The Extensionists

06/16/2026

Do you ever find that the pressure of being the "expert" at the front of the room holds you back from leading training sessions?

In this episode of The Extensionists, Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter explore the "Training from the Back of the Room" (TBR) model with guests Nicole Fleming, director of TBR Community and Jane Mangold, a professor and extension specialist at Montana State University.

By moving away from a lecture-based style and acting as a "guide from the side," learners are empowered to recognize the valuable knowledge they already bring to the experience. Creating a space where participants can share their expertise with one another not only makes training more effective but also makes it far more approachable for those who prefer to step out of the spotlight.

"Our goal is to make sure that our learners know that they are the experts," explains Nicole in the episode.

Tune in to learn how to step out of the spotlight and improve your training impact!

https://youtu.be/8IOGlKRWllg

06/09/2026

Have you ever wondered why traditional slide decks often leave your audience tuning out, and how we might finally break the passive, expert-led model of extension?

Coming to The Extensionists on June 16th, hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck are tackling this challenge head-on with a special double interview featuring:

- Jane Mangold, professor and extension specialist at Montana State University
- Nicole Fleming, director of the TBR Community

Jane and Nicole dive into "Training from the Back of the Room" (TBR)—a learner-centred methodology that flips the classroom. Instead of passive listening, TBR encourages active participation, allowing learners to connect new scientific concepts with their own lived experiences.

Listen to The Extensionists wherever you get your podcasts, and help us grow our audience by sharing, rating, and reviewing!
https://theextensionists.com

06/04/2026

Are you waiting for inspiration to strike before you start your next big project?

This week on The Extensionists, Dean Jenkinson joins us to discuss how to overcome the hurdle of being too "precious" about your ideas. He shares how his shift from waiting for the perfect moment changed to simply sitting down and putting words on the page.

By letting go of the need for perfection, he found he could consistently produce new material and pivot quickly when ideas didn't land.

Dean shares a quote from Roger Ebert on the episode that has stayed with him: "Inspiration strikes while you're doing the work."

Listen to learn more!

https://youtu.be/bPobygVMWxw

06/02/2026

05/26/2026

How can a few laughs help you cut through the jargon and sharpen your message?

Get ready to laugh and learn! We are thrilled to have Dean Jenkinson, comedian and artistic director of the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, join us on the next episode of The Extensionists.

Dean brings a unique perspective on communication, honed over 15 seasons writing for This Hour Has 22 Minutes and years performing for diverse audiences, including farmers in small towns.

We will dive into why comedy is a critical coping mechanism—the "grease that gets you through the gears of life"—and how it can be used in storytelling. Dean shares his core belief in saying things in as few words as possible.

This is a must-hear discussion for extension professionals looking to cut the jargon and sharpen their storytelling skills.

Tune in to learn how to use humour, brevity, and connection to make your message stick.

The new episode drops on Tuesday, June 2.

Listen to The Extensionists wherever you get your podcasts, and help us grow our audience by sharing, rating, and reviewing!

https://theextensionists.com

05/21/2026

Have you ever felt emotionally hijacked during a difficult conversation, causing the entire discussion to derail?

In the latest episode of The Extensionists podcast, Patti Durand, author and facilitator with Brightrack Consulting, joins hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter to discuss why recognizing moments of anger, fear, or frustration is the critical first step toward a productive outcome.

Patti explains that nothing fruitful comes from a conversation while in this state. She shares how inserting an intentional pause—anywhere from 20 minutes to 24 hours—allows our systems to deescalate and process emotions so we can return to the topic with care and clarity.

"If we can insert the pause so that we can de-escalate, calm down our systems so that we can have a reasonable conversation,” shares Patti in the episode. “It’s time out and circle back."

Thank you to our episode sponsor, Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers.

Listen to learn more!

https://youtu.be/V85i7OuiC0I

05/19/2026

How do you navigate the complex intersection where family dynamics meet farm operations?

In today’s episode of The Extensionists, Patti Durand, author and facilitator with Brightrack Consulting, joins Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter to discuss why family farm transitions become so sticky when personal histories collide with business.

Even with professional communication training, it’s difficult to undo the tracks laid down by family history or manage the inherent biases that come from having skin in the game.

“That intersection of family and business gets complicated and sticky,” Patti notes in the episode. "Our family knows how to push our buttons because they installed them."

Thank you to our episode sponsor, Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers.

Listen to learn more!

https://youtu.be/V85i7OuiC0I

05/12/2026

Why is it so hard to start the crucial conversation about your family farm's succession plan?

Get ready for a game-changing conversation on The Extensionists! We're thrilled to announce our next guest, Patti Durand.

Patti, an author and facilitator with Brightrack Consulting, has worked with over 400 farm families to navigate the complexities of succession and transition planning. Drawing on her personal experience with hard conversations, she tackles these difficult topics head-on. She is passionate about shining a light on what can be a dark thing, giving families hope and providing actionable, task-oriented work to overcome the paralysis of inaction.

Tune in as she discusses how to overcome the 'paralysis of inaction' and offers practical communication tips—like 'the pause' and 'prescripting'—to start those crucial family conversations.

The new episode drops on Tuesday, May 19.

Thanks to our episode sponsor Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers.

Listen to The Extensionists wherever you get your podcasts, and help us grow our audience by sharing, rating, and reviewing!

https://theextensionists.com

05/07/2026

Ever wonder why some research stories grab your attention while others fall flat?

In this week’s episode of The Extensionists, Owen Roberts, senior advisor of strategic communications for Grain Farmers of Ontario, explains why the secret to a compelling narrative lies in a foundational concept borrowed from journalism: conflict.

Owen notes that conflict "really makes the world go around" and is as essential to research as it is to journalism. By leading with the problem, researchers can build trust and create a more honest connection with their audience.

"If you can explain briefly the problem, then focus on the solution,” explains Owen. “It’s honest with the reader, or the listener, or the viewer to admit that here’s the situation that we’re trying to fix, and then go on to explain the potential solution."

Catch this week’s episode to learn more!

https://youtu.be/f3dyYiKmSBI

05/05/2026

What if the key to reaching a wider audience was already sitting in your classroom?

In today’s episode of The Extensionists, Owen Roberts, senior advisor of strategic communications at Grain Farmers of Ontario, reflects on his career path including 33 years at the University of Guelph.

He discusses how looking outside traditional methods led to a unique strategy: involving students in extension by teaching them to communicate like journalists. By partnering with existing media outlets, they were able to get stories about research happening at the university shared with the public.

"One of the things we did was involve students in extension... teaching students how to communicate like journalists would communicate,” Owen shares in the episode.

Listen to learn more!

https://youtu.be/f3dyYiKmSBI