The Learn to Grow Podcast is an anecdotal look at the learning landscape aimed at L&D and HR professionals. I interview leaders in learning about their experience first-hand in the world of learning and development helping people and organizations reach their potential. We discuss top trends including learning technology, the role of learning cultures, and the foundations of a successful learning experience.
We believe learning and growth are intertwined, both for individuals and organizations. Individuals learn to grow within their roles, careers, and personal lives. Organizations' learning programs are now major contributors to business success, helping them attract and retain top talent, upskill and reskill, and adapt to the inevitable changes the future will bring. In this podcast, we speak to leaders in the learning and development industry about the learning landscape.
Dr. Keith Keating (BDO Canada): How Learning Changes Lives
My guest this week is Dr. Keith Keating, CLO at BDO Canada and an influential author whose latest book, Hidden Value, reveals how learning can drive tangible business outcomes that traditional metrics often miss—turning capability building into a true competitive advantage.
(Sidenote: for anyone attending Devlearn in the coming weeks, Keith will be the keynote speaker there, which is super exciting.)
In this conversation we dig into three big themes:
• Learning how to learn: practical ways to build meta-skills like reflection, inquiry, and transfer so people get better at getting better.
• Owning the hard parts: reframing career challenges as chapters in a longer growth journey—how authenticity turns setbacks into capability
• Storytelling for impact: crafting narratives that connect learning to outcomes leaders care about—productivity, agility, and client value—so L&D earns attention and investment.
It’s a thoughtful, actionable playbook for anyone leading learning in the real world. Enjoy!
To get in touch with me, Simon Behan, reach out on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonbehan/) or email me at simon.behan@sureskills.com
At SureSkills (https://www.sureskills.com/), we deliver learning services to the worlds leading technology companies and global organizations.
To learn more, head over to www.SureSkills.com.
Thanks for listening!
15 Sept 2025
Brian Murphy (NTT DATA): How to Double Down on Human Capabilities
What does it take to build a learning culture for 180,000 people?
My guest today is Brian Murphy, Global Head of Learning & Development at NTT DATA. Before this role, Brian led transformational learning at Citi, AstraZeneca, and Microsoft, and he’s known for turning big ideas into practical programs that drive performance.
We get into the real questions L&D teams are wrestling with right now: how do you integrate AI without losing the human, how to develop meta-skills and why do they matter so much right now, and how to keep people engaged while the skills landscape continues to shift under our feet. If you’re trying to deliver learning that actually changes performance— I think this one’s for you.
To get in touch with me, Simon Behan, reach out on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonbehan/) or email me at simon.behan@sureskills.com
At SureSkills (https://www.sureskills.com/What-we-do/Learning-Services), we deliver learning services to the worlds leading technology companies and global organizations.
To learn more, head over to www.SureSkills.com.
Thanks for listening!
16 Jul 2025
Learn to Grow Shorts: Learnership and the Power of Interdisciplinarity
Learn to Grow Shorts – Learnership and the Power of Interdisciplinarity
Welcome to another Learn to Grow Shorts, where I reflect on a topic of particular interest from my most recent conversation—and today I’m looking back on my discussion with Ed Monk, CEO of the Learning and Performance Institute.
Ed shared a concept he’s been thinking deeply about: learnership. It’s not just a skillset—it’s a mindset. A way of leading through learning, rooted in humility, authenticity, and curiosity. I liked this for a couple of reasons.
First, it reframes leadership not as having all the answers, but as being willing to learn alongside your team. It’s about being in the trenches—not removed or above, but shoulder to shoulder. That kind of hands-on, learning-first leadership builds trust and sets the tone for a learning culture.
Second, I see learnership as a form of interdisciplinarity—the ability to take ideas from one domain and apply them creatively to another. And in a world where so much is being automated, that ability is one of the great, uniquely human skills that can't be replaced.
Let me give you a few examples.
Take Velcro. It exists because a Swiss engineer noticed how burrs clung to his dog’s fur on a hike. That spark of curiosity led to a design principle inspired by nature—what we now call biomimicry: the practice of studying and imitating nature’s strategies to solve human problems.
Or think about platforms like Khan Academy or Duolingo. They combine game design with education—levels, challenges, feedback loops—to make learning feel like progress. Gamification has revolutionized learning by making it more active, rewarding, and sticky.
And the most intuitive apps we use today—Spotify, for example—aren’t just built with tech in mind. They’re infused with behavioral science and psychology, designed to feel frictionless and familiar.
These are all examples of how learning across disciplines gives us an edge. And when leaders embrace that mindset—when they see themselves not just as experts but as learners—it unlocks creativity, resilience, and adaptability.
Because the future doesn’t belong to those who know everything. It belongs to those who are willing to keep learning.
Who has been a guest on SureSkills Learn to Grow Podcast
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Ed Monk
Dr Ruth Gotian
Karen Kocher
Erika Ullmann
Christopher Lind
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