Q&A With Lorna Gamman
Lorna Gamman has spent the past 18 months as Head of Learning and Development at Krispy Kreme. Lorna Gamman has taken the time to answer our questions and provide great insight into learning and development. We are very grateful to Lorna for this.
Let’s Commence the Questions!
MBM: You have worked in L&D for a number of great companies – What was the highs and lows across those brands?
Lorna Gamman: High – As part of the team getting ready for the flight to land for the first time in Accra, Ghana with Virgin Atlantic. Low – Working in a business where development wasn’t really on the agenda
MBM: What’s the most exciting thing about your job?
LG: The growth of my team and what we are going to deliver for the business in 2020.
MBM: What one mistake have you made at work? And how would you do it differently if you had your time again?
LG: I had been in my role for a short amount of time. I was running a feedback course but met quite a challenging crowd. I had assumed what their working life was like, and in reality, it was very different.
It taught me a lesson that I apply every time. Learn, learn about the business and understand the roles, so that I can apply my thinking in a way that resonates. That said, I am totally ok with making mistakes. We are humans after all. Taking the time to reflect, learn, and develop ourselves, will make us better at our jobs.
Talents & Resources
MBM: Do you have any hidden talents?
LG: I can do the splits.
MBM: What is your favourite self-development book and why?
LG: First 90 Days. I am not a massive book fan. I like a blog or an article if I’m honest. First 90 Days, however, is an easy read with takeaways and action plans to make it practical.
MBM: What are your top 3 proudest moments in life? At home and/or at work?
LG: I’d have to say:
- Completing the London Marathon in memory of my Dad, I am not a runner however raising money for the British Heart Foundation was the driver. People paid over £5k to see me run.
- Getting married in 2019 and becoming a wife and a step mum.
- Bagging myself my first Head of L&D role at Krispy Kreme.
MBM: What is your favourite piece of resource for learning? (Blog, video, guide, etc.)
LG: Ted Talks are my go-to.
Films, Models & Training…
MBM: What is your favourite film of all time?
LG: Green Mile.
MBM: What words of encouragement do you have for people struggling to create a learning culture in their business?
Be Resilient and keep going.
MBM: Do you have a favourite model? I.e. trust model, or the learning model, not ‘supermodel’ ☺
LG: It is an oldie but a goodie – GROW.
MBM: What advice do you have for anyone wanting to come into the world of learning?
LG: If you want to support individuals, teams, and business to be the best they can be, then do it. Every day is a learning day, so how cool will it be to know that you helped someone learn something new that either helped them in their current job or in their future
MBM: What would you say to your 25-year-old self?
LG: Be kind to yourself. Carve out time for yourself to do things that are important. Learn from the good, the bad and the ugly and don’t let the bad or the ugly get you down. At some point in your life, you will look back at that time and go, ‘ahhhh that’s how I am going to deal with this’.
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Advice & Quotes
MBM: What was the best piece of advice that you were given?
LG: I got a London Marathon place, I am not a runner, never have been never will be. However, my drive was to raise money for charity in memory of my Dad who passed away the year before. Clare, a friend of mine said it isn’t the training that is going to stop you doing this; it is your mind!! Tell yourself you can do it and you will. I survived the London Marathon and I have the finisher’s medal to prove it.
MBM: What famous quote inspires you?
LG: My favourite is:
‘Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game’ – Babe Ruth.
MBM: If you were a product in a supermarket, which one would you be and why?
LG: Tiger Bread – tough on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside.
MBM: How do you ensure that learning sticks in your business?
LG: Be a woodpecker and keep pecking away – talking about it all of the time.
Final 5 Questions…
MBM: What is the toughest challenge in your job in your business and how do you overcome it?
LG: The Non-Believer. Be relentless and show the value, find your champions and use them
MBM: What annoys you about learning?
LG: The perception that everyone can be a trainer and pretty much do your job!
MBM: If you had a magic wand, what would you change about the way people learn?
LG: That people come to any training interaction with an open mind.
MBM: Sorry, we had to ask…Favourite doughnut and why?
LG: Nutty Chocolatta … it has Nutella in it.
MBM: And we could not resist – Tell us something about KK Doughnuts that would make our jaws drop…
LG: In the UK and Ireland we make 140 million doughnuts – these are made fresh every single day and the only day off is Christmas eve!!!
