We exhibited at the HR Summit & Expo (HRSE) 2026 exhibition on 14–15 October at Dubai World Trade Centre. At the Ignite Training stand, we spoke with HR, Learning & Development (L&D) and business leaders from across the GCC and beyond. Leadership readiness, applying learning at work and self-awareness were recurring themes in those conversations.
These reflections draw on informal conversations at our stand. They reinforced something we’ve always believed at Ignite Training: learning works best when it is practical, relevant and supported over time.
Developing leaders who can adapt and influence
Leadership readiness surfaced repeatedly in our conversations. The discussion centred on how learning translates into the way people lead their teams, including how they coach, communicate, influence and build trust.
Leading a team involves people skills alongside technical expertise. Explaining expectations clearly, listening to different perspectives and helping colleagues work through challenges all give those skills a practical purpose.
For us, behaviour change becomes easier to discuss when we describe an observable action. A leader might give feedback that makes the next step clear, delegate responsibility with agreed expectations, or hold a coaching conversation that helps a colleague think through their options
Learning that extends beyond the classroom
Helping people use what they’ve learnt after a workshop was another recurring theme at our stand. Learning transfer simply means applying what someone has learnt in their everyday work. It keeps attention on what happens when people return to their teams and responsibilities.
We see training reinforcement as giving people opportunities to practise, reflect, receive feedback and revisit their learning. That might involve trying an approach in a team meeting, discussing how it went with a manager, or returning to a skill that still needs attention.
Attendance and positive feedback can tell us about participation and the learning experience. On their own, they don’t show whether someone has applied a skill or whether it has affected the business. We’d keep those distinctions clear when considering what to follow up after a programme.
Self-awareness and practical workplace choices
Visitors to our stand had the opportunity to explore Jigsaw Discovery Tool and Red2Blue. For us, both offer ways to reflect on everyday behaviour, with different areas of focus.
Jigsaw Discovery Tool
Jigsaw Discovery Tool is a practical behavioural development tool that helps people understand their working styles and behavioural preferences. It gives teams a shared language for discussing communication and collaboration. We see that understanding as a starting point for choices such as how to explain a task or discuss different ways of working.
Red2Blue
Red2Blue is a practical mindset and performance framework that helps people recognise their responses to pressure, refocus their attention and choose how to respond. Its core tools include Recognise, Accept, Choose. In a workplace situation, that might mean noticing a reaction under pressure and considering how to respond before continuing a difficult conversation.
The next step is to put that self-awareness into practice: choose a workplace situation, try a different approach and reflect on what happened.
What can HR and L&D teams take forward?
We recommend planning for application from the start of a learning programme:
- Choose a specific behaviour you want the learning to support.
- Give people opportunities to practise it in their work.
- Arrange a follow-up conversation to discuss application, feedback and support.
Evidence of application might include examples of clearer feedback, more effective delegation or better coaching conversations. We’d use those examples to explore what someone tried, what feedback they received and where they need more support.
Looking ahead
We’re grateful to everyone who visited the Ignite stand and shared their experiences. The conversations gave us plenty to reflect on as we continue helping people put learning into practice.
If you’re planning leadership development and want to help people apply their learning at work, explore our leadership development programmes or get in touch with the Ignite team.
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