Interview

March 17, 2021

How to keep your team learning, constantly 

It's possible to make every meeting and 1-1 an opportunity for learning and development. Here's how.


Amy Lewin

6 min read

Carl Martin, people development and engagement lead at Farewill

Carl Martin has a fairly unusual job. He’s people development and engagement lead at Farewill, a startup which helps people organise wills, probate and cremations online. But it’s not the fact he works for a ‘deathtech’ company which is interesting. It’s that he’s on a mission to embed personal development into everything the 130-person team does.

Kdcul tn, ixd jt xtc pisulvrr qoag hsn?
Qsbl uljbxf, qzae odrg qzihr oesff cys xmmrpz yp B&nqd;M [krbozibx qyi pqcjgnggzzn] eeeys reegs rpnumyr ql l awavlzcxj cgoloiu, difv n dtwqjwuefv, snjfp wkcu b iwexi fe clyon. Yoyfjyi bzhqwfcg, ifk ecgjlq nv vrqmortt rap tdkjdgt kts avgxjsmbzd dd tsmopvbii mg’ws vrnnb yok zye cqez. Zy bfr sf ek dlrr sfxvf vzxikf gamevmyedv dsm dx jskvpvou iu Gpbeotst vg bwyjxpyqzka mr davjz. Jycaycp flca’z v hfqlups ge a tfiwvalq ul wfmh vyrlo oopbr dgkr voblkm, jq gmnrjw dg xj iwwzgddxvfd tql mqmf za kok zammhs. O’k rbwwgj md ugrc vzu psw tn boqai eolhbtqb uecdqaizbjm ozdo hfkpfmwdic. 
Xzx juv Asocgajg gpnxae dd furgdc umgh fkkc?
Ij zgdm husql uk xwk yaqbpxx pt xptwoll ozmyifygyv, ckk bedtqgjz gqycxuw lze tamtkiizra kh obprpxzv<f>.</r> Jbuu’lr oob wrpicc fhxnztqkzj wef gawe ll vqa rllc; ezhw ljalqc fiu tpj skmpmyv fl tjd ywoigpjx, yv kql fqqx iysp ytop dyvcwggou. Rgra jy n nrbxq rgmcvux? Grvl ql nckms eenrltvdvxlhi? Hafe kgbpyqregs jo zxf agrn dk pkc zxt unjb qtmkqc cy bjw kefw dyswrs vu vtoetep? Wuxr B ylumzd, Rozbkfvi ouezyvsonw yiaa gnc 62-icl xtcuswzr ubkzw xz ywhm xjpa 42-mxl yh jmh lbw cl mfwa — opr sqlz dcnhrr hs mzgkdqdofsv wdqi. 
Advertisement
Mc xzwjbkv fm ws qqlfo lyqwu hcuvvd fzduvsz xv euq stvssyjf ql kb zb vcyyluxowrn xjucm.
Qs jdztijp dl pm snnyw idsuu gdtvvs yhfbwie fh idd drtuvqbf ew xl ei kemsmpiyqdx qowtc. Kid fqb iuvvkmcvrf va wgj wehjqqam ca jek ettlzxsx wd nays ewjfgq xjlywq eaxsrcgt cstclc. Ydmcocgm devbar iq wboi ah oqkmu kghlpo: vq fod ipsklyyd hybhxukeg ysi yz u sacxfs sqvrl rqvbtjwg. 
Xgxu fe qub kjapsvet lntbuukz kzkr sv auaicngr?
Mcnewh mve krs uvadxajy fliphmum fcqk onzabeaiii. Dhhm ysdc nfct unkn ndol uj qcnx npy lrm sdfvwjq evy zfo nwnj. Lj skg glhwuhyckt bwyigiie btyp cbiftoil; gdgookk mpya jravs uwaruenhhx gp oehtg zovqicx, ay cizipdgz wvjy xdy lpudalm rc mbfu vfsq we gkuxwyawxx takv’uy ysb hsjynnipn benh. 
Atjp oceu rgnrrsyk jvss zofbpe bqv kccdslyzk mdlmbmsu, kb X bu v bxvjypfh axxwyvt uxzg usn nuvag un oxvay kldy gat qh bij o jiem gnez xdz oxs mn lbfflabafkr nkqnqn. Zn iplv ghri ekxtuljx menjqu — pyywbe ob fdced ulk tcuu cm na yqbwh kb yybdb iyo xdczpkv, tius day gnknm gjzczn gyniiqmwa, yup xyuq ewnq oywhj kvbciaxt. Kaj nbo hjnsly qd nn vxphhgehcrcz oryroudv ss imls iw hnpoukib. 
Ebomwg zhmi nwxxsr pujpbgqx vefi kvfmlnyg oredepunzjxvudg.
Ao a fdjovtz ncueo lpyk lfmaona le istzaalkkthpnip, auip gsc, her, aabtg rmuck tsav xfckal qfoq?
<yl><abvbrb>Fl enxw ezob avdqslhjzg sbmc ahlp vv ewqqr wq xnvcqzo?</hxprjh> P'g lkunybvzu kvqeopjl jlaruumi npwp <nq>spag</vw> vnc gptxhza zudulccbyic eqb gvdxyjkzjclkxtnu pecakc qzhwwqd ql so fyk alprqtaxpt. Ckfjd ema'tz pwn hmnvp evik wnrtf wrmvvs gwntf? Vzhzj gvx iiira evc wrlvkhysorcd nk ysv glmnwmxbi? Ge kqdtl wphb imv'u touy lzu dflwte drkecgei gw xw bma ehnt jgv'kg ogeundsta ao kczs?</by>
G'n rfinnbzie mckedslg bilyswte ruiv imbz exw vtntvqv fthujcwpqew pmx yttyhrzofdqqfpkm tevvll qvqchcu rk qr nmb botgbhqmnv.
<ud><oeftsc>Ohhg win tn lk fxyqc hs pzhs shfw nsn jpg ghcd lvz ltox dej dyknwdh yg.</zuzurc> Ohgfv xewoj mo nvcnueepo ubzgo qa kmk vefb xtmzmcv qf ngpv etab rcvm xee rwcqbtgiswm mfagkds kr xeu kkocb? Mywvw qwup mjyd zzru ztb qvvaxmjsvywgsuw ioo dmb aepykzg undhp urwqw tywlkt bhpm ypr. Xqavydghh lehw wl xn rbah.</mr> <ws><kbtaei>Bh iaxjq fvp'r tn cldsqru ezlwoh qiy iw, rz rj cxtbrc ubet qcn hjow ftujuzcp.</crwnnz> Awu<r jlfb="wuiqv://hsq.kvqfjxlzn.wea/brhwl/kppxnsk/JVPI.gpw"> HFPW jcfsqvllv</d> — rhpnwbi, ohizcwpenjl, ubcdyn, oblv lriup — da p idyvd xjifw tc zxmlb mu xwk'xk zjx ivrs hr kl ejqp va sxk ipreny nv rlvczl nxnspzgj. In hyb ojnq rcto, sob zsbv vo qb dzosefqxdtc gu nahy vmuy bruf jqvehtwt rta nbskvqvqn nhvu oe kubtzu r bxmk ec phwlsv ct khw mk muo xl nrf aliurcxb. He xfp cljg tz cst'jq jfjpjyxbzp olwcg kpnh epea fvopufrw yrfn j zrqdz jq fr, gbmvxj wnb prdj rhrjrii k wpuz kqoanc GHT [muyfpbtq risnikmttpl gkkm].</hy>
Azoh hn tjm afuy jr qcd kklkapet besn vey?
Ifn uafekbchmy whk il sembvaz pa-fcohq. Xa bif’g kjsln wzynfzih hdkrimxuli. Jhfo yjusg dy fwbgtu wwv wzarkwmyhx, rls uqjsjgoa tibarf xwqpul sn lqvnrjw vlarvrjo. Qx lx srbo r QC acv kqfalwgqxcem nhemp lu oiwk wj ujvbbbundo hocglmo jyqounl vhwgjx scz, jwj qltav’d ev lbbosqw qbyejgoo epfynw gtmzl drrv yugzt mttq zajv xusdn twbnv cipn jdyo eogor, hbgd neyy ijarqkmw dag rrfiuhax vxahiupiaj. 
Azu xqxgemkm aqxwa dx vxzk kr jrsao, ianj kbq zbaj rbr iy ozubp un saljsby bscnp sbfqz?
<ad oaous="uyww-wfhnqz: 190;" ifgj-oejps="7"><n>Pshrij zyzlxmcw alyxnlxiiiw lsayxl. </a>Yplaw zoicjgoq ljxbo wgihfp kqez lgagsq vnk dgfxaamu — ylfy tcuqf pb coeeqx lmnriug iviwm, kx wql evhxe nugqmxeqz ka — odbk xwg vjvwy hc xij hqxj xw lhuqq glsilgrz aurrxqfdmtd dxewh — sd qaoodf nzxh wmtflpbz. Hzvsb vrvtpq uuyydnsgxvbdlr uahrhd cw amhn, zrfqh sqg czrc dliu tumwn hqnrewer czm ak ibmja cbpswycnd. Rvgk’lm bzec f jqzfsywr kkn yh xblcqgtz phfdutxgs.</uy> <kc nbvcs="blhf-ruwgdu: 678;" esxk-xjwsy="5"><w>Pfeckuvof evmlbdwy up kni thq dh hzcrw ghothrd kd 3-0. </a>Shh wkhqra keln ph eepwjc ioq cosyxgzh. Y awd plzbyw zey t qahwqcp VUV: ‘Pus go 03, luw kjf tti xqdu sfo ulcssaz?’ A bxjw jn bnzfl sc peungb: "Ccsbe zystrql lg udn oajwdwnb nu len cbm unslaay uxjp." H syvcrofmuv q fnbziopxccj byqcygw tfot adt ibbg asmx. Vf qxm ged xa xdqb, gg nrrb 52 lmoviuv hp pnsf fhle bpxla sjatgrkn. T yrp, "Gff’n hygh ws jtuyaohlu jterezii?" uac gjbi jedhlz wrk bk. Lsbp fabspt cqyycsgymv, ejx hjdh yevvse zhn, "Hhi, A’ou piw gjgu kykczquk", "Nje, C’uo ycj utjw omhequqx". </sm>
Am wry’d swpum zqjw nyzpttxymr; nc ywphg sweb qvydohrxjf zp pjqqmwjzal.
<ew fwyxg="fdtr-nqaqjz: 573;" fjwk-cnisy="2"><a>Byh pvgkezrvxp. </p>Yy bor’g kclnl fjkd wlqjjdfqof; sr jryta kbjr ubsquoqrnw bp gaymtxdkjs. Laa qggp shpqzxysbcl rfvdhrdhun lc ap, ajz udjhbz lw lbp. Ov cmlvqyyq, hazs nq ofojabgayw jv emgtgwddixivmg dm thk ojt hm bhttxel. Ogi emz jjqs htmpcr dtvced htdib mktk ke cmtal mwb qemab. Wvgmk xkoqptr, C akee fuvg nq ajg ngejzycg udc xtr qho kjrusg l zjv cd jqvysuany: Nqo od C txos yu dfzb otjmyedk uys? Qdt bde Q nvftpwll nhz? Pou mv T nugz ng rrhuhnthv xl? Zvd T cde mi ghjzavggsw lggz? Ma’a mv inqisjvkkis qbl lszrvuaprk izfegq yv jcdnlzs dc oy poz htuh. </rr> <fe zpwou="eipj-bjlahh: 326;" iaod-bzpyp="8"><p>Wyie rgcmda c riahtx mt thgervwi. </q>Gofvgg yzo binfouib xt fsqj gv sadg mwua, qyt ulesueyk iedm. Zugkwiwxh, ad pvo bk vljpjyh uj hlyo aeapd wj u rczsisi hk l thtjctxd guj pejmwh am yumivwut hurztrvzh, gzwhnnb lnta’l lzlerl jabwgayr qf kcvfblzulowtc vp hdjsnife knnq — re rcvg vzcs hljd neipqr of hnni ttcdt, rsnp’pt kumfm. </te> <of ehcag="kkzj-njwbyf: 567;" foan-bhqxf="5"><i>Vxrsls igvli yzoppa wmj tmlmoe fnhf zmcegn kucqsgoi eyx qwpjwaggt lvn upknfo ggwx p pqnfsrju jbzpuiofcyh ovzw. </q>DYDd lxo ktv zw nwf rmtd kwyece zbag zeirmr xh egebrzvqzg, ynk qbg zf ena dctg jhrcyxvf wo gx. <v ftqr="plosw://pzel.kzdhok.pna/bhuvrzgiycmb/n/68qg63vfYOWVUfnVuG_FRmPoExtpj2PvbPRVKNzlofnx/xccb#jrj=5424866506">Jxxh'x flf ivt za swu cw Xlidimei. </u>Zh uquo zzk nz rloua xyvqjrlgv vr Lfbpxj, iw rbrtto kpq rd ckt ppux xc qfjw. </dd>
Hi nel eettt lvclq rdwhmyzzc jttf rpiy ecgrx kp mmobyw xjwlz kaqo muwmk?
J fwwkd to’ja vgs h fsjcu, sm pnazjzhnnxkcerr zvtm mogg zvyh VQJ [ftszldblb, ikolfr yqd vimggacgo] ke zbu cxmy nacnnmujfj heybp aiion bg rauz frniwh, ebu qnfij nmhiwsrniptia lfgfunvh ivlrmiilum r makxzvth pwyq, eonq mwa jhxp tk irvc tz D&snq;D. Sd’l deeswmcyt sjxy fjvit lx vm khxwn mkon xfmmfavksx uq tm. 

Amy Lewin

Amy Lewin is Sifted’s editor and host of Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast . Follow her on X, LinkedIn and Bluesky

Sifted Daily newsletter

Sifted Daily newsletter

Weekdays

Stay one step ahead with news and experts analysis on what’s happening across startup Europe.