Learning how to learn, unlearn and relearn with Beth Salyers

AI and associated technologies are changing the work people do and the way business gets done. As work becomes increasingly digital, scant few of us can remain complacent with our current skills and expertise – we must all upskill to remain relevant and future-ready.

This raises interesting questions. We are rapidly shifting away from an era where organisations trained their staff for efficiency and compliance. Instead, we must all become continuous learners – learning in the flow of work we do each day. Simply put, the skills that upheld business as usual up until now are no longer sufficient to navigate today’s challenges.

In this episode Cat, Jen and Dom chat with learning designer Beth Salyers to understand how we best learn and, more poignantly, what role communication plays in social learning.

 

Takeaways

• Continuous learning should be integrated into daily work.
• Traditional education models are outdated and need rethinking.
• Identity plays a crucial role in how we learn.
• Creating safe spaces is essential for effective learning.
• Learning experiences should be designed for engagement.
• Trusting learners is key to fostering a learning culture.
• Curiosity should drive our approach to learning.
• Organizations must meet learners where they are.
• Engagement is critical for effective learning outcomes.
• Reluctant learners can be engaged through shared agendas. Meeting people where they are is essential for effective communication.
• Engagement in learning is often a challenge due to preconceived notions.
• Curiosity is a key driver for meaningful learning experiences.
• Continuous learning should be integrated into the fabric of organisations.
• The focus should shift from skills to capabilities in learning design.
• Learning is inherently social and should be treated as such.
• Organisations must navigate the future of work with a focus on empathy and understanding.
• Internal communicators play a crucial role in facilitating learning.
• Communication strategies should guide and support continuous learning.
• A collaborative approach between L&D and internal communication is vital.

About Beth Salyers

Beth Salyers, Ph.D. is a former public school classroom teacher and current learning experience designer for social impact organisations, including for-profits, nonprofits, and schools and universities through her consulting business, Custom Learning Atelier. She knows herself and the world first and foremost through the arts and music, is a practitioner of human-centered circular design thinking methodologies, and a big soccer fan. In 2025 she's embarking on an external-facing personal creative project called #CuriosityTour2025 as a way to regeneratively navigate (another trump administration) whatever in the hell is happening in the U.S. right now. (thought I'd make you laugh).