Pluralsight Navigate 2023: 5 takeaways from Thursday

The third and final day of Pluralsight Navigate 2023 was full of exciting sessions on everything from cybersecurity and learning and development to building diversity in tech. 

Read on for a rundown of key takeaways from the final day of our exclusive, in-person event.

• Storytelling matters for brand visibility and business outcomes
• Collaboration, risk-taking, and agility are key for success
• Orgs need alternative pathways to diversity in tech
• When it comes to cybersecurity, orgs need to think holistically
• Hands-on learning drives major value
• Build a future-ready workforce

Guy Raz, award-winning podcast creator, author, radio personality, and journalist, kicked off day three by connecting storytelling to business outcomes. When Guy began his career, he found the ways many businesses told stories to be uninspiring, incomplete, or both. This, he said, eventually birthed his well-known business podcast, “How I Built This” which makes business case studies accessible and compelling.

For Guy, storytelling became his means of learning. And as the success of his podcast suggests, storytelling is a phenomenal way for orgs to build brand recognition. By articulating their services and values in a tight, compelling narrative, companies create an easy hook for customer buy-in—in terms of both interest and actual revenue.

Guy also pinpointed three key concepts that consistently underpin successful individuals and leaders: collaboration, risk-taking, and agility. 

After interviewing over 700 entrepreneurs, Guy noticed that successful organizations build a culture of collaboration, incentivize cooperation, and encourage cross-pollination between departments. He offered the example of Procter and Gamble's success with Crest Whitestrips, a product that originated from a team creating plastic wrap.

He also stressed the value of taking risks. To take risks, a business needs to place a lot of trust in its employees—but that trust can pay lasting dividends. Guy provided the example of business software company Intuit, which recently provided employees with unstructured time for 10% of their day. 

The end result? The creation of Turbotax Mobile, which has become the most common way Americans file their taxes. Trust and embracing failure were fundamental components of this approach that paved the way for future innovations. 

Lastly, Guy highlighted the importance of constant recalibration for success. He claimed that innovative companies are always adjusting their strategies, whether that’s adopting new technology or learning new skills to better meet business goals.

Chris Oliver, EVP of Channels and Services at Pluralsight One, shared some stark statistics: women account for only 26% of the tech workforce, while Black and Latinx individuals represent just 15%. But diverse workforces are 70% more likely to penetrate new markets.

To bridge this gap and address tech labor shortages, he proposed opening up the talent pool by prioritizing a skill-first approach. Instead of mandating traditional four-year degrees, organizations can look at certifications and skill competencies.

Chris also touched on Pluralsight One’s mission to create equitable access to tech skills, and our collaboration with Apprenti to improve diversity through tech apprenticeships.

With the dawn of GenAI, cybersecurity threats are rapidly becoming more sophisticated than ever. Sage’s Sophia Adhamik, Director of Cyber Security Awareness and Engagement, and Mads Howard, People Centered Security Lead, emphasized that a successful cybersecurity strategy must go beyond a one-size-fits-all approach.

Security isn’t just IT’s problem: the most resilient organizations understand that fostering a holistic, security-focused mindset across every department, role, and individual is paramount.

According to Nicole Helmer, Global Head of Development Learning at SAP, it’s not enough to simply throw a lot of content at your learners and see what sticks. In order to drive real upskilling impact, you need to embed immersive, hands-on experiences directly into your programs. 

She sat down with Kristin Thomas, Pluralsight’s Director of Value Engineering, to provide key guidance on how to do just that. They got into some important specifics, including the differences between sandboxes, labs, and adventures (and why they matter); the differences between instant terminals and servers; and their own experiences implementing hands-on learning tools into their organizations. 

Pluralsight Navigate 2023 was full of actionable insights and genuine connection among the tech industry’s best and brightest. Experts offered invaluable insights on closing skills gaps, harnessing the power of GenAI, and delivering better products to customers. But the biggest theme? Prioritizing your people. Learn more about how Pluralsight prepares workforces for the future.

Didn’t get a chance to attend Navigate, or just looking to dig in further? Be sure to check out our recaps of day one and day two. You can also watch all of the Pluralsight Navigate 2023 sessions on demand.