Harald’s Curious Corner

Harald Overaa
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Harald’s Curious Corner is where curiosity meets connection. Harald chases that question with a guest, gathers perspectives from voices across the industry, and then steps back to reflect on what it all means. The show unfolds like a story arc, part exploration, part roundtable, part reflection, blending imagination with analysis. The result: trusted insights, meaningful conversations, and forward-looking takeaways that shine a light on where learning is headed next.

  1. 6d ago

    Why L&D Must Design for Performance, Not Content

    Learning and development teams often begin with content, courses, and completion rates. Nick Shackleton-Jones and Charlie Kneen argue that the better starting point is performance. Nick, creator of 5Di, and CEO and founder of Shackleton Consulting, explains why he would erase education from the L&D industry and replace content-centred thinking with human-centred design. Charlie, CEO and Founder of Solvd Together, shares how 5Di has shaped the way his team works with clients to define business problems, understand context, and design for measurable outcomes. We discuss how emotion drives behaviour change, why completion rates are weak evidence of impact, and how to shift from designing education to designing performance. They also explore federated learning organisations, delegation of authority, AI’s impact on human capability, the risks of outsourcing judgement, and why L&D should architect experiences rather than information consumption. Some curious takeaways: Start by defining the business problem and the impact you want to createDesign for changes in behavioural capability, not content completionUse human-centred design to understand people, context, tools, and systems Episode highlights: (00:00) Welcome to Harald’s Curious Corner (01:48) Why L&D should stop thinking like education (05:33) What completion rates fail to tell us (07:31) Start with the business problem (09:38) Define impact before designing learning (14:38) Finding the balance between centralisation and autonomy (17:25) The three capabilities L&D actually needs (19:18) When AI starts reducing human capability (25:29) A more scientific approach to behaviour change (31:57) Why AI content isn’t the answer (33:50) Are we outsourcing our thinking to AI? (38:23) Why humans could become the premium product Connect with the guest: Nick Shackleton-Jones on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shackletonjones/ Explore Shackleton Consulting: https://shackleton-consulting.com/  Charlie Kneen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliekneen/  Explore Solvd Together: http://www.solvdtogether.com  Follow me on the following sites: Harald Overaa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haraldovera/  Subscribe to Harald’s Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6901795950403186688/

  2. Sep 8

    Future-Proofing Talent With Kevin Bishop

    The way we think about talent is changing. A neat climb from one role to the next makes less sense when the work itself keeps moving. In this episode, I sit down with Kevin Bishop, Director of Talent Development at LinkedIn, whose own career has taken an unconventional route from theatre into learning and talent. Kevin makes the case for thinking less about job titles and more about the skills you can bring to whatever the business needs next. That shift also asks more of L&D. Learning only matters when it helps people change how they work, and a workshop alone rarely gets us there. As AI changes what people need to be good at, Kevin sees human judgement becoming even more valuable. The big question is what successful talent development looks like when neither careers nor skills stand still. Some curious takeaways: Think of your career as a portfolio of skills rather than a predictable ladderTreat learning as a lever for behaviour change, not the default answer to every performance problemBuild human judgement as AI takes on more of the work Episode highlights: (00:00) Welcome to Harald’s Curious Corner (02:04) An unconventional path into talent development (04:43) What acting can teach us about L&D (10:40) Moving from learning activity to behaviour change (12:53) Finding impact where L&D might overlook it (18:58) Building talent teams that can adapt (23:44) Why skills could reshape career mobility (32:13) Using skills data to guide learning strategy (38:42) Why durable skills matter more with AI (45:37) What talent velocity means for organisations (48:47) Turning talent initiatives into business initiatives (50:04) What will define successful talent teams Connect with the guest: Kevin Bishop on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinrbishop/ Explore LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/  Follow me on the following sites: Harald Overaa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haraldovera/  Subscribe to Harald’s Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6901795950403186688/

  3. Sep 1

    Why Learning Science Matters More Than Ever

    Learning should not be measured by how much information we deliver. It should be measured by whether people can perform better in the moments that matter. In this episode, I speak with Clark Quinn, Executive Director at Quinnovation, Co-Director at The Learning Development Accelerator, advisor to Elevator 9,  and author of Designing for Learning in the Real World. Clark brings decades of experience in learning science, instructional design, and performance-focused learning. His perspective is clear. Organisations need to move beyond content delivery and start designing experiences that create real behavior change. We talk about why traditional training approaches often fail, why learning requires practice and feedback instead of just information, and how L&D teams can shift from order takers to performance architects. We explore the role of AI in learning, why technology should support human judgment rather than replace it, and why grounding learning programmes in science matters more than ever. Clark leaves us with an important challenge: stop measuring whether people enjoyed learning and start measuring whether learning actually changed outcomes. Some curious takeaways: Design learning around performance, not just content deliveryMeasure outcomes, not learner satisfaction scoresUse AI thoughtfully while keeping humans in the loop Episode highlights: (00:00) Welcome to Harald’s Curious Corner (01:41) What is learning, and why is it so misunderstood? (03:32) Debunking myths: learning styles and the "accidental instructional designer" (04:45) L&D's identity shift: from facilitator to performance architect (05:54) Event model vs. content model of learning (08:35) Why liking a course doesn't mean it actually works (11:06) Are we measuring the wrong things, skill gap or competence gap? (12:56) The pharmacist vs. the doctor: two tales of L&D (14:12) Do the analysis first, don't prescribe before diagnosing (17:23) Entertaining learners vs. motivating learners (22:13) Building "super fans": what L&D can learn from marketing (25:29) How people actually want to learn (and when long-form still matters) (28:07) Is L&D doomed by AI? (41:51) What separates genuine learning-tech value from hype Connect with the guest: Clark Quinn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quinnovator/  Explore Quinnovation: https://www.quinnovation.com/ Explore The Learning Development Accelerator: https://ldaccelerator.com/ Check out Elevator 9: https://www.elevator9.com Explore Clark’s book, Designing for Learning in the Real World: https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Learning-World-Clark-Quinn-ebook/dp/B0GX2WQG85  Follow me on the following sites: Harald Overaa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haraldovera/  Subscribe to Harald’s Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6901795950403186688/

  4. Aug 26

    Why Customer Education Is Becoming a Growth Engine

    Customer education is no longer just about creating content. It is about driving customer success, growth, and measurable business impact. In this episode, I sit down with Eric Mistry, AI & Automation Transformation Lead at Zapier, Amy Vujanich, Senior Manager, Technical Customer Education at Boomi,  Kris-Ann Nansen, Senior Principal Product Manager at Oracle, and Christie DeCarolis, Learning Experience Facilitator at Sendoso, for a conversation on the evolving role of customer education in the age of AI. Together, they explore how education teams are moving beyond content creation to become strategic partners that improve customer outcomes, influence retention, and support business growth. We discuss how AI is changing the way teams build learning experiences, the future of personalization, and why customer education needs to focus less on producing more content and more on delivering performance support. Our guests also share why proving impact through data, connecting education to business outcomes, and positioning education as a growth engine will define the next era of customer education. Some curious takeaways: Use AI to improve speed, personalization and customer outcomesBuild customer education into a growth engine, not just a content functionFocus on performance support over creating more content Episode highlights: (00:00) Welcome to Harald’s Curious Corner (00:35) The Customer Education Nerds Panel (04:59) Where customer education creates the most value (08:35) Has customer education gotten better or worse? (11:22) Growth leaders vs. learning leaders (13:35) The biggest opportunity CE teams are missing (20:01) What to keep human vs. what to automate (27:13) How AI has changed customer education (35:12) Personalization: real or illusion? (40:55) Workflows that should be automated (53:03) Agree or disagree: hot takes on the future of CE Connect with the guest: Eric Mistry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmistry/  Explore Zapier: https://zapier.com/ Amy Vujanich on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyvujanich/  Explore Boomi: https://boomi.com/  Kris-Ann Nansen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krisannnansen/  Explore Oracle: https://www.oracle.com/ Christie DeCarolis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiedecarolis/ Explore Sendoso: https://www.sendoso.com/  Follow me on the following sites: Harald Overaa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haraldovera/  Subscribe to Harald’s Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6901795950403186688/

  5. Aug 20

    Building Learning People Actually Use

    The real opportunity for L&D is not using more AI. It is building learning that solves the right business problems. In this episode, I sit down with Ryan McCrea, Founder and Principal Consultant at Luci Leadership Consulting LLC, to explore why L&D needs to adopt a product mindset. Ryan draws on decades of experience leading learning and organisational development teams to make the case that the best learning solutions start with understanding the customer, testing assumptions, and solving real performance challenges rather than producing more content. We explore why agile thinking belongs in L&D, where AI genuinely adds value, and why the future of learning depends on spending less time building courses and more time working alongside the business. Ryan also explains why the biggest risk is not moving too slowly with AI, but using it to solve the wrong problems faster. Some curious takeaways: Build learning around business problems instead of chasing the latest technologyTreat every learning initiative like a product by testing, iterating and learning from feedbackUse AI to elevate judgement and free up time for consulting, coaching and performance improvement Episode highlights: (00:00) Welcome to Harald’s Curious Corner (01:19) Why AI is dominating the L&D conversation (04:43) Why strategy matters more than shiny AI tools (05:52) The AI skill that matters most is discernment (11:36) Do L&D teams have an AI problem or an operating model problem? (17:28) Why L&D needs a product mindset (19:48) Why perfection is the enemy of great learning (24:17) Building learning like a product (28:15) Why great learning programmes still fail (37:57) Human plus machine future(39:47) Skills for future L&D (44:33) The future of learning is human and AI together Connect with the guest: Ryan McCrea on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmccrea/  Learn more about Ryan and his first book Quick Bites of Insight at: https://www.quickbitesofinsight.com/  Follow me on the following sites: Harald Overaa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haraldovera/  Subscribe to Harald’s Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6901795950403186688/

  6. Aug 13

    Turning Learning Into a Product With Erick Prospero

    Education should not just be content organizations produce. Used well, it should be a product that solves real problems for the people who pay for it. In this episode, I speak with Erick Prospero, CEO, also known as “Chief Ninja”, at Ninja Tropic eLearning, a learning experience design company focused on external education and monetized learning products. Erick brings a deeply practical view shaped by over a decade of building certification and education programs for associations and organizations. His point is simple, but important. Learners are not employees to be pushed through compliance. They are customers who have to be earned. We talk about what it means to treat learning as a product, why good content still fails without a product mindset, and how associations can use tools like the fake door test to validate real demand before building. Erick's phrase stays with me: content is a catalog, but a program solves a problem. Some curious takeaways: Treat learners as customers, not employees to be pushed through contentValidate demand with a fake door test before building the full courseBundle courses with community and network access, not just standalone content Episode highlights: (00:00) Welcome to Harald’s Curious Corner (00:30) Turning training from a cost center into a product (02:25) Why learning products fail behind the scenes (06:18) The shift from vitamins to Vicodin thinking (08:46) Why good content alone does not guarantee success (10:20) A tax association example of product thinking (13:07) How to start monetizing expertise through education (16:39) Building feedback loops after a course launches (18:14) Selling access to networks, not just courses (23:43) The Medical Learning Institute and meeting learners on social media (26:05) Warning signs a learning platform is not gaining traction (31:21) The fake door test for validating demand (39:31) Advising an association on new learning technology (42:48) Building requirements and running a vendor tender (45:08) Extreme ownership and the future of associations Connect with the guest: Erick Prospero on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erickprosperotorres/  Explore Ninja Tropic eLearning: https://www.ninjatropic.com/  Follow me on the following sites: Harald Overaa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haraldovera/  Subscribe to Harald’s Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6901795950403186688/

  7. Aug 6

    Why You Should Join Learning Technologies 30U30

    The biggest opportunity for L&D isn’t AI. It’s earning a seat at the right conversations. L&D has spent years being asked to build training. That expectation is changing. As AI reshapes the way organisations work, learning teams have a chance to become trusted advisers who solve business problems before they become learning requests. In this special panel episode, I’m joined by Sam Marney, People Development Lead at People’s Partnership, Tiffany Bayliss, Founder and Lead Learning Designer at Lawyerly, and Chantelle Hodson, Lead Learning Consultant at Bloom Creative Learning. Together, we consider how AI is changing expectations of L&D, why understanding the business matters more than creating more content, and what separates teams that create real impact from those that simply respond to requests. One theme kept coming back throughout the conversation. The future belongs to learning teams that stay close to people, stay curious, and never lose sight of the problem they’re trying to solve. Some curious takeaways: Why AI should help L&D solve business problems rather than produce more contentWhat it takes for learning teams to move from order takers to trusted strategic partnersHow managers, relationships and business understanding shape whether learning has an impactWhy curiosity, confidence and human judgement will matter as L&D continues to change Episode highlights: (00:00) Welcome to Harald’s Curious Corner(01:21) Why Join 30 under 30?(03:50) Imposter syndrome and standout cohort moments(06:27) Confidence and the power of community(08:26) Advice for future cohort applicants(10:39) AI giving L&D a stronger strategic voice(16:55) Are we actually closing skills gaps?(19:32) How AI is reshaping expectations of L&D teams(20:16) Quality over quantity: why faster isn't always better learning(26:24) The overlooked role of managers in learning success(38:00) What distinguishes truly impactful L&D teams(40:38) Final reflections on the future of L&D Connect with the guests: Sam Marney on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-marney/ Explore People's Partnership: https://peoplespartnership.co.uk/  Tiffany Bayliss on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffany-bayliss/  Explore Lawyerly Learning: https://www.lawyerly.es/  Chantelle Hodson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantelle-hodson-861b6b142/  Explore Bloom Creative Learning: https://bloomcreativelearning.com/  Zac Brown on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacbr/  Explore HSBC: https://www.hsbc.com/  Follow me on the following sites: Harald Overaa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haraldovera/  Subscribe to Harald’s Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6901795950403186688/

  8. Jul 30

    How People Teams Can Build Trust With AI

    AI should not make “people teams” less human. Used well, it should help them become more intentional about the work only humans can do. In this episode, I speak with Erica Farmer, CEO of Quantum Rise and author of AI for People Professionals. Erica brings a deeply practical view of AI adoption, shaped by years in L&D and people transformation. Her point is simple, but important. HR and L&D do not need to become technologists. They need to become clearer. We talk about what it means to build a deliberate relationship with AI, why “people teams” should stop chasing shiny tools, and how AI can help us spend more time on trust, judgement, behaviour change, and real business problems. Erica’s phrase stays with me: AI drafts, human crafts. Some curious takeaways: Start with the workforce problem before choosing the AI toolBuild governance that includes HR, L&D, legal, data, operations, and the people affected by AIUse AI as a thought partner, not just a faster way to rewrite emails Episode highlights: (00:00) Welcome to Harald’s Curious Corner (00:36) Why AI should start with the human relationship (01:39) Writing about AI without chasing expiry dates (04:20) Why HR does not need to become technical (05:56) Start with the problem, not the shiny tool (08:20) What human and AI collaboration really asks of us (13:10) Building trust through better AI governance (18:49) Using AI to prove learning transfer and ROI (20:11) Prompting as a strategic thinking skill (24:21) How L&D becomes a capability architect (28:35) Why L&D needs to fall in love with problems (31:45) A practical guide for moving from as-is to should-be (33:49) Automating admin to make more room for people (38:42) Why AI is reshaping HR roles, not just replacing them (41:20) Staying relevant through learning agility Connect with the guest: Erica Farmer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericafarmer/  Explore Quantum Rise Talent Group Ltd: https://quantumrise.co.uk/  Explore EricaFarmer.AI Ltd (Erica’s professional speaking consultancy) www.Ericafarmer.aiExplore Erica’s book, AI For People Professionals: https://www.koganpage.com/hr-learning-development/ai-for-people-professionals-9781398625990  Follow me on the following sites: Harald Overaa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haraldovera/  Subscribe to Harald’s Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6901795950403186688/

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Harald’s Curious Corner is where curiosity meets connection. Harald chases that question with a guest, gathers perspectives from voices across the industry, and then steps back to reflect on what it all means. The show unfolds like a story arc, part exploration, part roundtable, part reflection, blending imagination with analysis. The result: trusted insights, meaningful conversations, and forward-looking takeaways that shine a light on where learning is headed next.

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  • Creator
    Harald Overaa
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    43
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Harald Overaa