The How To Learn Podcast

Networking is an important part of learning - and even introverts can be brilliant at it!

In this two-minute special from the floor of a buzzing exhibition centre, Thembi and Jonathan share some quick networking tips:

- how to set yourself an achievable target

- how to use social media

- how to act like a pro and collect the contacts.

Plus - after many years on the diplomatic circuit - Jonathan's top reception survival tip :)

The human brain is wired for distraction.

We're always scanning, processing and deciding on trivial things.. from noises outside the window, to WhatsApp notifications, to random thoughts about shopping.

But can you really define the human (or goldfish) attention span? In this mini-podcast, Jonathan gets grumpy about fake precision and Thembi asks, so if this is affecting our learning, what can we do about it? 

Part of learning is putting ourselves forward for new things: for new projects, for interesting experiments, for more responsibility, for stuff that looks a bit scary but will develop our confidence and skills. We need the confidence to say yes to good opportunities.

So why do we hold ourselves back?

This episode looks at 10 common psychological barriers to learning: from impostor syndrome to perfectionism, from fear of failure to cultural norms. How many can you tick off? And what can we do about it?

In this four-minute mini-podcast Thembi and Jonathan decide to pass some new legislation, and to enforce it immediately.

So please get ready to comply with:

🎇 the new National Labelling Scheme for Training, based on the traffic light model for sugar, salt and fat in foods. "Short, one-off things" are now labelled Red. Consumer choice and employer information are paramount. If it isn't based in learning science, it's not getting a Green, sorry/not sorry.

🎇 the Skills Act 2025, mandating L&D as a "golden thread" for all organisations. The national skills shortage is unaffordable. Parliament is imposing an obligation on employers and employees alike to get learning.

Admittedly this legislative plan may be a bit of a stretch, given that we're private citizens who have never bothered to stand for Parliament, let alone acquired a working majority, but let's see how it goes..

How can we use small fluffy animals to get valuable feedback?

In this 5-minute mini-podcast we look at two tricky issues:

• how can you persuade people to give you feedback?
• and how can you offer it yourself - tactfully - in a way that lands?

From hypothetical guinea pig hostage situations, to coaching techniques, here's five minutes of practical advice on feedback. Let us know what you think! (except you won't.. or will you?)

In this mini-podcast, Thembi and Jonathan talk about learning through imitation:

- why copying people at work is a good thing

- why we should worry about unconsciously absorbing toxic cultures

- what we can learn from the story of the Japanese monkey and the sweet potatoes.

How do we actually learn? Thembi and Jonathan abandon the theory and talk about how they actually learn, in real life: through 'snacking' on learning content, and through observing others; through saying yes, but also through saying no; and through getting into situations where practice is unavoidable.

The good news: "There are no calories in learning" :)

Why do we insist on using 60 minutes as a standard unit of learning? Jonathan has looked into Babylonian astronomy and decided that basically hours are too long. A mini-podcast which is part rant, part discussion of how to maintain our attention spans.. and which finishes bang on five minutes.