Podcast Summary: Squiggly Careers

Episode: Skills Sprint—How to Lead Your Own Learning with Adaptability

Release Date: January 22, 2026
Hosts: Sarah Ellis and Helen Tupper

Overview

This episode, part of the Squiggly Skills Sprint, centers on empowering listeners to proactively shape their own learning journeys at work. Sarah and Helen discuss how adaptability is crucial to continuous professional growth, offer practical tools—including a tailored AI prompt for scenario planning—and share personal examples. The episode is rich with actionable tips, memorable analogies, and an inspiring philosophy on embracing workplace challenges as learning opportunities.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Lobster Analogy: Self-Sustaining Growth

• Lobster Fact: Sarah shares that lobsters don’t discard their old shells but bury and later consume them for calcium, fueling the growth of new shells ([00:21]).
  • Insight: The analogy suggests we, too, can recycle past experiences or learning to fuel future growth.

"They bury them somewhere close by for a handy snack…because they are packed full of calcium…They're not relying on other food sources. I feel like they've really kind of taken control of their growth."
— Sarah Ellis ([00:21])

Taking Ownership of Your Development

• Both hosts reflect on the tendency (early in their careers) to wait for permission or structured plans from managers or organizations ([01:05]).
• Emphasis is placed on not making your development dependent on others; staying self-driven helps keep your skills relevant and career resilient.

"We don't want this. We want you to create as much learning as you can because that is the thing that is going to help your skills to stay relevant."
— Helen Tupper ([01:40])

Adaptability vs. Flexibility

• The conversation distinguishes flexibility (“swapping tools within the same toolbox”) from adaptability (“realizing the toolbox itself needs to change or be replaced entirely”) ([03:04]–[04:59]).
• Adaptability is especially vital when typical resources—time, support, finances—are lacking.

"When you are adaptable, you notice that actually that toolbox isn't the right toolbox…Actually I need to think differently. Maybe I don't even need a toolbox anymore."
— Sarah Ellis ([04:04])

How-To: Scenario Planning with AI

• The hosts introduce a practical prompt for using AI to anticipate barriers to your learning goal and generate adaptive responses ([05:29]):
  1. State your role and workspace context.
  2. Define your 3-month learning goal.
  3. Ask AI for scenarios that could impede your learning.
  4. Request adaptive actions for each scenario.

"What we're not saying here is…wait to see if that happens…You are pre-empting things that could get in the way of your learning…so you can take action today."
— Sarah Ellis ([05:29])

• Acting in advance (rather than reactively) is a key takeaway.

"It's like adapting in advance, really, rather than having to adapt in reaction to something that's happening."
— Helen Tupper ([06:41])

Personal Examples

• Helen’s learning goal: To relearn innovation models and apply them to their company. AI suggested “micro innovation tasks,” treating models as “springboards not straight jackets,” and creating an “innovation dashboard” ([06:51]–[07:55]).
• Sarah’s learning goal: To do a “squiggly career safari”—listening to people in other organizations about career journeys. AI pointed out practical barriers (e.g., client availability, internal workload) and suggested solutions like “block non-negotiable field days” ([07:56]–[09:21]).

Making Learning Social and Collective

• The approach works well in teams—sharing adaptive responses increases both accountability and support ([09:21]).

"Not only are you sharing learning that you want to focus on…people can also support you…there's almost like a bit of accountability."
— Helen Tupper ([09:21])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "You tell me what to do and I'll absolutely do it. I'll tick every box, give me the list and I'll tick the boxes."
  — Sarah Ellis ([01:05])

• "Use models as springboards, not straight jackets."
  — Helen Tupper (paraphrasing AI advice) ([07:21])

• "I've been lulled in by it. Cognitive overload. I'm like, yes, yes, ChatGPT, this is it."
  — Helen Tupper ([07:21])

Inspirational Quote & Action Challenge

Quote to Inspire Adaptability ([09:56]):

"When you come across something challenging, view it as a great opportunity for curiosity and learning rather than as a stumbling block."
— Cahal O’Rourke, Group CEO of Langorke

24-Hour Action ([10:15]):

• Try the AI scenario planning prompt for your own learning goal.
• Play with how the information is presented—make it work for you or your team.
• Share and discuss with your team to maximize learning and support.

Important Timestamps

• 00:21 — Lobster growth analogy
• 01:05 — Challenges of waiting for permission to learn
• 03:04 – 04:59 — Flexibility vs. Adaptability
• 05:29 — How to use AI for scenario planning
• 06:48 — Helen and Sarah’s personal learning goal examples
• 09:46 — Inspirational quote and action challenge

Tone and Style

Conversational, supportive, filled with practical optimism and playful analogies. The tone invites listeners to take small, immediate steps—alone and together—to lead and future-proof their learning paths.

For those who missed it:
This episode gives you easy, clever ways to lead—and protect—your own workplace learning, whatever obstacles lie ahead. Try the AI prompt, share your goal, and get adapting!