Charity Learning Conference & Awards 2024: 15 action points from the keynotes

Andy Lancaster on the power of learning communities 

1. Recognise the power of learning communities as a primary method for development. Andy says it is important to recognise that communities are “one of the most cost-effective ways of developing people” and that they are becoming increasingly popular. Move beyond viewing communities as just an add-on to other learning activities and instead embrace them as a core element of your L&D strategy.

2. Use community formats that best fit your organisation. There are many different types of learning communities, including professional learning networks, communities of practice, action learning sets, coaching or mentoring circles, and book clubs. Each format has its own strengths and weaknesses, so experiment to find the best fit for your organisation’s specific needs. For example, action learning sets could be a particularly good approach for problem-solving while mentoring circles can be effective for supporting new employees.

3. Intentionally design your learning communities for success. Learning communities require careful planning and facilitation and there are several key factors to consider, including the community’s purpose and goals, membership criteria and communication strategies. For example, establishing a clear content strategy, such as by curating relevant articles or research reports, can help to keep communities engaged and energised.

Lee Jones (at elev-8) on organisational culture

1. Focus on team rather than company culture. Company culture is often too abstract and vague, with real change happening at the team level. Learning professionals can work with team leaders to identify specific areas for improvement and develop targeted interventions. This might involve facilitating workshops on topics like communication, collaboration, or giving and receiving feedback.

2. Connect individuals to a shared sense of purpose. Employees are more motivated and engaged when they understand how their work contributes to a larger goal. Learning professionals can work with team leaders to articulate the team’s purpose and connect it to the organisation’s mission. This involves developing clear communication strategies, highlighting individual contributions, and celebrating team successes. Leaders need to go beyond simply sharing a mission statement; they need to actively connect the dots for their team members, showing them how their work makes a difference.

3. Empower team members to try new things and learn from their mistakes. Create a culture of “accountable freedom,” in which employees are given the autonomy to experiment and innovate while also being held accountable for the outcomes. Learning professionals can support the development of this culture by providing training on topics like problem-solving, decision-making, and risk-taking. They can also encourage leaders to adopt a coaching style that supports employee development and encourages experimentation. Show that innovation and initiative are valued by sharing stories about how employees successfully stepped outside defined processes to achieve positive results.

Liggy Webb on empowering minds

1. Champion a Mind Fit approach to personal and professional development. Liggy’s Mind Fit model highlights five core behaviours for thriving in the future: resilience, curiosity, flexibility, creativity, and kindness. By focusing on these behaviours, individuals can better adapt to change, manage stress, and cultivate a positive mindset. Learning professionals can encourage the development of these behaviours through learning resources, and by modelling them in their own work.

2. Encourage a culture of continuous learning and curiosity. Liggy emphasises that learning is a lifelong journey and that a curious mindset is essential for growth and adaptability. Learning professionals can help to foster this culture by providing opportunities for employees to learn new skills and explore different perspectives through peer-to-peer learning sessions.

3. Promote kindness and empathy in the workplace. Kindness is a vital ingredient for a healthy and productive work environment. Learning professionals can play a key role in cultivating this culture by focusing on topics such as active listening, conflict resolution and emotional intelligence. They can also advocate for policies that promote work-life balance and employee well-being.

Dani Saadu on reverse mentoring

1. Make the business case for implementing a reverse mentoring programme. To secure buy-in from senior leaders, it is crucial to present a compelling case that highlights the benefits for the organisation. Dani suggests focusing on data that shows how reverse mentoring can improve retention, diversity and inclusion, employee performance and career development. Being able to demonstrate this kind of impact is highly persuasive for senior leaders.

2. Provide robust training for mentors and mentees. To ensure a successful programme, both mentors and mentees need training. Develop younger mentors on how to give constructive feedback, build their personal brand, and ensure they don’t use the programme as an opportunity to complain. It’s equally important to train senior leaders who will be mentees on how to create a psychologically safe environment for their mentors, relinquish control of the relationship dynamic, and be open to learning from someone more junior.

3. Establish clear contracts and a structured framework. Outline expectations and responsibilities for both parties and use a structured mentoring process, such as the three-stage model he describes (Exploration, New Understanding, and Action Planning), which can help provide focus and direction for the mentoring relationship. Provide a bank of questions to guide conversations and a list of suggested areas for mentees to explore with their mentors. By ensuring clear parameters and a structured framework, learning professionals can enhance the effectiveness of the programme and create a more positive experience for participants.

Laura Overton on innovation in 2025

1. Identify an area where you need a breakthrough in your work. Start by identifying one specific thing that you would like to change or improve in the next year? It might relate to learner engagement, management support, or application of learning science principles.

2. Design a small, non-threatening experiment, a “Trojan mouse”, to test a potential solution to your identified challenge. These “mice” should be low-risk, and you should be prepared for them to fail. Laura says failure is inevitable, it is welcome and it is desired because it will provide valuable data. For instance, if your breakthrough area is building learning communities, your experiment could be as simple as adding five minutes to your team meetings to discuss what people have learned.

3. Analyse the data from your experiment and use it to inform future decisions. Even tiny Trojan mice experiments can provide insights into what works and what doesn’t. So think like scientists, be curious and be willing to experiment. By tracking the results of your experiments, you can identify patterns and trends that will help you refine your approach and make more impactful decisions.