step guide on using design thinking as you build AI prompts that have a lasting effect on your training programs.

Master AI prompts using design thinking

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Sharpen your AI prompting skills through design thinking frameworks with this step-by-step recording with AI expert, Michelle Lentz.

In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping landscapes across industries, its integration into the development of soft skills presents both promising opportunities and intimidating challenges. We invited L&D and AI Strategist, Scott Provence, to a recent webinar where he explored the nuanced interplay between AI and soft skills, particularly focusing on communication, empathy, and leadership.

Scott delved into how AI could be leveraged to enhance these essential interpersonal skills, covering the ethical considerations of AI deployment in professional settings. Scott emphasized that human values and integrity should always support AI applications and explored how AI could be utilized responsibly to foster significant improvements in workplace dynamics and personal growth.

What were Scott's key insights on integrating AI with soft skills development? Let's look at his recommended strategies, cautions, and methods for employing this transformative technology effectively and ethically.

AI as a catalyst for soft skills enhancement

AI's role in soft skills development is becoming increasingly pivotal. Tools like Large Language Models (LLMs) aren't just technological marvels; they're becoming essential in simulating realistic conversations that aid in practicing and honing communication skills. These AI-driven interactions can provide immediate feedback, allowing individuals to adjust and improve their communication strategies in real time.

Scott emphasized the importance of using AI as a catalyst for soft skills enhancement rather than relying on it as a replacement for human interaction. He stressed the need for a balanced approach, where AI is used to supplement and enhance traditional learning methods, not replace them entirely. Additionally, he cautioned against using AI in a way that could reinforce biases or perpetuate harmful stereotypes that can tear apart an organization and its culture. Instead, Scott encourages the use of diverse and inclusive data sets to ensure ethical and unbiased AI interactions.

Scott argues that empathy, a soft skill often difficult to measure and quantify, can be fostered and improved through the use of AI. In the webinar, he highlighted the potential for AI to standardize elements of empathy, such as active listening and the ability to understand others' perspectives.

By using AI to track and analyze these skills, teams can receive personalized feedback and guidance on how to improve, making empathy training more accessible and consistent across different demographics and professional fields.

This not only benefits individuals but the organization as a whole, as empathy is a crucial component of effective communication and collaboration. With the help of AI, we can continue to develop and enhance this important soft skill in the workforce.

But how do we do this? AI can be used to simulate scenarios and interactions, providing employees with a safe and controlled environment to practice and develop their empathy skills. This can be particularly useful for industries where face-to-face interactions are limited or difficult, such as remote teams or customer service roles. AI can analyze data from these simulations to provide personalized coaching and feedback, allowing employees to focus on specific areas of improvement.

But to have such success with AI, organizations must first upskill their teams on prompt engineering — one of the most crucial skills in the generation of AI.

Prompt engineering involves creating prompts that elicit specific responses from AI and then analyzing and interpreting those responses to assess if the desired state and response were met. It requires a combination of scientific methods and creative thinking to design prompts that accurately measure soft skills. Without prompt engineering knowledge, results from AI may not be reliable and could hinder the effectiveness of your training program. We'd recommend an organization using AI invest in upskilling their teams on prompt engineering to ensure AI use is effective, unbiased, and reliable.

The application of AI in soft skills training is intricate and will require meticulous prompt engineering skills and measurable, empirical heuristics. In the webinar, Scott emphasized the importance of understanding the capabilities and limitations of AI in this context. The design of AI prompts and the interpretation of their outputs must be handled with precision to truly benefit soft skills development.

While Scott was far from discouraging, it's important to not forget that the integration of AI into soft skills development comes with challenges. Measuring intangible qualities like empathy through AI poses significant ethical and methodological questions. The discussion highlighted the need for ongoing research and dialogue to navigate these complexities effectively.

There are valid concerns about the potential for bias in AI algorithms. If the data used to train the AI is biased, it can lead to biased outcomes and perpetuate discrimination. This is a particularly important issue in the context of soft skills development, where cultivating diversity and inclusivity is crucial.

Scott stressed the importance of ethical guidelines and continuous monitoring and evaluation to ensure that AI is used responsibly and inclusively. AI shouldn't replace human interaction and feedback in soft skills development and should instead be used as a tool to enhance and support the learning process. This requires collaboration between AI developers, educators, and employees to create effective and ethical solutions. Scott brings a great use case for AI in soft skills development, but like any new tool, there's a responsibility for careful consideration and ethical implementation to avoid negative consequences.

As AI continues to evolve, its potential to enhance soft skills like empathy, communication, and leadership is immense. However, as Scott Provence aptly pointed out in the webinar, understanding the nuances of soft skills and the mechanics of AI is essential. The future of soft skills development lies in the balance of leveraging technology while understanding the human elements that define these skills.

Watch the full webinar to hear Scott's detailed advice on building out successful soft skills training that utilizes AI for more interactive and an extra level of quantified learning.

Using AI for Soft Skills Recording

From our webinar with L&D and AI Strategist, Scott Provence, explore the role AI can play in enhancing soft skills training: the challenges, ethical considerations, and real-world applications..

As workplaces continually shift and change, cultivating belonging on your team is more important than ever. In our recent webinar, Wendy Gates Corbett, author of The Energy of Belonging, available on Blinkist, provided research-backed insights into how HR and L&D professionals can help employees feel connected, respected, and protected. 

In a previous role, Wendy found that despite her best efforts to connect with colleagues, her coworkers seemed uninterested in building relationships. This left her feeling like she didn't belong in the organization. As a result, Wendy stopped actively participating at work and eventually left her job feeling like a failure.  

This experience led Wendy to ask the question: What is it that creates a culture of belonging in the workplace? She compiled a survey about belonging at work and has received nearly 3,000 responses, and counting. Wendy has used these responses to build the following framework, designed to help teams and leaders grow and strengthen a sense of belonging in their business. 

Belonging is an outcome, but it's also an emotion. It's about creating a space where employees feel genuinely appreciated and integral to the organizational fabric. Wendy leveraged the results from her survey to create her own definition of belonging. According to Wendy, belonging is "the sense of security and support that results from feeling welcomed, valued, accepted, and safe as a part of something meaningful that’s larger than ourselves," but explains there is always room to add another comma to build on this definition. 

From her research, Wendy has also identified three common themes essential to nurturing belonging: connection, respect, and protection. 

Connection is the lifeline of employee engagement. To feel like they belong, employees must feel connected to both their colleagues and the organization as a whole. They need to feel seen and heard, and believe that their coworkers are genuinely interested in them. 

Wendy highlighted a few practical strategies to enhance interpersonal relationships within the workplace, like remembering personal details about coworkers, engaging in meaningful conversations unrelated to work, and sharing funny moments together. These small yet impactful actions have the potential to build deeper bonds among colleagues, fostering a stronger sense of community. 

Here at Go1, we have tons of interest-based Slack channels — including channels where employees can post photos of their pets, chat about a cause they’re passionate about, and share their hobbies. These are great spaces for our remote workforce to connect over common interests, get to know colleagues outside of their team, and have conversations completely unrelated to work. 

Respect isn't just about acknowledging someone's skills but also valuing their contributions to the organization. Wendy emphasized the role of leadership in embodying and promoting respect through transparent communication and consistent actions. This not only uplifts morale but also encourages a culture of mutual appreciation and acknowledgment. 

Wendy noted that employees must be respected not only by leadership but also by their peers. Colleagues can show respect by asking each other for advice or input and expressing appreciation for their work. Getting to know your coworkers makes all the difference here — while some team members may prefer to be thanked for a job well done publicly, others may prefer a private message or email. Paying close attention to these details demonstrates a level of care and consideration that fosters a positive and respectful work environment. 

Protection, or psychological safety, is crucial for employees to express their thoughts and perspectives without fear of retribution. In psychologically safe workplaces, employees feel comfortable engaging fully, experimenting, and bringing innovative ideas to the table — which are all elements of a healthy organization. In the webinar, Wendy explored how creating a safe space for open dialogue encourages innovation and honesty, which are critical for organizational growth and development. 

For employees to feel safe at work, they need to trust that they're being treated fairly and that their colleagues are being as transparent with them as possible. It's also important for individuals to realize that they may be doing something that makes someone else uncomfortable and be open to that feedback. For example, you might copy a colleague’s manager into an email simply so they have insight into a project — but it may make that colleague feel like you don’t trust them to manage the project on their own. 

Employees can foster a sense of safety by backing each other up, aligning their actions with their words, and being careful not to interrupt colleagues, which is common, especially in remote settings. Remember to listen to understand, not listen to respond. 

Measure engagement to track your progress 

It's crucial for organizations to measure the effectiveness of their belonging strategies so they know what’s working and where they need to take a new approach. Wendy emphasized the importance of using existing metrics and tools to assess the levels of engagement and belonging among employees. 

For example, regular feedback and surveys can provide invaluable insights into whether your team feels connected, respected, and protected. You might also consider developing and implementing a leadership program that enables your leaders to be more intentional about creating a culture of inclusivity and belonging. 

Whether you're a leader working to create a culture of belonging, an employee whose team members have checked out, or if you yourself are struggling to feel a sense of belonging at work — you can do your part to create the environment you want to be a part of. By being a catalyst for belonging in your workplace, you'll drive the change towards a more inclusive and engaging environment. Choose one or two of the examples Wendy outlined, start practicing them with your team, and you'll be on your way to making a tangible difference in your organization. 

Watch the full webinar to learn from Wendy how you can make a huge impact on how included and comfortable your team feels at work, even in the smallest of ways. 

Amplify belonging: Practical strategies for HR and L&amp;D professionals

Want more strategies to create a supportive environment that boosts your team’s mental health while simultaneously increasing productivity and job satisfaction? Check out our article on building a wellness-focused workplace. 

Want to create a thriving workplace culture? Start by prioritizing belonging! Our webinar with Wendy Gates Corbett gives you the strategies needed to make it happen.

Amplify belonging: Practical strategies for HR and L&D professionals

AI is designed to support, not supplant, humans, especially in critical areas like education and development. In our recent webinar on the ethical use of AI, Mark DiMauro, PhD, emphasized the importance of responsible AI application, including the full disclosure of AI usage, adherence to ethical and moral standards, and the preservation of integrity in its applications. This transparency in the education of AI is crucial, and deployment of AI tools should follow a comprehensive framework that addresses ethical, moral, legal, and integrity issues. This structured approach prevents misuse and ensures that AI enhances learning and development while maintaining ethical standards.

What were Mark's biggest takeaways on how to approach AI ethically? Let's get into his advice, warnings, and approach to using this new technology effectively and responsibly.

One of the core themes of the webinar was the importance of transparency in AI use. Transparency is crucial, and AI deployment should follow a comprehensive internal framework that addresses any ethical, moral, and legal issues transparently. DiMauro stressed that all stakeholders, including employees, trainers, and administrators, must be fully aware of how AI is being used within the organization at all levels.

This transparency is crucial not only for organizational integrity but also for building trust with stakeholders and informing all parties on the data being used and the decision-making processes involved. Everyone must understand the capabilities, risks, and limitations of AI technologies in all settings for success.

Mark highlighted that while AI can provide valuable data-driven insights, it's humans who can consider the contextual and ethical nuances that AI might not fully grasp or may hallucinate in making final or ethical decisions. Use AI to support your judgments, rather than relying on it entirely. Human judgment and critical thinking skills are vital in ensuring that AI-generated recommendations align with organizational values and goals.

DiMauro emphasized the need for continuous monitoring and evaluation of AI algorithms to ensure they aren't biased or contradicting your organization's ethical standards. By involving humans in every step of the decision-making process, organizations can utilize AI effectively, mitigate potential risks, and improve the overall effectiveness of the AI technologies they employ. Ultimately, the successful integration of AI with human judgment can lead to more informed and ethical decision-making, benefiting internal and external stakeholders.

AI is transforming content creation, but not completely replacing writers

"There will be some kind of disruption recomposition of what our roles look like," Mark explained, referring to the role of educators and trainers. "The roles should become more fun, [with] higher leverage."

While AI is increasingly being used to generate content, it isn't expected to replace human writers. Instead, as Mark explained, we can expect it to transform roles, providing a higher level of work, creativity, and automation. AI allows writers, strategists, and instructional designers to focus on higher-value tasks such as strategy, without getting caught in the weeds of nuanced writing.

And good news for marketing teams, as Mark predicts, "AI-generated content is going to mean more content marketing jobs. Because people are going to get leverage faster — which means content marketing will meet goals faster, [and] marketers will get more budget to do more content marketing.”

But what about ethical integrity, laws, and standards in AI? Mark dedicated a major part of the webinar to how you can build out a robust ethical framework for deploying AI at work. DiMauro emphasized that while AI has transformative potential, it must be governed by strict ethical standards to prevent misuse, mitigate risk, and avoid major backlash. Legal implications, data privacy, and the necessity of maintaining human control over AI technologies are critical considerations.

The development and deployment of AI in learning and development must adhere to a strict ethical framework, developed by experts for your organization, that respects moral and legal standards. Mark advocates for a structured approach to AI implementation, which includes safeguards against misuse to ensure that the technology is used to enhance learning experiences, without compromising ethical standards.

We are seeing firsthand in the world right now that there is an inherent need for the responsible and ethical use of AI. Mark acknowledged that while AI has the potential to greatly benefit society, it also poses certain risks and challenges that need to be addressed. He emphasized repeatedly that AI shouldn't be used to handle sensitive data, due to potential security risks. He noted, “It's really critical and it's really important to use them [AI tools] for a purpose and with ethical, moral, and integral guidelines in mind." He emphasized that as AI evolves, it's crucial to ensure that it is being used responsibly, securely, and ethically.

While there is no standardized law or governance at this time for the ethical use of AI in organizations, or specifically in learning and development, Mark recommends starting with these three steps internally:

Creating a code of ethics for AI developers and users

Implement transparency and accountability measures

Continuously monitor and evaluate the impact of AI on society

Everyone should be prepared for a future with AI at work

Even those who may not be directly impacted by AI (yet) should know the implications and benefits it currently brings to the world of work. The future of AI in learning and development is promising, but it hinges on our ability to implement it responsibly. Mark DiMauro's detailed insights and expert advice provide a roadmap for professionals looking to integrate AI into L&D settings ethically.

By adhering to high ethical standards and ensuring human oversight of AI, it can be a powerful tool for enhancing learning and development, rather than a disruptive force.

Watch the full webinar to hear all of Mark's detailed advice on ethical AI in learning and development, including real examples, considerations, and expert guidance.

Ethical use of AI for learning and development

The ethical implications of AI can be confusing, but we're here to demystify AI and help you take a responsible approach to AI usage. Dig deeper into the topics with this recommended article, Building trust and transparency in generative AI learning.

From insights on our webinar with Mark DiMauro, PhD, understand the ethical implications of AI and learn how to use it responsibly and effectively at your organization.

Creating an environment that fosters effective learning can be challenging. One crucial element that often gets overlooked is the presence of and need for psychological safety. In this article, we'll recap our webinar with Kelli Frey, CPTD to learn the history and theory of psychological safety, how it translates to learning experiences, and how to measure and increase psychological safety in your organization. We'll cover a brief overview and then explain the three biggest takeaways from the webinar. 

Psychological safety is a shared belief among team members that it is safe to take interpersonal risks. This means feeling comfortable expressing ideas, asking questions, and admitting mistakes without fear of negative repercussions. When psychological safety is strong, individuals are more likely to engage in learning experiences, experiment with new ideas, and challenge the status quo, which most healthy organizations want from their employees.

In the webinar, Kelli Frey emphasized the importance of psychological safety in creating successful learning experiences, highlighting the role it plays in enabling participants to take interpersonal risks, which is crucial for effective learning. Kelli also discussed strategies that leaders and facilitators can use to build psychological safety, such as reducing unnecessary risk, recognizing power dynamics, and making group norms explicit.

Takeaway 1: Psychological safety is key to successful learning and development

Frey, an expert in facilitating learning experiences, stressed to attendees the importance of psychological safety in learning and development. She highlighted the role of this safety in enabling participants to take interpersonal risks during learning experiences, which she described as crucial for successful learning. Kelli explained that if there is no room for risk-taking and vulnerability, individuals may not fully engage in the learning experience or share their perspectives, hindering their growth and development.

It's the responsibility of leaders and facilitators to create a safe space for participants to feel comfortable taking risks and sharing their thoughts and ideas. Kelli referred to Google's Project Aristotle, which identified psychological safety as a key factor in successful team dynamics.

Frey recommends all leaders, facilitators, and trainers recognize publicly that making mistakes when learning is expected — but more on this later.

Takeaway 2: Actionable steps can be taken to build psychological safety

Leaders, trainers, and facilitators can take various actions to create an environment of psychological safety. Frey suggested reducing unnecessary risks, recognizing power dynamics, and making group norms explicit as effective strategies. Kelli emphasized that while she's seen them work globally, these strategies aren't one-size-fits-all and should be tailored to the specific culture and climate of a group or organization.

Frey further explained that recognizing power dynamics, acknowledging the implied or indirect power that exists within the group, and recognizing any team norms, can help give your employees or participants a clear understanding of group expectations.

Another actionable step is to actively model vulnerability, which Kelli explained, can help build trust and foster a sense of safety within a group. This can involve sharing personal experiences or admitting mistakes, which demonstrates to others that it's okay to do the same.

If you feel your team or facilitators model these behaviors already, the next step would be to consistently provide and seek feedback. This not only helps individuals feel heard and valued but allows for continuous improvement and growth within the group, too. Kelli emphasized the importance of recognizing and addressing any exclusionary behaviors or language that may create barriers to psychological safety, such as interrupting, talking over others, or using dismissive language, and always allowing for anonymized mediums for feedback as well.

Creating and maintaining psychological safety isn't a one-time task, but rather an ongoing process that requires continuous effort and attention. It's important for leaders and facilitators to consistently check in with group members and actively address any issues or concerns that may arise, as soon as possible.

Takeaway 3: Destigmatizing failure helps enhance a learning culture

Citing Amy Edmondson's book “The Fearless Organization,” Frey pointed out that psychological safety isn't just about physical safety, trust, and belonging but is about a shared belief within a group that it's safe for interpersonal risk-taking. Kelli stressed the crucial role of interpersonal risk in learning, explaining that there is an inherent risk of failure that's required for learning. Acknowledging failure, talking about it, and granting your team permission to fail is paramount to psychological safety. "Destigmatize failure culturally," Frey advised.

Regularly assess employee psychological safety

The benefits of psychological safety on both sides of the coin are clear. Not only will you improve employee engagement and innovation, but ultimately, your business' success. To stay on top of this, Kelli left us with some final advice:

"Regularly reassessing group dynamics and addressing any potential issues or conflicts can help maintain a culture of psychological safety," Kelli explained. "It's also important to acknowledge that building and maintaining psychological safety takes time and patience. It may not happen overnight, but with consistent effort and a willingness to listen and adapt, it can be achieved."

Psychological safety is crucial for creating an environment where employees or participants feel safe to take the necessary risks, share their wildest ideas, and be their authentic selves. By understanding psychological safety and taking actionable steps to foster it, leaders, trainers, and facilitators can create a culture of trust, open communication, and continuous growth within their teams and organizations.

Watch the full webinar to explore psychological safety in learning and development, including its history, measurement, and strategies to increase it.

Translating psychological safety for L&amp;D

For more learning and resources, subscribe to the Go1 newsletter to stay on top of all the latest news and tools available. Or book a demo with our team to find out how Go1 can help with your organizational learning and development needs.

Explore the key concepts and the biggest takeaways from our webinar on translating psychological safety for learning and development with Kelli Frey, CPTD.

Translating psychological safety for learning and development

Go1 and ADP came together for a live discussion on the significance of learning and development (L&D) in the workplace and discussed the role of AI in facilitating continuous learning, the value of skills enhancement, and the impact of easily accessible learning on L&D strategies. The discussion highlighted the use of content aggregators to provide a diverse selection of learning materials, and the importance of making learning readily available and tailored to individual needs.

Emily DiLaura, Senior Manager and Content Marketing Lead at Go1, moderated the webinar and brought it some trends and data from Go1; and was accompanied by special guests from our partner company, ADP: Andrea Elkin, VP of Strategic Enablement for Enterprise Learning and Knowledge Management; Julie Shipley, Managing Director of Talent Practice; and Nicole Molino-Lewis, Principal Solution Consultant. 

Embracing a self-service approach to learning and creating personalized experiences is a necessity.

We’re moving towards a culture of self-service knowledge acquisition and personalized learning, and this approach empowers employees to take control of their professional development, directly providing the skills and knowledge needed to excel in their roles. And let's be honest, most employees expect the same level of convenience and personalization in their learning at work as they do in the rest of their lives. Self-service learning platforms and customized learning pathways are how we meet those expectations, giving employees the resources they need, when they need them.

In the webinar, Andrea Elkin underscored the rising value of a "self-service knowledge acquisition culture" within organizations. This culture champions employees who are proactive in seeking and gaining knowledge autonomously. The benefits are two-fold: individual growth and a workforce that's both engaged and highly skilled. Andrea spoke about the importance of offering diverse learning methods to suit various learning styles and preferences, "I think everyone learns a little differently...what we're doing [at ADP] meets a broad spectrum of need."

The landscape of learning is changing, and it’s an exciting time to be part of it. With the rise of AI and the birth of content aggregators like Go1, there are more ways than ever to personalize learning. “I think our field is going to be in greater need because things will be possible in the future that were never possible,” Andrea shared on the future of L&D. Nicole Molino-Lewis added that systems like ADP with Go1 integrations, can customize content and offer analytics, making it easier for organizations to provide learning that meets their employees where they are and it more accessible, while sharing the necessary data with the L&D team behind the scenes.

Julie Shipley emphasized the need to seamlessly embed learning within the tools and platforms employees already navigate daily. This integration not only boosts engagement but also solidifies the knowledge gained. As Andrea mused, "How do you bring some of that into your flow of work? If it's living in Salesforce, can you access the learning through the Salesforce search?"

Identifying key skills and investing in development is paramount to organizational success.

When we tie our skill-building efforts to the big picture of where our organization is headed, we're making sure our training is right on target. The panel highlighted the significance of identifying key skills, or, as Andrea calls them, "power skills" that are critical to the success of an organization and investing in their development among employees.

Andrea further explained that these skills vary across different roles and stages of career progression, and learning programs should be designed accordingly. She noted that organizations need "to be able to deliver on the skills that we know are valued at the organization." 

Investing in the growth of essential skills doesn't just make for more capable employees; it helps build a team that's resilient and ready to take on whatever comes its way. When employees are equipped with the right skills, they can tackle challenges, welcome new technology with open arms, and spark innovation. And that's the kind of spirit that propels an organization forward, making it more competitive and successful in the long run. This was a message that Julie expressed on the importance of aligning these power skills with the business objectives of the organization.

AI's support in continuous learning and development.

Of course, the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its rising role in learning came up. The panelists acknowledged the growing role of AI in enabling continuous learning and development. Andrea mentioned using generative AI in automating certain aspects of learning content creation, making it easier for learning professionals to deliver personalized, relevant content to employees. "We are using it already at ADP to do some incredible things, like we can take product documentation out as we're changing products, use the documentation to write learning scripts."

AI and LLMs have greatly improved the accessibility and findability of learning resources, making it easier for employees to find the information they need. Andrea mentioned that AI can be used to bring the LMS to the place where employees are already working, enhancing the convenience and efficiency of learning.

AI is our ally in crafting individualized learning journeys for each team member. By sifting through performance data, AI can pinpoint where someone might be hitting a snag and suggest resources to help them grow. It's like having a personal coach, guiding you through a play that's custom-tailored to an employee's aspirations and the areas they're most passionate about in their role.

But AI isn't just a behind-the-scenes tool; imagine AI-powered simulations and interactive games that offer employees a hands-on experience on mastering new skills and concepts. These aren't one-size-fits-all. They're tailored to specific job roles and scenarios. As AI continues to advance, it'll become an even more powerful ally in development.

Content aggregators provide libraries of diverse learning resources, making it easier for L&D teams to deliver personalized training.

Content aggregators are like the personal shoppers of the learning world, helping L&Ds and TDs build robust training programs at scale. As Julie pointed out, content aggregators are a game-changer for learning professionals, making the delivery of training smoother and the learning journey more engaging for employees.

Functioning like a robust learning and development search engine, type in a topic or pain point and you can find readings, videos, podcasts, interactive modules, you name it. This diversity in content is perfect for all kinds of employees, making it more likely that your team will find something that really clicks. And because the aggregators often team up with big-name content providers and experts, you can trust that the content is top-notch.

Go1 also allows for the creation of personalized learning paths, which means that as a learning and development professional, you can create training programs that are tailored to specific roles, career goals, and skill gaps. This personalized approach makes training more effective by focusing on the areas where employees need the most support. Employees can then follow these curated learning journeys, which helps to ensure a more structured and efficient learning experience.

L&D teams will quickly find that one of the best parts of a content aggregator is that they integrate into your existing HR and learning management systems (LMS). Go1 integrates directly into ADP, as Nicole showed us in the webinar. This means the management of training is centralized, along with data and analytics on programs, and removes the need for any manual data entry or curation between platforms. Plus, employees can enjoy a seamless learning experience, no matter which platform they're using.

This webinar brought so much knowledge into one virtual room, with so many great takeaways on learning, trends, accessibility, AI, and content aggregators, but one piece of advice really stood out from everything. 

Andrea reminded us all of what she often tells her teams with building out learning for teams and the endless requests that come in, "focus on progress, not perfection with this." A reminder that learning and development is a continuous process and it's important to celebrate the progress and growth that comes with it, rather than striving for perfection or meeting every need. It highlights the importance of being open to change and adapting as the world of learning constantly evolves. This webinar not only provided valuable insights, but also sparked a sense of motivation and inspiration to continue learning and improving.

Watch the full webinar to learn more about the role of AI, skills development strategies, and the benefits of personalized learning from our panel of experts.

Exploring the latest L&amp;D trends and practical solutions with ADP

To learn more about our partnership with ADP or on how you can utilize a content aggregator in your LMS, book a demo today to find out how Go1 can help with your team’s learning needs. 

A recap of our recent webinar with ADP discussing the trends in L&D; including the role of AI, skills development, and personalized learning.

Exploring the latest L&D trends with Go1 and ADP

We recently brought together a panel of L&D experts to discuss the evolving challenges of nurturing effective managers as well as strategies you can use to help your organization's leaders upskill. 

Moderated by Danielle Stewart, Director of Brand Advocacy at Go1, panelists included Lynne McNamee, President and Founder of Lone Armadillo Learning; Deanna Foster, Senior Director of Global Solutions at Harvard Business Publishing; and Shenlee Walker, Director of Learning and Development at Hays. Their conversation covered a wide range of topics, from the role of people managers in driving L&D initiatives to how L&D teams can ensure their leadership programs are successful.  

While the webinar produced many insightful takeaways, we've highlighted just a few below. Take a look, then watch the full webinar for even more insights. 

Takeaway 1: Leaders have a significant impact on L&D

Our panelists all agreed—leadership isn't just a title, and a people manager's role goes far beyond merely overseeing tasks. Managers lead their teams to achieve their goals and create an environment where employees feel motivated, engaged, and valued. 

"Leaders spend a lot of their time at work with their people," Shenlee reflected. "So they set the tone for engagement. They set the tone for culture. They set the tone for how people achieve results." 

Because people leaders set the stage for employees to reach their full potential, they play a key role in shaping learning culture. 

"60% of teams are focused on improving engagement within the workforce through L&D tools, communications, and learning culture," Danielle noted. People managers can use L&D to help them push their teams to be their best and stay motivated in their roles. As a result, leaders who foster a learning culture drive the success of L&D initiatives, which means it's important that we intentionally leverage managers as our L&D advocates. 

Consider engaging new people managers early on by equipping them with the tools and resources they need to help their team take advantage of L&D offerings. Make sure you communicate with people leaders when new learning is available that may be helpful to them or their team. You might also ask managers for their input and establish regular feedback loops where they can weigh in on L&D programs. By keeping people managers engaged in L&D and collaborating with them regularly, you can create a work environment where learning is top of mind. 

Takeaway 2: Leadership development should align with strategic business goals

It's important for L&D to align leadership development programs with the strategic goals of the organization. This alignment helps ensure the relevance and impact of learning programs, which makes them more appealing to both managers and executives. 

According to Deanna, prioritizing learning that aligns with business goals makes good use of managers’ limited free time. 

"There's never a shortage of skills to be developed, but we just can't afford to put more demands on people's time unless there's a direct benefit to the business priorities," Deanna stated. "When we work with our clients, we recommend that they start with the strategic pillars of their organization. What are the capabilities people need to learn to achieve the company's strategic goals?" 

Plus, business alignment is often necessary to get executives on board with new L&D programs and initiatives. 

"Executive buy-in comes from showing how learning is going to impact the business," Deanna said. "What are the executives' performance concerns? Design learning to achieve behavior change related to those concerns. That helps get their advocacy, which is ideally what you want." 

Takeaway 3: Measuring the impact of programs is key to ensuring their success 

Establishing clear measures of success is a vital step in continuing to improve your leadership development programs. According to Shenlee, it's important to identify exactly what success looks like before you launch a new learning program or initiative. If you don't know what you're measuring beforehand, it will be difficult to determine a program’s level of success after it has been launched. 

"Measuring success is multifaceted," Shenlee said. "Asking the questions upfront really can help. Without defining success and determining data points, that's going to be hard to measure." 

It's also important to be specific and pay close attention to details in order to understand what's working, what's not, and why. Lynne suggests asking questions like, what information is being measured? Who is measuring that information? Who is recording the information, and where is it being recorded? "Really just drill down on the technicalities to make sure you're really clear," she advised. 

Not sure what information about your learning program to measure? Take some inspiration from the three areas of impact Deanna’s organization measures: impact on employees, impact on employee behavior, and impact on the business. "We measure engagement—the extent to which people participated in the learning," she explained. "And we collect evidence that learners applied new skills on the job. Impact on the business is measured by our clients to determine just how far learning moved the needle." 

Watch the full webinar to learn how to market a program to people managers, incorporate learning in the flow of work, and keep your learning strategy relevant for the future. 

Upskilling your leaders into better people managers

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Did you miss our webinar on upskilling people leaders? No problem! We’ve recapped three key takeaways for you.

Webinar recap: Upskilling your leaders into better people managers

During a recent Go1 webinar promoting our latest eBook, our panel offered expert insights on purchasing a learning platform, digging into topics such as getting stakeholder buy-in, creating a learning culture, measuring workplace learning ROI, and much more. The webinar was hosted by George Ellison-Bunce, Enterprise Customer Success Manager at Go1, who was joined by expert guests Kelly Jenkins, Director of Alliances at Go1, Ally Monaco, Senior L&D Partner at the Oliver Agency, and Sebastian Tindall, Strategic Enablement Director at Vitality.

We’ll recap the highlights of this insightful discussion, but if you want more, you can also catch up on the full webinar replay below. Or, to delve deeper into these subjects, check out our eBook on choosing the right learning platform for your business.

Firstly, the panel set the scene by discussing a seemingly simple question: why should learning be a business priority? For Ally, it was all about practising what you preach when searching for a learning platform for the Oliver Agency.

“One of our company values is learning, so you have to put your money where your mouth is,” she said. 

“For us to reasonably encourage everybody to learn the system, the offering that we give them needs to be robust. It needs to be developed, but it also needs to be strategic and relevant to them.

“We needed an LMS that could deal with specific content for different regions, but also to be able to target individual audiences and cover a huge variety of topics.”

Sebastian expanded on this, explaining that when Vitality was looking for a learning platform, it was all about aligning learning goals with business goals. 

“Learning isn't a business priority, performance is,” he said.

“So, I think when we're looking at a system to deploy, it has to be linked to what the organisation is trying to achieve.”

Following this, the panel shared their tips for getting stakeholder buy-in.Ally kicked this discussion off, sharing her story of trying to get buy-in at the Oliver Agency.

“The main collection of stakeholders when we were choosing a platform were obviously finance - people with the purse strings - but also [people from] Systems. We needed an LMS that spoke to our current system. That was an essential aspect, and also the compliance department as well, because we were looking to integrate,” she said. 

“So big, significant departments within the business. None of which had anything to do with learning and development. It is a difficult concept, but I think sharing the extent of the platform's capabilities was the most important thing because I don't think the various other departments expected one platform to be able to do so much for us.”

Next, the panel offered insights into measuring ROI after implementing your new learning system. Again, Sebastian emphasised the importance of aligning learning goals and business goals to clearly define your learning system's purpose.

“The first thing you've got to do is align your reporting to business strategy and the performance metrics around that. You're not a disparate function going in reporting on L&D, you're a function that's enabling a business and is there to support performance,” he said. 

Adding to this, Sebastian also explained that one of Vitality’s key metrics was around decreasing training minutes to increase efficiency and future-proof skills. 

“We have been really clear to say, we're not trying to promote an increase in training. Training is a cost. So, when you take people away from their job, they're not contributing to performance. What we want to do is make people better at their jobs in a more efficient way. And the way you do that, ironically, is by driving your training minutes down. So how do you rationalise the cost versus the performance of that individual?” he added. 

Next, Kelly emphasised the importance of thoroughly testing your learning platform before launching. 

“You must make sure your platform is ready for public consumption. Because I have seen a number of times when a platform gets launched and there are some glitches in the matrix, right? And the learners who are utilising those platforms, if they have a bad experience typically that's just gonna put them off and create formal barriers,” she said. 

“So I say, test, test, test, test, make sure that your implementation is absolutely on point where it needs to be.” 

Additionally, Kelly noted how vital it is to build a culture of learning to ensure your L&D efforts are supportive and sustainable. 

“Building a culture of development feels more holistic and supportive and makes people feel like they're more in control of that journey. Therefore, just by virtue of that, you're gonna get more buy-in from people, typically from a psychological perspective,” she said. 

Finally, the panel signed off by briefly sharing their predictions for the future of L&D in 2024 and beyond. 

“Learning needs to not feel like learning, users just need to be interested in the content. And then one word: AI and everything that comes with it,” Ally said. 

“I'll go with two words: hyper personalised,” Sebastian added. 

Want more? Catch up on the full webinar replay below: 

Your expert guide to purchasing a learning platform

For more insights, download our eBook on choosing the right learning platform for your business. Or, you can book a demo today to find out how Go1 can help with your team’s learning needs.

During a recent Go1 webinar, our panel offered expert insights on purchasing a learning platform, digging into topics such as getting stakeholder buy-in, creating a learning culture, and much more.

UK webinar recap: Your expert guide to purchasing a learning platform

During a recent Go1 webinar promoting our latest eBook, the panel offered expert tips on purchasing a learning platform, digging into topics such as getting stakeholder buy-in, creating a culture of learning, measuring workplace learning ROI, and more. The webinar was hosted by Melinda Potente, Senior Customer Success Manager at Go1, who was joined by expert guests Luke Barnes, Director of  Partner Success at Go1, Anj Jipp, from the Enabling Team at Chorus, and Olivia Tsen, Development, Performance, and Inclusion Group Lead at Hassel.

We’ll recap the highlights of this insightful discussion, but if you want more, you can also catch up on the full webinar replay below. Or, for further insights, check out our eBook on choosing the right learning platform for your business.

To kick things off, Melinda asked Olivia what prompted her organisation, Hassle, to start on their journey and why learning was a business priority for them. According to Olivia, her key focus was delivering best-in-class learning. 

“We have a lot of learning and knowledge sharing needs and actually purposeful learning is at the core of our strategy and our culture. So one thing that I was very keen to work on straight away when I joined the company was to make sure that we had a best-in-class learning platform and solutions to support our best-in-class work,” she said. 

“For us it was a huge priority, and I'm really pleased that the business got behind and supported the implementation of a new system.”

Anj added to this, noting that her organisation’s learning journey was all about flexibility.

“We already had an LMS, but we were finding it wasn't particularly flexible. It was very, very hierarchical in its structure. And that's quite different from our organisation. We want anyone that joins the organisation to be able to choose not only to complete any mandatory elements, but also what kind of pathways they're interested in,” she said.

“So, the new LMS that we have now allows that sort of flexibility. People can lean into something they're interested in and passionate about as well as completing things that are mandatory.”

Following this, the discussion moved on to getting stakeholder buy-in. For Anj, this was a case of engaging learners throughout every step of the process.

“Most of the time, [our workforce] are accessing learning from their mobile device. They're not coming into the office every day. And so it's really important that the LMS is responsive on a mobile and that you can access it and play content. It didn't require you to have a laptop, and because of that, we really wanted [our learners] to be involved from the beginning,” she said.

“We wanted people to feel engaged and excited, and choose to log on to the LMS because they want to see what’s there rather than ‘oh, I need to do this again.’ So, it's really kind of getting that enthusiasm and excitement about something that's new.”

Olivia expanded on this, explaining her approach to getting stakeholder buy-in at Hassel.

“I truly believe that learning is something that everyone needs to be involved in, either teaching or sharing information and as well as consuming it. So that was definitely part of that consideration in terms of getting stakeholder buy-in, is that we have subject matter experts and people that will be potential users of the platform across every team, at every level of the organisation, whether it's senior leaders or a grad or a business support person,” she said. 

“So, really trying to understand what each of those stakeholder groups needed from it and making sure the platform that we chose and the content that's available through it is flexible and adaptable enough to be able to meet all their needs.”

Next, Luke shared his perspective on what factors can influence an LMS purchasing decision, emphasising that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

“I think that ease of use is vital, but also some organisations are quite hierarchical, and they need a very structured learning management system that goes along with that. Others are very self driven, and so they need a system where people can easily input their own content and start sharing that content and have more social elements to it. So, it really is finding the right system to fit your style of organisation and what you're trying to kind of get out of it,” he said. 

Following this, the panel discussed the LMS implementation process and how to avoid any potential hiccoughs along the way.

“Test, test, test. I cannot stress enough, just getting that feedback from people. So testing and getting some feedback and involving people in those early stages. I think that's probably by far the biggest thing that we needed,” Anj said. 

Melinda added to this, sharing her insights on reporting and tracking ROI after implementing a new learning system. 

“I find that a common thread with some of my customers that I speak with is that reporting and insights can really support and uplift the organisation. You can say where top learners, top teams or departments are within the business. And they can start to be some of your learning champions and pilot groups to get that feedback and then try to replicate it across other parts of the organisation,” she said. 

“And that's where you can start to build that learning culture as well, which we all know is so important.”

Finally, the panel cast their eyes to the future, sharing their predictions for L&D in 2024 and beyond. According to Luke, the future of L&D will rely heavily on adapting to change and learning from others. 

During a recent Go1 webinar, the panel offered expert tips on purchasing a learning platform, digging into topics such as getting stakeholder buy-in, measuring workplace learning ROI, and more.