Learning Rebels Podcast

It all started with the BIG question on the table.   What are you reading this summer, and how are you finding the time to do it?   This Coffee Chat was a lighter edition and we kicked it off with a confession: "I don't have time to read" is often a convenient excuse. Shannon admitted she'd just spent an hour watching baby goats on YouTube, so, yeah, we all have minutes hiding somewhere. The idea of "reading in the flow of work" took off, with ideas like turning wait-room minutes into article time, listening to audiobooks on the commute, and swapping the phone game for a book. One participant swears by the Kindle app plus Hoopla and Libby, which connect to your local library card for free e-books.   Then the debates got fun. Do you finish every book you start, or do you quit if it doesn't grab you in the first couple chapters? (Spoiler: it depends on how much you paid for it.) Dog-ears or bookmarks? Highlighting or Post-it flags? Audiobooks or physical copies? Several people can't focus on audiobooks at all, and one pointed out that when the narrator's voice doesn't match the character in your head, it throws you right off. We also got into the readability of nonfiction, including why some design books don't follow their own slide rules and why book ink has gotten so light.   On the study-skills side, Andrew shared SQ3R (survey, question, read, recite, review), an old-school method for digesting a chapter by writing your own questions first and answering them as you read. Others noted that if you can't explain what you're reading to someone else, you probably haven't absorbed it yet. And Shannon shared why her nonfiction lives on her Kindle: she can highlight and annotate without feeling guilty about marking up a "book book."   The book recommendations came fast. On the L&D side: Julie Dirksen's Design For How People Learn, Rick Altman's Crush Your Next Virtual Presentation, Steve Spangler's The Engagement Effect, Katrina Kennedy's Learning That Lasts, Slideology, Presentation Zen, The Coaching Habit, The Power of Habit, Value Proposition Design, and Imagine It Forward. For leadership development, the group pointed to John Maxwell (with a few honest "not my style" votes), CliftonStrengths, DiSC for leadership, and a tiered two-year program one participant saw at a retailer. We also heard about book club ERGs that spin a wheel to pick the monthly read, plus collections of mythology, witchcraft, mysteries, and cookbooks.   The takeaway? Reading doesn't have to be a big production. Swap one scroll session for a chapter, keep a book (or a Kindle) with you, take notes somewhere you can find them later, and quit the book that isn't working. The chat's final tips included 30 minutes before bed, audiobooks while walking, and simply making time for yourself. So what's the one book you're recommending this summer?   Stay curious!   -Shannon   Video VimeoCoffee Chat: What We're Actually Reading: L&D Picks for SummerMore actions   Transcript Summary: Learningrebelslearningrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/20...More actions   Transcript: OtterOtter Voice Meeting NotesMore actions   Chat Box: Learningrebelslearningrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/20...More actions   Resources: Summer Learning Bingo LearningrebelsLR-Summer-Learning-Bingo-Final.jpgMore actions   Libby – Library ebook and audiobook app LibbyappLibbyMore actions   Hoopla – Library ebook and audiobook service Hoopladigitalhoopladigital.comMore actions   BookBub Bookbubbookbub.comMore actions   Paperback Swap PaperbackswapVerification RequiredMore actions   Stanford explanation of SQ3R StanfordReading Efficacy: The "SQ3R" MethodMore actions   Books:   Link to Reading List PDF Learningrebelslearningrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/20...More actions   These are the books mentioned but the links and titles are all in the PDF Learning & Professional Development Learning That Lasts — Katrina Kennedy (mentioned multiple times) Slide:ology (written as "Slideology" in the chat) Graphic Design for Everyone L&D Order Taker No More Design for How People Learn — Julie Dirksen Crush Your Next Virtual Presentation — Rick Altman The Engagement Effect — Steve Spangler Interact and Engage — Kassy LaBorie The Coaching Habit — Michael Bungay Stanier (mentioned multiple times) Coaching for Performance — Sir John Whitmore Leadership and the One Minute Manager — Ken Blanchard It's the Manager: Moving From Boss to Coach — Jim Clifton & Jim Harter The Infinite Game — Simon Sinek Presentation Zen — Garr Reynolds The Trusted Learning Advisor — Keith Keating Think Again — Adam Grant Fiction & Literature The Warmth of Other Suns — Isabel Wilkerson The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife — Anna Johnston Seascapes and Other Kinnakeet Stories — Bernie Lewis Out There Screaming — edited by Jordan Peele & John Joseph Adams The Correspondent — Virginia Evans Remarkably Bright Creatures — Shelby Van Pelt West with Giraffes We Did OK, Kid — Anthony Hopkins Biographies Betty White Biography(title not specified) We Did OK, Kid — Anthony Hopkins   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

It all started with the BIG question on the table.   What symptoms tell you it's time to try something different in your virtual training room?   This Coffee Chat dug into engagement techniques for virtual sessions—not brand new tricks necessarily, but fresh spins on tools we've gotten bored with. We opened by identifying the warning signs: nobody's responding to questions, cameras are off, people have two screens open answering email while half-listening. One participant shared a telling story from evaluating a five-day virtual regulatory course—the first day and a half felt unnecessary and could've easily been asynchronous, while the meat-and-potatoes content later in the week, where people actually needed stories and case studies, got rushed through. The lesson? We often just lift a face-to-face structure into Zoom without rearranging the puzzle pieces for the medium.   The group tackled how to handle important background information without losing people to a lecture. Ideas included drip-feeding pre-reading in small chunks via email days before class, using short videos or animations to prime people ahead of time, and putting accountability back in learners' hands—like requiring them to bring a real example to class, even if you don't strictly need it, just so they show up having actually thought about the content. One participant put it well: "This will be better for you if you bring it."   Breakout rooms got serious attention—specifically why people groan at the mention of them virtually but happily do the same table discussion in person. The consensus: it's often poor facilitation, not the format itself. Fixes included designating a leader or moderator for each room ahead of time, using chat "blast" features to send reminders or curveball questions into rooms, and being genuinely purposeful about the activity instead of just filling time. As one person put it, breakout rooms need to end with people thinking "I'm really glad we had that conversation," not confusion about what they were even supposed to talk about.   We also got into practical chat-feature tricks: the "waterfall" (or reverse waterfall, or chat geyser, depending who you ask) where everyone types their answer but waits to hit send until told to, which removes the fear of being first and gives slower typists and thinkers room to process. Using people's names in the chat pulls them back from multitasking. And building in extra wait time after a question matters more virtually than in person, since you can't read body language to know when someone's thinking versus checked out.   Finally, the icebreaker debate got fun and honest—apparently there's a lot of quiet hatred out there for "two truths and a lie" and "what's your spirit animal." Fresh alternatives floated included favorite dinosaur, favorite Muppet, giving people a choice of two or three icebreaker questions instead of one, and end-of-session activities like summarizing the day's learning without using any words, or writing one lingering question on an index card to remove the fear of asking something "everyone else already knows."   The takeaway? Engagement in the virtual space takes more energy and more intentional structure than face-to-face, not less. Know your tools well enough to troubleshoot them for others, give people processing time, and always have a plan B when your audience isn't who you expected. So what's one engagement technique you're going to try or retire after this conversation?   Stay curious! Shannon   Video VimeoCoffee Chat: Energizers for the Classroom   Transcript Summary Learningrebelslearningrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/20...   Transcript: OtterOtter Voice Meeting Notes   Chat Box: Learningrebelslearningrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/20...   Resources: SessionLab A great resource for facilitators. It has workshop templates, agendas, activity ideas, and a library of facilitation techniques.  SessionlabA Better Way to Design Workshops | SessionLab   Liberating Structures A collection of structured group activities designed to increase participation and avoid the same few voices dominating.  LiberatingstructuresLiberating Structures | Simple, powerful interactions patterns that include every voice   The Training Arcade A resource specifically focused on game-based learning activities.  ElblearningGames and Gamification For Training | The Training Arcade® & Arcades™ | ELB Learning   Books: Gamestorming 2.0: An Updated Playbook for Innovators, Rule Breakers, and Changemakers by Dave Gray, Sunni Brown  AAmazon.com: Gamestorming 2.0: An Updated Playbook for Innovators, Rule Breakers, and Changemakers: 9781098148089: Gray, Dave, Brown, Sunni: Books   The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-based Methods and Strategies for Training and Education by Karl M. Kapp  AAmazon.com: The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-based Methods and Strategies for Training and Education: 9781118096345: Kapp, Karl M.: Books   The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker AThe Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters: Parker, Priya: 9781594634932: Amazon.com: Books   The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth by Amy C. Edmondson AAmazon.com: The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth: 9781119477242: Edmondson, Amy C.: Books   The Virtual Training Guidebook: How to Design, Deliver, and Implement Live Online Learning/ by Cindy Huggett AAmazon.com: The Virtual Training Guidebook: How to Design, Deliver, and Implement Live Online Learning eBook : Huggett, Cindy: Kindle Store   Interact and Engage, 2nd Edition: 75+ Activities for Virtual Training, Meetings, and Webinars by Kassy LaBorie, Thomas Stone AInteract and Engage, 2nd Edition: 75+ Activities for Virtual Training, Meetings, and Webinars: LaBorie, Kassy, Stone, Thomas, Stone, Thomas, Stone, Thomas: 9781953946409: Amazon.com: Books   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

It all started with the BIG question on the table.   How do we give feedback that actually changes behavior instead of just making people feel good?   This Coffee Chat dug into feedback across three very different environments—e-learning, virtual live sessions, and in-person training—and how the mechanics of each shape whether feedback actually lands. One participant built a HAZWOPER training scenario with a live risk gauge that tracked accuracy, risk, and time based on the learner's choices, showing them the consequences in real time rather than just saying right or wrong. Another described branching scenario software where feedback isn't punitive—it explains why an answer is correct or incorrect so the learning actually reinforces itself. A librarian trainer shared a clever twist: requiring supervisors to approve a new hire's performance evidence before they could finish a course, which pulled supervisors directly into the feedback loop and dramatically improved how prepared people showed up to follow-up sessions.   The group agreed that context is everything—feedback tied to the moment, using the learner's own scenario and vocabulary, sticks far better than generic "good job" messaging. One person emphasized pulling real terminology straight from subject matter experts so feedback feels authentic to the learner's actual work.   Then we moved into the messier territory of virtual breakout rooms. The honest consensus? A lot of breakout room feedback is, in Barbara's words, "lame." People spend half their time deciding who should lead instead of doing the work. Solutions included pre-assigning facilitators or leaders to each room ahead of time, using private chat messages to redirect someone without putting them on the spot, and using the chat "blast" feature not just for time reminders but to throw curveball questions that spark reflection—something the group realized they hadn't fully explored as a feedback tool. Another idea: bring back previous participants as trained feedback-givers in breakout rooms, turning it into a continued development opportunity for them too.   Finally, we talked about live, in-person feedback—and the risk of getting too casual with it just because everyone's in the room together. One participant shared a memorable framework: give one specific thing you loved, and one specific thing you'd love to see done differently next time—avoiding the word "but" in between. Another pointed out that when you redirect one person in a group setting, everyone else is watching how you handle it, so the tone matters as much as the content. The group also floated "help me understand how you got there" as a coaching-style question that lets people talk themselves into recognizing what needs to change, rather than being told outright.   The takeaway? Good feedback is specific, contextual, motivating, and actionable—no matter which environment you're working in. And sometimes the best feedback doesn't come from you directly; it comes from designing the system (a gauge, a supervisor checkpoint, a peer rubric) so the learner sees the consequences and course-corrects themselves.   So how are you making your feedback more actionable this week?   Stay curious! -Shannon   Video VimeoCoffee Chat: Building Feedback and Support to Change Behavior     Transcript Summary Learningrebelslearningrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/20...     Transcript:OtterOtter Voice Meeting Notes     Chat Box: Learningrebelslearningrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/20...   Resources:   Bring E-learning to Life with Interactive Scenarios: ArticulateBring E-Learning to Life With Interactive Scenarios   Toolbox Tip: Creating Scenarios in Articulate Storyline (includes source file) Tdtd.org/content/atd-blog/toolbox-tip-crea...   Books:   Thank You for the Feedback by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen AThanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well: Stone, Douglas, Heen, Sheila: 9780143127130: Amazon.com: Books   Design for How People Learn by Julie Dirksen ADesign for How People Learn (Voices That Matter): Dirksen, Julie: 9780134211282: Amazon.com: Books   Visible Learning: Feedback by John Hattie  AmznAmazon.com   Map It by Cathy Moore AAmazon.com   The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier AAmazon.com: The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More, and Change the Way You Lead Forever: 9780978440749: Stanier, Michael Bungay: Books   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

It all started with the BIG question on the table.   How do you find and recognize the people who are growing their skills quietly on their own time, with no LMS involved?   This Coffee Chat tackled the challenge of spotting and rewarding informal learning—the kind that happens in unplanned moments, not in a course or a system. We opened with a classic example: someone leans across the cube, drops a helpful tip, and disappears back to their desk. That's informal learning in action. But how do we recognize the people quietly sharing knowledge like this? One participant shared that Microsoft Teams has a built-in Praise feature, plus their organization's recognition system lets people give public thanks that employees can actually use in their year-end reviews.   The conversation took a sharp turn into the double-edged sword of social learning. One person raised a real challenge: some people love being the go-to expert so much that they gatekeep their knowledge, becoming addicted to "saving the day" instead of scaling what they know. Another pointed out that this creates the opposite problem too—the same helpful people get volunteered for everything and recognized constantly, while quieter people doing equally good work get overlooked because they're not raising their hands for the spotlight.   We explored practical ways organizations are surfacing informal learning. One person's team runs quarterly learning events where staff sign up for five-to-seven-minute presentations on anything they've learned—conference takeaways, a completed project, whatever. Low pressure, recorded for people who miss it, followed by a shout-out in Slack. Another shared using healthcare "exemplars"—recorded or written stories that prove someone applied a skill in a real situation, which build camaraderie and inspire others through storytelling rather than a multiple-choice quiz. And a simple icebreaker question sparked a goldmine: "What's the last thing you learned for the first time?" In under two minutes, the chat filled with AI prompting, Storyline triggers, MBA coursework, and even how to use a new belt—proof that this question alone can surface hidden pockets of knowledge across a team.   The group also got real about balancing recognition with application. One person pushed back gently, asking not just how we recognize learning, but how we recognize what people do with it—especially in compliance-heavy fields where you need evidence someone can actually perform a task, not just that they watched a video. And Barbara shared a favorite: a "Caught It" coupon system where team members award each other for doing something right, with a quarterly committee reviewing standout moments for a small prize. It's gamification, but low-key enough to fit into a workplace culture without feeling like a fifth-grade participation trophy.   The takeaway? Most of us aren't missing informal learning because it isn't happening—we're missing it because we're not asking about it. Recognition shouldn't stop at "what did you learn." It needs to include "how are you using it." And the same helpful people shouldn't be the only ones getting the spotlight—spread that love around and make sure quieter contributors get seen too.   So what's the last thing you learned for the first time?   Stay curious!   -Shannon   Video VimeoSupporting Informal Learning Recognition         Transcript Summary Learningrebelslearningrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/20...       Transcript: OtterOtter Voice Meeting Notes - Otter.ai         Chat Box: Learningrebelslearningrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/20...       Resources: PodiaThe Practical AI Toolkit for Instructional Designers LinkedinLinkedIn Learning: Online Training Courses & Skill Building       Books: The Carrot Principle by Adrian Gostick AThe Carrot Principle: How the Best Managers Use Recognition to Engage Their People, Retain Talent, and Accelerate Performance [Updated & Revised]: Gostick, Adrian, Elton, Chester: 9781439149171: Amazon.com: Books   Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink ADrive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us: Pink, Daniel H.: 9781594484803: Amazon.com: Books   The Coaching Habit  by Michael Bungay Stanier AAmazon.com: The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More, and Change the Way You Lead Forever: 9780978440749: Stanier, Michael Bungay: Books   The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle ANew - Culture Code, The (Lead Title): Coyle: Amazon.com: Books   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  

It all started with the BIG question on the table.   When those subject matter experts drive you bananas, what do you do about it?   This Coffee Chat got real about the messy, human side of working with subject matter experts. We opened by asking the group about their main struggles, and the honesty flowed immediately: "Can't I just do it all myself?" One person pointed out that whether or not the SME was voluntold matters—being your subject matter expert isn't their day job, and we may very well be a disruption in their life, not a welcome addition. The relationship dynamic shifts depending on whether they feel grateful for the support or resentful of the extra work.   We dug into the ghosting problem—the SME who doesn't answer emails, skips meetings, and leaves you high and dry. The group's advice ranged from practical to hilarious: escalate to whoever nominated them, but only after genuine effort; "stalk them on Teams" with friendly persistence; bring snacks (never underestimate a Starbucks gift card); or simply state the facts plainly—here's the deadline, here's the risk to the project if we don't get your input. One participant made a sharp point: sometimes the ghosting isn't laziness, it's fear of judgment or imposter syndrome. Understanding the "why" changes how you approach the "what now."   The over-sharer got equal airtime—the SME who wants to dump a 100-page document with everything they know. The fix? Ask the right question: what does a new hire actually need to know on day one, five, and thirty? Several people are now using AI to synthesize massive information dumps and spot the gaps, though with a clear caution about redacting sensitive company data first. And when you're not sure if you've captured the right content, bring in a second or third perspective—not to undercut the SME, but to build consensus and credibility. As one participant put it, getting multiple voices to align makes the final product look more collaborative and trustworthy.   The conversation turned to building real trust with SMEs over time. Make them the star—record their stories, use their voice for narration, credit their contributions by name. Give them ownership over small pieces so they feel invested. Written appreciation that can go into a performance review carries real weight, and yes, food works too (never underestimate a $5 Starbucks card). The throughline: nurture the relationship before you need something, not just when you're in crisis mode.   The takeaway? Subject matter experts aren't the enemy—they're human, stretched thin, and often doing their best with information overload of their own. Get specific about what you need and when you need it. Be a shape-shifter depending on who you're talking to. And remember that clear, kind communication beats vague niceties every time—"at your earliest convenience" means nothing when you actually need an answer today.   So how are you building trust with your subject matter experts this week?   Stay curious! -Shannon   Video VimeoCoffee Chat: My SME is Driving Me Bananas!     Transcript Summary Learningrebelslearningrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/20...     Transcript: OtterOtter Voice Meeting Notes     Chat Box: Learningrebelslearningrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/20...     Resources: Learning Rebels Blog: 6 Tactics to Successfully Work With Subject Matter Experts Learningrebels6 Tactics to Successfully Work with Subject Matter Experts - Learning Rebels Shannon Tipton   Leaning Rebels PDF: The SME Situation Guide - Say This, Not That Learningrebelslearningrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/20...   Books: Valued: The Six Coaching Habits That Turn SME Into Enthusiastic Talent Developers AAmazon.com: Valued: The Six Coaching Habits That Turn Subject Matter Experts Into Enthusiastic Talent Developers eBook : Dickerson, Matthew, Toomer, Jerry: Kindle Store   The Accidental Instructional Designer by Cammy Bean AThe Accidental Instructional Designer, 2nd Edition: Learning Design for the Digital Age: Bean, Cammy: 9781953946591: Amazon.com: Books   Design for How People Learn by Julie Dirksen ADesign for How People Learn (Voices That Matter): Dirksen, Julie: 9780134211282: Amazon.com: Books   Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson and co-authors ACrucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High, Third Edition: Grenny: 9781260474183: Amazon.com: Books   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