Developing A Learning Culture & Organisation With Nigel Paine

David James
David James
October 4, 2019
Developing A Learning Culture & Organisation With Nigel Paine

Last month, Looop’s Chief Learning Officer and L&D podcast host, David James, interviewed Nigel Paine— a prominent figure in the global L&D community. During the episode David and Nigel discussed Nigel’s latest book: Workplace Learning: How To Build A Culture Of Continuous Employee Development. They explored the book’s themes in the context of the real-life challenges faced by L&D professionals today.  

Listen to episode 5 'Developing A Learning Culture & Organisation With Nigel Paine' here.

Read on for some of the insights Nigel shared in that conversation, or tune in to episode 5 of The L&D Podcast for the whole conversation.

The Key Takeaway: L&D Needs To Align With The Business

So many businesses are still clinging to the traditional one-size-fits-all solutions when it comes to learning culture. But this approach is no longer fit for purpose. We need to catch up with the rest of the world outside of the organisation if we want to create learning solutions that make a difference. The impact smartphones and search engines have had on the way we get things done are huge, and this podcast looks at what we need to do to align the outside world with the rest of the business — and how to use technology in the process.

David and Nigel discuss how to get out from behind the courses barricade and why it’s vital for L&D teams to take the time to work out what the key needs in the organisation are, before then addressing those needs. 

In summary, this podcast looks at why learning and work need to move closer, so that learning is work and work is learning. 

Our Favourite Quotes From Nigel Paine

Nigel on his motivation for writing the book: 

"I usually write my books in a rage — and the rage behind my latest book was the term ‘learning culture’ being bandied about by people who did not know what they were talking about and had no understanding of the history behind the term."

Nigel on how L&D teams can change the learning culture despite hurdles: 

"You’ve got to understand the frustrations and what inhibits people from doing their best. By understanding this you can begin changing the organisational process through people and eventually more of a learning culture emerges."

Nigel on how a course mentality works against the learning culture: 

“I'm not saying let's dump courses, I think they're useful. The problem is when that is all you think you're doing. You've got to get out of that mentality and you've got to start saying we will scrap everything we do. We'll start from zero and we'll build back depending on need. The truth is that L&D may find it slightly unpalatable, but the vast majority of learning [today] is solved by individuals or teams without any reference to L&D.”

Listen to episode 5 of the podcast and find out more about developing a learning culture.

Be Part Of The Conversation

Follow David James on LinkedIn and Twitter, and read his blogs here.

Follow Nigel Paine on LinkedIn and Twitter, and read his blog.

Ready to transform your company’s learning culture? Speak to one of our learning experts. Book a free demo today!

Latest posts

Curious how Looop by 360Learning
can help your L&D team?

Book a demo

Chat to our L&D experts and find out how Looop by 360Learning gives
 you your days back