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Have you ever wondered why I include music in a newsletter about learning, design, and technology? I got the idea from another newsletter called "5 Things" by Tim Ferriss. At first, I thought it might be a little silly to include music. But then I looked at the stats and saw that the music section is consistently one of the most clicked-on parts of the newsletter!

Maybe you like it because my music taste is pretty unique. Obscurify says my music choices are more unusual than 92% of other people on Spotify. I love finding new, lesser-known artists and songs. Do you like discovering new music too?

Thanks for reading!

📰 News & Notes

Surprising ways to prompt AI 😳

Jeremy Caplan discusses innovative ways to leverage AI for creative feedback and distinctive imagery. It encourages readers to engage AI tools like ChatGPT and Adobe Firefly to break out of creative ruts by requesting bold and unexpected input. The author suggests using unusual prompts that challenge conventional thinking, such as asking for strange feedback, proposing quirky questions, or creating shocking images. These tools and methods are aimed at producing unique content that stands out, supported by examples and tips on how to effectively use AI to generate surprising results and enhance creativity.

🎯 Take away: AI outputs can be disappointingly conventional. To avoid predictable responses, try instructing AI engines to be strange.

AI is already changing management — companies must decide how

Ethan Mollick talks about how AI is changing workplace management. Many white-collar workers use AI tools without their bosses knowing. This change makes it hard for managers to see who is really contributing. AI can do boring tasks and save time, but it can also lead to lower quality work if not used wisely. Companies need to use AI carefully to get the benefits while keeping work meaningful and accurate. They also need to think about how it affects employee growth and independence.

🎯 Take away: AI is transforming workplace management, so companies must use it wisely to boost productivity and keep work meaningful.

The Six Things Our Primal Brains Pay Attention To: A Guide for L&D Pros

Our brains have a primitive side driven by survival instincts. This primal brain thrives on relevance, contrast, concreteness, memorability, visuals, and emotions. L&D can harness this by crafting training that taps into these elements. Engaging experiences that resonate with these natural tendencies boost attention, retention, and transform dry content into impactful learning.

🎯 Take away: Designing training that aligns with our primal brain’s instincts can significantly enhance engagement and effectiveness in L&D.

🧰 Tech Tools & Tips

If tools are your jam, check out my new Work Smarter newsletter.

The best new app for newsletter reading.

Reading newsletters in the inbox is frustrating - it is noisy and easy to lose control of subscriptions. Now you can enjoy your newsletters outside the inbox with Meco, an app built for reading.

🎧 Podcast

This is the conversation that caught my ear this week. Check out previous episodes in the Friday Finds podcast playlist.

🧳 Where’s Mike?

• Canadian eLearning Conference, Toronto, June 13-14

• Greater Cincinnati ATD, September 4

• DevLearn, November 6-8

sponsored

The 10 Pre-Designed Completion Certificate Templates

Recognizing and celebrating learners’ milestones is a great way to motivate them to achieve more. Why not use certificates for this purpose? It’s not just a nice gesture — learners can add them to their professional portfolios and use them as proof of relevant expertise. 

To save you time and resources, iSpring has put together a collection of 10 pre-designed completion certificate templates. Choose between classic, academic, business templates, and more to create customized certificates for your teams quickly and efficiently. Issue certificates via your LMS or print them and hand them out during meetings — your learners will love them. 

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