Sonia Sant, Director for Learning & Development at Sedha Consulting, explores the future of work, emphasizing adaptability and human-centric skills. She highlights how curiosity, collaboration, and technology empower professionals to navigate change and deliver impactful solutions.
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Show Notes
[00:30] Sonia’s Background
Sonia Sant reflects on her 25+ years in learning and development, starting as an engineer and transitioning into L&D through a job that blended programming and training.
[01:00] Adapting to Change
She discusses the rapid technological changes since her early career, from IBM mainframes to AI-driven transformations, as well as challenges like environmental concerns and hybrid work models.
[01:50] The Impact of AI
Sonia explains how AI is disrupting industries on a deeper level, with AI agents mimicking human interactions and requiring businesses to adapt for competitiveness.
[02:50] The Future Workforce
Sonia envisions a future with fewer hierarchies and the rise of “Gen AI”—AI that seamlessly integrates into human teams without aging or traditional training.
[03:35] Elastic Workforce
She emphasizes the need for an elastic workforce that can adapt, bounce back, and evolve amidst rapid change, requiring resilience and innovation.
[04:00] AI in Training
Sonia explores how AI will revolutionize training, with AI tools like GPT providing on-demand learning directly within workflows.
[04:25] Real-World Problem Solving
She predicts businesses will focus on solving real-world problems in fields like agriculture and health, requiring speed, curiosity, and critical thinking.
[05:10] Evolution of Training
Sonia contrasts past hands-on training with modern reactive methods and sees a shift toward integrated, performance-driven solutions.
[06:15] Meaningful Training
She stresses the importance of making training meaningful by focusing on human skills and aligning them with both business and learner goals.
[06:45] Training Throughout Life Stages
Sonia discusses aligning training with an employee’s lifecycle, ensuring it’s relevant at every stage and avoids wasteful use of resources.
[07:40] Performance Consulting
She highlights the growing need for performance consulting to identify underlying issues beyond training gaps, improving business and employee outcomes.
[08:20] Using Microsoft Teams for Learning
Sonia shares her success using Microsoft Teams for dynamic, engaging, learner-focused training, leveraging microlearning, gamification, and real-time feedback.
[09:40] Quick Training Development
She describes using Teams for quick, impactful product pitch training, emphasizing flexibility and collaboration through social learning features.
[12:55] Enhancing the Learning Experience
Sonia discusses the importance of engaging microlearning modules and using platforms like Skillsoft for custom learning journeys.
[14:20] Embracing Change for Future Readiness
She emphasizes staying curious and developing key human skills like feedback, communication, and collaboration to stay ahead in the future.
[14:55] Skills for Success
Sonia stresses that critical thinking, design thinking, and problem-solving are essential for thriving in the evolving business landscape.
[15:30] Leveraging Technology & AI
She advocates using AI tools to streamline processes and enhance responsiveness, sharing how she quickly prototyped solutions using AI.
[16:05] Seeking Help & Sharing Knowledge
Sonia encourages professionals to seek help and share knowledge, offering mentoring sessions to support others in learning and development or AI.
[17:00] Final Thoughts
She stresses human-centric solutions and the power of small, meaningful connections, urging professionals to engage directly with their audiences for impactful results.
