Unscripted—The L&D Shakers Podcast

In this Unscripted episode (a podcast by the L&D Shakers), host Susanne Heiss talks with Tobias Grewe about why organizational change should begin with listening. Tobias shares how stories reveal the “warm data” behind people’s experiences: their concerns, hopes, and the patterns shaping an organization. Together, they explore how leaders and HR can make space for those stories, build trust, and co-create a meaningful narrative for change.Key topicsWhy storylistening should come before storytelling“Warm data” and what people’s stories revealCreating safe spaces for employees to share their experiencesUnderstanding resistance, grief, and uncertainty during changeCo-creating change narratives with leaders and teamsHR’s role in supporting change and advocating fo peopleNarrative prompts that invite deeper reflectionAbout the guestTobias Grewe is a narrative and systemicorganizational developer, coach, and communication expert. He is the author of Kein Change ohne Story!, published in German by Haufe-Verlag. Reach out to Tobias if you’d like to have more information in English on the content of the book and his work.Visit Tobias Grewe’s websiteAbout the hostSusanne Heiss is a Facilitator for Culture, Conflict & Change and the host of Season IV of Unscripted – the Podcast by the L&D Shakers.Visit Susanne Heiss‘ websitePlease reach out to Susanne via her website if you would like to be a guest on one of our next Podcast episodes with the topic around Transformative Change. If you'd like to join a global community of Learning & Development professionals with a bias toward action and connection, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠then join us here!

What happens when change starts to change us?Welcome to a new season of Unscripted, the podcast by the L&D Shakers. I’m Susanne Heiss, and I’ll be your host throughout this season.In each episode, we will explore transformative change, where practical shifts meet deeper changes in mindset, behavior, and the way organizations work.Ready to tune in? We are!

Stop letting great ideas die in drawers. Learn the Disney Method that transforms brainstorming chaos into immediate action.You know the drill: fantastic brainstorming session, sticky notes flying, everyone energized... then weeks later, those brilliant ideas are collecting dust, untouched in a drawer. Too vague, too wild, bogged down in details and objections.In this episode, Camilla Poli reveals Disney's game-changing approach that separates creative thinking into three distinct worlds: Dreamer (anything is possible), Realist (is this feasible?), and Critic (what's our best plan?). You'll discover why traditional brainstorming rewards the loudest voice and kills creativity, learn the specific warm-up exercises that unlock divergent thinking, and hear the incredible story of how one session transformed three siloed departments into an aligned team that implemented solutions the very next day.This isn't just theory. Camilla walks through her exact process, including the moment when 16 confused leaders couldn't recognize their own roadmaps, sparking the breakthrough conversation they'd needed for years.If you would like share a framework on the podcast you applied, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠please fill out this form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and I will reach out to you.If you'd like to join a global community of Learning & Development professionals with a bias toward action and connection, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠then join us here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

When organizations jump straight into "what" they want to train without understanding "why," they set themselves up for failure. In this episode, strategic communications expert Marta Novella shares how she used Simon Sinek's Why-How-What framework to transform a fragmented international team facing a leadership transition. Through candid one-on-one interviews and purpose-driven workshop design, Marta uncovered the real issues: lack of trust, poor communication, and teams operating as isolated islands. Her approach didn't just deliver training, it created a 50% improvement in trust scores and built a unified manifesto that helped the new CEO hit the ground running. Discover why starting with purpose isn't just good practice, it's the difference between compliance training and transformational learning.If you would like share a framework on the podcast you applied, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠please fill out this form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and I will reach out to you.If you'd like to join a global community of Learning & Development professionals with a bias toward action and connection, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠then join us here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

In this episode, we sit down with Saad Bin Tariq, a seasoned performance consultant, to explore how Human Performance Improvement (HPI) and Andragogy can transform learning interventions into real business impact.Saad shares a compelling case study involving 14 technical managers in the Middle East, revealing how a blend of diagnostic precision and adult learning principles helped tackle feedback avoidance, mentoring gaps, and conflict resolution.We unpack how HPI goes beyond skills to address systems, culture, and environment—and how Andragogy makes learning personal, relevant, and lasting.If you would like share a framework on the podcast you applied, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠please fill out this form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and I will reach out to you.If you'd like to join a global community of Learning & Development professionals with a bias toward action and connection, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠then join us here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

In this episode of L&D Frameworks: Applied, we sit down with Daria Rudnik—team architect and learning experience designer—to explore how she brings Sharon L. Bowman's Training from the Back of the Room to life. Daria shares how the 4Cs framework (Connections, Concepts, Concrete Practice, Conclusions) transforms passive training into active learning. From five-minute theory bursts to learner-led knowledge sharing, this episode is packed with practical insights for L&D professionals who want to design more engaging, brain-friendly learning experiences.If you would like share a framework on the podcast you applied, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠please fill out this form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and I will reach out to you.If you'd like to join a global community of Learning & Development professionals with a bias toward action and connection, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠then join us here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

In this episode of L&D Frameworks: Applied, Joost sits down with Gabrielle Sun, an experienced instructional designer working in a global L&D team at one of the Big Four. Together, they explore how Gabrielle blends the structure of ADDIE with the flexibility of SAM to create more iterative, feedback-driven learning experiences.Gabrielle shares how her team uses phases like Pre-Alpha, Alpha, Beta, and Gold to guide development, and how they manage stakeholder expectations while keeping the process agile. From global collaboration to piloting and evaluation, this episode is packed with practical insights for anyone designing learning at scale.Whether you're deep into instructional design or just curious about how to make your learning programs more adaptive, this conversation will give you tools and inspiration to rethink your approach.If you would like share a framework on the podcast you applied, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠please fill out this form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and I will reach out to you.If you'd like to join a global community of Learning & Development professionals with a bias toward action and connection, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠then join us here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

What do Specsavers, Boost Juice, and Back to the Future have in common? In this episode, Joost sits down with Matt Smolen, founder of Balloon Tree Productions, to explore how storytelling transforms learning into something memorable, emotional, and effective.From mini-documentaries to Trojan-horsed messages, Matt shares how L&D teams can use narrative, conflict, and creativity to drive engagement and retention. Whether you're designing onboarding or rolling out SOPs, this episode will inspire you to think beyond slides and scripts.Whether you're an L&D professional or simply curious about innovative learning frameworks, this conversation offers valuable insights and practical tips.If you would like share a framework on the podcast you applied, ⁠⁠⁠⁠please fill out this form⁠⁠⁠⁠, and I will reach out to you.If you'd like to join a global community of Learning & Development professionals with a bias toward action and connection, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠then join us here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

In this episode of "L&D Frameworks: Applied," host Joost Brouwer sits down with Shaira Khidirova, a seasoned L&D lead known for her creative and impactful learning solutions. Shaira shares her expertise on the 5DI model, developed by Nick Shackleton-Jones, and how she integrates MVP (Minimum Viable Product) testing to deliver effective learning programs. Tune in to explore how Shaira's startup mindset and agile approach help in creating user-centered learning experiences that resonate and drive real business impact. Also learn how Emily Button-Lynham from EBC⁠ helped to develop people at Ogury.Whether you're an L&D professional or simply curious about innovative learning frameworks, this conversation offers valuable insights and practical tips.If you would like share a framework on the podcast you applied, ⁠⁠⁠please fill out this form⁠⁠⁠, and I will reach out to you.If you'd like to join a global community of Learning & Development professionals with a bias toward action and connection, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠then join us here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

In this episode of "L&D Frameworks: Applied," we dive into the world of nudge learning with Toby Newman, a seasoned learning strategist known for his innovative approaches to corporate training. Toby shares his insights on how small, timely interventions can significantly enhance learning outcomes when paired with the 70:20:10 model. Discover practical tips on making learning stick, the importance of incremental learning, and how to tailor training to individual experiences. Whether you're an L&D professional or simply passionate about effective learning strategies, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways.If you would like share a framework on the podcast you applied, ⁠⁠please fill out this form⁠⁠, and I will reach out to you.If you'd like to join a global community of Learning & Development professionals with a bias toward action and connection, ⁠⁠⁠⁠then join us here⁠⁠⁠⁠!