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Performance Matters Podcast

Award Winning Podcast

The award-winning Performance Matters Podcast features business leaders, performance improvement practitioners, and learning and development professionals discussing their work alongside new trends and best practices.

Join host Michael Thiel, as he explores and analyzes emerging strategies, technologies, and their applications for learning and development.

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Three consecutive awards for the Performance Matters podcast for industry focused podcast.

Featured Episode

Fostering Resilience and Well-Being During Workplace Transformation

Join Leah Clark and Dr. Cheryl Jackson as they dive into the essential role of resilience and well-being in today’s ever-evolving workplace. With decades of experience in leadership consulting and organizational psychology, Leah and Cheryl share practical strategies and real-world insights on how individuals and organizations can thrive—not just survive—through constant change.

Whether you’re a leader navigating transformation or an employee seeking balance, this episode offers actionable tools like the “Four Cs” of resilience—Care, Connection, Communication, and Coping—and explores how trust, culture, and leadership shape our ability to adapt. Learn why investing in well-being during steady times is the key to weathering future storms, and how organizations that prioritize people will gain a lasting competitive edge. Tune in and get inspired to build a workplace where resilience is not just a buzzword, but a way of life.

Recent Episodes

Future Focus | AI News for L&D

In this kickoff episode of our new Future Focus series, host Michael Thiel is joined by GP Strategies’ innovation leaders Cara Halter and Theodora Michaelidou to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the learning and development (L&D) landscape.

From boosting productivity to enabling scalable coaching and role-play simulations, this episode dives into real-world examples of AI in action—plus what’s coming next. You’ll hear how L&D teams are using AI to co-design content, streamline workflows, and even transcribe and organize sticky-note brainstorms in seconds.

When Values Collide: Aligning Personal Values with Professional Responsibilities

What happens when personal values collide with professional responsibilities?

Jeremy Lewis, a senior inclusion trainer at GP Strategies, joins the show to explore how fundamental values can lead to conflicts in the workplace. He highlights the increasing prevalence of disputes rooted in core beliefs, driven by factors such as polarized politics, social media, and heightened awareness of societal issues.

Learning in the Flow of Work: Moving from Concept to Practicality

With AI-driven tools like super coaches and chatbots, along with emerging technologies, organizations can scale impact in the flow of work like never before. Given the current business pressures to drive change and grow rapidly, learning in the flow of work has never been more important.

AI-Powered Learning: Maximizing Your Content for Point of Need Learning

Discover how accessing knowledge at the moment you need it can transform your professional life. This episode explores strategies and technologies that enhance learning efficiency and flexibility. Tune in to learn how point-of-need learning can help you thrive in today’s dynamic workplace.

Inspiring Aspiring Leaders

Nic Girvan joins the show to delve into the essential topic of nurturing aspiring leaders. Listen as she discusses how to identify potential leaders, the importance of investing in their development, and the challenges they may face. Nic shares valuable insights on the qualities that set aspiring leaders apart and offers practical advice for building a strong leadership pipeline. This episode is packed with real-world examples and strategies to help organizations cultivate the next generation of leaders. Tune in for an inspiring conversation that will empower you to elevate your leadership development initiatives.

The AI Dilemma: Trust, Transparency, and Leadership

Leah Clark joins the show to delve into a study by GP Strategies which surveyed leaders and individual contributors to assess their readiness for AI integration. The findings reveal high usage and enthusiasm for AI at work, but also highlight concerns about job elimination and ethical implications. The episode emphasizes the importance of leaders fostering open communication, psychological safety, and a growth mindset to successfully navigate AI-driven transformations.

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Award Winning Episode

In this episode of the podcast, Tom Pizer joins the show to discuss how the Metaverse is changing the way organizations will interface with their learners. Watch and experience what VR has to offer, from interacting with the simulated environment to showcasing various opportunities to deliver learning.

Virtual reality and the Metaverse can be effective with hard skills development, to develop skills in a safe and effective way. However, it can also be used for developing very important soft skills.”
Tom Pizer

Meet the Host

Michael Thiel

With nearly two decades of thought leadership in corporate L&D, Michael Thiel has a passion for developing experiential learning that “sticks”. Working on the agency side, Michael has directed award-winning content for some of the most admired brands in the world, including: Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Toyota, Honda, Acura, BMW, Kia, and Sub-Zero Group.

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