Training's Biggest Blind Spot Revealed: Julie Dirksen

What if most training fails not because it’s boring, but because it arrives at the wrong time?

What if organizational change doesn’t just shift processes, but temporarily destroys competence and identity?

And what if the real barrier to change isn’t logic at all — but the emotional brain that actually drives decisions?

In this episode of Change Signal, I talk with Julie Dirksen, learning strategy consultant and author of Design For How People Learn. Julie explains why most corporate training feels like “high school, but worse,” and how leaders can design learning that truly changes behaviour.

In this practical conversation about change leadership, you'll discover:
Why most training fails when it ignores immediate relevance
How change shatters professional identity by breaking unconscious competence
The elephant-rider metaphor: logic vs. emotion in learning and decision-making
Why timing and real-world application matter more than “engaging” content
How to design learning experiences that stick and support lasting transformation

🎯 KEY TOPICS:
00:00 Introduction
03:15 Why most training fails
07:42 The printer repair experiment: why timing drives engagement
12:56 Change and professional identity: breaking competence
18:23 The elephant vs. the rider: emotion vs. logic in change
23:40 Why jazzed-up content doesn’t solve resistance
27:15 Designing training for real behaviour change
31:20 Advice for leaders leading transformation
35:00 Closing thoughts

💡 ABOUT JULIE:
Julie Dirksen is a learning strategist, consultant, and the author of Design For How People Learn. She specializes in instructional design, behaviour change, and organizational learning. Her work focuses on making training practical, relevant, and aligned with how people actually learn and change.

👉 RESOURCES:
Julie’s website: https://usablelearning.com
Julie’s book: Design For How People Learn – https://geni.us/dirksenbook
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