Jonathan Raddings
Title
Talent Development Manager
Organization
Mindbody
Location
Sheffield, UK
linkedin.com/in/jonathan-raddings-assoc-cipd-39b19632
Education
Bachelor's degree in sport business management (Leeds Beckett University)
Favorite Quote
"You don't learn to walk by following the rules; you learn by doing and by falling over." —Richard Branson
For Jonathan Raddings, wellness is important. He cites the growth he sees in his team and at software company Mindbody as his motivation. Raddings leads Mindbody's Learning Academy for interns in India. The academy has increased employee engagement rates and helps the company develop a strong pipeline of talent. He also leads an emerging leaders program.
How does learning contribute to the company's success?
Learning is a key part of Mindbody's evolution. We work in an ever-changing industry that has faced severe headwinds since 2020. Like many industries, wellness wasn't superfluous to the pandemic and the long recovery we are still facing. As an industry leader in wellness SaaS, Mindbody had to support our amazing customers and trailblaze a path forward. Learning became vital to our success. We had to learn to work faster, leaner, and with far more agility. The talent development team became a real driver of this.
What are the biggest learning-related challenges the company faces?
We work in a fast-paced environment where our industry changes rapidly, sometimes seemingly overnight. As a talent development team, we need to be one step ahead so our people have the skills and behaviors to do a great job now and in the future. This means that what we have previously done to support the organization probably won't get it to where it needs to be. Our approach to developing talent needs to be flexible and agile, and at times we need to be prepared to rip up the L&D playbook.
What personal interests do you have outside of L&D?
I enjoy playing competitive sports but also finding time to disengage from my screen, meditate, and relax. I am a huge soccer fan and take my passion for learning into the sport. Watching how a team develops over time, how a coach plays a pivotal role, and how the team culture impacts results is fascinating.
What career advice do you have for up-and-coming L&D professionals?
Stay close to influential people in the organization, understand how the business operates, and challenge ready-made assumptions. As talent professionals, our goal is to help the organization grow and develop. So we need to contest smartly, build a reputation of value add, and demonstrate how we can help the business meet its objectives. To do this, we need a seat at the top table or a clear pathway to the decision maker. We can quickly become order-takers and a reactionary team, but our strengths live in proactive partnerships.
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