L&D Must Change

Many L&D teams are being asked to "train the business on AI"… but what does that really mean? In this episode, Jess and Timothy Frost unpack the tension shaping AI in Learning and Talent Development: overreliance, resistance, and exuberance. They explore how these mindsets show up in your daily work, impact learning quality, and influence how you use AI. They also tackle the growing pressure on L&D teams to lead company-wide AI training and share a more strategic approach grounded in clear goals, data, and real use cases. If you are trying to figure out how to use AI without overdoing it or falling behind, this conversation will help you find your footing. Jess and Timothy Discuss The "tri-linked crossroads" of AI in L&D: exuberance, resistance, and overreliance Why AI should be treated as a tool that enhances work, not replaces people The real reason behind resistance: fear, overwhelm, and reluctance to learn new tech How overreliance on AI can reduce learning quality and critical thinking The risk of turning L&D into a "churn and burn" content factory with AI Practical ways AI improves efficiency like brainstorming, email triage, and idea generation Why not all AI tools are equal and how to choose the right one for the job How to push back on executive pressure for cost savings without rejecting AI A simple framework for leading AI adoption: define the why, analyze data, design learning How to get started with AI through small, practical experiments The shift toward in-the-moment, personalized learning powered by AI Why L&D must focus on working with AI, not just using it About Timothy Frost Tim Frost is a digital learning and performance consultant who partners with organizations to solve real business problems, not just build training. With a background in education and enterprise healthcare, he specializes in transforming complex systems into intuitive, high-impact learning experiences. His work sits at the intersection of strategy, technology, and design, helping organizations modernize their learning ecosystems, improve adoption, and create experiences people actually want to engage with. Find and Connect with Timothy Frost LinkedIn ATD Central Florida Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner L&D Strategic Business Partner Team Assessment and Team Development Roadmap Contact Jess

Eighty percent of the global workforce is doing frontline work, yet, most L&D strategies are built from a corporate perspective. That's a mismatch. In this episode, Jess welcomes JD Dillon, author of "The Frontline Enablement Playbook," for a candid conversation about why the frontline workforce requires a fundamentally different enablement approach than the one designed for corporate employees. From rethinking leadership development to getting L&D professionals onto the floor alongside the people they support, this episode is a practical call to action for every talent professional ready to build strategies that actually fit how frontline work gets done.   Jess and JD Discuss Why L&D has historically overlooked the frontline workforce The gap between corporate learning strategies and frontline realities Moving from training to a broader enablement mindset Why frontline managers are the most critical leverage point The limits of traditional leadership development programs How peer connection drives real learning for managers Designing support based on the job, not L&D assumptions Why task focused support beats program based design The importance of getting on the floor and doing the work How to make learning content more authentic and useful Supporting people who train others but do not identify as L&D The opportunity to build stronger community in frontline environments About JD Dillon JD Dillon began his career on the frontline, gaining firsthand experience leading teams in theme parks, movie theaters, and contact centers. These roles shaped his understanding of how people learn, perform, and succeed in fast-paced business environments. Over the past 25 years, JD has become the leading voice in frontline enablement. He has held roles in operations, marketing, and talent development with global organizations, including Disney, AMC, Kaplan, and Axonify. JD has shaped technology, content, and services used by millions of frontline workers around the world in industries like retail, grocery, food service, hospitality, logistics, financial services, and more. JD is a respected author, content creator, and keynote speaker with a passion for helping people do their best work every day. He advises organizations on frontline performance strategy, ecosystem architecture, and AI-enabled solutions. JD's first book, The Modern Learning Ecosystem, is a personal, practical, hilarious take on L&D's role in today's workplace. His latest book, The Frontline Enablement Playbook, is a blueprint for rethinking how organizations equip, engage, and empower their deskless workers. Find and Connect with JD Dillon LinkedIn New Book: The Frontline Enablement Playbook First Book: The Modern Learning Ecosystem Website: jddillon.com Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner L&D Strategic Business Partner Team Assessment and Team Development Roadmap Contact Jess  

Microlearning sounds simple. It's not. In this episode, Jess sits down with Robyn Defelice to unpack why microlearning often fails and what L&D pros are getting wrong. They explore the critical shift from covering content to making intentional decisions, why misalignment derails projects, and how to actually use microlearning as part of a broader learning strategy. If you've ever been asked to "just make it shorter," this conversation will change how you think about design, stakeholders, and impact.   Jess and Robyn Discuss Why L&D must shift from content coverage to intentional decision making How microlearning exposes weak design and stakeholder habits The three different meanings of "microlearning" and why misalignment happens How to push back on stakeholders while staying learner focused Why microlearning is not just shrinking content The role of shared language in successful learning projects How the Microlearning Readiness Framework (MLR) helps teams assess capability When microlearning works best as pre-work, reinforcement, or extension Why microlearning should complement, not replace, other learning formats Practical first steps to start using microlearning more effectively About Robyn A. Defelice Robyn A. Defelice, PhD, is a learning strategist, consultant, and speaker who transforms how L&D professionals approach their craft. With 25 years spanning startups to Fortune 500s, manufacturing to healthcare, government to higher education, she helps practitioners integrate the art, science, and business of learning to become strategic partners in their organizations. She is the founder of RADLearning, co-author of "Microlearning: Short and Sweet" (ATD Press), and author of the newly released, "Maximizing the Power of Microlearning" (ATD Press). For over a decade, she has partnered with ATD on research into training development times, informing how organizations approach capacity and capability planning. Her favorite moments? When L&D teams discover their untapped potential and realize just how much impact they can have. Find and Connect with Robyn A. Defelice LinkedIn Website: https://www.radlearning.com/ 1st Book: Microlearning Short and Sweet New Book: Maximizing the Power of Microlearning   Find and Connect with Jess Almlie   LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner L&D Strategic Business Partner Team Assessment and Team Development Roadmap Contact Jess  

What if your real job in L&D isn't to build better courses, but to design better conditions for learning? In this episode, Mark Britz challenges us to step outside the L&D box and examine the larger ecosystem shaping performance every day. Through powerful stories and practical examples, Jess and Mark explore how control, efficiency, and legacy systems can unintentionally block learning. Instead of asking "What training should I create?" you'll be invited to ask, "What environment am I designing?" This conversation will stretch how you see your role and the impact you can truly have.   Jess and Mark Discuss The shift from controlling learning through courses to influencing learning through environment design. Why creating content can subtly reinforce control instead of capability. The power of organizational design in shaping behavior. How efficiency-driven systems can unintentionally create disconnection and limit learning. The case study that proves most performance problems are not training problems. How social tools like Slack and Teams can act as an MRI for your culture, revealing trust, power, and communication patterns. What learning in the flow of work really means. The learning that emerges when people are trusted to solve problems. Auditing your own L&D processes to identify where you may be reinforcing control.   About Mark Britz Mark is the Director of Event Programming & Content at The Learning Guild and author of Social By Design: How to create and scale a collaborative company. Across roles in education, corporate, and start-up settings—as a teacher, instructional designer, social strategist, and performance consultant - his focus has been consistent: reshape systems to reduce friction, foster connection, and support learning through work, not around it.   Find and Connect with Mark Britz LinkedIn Website: www.markbritz.com Book: Social by Design: How to create and scale a collaborative company The Learning Guild Learning Leadership Conference DevLearn Conference & Expo   Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner L&D Strategic Business Partner Team Assessment and Team Development Roadmap Contact Jess

Is your L&D content closet getting a bit cluttered? When was the last time you cleaned it up? In this episode, Jess sits down with Ger Driesen, founder of World Learning Content Cleanup Day (#WLLCD), to challenge L&D's obsession with creation over maintenance. They explore why outdated learning erodes credibility, how to adopt a "retire by default" mindset, and how a simple annual cleanup can uncover powerful data insights. Let's reduce risk and increase the benefits of our content together with a cleanup celebration.    Jess and Ger Discuss Why L&D teams prioritize creation and neglect maintenance The concept behind World Learning Content Cleanup Day The idea of learning hygiene as a professional standard How to evaluate content using relevance, usage, accuracy, and risk Using LMS data to inform cleanup decisions The retire by default mindset shift Refreshing, rewriting, or retiring content strategically What heat illness training in Alaska can teach us about relevance How cleanup builds credibility with stakeholders Navigating resistance and "killing your darlings" conversations Turning a one day event into an ongoing process Simple ways any L&D pro can get started   About Ger Driesen Ger Driesen started working in L&D in 1990 and has taken on almost every L&D role there is during his career. He's served as a L&D consultant, a learning designer, an L&D manager, a Trainer/facilitator, a teacher for L&D at a university of applied sciences, a writer, and speaker. As the Learning Innovation Leader at Newspring, Ger launched the World Learning Content Cleanup Day (#WLCCD) in 2023. He is the co-founder and independent learning and leadership consultant for Challenge Leadership Development Academy. Ger is based in the Netherlands and also known as  the Dutch L&D trend catcher.   Find and Connect with Ger Driesen LinkedIn World Learning Content Cleanup Day Overview and Video   Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner L&D Strategic Business Partner Team Assessment and Team Development Roadmap Contact Jess

Choosing the right L&D technology can feel overwhelming when every platform promises transformation. In this episode, Jess and learning strategist Becky Willis cut through the noise to talk about how to evaluate learning tech with a critical eye. They explore how to separate real capability from marketing hype, what AI should actually be doing behind the scenes, and how to make smart technology decisions even when budget or legacy systems get in the way. If tech decisions stress you out, this conversation will help.   Jess and Becky Discuss Why legacy LMSs were built for course management, not performance impact "Dinosaurs on wheels" and how AI gets bolted onto outdated systems The difference between AI at the core vs AI for content creation only Why you should start with a business problem, not a platform wish list Red flags in vendor demos and the questions to ask anyway What actionable data should look like, including BI-style analytics Personalization, skills, and collaboration as real engagement drivers How L&D accidentally kills engagement by overwhelming learners Using pilots, especially with IT, to reveal gaps and build allies How to show value and earn budget even with clunky tech Tying learning to KPIs like quality, safety, and time-to-proficiency   About Becky Willis Becky Willis is a modern learning strategist, speaker, and author who focuses on learning strategy, technology, and engagement. As a founder and chief learning officer at Tractus Learning, she helps businesses design, develop, and improve their learning solutions. She is a thought leader in the field of learning platforms and ecosystems and cares deeply about leveraging technology to create personalized, adaptive, and continuous learning experiences to drive better outcomes for businesses.   Find and Connect with Becky Willis LinkedIn Tractus Learning Website: https://tractuslearning.com/ Book: 7 Steps to Learning Engagement   Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner L&D Strategic Business Partner Team Assessment and Team Development Roadmap Contact Jess

AI can spit out an L&D outline in seconds, but it cannot create connection. In this episode, Jess Almlie talks with Stephanie Hubka about why storytelling is the missing ingredient in a world of fast, transactional training. They break down how to choose stories with intention using the SOL framework, how to design learning through story using scenarios and choose-your-own-adventure techniques, and how to use AI as a partner without outsourcing the best parts of your craft. You will leave ready to start a story journal and humanize your learning.   Jess and Stephanie Discuss How AI exposes the gap between knowledge transfer and human connection Stephanie's "light switch" moment when ChatGPT matched her outline, but stripped the soul from the learning Why storytelling builds trust, openness, and the vulnerability learners need Common objections like "I'm not confident" and "I don't have the right story" and how to move past them Borrowing stories ethically, including when to ask permission and when to anonymize Using the SOL framework to pick stories that spark, overcome, underscore, or link The difference between adding a story and designing through story Story-based structures like scenarios and choose-your-own-adventure learning Four storytelling archetypes (superpowers) and how to match your style to your audience A practical workflow: human start, AI middle, human end A simple next step: start a story journal you can pull from anytime   About Stephanie Hubka Stephanie Hubka wants to live in a world where learning is human at its core and anchored by experiences that celebrate joy, curiosity, and genuine connection. As the managing partner of Protos Learning, LLC she provides strategic leadership on professional learning and organizational performance solutions to companies around the world.  Stephanie is a Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) and is Dare to Lead Trained. She is a sought-after facilitator and keynote speaker, and her work has been published in industry publications including TD Magazine. She is the co-author of 3-2-1 Launch!: The Ultimate Guide to Starting a Talent Development Podcast. Stephanie is a longtime ATD volunteer and proudly served as the president of the Metro DC chapter of ATD in 2016 and as a National Advisor for Chapters from 2017-2022. Stephanie's passion for training is equaled only by her love of exploring the globe; an avid traveler, she has visited all 7 continents, more than 70 countries, and all 50 US states.    Find and Connect with Stephanie Hubka LinkedIn Website: Protos Learning ATD Blog Article: AI Isn't Human, But Storytelling Is TD Magazine Article: Channel Your Sorytelling Superpower (Free to ATD Members) Book: 3-2-1 Launch! The Ultimate Guide to Starting a Talent Development Podcast   Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner L&D Strategic Business Partner Team Assessment and Team Development Roadmap Contact Jess

Let's be real. Most Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) don't actually improve performance. They're a legal termination plan in disguise. That doesn't make anyone feel good. But, they don't have to be this way! In this episode, Jess talks with coach and culture consultant Amy Kay Watson about rebooting accountability so performance improvement becomes a true development process instead of a disciplinary paper trail. Amy breaks down why most PIPs don't include learning or development and then shares a practical model built designed to restore psychological safety, clarify standards, and build early wins. You'll leave with concrete ways L&D can equip managers to partner in accountability conversations and diagnose root causes. PIPs can be positive turning points, but only with a different approach.  Jess and Amy Discuss Why PIPs often function as compliance tools instead of learning frameworks, and the downstream damage to trust, morale, and capability The "reformer's trap": why managers default to policing behavior under pressure (and what to do instead) How cultures fall into the "nice trap," confusing kindness with lack of structure and boundaries A developmental PIP model built on three pillars: Justice, Goals, and Efficacy Justice in practice: using transparent performance data ("Do you see what I see?") to reduce threat response and enable learning Goals that build capacity: shifting from deficit lists to resourced targets using the Job Demands–Resources (JDR) lens Efficacy: restoring agency by designing early, achievable wins to rebuild confidence and momentum L&D's three big opportunities: train managers as diagnostic "regulators," claim PIPs as a learning tool, and align with HR/Legal to avoid mixed messages The smallest high-impact starting point: be clear about standards because clarity really is kindness How to handle the hard reality: what changes when someone won't engage, even with support and partnership About Amy Kay Watson Amy Kay Watson, M.Div., MCC, is a Master Certified Coach and a sought-after speaker in empathy-driven leadership and performance improvement. She helps purpose-driven professionals balance accountability with compassion, especially in high-pressure, high-stakes roles. With a background spanning chaplaincy, corporate management, over 200 culture-shaping retreats, and over 3,600 coaching hours, Amy brings rare insight and practical wisdom to every stage and conversation. Find and Connect with Amy Kay Watson LinkedIn Website: amykaywatson.com Article: It's Time to Reboot Accountability Special offer for listeners (quiz): rebootleader.com Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner Strategic Business Partner Team Assessment and Team Development Roadmap

Your learners loved the course… and then nothing changed. In this episode, Jess talks with Melanie Martinelli (Institute for Transfer Effectiveness) about why L&D's obsession with "great training" often fails at the only thing that matters: on-the-job application. You'll unpack the 12 Levers of Learning Transfer, learn how to run a quick transfer audit, and hear a case study where a clunky old e-learning outperformed a shiny new one. All because the ecosystem mattered more than the content.   Jess and Melanie discuss Why L&D "falls in love with the solution" instead of diagnosing the real performance problem The difference between learner satisfaction and business impact (Level 1 vs. Level 3) What "learning transfer" actually means: application back on the job The 12 Levers of Transfer (trainee, training design, and organizational factors) How to use a "transfer audit" to find the biggest barriers for that specific program Why you shouldn't try to pull all 12 levers at once (perfectionism kills transfer) Active learning vs. active practice—and why practice gets cut first Designing for constraints: what to do when training time is limited Why investing in "before and after" support beats polishing course content The "Certificate of Implementation" tactic that drives supervisor support   About Melanie Martinelli Melanie Martinelli combines her entrepreneurial spirit with her 20 years of experience in L&D to help build memorable & results-based learning experiences. In her role as CEO of the Institute for Transfer Effectiveness and Founder of Going Beyond Training, she applies strong business acumen, rich practical experience across cultures & a deep understanding of what makes learning transfer happen to support her clients in being more strategic in their L&D initiatives.   Find and Connect with Melanie Martinelli LinkedIn Institute for Transfer Effectiveness Book: What Makes Training Really Work   Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner   Introducing the L&D Strategic Business Partner Team Assessment and Development Blueprint Want to know how your L&TD team can stop reacting to requests and start operating as a true strategic business partner? The L&D Strategic Business Partner Team Assessment and Development Roadmap shows you exactly where your team is today and provides a clear, practical path to change how you work, build credibility with leaders, and deliver measurable business impact. Learn more and reach out to Jess Almlie to bring this tool to your team. 

Your learners don't need another "fun" workshop; they need results. In this episode, Jess and Brian Washburn unpack why engagement alone is a dangerous success metric and how to design for real performance change. Brian introduces his simple four-step facilitation model: Anchor, Content, Application, Future Use, which turns any session into a repeatable, effective learning experience. They explore how to equip SMEs to facilitate (without gimmicks), handle awkward moments like silence or "I don't know," and adapt these principles for virtual and global audiences. Why engagement alone doesn't equal effective training The four-step facilitation model and how to use it every time Moving SMEs from knowledge dumps to true facilitation Simple, non-gimmicky activities that prove people "get it" Handling silence, tough questions, and tech failures with confidence Adapting facilitation for virtual rooms and global cultures About Brian Washburn Brian Washburn is an author, a sought-after speaker, and an experienced instructional designer who has been working in the field of learning and development for more than two decades.  Brian's work has been published in TD magazine, the monthly trade magazine for the Association of Talent Development (ATD), and he was named a Top Young Trainer by Training Magazine in 2011. Brian's first book, What's Your Formula? Combine Learning Elements for Impactful Training, was published by ATD Press in June 2021. Modeled on the original periodic table of elements, the book explores a wide range of approaches to organizational training needs and new ideas and ways to organize the design of learning programs.  His second book, Instructional Design on a Shoestring, was released in January 2024, and will be provided to each participant in this train-the-trainer program. Brian holds an MA in Organizational Development from Antioch University. Find and Connect with Brian Washburn LinkedIn Website: Endurance Learning Book: What's Your Formula? Combine Learning Elements for Impactful Training Book: Instructional Design on a Shoestring Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner Additional Links from the Episode Gagne's 9 Events of Instruction The Bob Pike Group Malcolm Knowles Adult Learning Theory  On Teaching and Learning: Putting the Principles and Practices of Dialogue Education into Action by Jane Vella Endurance Learning Training Activity Cookbook L&D Must Change Podcast Episode 08 with Kassy Laborie (Online Training That's Better Than In Person) Interact and Engage! 75+ Activities for Virtual Training, Meetings, and Webinars by Kassy Laborie and Thomas Stone L&D Must Change Podcast Episode 22 with Chris Taylor (Designing and Measuring On Purpose)

AI isn't coming for your L&D job... it's rewriting it. In this episode, Jess and AI-in-L&D veteran Josh Cavalier dig into his provocative "Human Machine Performance Analyst" L&D role, why content creation is still on the table, and how to build the business, data, and learning-science muscles you'll actually need. They unpack the real story behind AI layoffs, the emerging L&D tech ecosystem, and practical, low-risk ways to get your AI learning and practice reps in today. Jess and Josh Discuss Why Josh believes L&D must evolve into "Human Machine Performance Analysts." The shift from building courses to orchestrating human AI performance. Core skills for L&D to double down on: performance consulting, business acumen, data and analytics, and learning science. Which L&D tasks AI will automate. What AI-related layoffs are really funding. How the AI ecosystem flows from platforms like Microsoft, Google, and Workday down into L&D tools. The risks of shadow AI usage and protecting organizational IP. Cross-functional AI operations to enable responsible adoption Simple, safe ways to start with AI in content creation and get your "AI reps" in. Why strategic curiosity, not fear, is L&D's best response to AI. About Josh Cavalier Josh Cavalier is on a mission to bridge the gap between Learning & Development professionals and the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence. His own "aha!" moment arrived in late 2022 when an AI generated a remarkably effective educational video script on his prompt, instantly revealing its potential to revolutionize learning. Drawing on 30+ years of experience, including leading Lodestone Digital to radically improve clients' edtech implementations, Josh now guides organizations through the complexities of AI integration. Through JoshCavalier.ai, he directly addresses the concerns and opportunities facing L&D. Forget the fear of job loss – Josh argues AI necessitates a shift in roles, amplifying the need for human expertise and insight. He cuts through the myth of "automatic" AI, emphasizing that L&D professionals are crucial collaborators in the process. His focus? Pragmatic strategies and tools that help teams navigate the AI ecosystem, understand human-machine partnership, and significantly increase their AI skills.   Josh makes complex AI accessible and actionable. His training, popular YouTube channel, and the fun, interactive live show "Brainpower" reach thousands, offering easy-to-use methods for working with AI. Committed to the L&D community, he consults, runs workshops, and shares his strategic insights at major industry events (DevLearn, Learning Solutions, ATD ICE), empowering professionals to leverage AI for hyper-personalized learning and greater organizational impact.   Find and Connect with Josh Cavalier LinkedIn Website: JoshCavalier.ai YouTube Show: Brainpower: Your Weekly AI Training Show Book: Applying AI in Learning & Development: From Platforms to Performance   Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner L&D Business Acumen Checklist

Tired of L&D busywork that doesn't move the needle? In this episode, Jess and Guus van Deelen dismantle "course factory" thinking and show how to organize L&D for results. They unpack the five L&D "chessboards," shift focus from learning to performance objectives, and set clear roles and decision rights to escape order-taking. You'll hear how to segment stakeholders with RIS (Risk, Importance, Size), apply Lean thinking to clean up operations, and run an annual L&D Cleanup Day (yes, on March 12) to kill zombie offerings and refocus on business value. Jess and Guus Discuss Why learning is a means—not the goal The five L&D "chessboards" and choosing must-win areas Escaping order-taking with clear roles and decision rights Training internal clients to work with L&D Replacing learning objectives with performance objectives (or adding both) RIS stakeholder segmentation: Risk, Importance, Size Lean habits to fix the back-office mess Service levels: economy to "royal class" support The annual L&D Cleanup Day (March 12): what to stop, start, or sustain Using LMS data to kill underused content Practical scripts and examples for setting expectations with the business About Guus van Deelen Guus van Deelen has held multiple roles in the L&D field, from L&D manager in global multinationals to strategic consultant helping organizations reposition and optimize their L&D departments. He is on a mission to make L&D more "streetwise." designing L&D that truly drives results. Not just delivering more training, but measurable impact on people, performance, and business outcomes. Guus helps L&D teams to create learning strategies, governance models, and talent development frameworks. He is also the author of the book, Organizing L&D for Results. Find and Connect with Guus van Deelen LinkedIn Website: guusvandeelen.nl Free resources for L&D Pros as mentioned in the episode Book: Organizing L&D for Results Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner  

What if the key to better learning isn't more content, but less? In this episode, Jess Almlie sits down with L&D expert Katrina Kennedy to explore how simplifying learning experiences and building in moments of reflection can transform behavior and performance. They unpack practical ways to focus on what really matters: workplace impact, learner ownership, and giving people the time and space they need to make learning stick. Jess and Katrina Discuss Why simplicity beats sophistication in learning design How reflection boosts retention and real behavior change The myth that "more content equals more learning" Practical ways to add reflection(even in one-hour sessions) How to handle stakeholder pushback and focus on outcomes Why reflection isn't just looking back. It's preparing to move forward About Katrina Kennedy Katrina Kennedy, known as the "trainer's trainer," is a facilitator and speaker with 25+ years in learning and development. She has helped thousands of subject matter experts design and deliver engaging learning experiences in a variety of industries. Her forthcoming book, Learning That Lasts; Reflection Activities for Trainers and Designers released on October 21, 2025. Find and Connect with Katrina Kennedy LinkedIn Website: www.katrinakennedy.com Book: Learning That Lasts: Reflection Activities for Trainers and Designers Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner Additional Links Mentioned in the Episode Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory The History of Toothpaste (Wikipedia)

How do learning professionals earn a true voice in the boardroom? In this special episode, recorded live at the Learning Guild's Learning Leadership Conference 2025 in Orlando, Jess Almlie sits down with Dr. Alaina Szlachta and David "DJ3" Jackson to unpack what it really takes to secure influence and credibility in the C-suite. Together, they explore how aligning with organizational metrics, speaking the language of business, and leveraging data-driven storytelling can transform L&D from a service provider into a strategic powerhouse.   Jess, DJ3, and Dr. Alaina discuss Why L&D often gets overlooked by executives, and how to change that. How to "speak the language" of business leaders to gain trust and influence. The importance of identifying your organization's core metric and aligning initiatives around it. Using listening tours to understand executive priorities and build credibility. The "big three" focus areas for small or solo L&D teams: strategy, governance, and infrastructure. How data storytelling can open doors and secure a real voice in the C-suite. Practical examples of turning small wins and pilot programs into strategic momentum.   About David Jackson III (DJ3) David L. Jackson III (DJ3) is currently the Director of Talent Pathways and Learning for HealthPoint CHC. He is also a recognized thought leader in scaling impact for solo and small L&D teams. Some of his areas of specialty include aligning learning with business strategy, optimizing corporate learning ecosystems, and developing strategic learning frameworks. He's is a frequent speaker at industry-leading conferences, where he shares practical, action-oriented strategies to help L&D professionals move from survival to strategic impact. DJ3 is passionate about empowering learning leaders with actionable insights, focusing on helping organizations maximize resources, enhance learning maturity, and drive measurable business outcomes.   About Dr. Alaina Szlachta Dr. Alaina Szlachta is the founder of By Design Development Solutions, an expert consulting firm specializing in assessment development and data strategy for learning leaders. Drawing on her background as a researcher and public health educator, she partners with learning business owners to integrate data and measurement systems into their daily operations. She is also the author of the ATD Press book, "Measurement and Evaluation on a Shoestring," a resource written to make M&E easier and more accessible for anyone - regardless of their expertise.   Find and Connect with David Jackson III (DJ3) LinkedIn Website: dj3books.com   Find and Connect with Dr. Alaina Szlachta LinkedIn Website: dralainaszlachta.com Book: Measurement and Evaluation on a Shoestring   Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com Book: Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner Subscribe to Jess's Weekly Newsletter: L&D Must Change   Additional Links Related to This Episode The Learning Guild The Learning Leadership Conference 2026 Book: Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact by Liz Wiseman

Change isn't an event, it's the air we breathe. In this episode, Jess talks with Holly Burkett about reframing change management as energy management, tackling stacked changes that drain capacity, and recognizing burnout as a workplace issue and not a personal failing. They explore how L&D can read the room on organizational readiness, coach managers to have safe workload conversations, and push for small pilots over all-or-nothing launches. L&D pros have the potential to be powerful change agents.  Jess and Holly Discuss Why change/disruption is the context for learning and performance Stacked changes," fatigue, and how burnout shows up at work Capacity vs. capability: measuring energy to absorb new demands Reframing resistance as a signal of limited capacity Practical levers for L&D: business cadence, pilots, after-action reviews Equipping managers for safe, honest workload conversations Framing tradeoffs in business terms: "Are we willing to risk it?" Self-care, recovery rituals, and modeling boundaries for teams   About Holly Burkett Holly Burkett is an accomplished talent builder, change leader, evaluator, and workplace learning professional with over 20 years experience as a trusted consultant and business advisor. She is passionate about helping leaders and teams build change-ready learning and performance capabilities that foster high engagement, employee wellbeing, and operational excellence. As a Prosci® certified change practitioner, a Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coach®, Associate of The ROI Institute, and select member of The Conference Board, she is a sought-after speaker, coach, and facilitator who is invited to speak regularly at international conferences held by ATD, ACMP, ISPI, and the OD Network. Holly is a frequent contributor to many industry resources including ATDs "Handbook for Measuring and Evaluating Training" (2025), ATDs "Organizational Development Handbook "(2023) – where she wrote the Change Management chapter -- and ATDs Handbook of Training and Talent Development (3rd ed, 2022). An enthusiastic life-long learner, foodie, and travel junkie, she also wrote the award-winning book "Learning for the Long Run". She earned a doctorate in Human Capital Development and a Masters in Human Resources and Organization Development.   Find and Connect with Holly Burkett LinkedIn Website: www.hollyburkett.com Article: Become a Change Agent (TD, August 2025) Article: Combatting Change Fatigue (TD, Jan 2024) Article: 5 Essentials for Better Change Management (ATD Blog, April 2024) Article: Building Change Management from the Ground Up (Chief Talent Officer) Book: Learning for the Long Run   Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com Book: Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner Subscribe to Jess's Weekly Newsletter: L&D Must Change   Additional Links from this Episode L&D Must Change Episode 35: Conducting Tiny Experiments in L&D with Anne-Laure LeCnuff

What if the real power of L&D isn't in the content we deliver, but in teaching people how to direct their own growth? In this episode, Jess is joined by Irma Horvath who leads learning at Kahoot! They explore how shifting from "training delivery" to "learning ownership" creates lasting impact. You'll hear how to spark curiosity, set goals that guide attention, and make reflection the secret sauce of retention. From small experiments to culture-wide shifts, discover how to help people learn how to learn and why that's more valuable than any course catalog. Jess and Irma Discuss Why "learning how to learn" beats endless training The secret sauce: goals + reflection A simple "test–teach–test" formula that works How to make learning feel safe (and stick) Small experiments that spark big culture change Finding champions to spread new ways of learning Turning boring compliance into curiosity-driven growth About Irma Horvath Irma Horvath is a teacher by heart, a coach by craft, and an L&D leader by choice. She began her career as a teacher and teacher trainer, a path that took her across the world from Spain and the UK to Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Dubai, and Denmark. Along the way, she founded Morea Training, helping organizations design meaningful learning experiences, and later joined the leadership team at Drops, where she helped pioneer ways to make a fully remote team high-performing. Today, Irma leads Learning & Development at Kahoot!, driving global capability-building initiatives with a strong focus on making learning relevant, applicable, and part of everyday work. She's a PCC-certified solution-focused brief coach and a passionate advocate for empowering people to take ownership of their development. Her mission is simple: create learning that sticks, drives change, and builds cultures where growth is part of how people work - not a box to tick. Find and Connect with Irma Horvath LinkedIn Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Newsletter: L&D Must Change Website: jessalmlie.com Book:  L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner Additional Links as Mentioned in This Episode Article featuring Irma: Don't Just Upskill Your Employees, Create Lifelong Learners, Strategic CHRO360 David A. Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle The Learning Space by Dr. Becky Zone of Proximal Development Get your copy of Jess's new book now! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner is now available wherever books are sold. It's your handbook for creating the change needed to work more strategically and intentionally, in lockstep with the business. Order your copy today! 

The tables have turned! In this episode, Jess Almlie steps into the guest chair as Sarah Cannistra interviews her about her brand-new book, L&D Order Taker No More. Together, they explore why the learning and development profession must shift from being transactional "order takers" to strategic business partners, and how small, intentional steps can create massive impact. Sarah and Jess discuss Why L&D must urgently move from transactional order-taking to strategic partnership, especially in the age of AI The critical mindset shift from "helper" to "partner" and how it changes every conversation Barriers that keep L&D stuck in order-taking mode, and how we unintentionally reinforce them Practical strategies for transformation, including internal and external playbooks The art of the strategic "yes" and "no" to stay focused on high-impact work How reflective questioning can shift stakeholder expectations and outcomes The continuum between order taker and business partner, and why progress comes in increments, not overnight leaps Insights from Jess's research with dozens of L&D leaders across the field   About Jess Almlie Not only is she the host of the L&D Must Change Podcast and author of the book, L&D Order Taker No More!, but Jess Almlie is also a former Vice President of Learning and a dynamic leader in the learning and development field. She is passionate about empowering L&D professionals to increase our impact by evolving from order takers to strategic business partners. With three decades of experience and a proven track record of driving strategic initiatives, Jess helps organizations solve talent challenges and improve performance through consulting, coaching, and workshops.   Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Newsletter: L&D Must Change Website: jessalmlie.com Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner   About Sarah Cannistra Sarah Cannistra is a passionate Learning and Development (L&D) leader and career coach dedicated to helping others grow. She also leads Learning and Development at Rippling. In addition, Sarah is the host of The L&D Career Club Podcast, a top 200 career podcast dedicated to helping professionals break into and thrive in the L&D field.   Find and Connect with Sarah Cannistra LinkedIn Website: https://www.theovernighttrainer.com/ Book: Land Your Next L&D Role: Creating a Career that Works for You Podcast: The L&D Career Club   Special Book Offer from Jess As mentioned in the show, if you read Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! as a group, Jess will come to a one hour virtual Q&A so your group can dive deeper together. All you need to do is reach out to Jess when you're ready. Get your copy of L&D Order Taker No More! today!

How do you measure what you can't easily see? For L&D and talent development pros, measuring improvement in skills like leadership, collaboration, and communication is a constant challenge. It isn't as easy as measuring technical outputs like sales numbers, quality scores, or production time. We often find ourselves wondering where to begin and how to proceed. In this episode, Jess and Colin J. Hahn explore why this problem keeps resurfacing followed by three highly practical ways to measure these intangibles. From operational definitions to breaking big questions into estimable parts and observing corresponding behavior, they share tools and stories to help you bring the unseen into focus, creating the clarity needed to show business impact.   Jess and Colin Discuss Why measuring intangibles is a constant challenge for L&D/TD Using operational definitions to give context and clarity Breaking intangible skills into estimable parts Applying order-of-magnitude thinking to speed decision-making Watching for outcomes that signal intangible strengths A manufacturing case linking leader behavior to retention and productivity A simple first step to tackle your next measurement challenge   About Colin J. Hahn  Colin J. Hahn, Ph.D., CPTD is an experienced Organizational Development leader who specializes in improving performance through data-driven talent development. In his 15 years of talent development experience, he has led programs that have generated more than $2M in annual impact and improved performance in over 95% of participants. At FranklinCovey, he coaches global clients to align learning strategies to business goals and use data to show the operational impact of their work.   Find and Connect with Colin J. Hahn LinkedIn   Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: jessalmlie.com Subscribe: L&D Must Change Newsletter Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner   Don't miss out on any tips or tricks for improving our profession! Subscribe to the L&D Must Change Newsletter for a weekly email including an article, information on the latest podcast, upcoming webinars or conferences where you can find Jess, and more. 

What if the best way to change and develop isn't with big plans, but "tiny experiments"? Neuroscientist and author Anne-Laure Le Cunff joins Jess to explore how small, low-risk actions can unlock powerful learning, creativity, and change. Whether you're an L&D leader navigating uncertainty or designing experiences for others, Anne-Laure offers a fresh, science-backed mindset shift. You'll walk away with new tools to beat perfectionism, escape outdated scripts, and turn curiosity into real progress, one tiny experiment at a time.   Jess and Anne-Laure Discuss Why tiny experiments beat big goals in uncertain environments How to redesign your L&D workflow and projects using curiosity, not willpower A simple tiny experiment formula: "I will [action] for [duration]" How L&D pros can test new ideas without full-scale rollouts Helping learners build agency through their own tiny experiments The surprising downsides of goals and default cognitive scripts Tools for reflecting on progress, including the "Plus, Minus, Next" method The mindset shift from "success vs. failure" to "learning vs. learning more"   About Anne-Laure Anne-Laure Le Cunff is an award-winning neuroscientist and entrepreneur. She is the founder of Ness Labs, where her weekly newsletter is read by more than 100,000 curious minds. Her research at King's College London focuses on the psychology and neuroscience of lifelong learning, curiosity, and adaptability. Her book, Tiny Experiments, is a transformative guide for living a more experimental life, turning uncertainty into curiosity, and carving a path of self-discovery. Previously, she worked at Google as an executive on digital health projects. Her work has been featured in Rolling Stone, Forbes, Financial Times, WIRED, and more.    Find and Connect with Anne-Laure Website (Newsletter and more): Ness Labs Book: Tiny Experiments Instagram   Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Newsletter: L&D Must Change Website: jessalmlie.com Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner   Coming Soon! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner will be published by ATD Press on September 2, 2025. Order your copy now and be sure to sign up for the L&D Must Change newsletter for weekly articles and book updates. 

What can you do when an employee insists on a promotion, but you don't have one to give? Jess and Al Dea dive into one of the most pressing challenges in today's workplace: how to keep top talent engaged and growing when promotions are scarce, or not the answer at all. They explore the psychology behind promotion expectations, the systemic gaps in career development, and how L&D teams and managers can lead a smarter, more human-centered approach to growth. You'll leave with actionable ideas, real-world examples, and a new way to think about employee development.   Jess and Al Discuss Why promotion obsession is a symptom, not the root cause How managers can use curiosity to uncover what employees actually want and/or need Why transparency, honesty, and small actions matter more than grand gestures The hidden influence of educational systems on career expectations Systemic steps L&D can take to redefine development company-wide The power of "going first" with your own team as a testing ground Real-life examples from companies using language and culture to shift the narrative Practical ways to start redefining growth without needing a promotion   About Al Dea Al Dea is a talent and leadership development consultant, facilitator, and speaker. He is the Founder of The Edge of Work, a talent and leadership development firm that helps organizations develop leaders to improve engagement and performance. Al works at the intersection of the future of work, talent, and leadership development. His insights have been published in outlets such as Forbes, Fast Company, and Business Insider. He is also the host of The Edge of Work podcast, which explores the future of work, talent and leadership, and a LinkedIn Top Voice in the Future of Work and Leadership. Previously, Al worked at organizations such as Deloitte Consulting LLP and Salesforce. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business from Boston College and an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.   Find and Connect with Al Dea LinkedIn Website: www.al-dea.com Podcast: The Edge of Work   Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Blog: L&D Must Change Subscribe to Jess's Email List (Weekly Emails) Website: jessalmlie.com Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner   Now Available! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner, published by ATD Press, is now available for pre-order wherever books are sold (official release date is September 2, 2025). To learn more and be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the virtual launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. Click here to join! 

What if learning didn't need to be controlled to be powerful? In this episode, Jess sits down with Anamaria Dorgo, a learning and community consultant and founder of L&D Shakers, to explore what happens when we let learning unfold organically. From redefining the role of L&D to creating emotionally rich, immersive learning experiences, Anamaria challenges traditional models and invites us to embrace "scandalous learning" and the power of community. Tune in to discover how to decentralize learning, build learning ecosystems, and design experiences that leave a lasting impact.   Jess and Anamaria Discuss What it means to "let learning roam free" Why communities of practice are so powerful How L&D can shift from being content controllers to learning enablers Best practices for launching an internal community Creative approaches to measuring community impact The concept of "scandalous learning" Why every L&D leader needs a "scandalous learning playground"   About Anamaria Dorgo Anamaria is a Learning and Community Consultant, Learning Experience Designer and Facilitator. She's bringing over 10+ years of experience in HR and L&D, and combines it with 6+ years of building collective learning spaces, in the form of communities of practice. She co-hosts the Mapping Ties podcast, where internal community builders share their work, and writes the IRrEGULAR LEtTER: a newsletter about community + experience design + learning, with a dash of experimental vibes.   Find and Connect with Anamaria Dorgo LinkedIn Newsletter: IRrEGULAR LEtTER Podcast: Mapping Ties   Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Blog: L&D Must Change Subscribe to Jess's Email List (Weekly Emails) Website: jessalmlie.com Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner   Additional Links from the Show L&D Shakers Community Newsletter: The Learning Brief Follow L&D Shakers on LinkedIn   Now Available! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner, published by ATD Press, is now available for pre-order wherever books are sold (official release date is September 2, 2025). To learn more and be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the virtual launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. Click here to join! 

L&D and customer education are similar, but not the same. There is a lot L&D can learn from this parallel profession. In this episode, Debbie Smith joins Jess Almlie to reveal the secrets of successful customer education that L&D should adopt as their own. They discuss why learners should feel empowered, not controlled whether or not those learners are external customers. As well as how L&D can adopt the data-driven, outcome-focused mindset that customer education requires.    Jess and Debbie discuss The top priorities of customer education vs. L&D. The differences in designing for voluntary vs. captive audiences.  Applying Mayer's 12 principles of multimedia design combined with cognitive load theory. Using adoption paired with company drivers and goals as measures for success. Tracking patterns of behavior change long term.  Focusing on long-term business impact.    About Debbie Smith Debbie is the Senior Director of Visier University and president of CEDMA (Customer Education Management Association). She is a Customer Education (CE) leader with extensive experience in CE strategy, certification, instructional design, eLearning design and development, customer experience, and project management. As a member of the CE community, she is a sought-after mentor and thought leader in the growth and evolution of the industry. She has led large and small teams at various SaaS companies and serves on a number of customer advisory boards. She has contributed to two books, multiple podcasts, and webinars. She is a frequent speaker at industry conferences.   Find and connect with Debbie Smith LinkedIn Website: Visier University Website: CEDMA DevLearn Conference 2025   Find and connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: jessalmlie.com L&D Must Change Newsletter Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner Additional Links from the Show Article: Mayer's 12 Principles of Multimedia Learning Article: Cognitive Load Theory and Instructional Design   Now Available! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner, published by ATD Press, is now available for pre-order wherever books are sold! To learn more and be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the virtual launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. Click here to join! 

Too often, training misses the mark because it skips the most important step. In this episode of L&D Must Change, Candice Mitchell joins Jess Almlie to unpack why context should always come before content in L&D. Candice shares practical strategies for uncovering business needs, building credibility, and shifting away from the traditional order-taker mindset. From gathering macro trends to asking the right stakeholder questions, she illustrates how deeper context leads to faster and more relevant learning solutions. Tune in for a lively, honest conversation full of actionable insights and a few nerdy laughs along the way.    Jess and Candice discuss Flipping our ratio of context to content creation by spending more time understanding business context than creating the content.  A diversified process to gather context in any organization. Overcoming time constraints with the stakeholder who doesn't want to allow for time to gather context. Reframing requests in business terms vs. L&D terms. How to demonstrate value through small wins and consistent communication. Avoiding common pitfalls when responding to training requests.      About Candice Mitchell Candice Mitchell is the founder of Talent Development Nerds and the creator of the Talent Development Academy® which is a strategic learning program that helps L&D professionals become indispensable partners to the business. She's a fractional Chief Learning Officer and trusted advisor to companies building capability from the ground up. Candice is known for cutting through the noise with practical, business-first advice and a healthy dose of tough love. Her work spans strategy, change, performance, and culture, and she's on a mission to make L&D more impactful, more respected, and more energizing, for everyone involved.    Find and connect with Candice Mitchell Website: www.talentdevelopmentnerds.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicemitchelltdnerd/ Instagram (so much fun!): https://www.instagram.com/candice_mitchell_msc/ Podcast: Development Nerds – available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube link: https://open.spotify.com/show/56cZnQtmXloGpGcDt2McoP?si=d961aac2fadd412f YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/@candicemitchell.TDNerd Candice's Impact Toolkit: https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/impact   Find and connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: jessalmlie.com L&D Must Change Newsletter Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner   Coming Soon! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner will be published by ATD Press later this year. To be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the virtual launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. Click here to join! 

What happens when L&D professionals start thinking like marketers? In this episode, Jess Almlie talks with Mike Taylor and Bianca Baumann about how adopting a marketing mindset can transform learning experiences. From learner personas to emotional storytelling and irresistible content design, they share real-world strategies and small shifts with big impact. Discover how to connect more deeply with learners and elevate engagement through their new book, Think Like a Marketer, Train Like an L&D Pro.   Jess, Mike, and Bianca discuss The benefits of L&D adopting a marketer mindset How to apply key marketing concepts for L&D such as creating learner personas, developing learner journeys, and crafting emotionally resonant content.  Using the SURE framework (Simple, Useful, Resonant, Easy to scan/process) when writing descriptions, designing content, and communicating with learners Small shifts in approach that lead to big impact on learner engagement and content effectiveness Leveraging marketing tools like platforms and analytics Using learners' subconscious decision making to drive outcomes   About Mike Taylor With over two decades of experience as a learning consultant, Mike has been a driving force behind transformative instructional design and organizational performance. Known for his captivating speaking style and influential newsletter, Mike is dedicated to making learning more engaging, accessible, and effective. As a faculty member in Franklin University's Graduate Instructional Design and Technology program, he bridges the gap between academic theory and real-world practice, equipping future learning professionals with the skills to excel in today's dynamic landscape. Mike's innovative approach and infectious passion are redefining the way we think about learning.   About Bianca Baumann Bianca Baumann is a seasoned L&D strategist with more than 15 years of experience in L&D. She is passionate about consulting on effective, new solutions to serve learners' needs. She has helped dozens of organizations improve their onboarding and reskilling programs. Baumann speaks at international conferences and is a facilitator at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.   Find and connect with Mike Taylor and Bianca Baumann Mike Taylor LinkedIn Bianca Baumann LinkedIn Mike Taylor's Website and Newsletter: https://mike-taylor.org/ Bianca Baumann Website: https://www.biancabaumann.com/ Think Like a Marketer Website: https://trainlikeamarketer.com/ Book: Think Like a Marketer, Train Like an L&D Pro   Find and connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: jessalmlie.com L&D Must Change Newsletter   Coming Soon! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner will be published by ATD Press later this year. To be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the virtual launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. Click here to join! 

Think you need a fancy job title to land your dream L&D role? Think again. In this episode of L&D Must Change, Jess sits down with Sarah Cannistra, L&D career coach, author of Land Your Next L&D Role, and passionate advocate for breaking out of the "one and done" career mindset. Together, they unravel why L&D professionals often don't apply their own learning philosophies to their own career growth and how to change that. If you're an L&D pro ready to rethink your path and future-proof your career, this conversation is your new roadmap.   Sarah and Jess Discuss How L&D professionals tend to approach our career development with a "one-and-done" mindset, contradicting how we view learning for others.  Expanding our career journey from chasing job titles (title vision) to identifying impact. Using your own L&D "niche" as a north star for career decisions. How to find and define your L&D niche. Viewing your resume as a marketing document vs. a laundry list of activities. How to use your resume to stand out from the crowd. Using a Boolean search to find relevant roles beyond job titles.    About Sarah Cannistra Sarah Cannistra is a passionate Learning and Development (L&D) leader and career coach dedicated to helping others grow. She began her career in sales, where she thrived in understanding clients' needs and guiding them to their perfect homes. As she moved into management, Sarah discovered an even greater passion, coaching and developing people. She built training programs, shadowing opportunities, and learning resources for her team, finding deep fulfillment in their growth. Her career path shifted entirely when she attended a leadership development session and realized that facilitating learning was the work she was meant to do.       That moment led to her first role in L&D—offered to her on the spot—despite having no formal background in the field. Less than two years later, Sarah became the Director of Corporate Training for an organization of over 2,500 employees. Since then, she has led the learning function at five organizations, created hundreds of training programs, hired over 100 L&D practitioners, and served more than 20,000 learners. Since 2020, through coaching, courses, and communities, she has helped over 1,000 people transition into L&D careers, guiding them to find, land, and grow in roles they love. Sarah is also the host of The L&D Career Club Podcast, a top 200 career podcast dedicated to helping professionals break into and thrive in the L&D field.   Find and Connect with Sarah Cannistra LinkedIn Website: https://www.theovernighttrainer.com/ Book: Land Your Next L&D Role: Creating a Career that Works for You Podcast: The L&D Career Club   Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com L&D Must Change Newsletter   Additional Links from the Show Using Boolean search on LinkedIn   Coming Soon! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner will be published by ATD Press later this year. To be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the virtual launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. Click here to join!   

Imagine a world where L&D is a driving force behind business transformation, not just a provider of training. In this episode, David James, former Disney L&D leader and current CLO of 360Learning shares why realizing this vision requires L&D to mature beyond reactive and even proactive operational models. He introduces a new L&D maturity model that lays out a clear roadmap for that shift and explains why this evolution is more urgent than ever. This conversation offers both inspiration and a practical starting point for what's next.   Jess and David discuss The need for L&D to mature beyond providing learning.  How most of the L&D profession is operating at a low level of maturity, stuck in reactive and proactive models.  Why shifting stakeholder expectations and organizational mindsets is essential for maturing the L&D function. An overview of the 5 levels of a new L&D maturity model: Reactive, Proactive, Impacting, Strategic, and Transformative. Using this maturity model as both a vision and roadmap for the future.  The potential a maturedL&D function has to close a $6.5 trillion skills gap.   About David James David James is the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning and a highly respected voice in the Learning & Development industry. With a focus on harnessing technology to drive impactful learning strategies, David is recognised as one of the top 10 global influencers in the L&D space. His expertise lies in helping organisations modernise their approach to workplace learning, ensuring measurable results and business alignment. David is also the host of The Learning & Development Podcast, which has amassed over 500,000 downloads and ranks in the top 1% of podcasts globally. With nearly 30,000 LinkedIn followers, he continues to shape the conversation around L&D innovation and best practices, drawing on his deep experience, including his time as Director of Learning, Talent & Organisational Development at The Walt Disney Company.   Find and connect with David James Podcast: The Learning & Development Podcast LinkedIn Website Take the L&D Maturity Model Assessment   Find and connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com L&D Must Change Newsletter Sign-Up   Coming soon! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner will be published by ATD Press later on September 2. To be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the virtual launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. Click here to join! 

Good feedback fuels performance and behavior change. Poor feedback does the opposite. It's one of the most powerful tools in a leader's toolkit, yet one of the hardest to get right. In this episode, Dr. Ken Nowack and Dr. Sandra Mashihi unpack why feedback often fails, and how L&D can help leaders build the skills to deliver it in ways that actually drive results. From the neuroscience of feedback to practical models like the 3E framework and 4-quadrant approach, Ken and Sandra offer L&D professionals a clear path to elevating feedback across the organization.   What You'll hear:  How to move beyond feedback systems to personal connections.  Addressing the gap between leader and employee perspectives on feedback. A 4-quadrant model that provides guidelines for personalized performance feedback.  The neuroscience behind both successful and painful feedback. The 3Es of effective performance feedback: Enlighten, Encourage, Enable.  Cultural considerations for feedback.   About Dr. Sandra Mashihi Dr. Sandra Mashihi is a distinguished Organizational Psychologist, keynote speaker, and author with over 20 years of experience. She is dedicated to transforming leadership behavior, building high-performing teams, and enhancing workplace relationships. As the founder of Spectra Coaching, Sandra leads with a blend of psychology and practical strategies that have successfully impacted Fortune 500 companies and leaders across industries.     About Dr. Kenneth M. Nowack Kenneth M. Nowack, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and Senior Research Officer of Envisia Learning, Inc. Dr. Nowack received his doctorate degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Nowack is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association's Division 13: Society of Consulting Psychology and was the former Editor-in-Chief of the Consulting Psychology Journal. He is also a member of Daniel Goleman's Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations.     Find and Connect with Sandra and Ken LinkedIn: Sandra Mashihi, Ken Nowack Websites: Sandra - www.spectracoaching.com, Ken - www.envisialearning.com Book: Performance Feedback Strategies: Driving Successful Behavior Change   Find and Connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: www.jessalmlie.com Subscribe to the L&D Must Change Newsletter   Coming Soon! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner will be published by ATD Press on September 2, 2025. To be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the virtual launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. Click here to join! 

Everyone's talking about AI—but are we thinking about it the right way? In this special one-year anniversary episode, I finally dive into the AI conversation with Josh Penzell, who challenges us to see AI not as a tool, but as a teammate. This conversation isn't about learning prompts—it's about shifting mindsets and imagining what's possible when we stop trying to make faster horses and start building something entirely new.   Josh and Jess Discuss Using AI as a collaborative team member and not a tool. Working with AI as a brainstorming partner to reduce cognitive load and improve creativity. Developing our skills working with AI, instead of spending time figuring out how to use AI.  Thinking about AI as a student and our L&D participants as teachers.  How AI provides an entirely new infinity point of what's possible, busting through current scarcity models and resource restrictions.  Shifting from the traditional L&D approach focused on creating optimized, one-size-fits-all learning experiences to one that enables individualized learning.    About Josh Penzell Josh Penzell is the VP of AI-Driven Transformation at ELB Learning and Founder and Chief Transformation Officer at Imagination Applied. He helps organizations rethink how they integrate AI—not as a tool, but as a collaborative force that enhances learning, leadership, and innovation. With a career spanning Amazon Alexa, Zillow Rentals, and Skillsoft, Josh brings a unique perspective that blends corporate strategy with his background as a musical theater director. This fusion of disciplines led to the creation of TheaterThink®, a methodology that applies storytelling, improvisation, and systems thinking to help businesses navigate change, drive transformation, and make AI work for humans, not against them. A sought-after speaker at industry events like ATD, Learning Technologies, and Training Industry conferences, Josh is also one of the 14% of qualified autistic professionals in corporate leadership. He is a strong advocate for neurodiversity, AI ethics, and adaptive leadership, helping organizations shift their mindset from AI as a disruptor to AI as an enabler.   Find and connect with Josh Penzell LinkedIn ELB Learning Email: [email protected] AI Assistant: JoshPGPT.AI   Find and connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: jessalmlie.com L&D Must Change Newsletter   Coming Soon! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner will be published by ATD Press on September 2, 2025. To be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. Click here to join! 

When does the L&D function form in an organization? What's the first order of business when it does? Today's guest, Tom Bowen, is known as the L&D pro who can get an L&D function up and running in the startup world and he's done that job over and over again. He even calls himself a "serial startup guy" for L&D.  In this episode, Tom will share what it's like to be the first L&D pro hired into a small start-up business including when he's usually brought in, what he does first, and what makes working in L&D in the startup world unique.    Jess and Tom discuss The main focus areas for L&D in a startup.  Key skills needed for those working in the fast-paced startup environment. The need to identify and prioritize all the "fires" according to which will mitigate future issues. How a startup's rapid growth requires the ability to scale processes and systems quickly.  Pairing risk and volatility against the potential for large impact.  Behaviors L&D can learn from the startup world.    About Tom Bowen Tom Bowen has been in the talent development world since 2008 and has predominantly focused on the education and tech sectors. He is a "serial startup guy" and really thrives in creating order in the chaos that often comes with a rapidly growing organization. He is most recently at Alchemy, a blockchain infrastructure startup valued at over $10B, where he leads all things people impact and change management. Often described as a divergent thinker, Tom enjoys challenging the status quo and finds the highest ROI activities are the ones where people are finding new ways to gain leverage with their time and energy and unlock their potential.    Find and connect with Tom Bowen LinkedIn   Find and connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: jessalmlie.com L&D Must Change Newsletter   Coming Soon! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner will be published by ATD Press later this year. To be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. Click here to join! 

There's nothing I love more than when someone takes on an L&D role from another industry and becomes immediately confused as to why our profession functions the way it does. It provides an immediate opportunity for new ideas and conversation. This was the case for today's guest, Rashi Kakkar, when she moved from a career consulting in product management into an L&D leadership role. The result was a marriage of the two professions. One where the best pieces from each were elevated and the confusing bits eliminated. It turns out L&D can learn a lot from product management.  Rashi and Jess discuss:  Shifting L&D from a project-based to a product-based mindset Organizing L&D teams around stages in the employee journey rather than siloed functions Embracing iterative development, frequent user testing, and ongoing refinement Conducting regular user discovery sessions to understand needs and challenges instead of waiting for training requests to arrive on our desks Tracking impact longitudinally, across the employee journey, not just from individual interventions About Rashi Kakkar Rashi Kakkar has two clear professional drivers: Creating human-centered products, experiences, and services and achieving organizational success and growth by unlocking human potential As a global lead within McKinsey's Leadership Center of Excellence, Rashi is dedicated to building large-scale institutional capability through a skills-first approach. At McKinsey, she has advised Fortune 100 clients on complex strategic, operational, and organizational challenges. Rashi has successfully driven digital transformations, enhanced organizational effectiveness, and redesigned operating models, all grounded in a foundation of human-centered qualitative and quantitative research. She has also led multiple enterprise-wide agility and innovation programs to deliver impactful results. Before joining McKinsey, Rashi worked at a boutique design thinking firm, where she developed expertise in human-centered design, experience and service design, and innovation. Earlier in her career, she gained valuable experience as a professional sports agent, specializing in talent management, sponsorship sales, and licensing and merchandising. Outside of her professional endeavors, Rashi is passionate about writing as a way to refine her thinking. She authors a bi-weekly newsletter with over 1,300 subscribers and has published more than 80 opinion pieces in leading global publications. An avid golfer, former varsity tennis player, and newly minted pickleball enthusiast, Rashi balances her professional pursuits with an active lifestyle and a love for sports. Find and connect with Rashi Kakkar Newsletter: https://decksanddiapers.substack.com/  LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rashikakkar BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/rashikakkar.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.net/@rashi_kakkar8 X (Twitter): https://x.com/rashi_kakkar Find and connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: jessalmlie.com L&D Must Change Newsletter Coming Soon! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner will be published by ATD Press later this year. To be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. Click here to join! 

How do you feel about your LMS? If you're like most you may have a love + hate relationship with the platform. Today's guest, Sarah Mercier, found herself working with client after client trying to solve clunky LMS issues, so she threw out the LMS playbook and created an alternate tool. What does that mean for you? Well, you just might not need your LMS any longer.  Sarah and Jess discuss:  The evolution of learning platforms Ongoing issues with traditional LMS systems like complexities in user access, content delivery, and data fragmentation  The creation of the new, XCL tool, designed to solve persistent LMS problems XCL's ability to eliminate user logins while still tracking detailed analytics, provide flexible content types, centralize data, improve user experience, and offer cost savings How XCL solves challenges related to accessibility   About Sarah Mercier Sarah Mercier, MBA, CPACC, specializes in innovative learning technology and strategic implementation of learning solutions. She is an advocate for learner-centered design and is known for her ability to translate highly technical concepts and research to real-world practice. As CEO of Build Capable, she leads a team of learning technology experts. Sarah is an author and the editor of Design for All Learners: Create Accessible and Inclusive Learning Experiences. She is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and business events on topics such as learning experience design, accessibility, xAPI, and learning ecosystems. Find and connect with Sarah Mercier LinkedIn Website: Build Capable Email: [email protected] Book: Design for All Learners: Create Accessible and Inclusive Learning Experiences Find and connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: jessalmlie.com L&D Must Change Newsletter Additional links from the episode XCL Tool: https://www.buildcapable.com/xcl/ 7 Taps Microlearning: https://www.7taps.com/ Article: LXP vs. LMS: What Are The Differences?  https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/tip/LXP-vs-LMS-What-are-the-differences Coming Soon! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner will be published by ATD Press later this year. To be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. Click here to join! 

It's time to clarify the purpose of our learning programs with our stakeholders, and I mean really clarify. Not just write the learning outcomes and create an evaluation form, but zero in our stakeholders' real needs and expectations. According to today's guest, Chris Taylor, CEO of Actionable.co, taking the reins to clearly define the purpose behind the request should drive everything else we do from design through measurement. Armed with a few practical questions, a strategy for continuous alignment, and clear measures to define our next steps, we can uplevel the effectiveness and impact of our programs.  In this episode you'll hear:  Ideas to sustain motivation after training interventions are complete How to shine a light on the immediate behavior change impact of learning programs, instead of only looking at lagging, longer-term data One key question to define what is really needed and keep stakeholders aligned and on track How to avoid over-complicating measurement by mapping out logic paths and measuring at multiple points The value of measurement for real time iteration Delivery practices proven to illicit behavior change rather than transfer information About Chris Taylor Actionable.co CEO, Chris Taylor, works at the leading edge of learning sustainment and impact measurement for progressive organizations. Described once by a client as "a curious blend of Boomer and Gen- Y", Chris is often called upon to act as a bridge and translator between generations at work, our new state of constant change, and the impact technology has on team dynamics.  Through Actionable.co, Chris brings empirical evidence and stories to illustrate how, exactly, we measure ROI on corporate learning initiatives, and the systems to ensure every program creates lasting impact. He's personally consulted to over 400 organizations across 6 countries, in almost any sector you can name. In addition to being a regular speaker for both public and private events, Chris has penned over 150 articles for dozens of publications, been quoted in The National Post, Toronto Star and Globe & Mail and hosted 90+ thought leader interviews for the iTunes #2 ranked business podcast, The 21st Century Workplace. Find and connect with Chris Taylor LinkedIn Website: Actionable.co Twitter (X)  Find and connect with Jess Almlie LinkedIn Website: jessalmlie.com Newsletter: L&D Must Change Additional links from this episode Actionable Annual Insights Report Actionable Behavior Change Toolkit    

It's time for L&D to both amp up our toolbox and become a tad more critical of our own work. Instead of adding content, we need to think about subtracting it or better yet, make changes that enable performance. Too often we prioritize activities over goals. Lavinia Mehedintu is known for this type of progressive thinking about the work of L&D, but she also believes in the necessity and power of supporting each other through changes in our profession that may feel risky.  Join us in this conversation where we discuss some of the challenges L&D must address to have a greater impact as well as how to support and empower our L&D community colleagues while we change.    In this episode:  Shifting L&D's approach from adding to subtracting content. The need for L&D to take a systems thinking approach. L&D skills that can be applied beyond workshops.  Reframing L&D's identity around goals vs. activities.  Why understanding the business builds credibility and enables strategic conversation. Making cross-functional "friends" as a strategy for business success. The importance of support systems and community when building new skills, overcoming organizational resistance, and navigating change.    About Lavinia Mehedintu: Lavinia Mehedintu has over 11 years of experience designing learning experiences across higher education, start-ups, and large enterprises. After leading an L&D team, she noticed a gap in resources tailored to L&D professionals' growth and found traditional approaches lacking the impact she was seeking. This inspired her to create Offbeat, a community where L&Ds explore their evolving roles amidst a rapidly changing world. Five years later, Lavinia combines experience design, behavior change, and technology at Offbeat to help L&Ds grow and consults with companies of all sizes on learning and behavior change initiatives.   Find and connect with Lavinia Mehedintu here:  LinkedIn Offbeat (L&D Community)   Find and connect with Jess Almlie here:  LinkedIn Subscribe to the L&D Must Change Newsletter Almlie Consulting Website

L&D and change management may be different professions, but they are deeply interconnected. In today's episode, Jody Lumsden shares how the intersection of these two approaches benefits everyone involved.  This episode covers: How L&D practitioners add value to change management initiatives. Key change management models that can enhance L&D effectiveness.  The importance of zooming out to see the bigger picture of the change beyond training requests. Aligning the timing of learning/training interventions with the change curve. L&D as an advocate for the "people side" of change, complementing technical focuses. Tailoring the messages and messengers based on the stage of change.  How L&D can equip managers to have meaningful conversations during change.  ...And more!   About Jody Lumsden: Jody Lumsden is a consultant, speaker, facilitator and author of Needs Assessment on a Shoestring. She has expertise developing and implementing strategy and data-driven performance metrics in the areas of adult and workplace learning, curriculum planning, change management, and leadership coaching. Check out Jody's LinkedIn profile to personally connect to her. You'll also find a link to buy her book, recordings of presentations, podcast episodes, and published articles.   Find and connect with Jess Almlie here: LinkedIn Website: Almlie Consulting Subscribe to the L&D Must Change Newsletter   Additional links from this episode: Understanding the Kubler-Ross Change Curve in the Workplace Kotter's 8-Step Change Model Prosci Change Management ATD Change Management Certificate Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP)  

Hiring and developing the best L&D team isn't easy. Determining needed roles, writing a clear JD, selecting the appropriate amount of prior expertise needed, and working with recruiters (who may or may not "get" what L&D does) all add to the complexity. Then, there's the issue of developing the teams we have - ensuring team members continue advancing their L&D skills and expertise. We need to keep pushing team members (and ourselves) outside of our comfort zones to make a bigger impact!  Join Jess Almlie and guest Laurel Schulert as they discuss these challenges and more related to hiring and developing an L&D team.  You'll hear:  What to prioritize when hiring for L&D roles How to leverage different hiring sources Tips for writing JDs, screening candidates, and working with recruiters Ideas for team member development, no matter the size of your budget About Laurel Schulert: Before moving to the corporate tech world, Laurel previously taught secondary English and was an adjunct professor of English as a Foreign Language. She holds a M.S. Ed. in Learning Design and Technology from Purdue University, and a B.A. in Education from Eastern Michigan University. Laurel wrote the June 2023 TD at Work guide, "A-List L&D Team, Assemble," earned the Master Performance Consultant certificate through ATD, and presented at the ATD International Conference & EXPO from 2022-2024 and the 2021 DevLearn conference. Find and connect with Laurel Schulert here:  LinkedIn TD at Work Article: A-List L&D Team, Assemble! Article: Best Practices for L&D Job Descriptions Article: L&D Skills for 2024 and Beyond Find and connect with Jess Almlie here:  LinkedIn Website: Almlie Consulting Subscribe to the L&D Must Change Newsletter  

Most L&D pros operate and design from a particular bias based on our primary behavioral (biological/neurological) drivers - the drive to learn and the drive to bond. Spoiler alert, not everyone is driven by these. If we design, promote, and deliver our learning solutions with our drivers leading the way, we become less effective for certain groups. Join Jess Almlie and guest Jay Johnson to talk about how L&D can combat "trainer bias."  In this episode you'll hear:  Definitions for the four biological and neurological drivers dictating how our brain makes choices on what we do every day.  The primary drivers for L&D (drive to learn and drive to bond) vs. those for other professions and roles.  How focusing only on our own primary drivers makes us less effective in L&D. Why it's important to balance all four drivers in our work.  How L&D needs to think and approach our work differently according to all four drivers.  About Jay Johnson:  Jay Johnson works with people and organizations to empower teams, grow profits, and elevate leadership. He is a Co-Founder of Behavioral Elements®, a two-time TEDx speaker, and a designated Master Trainer by the Association for Talent Development. With a focus on behavioral intelligence, Jay supports trainers and coaches in designing, developing, and implementing programs that drive behavioral change. Find and connect with Jay Johnson here:  LinkedIn Website: https://www.behavioralelements.com Email: [email protected] Find and connect with Jess Almlie here:  LinkedIn Website: https://www.jessalmlie.com Subscribe to the L&D Must Change Newsletter Additional resources mentioned in this podcast:  Book: Driven: How Human Nature Shapes Our Choices by Paul R. Lawrence and Nitin Nohria Podcast: The Talent Forge: Elevating L&D: From Fast Food to VP with Jess Almlie (Jay's interview with Jess!)  

Sometimes, in L&D, we get buried in our thinking about fantastic, carefully designed, detailed programs. So much that we can miss the simple, inexpensive, powerful solutions that are right under our noses. In today's episode, Jeannine Lanoux discusses the simple power of book discussions in the workplace, including the results of her research on their effectiveness.  You'll hear:  The power of book discussions as a simple, inexpensive, quick learning intervention with lasting results. The benefits of book discussions for leadership development, culture change, alignment, relationship building, and more.  How book discussions strengthen teams. The most important elements to facilitating a good book discussion.  How a book discussion can neutralize potentially emotionally charged topics. About Jeannine Lanoux:  Jeannine Lanoux is CEO and founder of Lanoux Learning, a firm committed to transforming people and organizations to achieve their next best level. She is an executive coach, who is also experienced at rolling out large-scale culture change initiatives, directing leadership development programs for everyone from frontline managers to executive leaders, and guiding talent management practices tied to business strategy. She is adept at sculpting enterprise-wide learning to enhance both knowledge retention and transfer. Find and connect with Jeannine here:  LinkedIn Website: lanouxlearning.com Find and connect with Jess Almlie here:  LinkedIn Subscribe to the L&D Must Change Newsletter Website: Almlie Consulting Recommended books:  Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman Reality Based Leadership: Ditch the Drama, Restore Sanity to the Workplace, & Turn Excuses into Results by Cy Wakeman Human First, Leader Second: How Self-Compassion Outperforms Self-Criticism by Massimo Backus Measurement Demystified: Creating Your L&D Measurement, Analytics, and Reporting Strategy by David Vance and Peggy Parskey The Modern Learning Ecosystem: A New L&D Mindset for an Ever-Changing Workplace by JD Dillon Coming in 2025: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner by Jess Almlie

Data literacy and business acumen are important concepts for the L&D professional who works (or wants to work) as a more Strategic Business Partner. In this episode, Dr. Alaina Szlachta helps us break down and simplify both concepts. She also offers a few questions to ask when learning more and an activity to get started.    You'll hear: The need to change L&D's brand to one of measurable business impact An explanation of both data literacy and business acumen for L&D How to develop skills surrounding data literacy The importance of understanding your organization's business model The need for curiosity as a critical skill The difference between evaluation and measurement Why measurement should be continuous and sustainable An exercise to determine L&D alignment to business goals And more! Dr. Alaina Szlachta, an academic-turned-entrepreneur, is the founder of By Design Development Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in data enablement. Drawing on her background as a researcher and public health educator, she partners with learning and operations teams to integrate measurement and evaluation systems into their daily practices. She is also the author of an upcoming ATD Press book, "Measurement and Evaluation on a Shoestring," a resource written to make Measurement & Evaluation easier and more accessible for anyone - regardless of their expertise.    Find and connect with Dr. Alaina Szlachta here: LinkedIn Website: dralaina.com Book: Measurement and Evaluation on a Shoestring Measurement and Evaluation Weekly Virtual MeetUp Find and connect with Jess Almlie here:  LinkedIn  Subscribe to the L&D Must Change Newsletter  Almlie Consulting   Additional Links from the Show:  Book: Alilgning Instructional Design with Business Goals: Make the Case and Deliver Results by Kristopher Newbauer Book: Partner for Performance: Strategically Aligning Learning and Development by Ingrid Guerra-Lopez and Karen Hicks

What if there were tools available to everyone in our organizations that would answer our questions and guide us through complicated tasks exactly at our moment of need? What if we, as L&D pros, could intentionally design such tools to provide informal learning in the flow of work? We can! It's called a "digital coach" and it just might be a game changer. Join me and today's guest, Chris King, to talk about this concept, when it's best to use it, and how fancy (or not) it needs to be.    You'll hear: The most important purpose of L&D = enabling and changing behavior in the workplace L&D's capability for formal and informal learning A clear definition of the "digital coach"  The five moments of learning need What to do in classroom training vs. informal approaches The importance of methodology before technology Starting to incorporate a digital coach into your work Chris King is in his third decade in L&D, creating learning that actually improves performance and changes workplace behaviors. Recently, as the Executive Director of the 5 Moments of Need® Academy, he was responsible for spreading the word about digital coaches, workflow learning, and optimizing how organizations learn and perform. He is a project manager, a culture transformation architect, and an innovation catalyst for inspired learning solutions. His passion is optimizing how organizations learn and perform. He leverages his credentials as a 5 Moments of Need® Designer, Project Management Professional, Certified ScrumMaster, and a LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® certified facilitator to modernize learning and get [stuff] done.   Find and connect with Chris King here: LinkedIn Five Moments of Need   Find and connect with Jess Almlie here:  LinkedIn Subscribe to the L&D Must Change Newsletter Website    Additional Links from the Show:  Book: Electronic Performance Support Systems by Gloria Gery

In the last year, Abigail Wheeler Charlu (Abby) interviewed 50 L&D professionals in a variety of roles to learn more about the L&D landscape. She was curious about what people do in this profession, the breadth and depth of different roles, the skills and knowledge in each. In this episode, she shares her key takeaways and insights as well as a bit about her subsequent thoughts on how L&D needs to change as a result.  Tune in to hear Abby and Jess discuss the results of Abby's informal research study including: Why study all these L&D roles?  The breadth of the L&D profession The many opportunities for specialization within L&D The wide variance of L&D titles  The critical need to clearly tie L&D to business objectives The emergence of internal talent marketplaces Common knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for success in L&D Advice for those looking to transition in L&D roles Abigail Wheeler Charlu (Abby) is a program manager, learning strategist, and performance consultant with over 9 years of leading end-to-end learning and leadership development programs. She leverages strong skills in research methods, relationship building, project management, marketing, facilitation, and analytics to enable skills development, drive change, and uplevel performance.   Abby holds a master's degree in industrial and organizational psychology and has deep experience supporting global teams. She is driven by curiosity, collaboration, and impact and is on a mission to equip individuals, teams, and organizations with the skills they need to thrive in this human era of work. Currently, Abby is a Program Manager and Lead Learning Experience Designer at AROSE Group, a boutique leadership and organizational development consulting company where she designs and delivers custom leadership development programs and supports the creation and execution of thought leadership and industry knowledge.  Find and connect with Abby here:  LinkedIn Listen to the 50 Interviews: Surveying the L&D Landscape (podcast) Website: AROSE Group Find and connect with Jess Almlie here:  LinkedIn Subscribe to the L&D Must Change Newsletter Website: Learning Business Advisor Consulting

Why do we try to navigate complex, ever-changing careers relying on only ourselves or a manager? Why do we tend to think that career development needs to be a program or process? According to Julie Winkle Giulioni, career development champion, thought leader, and guru, we are making it too complicated. We need to simplify career development down to quality conversations. Conversations that we have together with our peers, our managers, and more. Career development should be a team sport.  Tune into this episode and hear Julie and I discuss:  Making career development a team sport How career development is different in our current day and age The beauty of hindsight, foresight, and insight Immobilizing myths that hold managers and L&D back from effective career development The power of asking great questions as a simple career development tool Key elements within Julie's new book, Help them Grow or Watch them Go with co-author Beverly Kaye Julie Winkle Giulioni is a champion for workplace growth and development and helps executives and leaders optimize talent and potential within their organizations. One of Inc. Magazine's Top 100 speakers, she's the author of Promotions Are So Yesterday: Redefine Career Development. Help Employees Thrive and the co-author of the international bestseller, Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go: Career Conversations Organizations Need and Employees Still Want, translated into seven languages. Julie is a regular columnist for Training Industry Magazine and SmartBrief and contributes articles on leadership, career development, and workplace trends to numerous publications including Fast Company and The Economist. You can keep up with Julie through her blog and LinkedIn. Find out more and connect with Julie Winkle Giulioni here:  LinkedIn Facebook YouTube Book: Promotions Are So Yesterday: Redefine Career Development. Help Employees Thrive New Book! Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go: Career Conversations Organizations Need and Employees Still Want Website:  https://www.help-them-grow.com Find out more and connect with Jess Almlie here:  LinkedIn Subscribe to the L&D Must Change Newsletter Website: www.lbacllc.com One note on pre-orders for Julie's new book!  Pre-order Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go and you will gain access to a specially curated library of microlearning videos from Julie Winkle Giulioni and Bev Kaye on a range of important topics that will enhance your leadership and help you get the most from the book – all provided by AthenaOnline. Just place your pre-order with your favorite bookseller, share your information here (https://www.help-them-grow.com/athena-online/), and jumpstart your career development efforts immediately. (Note: This offer will expire on September 24.)

Is a lack of strategic thinking holding us back? Today's guest, Mary Rapaport, believes that when we channel a more strategic mindset, the business culture thrives, teams become more creative, and employees lean in and engage more. The challenge is that we are up against a work culture that rewards execution over thinking, reflection, and strategy. Let's change that!  In this episode you'll hear: Upping the impact of L&D by thinking of ourselves as businesspeople first and L&D functional experts second.  Strategic thinking as a mindset and a skillset.  Turning data into insights.  Maturing the L&D function to be more strategic. The importance of understanding your company's growth strategy. Understanding what executives really care about.  Integrating strategic thinking into our day, instead of checking it off our list. The challenge of operating in a culture that rewards us for getting stuff done instead of thinking and reflection.  One thing L&D can do today to start working more strategically. Mary Rapaport is on a mission to democratize strategic thinking. She believes it's not just for the elite few, but for everyone in an organization. When everyone channels a strategic mindset, the business culture thrives, teams become more creative, and employees lean in and engage more. Cultivating this mindset helps leaders create a better (and more fun) place to work, fostering a stronger culture of creativity and innovation. As a strategic thinking architect, Mary empowers leaders and teams across all functions and levels to think, act, and lead more strategically. As the founder of Xcelerate, she builds learning strategies, designing and delivering immersive learning experiences that ignite "aha moments" and drive tangible business results. Mary also champions inclusive growth through the Minority Business Growth Alliance, a non-profit providing invaluable coaching and support to BIPOC entrepreneurs. She holds an MBA, a BA in International Business and French, and is a certified leadership and sales trainer. Mary has extensive experience in marketing, transformation, and strategic initiatives. She also serves as the current president of the Twin Cities chapter of the Association of Talent Development. Find and connect with Mary Rapaport here:  LinkedIn Website: Xcelerate Learning Experience: The Strategic Playground Strategic Thinking Resources  Find and connect with Jess Almlie here:  LinkedIn L&D Must Change Newsletter Website: Learning Business Advisor Consulting  

What if L&D showed up as an organizational contributor instead of a service provider? Today's guest, Robyn A. Defelice regularly models this approach and also partners with L&D leadership and teams to help them make the change. Turns out, it's about seeing the bigger picture and getting real curious. She asks why a lot. Oh, and it might have something to do with Captain Kirk from Star Trek.    Listen in and hear about: L&D as a business function Shifting from complaining to contributing The mission statement as a rolled up version of capabilities in the organization The need for L&D to optimize our own function System thinking with DSRP: Distinctions, Systems, Relationships, and Perspectives Operating like Captain Kirk instead of Doc or Spock Running alongside our stakeholders Elevating challenges for business prioritization decisions Taking control to alter our own L&D reality Gathering data about L&D team capacity and then getting curious Robyn A. Defelice, PhD is a learning intrapreneur, author, and presenter with over 20 years in the L&D field. She is the co-author of Microlearning: Short and Sweet and has been researching How Long it Takes to Develop Training for over a decade. Robyn is happiest when she is collaborating with L&D leadership and teams to get them to the decision-making table. Her mission is to empower her peers through unlocking their untapped capabilities and capacity for effective L&D. Her experience spans corporate to manufacturing, government to higher education, and non-profits to startups. She is currently serving as a board member of L&D Cares, the VP of Programming for Association for Talent Development of Central PA, and is a member of Learning Leaders Alliance through The Learning Guild.   Find and connect with Robyn A. Defelice here: LinkedIn Book: Microlearning: Short and Sweet Find and connect with Jess Almlie here:  LinkedIn  Subscribe to the L&D Must Change Newsletter  Learning Business Advisor Consulting   

There are a lot of different brains in the world and all of them are good. But they may process information in alternate ways that don't look "typical" from the outside. It doesn't mean learning isn't happening. The goal of designing for neurodiversity is to make learning accessible for all those brains.  Today's guest is neurodiversity expert, Jessica Michaels. After receiving her own diagnosis of autism and ADHD in her late 30's, Jessica started to use her own personal experiences combined with her knowledge of L&D to amp up learning design with options that make sense for all the different types of brains.  Listen in on my conversation with Jessica to learn more about:  An explanation of neurodiversity A different type of "multi-modal" design Focusing more energy on the outcome than the process The fluctuation of learning preferences The importance of self awareness and humility when designing for and working with neurodiverse brains Jessica Michaels is an award-winning speaker, former stand-up comic, and manager development specialist. In her 30s, she discovered she was autistic and had ADHD. She now combines her experience and knowledge of L&D to educate, advocate, and advise on neurodiversity in business. With humor and directness, she shows her audiences how every employee benefits from a neuroinclusive environment. As a coach, she works one-on-one with professionals, trying to build the toolbox to work with their brains, not against them.  Through her YouTube channel, she provides free resources with content like The Procrastination Fairy and The Neurodiverse Workplace. Her latest venture is a new networking and coaching group for neurodivergent professionals, and anyone interested in a neuroinclusive work environment. Jessica, her wife Ellie, and their dog Detritus live in Denver. Together, the humans host the Gifted Kid Messy Adult podcast, while the dog supervises.   Find out more and connect with Jessica Michaels here:  LinkedIn Website: www.coachjessicamichaels.com YouTube Channel: Coach Jessica Michaels Podcast: Gifted Kid, Messy Adult Udemy Course: Supporting Neurodiversity in the Workplace: A Manager's Guide to Unlocking High Performance in Employees with ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, and Other Neurodivergencies Find out more and connect with Jess Almlie here:  LinkedIn Newsletter: L&D Must Change  Website: Learning Business Advisor Consulting

It's one thing to try and gather a few numbers, it's another to integrate measurement into every fragment of L&D. But yet, this is where measurement becomes most valuable. When integrated, measurement can provide the insights and actions needed to inform decisions. It doesn't just fade away, it endures as a valuable source of quality information.  This is why today's guest, Peggy Parskey, co-author of Measurement Demystified and other books, insists that measurement needs to be tied to a change effort. But she also insists that starting to measure is better than waiting to know everything. It's a nuanced and flexible necessity for L&D pros today.  Listen in on my conversation with Peggy to learn more about:  Integrating measurement into every fragment of L&D The measurement ecosystem model Balancing measurement as you build it out The changing nature of measurement Considering the unintended consequences of measurement Determining current organizational capacity for measurement Sharing actionable data Getting started with measurement in L&D Career benefits of learning more about measurement Peggy Parskey has over 25 years of experience driving strategic change to improve organizational and individual performance. She focuses on team and organizational performance improvement leveraging measurement, management of change and organizational design to ensure sustainable capability. Peggy owns her own consulting firm, Parskey Consulting, focused on organizational improvement initiatives. She is also a Principal Consultant and part-time staff member with Explorance. Her clients are large and midsized firms requiring performance measurement of core business processes including employee engagement, diversity, equity and inclusion, culture change, and talent programs such as training, mentoring, and performance management. Peggy collaborates with her clients to build sustainable measurement capability to drive continuous improvement. She has co-authored three books on learning measurement as well as several book chapters and magazine articles on measurement strategy, learning analytics and visual storytelling. Find out more and connect with Peggy Parskey here:  LinkedIn Book: Measurement Demystified: Creating Your L&D Measurement, Analytics, and Reporting Strategy Book: Measurement Demystified Field Guide Book: Learning Analytics: Using Talent Data to Improve Business Outcomes Find out more and connect with Jess Almlie here:  LinkedIn Newsletter: L&D Must Change  Website: Learning Business Advisor Consulting

Online training can be better than in person training. Are you a believer? Or are you thinking that will never be true? Today's guest is none other than online learning pioneer and virtual training hero, Kassy LaBorie who is a firm believer that online training is equal to and can be better than in person training. Of course, the trajectory of online and virtual training shot up after the COVID pandemic and associated lockdowns. We all realized that online learning can be engaging and efficient. It can help to scale and save us time and money. But many of us still think of it as "less than" in person training. Kassy wants us to shift our thinking. She shares how with some practical takeaways.  Listen in on my conversation with Kassy to learn more about:  How Kassy got started as a virtual training pioneer Stopping ourselves from putting up blockers that online training is "less than" before we explore how it could be "better than" in person How tech is cool, but people are cooler The difficulties that come with learning something new Challenges that come with working remotely, even for a pro The story of a chocolate maker who adapted and created a "better than" offering online Practical steps to start creating your own "better than" online learning experience Kassy LaBorie is the founder and principal consultant at Kassy LaBorie Consulting, LLC. She is a professional speaker, author, facilitator, and instructional designer who specializes in virtual engagement for learning and development professionals and business owners who get to use web conferencing technology to connect with people around the globe.  In her previous role at Dale Carnegie & Associates, she was the director of virtual training services, a corporate consultancy that partnered with organizations to help them develop, design, and deliver successful online training strategies. Kassy also served as the product design architect responsible for developing the company's live online training product and experience, leading a team that built a $4 million dollar business in 4 years. Kassy is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and the co-author of two books about engaging online (see links below).  Find out more and connect with Kassy Laborie here:  LinkedIn Website: kassyconsulting.com Website: kassyspeaks.com Book: Interact and Engage! 75+ Activities for Virtual Training, Meetings, and Webinars Book: Producing Virtual Training, Meetings, and Webinars Find out more and connect with Jess Almlie here:  LinkedIn Website: Learning Business Advisor Consulting One more fun link from this episode:  Laughing Gull Chocolates

It's time to ditch the way we view onboarding. In most companies, onboarding is a formal time period that ends when the L&D team walks out, and the manager walks in. But new employees aren't ready to work autonomously after onboarding and far too many managers aren't set up to continue developing them to get there. This often results in anxiety, confusion, and even regression on the part of the new employee. It's time to stop onboarding and start everboarding, a systems approach that swaps a defined training time period for a continuous development cycle focuses on longevity and success over time.  After discovering that onboarding was a poor predictor of future performance, Amber Watts started asking why. That led her to dive in and design an employee's training experience differently. The concept of everboarding, focusing on the systems and people who support performance, was born.  Listen in on my conversation with Amber to learn more about:  The components of everboarding that make it different than onboarding Equipping and supporting managers as part of the new employee experience Establishing a mentor program in addition to a buddy program L&D's role in aligning employee targets/KPIs in everboarding Measuring effectiveness in an employee's ramp up Questions to ask frontline managers when learning about their needs The importance of partnership with the talent acquisition team Amber Watts has over a decade of expertise in Talent Development and Sales Enablement, and deeply cares about fostering performance science wherever she goes. Throughout her career, she has left a significant impact on various industries. Currently serving as the Chief Revenue Officer at Magnet Medical. She holds a B.S. in Business Management & Leadership and a certification in Virtual Training Design. She was an Emerging Training Leader from Training Magazine in 2019, earned a Stevie Award for Sales Training/Coaching Program in 2020, and an award for Excellence in Learning Leadership with ATD Nebraska in 2023. Find out more and connect with Amber Watts here:  LinkedIn Website: makelearningrad.com Find out more and connect with Jess Almlie here:  LinkedIn Subscribe to the L&D Must Change Newsletter Website: Learning Business Advisor Consulting

Stories have the power to hold us in anticipation, motivate us to learn more, and connect with others on a human level. Rance Greene discovered this by accident when he made the move from directing actors on the stage to directing the creation of compliance training in business. Suddenly, ethics and compliance jumped to the top line item in the company culture survey. People knew what to do, listened to the stories, and reported that they were looking forward to the next round of compliance training. Can you imagine this happening in your company?  Rance achieved this seemingly impossible feat using powerful stories in the compliance training. Stories that humanized the learners, provided a strong conflict, and motivated them to resolution.  Listen in on my conversation with Rance to learn more about:  Working with stakeholders and SMEs as humans first and sources of information second.  The disrespect shown by not including observable actions in training. The importance of defining relatable characters, strong conflict, and a desire for resolution in a story designed for learning.  Three questions to ask when starting any design project.  Rance Greene is often known as the "Story Man," but he prefers the title "Story Designer." He formed needastory.com and the School of Story Design (schoolofstorydesign.com) for those who struggle with storytelling at work. His methodology—Story Design—gives leaders and talent development professionals a systematic and creative way for discovering who their audience is and how to persuade them to act on new ideas. He helps leadership teams, entrepreneurs and instructional designers discover that they are uniquely equipped to tell the best story for their audiences. Rance is the author of Instructional Story Design, a practical guide for developing stories that train. He coaches, teaches, speaks, and writes often on the benefits of stories to connect people to one another. Find out more and connect with Rance Greene here:  LinkedIn Website: www.needastory.com School: www.schoolofstorydesign.com "Story Zone" Blog: https://www.schoolofstorydesign.com/blog Book: Instructional Story Design: Develop Stories That Train Email: [email protected] Find out more and connect with Jess Almlie here:  LinkedIn Subscribe to the L&D Must Change Newsletter Learning Business Advisor Consulting

It's time to dive into performance consulting with today's guest, Christopher Adams, Principal Consultant for Performance Change Strategies LLC. Performance consulting focuses on the gaps that exist between the performance of people and the desired business results. Sometimes training can help to close those gaps and sometimes it cannot. We owe it to our stakeholders, who come to us with a pain point that needs solving, to help figure out the best solution.  Christopher and I discuss:  Why it isn't enough for L&D to be experts in producing specific learning solutions. How L&D needs to develop a clear mindset around how work, the performance of people, and business results work together (and a mental model to do this).  Asking questions that influence instead of simply gather data.  The importance of investing in relationships in order to move from serving as a helper to working as a partner. As principal consultant for Performance Change Strategies LLC in Charlotte, NC, Christopher (Chris) has facilitated capability building programs for leading organizations in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. He is also an associate member of the graduate faculty at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He frequently writes and speaks about performance consulting, leading educational sessions at international conferences. In 2019, Chris co-authored the 2019 TD@Work: Focus First on Results. He has also been personally endorsed by Jim and Dana Robinson, authors of the book, Performance Consulting, to carry forward their work of building strategic capability in talent teams.  Find and connect with Christopher Adams here:  Website: www.resultscomefirst.com LinkedIn  Find and connect with Jess Almlie here:  LinkedIn Subscribe to the L&D Must Change Newsletter Learning Business Advisor Consulting Additional resources mentioned in this Episode:  Book: Performance Consulting: A Strategic Process to Improve, Measure, and Sustain Organizational Results by Jim & Dana Robinson, et. al.  Book: Human Competence: Engineering Worthy Peformance by Thomas F. Gilbert Book: Improving Performance: How to Manage the White Space on the Organizational Chart by Geary A. Rummler and Alan P. Brache  

It's episode 4 and we're talking all things belonging with researcher Wendy Gates Corbett. She's on a mission to show everyone who wants to make a difference in their work culture how easy and possible it is to do just that, especially when it comes to belonging in the workplace. It turns out, a sense of belonging doesn't stem from big engagement programs and events, but from small (free) actions that anyone can do. As L&D professionals, we are in a unique position to help lead the way for these small actions to ultimately turn the tide on retention and engagement.  Wendy and I discuss:  The importance of creating a sense of belonging at work Three main components of belonging: connect, respect, and protect How we can simplify (and not overcomplicate) actions that lead to belonging How L&D can lead the way to model and advocate for belonging in the workplace The need for rest and recovery as an important part of belonging One thing you can do today to get started Wendy Gates Corbett, CPTD, stands at the forefront of Belonging and Leadership, wielding her expertise with a vibrant energy that transforms workplaces and speaking stages alike. Her personal journey as a biracial individual has profoundly influenced her mission to cultivate spaces of unconditional acceptance, a mission that she brings to life as a top-tier organizational culture consultant, global training executive, belonging researcher, and Adjunct Professor of Leadership and Management in all of Duke University's graduate engineering programs. Wendy's research, which has touched over 150,000 people worldwide, pinpoints the behaviors that foster a genuine sense of belonging within organizations. Wendy's #1 bestselling book, "The Energy of Belonging: 75 Ideas to Spark Workplace Community," is a continuation of her vital discourse on the subject. Whether consulting in the boardroom, lecturing in the classroom, or captivating an audience on stage, Wendy Gates Corbett is a beacon of progress, hope, and action guiding a path toward a more inclusive, empowered, and thriving future. Her work sparks impactful change, encouraging everyone to claim their space, their voice, and their power to create spaces where belonging thrives. Find and connect with Wendy Gates Corbett here:  LinkedIn Websites: www.wendygatescorbett.com / www.signature-presentations.com Book: "The Energy of Belonging: 75 Ideas to Spark Workplace Community" on Amazon: https://bit.ly/belongingenergy Find and connect with Jess Almlie here:  LinkedIn Subscribe to the L&D Must Change Newsletter Learning Business Advisor Consulting