We talk with our colleagues about their background in learning and development, the Xprtise projects that make them proud, and the biggest challenges in learning & development in the coming years. This time it is Learning & Performance Consultant Eleni Iatridis. Learning and helping people perform better has always been her mission. As a Learning & Performance Consultant at Xprtise, she leads the 5 Moments of Need® Academy UK and is also Project Manager for one of our key client projects.

Who? Eleni Iatridis.
What? Learning & Performance Consultant since May 2019.
Where? Xprtise UK, London.

I have been in the field of Learning & Development for the last 25 years. I have always been passionate about learning and working with technology. I started out in Public Relations but quickly realized I needed something that authentically brought me closer to people, so I chose a career that could combine two passions: learning and the newly emerging (at the time) technology sector. Before joining Xprtise two years ago, my last role was Chief Learning Officer for ten years at a software company. Now I work with Xprtise on exciting new ventures that combine all my passions and my skills. I live in London but also spend a lot of time in Greece, where my family comes from. Since the pandemic, I have been in Athens wondering when I will resume my regular travel routine as I typically fly in and out every two months. I, like many, acquired a puppy during the pandemic who spreads a lot of joy and laughter and ensures I get good breaks from work for walkies in the mountains or on the beach, as both are nearby.

What do you get most energy from? What is your passion?

I have a lot of energy - even the ancient Greek roots of my name mean fire and lightning - and I am always on the go. I like change; I like variety; I like movement; I get twitchy if I have to do the same thing too long or too often. My work at Xprtise provides me with the variety and scope I look for in my career. As an L&D professional, experienced trainer, and training designer, I see myself as an information broker. It's an art to craft the right message with just the right amount of information and deliver it at just the right time. I find this creative process very appealing and immensely rewarding.

“It's an art to craft the right message with just the right amount of information and deliver it at just the right time. I find this creative process very appealing and immensely rewarding.”

What makes the field of Learning & Development so interesting?

Ever since I was a teen, I've been fascinated by the process of learning. Mainly, what does it take to learn something? Why isn't knowing something enough? What does it take to translate knowledge into behavior change? What triggers and conditions need to be in place to enable learning to really stick, creating changed behavior and improved performance? That's why I chose a career in Learning & Development. I like to work with people helping their development processes. If I can bring value to that process, that is the ultimate for me. 

In 2016 I came across The 5 Moments of Need® methodology, which matched all my thinking about how to drive better people performance. So, I became a Certified 5 Moments of Need® Designer and have worked with the methodology ever since. Helping Xprtise expand in the UK and setting up the 5 Moments of Need® Academy here is a blessing as I really believe in this approach and its returns.

What do you think makes Xprtise unique?

What impressed me when I started working with Xprtise was, and is the team. It's a group of very passionate people: strong, decisive, really good at what they do – dedicated to learning in the flow of work and delivering the best possible solutions for our clients. I like the 'practice what we preach' mentality. No navel-gazing, no analysis-paralysis- just do, learn and improve. It’s quite an agile culture, which keeps everyone on their toes and motivated, learning on the go. We do, we learn, we fix! Everybody in the company has their own clear responsibilities, yet we come together regularly as a team that trusts each other. So that, together with strong, senior leadership that allows for growth and self-expression, creates a solid team dynamic that unites the Xprtise organization in the Netherlands, the US, and now the UK.

Which projects are you working on?

One of my key activities is launching and managing The 5 Moments of Need® Academy in the UK. As the desire for workflow learning and The 5 Moments of Need® method founded by Bob Mosher and Conrad Gottfredson gains ground, it is exciting to be part of this expansion. In September, we have our first Designer Certificate program starting for L&D professionals in the United Kingdom. This program provides an innovative design method for practical implementation of 70:20:10 and how to make informal learning in the flow of work a reality.

Another big project I have is working with a large global company that helps farmers grow food more sustainably, project-managing a complex system design and implementation project. Using the Learning and Experience Performance Platform AskDelphi as the foundation, we have designed the system to help provide staff with on-demand access to integrated information, guidance, advice, assistance, training, and tools to drive optimum job performance with minimum support from others. Working with Neeltje de Ruijter, we started the project last September, and will continue to manage all the pieces of this complex project through to the end of this year.

“Xprtise is a team of passionate people; strong, decisive and really good at what they do, they are dedicated to workflow learning and providing the best possible solutions for their clients.”

What do you think are the biggest challenges in L&D in the coming years?

The pandemic has forced digitalization across the world. More and more people are working online and learning how to do their work in their flow of work. So, learning on the go, in the right way, becomes even more critical. How do you deliver the right knowledge, at the right time, with just enough information to help people perform optimally? Another ongoing challenge for learning practitioners is how to raise their game and speak the language of the business? There is still much work to be done in connecting the value of learning with the goals of the business. If you can't quantify and measure the return of the learning program in business terms, then just don't do it. It's always about performance, first.

Want to know more about Eleni Iatridis? Check out her LinkedIn profile or send her an email: e.iatridis@xprtise.com.