
Is training really corporate sludge?
From Eat Sleep Work Repeat - better workplace culture by brucedaisley.com
November 11, 2025 · 42 min · Season 12 · Episode 219
About this episode
This episode discusses the ineffectiveness of corporate training and its impact on organizational culture with guests Andre Spicer and Mats Alvesson.
Most company training is a waste of time that turns firms into bureaucratic sludge holes. That’s roughly the conclusion of today’s episode which is a conversation with Andre Spicer and Mats Alvesson They have a new book out The Art of Less . Andre has been a guest a few times before - way back in 2018. This podcast is old. In 2018 this podcast was ahead of Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO at the top of the podcast charts. ( Andre talking about open plan offices ) The idea that much of what companies do is related to their self identity, what the company aspires to be in the world - with the end result that it doesn’t achieve these things. Things we discuss: 'The Death of the Corporate Job' how 'initiative-itis' is dragging down organisations how training is corporate sludge that doesn't achieve its goals corporate culture as an act of 'grandiosity' Sign up to the Make Work Better newsletter or check out the best ever episodes at the website . Eat Sleep Work Repeat is made and hosted by Bruce Daisley . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
People in this episode
Host: Bruce Daisley
Guests: Andre Spicer, Mats Alvesson
Topics covered
- corporate training
- bureaucracy
- corporate culture
- self identity
- initiative-itis
Keywords
- corporate sludge
- The Art of Less
- grandiosity
Mentioned in this episode
Products: The Art of Less
Books & works: The Art of Less, Diary of a CEO, The Death of the Corporate Job, Eat Sleep Work Repeat
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