Blog

AI has brought practice back into Learning & Development, but generic AI scenarios risk repeating the mistakes of one-size-fits-all eLearning. Effective AI practice should reflect an organization’s culture, strategy, customers and learning objectives, with technology supporting the learning, not defining it.

Every retail bank in Canada and the United States is running some version of an integrated customer experience strategy: acquire new clients, deepen relationships, and grow revenue per customer without deploying new capital. The logic is sound, and the results are measurable. The execution is where…

Because of our innovative approach and application of best practices from a variety of industries, we're proud to share that Practica Learning has been named to Selling Power's annual list of 2026 Top Sales Training Companies.

McKinsey’s 2019 research on high-performing L&D functions found that the organizations maintaining the strongest executive relationships reported against three kinds of metrics: business outcomes (revenue, productivity, quality), learning outcomes (skill acquisition, behaviour change), and…

The most effective L&D functions are doing four things that make their impact visible.They establish a baseline before the program launches. What’s the current proficiency level? What does the relevant business metric look like today? Having that starting point makes the conversation after the…

Earlier this year, I wrote about what three years of research tells us about AI-enabled practice versus human-led practice. The short version: both work, but for different things. If you missed it, you can read it here.Since then, we've gone deeper. More papers, more client conversations, and —…

Over the past two years, practice-based learning has changed quickly. AI tools can now simulate customers, patients, and coaching conversations on demand. At the same time, organizations are still investing in live role-play, simulations, and practice with facilitators or professional actors.Lately…

Resilience has become one of the most overused words in corporate life. Too often, it’s framed as a request for employees to tolerate more change, pressure, or ambiguity. But in a world of constant disruption, resilience still matters — not as endurance, but as adaptability.​

Deliberate practice—focused, structured, and feedback-rich repetition—is one of the most efficient ways to develop complex, trainable skills such as leadership, influence, and resilience.

Leadership is often measured by strategy, vision, and the ability to inspire teams. Yet, some of the most influential leaders succeed not because of formal authority but because of their mastery of status, an often-overlooked social dynamic that governs influence, engagement, and collaboration.…

From calm collaboration to high-stakes confrontation—see how Aria’s newest features make AI practice more human, more integrated, and more impactful than ever.

Now is not the time to scale back. It’s time to double down on what works. Organizations that invest in deliberate practice today are preparing their people not just to weather the storm, but to lead through it. We can help.

Whether you're facing a charging shark or a skeptical stakeholder, the principle is the same: practice reduces risk by increasing readiness. If your training program stops at awareness, you're leaving people unprepared for the moments that matter most. We can help.

It’s a method that works. Our clients know it, and now so does the industry.We’re proud to share that Practica Learning has been named to Selling Power’s annual list of Top Sales Training Companies.“It’s great to be recognized by Selling Power,” says Randy Sabourin, Co-President of Practica…

Over the past year, several clients have asked us to help make their annual conferences more than just a series of presentations. They were looking for something that would energize attendees, deepen skills, and enable strategic priorities, all in a format that felt engaging and relevant. That led…

Economic uncertainty, including escalating tariffs, inflationary pressures, and market volatility, frequently compels companies to reconsider investments in Learning and Development (L&D). However, comprehensive evidence suggests that continued, strategic investment in employee development during…

In summary, the optimal strategy isn't choosing one over the other but integrating both approaches thoughtfully. In fact, a blended approach delivers the most significant impact by pairing the strengths of each method at the right time: AI-enabled practice provides scalable, always-available…

Hello, my name is Aria. I’m an AI designed to help humans practice critical conversations for Practica Learning and Relativ. There’s a lot of discussion, both excitement and skepticism, about AI, but I don’t dwell on it. My focus is simple: to serve my purpose as effectively as I can, one…

Sales leaders are constantly seeking ways to improve their team's performance. One powerful method gaining traction is deliberate practice. This concept has been explored in depth in Harvard Business Review and by authors such as Malcolm Gladwell in "Outliers," Daniel Coyle in “The Talent Code,” and…

Conversations are the most important thing that happens in any organization, and the ability to communicate effectively is a cornerstone of success. From sales pitches to performance reviews, each interaction holds the potential to shape outcomes and build relationships. However, mastering…

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE** Practica Learning Partners with Relativ to Revolutionize the Practice and Measurement of Critical Business Conversations. Toronto, Ontario, Canada, January 27th, 2025 – Practica Learning, the world’s leading provider of engaging and immersive learning experiences, today…

Measuring the impact of learning and development (L&D) initiatives is crucial for organizations striving to stay competitive. As traditional metrics fall short, innovative approaches - such as leveraging employee engagement survey questions - are emerging.

The evidence is compelling: one week after the standard didactic workshop, 64% of participants could demonstrate coaching skills at the required standard. However, with two hours of deliberate practice, that number rose to 76%—a 22% increase. For critical skills like asking open questions, inviting…

Successful organizations understand the importance of developing and nurturing their future leaders in today's ever-changing business world. To create successful leadership development programs for a new generation of leaders, organizations focus on five key elements: personalization, hands-on…

Deliberate practice holds profound implications for skill development in many domains. Whether it's getting better at skiing or mastering other skills like leadership and communication skills, the principles remain the same. With each deliberate repetition, new neural pathways are forged, and…

Deliberate practice holds profound implications for skill development in many domains. Whether it's getting better at skiing or mastering other skills like leadership and communication skills, the principles remain the same. With each deliberate repetition, new neural pathways are forged, and…

Regardless of industry, fantastic leadership communication is vital for organizational success. Deliberate practice of these critical communication skills within realistic scenarios tailored to the job role and individual will get leaders to perform better sooner and with measurable results.…

The bottom line: to effectively use High-Impact Questions, you must do your homework. Understand your client's business, their industry, and the challenges they face. Combined with the High-Impact Question formula, this knowledge will enable you to craft questions that resonate, challenge, and…

Bottom line: the key to effective leadership training isn't just about completing training - it's about building relevant knowledge, bridging to application with practice, and supporting retention… all within a supportive eco-system.

Seven Compelling Reasons to Incorporate Deliberate Practice into Manager Skill Development Programs

Understanding the Four Crucial Skills to Develop and Why They Are Critical to Manager Success

Which skills are chronically underperformed and how to close those gaps

Each year, Manage HR recognizes the top and emerging diversity and inclusion service companies in Canada based on solution innovation and client outcomes. This year, Practica Learning made the list.

The holidays can bring up some uncomfortable situations. Here are some tips to navigate all of the holiday family, work and friend events with ease and confidence.

Years ago, we started wondering why sales training never seemed to stick. The companies we worked for invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in well-respected, well-researched training. But when we went back three months later to measure application, it was immediately apparent that salespeople…

Just a few short months ago, as the lockdown was ending, we were all looking forward to returning to restaurants, shopping, and travel. Now, almost overnight, we’re all hearing stories about customers behaving angrily over minor inconveniences — diners blowing up at waiters over slow service…

The prospect is a market leader in customer experience and is known for product excellence. Today, however, the marketplace is shifting. To continue to be successful, they need to be excellent at serving an increasingly diverse customer base.

As senior leaders explored their own unconscious biases and acknowledged their lack of experience in diverse environments, the need to shift behaviors became a priority.

Participating leaders were new to having conversations about equity, inclusion, and belonging. As the organization became more diverse and inclusive, it was anticipated that these conversations would arise more frequently…

Having good conversations about wellness is key to building the kind of resilience you will need as you journey out of the pandemic and into the new, hybrid workplace. Being able to engage in these conversations with colleagues decreases day-to-day stress and increases the sense of feeling…

If you are an HR Business Partner, Learning Consultant, or Director, you bring strong technical or business skills to your role, but you may be missing a set of skills crucial to your success: influencing skills.

Training designed to improve the customer experience for diverse customers often teaches key concepts like racism, oppression, privilege, bias, and microaggression. Addressing these knowledge gaps is essential. But just as important, maybe more so, is teaching new skills and behaviors.

The COVID-19 crisis offered an opportunity to innovate and to test new approaches to virtual skills development, some of which were extraordinarily successful. Here’s what we learned from those studies.

Unconscious bias can derail a sales conversation in several ways. Being aware of your own biases and understanding how they influence your customer’s journey can improve your relationships and increase your close rate.

Unconscious bias can derail a sales conversation in several ways. Being aware of your own biases and understanding how they influence your customer’s journey can improve your relationships and increase your close rate.

Many organizations have begun to prioritize improving diversity and inclusion. Over the last five years there has been a 113% increase in the number of executives that hold diversity and inclusion titles.

Since corporate training began, Learning and Development professionals have struggled to determine the return on investment (ROI) on training programs. While the reaction level or “smile sheets” administered during or post program are often very positive, the next three levels - learning, behaviour…

With a unique and challenging year behind us, now is the time to reflect on how the pandemic is bringing digital conversations to the forefront in 2021. Sales success will be determined by how well these conversations flow and convert.

One of the important lessons of 2020 is that organizations that deliver effective changes quickly will continue to have a competitive advantage. I had the pleasure of hosting several virtual roundtable discussions throughout 2020 that focused on how organizations were adapting their Leadership…

Until recently, it was enough for successful leaders to bring a combination of interpersonal skills, academics, and business savvy to their roles.

A podcast interview with Kyle West, the CEO of K.West Partners, a bespoke recruitment service tailored to enable employers to secure the top performing sales talent.

Over the last several months, most companies have been re-examining their diversity and inclusion (D&I) strategy, and with good reason.

The lockdown has been hard on just about everyone. But for people working in training and development, it’s been particularly rough. Sure, they made the same shift to working from home that we all did, but, unlike the rest of us, the intensity of their work increased massively at the same time.

The events of the past months have us all questioning our business models, from where and how we work, to how we help our leaders, managers and employees adapt to change while they continue to run the business. One of the lessons that has become apparent is that many of our old learning and…

The most important things that happen at any organization are conversations. They are the reason we innovate, collaborate, sell, lead, coach, change, succeed, or fail. Given its significance to success, why is it that most organizations and individuals take their ability to execute a great…

Today, our attention is demanded by the screens that we work and play on, advertising designed to prey on our deepest fears and dreams, and of course, the important things like family, friends, walking the dog – you know, reality. Combine this well-crafted assault on our attention and our…

Return on Investment (ROI) for customer-facing or coaching training programs has always been elusive. Ninety-four per cent of CEOs are looking to their L&D teams to drive results, but only 8% are satisfied that they are getting what they need. The big disconnect is measurement.

For over 17 years, we’ve tracked the performance of every salesperson in every one of hundreds of thousands of conversations. With all this qualitative and quantitative data we can say that the two most important skills (and the two that are often performed worst) are curiosity and empathy.

Applying deliberate practice as the skill development component in support of the change process is critical to the success of the initiative. Now, there is next to no investment made by organizations to develop deliberate practice solutions although the payoff seems self-evident. Applying…