The Learning and Development Handbook: A Learning Practitioner's Toolkit

by Michelle Parry-Slater

Overview

The skills needed in today's business world are not the same as they were in the past. Companies therefore must embrace upskilling, reskilling and developing staff to achieve the productivity, performance, personal wellbeing and revenue benefits that come from effective learning.

Learning outside of the workplace is collaborative, accessible and immediate. The Learning and Development Handbook is a practical guide for Learning & Development (L&D) professionals who recognize this and want to move away from only offering a traditional classroom style to a more holistic organizational approach but are not sure where to start.

This updated edition includes a new framework for L&D consulting offering advice on how to embed artificial intelligence, social and digital learning, blended learning and design more engaging learning within your organization for improved employee experience and performance. This book also provides guidance on how to identify learning needs in an organization, gather evidence to engage stakeholders, evaluate and measure the effectiveness of learning and align L&D strategy with the overall business strategy. Packed full of tips, advice, hints, tools and frameworks to improve both individual and overall business results in the immediate, middle and long-term future. Written by an L&D practitioner for L&D practitioners, this book is essential reading for anyone in the people and learning profession.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781398617926
Publisher:	Kogan Page, Ltd.
Publication date:	09/24/2024
Edition description:	2nd ed.
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

Michelle Parry-Slater is an award-winning L&D professional with more than 20 years' experience in the industry, recently winning one of the HR Magazine's Most Influential Thinkers 2023. She is the Founder and Director of Kairos Modern Learning, an L&D consultancy specializing in driving a shift from traditional courses to the best of digital and face-to-face workplace learning, working with clients such as the CIPD and Co-op. Michelle is also the host of 'Learning From The Edges' podcast, looking at friction in work and how to overcome it.

Table of Contents

** Chapter - 00: Introduction * Section - 01: One ** Chapter - 01: Practical L&D – Getting Started; ** Chapter - 02: Strategy for L&D; ** Chapter - 03: Stakeholder engagement; ** Chapter - 04: Consultative L&D; ** Chapter - 05: Data and Evaluation; ** Chapter - 06: Social Learning; ** Chapter - 07: Digital Learning; ** Chapter - 08: Blending Learning; * Section - 02: Two - Frameworks ** Chapter - 09: ICE – Information, Communication, Education; ** Chapter - 10: EPC – Environment, Permission and Culture; ** Chapter - 11: The 3Rs – Required, Resourced, Referred; * Section - 03: Three - Strategies ** Chapter - 12: Evolution or revolution; ** Chapter - 13: Reflective practice; ** Chapter - 14: Hold it lightly and celebrate success

Editorial Reviews

"Throughout this book, Michelle finds a perfect balance between accessibility and advanced application of complex concepts. This balance proves the content beneficial to all learning professionals - from newcomers to seasoned experts. Moreover, the formatting and structure of the handbook which highlights Case Studies, Thinking Questions, and Action Plans moves the content from theoretical exploration to practical integration. This structure positions the handbook as a staple for referential utilization. My personal copy of The Learning and Development Handbook, now dog-eared, highlighted and well-loved, has found a permanent home on my desk - always within arm's reach. I have re-read this book numerous times, have read the book along with my team, and have purchased several copies for learning and development peers. I can say with confidence that this handbook has had a profound impact on my approach to developing and delivering impactful learning initiatives."

Adam Roderick

"So, are we trusted as a profession? How can we be? This is where The Learning & Development Handbook comes in. Crafted as a journey that can be plotted by L&D professionals, inexperienced and otherwise, this book is a trusted guide to dip into or to feast on. It provides a map for where we are today and the routes to impact and credibility. Two invaluable and yet rare commodities in L&D.This book is your trusted guide. Trust Michelle to lead you with her experience, her insights and her tools. The Learning & Development Handbook is a must-read for today's L&D professional."

CLO at 360Learning & Host of The Learning & Develo David James

"Spoiler alert ... One of my favourite lines from this book is "We need to stay relevant, no matter how much we like what we have now". This is so true especially in a rapidly evolving world where learning, unlearning and relearning is fundamental to future success. This book is full of wonderful wisdom and actively encourages the reader to be curious and pioneering. A real gem for all learning professional and an essential and highly recommended read."

Award-winning presenter and author of The Bite Siz Liggy Webb

"This practical handbook is a 'navigate your learning journey to the same destination', with the flexibility of completing a short or long read, structured into three insightful parts: tools and tips, frameworks, and strategies. Starting from a point of curiosity and asking yourself 'how you make an impact during change', Michelle emphasizes the importance of staying relevant, embracing technology like AI and leveraging social learning. This book is a must-read for anyone wanting to make a meaningful impact in learning and development, including the 'tools' to do so."

Nicole Hill

"Michelle Parry-Slater is exquisite at how she goes about crafting her words in such a forthright and delightful manner. Her approach makes this book a quick and valuable read. She packages it in a way that allows the reader to truly use this as an actual handbook, as the title implies. Once you read it from cover to back, you then have opportunity to refresh your knowledge through the short-reads (overview) and have access to practical tools to apply immediately in your learning efforts. And let's not forget the real-life case studies. This is one on a very short list of L&D handbooks I would highly recommend because it reads exactly what you need to rise into a valued LD practitioner."

Ajay M. Pangarkar CTDP

"This 2nd Edition of The Learning and Development Handbook is a must-have for all today's learning and performance professionals. Besides being full of insightful advice, I particularly like how she includes extra information, help and advice at the end of each chapter. Here you will find: The Top Tips to help the reader to action real change; Thinking Questions to help reflection of the topics; The Action Plan of next steps to action; selected case studies and further reading materials. This is more than a book; it's a real, practically based Handbook for you to dip in and out of during your working week. Keep it close by!"

Co-founder & ex CEO Learning & Performance Institu Colin Steed

"If you're in L&D, you absolutely have to read this book. Michelle sets out a compelling, exciting and importantly, achievable vision for L&D and gives you all the strategies, advice, tools and frameworks you need to make it happen. This book is truly transformative, demonstrating that, when done right, L&D can make a fundamental and important difference to how organizations navigate the big challenges of the modern world. This second edition of The Learning and Development Handbook should be on every L&D professional's reading list. Michelle's innovative strategies and practical advice will absolutely transform learning in your workplace and make it future fit."

Tess Robinson

"I said that the first edition of The Learning and Development Handbook was the book I wish I'd had when I started out in L&D. Instead, it's the book anyone starting out in L&D now should have. The first edition was good but in this second edition, Michelle has taken her own medicine. She tells us that we shouldn't be so precious about our own work that we stop trying to make it better, and pleasingly she has made this better. In one chapter she encourages us to build reflective practice into our work and shows us by writing a second edition of this book how to do just that - by reflecting, evolving, learning from our experiences, and improving.This second edition remains well-researched, and evidence based. It still contains up to date real life examples and case studies and promotes a strong narrative about how L&D has evolved but also how it should continue to."

Gary Cookson

"Two words, "on point". This book is super practical and profoundly thoughtful. It has just the right balance of empathy and real talk about the much needed shifts the L&D function needs to undertake. Peppered with short form and long form real-life examples, there's no excuse for anyone to be stuck with the direction of travel. An incredibly useful aide-memoire."

Senior Organization Development Leader and former Barbara Thompson

"This is a brilliant curation of helpful thoughts and sources of information, and as such is an excellent read and resource in itself. The quality content, clearly presented and simply said, is delivered in a warm, open, informative and engaging manner. It invites the reader to learn, reflect, draw their own conclusions and apply the practical content to their circumstances. Whether new to L&D or a seasoned L&Der, Michelle's book will have you thinking, reflecting and growing as it provides both challenge and comfort around our practice and place in the world of HR and work, and beyond."

Denise Sanderson-Estcourt

"Organizations are looking for tangible ways to engage and develop their employees. Michelle Parry-Slater has created a handbook that brings L&D to life with a mix of being practical, strategic and accessible for one and all. Her work is relevant to all organizations and industries. It will be a fixture in my HR/Business quiver."

Steve Browne. SHRM -SCP

"This is THE handbook that you need to read if you're in L&D or any leadership or management role in your organization. It stimulates the creative juices to consider what could be next to help reach your vision. Packed with the practical, no-nonsense we've come to expect from Michelle, invest in this resource to level-up your thinking in this space."

Amy Brann

"An eminently useful guide, based on practical experience, and supported by research, this is a great handbook for any L&D practitioner looking to move beyond the traditional classroom delivery model."

Donald H Taylor

"I alternate between being an ice-skating and deep-sea diving type of reader and this handbook caters to both. I found that the short vs long read format makes it easy to get the information I need, in the way I need it. Not a book to be wasted sitting on a shelf, this will be a 'go-to' for me!"

L&D Practitioner Amelia Clark

"I expected great things when I heard that Michelle was writing The Learning and Development Handbook and I wasn't disappointed. Insightful, informative and brilliantly structured, Michelle really walks her talk as a Learning and Development practitioner making every chapter easy to absorb, learn from and relate to. Many handbooks can be dry times but this is definitely not one of them, I highly recommend this as a worthwhile read for anyone in business."

Lucinda Carney

"Michelle has been there, she's got a whole collection of t-shirts and in this book she generously shares her extensive experience of what needs doing to modernise learning and make L&D more effective in organisations. As I read her words, I could hear her voice - it felt like she was sitting beside me as my personal coach. From the not inconsiderable #NoPlasters campaign, she has created a no nonsense treasure trove of practical ideas, advice, action plans and tips, with case studies to give meaning to what's been achieved. Following her own advice, she includes plenty of reflection and gives the reader the confidence and encouragement to try things out for themselves. There is only one Michelle but if you invest in this book you'll have her on your team and she'll help you fly!"

Chair of the eLearning Network Joan Keevill

"It's not often I get really excited about a new book on workplace learning and development. This book from Michelle Parry-Slater is different. Michelle has the gift of explaining concepts and situations - especially in the corporate learning and development field - in an easy-to-understand way which focuses on the practical aspects and that is what we all need. This book is an excellent handbook of all things that the modern workplace training professional needs and I thoroughly recommend it to all in the learning and performance field."

co-founder of the Learning & Performance Institute Colin Steed

"Making the strategic shift from training to evidence-based learning and development is no easy task when trying to create a continuous improvement learning organization with measurable impact. It is so much more than just terminology. This book helps with the pain and pleasure of operating in this space with practical advice, frameworks and strategies. As an experienced practitioner herself, Michelle understands that there is no one right way of delivering L&D but acts as a guide to enable you to find your own way supporting you with case studies, tips and ideas but more importantly that call to action to nudge you out of your place of comfort to deal with the complexity of the workplace in an ever increasingly complex world."

Shakil Butt (FCIPD

"In our fast-changing world the facilitation of engaging and effective learning requires a radical new foundation. Based on a depth of practical experience, this book defines a toolkit of strategies and tactics that now underpin successful organizational learning. Sound theory mixed with innovative practice makes this a must-read for those serious about impactful learning."

Head of Learning at CIPD Andy Lancaster

"Michelle writes with complete commitment to helping L&D people achieve efficient, effective, engaging and enjoyable learning and development experiences irrespective of size of department or organization. The superb 'short read' at the start of every chapter makes it easy to get key information before deciding if you need to go deeper - perfect for busy professionals. This should be within arm's reach of every L&D practitioner who is serious about modernising learning and aligning it with business strategy."

Jessica Chivers

"I was hooked on Michelle's insights on the world of L&D when I followed her daily #NoPlasters tweets. This book is a long overdue evolution of that series and takes it to a whole other level. There is so much I love about this book, the structure is genius, the honesty of Michelle's experience and the drive to share her learning about learning with others for starters. She really shows in this book the level of depth and breadth of this wonderful world of learning and development. It does not matter if you are starting out in your career of this amazing profession or have years and years of experience there is something for everyone in this. And the reading lists in every chapter will take you further on an amazing learning adventure. It is a page turner."

David Hayden

"Michelle has been there, she's got a whole collection of t-shirts and in this book she generously shares her extensive experience of what needs doing to modernise learning and make L&D more effective in organisations. As I read her words, I could hear her voice - it felt like she was sitting beside me as my personal coach. From the not inconsiderable #NoPlasters campaign, she has created a no nonsense treasure trove of practical ideas, advice, action plans and tips, with case studies to give meaning to what's been achieved. Following her own advice, she includes plenty of reflection and gives the reader the confidence and encouragement to try things out for themselves. There is only one Michelle but if you invest in this book you'll have her on your team and she'll help you fly!"

Chair of the eLearning Network Joan Keevil