The How To Learn Podcast
A podcast about learning by Thembi Watt and Jonathan Marshall. Learning is a life skill. But how do we actually learn, in real life? And how can we benefit from understanding how to learn?
Episodes
In this mini-podcast, Thembi and Jonathan look at deeper interview skills, and share some tips from having been on both sides of the table. This isn't about generic interview tips - dress smartly, turn up on time, research the organisation etc - valid as they all are - this is about conversational skills, storytelling, double-loop examples and the tedious inevitability of practice. Remember there's no such thing as a chat, and good...
Who could be against creativity, or collaboration? But put them together - in the learning design world, for example - and sparks can fly. In this mini-podcast, Thembi and Jonathan explore how to 'plan for the pain'. How should we contract up front, how should we manage collaboration overload, do we need a conductor, and does the relay race ever finish? Happy collaborating..
We pull back the curtain on what it truly takes to be a learning designer. Spoiler alert: it goes way beyond building your beautiful course.
In the latest How to Learn mini-podcast, Thembi and Jonathan explore the idea of the super-being learning designer. The truth is, great learning design means nothing if you can't bring people along the journey with you.
Most learning design job descriptions make it sound like it is one discipl...
"No pain, no gain." In this mini-podcast Thembi and Jonathan explore the decisions we're all having to make about our learning muscles: which ones are allowed to get a bit flabby? Do we embrace 'desirable difficulties' and take the tougher - but more effective - route to learning via repeated and varied practice, thinking hard, and testing ourselves? Or should we relax, offload the cognitive effort, and just enjoy the world of SatN...
Are you a self-confessed perfectionist.. or maybe a chronic procrastinator.. or not ready to admit it quite yet?
Well, we all have the tendencies. Here are some tips to help.
In their latest How to Learn mini-podcast, Thembi and Jonathan look at the cost of perfectionism - 'it's not a quirky character trait, it's a barrier to learning' - and share four tips on how to share something that isn't quite there yet.
Making lists, observing rituals and transitions, putting on different clothes.. these are not just things that happen across Christmas and the New Year, but excellent techniques for switching off in general.
Thembi and Jonathan finish the How To Learn podcast for 2025 with advice which is probably way too late: don't wait for holiday periods to switch off, you need to practise it all the time!
Thank you for listening and have a won...
What are you holding onto.. that's actually holding you back?
In this mini-podcast, Thembi and Jonathan look around the workplace at where people need to 'let go'. You might need to delegate a favourite project.. give up your comfort way of doing things.. or leave behind the luxury of the 'junior mindset' where you know somebody else will sort it out.
As Thembi says, 'it's not a personality flaw, it's a skills gap'. So here's a dis...
In this mini-podcast Thembi and Jonathan take 5 minutes to talk about a complex skill: 'reading the room'. Which can also mean 'reading the workplace' or even 'reading the interview panel'. Can we really trust ourselves to pick up social cues and group dynamics, in the moment, with accuracy? Maybe give yourself a better chance by i) understanding and mistrusting your own bias, and then ii) concentrating on preparation and relations...
Have you noticed how bad habits, sloppy short cuts and toxic workplace cultures can get under your skin? - and even become part of who you are?
In this How To Learn mini-podcast, Thembi and Jonathan discuss The Dark Side of Learning. Ultimately, the most powerful mechanisms of learning such as repetition and imitation are entirely neutral. They don't care whether you're learning something good or bad, they just embed it in your br...
Chairing meetings is a learning superfood!
In this quickfire How To Learn mini-podcast, Thembi and Jonathan identify nine skills you can develop through the process of chairing meetings: from time management to tech, from body language to diplomacy.
So don't see it as a chore to avoid, see it as a way of building valuable skills.. and a way of helping your colleagues not to waste their time in the kind of meetings we all hate!
Ever picked up a random dog-eared, second-hand book on holiday.. and learned something? Ever picked up a surprising amount of knowledge without actually noticing how you did it?
From double-glazing sales techniques, to life tips for avoiding airport stress, to mastering the London Underground, and to Emotional Bank Accounts - Thembi and Jonathan share some stories of random learning and argue that they're all perfectly valid. Even ...
Do you feel slightly guilty that you're not making full use of all the amazing self-management, personal organisation and efficiency hacks out there?
In this episode, Thembi and Jonathan look at the need to learn what actually works for you - and what doesn't!
Prompts and notifications, colour-coding, post-its, reminders, notebooks and auto-prompts all come under the sceptical microscope of How To Learn.
They're inside your head.. and they're using the most powerful techniques to make you remember and learn.
But do you want your most effective tutors to be the algorithms of your favourite social media?
In this mini-podcast Thembi and Jonathan look at the role of scrolling behaviour - and more generally, the role of habits - in creating learning. How can we be more intentional about our habits? How can we harness the power of daily ...
We believe there is an important life skill called 'the willingness to ask questions'. But what does skilful question-asking look like, and can we get better at it?
In this mini-podcast Thembi and Jonathan discuss:
- why we shouldn't stop asking 'stupid' questions: certainly not when we're still new, and actually not when we're more experienced, either
- the need to pick your person, pick your moment, and articulate your question
-...
It might feel like a boring chore to take notes at an event, or to 'cascade' some learning back to colleagues. or even to explain something that you know - or think you know.
But in this 5-minute mini-podcast, Thembi and Jonathan talk about the known 'Protégé Effect' - basically how teaching or explaining something helps you to learn it better. It can also add to your visibility in an organisation. Or maybe your pupil or 'protégé' ...
"Learning on the job" starts on Day 1. Here are three tips from Thembi and Jonathan:
- avoid the experts! (or rather: find somebody who can remember what is was like NOT to know what they were doing..)
- be curious: start volunteering for stuff beyond your role
- remember you need to induct THEM to YOU
It's also never too early to work out the skills you will need further down the line.
In this 5-minute mini-podcast, Thembi brings up a skill which is often neglected: conversation. We talk all the time, but how often do we think about it, consciously, as a skill which can be improved?
From active listening to building rapport, conversational skills are crucial for our working and social lives. Thembi talks about 'How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks' by Leil Lowndes as a way into this set of skills we should be ...
A cheerful mini-rant about good intentions and bad habits. Why do we trip up our own learning with procrastination, poor planning, bad filing and other habits? Or maybe it's just Jonathan? Plus a bonus moan on how the route to free content is strewn with annoying extras and roadblocks. Rant along with How To Learn..!
"You can tell when you're reading from the notes."
In this 5-minute mini-podcast, Thembi and Jonathan chat about office skills, and plunge straight into two examples: how to facilitate meetings, and how to deliver presentations. How did they actually get better over time? (assuming they did)
The episode covers:
- the role of observation, copying and practice
- using an emotional reaction to things you don't like, to motivate yourse...
A new study shows the difference that managers can make in encouraging their staff to pick up training opportunities. 'High-training managers' see up to 50% more participation - with benefits for performance and productivity.
In this mini-podcast, Thembi and Jonathan discuss:
- the link to leadership potential: are 'high-training managers' the leaders of the future?
- what to do if you've got a different type of manager..
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.