Learning for Good | L&D Solutions and Leadership Development for Nonprofits
Heather Burright, Learning and Development Leader, Leadership Development Consultant, Instructional Designer.
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Heather Burright, Learning and Development Leader, Leadership Development Consultant, Instructional Designer.
▶ WebplayerAs nonprofit learning and development leaders, we want a seat at the table. We want to be viewed as true business partners who can help solve problems. We want to create meaningful learning solutions that fit in the flow of work and yield real results for the organization and for the staff.That's why in this podcast, we will not only explore instructional design and leadership development best practices, but we will also explore change management, belonging, and influence - helping you build the case for the solutions your organization needs so you can show up confidently in conversations with...
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Sep 28, 2026 · 37:08
One of the most challenging parts of our jobs as nonprofit learning and development professionals is working with and through other people. This makes our ability to influence…
Sep 21, 2026 · 30:45
How do you design training that actually leads to a job, not just a certificate? In this episode of Learning for Good, I sit down with Amina Mohamed, founder and executive…
Sep 14, 2026 · 13:27
In this episode of Learning for Good, I break down three practical shifts nonprofit learning designers can make to build credibility and grow their influence. Many competent…
Sep 7, 2026 · 34:34
What do you do when the pressure at work never seems to let up? In this episode of Learning for Good, I sit down with peak performance coach Jay Abbasi to talk about what it…
Aug 31, 2026 · 19:07
Do you actually know if your training worked, or are you just hoping it did? In this episode of Learning for Good, I break down the five biggest mistakes nonprofit learning and…
Aug 24, 2026 · 13:57
In this episode of Learning for Good, I celebrate 200 episodes and share the five biggest lessons that have shaped my approach to nonprofit learning and development and nonprofit…
Aug 17, 2026 · 10:45
How do you decide which trainings in your library still deserve a spot, and which ones are just taking up space? In this episode of Learning for Good, I walk through five…
Aug 10, 2026 · 33:03
Does your learning and development team spend more time responding to requests than shaping where your organization is headed? In this episode of Learning for Good, I sit down…
Aug 3, 2026 · 29:48
In this episode of Learning for Good, I sit down with nonprofit leader Melody Lam to explore how she built a coaching culture by training first-time managers to coach. Coaching…
Jul 27, 2026 · 14:43
Why does your team go right back to their old habits the week after training ends? In this episode of Learning for Good, I break down how nonprofit leaders can design training…
Jul 20, 2026 · 33:21
Does your L&D team spend most of its time responding to urgent training requests instead of shaping strategy? In this episode of Learning for Good, I sit down with Mark Nilles…
Jul 13, 2026 · 22:07
Do you have employee engagement data sitting in a survey report with no plan for turning it into action? In this episode of Learning for Good, I sit down with Wilson Kirkpatrick,…
Jul 6, 2026 · 13:38
Your staff already know what to do and how to do it. So why are they still not doing it? In this episode of Learning for Good, I break down why explaining the why is one of the…
Jun 29, 2026 · 14:25
In this episode of Learning for Good, I share 10 questions strategic learning leaders can ask to move beyond content creation and into real organizational impact, using learning…
Jun 22, 2026 · 41:13
Many nonprofit learning and development professionals know their work matters, but still find themselves executing requests rather than shaping solutions. In this episode of…
Jun 15, 2026 · 15:14
You invested time and resources into staff training and development, but your team still isn't applying what they learned. Why? Many nonprofit leaders focus heavily on what…
Jun 8, 2026 · 43:39
What does it really take to grow as a learning leader? In this episode of Learning for Good, I sit down with instructional design expert Dr. Luke Hobson to explore how learning…
Jun 1, 2026 · 15:38
What does proof of impact really look like in nonprofit learning and development? In this episode of Learning for Good, I break down how nonprofit leaders can measure staff…
May 25, 2026 · 32:36
What does it take to build high-performing nonprofit teams that stay engaged, grow their skills, and strengthen organizational impact? In this episode, I sit down with Melanie…
May 18, 2026 · 12:03
If you want to elevate your learning and development role from an order taker to a strategic partner, it starts with something many leaders overlook: mindset. In this episode, I…
May 11, 2026 · 35:13
Mentorship is a powerful yet underutilized tool in nonprofits, and in this episode, we’re diving into how to operationalize it for real organizational impact. I sit down with…
May 4, 2026 · 10:28
Good training takes time, and in a world where AI can generate content in seconds, that truth is more important than ever. In this episode, we unpack why effective learning and…
Apr 27, 2026 · 26:58
Training volunteers is one of the most complex and overlooked areas of nonprofit training and development. In this episode, I had the privilege of talking with the VP of Training…
Apr 20, 2026 · 15:06
If you’ve ever struggled to gain buy-in for nonprofit leadership development, you’re not alone. Many nonprofit leaders hesitate to invest in training, not because they don’t…
Apr 13, 2026 · 31:36
AI is rapidly reshaping nonprofit leadership development, and organizations that embrace it now will be better positioned to build stronger teams, scale impact, and drive…
Apr 6, 2026 · 14:50
Too often, staff training and development ends when the workshop does. But as I share in this episode of Learning for Good, training alone rarely leads to lasting results.…
Mar 30, 2026 · 10:04
In this episode of Learning for Good, I’m sharing a heartfelt message for nonprofit learning and development professionals who want their work to drive real impact, not just…
Mar 23, 2026 · 31:54
While leadership transitions are inevitable, there are too many organizations that aren’t prepared for this eventuality. In this episode, I’ve got Jeremy Bouman with me to…
Mar 16, 2026 · 28:35
As learning and development leaders, we have lots of tools in our toolkit, and when others in our organization come to us with a challenge or an opportunity, we don't always have…
Mar 9, 2026 · 13:52
As nonprofit L&D leaders, we often sit and wait for our stakeholders to approach us with their demands, and only then react to their needs. Unfortunately, this isn't always…
Mar 2, 2026 · 30:32
Motivation is fickle. At the end of the day, even with the best learning experience and high motivation, people are going back into their workplace, and when you're back in your…
Feb 23, 2026 · 13:11
In your experience as a nonprofit L&D leader, has telling people what to do and forcing them to comply ever led to the behavior change you were looking for? Unfortunately, this…
Feb 16, 2026 · 24:53
I'm a big believer in the personal brand and how it can impact you and your career. I've seen it in my own life, both internally at organizations and as a consultant and a…
Feb 9, 2026 · 11:27
When our stakeholders come to us asking for training, they are usually thinking of traditional training. So, they treat us, nonprofit L&D pros, like training factories that can…
Feb 2, 2026 · 33:37
It's estimated that organizations spend somewhere between 50% to 200% of an employee's annual salary to replace them, depending on the level and complexity of their role. Not…
Jan 26, 2026 · 31:56
Recent data shows that more than half of all nonprofit leaders in the US are women. Unfortunately, we also know that many nonprofit leaders are on the brink of burnout. This…
Jan 19, 2026 · 12:19
It can be frustrating when nonprofit leaders and other stakeholders approach us demanding training to solve a problem. However, it's important to remember that people outside of…
Jan 12, 2026 · 32:17
Nonprofit leadership development is about far more than offering training. It’s about creating an environment where people want to stay, grow, and contribute meaningfully to your…
Jan 5, 2026 · 14:08
As nonprofit leaders look ahead to the new year, it’s essential to understand which capabilities will matter most. In this episode, I’m breaking down the top skills nonprofits…
Dec 29, 2025 · 11:39
We are already at the end of 2025. This is a time of reflection, goal setting, and a renewed commitment to being our best selves. I love this time of year, and each year I like…
Dec 22, 2025 · 36:33
As learning and development leaders, it feels like we're always trying to get a seat at the table, but are we truly prepared to have effective conversations with our nonprofit's…
Dec 15, 2025 · 36:06
Are you an HR leader or L&D pro who finds themselves having to prove themselves to everyone over and over again, or being brought to the table too late? If you want that to…
Dec 8, 2025 · 9:27
It's very common for leaders to throw training at every performance problem we see. Yet not all performance problems result from a skill gap. In fact, many are due to other…
Dec 1, 2025 · 27:14
In times of change and disruption, burnout has become a major epidemic. In fact, according to statistics, over half of the workforce is burnt out, with the nonprofit sector being…
Nov 24, 2025 · 26:42
Nonprofits often view training as a cost. I've heard it, and I'm sure you've heard it as well. However, it's actually an investment in the very thing that moves your mission…
Nov 17, 2025 · 10:27
Do you ever feel like you have to constantly babysit your team instead of focusing on your own job? It's like you can't take your eyes off them, so you always find yourself in…
Nov 10, 2025 · 11:24
Your nonprofit has a strong 2026 strategy. But is your team ready to bring it to life? If your team isn't fully equipped to deliver on your goals, you could be missing the bridge…
Nov 3, 2025 · 16:31
We have all disagreed with our nonprofit stakeholders at some point in our careers, but speaking up and sharing that disagreement can feel hard because we tend to want to avoid…
Oct 27, 2025 · 34:57
Have you ever created a training only to launch it into the world and be met with crickets? I see this happen often in learning and development. However, I know how hard you…
Oct 20, 2025 · 14:16
Creating impactful training programs for nonprofit teams takes more than good intentions; it takes strategy. In this episode of Learning for Good , we’re diving deep into the…
Oct 13, 2025 · 26:08
Sometimes, when we work with nonprofit executive leaders, it's easy to jump to an assumption about what they thought or what they wanted. The problem is that when we act on that,…
Oct 6, 2025 · 12:29
If you are a nonprofit L&D pro, you know how to design learning experiences. You've got the experience. Yet, sometimes the trainings we spend time and money creating don't work.…
Sep 29, 2025 · 30:31
Empathy might be one of the most essential skills for learning designers, and there's no better place to learn it than design thinking. That's why, in this episode, I am joined…
Sep 22, 2025 · 13:54
Training is often the go-to solution in our nonprofits. But what if I told you that training isn't always the right solution? In this episode, I discuss why jumping to solutions…
Sep 15, 2025 · 36:24
When we think of a high-performance team, we usually think of things like productivity, how much effort people are putting in, accountability, and higher outputs and profits. All…
Sep 8, 2025 · 37:25
Welcome to episode 150 of the Learning For Good podcast! Thank you, dear listener. This podcast has grown so much since 2022, and it's all because of you. In this special…
Sep 1, 2025 · 40:06
How can we create a high-performance culture that benefits not just the organization, but also the individuals in it? In this episode, I sit down with Brett Myles, leadership…
Aug 25, 2025 · 27:30
Designing a learning experience for the average learner is a thing of the past, we must now design for everyone. So, in this episode of Learning for Good, I am joined by…
Aug 18, 2025 · 8:56
In this episode of Learning for Good, we’re exploring how nonprofit leaders can take actionable steps to maintain performance and build capacity even during stressful seasons. If…
Aug 11, 2025 · 30:46
Get ready to change the way you think about designing training scenarios in this episode of Learning for Good. I have used scenarios myself, and I really do think this is a…
Aug 4, 2025 · 31:53
Creating a strong learning culture is no longer a luxury - it's a necessity for nonprofit leadership development and sustainable mission impact. In this episode, I sit down with…
Jul 28, 2025 · 16:24
Are your nonprofit’s people managers equipped to lead with clarity and confidence, or just left to figure it out on their own? In this episode, I take a deep dive into how to…
Jul 21, 2025 · 34:08
In this episode of Learning for Good, we explore how nonprofit leaders can navigate the complexities of global teams with guest Dr. Lori Beyar, Global VP of Strategy &…
Jul 14, 2025 · 12:30
Nonprofit leadership development hinges on the ability to bring people together while still moving projects forward. In this episode of Learning for Good, I dive into how…
Jul 7, 2025 · 10:51
When nonprofits scale programs too quickly without the right foundation, teams experience burnout, confusion, and inconsistent outcomes. In this episode of Learning for Good, I…
Jun 30, 2025 · 24:37
Succession planning may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about nonprofit leadership development, but it should be. In this episode, I sit down with…
Jun 23, 2025 · 9:31
If training alone isn't moving the needle, it’s time to bring coaching into the equation. In this episode, I share how nonprofit leaders can use three simple yet powerful…
Jun 16, 2025 · 27:21
Creating meaningful change through staff training and development in a nonprofit can feel overwhelming, especially when you're the only one driving it. In this episode, I talk…
Jun 9, 2025 · 8:56
Improving staff accountability doesn’t always require a training program. In fact, some of the most effective strategies for nonprofit leadership development and team performance…
Jun 2, 2025 · 1:02:43
Are you curious about what a career in nonprofit Learning and Development looks like across different types of organizations? In this episode of Learning for Good, we explore the…
May 26, 2025 · 8:06
Employees spend 42% of their time collaborating with others. That’s almost half of their time. But are they any good at it? Or are there challenges around collaboration? And if…
May 19, 2025 · 9:19
What does it mean to be a good partner in Learning and Development? That’s what we’re exploring in this episode, but we’re doing it from the truest sense of the word partner . I…
May 12, 2025 · 34:08
All too often, new managers have no training, peer group, or support. Then, when they fail or burnout, we say they weren’t management material. We can and we should do more to…
May 5, 2025 · 11:26
When we create learning solutions, what we really want is to create a new behavior or change behavior in some way. So, what does it take to create a new behavior? On this episode…
Apr 28, 2025 · 34:54
Our world is constantly evolving, and because of that, our experiences across generations are different. Because our experiences are different, our perspectives are different,…
Apr 21, 2025 · 1:06:24
I often get questions about working in nonprofit, so I launched Career Conversations - a series of LinkedIn Live conversations with people currently in nonprofit L&D roles. We…
Apr 14, 2025 · 8:14
Understanding your training audience may be the best thing you can do as an instructional designer. Yet, many of us have never been taught how to conduct a training needs…
Apr 7, 2025 · 10:23
In L&D, when we are approached with a training request, it's our job to do a little research for ourselves about training audience needs. Often, the time you have to do this…
Mar 31, 2025 · 29:42
The fear of failure impacts our learners’ ability to learn, so we need to help them move to a growth mindset. A growth mindset is a place where it's okay to try new things, fail,…
Mar 24, 2025 · 11:30
Do you take the time to intentionally reflect after a training project ends? Reflection is powerful and it's something we often do, but it's not something we often do with…
Mar 17, 2025 · 32:09
If you are looking to transition to L&D, your experience matters! Volunteering can help you fill in the gaps. This is exactly what Dr. Ashley Dugger is here to talk about. Ashley…
Mar 10, 2025 · 8:21
In this episode, I want to share my 4-step process to write better learning objectives. What do I mean by better? This is not a lesson on making them SMART (specific, measurable,…
Mar 3, 2025 · 10:13
Are your learners bored? So often our training audience attends training that isn't relevant or engaging, contains so much extra information they feel lost, or the included…
Feb 24, 2025 · 26:51
What’s the value of an outside perspective? An outside perspective will help you be more consistent, improve your awareness and confidence, and accelerate your career because…
Feb 17, 2025 · 23:55
A lot of what we do in Learning and Development is not life and death. We often have the freedom to experiment with new ideas in our nonprofit training and while we want the best…
Feb 10, 2025 · 32:52
People managers have a hard job. They have to set goals, manage resources, support real humans who are not always easy to support, and keep everything moving on time and within…
Feb 3, 2025 · 20:14
We know the impact a good mentor can have. Yet, according to a Forbes article, only 37% of professionals have a mentor. This means there are still many people out there who…
Jan 27, 2025 · 35:06
While work may never be the top place you feel belonging, it can be a place where you can be yourself, where you can feel safe, and where you can feel connected to your work and…
Jan 20, 2025 · 11:13
Measuring behavior change and impact is hard in most organizations, but add the complexities of federated nonprofit organizations or membership associations, and it suddenly…
Jan 13, 2025 · 23:52
Creating behavior change is no easy task. So when Rebecca Kelley of Waterford.org approached me about a change she wanted to facilitate in one of her teams, I knew we had a lot…
Jan 6, 2025 · 13:37
I feel strongly that you don't need a formal education in adult learning to be a good instructional designer. But I do think instructional designers have to be open to learning…
Dec 30, 2024 · 29:18
Boundaries, coping skills, conflict resolution, empathy, mental health, and self-care are skills we all need in life, and the nonprofit Un/Do Mindset is on a mission to make sure…
Dec 23, 2024 · 11:51
People with goals are 10 times more likely to succeed. That’s the kind of momentum I want as I head into 2025. I've worked with others to set goals for years. I've coached people…
Dec 16, 2024 · 20:02
The number one priority for HR leaders in 2025 is leader and manager development and yet, only 36% of organizations with leadership development programs think they work.…
Dec 9, 2024 · 33:37
Stories help us learn and engage us on an emotional level. But one of the more challenging parts of using stories is finding the right visuals to go with them. That’s where AI…
Dec 2, 2024 · 11:18
Peer learning is a great technique to use in your training programs because it encourages active participation and networking, ensures diverse perspectives are shared and…
Nov 25, 2024 · 23:30
Providing off-the-shelf courses is a common approach to training and development. But one of the limitations is the lack of context which is often needed to make the training…
Nov 18, 2024 · 9:49
Working with subject matter experts can be a great experience, but it can also be challenging. They don't always understand Learning and Development, they may have competing…
Nov 11, 2024 · 8:38
Is training a change project? My vote is almost always YES. Training is often either being used to drive a change or it's being offered as the result of a change. Why does that…
Nov 4, 2024 · 8:57
Most people form a first impression in just a tenth of a second, and there’s no second chances. So, what is your nonprofit's first impression? When you hire a new staff person,…
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