James Kopp (he/him)’s Post

My best advice is to live. -not that you asked me anything- ;): Talk to people. Pay attention. Always be open. Look for opportunities to learn about people, situations, behavior, and culture. Ideas aren’t just in books and courses about how to use this or that software. Authentic ideas are everywhere, and those ideas make you a better storyteller or a more creative person—authentic ideas that people can relate to don’t come from theory but from life itself. Go outside. Soak up the culture. Become interesting, and you’ll have interesting stories to tell.

What’s the biggest problem you solve every week? 🤔 In L&D, the job goes way beyond “learning” and “development.” Every week, we’re tackling unique challenges—boosting performance, growing talent, and solving problems that impact the entire business.💡 So, here’s the question: 👉 What’s the one challenge you find yourself solving the most? 👈 Is it bridging skills gaps? Supporting career growth? Engaging employees? Or something else entirely? Let’s share our thoughts—because understanding what we solve can shape how we talk about the value of L&D (and maybe even what we call it!).

What do firms do after the April deadline? Other than maintenance work, do firms have a retrospective, staff development plan, key initiatives, etc.? In this week's episode, Paul and Mo discuss post deadline development and initiatives.  

One of the most important pieces of business advice I ever received is one I’m still implementing, and it came to me from a pretty surprising source. “You have to be ruthless”. My dad told me this as I was onboarding at one of my recent projects. He is genuinely one of the kindest and most gentle persons in the universe. I never have and probably will never think of ruthless when I think of him. I did not heed it then, and I ultimately paid a price. Now, I do not think being ruthless means do not compromise, be rude to people, or bring harm to others for your personal gain. I think it means extract as much value as you can until you feel comfortable, do not hesitate to make your objections and boundaries known, and be competitive. If your victory means someone else unfortunately ‘loses’, and you played the game fairly, go win. I am constantly reminded of the fact it is okay to be ruthless when I go on Safari or see lions at the zoo. I went yesterday in Ramat Gan, which inspired this post. 🦁🐅 This is a work in progress and probably is not super teachable, but I think this skill will help a lot of workers get more value and joy out of their careers. 💪🏽

99% of advisors get this wrong Increase your “likability", using the skill of curiosity No need for the perfect line of questioning, stories, or solutions If we can be genuinely interested and curious, they will feel it right away Have you ever met someone who was fascinated by you? It's a great feeling. Let’s give that gift to the people we’re meeting with Dales Carnegie’s says; ↳ “To be interesting, be interested.” Be interested in their ·       family ·       career ·       hobbies ·       history ·       future and what they’re looking forward to Practice a curious tone when asking ·       can you tell me more about that? ·       how were you able to achieve that? ·       what about… makes you like it so much? The ABCs of closing Always. Be. Curious. Follow me on LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/gRY9jhEy -------------------------------------------------------- Join 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐲, to get → free tools → free coaching → free resources 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐢𝐨

Having the right tool to get the job done…. When we talk about having the “right tool” for the job, most of us immediately think of a physical object—a piece of software, a gadget, or a specialized piece of equipment. But sometimes, the most powerful tools aren’t tangible at all. They’re the people in our network, the mentors we lean on, and the peers who inspire and challenge us. In my experience, the right tool can be a trusted colleague who provides fresh perspectives, a network connection who opens doors, or a peer who pushes us to think bigger. These “tools” help us problem-solve, innovate, and ultimately, achieve more than we could alone. Here’s why these people are invaluable: 1. Perspective – They see things we don’t, catching blind spots and offering solutions we might never have considered. 2. Accountability – They hold us to a higher standard, encouraging us to keep pushing forward even when the going gets tough. 3. Support & Encouragement – In challenging times, they remind us why we started, helping us stay resilient and motivated. 4. Learning & Growth – They share their insights and experiences, making us better professionals and better people. I’m grateful for the “tools” in my own network who have made all the difference in my journey. I got an opportunity to shine a light on them today. Remember, sometimes the most powerful assets we have aren’t things we can hold in our hands, but rather the relationships we nurture and the people we can rely on.

With December whistling away its time to start putting some thought into what we want/need the new year to bring... Lets see businesses back themselves with their pledge to ED&I processes, not just a strap line on the website, reform your approach and create a culture accessible to all. Lets address the resounding issues around attracting talent at a junior level, people aren't born with sales experience so how do we support them and offer them a way in? Lets approach potential job opportunities with the right mindset... transparency, honesty, commitment, and enthusiasm. No more entitlement, dishonesty, ghosting, time wasting. Lets keep our job briefs clear and transparent, our processes slick and our feedback detailed. And finally can everyone stop 'splitting the G'.

Struggling to get your brilliant ideas heard at work? You're not alone. Many face the same hurdle: it's not the ideas, it's the delivery. Here are four strategies to help you present your ideas effectively: https://bit.ly/43PQZ0i #leadershipdevelopment #projectmanagement #successmindset

As a fundamentally service-oriented company, we make bold statements about our service culture and how we epitomize it. But I found that most of us really have no idea what a service culture is. Being too nice, too polite, and just too doormat is mistaken as the embodiment of a service culture. It is not. Based on research and some insights, I realized something, "Service culture is built by disagreeable givers." To be more precise, we can add that such a service culture is sustained, propagated, and multiplied by matchers if we can successfully weed out the takers. https://lnkd.in/g4T7idBE

#Ownership I was "Safety" for a parachute jump, during certification as an Army #jumpmaster. For Army static line parachuting, a Safety doesn't jump from the plane, but stays to ensure...safety, including checking proper "hooks up's" for each jumper. (A parachute opens while the jumper falls because a cord on the parachute ("static line") is hooked to a cable in the plane. No "hook up", no parachute opening.) We shared the plane with some Air Force jumpers. They had different safety procedures and asked for "just an extra set of eyes" for their jump. Their instructor would go last. I checked each student's static line, but hesitated as I started toward him. I thought "I'm just here as an extra set of eyes. He's the instructor. I'm sure he's good to go; he's got lots more jumps than I do." Then another thought. "If you are going to do the duties, do the duties - all the way." I grabbed his static line and pulled to make sure it was hooked up. My hand dropped to the floor of the plane. He had NOT hooked up to the cable! He had hooked up to a flimsy (but important) part of the plane. At best his parachute could have malfunctioned. At worst, the plane could have crashed. If you're going to do the duties, do the duties.