by Nick Shackleton-Jones
If you want to read one book about learning, I highly recommend this one. In short, Nick differentiates between providing resources to address existing concerns (PULL) and providing emotional experiences to build capabilities (PUSH).
Why this is important in L&D
Helping people perform their jobs better and faster can often be achieved by analyzing, aligning and simplifying content, and by providing resources. There is no need to learn all of it, they just need to access it easily.
However, when employees care less about initiatives than their employer does, L&D can bridge the gap by creating emotional experiences. This approach helps make people care and shows them how they can make a difference.
by Morten T. Hansen
"Do less, then obsess." Top performers engage in fewer activities but put in more concentrated effort. A graph in the book shows that people who "do more, then stress" (high effort, low focus) perform at the same level as those who "do less, no stress" (low effort, high focus). However, top performers who "do less, then obsess" perform 50% better!
Why this is important in L&D
Learning initiatives are often seen as too slow and not impactful enough. This starts when we can't decide where to focus (FOMO - Fear Of Missing Out). As a consequence, we "do more, then stress".
by Marcus Buckingham
"We created teams ... for maximizing the unique qualities of each individual." Marcus advocates for discovering our best selves and understanding how each of us contributes uniquely.
Why this is important in L&D
Discovering who we are and how each of us can uniquely contribute is a vital part of L&D. Beyond individual capabilities, we also need organizational capabilities that are unique to our company to drive meaningful business results. It's about finding love in your work and within your company.
by Simon Sinek
This concept is widely known. As Simon says, "In business it doesn't matter what you do; it matters why you do it."
Why this is important in L&D
Consider why employees should care, why they should learn new capabilities, or why they should engage in initiatives. Why should they keep learning?
by Thomas Benedict
The building blocks of a conversation are like the floors of a building. To move on from aggression, emotions or resistance, you must follow a continuous process of steps to reach the "attic", where you can finally wrap things up and close the deal.
Why this is important in L&D
There are no short cuts. You must understand the concerns of both employees and employer (determine what "floor" they are on) and identify what needs to change (what "closing the deal" means) before considering how to get there (via resources or training).
by Reinhard K. Sprenger
Unfortunately, the book is only available in German. It translates to "The decision is yours". The author demonstrates that life is within your control, even when it feels like things are happening to you. Gaining control over your own life can lead to greater satisfaction.
Why this is important in L&D
You need to decide which capabilities take priority. If not, everyone will try their best, but the effort might not improve performance. Even worse, if you try to consider everything - your competitors, other industries, etc. - you risk spreading yourself too thin.