Podcasts Can Be Part of Your Learning Strategy - Here's How to Do It

The Ripple of Unintended Consequences

19 years ago this week, my father passed away unexpectedly. Last week I was at our farm, where memories of him are everywhere, and where I can stand in the place where he died of his heart attack.

If my dad were still alive, for many reasons, I wouldn’t have likely been at the farm last week. And all the reasons I was there were good things, things my father is looking down on with a very large smile and full heart.

Of course, I wish my father were alive and I could have experienced 19 more years with him. But the many ripples of unintended consequences of his death are tremendous blessings for me, my family and many others too.

This snapshot of my life leaves you with two things to ponder.

What positive ripples from a current challenge will come or could you create?

And less personally, when we make decisions (which of course, wasn’t the case with dad) with long term impacts, spending time thinking about the possible unintended consequences - both creating better ones but being aware of the ripples too – is time well spent.

Podcasts Can Be Part of Your Learning Strategy - Here's How to Do It

As of the end of 2025, 55% of Americans listened to podcasts at least monthly, and 40% listen at least weekly. (And there are at least six countries with higher weekly listener numbers than that.) These numbers require us as leaders and people interested in learning and development to consider podcasts as a medium for learning. Are they purely entertainment, or can they be a serious learning platform as well? The title suggests my belief.

Before we get to my how-tos on a podcast learning strategy, let’s look at the most popular podcast genres in the United States (according to Edison Research).