Training & Development

A learning culture is not built by offering more training. It emerges where curiosity, connection, and purpose intersect. Andrew Barry, in The Curious Lion, describes learning culture as a lotus where several forces overlap. I find this framing helpful because it moves the conversation beyond HR programs and into the fabric of the organization. At the individual level, there is curiosity. People must feel invited to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and explore. Without individual curiosity, learning remains compliance. At the organizational level, there is mission. Learning needs direction. When people understand what the company stands for and where it is going, their curiosity becomes focused rather than scattered. At the relational level, there is human connection. Learning accelerates in environments where people feel safe to speak, experiment, and reflect together. The fourth circle is continuous learning. Learning must be ongoing, not episodic. Not a workshop, but a way of operating. Continuous learning ensures that curiosity, mission, and connection reinforce each other over time rather than fading after the latest initiative. When these circles overlap, deeper elements emerge: Shared vision aligns effort. Shared experiences create collective memory. Shared assumptions shape how reality is interpreted. Shared stories transmit meaning across generations. At the center sits what we call learning culture. Not an initiative, but a pattern of how people think, relate, and evolve together. The question for leaders is not, “Do we offer learning opportunities?” It is, “Do curiosity, mission, and connection truly reinforce each other continuously in our organization?” That is where learning becomes cultural rather than occasional.

Most people are taught how to be high performers. But too few are taught how to perform in a team. And that’s a problem, because in most roles, you’re not an individual contributor. You’re part of a larger entity, working with others to build something. Yet, I see founders spend hours refining their product or systems,  But don't devote time to team development. At HomeServe, I approached team performance with purpose,  And it was one of the best decisions I made. Here are 7 tools I’ve used (and still use) to build high-performing teams,  Based on real lessons from building a £4.1bn business: 1️⃣ Start With Why (Simon Sinek) ↳ Before you focus on what or how...get clear on why. WHAT – The product you sell or the service you provide HOW – What makes you different WHY – Your deeper purpose or belief Every great team needs a reason to get out of bed in the morning. 2️⃣ The 70-20-10 Rule (McCall, Lombardo & Eichinger) ↳ How people actually learn on the job: 70% from challenging experiences 20% from coaching and mentoring 10% from formal training Most teams over-invest in training, and under-invest in real development. I'm amazed at how few founders or CEOs have a coach or mentor. 3️⃣ The Trust Triangle (Frances Frei, Harvard) ↳ Trust isn’t built with perks. It’s earned in three ways: Authenticity – Are you real? Logic – Do your decisions make sense? Empathy – Do you care? Without trust, you can’t build speed or loyalty. 4️⃣ The 5 Stages of Team Development (Tuckman Model) 1. Forming – Team gets together 2. Storming – Conflicts surface 3. Norming – Ground rules form 4. Performing – Results roll in 5. Adjourning – Project ends or evolves Don't panic during ‘storming’. It’s necessary friction. 5️⃣ The Johari Window (Luft & Ingham) ↳ Self-awareness is a team sport. Open – You know, they know Hidden – You know, they don’t Blind Spot – They know, you don’t Unknown – No one knows (yet) This helps surface feedback, build confidence, and avoid surprises. 6️⃣ The Energy/Impact Matrix (Inspired by McKinsey) ↳ Map every team member’s impact vs. energy. Use it to: Make smart hiring/firing decisions Spot burnout early Retain high performers High-performing teams don’t tolerate drift. 7️⃣ The RAPID Decision-Making Model (Bain & Company) ↳ High-performing teams make fast, clear decisions. Recommend – Suggest the course of action Agree – Those who must sign off Perform – Executes the decision Input – Provides relevant facts or opinions Decide – Final decision-maker This clears up delays, dropped balls, and blame. Building a great team is about building an environment where talent can actually thrive. I go deeper into team-building in my new book. Order it today: https://lnkd.in/eRYDKXdT ♻️ Repost if you believe team performance should be built, not assumed. And for more on how I scaled teams to build a £4.1bn business, Follow me Richard Harpin.

My client fired their entire SDR team on Tuesday By Friday, their pipeline had grown by 60% This sounds impossible It's not After auditing 50 B2B sales organizations over 10 years, I've uncovered the most expensive myth in modern selling: → The belief that MORE activity at the TOP of your funnel will fix conversion problems at the BOTTOM Let me share what actually happened: This mid-market software company was spending $350,000 annually on their 4-person SDR team - 100+ cold calls per rep daily - 17 meetings booked weekly - "Incredible metrics" according to leadership - But their close rate? A devastating 1.2% The VP of Sales was convinced they needed MORE outreach, MORE automation, MORE top-of-funnel I suggested something different: pause all prospecting for 7 days Instead, we had their account executives do something radical - engage with the 215 prospects already in their pipeline who'd gone cold after initial meetings Using a framework we developed: - 65 prospects responded within 24 hours - 41 booked follow-up meetings - 23 re-entered active buying cycles - 6 closed within 14 days (total value: $212K) The shocking revelation? - Their pipeline wasn't empty - It was overflowing with neglected opportunity. This company didn't have a lead generation problem. They had a lead nurturing catastrophe. By reallocating resources from mindless prospecting to strategic engagement, they've now: - Reduced CAC by 60% - Shortened sales cycles by 30% - 2x their close rate The counterintuitive truth: Sometimes the fastest path to growth is to stop chasing new opportunities and start converting the ones you've already earned. What percentage of your marketing and sales budget is focused on prospects who've already shown interest vs those who haven't? That ratio reveals everything about your future growth trajectory P.S. If you need help with your sales, send me a message

If you REALLY want to support women in the workplace, you need to start: → Offering flexible work arrangements, especially to support mothers. → Encouraging women to go for internal promotions → Paying women fairly and transparently → Creating environments where women’s voices are heard → Calling out microaggressions and biases when you see them → Offering leadership training and mentorship for women → Rethinking how performance and ambition are measured (not just who shouts the loudest) → Making networking and career progression opportunities accessible to all → Championing women even when they’re not in the room → Reviewing your hiring and promotion processes to eliminate bias → Creating policies that support women through all life stages (not just maternity leave) → Holding senior leaders accountable for diversity and inclusion goals → Ensuring workplace policies support women’s health, including menopause and period policies International Women’s Day should be about real, tangible action. Too often, we see businesses celebrating IWD while their leadership teams are still male-dominated, pay gaps persist and workplace policies don’t support women’s real needs. So, if you’re a business leader, hiring manager, or even a colleague... Ask yourself: What are you actually doing to make the workplace more equitable for women? 🤔

Master the core SQL commands that drive 80% of tasks. This post focuses on practical, real-world applications of SQL for maximum impact. Fundamental SQL Commands 1. 𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧: Retrieving specific data        𝚂𝙴𝙻𝙴𝙲𝚃 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝_𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚎, 𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚝_𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚎, 𝚎𝚖𝚊𝚒𝚕 𝙵𝚁𝙾𝙼 𝚌𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚜;    2. 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘: Filtering results        𝚆𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙴 𝚙𝚞𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚜𝚎_𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎 >= '𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟹-𝟶𝟷-𝟶𝟷' 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝚝𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚕_𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚝 > 𝟷𝟶𝟶𝟶;    3. 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣 𝗕𝗬: Aggregating data        𝚂𝙴𝙻𝙴𝙲𝚃 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝_𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚐𝚘𝚛𝚢, 𝚂𝚄𝙼(𝚜𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚜_𝚊𝚖𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝) 𝙰𝚂 𝚝𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚕_𝚜𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚜    𝙵𝚁𝙾𝙼 𝚜𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚜    𝙶𝚁𝙾𝚄𝙿 𝙱𝚈 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝_𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚐𝚘𝚛𝚢;    4. 𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗕𝗬: Sorting data        𝚂𝙴𝙻𝙴𝙲𝚃 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝_𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚎, 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚌𝚔_𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚝𝚢    𝙵𝚁𝙾𝙼 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢    𝙾𝚁𝙳𝙴𝚁 𝙱𝚈 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚌𝚔_𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝙰𝚂𝙲;    5. 𝗝𝗢𝗜𝗡: Combining related data        𝚂𝙴𝙻𝙴𝙲𝚃 𝚘.𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚛_𝚒𝚍, 𝚌.𝚌𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚛_𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚎, 𝚘.𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚛_𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎    𝙵𝚁𝙾𝙼 𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚘    𝙸𝙽𝙽𝙴𝚁 𝙹𝙾𝙸𝙽 𝚌𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚌 𝙾𝙽 𝚘.𝚌𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚛_𝚒𝚍 = 𝚌.𝚒𝚍;    Advanced SQL Techniques 1. 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Nested queries for complex conditions        SELECT product_name, price    FROM products    WHERE price > (SELECT AVG(price) FROM products);    2. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 (𝗖𝗧𝗘): Simplifying complex queries        WITH monthly_sales AS (    SELECT EXTRACT(MONTH FROM sale_date) AS month, SUM(amount) AS total    FROM sales    GROUP BY EXTRACT(MONTH FROM sale_date)    )    SELECT month, total    FROM monthly_sales    WHERE total > 100000;    3. 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Calculations across row sets        SELECT    department,    employee_name,    salary,    RANK() OVER (PARTITION BY department ORDER BY salary DESC) AS salary_rank    FROM employees;    4. 𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: Conditional categorization        SELECT    customer_id,    CASE    WHEN lifetime_value > 10000 THEN 'VIP'    WHEN lifetime_value > 5000 THEN 'Premium'    ELSE 'Standard'    END AS customer_segment    FROM customer_data;    Optimization Tips - Use indexes on frequently filtered columns - Avoid SELECT * and only retrieve necessary columns - Use EXPLAIN ANALYZE to understand query execution plans Learning Strategy 1. Start with simple SELECT queries on a sample database 2. Progress to filtering and sorting data 3. Practice joins with multiple tables 4. Explore advanced techniques with real datasets 5. Participate in online SQL challenges and forums By mastering these SQL commands and techniques, you'll be well-equipped to handle a wide range of data analysis tasks efficiently. Regular practice with diverse datasets will solidify your skills. What's your favorite SQL trick for streamlining data ? Share your insights below!

Louder for the people at the back 🎤 Many organisations today seem to have shifted from being institutions that develop great talent to those that primarily seek ready-made talent. This trend overlooks the immense value of individuals who, despite lacking experience, possess a great attitude, commitment, and a team-oriented mindset. These qualities often outweigh the drawbacks of hiring experienced individuals with a fixed and toxic mindset. The best organisations attract talent with their best years ahead of them, focusing on potential rather than past achievements. Let’s be clear this is more about mindset and willingness to learn and unlearn as apposed to age. To realise the incredible potential return, organisations must commit to creating an environment where continuous development is possible. This requires a multi-faceted approach: 1. Robust Training Programmes: Employers should invest in comprehensive training programmes that equip employees with the necessary skills for their roles. This includes on-the-job training, mentorship programmes, online courses, and workshops. 2. Redefining Hiring Criteria: Organisations should revise their hiring criteria to focus more on candidates’ potential and willingness to learn rather than solely on prior experience or formal qualifications. Behavioural interviews, aptitude tests, and probationary periods can help assess a candidate's ability to learn and adapt. 3. Partnerships with Educational Institutions: Companies can collaborate with educational institutions to design curricula that align with industry needs. Apprenticeship programmes, internships, and cooperative education can bridge the gap between academic learning and practical job skills. 4. Lifelong Learning Culture: Encouraging a culture of lifelong learning within organisations is crucial. Employers should provide ongoing education opportunities and support for professional development. This includes continuous skills assessment and access to resources for upskilling and reskilling. 5. Inclusive Recruitment Practices: Employers should implement inclusive recruitment practices that remove biases and barriers. Blind recruitment, diversity quotas, and targeted outreach programmes can help ensure that diverse candidates are given a fair chance. By implementing these measures, organisations can develop a workforce that is adaptable, innovative, and resilient, ensuring sustainable success and growth.

Stuck in an endless loop of client changes? Lost track of what revision this constitutes? Yeah. Been there. Done that. The secret? It's not about saying no. It's about saying yes to the right things upfront. Every project that goes sideways starts the same way: Vague agreements. Fuzzy boundaries. Good intentions. Six weeks later you're bleeding money and everyone's frustrated. Here's my framework after 30 years of running two 8-figure businesses: The SOW is your salvation. Not some boilerplate template. A real document that covers: • Exact deliverables (not "design work" but "3 homepage concepts, 2 rounds of revisions") • Hours of operation ("We respond M-F, 9-5 PST. Weekend requests get Monday responses") • Revision rounds spelled out ("Round 1 includes up to 5 changes. Round 2 includes 3.") • Feedback cycles defined ("48-hour turnaround for client feedback or the project may be delayed or additional fees may be incurred") But here's what most people miss— Don't work on client notes immediately. Client sends 37 pieces of feedback at 11pm Friday? Producer sends conflicting notes from the CEO? Marketing wants one thing, sales wants another? Stop. Collect everything first. Resolve the conflicts. Get on the phone and discuss it with your client to get alignment. Separate the "have to haves" from the "nice to haves". Then present unified changes. "Based on all feedback received, here are the 8 changes we'll implement. This constitutes revision round 2 of 3." Watch how fast the random requests stop. No extra work that goes unappreciated. No more feelings of being taken advantage of. Communicate before the crisis, prevents the crisis from happening. "Just so you know, we're entering round 2. You have one more included. After that, it's $X per additional round." No surprises. No awkward money conversations. No resentment. Scope creep isn't a them problem. It's a you problem. And that's good news, because that means you are in control. They're not trying to take advantage. They just don't know where the boundaries are because you never drew them. Draw the lines early. Communicate them clearly. Everyone wins. What's your most painful scope creep story? What boundary would've prevented it? Small Business Builders #projectmanagement #clientmanagement #businessgrowth

India’s green economy is growing fast but LinkedIn data suggests green talent is growing even faster. The LinkedIn Hiring Rate (LHR) for green talent — defined as professionals with green skills, green job titles, or both — is now 59.7% higher than for the overall workforce. This means green-skilled professionals are significantly more likely to be hired than their peers, underscoring the growing demand for sustainability-focused roles. “The prioritisation of green talent by Indian companies is being fuelled by an interplay of policy reforms, rising consumer consciousness, and the need for deep business transformation,” says Neelima Burra, Chief Strategy, Transformation, and Marketing Officer at Luminous Power Technologies. “Government initiatives like the PM Suryaghar Yojna, National Solar Mission, and Smart City Mission, combined with the growing mandate for ESG reporting — are also pushing companies to recruit sustainability experts, carbon auditors, and ESG strategists to meet regulatory and investor expectations,” she adds further. Operational efficiency has emerged as the top skill across the top five industries increasingly hiring for green skills, as per LinkedIn data. In contrast, precision agriculture skills lead in farming, ranching, and forestry — highlighting how sector-specific green skills are evolving. “Operational efficiency offers the fastest route to tangible returns. It moves the conversation beyond regulatory compliance to net profitability, ensuring we can do more with less energy and fewer materials,” says Venu Nuguri Managing Director and CEO at Hitachi Energy. This surge in demand aligns with broader economic trends. Green jobs in India have grown over 10 times in the past five years, with Gen Z accounting for 63% of applicants, reports The Economic Times, citing a report by WeNaturalists. The projections are equally ambitious. India’s green economy will generate 7.29 million jobs by FY28 and 35 million by 2047, as the sector scales toward a $1 trillion valuation by 2030 and $15 trillion by 2070, suggests another report by The Economic Times, citing a report by NLB Services. The message is clear: green skills aren’t just good for the planet — they’re becoming essential for employability. As India accelerates its climate and economic goals, the workforce is already adapting. The question now is whether education, training, and policy can keep pace. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/g873CzHT #COP30 #GreenerTogether Source: The Economic Times: https://lnkd.in/d-3bShQP  The Economic Times: https://lnkd.in/dSUMFS58 

"How can you not know this?" ... is the worst thing you can say Junior engineers or those slightly unfamiliar with the domain may have relatively trivial doubts, and when they pose such questions, it is essential to address them with humility. This also occurs during presentations and meetings, where some individuals are quick to interrupt and point out gaps in understanding. In most cases, this is done for desperate participation, visibility, and to earn some leadership brownie points. Whether you are a senior engineer or not, it does not matter. It is important to be respectful, humble, and polite. Not knowing something does not mean not having the ability to understand. It is important to acknowledge that everyone has taken a unique path to reach where they are. Humility is the ability to acknowledge your expertise while recognizing the potential for growth in every interaction. And that, in my experience, is the hallmark of a truly exceptional engineer. Choice of words matters, and humility matters. Because nobody wants to work with a genius jerk.

🏃♀️ Imagine a study on marathon performance that doesn't mention some runners are carrying 50-pound backpacks. That's the 2025 Women in the Workplace report from Mckinsey and LeanIn 60 pages on why women "want promotions less." Zero mentions of childcare, eldercare, or the invisible second shift. Their own data shows women and men are equally committed to their careers, over 90% on every measure. Young women under 30 has even more ambitious than young men. Latinas are the most ambitious group in the entire study. 🤔 So where does this "ambition gap" come from? Buried on page 10, in a small box, they note that women who decline promotion cite "personal obligations" at nearly double the rate of men. Then they move on. No follow-up. No analysis. No asking the obvious question: What are these "personal obligations"? 💔 I'll tell you what they are. 👉 They're the 2am feeding before your 8am presentation. 👉 The school pickup that can't be rescheduled. 👉 The elderly parent who needs a doctor's appointment during your board meeting. 👉 The mental load of remembering everyone's everything while being told you "lack ambition." The report measured ambition without measuring the invisible infrastructure women are running at home. 👉 Here's what the report should have asked: ⁉️ Do women with equal childcare support want promotions at the same rate as men? ⁉️ Do women with flexible work arrangements show the same career drive? ⁉️ Does the "ambition gap" exist in countries with subsidized childcare? (Spoiler: Research says no, no, and no.) Instead, they concluded women are less ambitious and moved on to solutions that don't address the actual problem. This isn't just a missed opportunity. It's a misdirection! ❌ Because when you diagnose "ambition gap" instead of "care gap," you get solutions like "women need more confidence" instead of "workplaces need to stop penalizing caregiving." You get women blamed for systemic failures. 📊 Here's what an honest report would say: ✅ Women aren't less ambitious. They're doing two jobs while being evaluated as if they're doing one. ✅ The workplace wasn't designed for people with caregiving responsibilities. It was designed for people with wives. ✅ Until we redesign the system, we'll keep "discovering" that women don't want what men want, when really, women just can't afford what men take for granted. That's exactly why we built "From Hidden Talent to Visible Leader", because the women I work with aren't lacking ambition. They're lacking a system that sees their full contribution. Next cohort starts end of Jan 2026. 👉 Join the waitlist: https://lnkd.in/gx7CpGGR 👊 Because women don't have an ambition problem. The workplace has a measurement problem, and it starts with reports that count everything except what actually matters.