As Dutch people, we are sometimes too modest. The native Zeelander in me is especially familiar with the “just act normal, that’s crazy enough” principle. Sticking your head above the parapet? You do that somewhere else.
It was a learning process for me to let go of that mindset and step over this barrier. My presence on LinkedIn and at conferences around the world has helped me with this. It confirmed that we are making an impact with what we do, and that it is certainly not as self-evident as we sometimes think.
When we attended the Learning Technologies Awards in London with Wilde Ganzen last week, that same feeling crept up on me. “What are we doing here?” “Had we been too modest in our presentation?” We were happy with a place in the finals, but then, to our great surprise, the jury chose us as the winner of our category. An incredible recognition of the work Wilde Ganzen does, in combination with our learning platform.
It goes to show: never underestimate the impact you make, and don’t be too modest about what you have accomplished!
Happy reading and keep improving!
Roy
Stories
A golden souvenir from London
We already knew our partnership with Wilde Ganzen was golden, but now it’s official! 🏆
Our collaboration on the Change the Game Academy has been awarded gold at the Learning Technologies Awards in London, winning in the category:
Best Learning Technologies Project - Public & Non-Profit!
Change the Game Academy empowers leaders in low- and middle-income countries to raise funds locally, enabling them to strengthen their initiatives and build sustainably. From education projects to social movements, these changemakers learn how to create lasting impact without relying on external support.
With their focus on the target group and practical examples in the training, they ensure relevance and inspiration for changemakers. This leads to inspiring cases that further amplify the impact of the learning solution. These stories, about how the training made an impact, were what resonated with the jury!
PS: This isn’t the first time Wilde Ganzen has won an award – they also won the aNewSpring Training Improvement Award this year. Check out the finalist video (who knows, they might even win an Oscar for it too ;)) 👇
🔥 My hot take: it was a pleasure working with Wilde Ganzen on this nomination. Their social story and the impact they make with their learning solution are unparalleled!
Many companies are drawn to the idea: Netflix for learning. Give your employees access to an unlimited range of training courses that they can follow anytime, anywhere. And yet... organisations often discover that real learning requires much more than simply offering endless learning opportunities.
This is something Cambiana, an international provider of leadership training, has also found. Their clients increasingly seek learning programmes tailored to the specific needs and contexts of their employees. And above all: they value human interaction and coaching. But how can a training provider deliver bespoke and personalised learning journeys at scale? In a way that remains manageable in terms of development and affordable for their clients? With a clear vision of learning and the right technology, Cambiana makes all the difference.
🔥 My hot take: I believe this is exactly where you, as a training provider, can make a real difference for your clients – delivering high-quality, didactically sound courses built on a clear vision of learning, combined with a personal approach. No "Netflix for learning" can compete with that!
Design for Change: Agile Training Development with Megan Torrance
Imagine this: you’ve been working your butt off on a new training design. You’re incredibly proud of what you’ve created. But then, just before you're about to present your work to the world, you get a call from one of your key stakeholders. Could you please adjust the first three modules, as some things have changed...🤦🏽♀️
I hope you’ve never experienced it quite this dramatically, but we all know those moments, and they can be tough to swallow. Unfortunately, they’re also not entirely avoidable. What is possible, however, is being better prepared for them, so that making adjustments becomes not a problem, but part of your goal!
How? No one can explain it better than Megan Torrance, one of the top experts in Agile Instructional Design. Curious? Sign up for our Love to Learn Experience in December.
Last month, Julie Dirksen was in the Netherlands. She took us through a Masterclass on how to speak to the elephant, not the rider. One of the things that stuck with me is that you need to shift from “What’s in it for me” to “What can I do with that.” Concrete, relevant, applicable. It’s important to communicate this before a training session - but just as crucial, during the development of a training. Make sure your participants know what they can do with what they learn; this helps with motivation.
👉 Our colleague Ger Driesen was interviewed by Training Journal about what it means to be a trend catcher in L&D. You can probably imagine something, but Ger has a fantastic perspective on trends and how they translate into our field. Read the interview here.
👉 A hot topic in the learning world: will AI change our role? It’s a question with many possible answers, and Zsolt Olah has shared his vision on it. With his background in data, you might guess his response, but it’s an interesting analysis that makes you reflect on your role.
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