In this episode of The Edge of Work podcast, host Al Dea explores the concept of 'lead from anywhere'. Al shares insights from a virtual keynote, emphasizing that leadership isn't only a formal title but an action that everyone can practice.

He delves into key principles such as situational awareness, developing organizational IQ, investing in relationships, creating opportunities for others, and being a continuous learner and teacher. This episode is packed with actionable advice to inspire you to cultivate leadership qualities in yourself and others, regardless of your position within an organization. Perfect for individuals in cross-functional or collaborative roles looking to drive impact and lead effectively from any level.

Links

• Website: https://al-dea.com/
• Article: https://www.td.org/content/td-magazine/lead-from-anywhere?lid=h4ekw96t966r

Chris Louie is the Head of Talent Development at Thomson Reuters, where he leads initiatives in talent acquisition, learning and development, and diversity and inclusion.

During the conversation, Chris shares his journey from finance to talent leadership and offers his perspective on career growth, skills, and the transformative potential of AI in the workplace.

He introduces Thomson Reuters’ “Grow My Way” program, designed to empower employees with personalized career development opportunities and a skills-first approach. Chris also discusses how AI is reshaping both customer solutions and internal operations, emphasizing the need for experimentation, adaptability, and interconnected systems.

Links

• Chris Louie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrislouie/
• Al Dea: https://www.al-dea.com/

Note: This is a replay of a top performing episode from 2024

In today's workplace, career development is critical for attracting, engaging, and retaining talent. Employees expect a job with opportunities for growth and advancement. Managers can shape the employee experience and drive team performance.

In this episode, The Edge of Work Founder and Podcast Host, Al Dea shares some of the research that he and the team have been doing around how to promote a culture of career development inside of your organization.

In this episode, Al covers:

• The importance of career development as it relates to performance, agility, and talent attracting and retention
• What employees are looking for out of managers for support
• What managers can do to support employee career development
• What steps organizations can take to create a culture of career development

Additional Links

• Research Highlights: https://theedgeofwork.com/people-growth-equation-career-development-report/
• Al’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsaldea/

Note: This is a replay of a top performing episode from 2024

Christopher Lind, is a Chief Learning Officer, and the writer of the Future-Focused Newsletter and host of the Future-Focused Podcast. A longtime leader in the learning and development profession, Chris has a keen understanding of the intersection of business, technology and workers, and its implications for the learning profession.

In this conversation, Chris discusses the importance of finding purpose in any job, the changing landscape of learning and development, the role of a Chief Learning Officer, and the impact of artificial intelligenceI on work. Christopher emphasizes the need for intentional relationship building, self-reflection, and understanding the context of employees' work experiences. He also encourages leaders to recognize the value and potential of every individual in their organization.

Links:

• LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherlind/
• Website: https://christopherlind.substack.com/

Note: This is a replay of a top performing episode from 2024

Adam Hickman is the Vice President of Learning and Org Development at Partners Federal Credit Union, a Walt Disney Company. In addition to this role, Adam is an author and professor and writes and speaks regularly on topics related to management and leadership.

During our conversation, Adam dove into some of the changes in the workplace and the implications of those changes (ex: technology) for what companies need out of their people managers so that they can have engaged and productive employees.

Adam also shared some of his team’s strategy and approach at his organization around manager effectiveness, the approaches they are taking in redesign the role of the manager and develop good managers, and his own to recruit and empower effective managers, and some of his own thoughts on how you can create a better world of work through better managers.

In this solo episode, host Al Dea explores five key themes shaping the workplace in 2025. From the power of "People Smarts" and enhancing social capital to making talent development a core leadership capability, Al highlights the critical strategies leaders need to thrive in a changing world. He also discusses artificial intelligence as a catalyst for reimagining work and the importance of practice in building new skills and capabilities.

Links

• Al’s Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsaldea/
• Al’s Website: https://www.al-dea.com/

Andrew Barry is the CEO of Curious Lion, a Leadership Development Consulting Firm. During this conversation, Andrew discusses how leaders can embrace uncertainty and adapt to a fast-changing workplace. Andrew shares personal insights from navigating challenges in his own business, highlighting the importance of vulnerability, collaboration, and learning through ambiguity.

During this chat, which was recorded live at ATD’ 24 in New Orleans, they delve into the evolving role of leadership development, focusing on empowering middle managers through cohort-based learning and creating "aha moments" that challenge mindsets and assumptions. Finally, Andrew emphasizes the power of shared experiences and perspectives in driving innovation and problem-solving.

Links

• Web: https://curiouslionlearning.com/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AndrewBarryCuriousLion
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realandrewbarry/

Note: This is a replay of a top performing episode from 2024

Dr. Michael Arena is an author, researcher, and co-founder of Connected Commons and former talent executive at companies including General Motors, Bank of America and Amazon. With a passion for research in the studies of collaboration, social connection and organizational dynamics, Michael has a keen sense and understanding of the state of today’s workplace, and ideas for what organizations can do to create opportunities for their people to work productively and collaboratively.

During our conversation, Michael spoke about key topics including the importance of social capital, the power of intentional collaboration and what organizations can do to maximize the impact of the work of their teams. Michael also shared his thoughts on the true impact of serendipity, the importance of creating the right conditions for collaboration, and his own thoughts on how to create a better world of work.

Links

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-arena-21b6164/
• Articles: https://www.hrexchangenetwork.com/contributor/michael-arena
• Book: Adaptive Space: