The world we live in is changing at a fast pace. In particular, technology and how we use it, every day, is impacting our lives more and more. The world of people development is no different, as our recent expedition to the CIPD Learning and Development show highlighted. The show itself was great this year and prompted a metaphorical explosion of thoughts, ideas and further learning amongst the 4i Solutions team. In particular, there were three really interesting, ‘hot topics’ that we felt especially worthy of further exploration. 

First and foremost of those is the use of digital learning and the ever growing importance it seems to be having in the world of people development. Of particular interest to us at the show were Learning Management Systems, however it is increasingly evident that digital learning is so much more than a straight forward LMS and a few basic e-learning courses. From developing ‘digital leaders’ as a new approach to leadership and leadership development, to the rise and growing popularity of more informal and social learning using smart devices, video and social media, one thing is for sure…….digital learning is changing and quickly and we all need to jump on the digital train before it leaves us behind!

Second and third of the hot topics was that of neuroscience and mindset and their respective impact on learning. Arguably, these may on the face of it, seem to be similar, however, when developing people, there is a case for not only considering how people learn and the relationship of learning and the function of the brain, but also the learner’s self awareness and attitudes to learning and implementing change and improvement. Excuse the pun, however surely it’s a ‘no-brainer’ that these should be considered and incorporated into all learning events and programmes of development. Yet, despite this, there is a sense that perhaps this isn’t always the case and as a result learning doesn’t always hit the mark and we should be focusing on this much more.

There were of course many more ‘hot topics’ worthy of discussion, as there are at all CIPD shows, however it’s really difficult to capture them all and do them justice. That’s why it’s important when going to events like these, as with all expeditions, that you plan your trip in advance. Have a look at who is exhibiting, mark them off in the guide and plan your route around the exhibition hall. If you know anyone that’s going to be there, either as an exhibitor, keynote speaker or visitor, arrange to meet up with them to find out what their take on the proceedings are. Also don’t ignore the seminars and talks. You can get a great feel for those ‘hot topics’ and trends, however choose them wisely and go to the ones which are going to give you the most learning and value. And lastly, don’t be afraid to stop and talk to people. If you’ve made the effort to go, don’t just wander around on your own not speaking to anyone as it’s amazing what you can learn, not to mention the networking opportunities you have and the contacts you can make.

We’re off now to explore our ‘hot topics’ further, so watch out for our progress as we learn more and integrate them into what we do.