Learning Rebels Podcast

Finding the Stories that Drive Workplace Culture

It all started with the BIG question on the table.
What if learning and development professionals thought more like anthropologists?
 
This Coffee Chat explored what it means to study the culture of our organizations instead of simply observing it from a distance. How do we uncover the stories, rituals, and behaviors that shape it?
 
We began by exploring the idea of acting as storytellers. We already curate knowledge and connect people to resources, but what if we also helped uncover the stories that show who we are as a company? Culture does not live in a PowerPoint slide about values. It lives in the moments people share, the choices they make, and even the quiet in between.
 
Several participants reflected on how remote and hybrid work have changed the way we see culture. Without breakroom chatter or hallway check-ins, those unspoken stories are harder to find. Some suggested new ways to listen, like forming engagement committees, or simply asking questions that reveal what is really happening behind the scenes. Others noted that listening also means noticing what is not being said and understanding why.
 
We shared examples of how learning can reflect culture instead of sitting apart from it. That might mean weaving company values into course content, highlighting real stories from employees, or recognizing behaviors that model the culture we want to build. When culture shows up in learning, it starts to feel real.
 
Toward the end, the conversation turned practical. How do we help culture grow when budgets are tight and influence feels limited? The group offered creative, low-cost ways to build connection, such as virtual movie clubs, “Be Kind” chats on Teams, cross-department highlights, and even therapy dog visits at the office. Small, human moments like these help people feel part of something bigger, and that is where culture thrives.
 
Being a workplace anthropologist is not about changing the company overnight. It is about paying attention, capturing stories, and creating spaces where people can connect and be seen. That is how we keep the heart of an organization beating strong.
 
Stay curious!
-Shannon
 
Video
 
Transcript
 
Transcript Summary
 
Chatbox
 
Resources
 
Workplace Redux: An Anthropological Approach to Today’s Workplace Design by
Melissa Fisher and Hana Kassem
 
How to Replicate Water Cooler Conversations in Hybrid & Remote Workplaces by Matthew Reeves
 
What Is Employee Wellbeing? And Why Does It Matter?
 
Books
 
Your Wellbeing Blueprint: Feeling Good And Doing Well At Work by Michelle L McQuaid and Dr Peggy L Kern
 
The Pandemic Workplace: How We Learned to Be Citizens in the Office by Ilana Gershon
 
Beyond the Workplace Zoo by Nigel Oseland
 
Cultural Sensitivity Training: Developing the Basis for Effective Intercultural Communication by Susann Kowalski
 
Be part of the Community.
Gain more valuable resources to build your skills! Learn more here.
 
Join the conversation 
Be part of the live chat! Sign up here.  
 
Hire Learning Rebels 
When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website to learn more
 
Host: Shannon Tipton 
Podcast produced by: Obsidian Productions

Keeping the Human in Presentations

It all started with the BIG question on the table.
Have we lost our edge when it comes to presentation skills?
 
This Coffee Chat centered on something many of us have noticed. With so much attention going to AI tools and digital platforms, it is easy to forget that connection and presence are still at the heart of great facilitation. Participants shared strategies they use to spark engagement, like starting with a playful question, calling people by name as they join, or choosing icebreakers that help everyone warm up without feeling awkward.
 
We also talked about what keeps a session lively once it begins. Simple tools like chat prompts, polls, and annotation help, but small human gestures often matter more. Reading the room, noticing who is quiet, acknowledging comments in real time, and keeping your tone approachable can turn a presentation into a conversation. A few trainer red flags came up too, like saving questions for the very end or reading directly from the slides.
 
The group shared ideas for keeping presentations fresh. Changing visuals to maintain energy, using a co host to help with tech, and keeping each slide focused on a single idea were all crowd favorites. We also laughed about what happens when things go wrong, whether the poll freezes or the audio drops. Great presenters stay calm, improvise, and keep the room connected through those moments.
 
In the end, presentation skills are not about performance. They are about building trust, showing care, and making people feel included. Technology can support that work, but it cannot replace the human element that makes learning come alive.
 
Stay curious!
-Shannon
 
Video
 
Transcript
 
Transcript Summary
 
Chatbox
 
Resources
 
Presentation Skills Self Assessment
 
250 Conversation Topics
 
Woodstock 1969 Playlist
 
The Learning Rebels’ 22 Tips To Level-Up Your Virtual Learning Game
 
How to Present Survey Results in PowerPoint
 
Bingo in the classroom: A fun & educational tool
 
Books
 
Presentation Skills 201: How to Take It to the Next Level as a Confident, Engaging Presenter by William Steele
 
The Confident Presenter: Ditch Your Fear of Public Speaking and Embrace the Stage by Ryan Millar
 
Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot by Matt Abrahams
 
Develop Your Presentation Skills: How to Inspire and Inform with Clarity and Confidence by Theo Theobald
 
DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story by Nancy Duarte
 
Be part of the Community.
Gain more valuable resources to build your skills! Learn more here.
 
Join the conversation 
Be part of the live chat! Sign up here.  
 
Hire Learning Rebels 
When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website to learn more
 
Host: Shannon Tipton 
Podcast produced by: Obsidian Productions
 

Writing for Humans, Not Experts

It all started with the BIG question on the table.
How do we write learning materials that people actually want to read?
 
This Coffee Chat focused on the art and challenge of writing for learning. Whether it’s job aids, workbooks, or PowerPoint slides, the struggle is the same: keeping things clear, concise, and human. The discussion centered on how to cut through the noise, remove the fluff, and make content easy to digest without oversimplifying it.
 
The group shared ideas about finding the right balance between too much and not enough. Some of us worry about losing meaning when we simplify, while others admit to writing a novel for a ten-minute course. Hemingway’s famous advice to “keep it short and use simple words” came up more than once. The goal is not to strip the story away but to make sure every word earns its place.
 
We also explored design choices that make written content more engaging. White space, larger fonts, and shorter paragraphs keep readers focused and reduce visual fatigue. For learners who are neurodiverse or have visual limitations, those same choices make a huge difference. Clean layouts, chunked information, and thoughtful formatting improve accessibility and make the learning experience better for everyone.
 
Before long, the talk shifted to tone and audience. Good writing starts with knowing who you are talking to. Not every learner reads the same way, and not every message needs the same level of context. Sometimes people are not looking for a history lesson; they just need to know how to do the thing.
 
In the end, great writing for learning is about empathy. When we focus on what learners need to understand instead of what we want to explain, everything becomes clearer.
 
Stay curious!
-Shannon
 
Video
 
Chatbox
 
Transcript
 
Transcript Summary
 
Resources
 
What Hemingway Teaches Us About Instructional Writing
 
Bright Carbon monthly webinars
 
Books
 
The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman
 
Design for How People Learn (Voices That Matter) by Julie Dirksen
 
Write Like Hemingway: Find Your Voice, Discover Your Style Using the 10 Rules That Guided A Nobel Laureate by Ed Gleason
 
Instructional Story Design: Develop Stories That Train by Rance Greene
 
Be part of the Community.
Gain more valuable resources to build your skills! Learn more here.
 
Join the conversation 
Be part of the live chat! Sign up here.  
 
Hire Learning Rebels 
When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website to learn more
 
Host: Shannon Tipton 
Podcast produced by: Obsidian Productions

Managers: Champions or Roadblocks

It all started with the BIG question on the table.
How do we partner with middle managers instead of clashing with them?
 
This Coffee Chat dove into one of the most complicated roles in any organization. Middle managers sit at the crossroads of leadership expectations, daily operations, and learning initiatives. They can be your biggest ally or your biggest barrier, often depending on how well they understand their role in supporting development.
 
The chat quickly turned to some all-too-familiar struggles. Managers who block progress, expect new hires to be experts, or try to run training their own way. Others just don’t think helping their teams learn is part of the gig. And honestly, most are pulled in so many directions that learning ends up taking a back seat.
 
We talked about what it looks like to shift that relationship from tension to partnership. It starts with inviting managers into the process early, giving them visibility into what’s coming, involving them in decisions, and offering easy-to-use tools that help them lead conversations about learning. One participant shared a “leader-led learning” model that made managers the heroes by equipping them with resources to guide discussions with their teams.
 
Sometimes we toss training over the fence and expect managers to run with it, even though no one’s ever taught them how. When we bring them in, let them learn alongside their teams, and show how it connects to their own goals, the tension starts to ease. Suddenly, learning feels like something they want to be part of, not just another box to check.
 
In the end, middle managers are not the enemy. They’re just caught in the middle. The more we treat them as partners rather than obstacles, the stronger our learning cultures become.
 
Stay curious!
-Shannon
 
Video
 
Transcript
 
Transcript Summary
 
Chatbox
 
Resources
 
Learning Rebels’ CTRL + ALT + BUILD: The Microlearning Lab for Modern L&D Workshop
 
The Power Hour Tool
 
Leader Led Learning Series
 
20 Ways Managers Can Create a Culture of Continuous Learning
 
How to Involve Managers in Learning Programs3 Actionable Steps For Managers to Cultivate a Learning Culture
 
How To Create a Learning Culture: 18 Best Practices
 
Leaders' Critical Role in Building a Learning Culture
 
Books
 
Power to the Middle: Why Managers Hold the Keys to the Future of Work by Bill Schaninger, Bryan Hancock, and Emily Field
 
Caught in the Middle: 5 Crucial Insights into Mastering Middle Management by Maria Simpson
 
Leading Change from the Middle: A Practical Guide to Building Extraordinary Capabilities by Jackson Nickerson
 
The Middle Management Challenge: Moving from Crisis to Empowerment by Alan L. Frohman and Leonard W. Johnson
 
 
Be part of the Community.
Gain more valuable resources to build your skills! Learn more here.
 
Join the conversation 
Be part of the live chat! Sign up here.  
 
Hire Learning Rebels 
When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website to learn more
 
Host: Shannon Tipton 
Podcast produced by: Obsidian Productions

Making It Safe to Learn

It all started with the BIG question on the table.
How do we make learning environments feel safe for everyone who walks through the (virtual or physical) door?
 
This Coffee Chat explored the heart of psychological safety—what it really looks like in classrooms, workshops, and training sessions. We opened with five common mistakes that unintentionally chip away at that sense of safety: assuming hierarchy disappears, mistaking compliance for engagement, treating all mistakes the same way, ignoring social dynamics, and underestimating the learning environment itself. Each point sparked stories, strategies, and honest reflections from the group.
 
We talked about how hierarchies can quietly shape participation. Managers and employees in the same breakout room, long-tenured voices dominating newer ones, or facilitators unintentionally reinforcing authority can all influence who speaks up. Small shifts can make a big difference, like randomizing groups, normalizing dissent, and inviting learners to question the content openly.
 
The discussion also turned to design choices and facilitation techniques that foster safety and inclusion. It’s about creating spaces where people can engage comfortably through low-pressure icebreakers, time to think before sharing, or reflection moments that don’t force conversation.
 
Physical and digital cues such as fidget toys, flexible seating, and optional camera use can help signal that comfort matters. Just as important is the facilitator’s approach; tone, timing, and phrasing can either open the door to honest dialogue or quietly close it. A quiet room is not always an engaged one, and sometimes it’s simply a nervous one.
 
Building psychological safety takes care, self-awareness, and consistency. The good news? It starts with small, intentional choices that tell learners, “You belong here.”
 
Stay curious!
-Shannon
 
Video
 
Transcript
 
Transcript Summary
 
Chatbox
 
Resources
 
5 Psychological Safety Mistakes That Kill Learning (And How To Fix Them)
 
How to Foster Psychological Safety on Your Teams
 
Promoting Psychological Safety Toolkit
 
Books
 
Safe Spaces, Strong Minds: Nurturing Mental Wellness In Educational Environments by Leanndra Yates
 
Safe Spaces, Brave Spaces: Diversity and Free Expression in Education by John Palfrey
 
Safe Spaces by Lisa McAdams
 
Be part of the Community.
Gain more valuable resources to build your skills! Learn more here.
 
Join the conversation 
Be part of the live chat! Sign up here.  
 
Hire Learning Rebels 
When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website to learn more
 
Host: Shannon Tipton 
Podcast produced by: Obsidian Productions

Champagne Learning on a Beer Budget

It all started with the BIG question on the table.
How do we keep creating “champagne learning” when we’re working with a tap-water budget?
 
On this episode of the our Coffee Chat, the topic was all about getting scrappy, smart, and a little bit creative with the tools we already have. It’s that time of year when budgets tighten, priorities shift, and somehow the expectation still remains to deliver polished, high-impact learning. The challenge? Making it sparkle without spending a fortune.
 
The group shared clever ways to stretch every dollar—using project management tools like Smartsheet, Trello, or Asana for learning paths and workflows. Others found creative substitutes for full-blown LMS platforms by using SharePoint, Confluence, or even Google Sites to organize and deliver learning content. It was proof that innovation often comes from limitation.
 
We also explored design tools that do more than their job description. Canva and Vengage stood out for creating beautiful workbooks, infographics, and learning assets, while newer AI tools like Notebook LM and Napkin AI opened doors for curation, quick visuals, and even podcast-style learning recaps. When paired smartly, free and low-cost tools like these can create the illusion of a big-budget experience.
 
The conversation wrapped with a simple reminder—great learning design isn’t about price tags, it’s about creativity and resourcefulness. Whether you’re repurposing tools, experimenting with AI, or reimagining what “good” looks like, the goal is the same: to make learning feel valuable, no matter the budget.
 
Stay curious!
-Shannon
 
Video
 
Transcript
 
Transcript Summary
 
Chatbox
 
Resources
 
Notebook LM Overview
 
Cost-Effective Training: Leveraging Free Tools And Resources
 
From AI to Interactivity: What’s New (and Next) in Canva
 
Figjam: A collaborative online whiteboard that helps teams brainstorm, map out ideas, and create training workflows in real-time.
 
7 Taps: A mobile-first microlearning platform that lets you quickly create short, engaging learning modules with no design skills required.
 
Napkin.AI: An AI-powered tool that helps visualize and map out complex ideas or concepts into simple diagrams and knowledge graphs.
 
Manifestly: A checklist and workflow automation tool that helps streamline recurring training processes and improve accountability.
 
Camtasia: A powerful screen recording and video editing software ideal for creating polished instructional videos and tutorials.
 
Genially: A versatile tool for creating interactive presentations, infographics, and training materials with built-in gamification.
 
H5P: An open-source tool that enables you to create interactive learning content—like quizzes, presentations, and videos—directly in your LMS or website.
 
Slidemodel: Offers professional PowerPoint templates that help educators and trainers quickly build visually appealing slide decks.
 
Screencastify: A browser-based screen recorder that allows you to create quick, shareable video tutorials directly from Chrome.
 
Vyond: A user-friendly platform for creating animated training videos that explain concepts clearly and boost learner engagement.
 
Wellsaid:  Uses AI voice technology to turn text into realistic voiceovers, perfect for narrating training videos and eLearning content.
 
Envato: A marketplace offering templates, graphics, and stock assets to enhance the visual design of training materials.
 
Amazon Polly: Converts text to lifelike speech using AI, allowing you to add natural-sounding voiceovers to training content.
 
Intellum: A comprehensive learning management platform that supports scalable employee, customer, and partner education programs.
 
Books
 
Instructional Design on a Shoestring by Brian Washburn
 
Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology by Robert A. Reiser, Alison A. Carr-Chellman, and John V. Dempsey
 
50 Ways to Speed Up Instructional Design with AI (Training with AI) by Steve Rosenbaum
 
Be part of the Community.
Gain more valuable resources to build your skills! Learn more here.
 
Join the conversation 
Be part of the live chat! Sign up here.  
 
Hire Learning Rebels 
When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website to learn more
 
Host: Shannon Tipton 
Podcast produced by: Obsidian Productions

More Than PowerPoints: The L&D Visibility Challenge

It all started with the BIG question on the table. How do we make L&D visible in our organizations—and actually get recognized for the value we bring?
It quickly became clear this touches a nerve for all of us. We hesitate to promote ourselves because it feels too "salesy," like we're used car salesmen. But here's the truth—if we don't advocate for our work, no one else will. And we've all been there: when something goes wrong, training gets blamed. When it goes right? Crickets.
The conversation turned to building a real department brand. Some in the group already have mission statements and logos in place, while others are starting from scratch or rebuilding after restructures. But a mission statement can't just sit on a wall—it needs to show up everywhere, from first slides to intranet pages, so people know what you stand for. We also tackled the vocabulary trap. Talking about "blended learning" doesn't land the way "reducing lost-time injuries" or "getting people back to work faster" does. Listen to what metrics matter to leaders, then connect your work to those outcomes in their language.
Here's the reality: you already have a brand whether you're managing it or not. Right now it might be "the tick-a-box people" or "the PowerPoint people." Changing that perception takes intentional action—sharing relevant articles with stakeholders, asking to give five-minute updates in meetings, contributing to projects outside L&D. And the biggest piece? You have to ask for visibility. Ask what people say about L&D when you're not in the room. Because no amount of branding fixes a disconnect if you're not part of the conversation.
So what's one step you can take this week to make your L&D work more visible?
Stay curious! -Shannon
 
Video
Chatbox
 
Transcript
Transcript Summary
Resources
 
Be Seen Branding Action Sheet
 
VA L&D Site
 
Crafting Your Brand Workbook
 
Job Opportunity: Entry Level Instructional Designer Role at the University of Arizona
 
Jason’s Spotify Playlist after his prom chaperone experience!
 
If you found value in this week’s coffee chat, please take a minute to leave a Google Review. Your feedback helps others discover our events and keeps the Coffee Chats brewing (will include in email as well).
 
Books
 
The Complete SEO Guide: Boost Your Online Business Visibility with SEO by Andrea Bensaid
 
Value Proposition Design: How to Create Products and Services Customers Want by Alexander Asterwalder
 
Internal Branding: Growing Your Brand from Within By Jerome Joseph
 
Upskill, Reskill, Thrive: Optimizing Learning and Development in the Workplace by James McKenna
The Learning and Development Book: Change the way you think about L&D by Tricia Emerson and Mary Stewart
 
Be part of the Community.
Gain more valuable resources to build your skills! Learn more here.
 
Join the conversation 
Be part of the live chat! Sign up here.  
 
Hire Learning Rebels 
When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website to learn more
 
Host: Shannon Tipton 
Podcast produced by: Obsidian Productions

Butt's in Seats Isn't the Answer: A conversation about KPI's

It all started with the BIG question on the table.
What do KPIs really mean for learning and development—and how do we connect to them in a way that makes sense?
 
It quickly became clear that KPI's stir up mixed feelings: exciting for some, confusing or even intimidating for others. Some departments track them obsessively, while others barely mention them. And yet, whether in higher ed, nonprofits, or corporate spaces, KPIs are always there in the background—tied to growth, efficiency, donations, or retention.
 
The conversation turned to how L&D can play a role. Instead of talking about “alignment” in vague terms, we unpacked what it looks like in practice. Training that speeds up the sales funnel, leadership programs that reduce turnover, onboarding that improves retention—all are ways to show impact in terms the business already values. Along the way, we explored the difference between lagging indicators (like employees leaving) and leading ones (like manager behaviors that influence retention).
 
We also shared the challenge of shifting the dialogue. Too often, L&D is expected to deliver courses without asking how they tie to business outcomes. But when we reframe objectives as performance outcomes—“reduce manual processing time by 20%” instead of “complete data entry tasks”—we position ourselves as partners who impact KPIs, not just order takers.
 
KPIs may not always be easy to find, but they’re out there in budgets, reports, and conversations with stakeholders. The more we connect our work to those measures, the stronger our seat at the table becomes.
 
So what KPI in your organization could you start asking about today?
 
Stay curious!
-Shannon
 
Video
 
Transcript
 
Transcript Summary
 
Chatbox
 
Resources
 
From Urbie Delgado on KPI:
 
 
Technique        
Is it a KPI?
Why it is     
Why it isn’t
Before/After Snapshots
KPI-ish 
Shows change over time
More narrative than numeric
 
Behavior Change in the Wild 
KPI-lite
Tracks real-world actions 
Qualitative, not quantified
 
Small Wins, Big Echoes
KPI by anecdote
Ties learning to outcomes
Not tracked systematically
 
Peer Recognition/Adoption
Shadow KPI 
Indicates influence and trust 
Too soft for traditional metrics
 
Performance Drift Reversal
Covert KPI
Links to process improvement
Used case-by-case
 
Stakeholder Testimonials
Relational KPI
Shows business partner buy-in
Subjective and anecdotal
 
 
Learning Changemakers Tool 7: Improving Impact pdf
 
Kevin Yates Detective Kit
 
Substack on Execution, by Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan by Evan Samek
 
Learning Rebels Blog: Connecting The Dots: From Skills Gaps To Business Outcomes
 
Books
 
Measurement Demystified: Creating Your L&D Measurement, Analytics, and Reporting Strategy by David Vance and Peggy Parskey
 
Measurement and Evaluation on a Shoestring by Alaina Szlachta
 
A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge by Liba
 
Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done by Ram Charan and Larry Bossidy
 
Data Analytics and KPIs for Project Success by Moira Alexander
 
Developing Meaningful Key Performance Indicators by Clive Keyte
 
Be part of the Community.
Gain more valuable resources to build your skills! Learn more here.
 
Join the conversation 
Be part of the live chat! Sign up here.  
 
Hire Learning Rebels 
When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website to learn more
 
Host: Shannon Tipton 
Podcast produced by: Obsidian Productions