L&D Leaders: First, Empower the Learner

A conversation with Elisa Vincent, VP of Global Talent Enablement at Skillsoft

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About the episode

“The softest of skills — empathy, emotional intelligence, DEI, growth mindset — those are actually the hardest skills to build,” says Elisa Vincent, VP of Global Talent Enablement at Skillsoft, which supports customers’ learning through L&D content and technology. She adds: “They’re also power skills.”

Since the onset of Covid, people have certainly turned to Skillsoft to learn digital skills — but the company has also seen significant increases in demand for soft skill learning. “Become a Great Listener,” for instance, was Skillsoft’s number 1 completed course in 2021.

In this far-ranging conversation, Elisa draws from her expertise across HR to discuss the evolving role of the L&D practice, the implications of the pending mass exodus of women from the workplace (and what to do about it) and how L&D can help people redefine career success.

Elisa also offers support to people enablement leaders: “We are called to be a new frontline in our organizations,” she says. “Look at everything that we talked about today [on this podcast]. We talked about skills, mindsets, health and wellness, the mass exodus of women in the workplace. These are stressful and high-gain topics.”

Leaders in the people space, she says, need to support one another in the same way we support healthcare professionals on the true front lines of the pandemic.

Resources –

GCS’s Enterprise Learning 2021 Annual Report

Skillsoft Aspire Journeys

Highlights

From This Episode

The evolution of the L&D practitioner from “trainer” to “Chief Transformation Officer”
Soft skill training is on the rise (and why there’s nothing soft about them)
The long-term ramifications of the mass exodus of women from the workplace
Many employees, especially women, see the global upheaval in work as a chance to redefine career success
Why companies should rethink their attitudes toward transferable skills, plus who and how they hire, as more professionals break free from stale corporate structures to forge new career paths

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