Learning Impact Award 2024: The Longlist
Established in 2001, the getAbstract International Book Award is one of the oldest continuously awarded nonfiction prizes in the world. Since 2022, the Learning Impact Award, a special L&D book prize, has also been awarded. In line with our mission to provide actionable, business-relevant knowledge, it focuses on titles that help HR and L&D leaders make better decisions for themselves and their employees—in line with our slogan ‘Know Better. Do Better.’
Here are this year’s nominees:
LONGLIST: Learning Impact Award 2024
- Nadia Nagamootoo: Beyond Discomfort
- Cara North: Learning Experience Design Essentials
- Ludmilla Praslova: The Canary Code
- Anna Abraham: The Creative Brain
- Anna Tavis & Woody Woodward: The Digital Coaching Revolution!
- Steven G. Rogelberg: Glad We Met
- Suzanne Wertheim: The Inclusive Language Field Guide
- Erica Keswin: The Retention Revolution
- Keith Keating: The Trusted Learning Advisor
- John C. Maxwell: The Ultimate Guide to Developing Leaders
You can vote for one of the above titles here until 22 September and thus contribute to the Readers’ Choice Award.
– THE LONGLIST –
Nadia Nagamootoo:
Beyond Discomfort
Practical Inspiration Publishing, 2024
Biases and the discomfort that can arise when people acknowledge differences make inclusivity hard. How can you, as a leader, overcome these challenges? Chartered Psychologist and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) culture change coach Nadia Nagamootoo delves into the emotional and practical complexities of achieving true organizational inclusivity.
Through practical advice and real-life examples, Nagamootoo demonstrates how leaders can embrace discomfort, be vulnerable, and drive meaningful cultural transformation to enhance employee well-being and their companies’ long-term sustainability.
Cara North:
Learning Experience Design Essentials
ATD, 2023
Well-known L&D authority Cara North outlines the key competencies of learning experience design and provides a structured process for developing effective learning experiences. Instructional design often overloads learners with content while overlooking the context and ongoing nature of learning.
North challenges this status quo by emphasizing the integration of content with context built from the learners’ perspective, and by drawing on principles from user experience, user interface and accessibility. North includes guidance on creating a 30/60/90-day implementation plan to put her ideas into use.
Ludmilla Praslova:
The Canary Code
Berrett-Koehler, 2024
Many neurodivergent workers have missed out on job opportunities and had employers mismanage their talents because they don’t fit the status quo. For these workers, companies’ embrace of greater flexibility during COVID-19 was a boon that allowed them to flourish. Professor Dr. Ludmila Praslova offers insights into fostering an inclusive workplace that celebrates neurodiversity and intersectional dignity.
Discover practical strategies to create environments where everyone feels valued and respected. Learn how to break down barriers and implement effective policies that support diverse talent.
Anna Abraham:
The Creative Brain
MIT Press, 2024
Is the right brain hemisphere responsible for creativity? Are people with high IQs more creative? What’s the relationship between creativity and madness? In this engaging text, creativity researcher Anna Abraham explains the source of erroneous beliefs about creativity and why people embrace them so readily.
By digging into the empirical evidence, Abraham brings to life the nuanced “kernel of truths” that hide within popular myths about creativity. Her exploration offers valuable guidance to readers looking to understand what may — or may not — affect their creative capacity.
Anna Tavis & Woody Woodward:
The Digital Coaching Revolution!
Kogan Page, 2024
Professional coaching has long been a human-centric domain, but that’s changing as coaches turn to technology to augment their services and coaching platforms embrace the potential of data analysis and digital delivery. In this comprehensive overview of the digital coaching field, coaches Anna Tavis and Woody Woodward chart the rise of the coaching industry from its roots in ancient Greece to today’s digital revolution.
Tavis and Woodward explore the ways digital coaching — in corporate environments, sports, health care, and beyond — is redefining how people learn and grow.
Steven G. Rogelberg:
Glad We Met
Oxford UP, 2024
Millions of one-on-one business meetings take place daily around the world. About half of them don’t achieve the desired results, but you can make sure yours do. Drawing on extensive research, organizational science professor Steven Rogelberg of the University of North Carolina provides concrete advice on setting up, conducting, and following through on one-on-one meetings, mostly between managers and their team members.
Rogelberg holds managers responsible for asking the right questions, fostering engagement, and illuminating each person’s progress. He helps managers understand why these sessions matter to their employees and to their own leadership journey.
Suzanne Wertheim:
The Inclusive Language Field Guide
Berrett-Koehler, 2023
Today’s language etiquette includes words and phrases that might seem strange or awkward. Dismissing these changes as political correctness gone mad is easy, but language continually evolves to reflect changing attitudes. Words that you find innocuous can offend others. To forge connections and facilitate trust, consider the needs, feelings and preferences of those who have been marginalized in the past.
Embrace linguistic anthropologist Suzanne Wertheim’s six principles of inclusive language to better understand the dynamics of communication and avoid hurting others with your words.
Erica Keswin:
The Retention Revolution
McGraw-Hill, 2023
Today’s workplace sometimes seems to feature a revolving door for employees moving from company to company. If you seek a cure for excess turnover, author Erica Keswin offers a human-centric approach to keeping employees invested in your company. Her seven strategic insights provide a refreshing perspective on the power of genuine connection in the modern workplace.
Keswin’s compelling stories, real-world examples and ready-to-implement steps are designed to transform your retention rates. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or just starting, her manual can help you cultivate deeper, more meaningful bonds with your team.
Keith Keating:
The Trusted Learning Advisor
Kogan Page, 2023
Too often, L&D professionals stand on the periphery of their organizations’ business strategy – taking orders rather than acting as collaborative partners. In this helpful guide, L&D expert Keith Keating explains how readers can make corporate learning a strategic business cornerstone by becoming “Trusted Learning Advisors.”
Keating provides a wealth of tools and techniques to help L&D leaders build strong stakeholder relationships, develop a deep understanding of business needs, and position themselves as indispensable in shaping the future of workplace learning and performance.
John C. Maxwell:
The Ultimate Guide to Developing Leaders
Harper-Collins Leadership, 2023
To thrive in today’s fast-paced environment, companies must proactively cultivate leaders who can drive the organization forward. Leadership developer John C. Maxwell’s comprehensive guide provides practical strategies and insightful wisdom for identifying and nurturing leadership potential within your company.
Maxwell’s expert approach empowers you to create a culture of growth and excellence, ensuring your organization’s long-term resilience and prosperity. Use these best practices to transform your approach to leadership development and build your company’s future.
The winner of the Learning Impact Award will be announced on 24 October 2024 at the getAbstract Global L&D Knowledge Forum. Click here for the nominees in the Business Impact category.
