In today's episode, I chat with my new friend, Dr. Owen Chamberlain, about pracademia and how we can narrow the gap between theory and practice by approaching what we learn in academia with more practical intent. We talk about the role of truth in learning and asking the kinds of questions that matter.

Owen Chamberlain is a strategist, writer and speaker with 15+ years of experience in organizational transformation, remote work culture, and the future of leadership. He currently works at a Fortune 500 company, shaping strategy at the intersection of people, systems, and power.

A British-born ‘pracademic’, he is currently based in Colorado. Owen has a doctorate in education and critical theory, and his research draws heavily from Foucault, systems thinking, and lived experience. He is particularly interested in the evolution of professional identity, how invisible power shapes our working lives, and the role of technology in shaping the future of work.

Owen has spoken at major conferences in both the US and UK on topics ranging from the future of remote work to the politics of knowledge in corporate systems. He is a guest lecturer, podcast contributor, and behind-the-scenes advisor to executives seeking to redesign their organizations with humanity in mind. His writing has been featured in business journals and online platforms.

Before his current role, Owen held senior positions in both corporate and educational sectors, often serving as the bridge between legacy institutions and emerging models of work. His previous roles include strategic advisor, director of execution, and consultant on distributed teams and transformation initiatives.

He is best known for blending sharp analysis with irreverent humor, frequently asking the questions others avoid, whilst delivering this with a Northern British accent. He’s also after the perfect curry recipe.

When not interrogating the cultural machinery of work, he spends weekends either hiking, fixing things, or playing music. He misses British pubs, but not British weather.

Find him on

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/owenchamberlain
Website: owenchamberlain.com

Owen's suggestions for:

• Learning more about pracademia: Google "arts-based learning" and "arts-based research" to see pracademia in action
• For your general professional journey: do a therapy course to learn how to ask great questions and listen well

Please don't forget to visit our brilliant sponsor, Yellowdig, if you're looking to create more engaging learning communities.

To learn more and get more great resources:

• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our global Useful L&D Community
• Work with me or see what I'm working on with Useful Stuff

In this solo episode, I share 3 best practices for getting more or better leadership support for your learning initiatives based on my experience and research.

Those three tips include:

1. Knowing the common obstacles and how to overcome them
2. Aligning your work with business goals from the beginning
3. Showing the impact of your work (going above and beyond survey and assessment data)

Please don't forget to visit our brilliant sponsor, Yellowdig, if you're looking to create more engaging learning communities.

To learn more and get more great resources:

• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our global Useful L&D Community
• Work with me or see what I'm working on with Useful Stuff

In this episode, I chat with Dr. Carrie Graham about how to consult with intention in the learning space, specifically how to treat clients and organizations with patience, respect, and grace when you begin work with them and have to tell them they're doing things wrong or poorly.

Carrie is a Learning Solutions Architect known for translating executive vision into tangible performance outcomes. She specializes in designing training strategies that align with organizational values, support business goals, and deliver measurable impact—often within just 90 days. Carrie’s strategic approach has led to a 40% reduction in onboarding time, an 85% improvement in knowledge retention, and a 3x return on training investment. Her work ensures consistent execution across all levels of an organization, seamlessly integrating learning with broader business strategy to drive real, scalable results.

Carrie's suggestion for someone getting started with consulting to try an focus in their strategy/vision? The best resource is your mind -- you have to understand your own process and document it so that you can implement it.

Please don't forget to visit our brilliant sponsor, Yellowdig, if you're looking to create more engaging learning communities.

To learn more and get more great resources:

• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our global Useful L&D Community
• Work with me or see what I'm working on with Useful Stuff