Completion stats are a vanity metric. Happy sheets are pointless. Revenue impact will get you a seat at the table.

We've all heard these statements from conference stages. Some of us, your hosts included, might even have said them. But in this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast, we wanted to dig a little deeper.

We invited Evolve L&D's Tom McDowall to join Ross G and Claire, to discuss:

• why the context behind completion metrics is crucial to understanding them
• how to design effective learner surveys
• how 'metric chains' help broaden our understanding of learning impact.

During the discussion, we referenced Dr Will Thalheimer's book Performance-focused smile sheets.

In 'What I Learned This Week', Claire discussed the design of the London Tube map.

Ross G discussed a novel genetic modification technique known colloquially as 'agriculture'. And it's recent acceleration.

To find out more about Tom, visit evolve-ld.com. For more on the IDTX conference, see idtx.co.uk.

For more from Mindtools Kineo, visit mindtools.com or kineo.com. There, you'll also find details of our Learning Management Systems, Content Hub for leaders and managers, and custom learning design service.

Like the show? You'll LOVE our newsletter! Subscribe to The L&D Dispatch at lddispatch.com

Connect with our speakers   

If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with us on LinkedIn:

• Ross Garner
• Claire Gibson
• Tom McDowall

Hello listeners! No new episode this week, but we wanted to take the opportunity to dig into the vault and revisit an old favorite from 2024 with Ben Betts.

At the time we recorded this one, Ben had receently published a blog post, in which he wrote that 'the LMS is the first point of entry to learning; the front-of-house of our industry.' While that front-of-house may look a little different now than it did twenty years ago, and despite the oft-repeated claim that the LMS is dying, it remains the default gateway to digital learning in organizations. But are things changing?

To answer that question and others, Ben joined us to discuss:

• the many eras of the LMS, and how we got to where we are now;
• the forces that have shaped e-learning interfaces over time;
• how AI and other changes in the tech landscape might usher in a new era.

You can read Ben's blog post, 'What's the Next Generation of E-Learning Interfaces?', on his website.

For more from Mindtools Kineo, visit mindtools.com or kineo.com. There, you'll also find details of our Learning Management Systems, Content Hub for leaders and managers, and custom learning design service.

Like the show? You'll LOVE our newsletter! Subscribe to The L&D Dispatch at lddispatch.com

Connect with our speakers 

If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with us on LinkedIn:

• Ross Dickie
• Owen Ferguson
• Ben Betts

Often, leaders are promoted into their roles because of their ability to solve problems. But that strength can become a weakness when it leads to dependency, creating an environment where the leader is always swooping in to save the day.

In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Ross D and Cammy are joined by Bill Flynn, CEO of Catalyst Growth Advisors and author of The Hero Trap, to discuss:

• what the 'hero trap' is and why leaders fall into it;
• why the behaviors that bring early success often limit growth later on;
• how leadership development programs need to change to address this issue;
• how we can help leaders make the shift from problem-solvers to systems-architects.

You can pre-order The Hero Trap here, and find out more about Bill's work on his website.

In 'What I Learned This Week', Ross D recommended the podcast Rabbit Hole.

For more from Mindtools Kineo, visit mindtools.com or kineo.com. There, you'll also find details of our Learning Management Systems, Content Hub for leaders and managers, and custom learning design service.

Like the show? You'll LOVE our newsletter! Subscribe to The L&D Dispatch at lddispatch.com

Connect with our speakers   

If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with us on LinkedIn:

• Ross Dickie

• Cammy Bean

• Bill Flynn