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Performance Matters Podcast

Award Winning Podcast

Listen to business leaders, performance improvement practitioners, and learning and development professionals discuss their work alongside new trends and best practices.

Performance Matters, GP Strategies’ award winning podcast, analyzes emerging strategies, technologies, and their applications for employee development.

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

Featured Episode

Immersive Technologies: Redefining Learning Experiences

In virtual reality, you are immersed in a completely constructed world. With augmented reality or mixed reality, you can see the real world around you, enhanced by digital objects overlaid in your field of view. This technology can be very helpful for just-in-time learning, accessing real-time information, and practicing in a real environment.

This is an exciting time for immersive technology in the industry due to advancements in hardware, software, and digital learning tools.

Join Performance Matters podcast host Michael Thiel as he interviews two of GP Strategies’ foremost thought leaders in learning technologies: Tom Pizer, Senior Director of Learning Technologies, and Rich Calcutt, EMEA Director of Consulting and Learning Experience. They step into the virtual reality world to play Golf+ and discuss current trends, developments in immersive learning technologies, and the opportunities organizations can harness in this field.

Recent Episodes

Building High-Performing Project Teams: A Six Thinking Hats Approach

Are your project teams struggling to communicate, collaborate, or make effective decisions? In our latest episode, we dive into the Six Thinking Hats philosophy and explore how it can transform your project teams from ineffective to high-performing.

Join GP Strategies’ Julyan Lee, Change Management Practice Lead, and Ellen Kumar, Solution Architect for User Adoption as they break down the characteristics of successful teams, offer strategies for maintaining long-term effectiveness, and share the practical steps GP Strategies takes to implement this game-changing approach. Find out how to keep your teams on track and avoid falling back into old habits.

What L&D Pros Need to Know about Technical Documentation

In this episode, we’re diving into the world of technical documentation—a topic that, while best known in the industrial sector, can have a huge impact in learning and development across all industries.

Technical writer and instructor Stephen Harnden joins host Michael Thiel to discuss when and how L&D professionals should incorporate technical documentation into their training programs. He also shares advice on how the L&D team can optimize collaboration with technical SMEs and frontline workers.

Navigating AI Integration in Learning Organizations

What if the secret to impactful learning lies in the perfect blend of human wisdom and artificial intelligence?

“Accidental learning entrepreneur” Sam Herring, Vice President and General Manager of Intrepid by VitalSource, joins the show this week along with Matt Donovan to discuss the transformative potential of AI in learning and development (L&D).

Listen as they explore how generative AI can enhance personalized learning experiences and streamline administrative tasks, and outline key challenges such as governance, privacy, and data infrastructure, emphasizing the need for strategic planning and transparency. The conversation underscores the importance of balancing AI capabilities with human wisdom and advocates for a problem-solving mindset in AI adoption.

Intelligence is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it into a fruit salad.
Matt Donovan

The gold standard of learning has been one-on-one tutoring and hands-on practice and feedback… the problem is, how do you make those things scale?
Sam Herring

Building a Sustainable Measurement Strategy

In this episode of the Performance Matters podcast, host Michael Thiel interviews Christopher Davis, Senior Director at GP Strategies, about the importance of building a sustainable measurement strategy for organizational performance. They discuss the critical steps involved, including understanding the “why” behind measurement, aligning stakeholders, and assessing organizational maturity. Davis shares insights from his extensive experience, including his time in the Navy, and provides practical advice for companies looking to enhance their measurement capabilities. Tune in to learn how to effectively measure and improve your organization’s performance, and discover the value of a well-defined measurement strategy.

Authenticity in AI | How Leaders Can Alleviate Fear in an Increasingly Artificial World

There’s a growing disparity between how leaders and employees feel about AI. Authenticity and AI can coexist, but it requires intentional leadership.
Leah Clark

In 2023, ChatGPT was the number one searched term. At the same time, Merriam-Webster’s word of the year was Authenticity.

In this episode of Performance Matters, we dive deep into the complexities of leadership in the age of AI. Leah Clark joins the podcast to share invaluable insights on navigating the tension between human connection and technological advancement. Discover how to harness the power of AI while preserving authenticity and fostering employee well-being. Learn practical strategies to elevate your leadership skills and ensure your organization thrives in this rapidly changing landscape.

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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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