The Learning & Development Podcast: The #1 L&D Show
- Episodes
- 204
- Released
- every two weeks
- Latest episode
- Nov 10, 2026
About the podcast
The Learning & Development Podcast is a fortnightly topical podcast show for L&D professionals hosted by David James and presented by 360Learning. In each episode David discusses and debates topics affecting the profession alongside expert guests. 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 global influencers in the L&D space. The Learning & Development Podcast has amassed over 1M downloads and ranks in the top 1% of podcasts globally. With nearly 40,000 LinkedIn followers, David 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. In 2026, David was honoured with the Colin Steed Award for Outstanding Contribution to Learning at The Learning Awards, presented by The LPI (Learning & Performance Institute), recognising his ongoing impact and leadership in advancing the L&D profession. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ Website: https://www.360learning.com/
Episodes 204
Why 85% of L&D Teams Are Stuck - and How to Move Forward with Danny Seals interviewing David James
In this special episode, David is interviewed by guest host Danny Seals returns to explore The State of L&D Maturity Report, drawn from more than 1,000 assessments of L&D teams worldwide. The headline finding …
Show notes
In this special episode, David is interviewed by guest host Danny Seals returns to explore The State of L&D Maturity Report, drawn from more than 1,000 assessments of L&D teams worldwide.
The headline finding is the proactive plateau, where 85% of teams sit at Level 2 or 3 with polished programmes, core use cases covered and success measured by attendance and satisfaction rather than business outcomes.
David explains why that position feels so comfortable, what it costs L&D leaders personally and professionally, and why "what's your score?" is the wrong question when the real story lies in the gaps between dimensions. From there, he sets out the two walls that hold teams back, strategy and alignment, and quantifying impact, and why measurement turns out to be the biggest multiplier in the data.
It's a candid look at what separates higher-maturity teams from the rest, why even the best still struggle with training processes, and the first move David would make to get off the plateau.
Download the L&D Maturity Model Report here: https://360learning.com/maturity-model/
Click here to sign up for Danny's newsletter - https://www.knotanothernewsletter.com
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS- The L&D Maturity Model consists of five distinct levels ranging from reactive to transformative.
- Currently, 85% of L&D teams are stuck on a proactive plateau at levels two and three, maintaining a shopfront without driving performance.
- Progressing past level three requires overcoming two walls: gaining proximity to business stakeholders, and building a track record of impact.
- L&D professionals must stop acting as order-takers and earn the right to be strategic partners by actively solving real business problems.
BEST MOMENTS "Trying to escape from any of those levels can feel as if you're running into a wall, and hopefully this report helps to reveal what that friction you're experiencing actually is."
"If your achievements are launch, deployment, implementation, rather than impacting the bottom line, then that's a tough career story to tell."
"You will never get permission to be the strategy partner from order taker. You have to earn that and you have to earn that hard."
Danny Seals Bio Danny Seals is the founder of Knot, helping People & Culture leaders challenge conventional HR thinking, redesign People Strategies and reinvent the employee experience. He’s also the author of The Insightful Innovator and writes Knot Another Newsletter.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyseals/
Click here to sign up for Danny's newsletter - https://www.knotanothernewsletter.com
VALUABLE RESOURCES The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
Blog: https://360learning.com/blog
ABOUT THE HOST David James David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/- The L&D Maturity Model consists of five distinct levels ranging from reactive to transformative.
AI In L&D 2026: Around the Core With Egle Vinauskaite
Eglė Vinauskaitė returns to the pod to unpack the 4th annual report, AI in L&D 2026: Around the Core and challenge the narrative of what AI transformation in learning actually looks like. While over two-thirds …
Show notes
Eglė Vinauskaitė returns to the pod to unpack the 4th annual report, AI in L&D 2026: Around the Core and challenge the narrative of what AI transformation in learning actually looks like. While over two-thirds of L&D departments now use AI daily, the data reveals a surprising truth: the core of L&D hasn't moved, it's what's happening around it that changes everything.
This episode dives into the friction behind the hype, from the reality of AI agents to the unspoken anxiety, cognitive fatigue and tech barriers practitioners are quietly navigating. More importantly, Eglė spotlights a quiet 14% "break-out" group that is fundamentally changing how the business views L&D, offering a blueprint for how any team can advance their L&D proposition today without waiting for permission or massive budgets.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
AI is becoming business as usual in L&D, 70% have used it compared to 54% last year. But its core uses remain familiar: content development and learning design.
The opportunity is moving beyond speed. We now use AI to understand needs before designing, review quality, and to analyse what happened afterwards.
Skills intelligence has potential, but progress is slow it takes more than a framework.
To strengthen L&D’s value, focus on the performance problem you’re solving, not simply on the next AI use case.
BEST MOMENTS
“The change is slow, frankly, despite all the talk about disruption.”
“Last year was about spread - this year is about depth.”
“It's not in the next AI use case. It's in what you're fundamentally trying to achieve with AI.”
Egle Vinauskaite Bio
Named one of HR’s Most Influential Thinkers in 2025, Egle Vinauskaite is the award-winning director of Nodes, an advisory helping organisations build the capability infrastructure for AI-powered work. With a background spanning business, behavioural science, and adult development, she brings both analytical rigour and practitioner depth to the organisational and human dimensions of how AI reshapes work. Over the past eight years she has been trusted by leading companies across industries – from technology and professional services to finance and pharma – to navigate capability building, AI strategy in L&D, and the complexity of AI transformation.
Alongside her advisory work, Egle co-authors the annual global AI in L&D Report series – a leading independent industry publication, now in its fourth year, analysing how organisations are applying AI in practice and what it means for the future of the profession.
Her work has earned industry recognition, including the Rising Star Award from the Learning and Performance Institute. Egle holds an M.Ed. from Harvard University and is known for translating complex shifts in AI into clear, practical insight for leaders.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinauskaite/
AI In L&D 2026 report: https://www.nodes.works/reports/2026
VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
What Is L&D For? Identity, Impact and Agency with Andrew Jacobs
Andrew Jacobs joins the pod to explore what L&D is really for and why the profession's identity has to shift from producing courses to engineering performance. Drawing on a career that spans retail banking, the …
Show notes
Andrew Jacobs joins the pod to explore what L&D is really for and why the profession's identity has to shift from producing courses to engineering performance.
Drawing on a career that spans retail banking, the fire service, retail and local and central government, Andrew explains why capability depends as much on the organisation's capacity to apply learning as on the ability L&D builds and why AI has made that conversation urgent.
From there, he unpacks his shopkeeper to engineer idea and his view that L&D is like Mexican food, the same ingredients folded differently, before making the case for why people now build their own burrito and L&D's role is to help them do it better.
He then turns to impact, setting out the difference between counting, measuring and evaluating, why a performance baseline matters, and how asking "help me understand" can change the conversation with the business, with a memorable example involving sickness absence and extendable lanyards. Along the way, he discusses podcasting as a way of connecting people and surfacing the insight inside an organisation, the 50 Big Ideas to Change L&D, and the health of the profession today.
He closes with why he won't give advice without understanding someone's context, and, in a bonus segment, why L&D should respond to uncertainty by agreeing principles rather than writing a strategy. It's a thoughtful conversation for anyone in L&D who wants to move from taking orders to solving problems.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
From Shopkeeper to Engineer: L&D often acts as a shopkeeper, taking orders for courses and delivering them without questioning the root cause. To drive real change, L&D professionals must become performance engineers who step back, understand the business problem, and build systemic solutions.
L&D is like Mexican Food: Much of what the learning profession produces uses the exact same ingredients, just folded and packaged differently—like a burrito versus a fajita. Rebranding basic management training as leadership development without changing the core approach fails to solve actual business needs.
The Capacity Gap: L&D is highly skilled at addressing ability through courses and workshops, but it consistently fails to address organizational capacity. True capability requires building the relationships, structures, systems, and technologies that allow employees to apply what they learn.
Measure Outcomes, Not Inputs: The profession needs to stop measuring input data like attendance, course completions, and test scores. True evaluation requires establishing a baseline of current performance, defining the target outcome with stakeholders, and measuring the actual shift in business results.
BEST MOMENTS
"We can do ability until we're blue in the face. Courses, classes, workshops, brilliant, design and materials and content. What we fail to work within is the capacity part of capability within the organization."
"L&D's like Mexican food. We do this all the time... it's the same ingredients but folded differently and cooked in the oven."
"We are arguing about the seat at the table so much that we're forgetting that maybe the table won't exist anymore."
"The first step you take as a crew manager is backwards. And that's what L&D needs to do. When someone says, we've got a fire, I need some help, can you do a course for me? What we should do is go, step back, absolutely, what's the problem? And start talking in terms of performance within the business."
Andrew Jacobs Bio
Andrew Jacobs is the Learning Principal for Llarn Learning, known for innovative thinking about learning, training and technology. He has significant experience across a range of roles in learning, training, talent and people development, gained across public and private sector industries, most recently in central government with HMRC and DHSC.
Andrew has a specific understanding of developing online and digital solutions for learning, social profile and engagement. He is a Fellow of the Learning Performance Institute (LPI) and a CIPD Leader in Learning. He received the Internet Time Alliance award for his work on informal learning in July 2020 and was highly commended at the CIPD People Management Awards in 2021.
He blogs daily at www.lostanddesperate.com and produces the podcast Women Talking About Learning.
You can contact or follow Andrew via the following:Blog: https://www.lostanddesperate.comPodcast: https://womentalkaboutlearning.podbean.com/
Website: https://llarn.com/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
Blog: https://360learning.com/blog
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
Writing the AI Playbook in Real Time With Danny Barrow
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Danny Barrow, Lead Learning Program Manager at Ridgeline - an innovative Investment Management company - to explore how AI has …
Show notes
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Danny Barrow, Lead Learning Program Manager at Ridgeline - an innovative Investment Management company - to explore how AI has reshaped what Danny believes his function is capable of delivering, and the practical, sometimes messy, process of turning that belief into something tangible. From solving live business needs to a project built for interns.
Danny shares how he's laying the groundwork for taking AI to the next level, including the knowledge repository he's building and where his early experiments with AI agents are taking him. Along the way, David and Danny get into what this shift is doing to Danny's own sense of his role, and what it might mean for where the L&D profession is headed next.
For anyone wanting to experiment more with AI in their own L&D practice but unsure where to begin, this episode offers a grounded, honest look at what it actually takes.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
You need a human in the loop. When you chain multiple AI steps together without human review, small inaccuracies compound and your final output can be seriously off. At step 1 it will be about 90% correct, take that content unchecked through 5 AI driven steps and you end up with something that is only 59% right.
Grounding AI in SME interviews, recordings, and a curated knowledge repository and a fact-checking process or tool is critical to avoid hallucinations and keep content fresh.
You don’t need to be a coder to build useful AI workflows: start with small “unit tests,” then turn repeatable wins into reusable skills your whole team can leverage.
AI creates space for L&D to stop being order takers and instead act as strategic consultants, orchestrating ecosystems, agents, and knowledge flows that solve real business problems.
BEST MOMENTS
“I’m passionate about using AI to add business value and boost efficiency in learning and development without sacrificing the quality.”
“Where AI has come into the picture is it is making us move faster, not differently.”
“We shouldn’t be order-takers. We should be consultants to guide the business and coach them towards best practices.”
"Start small.... it doesn't even have to be learning and development related.”
Danny Barrow Bio
Danny Barrow is Lead Learning Program Manager at Ridgeline, an investment management technology company, where he designs and implements learning and enablement solutions to help the business scale. His recent work has included re-imagining the onboarding curriculum for Ridgeline's Customer Experience department and leading the implementation of 360Learning's LMS, transitioning the company's training operations from manual processes onto the platform. Before Ridgeline, he worked at InvestCloud as a technical trainer. He is based in Los Angeles and studied at Pitzer College.https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-barrow-4b199163/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
AI for People Professionals with Erica Farmer
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David is joined by Erica Farmer to discuss her new book ‘AI for People Professionals: Understand How to Use Artificial Intelligence in Your HR Role.’ Erica …
Show notes
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David is joined by Erica Farmer to discuss her new book ‘AI for People Professionals: Understand How to Use Artificial Intelligence in Your HR Role.’
Erica shares the experiences that convinced her the book was needed now and the patterns she noticed in how HR professionals perceive and use AI. They explore what it means for HR to "get out of living in Hard Mode," before diving into the AI dividend and what it could offer L&D and the wider workforce. Erica unpacks the practicalities of prompting, makes the case for sustainable AI adoption, and discusses the role of HR and L&D in driving AI adoption and advocacy. She also addresses concerns around AI-supported wellbeing, sets out L&D's role as a curator of skills, and explores the opportunity in AI-augmented coaching.
Erica also touches on the impact of AI on talent management and paints a picture of how agentic AI is shifting people development from generative to autonomous, closing with her vision for learning-led HR.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
L&D has a huge opportunity to become the stakeholder’s best friend by using AI to solve real operational problems, shifting to architecting skills, intelligence, and quality solutions.
AI is an opportunity to stop “living in hard mode” by automating low‑value work and doubling down on high‑value human skills and relationships.
AI should be treated as a thinking partner and coaching ally that democratizes access to support, not a replacement for human coaches, facilitators, or therapists.
BEST MOMENTS
“AI can be an Iron Man suit that can help you to achieve an enormous amount more than before. But if you're going to stay in your lane … then AI is your meteor. .”
“Using AI as a thinking partner will help you challenge yourself and develop and start to think in a way that traditionally you might not of and therefore come up with more innovative ideas.”
“If you're somebody who will say naturally, I'm not techy, then become techy.”
Erica Farmer Bio
Erica Farmer has over 25 years of learning and development and apprenticeships experience with some of the UK's best known brands such as LV=, British Gas, Specsavers and Virgin. Her area of specialism is AI and future skills. Erica speaks about this in her TEDx talk, 'Reforming Education through the Digital First Mindset', and in her courses as a LinkedIn Learning Instructor.
Erica is passionate about driving human collaborations with tech. Examples are the 'AI for the Average Joe' podcast show, making the complex, simple, alongside her innovative keynotes and workshops focusing on AI for everyone, AI in leadership and practical uses AI in wellbeing. An advisory member of the AI in Work & Skills Forum, Erica is a seasoned presenter who was shortlisted as Best AI Speaker in the 2025 Speaker Awards. She is also an AI Strategist for a leading European learning and teaching assessment organization.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericafarmer/
AI for People Professionals book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/People-Professionals-Understand-Artificial-Intelligence/dp/139862599X/
ABOUT THE HOST
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, he is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
Power Skills, Global Academies and Transforming L&D at Merlin with Rob Peacock
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Rob Peacock, Director of Leadership & Learning at Merlin Entertainments, to discuss the transformation journey of the global …
Show notes
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Rob Peacock, Director of Leadership & Learning at Merlin Entertainments, to discuss the transformation journey of the global learning function. They look at the disconnect between legacy training methods and the "hands-on" reality of managing a commercial P&L, while tackling the question of how to select and deliver "power skills" that genuinely serve a young, frontline workforce. They also explore how senior leaders are being embedded as active role models across the organization, the friction encountered when transitioning from local teams to global academies and the specific metrics needed to remain accountable and valued in 2026.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Merlin shifted from fragmented, locally driven L&D to global academies to build consistent leadership, enterprise capabilities, and democratised learning at scale. Including academies that target specific roles or departments e.g. engineers.
A sharp focus on a few power skills, including storytelling, great conversations and business partnering drives frontline performance and long‑term careers far more than catalogues of courses. Those soft but powerful skills work for a lifetime.
Storytelling is treated as a core power skill because it makes everything else work better: presentations, influencing, leadership, and guest experience all become more effective when people can tell simple, human, memorable stories.
A shared high‑performing team model combined with diagnostics drives systemic change and shows you where you need to focus next.
L&D leaders must lean into discomfort, own their expertise with executives, and relentlessly tie learning to business impact.
BEST MOMENTS
“The goal is great leaders, not great leadership development.”
“If you identify the right levers, you can make a very very substantive difference.”
“Data informs people. Stories move people.”
“Leadership is the cornerstone of any successful organisation. It´s a cornerstone of any transformation.”
“You have to stay laser focused on the things that make the single biggest difference.”
Rob Peacock Bio
Rob Peacock is a senior learning and development leader with over 15 years of experience building capability across global organisations. He currently serves as Global Director of Leadership and Learning at Merlin Entertainments, having joined in 2024.
Before Merlin, Rob held senior L&D and talent roles at The Very Group, Samsung Electronics, and Virgin Media, where he led the company's L&D Academy. His career began at Tesco, where he spent nearly a decade across recruitment, HR business partnering, and learning roles spanning 22 countries.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robpeacockuyl/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
The Learning & Development Podcast Live: Common L&D Myths on Trial
Step inside the courtroom of Learning & Development, where long-held beliefs are called to the stand and only evidence, experience, and impact will determine the verdict. This high-energy, live episode brings …
Show notes
Step inside the courtroom of Learning & Development, where long-held beliefs are called to the stand and only evidence, experience, and impact will determine the verdict.
This high-energy, live episode brings together three of L&D’s most respected voices to challenge the myths holding our profession back. David James will play the role of courtroom judge, inviting the audience to be the jury - and witnesses - in a fast-paced, interactive trial of truth versus tradition.
Each expert panellist takes on a widely accepted L&D myth - presenting their “case,” examining the evidence and defending the reality based on years of frontline experience:
Becky Willis (CLO & Founder, Tractus Learning)
Jess Almlie (Learning & Performance Strategist)
Kevin M. Yates (The L&D Detective®)
Audience members become the jury - voting “Guilty” or “Not Guilty” after each myth and ultimately deciding which challenged belief brought the biggest insight.
This unmissable episode blends drama, debate and practical truth - leaving the audience with grounded strategies to modernise their L&D approach, reject outdated assumptions and focus on what truly drives performance and impact.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of 1000s of hours of analysis and conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on L&D leadership - here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Today’s challenges need integrated, AI-driven, business-aligned ecosystems, not legacy, course-catalogue LMS “dinosaurs with wheels.”
L&D's value does not lie in delivering exactly what leaders request. Our value lies in helping the organisation achieve its goals through strategic performance improvement and capability development.
Completions, surveys and smile sheets have value, but they will never show true performance impact. Focus measurement on workplace performance outcomes.
BEST MOMENTS
“It might look slick, but in reality, it won´t do the job.”
“Training the business to think differently about how they approach us with requests ... happens one person at a time.”
“We need to remove the myth that training alone can fix it, ghat L&D has magic dust, magic wands and secret formulas.”
Becky Willis
Becky Willis is founder and chief learning officer at Tractus Learning, helping customers build successful digital learning strategies. She also founded WillLearn Consulting. Previously, she was VP of Engagement at EdCast and led learning innovation at Hewlett Packard.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckywillis/
Jess Almlie
Jess Almlie is an L&D leader, consultant, speaker, and author of L&D Order Taker No More. With 20+ years of experience, she has led enterprise learning strategies across healthcare, education, and financial services. Most recently, she was VP of Learning Experience at WEX.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessalmlie/
L&D Must Change Podcast: https://www.jessalmlie.com/podcast
L&D Order Taker No More: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Order-Taker-No-More-Strategic-ebook/dp/B0F83XBBCV
Kevin M. Yates
Kevin M. Yates, the L&D Detective®, is a global expert in measuring learning’s impact on workplace performance. With 25+ years of experience at organisations including McDonald’s, Meta, and Grant Thornton, he helps L&D teams use data to demonstrate business impact. He also founded the nonprofit Meals in the Meantime.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinmyates/
https://kevinmyates.com/detective-kit
RESOURCES
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
THE HOST
David James has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
Rebuilding L&D for an AI-Driven World with Larry Durham & Jonathan Eighteen
In this episode, David James is joined by Larry Durham, President of St. Charles Consulting Group, and Jonathan Eighteen, Global Head of Consulting and Advisory Services at NIIT, to explore the findings of the …
Show notes
In this episode, David James is joined by Larry Durham, President of St. Charles Consulting Group, and Jonathan Eighteen, Global Head of Consulting and Advisory Services at NIIT, to explore the findings of the 2026 Learning Transformation Benchmark. Together, they examine why L&D is entering a period of structural rebuild as the environment it was originally designed for ceases to exist.
Larry and Jonathan reflect on the growing gap between organizational ambition and actual system readiness, highlighting how AI intensifies the need for learning to operate as enterprise infrastructure. They discuss the shift toward "invisible L&D," the necessity of moving skills from static taxonomies to active tools for workforce planning, and how L&D must evolve from a delivery engine into a strategic architect of performance to have a real business impact in an AI-accelerated world.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
· Currently, the real gap is misaligned systems, governance, and funding.
· As AI takes over declarative and procedural work, L&D must shift from compliance and content to performance, judgement, and stakeholder capability.
· AI collapses design and development effort; the opportunity is to reinvest at the edges in performance consulting, measurement, and capability architecture. It gives us more impact.
· Owning the organisation’s capability operating system is L&D’s path to lasting relevance in an AI‑driven workplace.
BEST MOMENTS
“The ambition is really clear. It's just the execution, the systems, and the governance that are holding people back.”
“I think it (AI) inverts it, and it maybe even flattens the bell curve.”
“If we don't have a seat going forward, it's because we didn't either take it or we didn't show up.”
Read the 2026 Learning Transformation Benchmark report for yourself, here: https://www.niit.com/en/learning-outsourcing/news-details/niitmts-stcharles-announce-2026-global-learning-transformation-benchmark-survey-report/
Larry Durham Bio
Larry Durham has spent 30 years helping organizations strengthen talent development, partnering with global professional services firms and Fortune 500 companies to deliver measurable business outcomes. He has worked in more than 30 countries as a consultant, facilitator, and speaker. Larry is President of St. Charles Consulting Group and previously led PwC's Learning Practice within Human Capital Advisory Services.
His recent work includes developing AI strategies for learning organizations, redesigning learning operating models, and aligning learning with business, diversity, and performance goals. Larry hosts The HIVE podcast, co-authored The Talent-Fueled Enterprise, and is currently co-authoring The Judgment Void: How AI is Dismantling the One Human Capability It Cannot Replace.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrydurham
Jonathan Eighteen Bio
Jonathan Eighteen is a transformation expert who helps leading organizations evolve learning, leadership, and talent strategies to improve performance. He has worked across complex public and private sector organizations in the UK, US, and globally, with deep expertise in learning operating models and organizational transformation.
He has led large-scale learning function transformations, including strategy, governance, restructuring, technology modernization, and managed services transitions. Jonathan also helped lead Deloitte's research on skills-based organizations and later commissioned NIIT research on skills. He has since advised multiple organizations on designing and implementing skills-based talent strategies.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-eighteen-5293396/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
· https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
· https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
· https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
· L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
Running L&D Like a Business with Tracie Cantu
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Tracie Cantu to discuss her book Running L&D Like a Business. Tracie shares the L&D leadership experience that shaped her …
Show notes
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Tracie Cantu to discuss her book Running L&D Like a Business. Tracie shares the L&D leadership experience that shaped her perspective and what compelled her to write the book.
They explore what it truly means to run L&D like a business and why this mindset is so often missing, before diving into the Learning Operations Business Model and its four core components, and the three buckets of the Learning Operations Blueprint. Tracie unpacks the important distinction between the "customer" and the "consumer" of learning, explains what good governance looks like without it becoming bureaucracy, and makes the case for prioritising people and process before technology.
Tracie also shares her advocacy for a go-to-market strategy for internal learning initiatives and closes with practical advice for listeners on where and how to begin applying these frameworks in their own organisations.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
L&D’s challenge isn’t talent or effort, it´s a weak operating model - regardless of the industry. Treating L&D as a business function is what fixes this problem.
Every initiative must tie clearly to helping the organisation make money, save money or reduce risk, while still delivering a fit‑for‑purpose learner experience.
High‑impact programmes are launched, not just built apply go‑to‑market thinking, marketing assets and find champions to demonstrate the benefits so that your great work doesn’t become shelfware.
BEST MOMENTS
"Our job is to help them make money, save money, and reduce risk - if we´re not, then it´s not aligned to the business goals."
"Build it and they will come. That is bulls**t. They will not come....because we are not marketing it."
"We should be anchoring every training we have to that high customer value."
Tracie Cantu Bio
Tracie Cantu, MHRM, CPTD is a recognised expert in learning operations and technology with more than two decades of experience leading and transforming enterprise L&D functions. Her career spans aviation, government, retail, and tech, including senior roles such as Director of Learning Technology at Whole Foods Market (Amazon), Head of Learning Ecosystems at Meta, and L&D leadership at Atlassian. Today she serves as CEO and Chief Learning Strategist at Your CLO, where she partners with CHROs, COOs, and senior L&D leaders to modernise learning operations, optimise technology ecosystems, and implement scalable processes that drive measurable business impact. A sought-after international speaker, Tracie regularly presents at major industry events including ATD and Learning Technologies UK. She is the author of Running L&D Like a Business
https://www.linkedin.com/in/traciemcantu/
Running L&D Like a Business Book - https://www.yourclo.net/running-l-d-like-a-business
VALUABLE RESOURCES
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
The Frontline Enablement Playbook: Bridging the Gap for the World’s Most Essential Workforce with JD Dillon
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by JD Dillon to celebrate the launch of his new book, The Frontline Enablement Playbook. They explore why the traditional L&D toolkit …
Show notes
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by JD Dillon to celebrate the launch of his new book, The Frontline Enablement Playbook. They explore why the traditional L&D toolkit often fails the deskless workforce and how JD’s experience at Disney helped shape a more grounded, practical philosophy for supporting those whose "office" is a shop floor, a hospital wing, or a delivery vehicle.
JD reflects on the shift from digital accessibility to true operational enablement, arguing that L&D must stop asking how to get workers onto a desktop and start asking how to deliver value in the flow of demanding, high-pressure work. They delve into the impact of AI on frontline development, the necessity of data-driven strategies, and how to empower overstretched frontline managers to support their teams. JD provides a roadmap for evolving L&D from a corporate function into a vital support system that recognises skills, respects time, and drives genuine organisational performance.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Frontline enablement means shifting L&D’s focus from learning outputs to helping people do their jobs in time‑starved, heavily measured operations.
Build genuine community - start by helping overwhelmed managers succeed.
Technology and AI only add value when they’re grounded in real workflows, hardware constraints, and operational data.
Leverage the rich data around frontline roles.
BEST MOMENTS
“I'm not here to help people learn, I'm here to help people do - to help the organisation achieve by the everyday performance of the people who are doing the heavy lifting.”
“The strongest frontline teams work in service of one another, in service of a shared success, in service of a pride in doing the job well and doing the job well together.”
JD Dillon Bio
JD Dillon began his career on the frontline, leading teams in theme parks, movie theatres, and contact centres. These roles shaped his understanding of how people learn, perform, and succeed in fast-paced environments.
Over the past 25 years, JD has become a leading voice in frontline enablement, holding operations, marketing, and talent development roles with global organisations including Disney, AMC, and Kaplan. He has helped shape strategy, technology, and services that empower millions of frontline workers across industries such as retail, food service, hospitality, logistics, and financial services.
A respected author, content creator, and keynote speaker, JD advises organisations on frontline performance strategy, ecosystem design, and AI-enabled solutions. His latest book, The Frontline Enablement Playbook – Equip Your Deskless Workforce to Power Organizational Performance, is a blueprint for rethinking how organisations engage and empower deskless workers.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jddillon/
Frontline Enablement Playbook - Equip Your Deskless Workforce to Power Organiaztional Performance,
VALUABLE RESOURCES
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
Beyond Content: Rebuilding L&D Around The Transformation Triangle with Egle Vinauskaite
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Egle Vinauskaite to discuss the launch of her highly anticipated follow-up to the ‘Race for Impact’ report. They explore the core …
Show notes
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Egle Vinauskaite to discuss the launch of her highly anticipated follow-up to the ‘Race for Impact’ report. They explore the core objectives behind this new research and the methodology Egle used to capture the reality of today's learning landscape.
Egle reflects on the "Transformation Triangle" - a core concept of the report - unpacking its components and arguing for a definitive move away from traditional, legacy training models. They delve into the practicalities of how L&D leaders can navigate these strategic paths, the organizational blockers or "drags" that routinely stall progress, and what it truly means when Egle writes that "influence is not a consolation prize." Egle provides a roadmap for teams facing leadership pushback, offering actionable advice on how to break out of a strictly content-focused lane and elevate L&D into a high-impact, influential business driver.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
AI is rapidly taking over traditional L&D tasks, so L&D must redefine their role rather than just produce content faster.
For L&D, the future lies in 3 areas: becoming a skills authority, an enablement partner and/or tackling performance as a systems problem.
L&D’s ability to change is shaped by the organisation around it. Reporting lines, what leaders expect from “the training team,” and the skills the L&D team has will all determine how far beyond content L&D can really move.
Building credibility by being involved early when business problems are defined, enables L&D to influence decisions and outcomes more powerfully.
BEST MOMENTS
“The transformation triangle is a strategic framework for L&D leaders…it maps the territory beyond content focused L&D.”
“Understand the boundaries that you're operating within. Not that you cannot massage those boundaries over time.”
Egle Vinauskaite Bio
Egle Vinauskaite brings extensive expertise in learning, behaviour, and technology, working with both global enterprises and emerging edtech innovators. Her background spans AI, XR, mobile learning, digital platforms, and blended learning design, giving her a unique perspective on how technology is reshaping organisational learning and the future of work. As both an advisor and researcher, she helps L&D teams integrate AI into their operations and prepare workforces with the skills needed for effective adoption. Blending rigorous research with hands-on application, Egle has a sharp view of how AI is redefining the role of L&D and creating new possibilities for learning in the workplace.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinauskaite/
The Transformation Triangle report: https://www.nodes.works/transformation-triangle
VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
Strength in Chaos: Leadership Development for an Unpredictable World With Kevin Black
In this episode, Kevin Black joins David to explore why leadership so often feels chaotic and why most leadership development fails to prepare leaders for that reality. Together, they examine the gap between …
Show notes
In this episode, Kevin Black joins David to explore why leadership so often feels chaotic and why most leadership development fails to prepare leaders for that reality.
Together, they examine the gap between how leadership is taught and how it’s experienced, unpacking how leaders respond to pressure, uncertainty, and loss of control and why those responses can either escalate or stabilise chaos. Kevin shares insights from his research into leadership under pressure, introducing a more grounded way of understanding what effective leadership looks like when conditions are volatile and ambiguous.
The conversation also focuses on the role of Learning & Development. Kevin explains where traditional leadership programmes fall short, what L&D can do differently to prepare leaders for real-world complexity and how embracing chaos as a design constraint - not a flaw - can lead to more credible and impactful leadership development. If you’re responsible for developing leaders and questioning whether current approaches are enough, this episode is for you.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
If L&D keeps treating leadership as generic empathy and communication training, it leaves leaders under-skilled in critical thinking, planning, strategy execution, and behavioural adaptability – unprepared for the chaos they face.
Reconnect leadership to context, critical thinking, planning and behavioural adaptability, so leaders can recognise the patterns of chaos and work with it rather than be overwhelmed by it.
BEST MOMENTS
“Chaos is experienced at the individual level, but it's measured at the team level.”
“If leadership education is all people-oriented, and you're not learning how to critically think, plan, link your communication, then you are inviting people to go into behavioural overdrive.”
“You should have a direct line to the C suite... Don't be the handmaid of HR and just doing services.”
Kevin Black Bio
Kevin Black is globally recognised as a leadership strategist and researcher, specialising in how leaders perform under pressure and uncertainty. Drawing on six years of frontline experience in the U.S. Army, he helps organisations develop leaders who make better decisions, build resilient teams, and deliver results when traditional leadership models fall short. Kevin is also the author of Strength in Chaos (2025), which equips leaders with a practical framework for navigating complexity and driving performance in high-stakes environments.
You can follow and connect with Kevin via:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinblack1999/
Book: https://kevinblack.co/strength-in-chaos/
Website: https://kevinblack.co/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
Navigating a Shifting L&D Jobs Market with Nick Jones
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Nick Jones of Blue Eskimo to discuss the state of the industry following the launch of the 2026 Blue Eskimo Work & Salary Report …
Show notes
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Nick Jones of Blue Eskimo to discuss the state of the industry following the launch of the 2026 Blue Eskimo Work & Salary Report. Nick dives into the current market reality, exploring what is actually happening on the ground and how global shifts are impacting the jobs market.
The conversation addresses the significant rise in redundancies and identifies which specific roles are being hit hardest as organisations restructure. They look at the disconnect between "strategic" job descriptions and the "hands-on" reality of recruitment, while tackling the question of whether AI is truly replacing jobs or simply forcing the profession to evolve. They look into why many L&D professionals are currently finding themselves unprepared for the job market, the increasing importance of personal branding, and the specific skills needed to remain accountable and valued in 2026.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
AI, budget cuts, and team bloat correction have had an impact. Globally, redundancies are high - but there are signs of recovery.
Now, your personal brand really matters.
Showcase the fact you operate as a commercial partner and impact the bottom line.
Make it easy for hiring managers and stakeholders to understand the value you create and the problems you solve.
Treat your CV and profile as live sales tools: show the strategic impact you’ve had, not just tasks you’ve completed.
Stay ready, continually refresh them - so opportunities find you before you need them. - Nick explains exactly how to do this.
Your next move will come more from your network and recruiters, than from job boards - show up where hiring managers actually look.
BEST MOMENTS
“Redundancies are … through the roof.”
“The skills that are perhaps most in demand … are sales skills, marketing skills - stakeholder engagement skills.”
“Everybody should have some semblance of a personal brand.”
“They can't hold back on projects and expenditure for too long - businesses still need to deliver.”
Nick Jones Bio
Nick Jones is the owner and director of Blue Eskimo, the UK’s leading recruitment specialist for the learning and development and learning technology sectors. With a career rooted in L&D at firms like Qa LTD and Informatics Ctec, Nick earned an MBA from Aston University and co-founded Blue Eskimo to provide targeted talent solutions for the training industry. He is a recognised expert on L&D salary trends, the impact of Generative AI on the workforce and the evolving skills required for modern learning professionals.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickjonesblueeskimo/
2026 Blue Eskimo Work & Salary Report: https://www.blueeskimo.com/resources/downloads/2026-ld-work-and-salary-report-blue-eskimo
VALUABLE RESOURCES
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
7 Steps to Better Learning Engagement, A Blueprint for Creating Impactful L&D, Live in NYC with Becky Willis
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Becky Willis to break down the essential components of her new book, 7 Steps to Better Learning Engagement: A Blueprint for …
Show notes
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Becky Willis to break down the essential components of her new book, 7 Steps to Better Learning Engagement: A Blueprint for Creating Impactful L&D. Together, they explore what it truly takes for an organization to shift its attention toward L&D and, more importantly, how to convert that attention into tangible business impact.
Becky reflects on the transition from traditional L&D hurdles to a streamlined, step-by-step guide for modern professionals. The conversation covers the entire lifecycle of a successful initiative—from securing executive buy-in and refining strategy to optimizing learning technology. They also delve into the "marketing" side of the industry, discussing how to leverage internal champions and communication tactics to ensure L&D moves from the periphery to the heart of organizational performance.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
● Reposition L&D as a business function, not a course factory - move from “we create training” to “we solve business problems,” and prove it using time to proficiency, product quality, and profit KPIs.
● Start with one senior sponsor, co‑solve a pressing business issue, prove impact with data and stories, then scale support via a Learning Advisory Board or similar council.
● Modern, collaborative, AI‑enabled platforms with strong UX can transform engagement and visibility. But don´t bolt AI onto legacy LMSs and risk turning L&D into a “dinosaur on wheels.”
● Market L&D internally like a product - use champions and visible executives and continually showcase success stories.
● Go way beyond courses, design for moments of need. Build experience sharing, in‑the‑flow support and AI‑enabled coaching - employees need to get exactly what they need, when they need it.
BEST MOMENTS
“If you have bolted on AI that's just added into there, onto your dinosaur, LMS, then what you have is a dinosaur on wheels.”
“I think the mindset of going from I create courses to I solve business problems is a big step.”
“The sweet spot of learning and development is to be there at the moment of need - to influence the moment of apply.”
Becky Willis Bio
Becky Willis is a founder and the chief learning officer at Tractus Learning. She helps guide Tractus customers to implement successful digital learning. She is also the founder of WillLearn Consulting, where she helps companies plan, design, and develop high-performance digital learning ecosystems. Previously, she was the vice president of engagement at EdCast and led learning innovation at Hewlett Packard.
You can follow and contact Becky via:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckywillis/
Website: https://tractuslearning.com/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
● Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
● LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
● L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
● Blog: https://360learning.com/blog
● L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
Exposing L&D’s Operating Model: Navigating the Most Significant Disruption in L&D History with Tom Kupetis and Brandon Dickens
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Tom Kupetis and Brandon Dickens to explore how AI is revealing deep-seated flaws in the traditional L&D operating model. They …
Show notes
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Tom Kupetis and Brandon Dickens to explore how AI is revealing deep-seated flaws in the traditional L&D operating model. They discuss why the industry’s long-standing reliance on static content and "one size fits all" curricula is no longer fit for purpose in a world where expertise is now available on tap.
Tom and Brandon reflect on the shift from managing content production to facilitating "action learning," where L&D practitioners must act more like business consultants to drive real performance change. They delve into the return of the apprenticeship model - now enabled at scale through AI - and how the role of L&D must evolve from a reactive cost centre into a high-value sensing engine that predicts and solves business failures in real-time.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
L&D will have to stop being course producers and become performance partners. Working directly alongside the people who do the jobs to build apprenticeship-style coaching using AI.
L&D must be deeply embedded in the business, driven by data and learning science, and judged on measurable performance outcomes, not on volume of training.
BEST MOMENTS
“Gen AI is … putting expertise on tap, basically.”
“When you're trying to get a team to really adopt AI and champion it … you have to create that aha moment.”
"If every L&D employee had the anthropic kind of ecosystem at their disposal, it would 10x what they're doing."
GUEST BIOS
Tom Kupetis, Executive Vice President, St. Charles Consulting Group
Tom has 20+ years’ experience delivering management consulting and learning solutions to Fortune 500 organisations. A results-focused advisor, he partners with senior leaders to link learning directly to business outcomes such as strategic transformation, risk reduction, revenue growth, and speed to profit. As Executive Vice President, Tom leads new client acquisition and firm growth, shaping St. Charles’ client‑centric go‑to‑market strategy and positioning in strategic learning services.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-a-kupetis-ii-5a427b3/
Brandon Dickens, Vice President for Advanced Solutions, NIIT
Brandon is Vice President for Advanced Solutions at NIIT, where he leads AI-powered learning innovation for Fortune 500 clients. He focuses on AI coaching systems, adaptive simulations and performance platforms that shift L&D from content delivery to measurable business impact. Brandon helped create NIIT’s Modal AI Coach framework and “Judy,” an AI activity generator and coach for K-12 teachers built with The Writing Revolution. He co-authored The Transcendence Doctrine series, arguing that AI ends the business case for content-centric learning and forces L&D to prove value through performance.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandondickens/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
L&D at the AI Table: Shaping Strategy, Not Just Providing the Training with Simon Brown
In this episode, Simon Brown takes us inside his role as Global Learning & Development Leader at EY, sharing how he sits at the table shaping the organisation’s AI agenda rather than just delivering training …
Show notes
In this episode, Simon Brown takes us inside his role as Global Learning & Development Leader at EY, sharing how he sits at the table shaping the organisation’s AI agenda rather than just delivering training. We explore how L&D can move from a support function to a strategic driver in the AI era, the practical ways his team is role-modelling AI, and the benefits of taking an integrated approach across departments to unlock real impact.
Simon also gives his perspective on the speed at which AI is transforming L&D, what this means for day-to-day operations, and how teams can stay relevant in a rapidly changing landscape. He shares actionable advice for L&D leaders who feel they might be behind the curve, offering insights into how to forge influence, make AI work for learning, and prepare their organisations for the next wave of skills development.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
A skills-based learning ecosystem where skills act as the “connective tissue” and people build visible skills profiles, earn badges by applying new capabilities, and are then scheduled onto projects based on those skills turns learning into a direct driver of real work opportunities and career growth.
A clear vision, strategy and operating model, agreed with the C‑suite, gives L&D a mandate and protects it from shiny object tech decisions.
L&D only stays relevant if it matches consumer-grade, AI-powered experiences and uses AI itself to accelerate and personalise learning. Be part of early AI conversations.
BEST MOMENTS
“The learning is actually done by interaction with an AI agent, and that agent will guide you through step by step what might be a good agent for you to build.”
“We've tried to role model how to use the (AI) technology ourselves in how we build the learning solutions.”
Simon Brown Bio
Simon Brown is Global Learning & Development Leader at EY and international best-selling author of The Curious Advantage. A commercially minded learning leader, he was previously Chief Learning Officer at Novartis and has led major learning transformations across sectors, including at Lloyds Banking Group.
Earlier in his career he co-founded Brightwave, one of the UK’s leading e-learning companies, and consulted at Accenture for global brands such as BT, BP, Microsoft, and Canon. His work has earned multiple Chief Learning Officer Strategy Awards, and under his leadership Novartis was named #3 globally for Talent Development in the ATD BEST Awards.
Simon co-hosts The Curious Advantage podcast, is a regular international keynote speaker, and is active in global learning communities and EdTech as an angel investor.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/simoncbrown1/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Curious-Advantage-Paul-Ashcroft/dp/1648713513
https://www.curiousadvantage.com/curious-advantage-podcast
VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
Influence, Evidence and Building High-Impact L&D with Hillary Miller
In this episode, Hillary Miller takes us behind the scenes of scaling L&D across a complex healthcare system. She discusses how she adapted team structures to meet the needs of hospitals, outpatient services …
Show notes
In this episode, Hillary Miller takes us behind the scenes of scaling L&D across a complex healthcare system. She discusses how she adapted team structures to meet the needs of hospitals, outpatient services, and physician networks, and how she identified what was working and what needed to change.
Hillary also explores her approach to influencing senior stakeholders, using evidence over anecdotes and guiding conversations from “what we want” toward “what the business actually needs.” She reflects on planning ahead, balancing competing priorities and building an L&D function that delivers real organisational impact.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Strategic partnerships with leaders, grounded in their metrics and realities, let L&D see 3–5 years ahead and shape the organisation’s future.
Great L&D teams are built around people’s strengths, transferable skills, and trust so people can fill new roles as the business needs it. That´s far more productive than periodically re-organising the whole team.
Relationships are the real infrastructure. They are the most vital element for any organisation or business.
Curiosity, candour and humour with stakeholders and your own team make the hard conversations possible.
Be ready to wait for the right moments to make your points or push for change.
BEST MOMENTS
“Quit calling them learners and students. These are our colleagues, right?”
“I care a lot about looking around the corner. So, where are we going to be three to five years from now? What is the business going to be experiencing.”
“Don't wait for the big wow. Acknowledge the things that are happening along the way that are actually helping.”
“I really stand by HCA mission, which, above all else. We're committed to the care and improvement of human life. There is nothing more mission driven to me than taking care of other people.”
Hillary Miller Bio
Hillary Miller shares how she’s building an L&D function that delivers real organisational impact across hospitals, outpatient services, and physician networks. She unpacks how she uses evidence over anecdotes, guides stakeholders from “what we want” to “what the business actually needs” and drives measurable results at scale.
Hillary also takes us behind the scenes of scaling L&D, transforming team structures, assessing what works and what needs to change, balancing competing priorities and planning strategically to ensure learning initiatives truly move the business forward.
You can follow and connect with Hillary via:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hillarybmiller/
EPISODE REOURCES
https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Michael-Bungay-Stanier/author/B002QK41GQ
VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
Transforming L&D at WM: From Running Legacy L&D to Making Real Business Impact with Brian Jarvis
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Brian Jarvis to explore what it takes to lead an L&D transformation inside a long-established organisation. Brian reflects on …
Show notes
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Brian Jarvis to explore what it takes to lead an L&D transformation inside a long-established organisation.
Brian reflects on stepping into WM, the early signals that learning wasn’t supporting the business in the way it needed and the first moves he made to begin changing direction. He discusses building credibility with stakeholders, evolving ways of working within his team and how L&D has shifted from a reactive, request-led function to one that’s having a more meaningful impact on the organisation.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Make their problem your problem. Speak the language of stakeholders, take ownership of their goals and risks, and provide impactful and measurable solutions.
Target where the business is hurting most, prove revenue and performance impact. Then, expand from there.
Play the long game: build trust, feedback loops, and champions.
Be ready to wow someone - you need stakeholders who advocate for L&D.
Measure time‑to‑proficiency, readiness, and confidence, not just completion of courses or content delivered.
Evolve your practice with design thinking, leverage AI, and technology. Put in place solid best practice to scale the impact of L&D without needing a bigger team.
BEST MOMENTS
“Every programme … is evolving and changing as they (the learners) grow into another year.”
“Make their problem your problem.”
“The management of the stakeholders is the most important piece.”
“We either use smart tools to do dumb things, or we use smart tools to do the right things.”
Brian Jarvis Bio
Brian Jarvis is a strategic Learning & Development leader with more than 13 years’ experience leading enterprise-scale initiatives across large, complex organisations. He is currently responsible for Learning and Leadership Development for National Accounts at WM, supporting teams across North America, Canada, and India. In this role, Brian has modernised onboarding and upskilling for customer experience, billing, and sales functions—reducing time to proficiency, improving frontline readiness, and increasing retention while supporting significant business growth and transformation. Previously, he led large-scale learning strategies at CVS Health, Aetna, and United Bank, delivering data-driven, digital-first learning approaches that improved performance, strengthened capability at scale, and delivered measurable commercial impact.
VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
L&D Global Sentiment Survey 2026 Findings with Donald H Taylor
Since 2014, the L&D Global Sentiment Survey has been a barometer of what’s hot and what’s not in the Learning & Development profession, guiding people development professionals towards the trends that their …
Show notes
Since 2014, the L&D Global Sentiment Survey has been a barometer of what’s hot and what’s not in the Learning & Development profession, guiding people development professionals towards the trends that their peers are most concerned about. In this episode, Donald H Taylor takes a deep dive into the 2026 report and explores in conversation what we should all be taking note of.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The strongest route to security and impact for L&D is finding real business problems through your network, then designing simple, targeted interventions that change behaviour and performance—whether or not the answer looks like traditional training.
L&D cannot afford to anchor it’s worth to content production. If it does it risks being commoditised instead of recognised for solving real business problems.
AI is more powerful than we thought, it is helping to deliver truly personalised training.
Microlearning may feel like “old news” in some markets, but the survey shows it’s still emerging and powerful elsewhere. A reminder that L&D practices move at very different speeds across the world.
BEST MOMENTS
“The future is going to belong to people who understood early on what worked and what didn't work.”
“The wrong turn is to go towards focusing on content.”
Donald H Taylor Bio
A recognised commentator and thinker in the fields of workplace learning and supporting technologies, Donald is committed to helping develop the learning and development profession.
Donald has chaired the Learning Technologies Conference in London since 2000 and writes and speaks world-wide about Learning and Development (L&D). His annual L&D Global Sentiment Survey, started in 2014, provides a unique perspective on L&D trends from over 100 countries. He chairs the Workforce Development board for VC firm Emerge Education, and invests in, and advises, several EdTech start-ups.
From 2010 to 2021, he chaired the Learning and Performance Institute. He is the author of Learning Technologies in the Workplace, a graduate of Oxford University and in 2016 was awarded an honorary doctorate by Middlesex University in recognition of his work developing the L&D profession.
You can follow and contact Donald via:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaldhtaylor/
L&D Global Sentiment Survey 2026: https://donaldhtaylor.co.uk/research_base/global-sentiment-survey-2026/
Website: https://donaldhtaylor.co.uk/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
Transforming L&D: From A Reactive Service to a Strategic Driver with Geraldine Murphy
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Geraldine Murphy to explore how learning can move from a reactive service to a strategic driver of business impact. Geraldine …
Show notes
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Geraldine Murphy to explore how learning can move from a reactive service to a strategic driver of business impact.
Geraldine shares how she built the foundations for transformation - introducing governance, process, and consistency - and shifted the culture from chasing “shiny new things” to making smarter decisions about building, borrowing, buying, or automating learning. She reflects on influencing stakeholders, the power of storytelling in driving change and the personal skills that mattered most throughout the journey.
This conversation is a guide for L&D professionals ready to tackle entrenched challenges, start making change even without formal permission and step confidently into a more strategic, impactful role.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Passion isn’t enough; without structure, governance and the right tools, L&D effort stays local and inefficient.
Data‑driven storytelling unlocks investment and permission to transform.
Governance, clear promises to the business, and knowing when to say “no” are central to leading large‑scale change.
L&D must link learning directly to productivity and business performance to escape being seen as simply a “nice to have.”
BEST MOMENTS
“We weren't doing technology for technology’s sake.”
“If your people aren't growing, then the business is not growing.”
“When you've got a vision to elevate L&D to be business savvy, accountable and impactful, it's not so difficult to bring senior stakeholders on board to help to shape that.”
“For the first time, we had one platform to rule them all.”
Geraldine Murphy Bio
Geraldine Murphy is an experienced Learning & Development leader, most recently Global Learning Experience Manager at HEINEKEN. In this role, she managed a broad global portfolio of learning tools and processes and worked with 85 decentralised learning teams to support the delivery of L&D for more than 90,000 employees worldwide. Alongside this, she served as a Global DEI Ambassador, contributing to the organisation’s diversity, equity, and inclusion agenda.
Geraldine began her career in education following her teacher training in 2009 and has since worked across further and higher education, publishing, and technology. Her work includes leading learning design for HE partnership programmes at a FTSE 100 publisher and consulting with organisations such as HSBC University (Global), FourthRev, Aula, Scribbr, Jisc and the University of Cambridge. She also sits on the advisory boards for SAP SuccessFactors and LinkedIn Learning.
VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
Owning Your Brand: A new expectation in Career Management With Andy Storch
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Andy Storch, co-author of Own Your Brand, Own Your Career, to explore why personal branding has become a central tool for career …
Show notes
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Andy Storch, co-author of Own Your Brand, Own Your Career, to explore why personal branding has become a central tool for career growth.
Andy discusses the workplace shifts that inspired his book and reframes traditional career development, showing how L&D leaders can help employees discover and articulate an authentic professional brand that aligns with both personal values and organisational needs. He unpacks the broader lens of career growth beyond upward mobility - covering lateral moves, reputation, visibility, and the power of storytelling - while offering practical advice on networking, self-advocacy and intentional career moves in today’s job market.
This conversation is a guide for L&D professionals looking to equip employees to take ownership of their careers, measure the impact of brand-and-career development initiatives and balance individual growth with organisational retention.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Your personal brand is your reputation. In a world of restructures and layoffs, you can’t wait – build visibility, trust, and a clear story of your value now, so decision-makers know exactly why you’re worth keeping or hiring.
Helping people build their personal brand makes their value visible. When L&D supports employees to show what they’re great at, leaders can spot talent faster, growth feels fairer, and your best people are more likely to see a future and stay.
If networking and personal branding feel cringey, reframe them as relationship building and sharing your learning. You don’t need to perform - just focus on one genuine conversation at a time.
BEST MOMENTS
“In the past, there's been this stigma about spending time on LinkedIn or other platforms, about creating a brand for yourself outside of work, and I've seen a big shift in that.”
“I've seen people go and build great relationships and get jobs from being able to tell their story.”
Andy Storch Bio
Andy Storch is an author, consultant, coach, and speaker focused on helping professionals take ownership of their careers and lives. He is the author of Own Your Career, Own Your Life, a practical guide for people who want to stop drifting and take intentional control of their future.
Andy is the host of multiple podcasts, including The Talent Development Hot Seat, Own Your Career and My NFT Journey, and is the co-founder and host of the Talent Development Think Tank Conference and Community, as well as the Talent Development Virtual Summit. His work includes consulting and teaching strategy, leadership, sales, finance, and innovation for organisations such as Salesforce, Oracle, Google, Toyota, State Farm, Red Bull, Deloitte, EY, KPMG, HP, Sony, Cisco and Tiffany & Co. He holds an MBA from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business and a BS from the University of Florida.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystorch/
Own Your Brand, Own Your Career Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Own-Your-Brand-Career-Accelerates/dp/1736020986
ABOUT THE HOST
David James has been a People Development professional for 20+ years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT
https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
The L&D Leader with Laura Overton and Michelle Ockers
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Laura Overton and Michelle Ockers, co-authors of the new book The L&D Leader: Principles and Practice for Delivering Business …
Show notes
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Laura Overton and Michelle Ockers, co-authors of the new book The L&D Leader: Principles and Practice for Delivering Business Value.
Together, they explore why the L&D profession must shift from delivering learning to driving business value and how leaders at every stage of their career can navigate this change. Drawing on 20+ years of benchmark data and hundreds of practitioner interviews, Laura and Michelle share their TRY and be BOLD frameworks, the navigation metaphor that underpins their book and practical insights for applying principles rather than clinging to rigid models.
This conversation is a call to action for L&D professionals who want to stop getting stuck in old job descriptions, start tuning into business priorities, and step into their true potential as navigators of change.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
High‑impact L&D leaders act as wayfinders: they co‑create a clear picture of business value with stakeholders, then continuously read signals from the organisation and course‑correct, rather than follow a fixed plan or model.
Instead of chasing the next model or tool, effective L&D is grounded in learning science, fuelled by curiosity and opening up more impactful options than “just another course.”
What really differentiates impactful L&D leaders are their thinking habits: being business‑first, open‑minded, leading and learning, and deliberate – a practical inner compass for bolder, better decisions.
BEST MOMENTS
“The horizon is getting closer to us. The amount of time between a shift and us needing to have people ready for that shift is so tight now that our traditional approaches cannot respond quickly enough.”
“The (traditional) models, can restrict us …. (and) can actually crush people´s ambition.”
“You are a learning change maker.”
Laura Overton Bio
Laura Overton is an award-winning learning analyst, author, and international speaker with over 30 years of experience in the learning industry. Best known as the founder of Towards Maturity, Laura led 15 years of research exploring how learning innovation drives business value, working with thousands of L&D leaders worldwide. Today, Laura continues to champion evidence-based practice, helping learning professionals move beyond models and frameworks to embrace principles that unlock real business impact.
Michelle Ockers Bio
Michelle Ockers is a respected workplace learning strategist, speaker, and podcaster. With a background that spans the Royal Australian Air Force, corporate leadership roles and global consulting, Michelle has a reputation for helping organisations modernise learning and build business-ready capabilities. Michelle is the host of the Learning Uncut podcast, where she shares real-world stories of L&D in action. Her work brings together evidence, practice, and community to support learning leaders in navigating complexity with confidence.
LINKS
The L&D Leader Book: https://www.koganpage.com/hr-learning-development/the-l-d-leader-9781398620278
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleockers/
https://learninguncut.global/podcast/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraoverton/
https://learningchangemakers.com/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
CONTACT METHOD
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
The Learning & Development Podcast Live: The AI edition With Egle Vinaustaite, Ross Stevenson and Peter Manniche Riber
In this special live AI edition of the Learning & Development Podcast, David James brings together Egle Vinauskaite, Ross Stevenson, and Peter Manniche Riber for a candid, practical conversation about what AI …
Show notes
In this special live AI edition of the Learning & Development Podcast, David James brings together Egle Vinauskaite, Ross Stevenson, and Peter Manniche Riber for a candid, practical conversation about what AI really means for L&D today. The discussion explores the gap between hype and reality, the tools and applications that are starting to make a meaningful difference and how AI is already being used to improve performance, capability, and skills development.
The panel examines what L&D teams are getting right, where major opportunities are being missed and the challenges slowing progress, from security and capability constraints to mindset and organisational conservatism. They also look ahead to how AI could reshape the way L&D operates and how the function is perceived across the business.
A clear, grounded and insight-rich conversation for L&D professionals wanting to understand where AI can drive genuine value.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
AI frees up time and has the capabilities to enable L&D to move beyond courses into solving business problems and improving performance and capability. Real-world examples are shared.
AI strategy can’t sit with L&D alone; a multidisciplinary, business-driven group must shape it.
To stay relevant, L&D needs commercial acumen and tech curiosity, alongside human strengths like storytelling, influence, and relationship‑building.
BEST MOMENTS
“Too many are just bolting AI onto an existing model, rather than stepping back and saying, does that model still serve us today? ”
“We know that content does not equal skills.”
“What we really need to do is to target effectiveness. We need to solve the problem.”
Egle Vinauskaite
Egle Vinauskaite is a learning, behaviour, and technology specialist who works with global enterprises and emerging edtech innovators. With a background across AI, XR, mobile learning, and digital platforms, she brings a sharp perspective on how technology is reshaping organisational learning and the future of work. As both advisor and researcher, she helps L&D teams integrate AI into their operations and equip workforces with the skills needed for effective adoption.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinauskaite
http://nodes.works
The Race for Impact report: https://donaldhtaylor.co.uk/research_base/focus04-race-for-impact
Ross Stevenson
Ross is a leading voice in the global L&D community, known for his practical, no-nonsense approach to modern learning. Through his writing, speaking and community platform Steal These Thoughts, he explores how organisations can better align learning with performance, develop essential skills, and embrace new technologies - including AI. Ross brings a strategic yet pragmatic perspective on how L&D teams can evolve and remain relevant in an age of rapid technological change.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rstevensonuk
www.stealthesethoughts.com
Peter Manniche Riber
Peter is an experienced L&D leader who until recently served as Head of New Tech, Digital Learning Solutions at Novo Nordisk, transforming HR and learning for a global workforce of 70,000+. Passionate about using technology to simplify and enhance learning, he experiments with generative AI, machine learning, adaptive platforms, and data-driven methods to deliver timely, effective solutions. With a strong foundation in team leadership and human-centric design, Peter helps organisations solve business challenges through technology while driving meaningful collaboration and measurable impact.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/petermannicheriber
RESOURCES
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
HOST CONTACT
https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
Live in Stockholm: Navigating L&D Trends With Elliott Masie. Bob Mosher & Jennifer Florido
Recorded live at The Learning Conference in Stockholm, David is joined by Elliott Masie, Bob Mosher and Jennifer Florido to explore the forces reshaping workplace learning. From lasting shifts versus failed …
Show notes
Recorded live at The Learning Conference in Stockholm, David is joined by Elliott Masie, Bob Mosher and Jennifer Florido to explore the forces reshaping workplace learning. From lasting shifts versus failed fads, to performance-first strategies, AI’s real impact, and rising stakeholder expectations, the panel cuts through the noise to share what matters most for L&D leaders right now.
Packed with bold predictions and practical advice from three of the field’s most influential voices, this live episode captures the energy of where L&D is heading next.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
L&D must evolve its methodologies from delivering “learning” to enabling performance—shifting focus from courses and content to real‑time support, experimentation, and impact on workflow and business performance.
Chase fewer “shiny penny” technologies and treat AI as a useful tool only when it’s anchored in real workflow performance.
L&D’s own risk aversion is now one of the biggest barriers to shifting from training to true performance.
BEST MOMENTS
“Only around 25% of L&D teams are involved in their company's skill strategy. I think that speaks to we're not relied upon.”
“Branding and wording matters, when we try to explain what we do and get the buy in for what we do.”
“There is a really important role for L&D at coordinating this and working on behalf of the organisation to future proof, it for skills tomorrow.”
Elliott Masie
Elliott Masie is an internationally recognised futurist, analyst, and learning advocate whose work has shaped the profession for more than four decades. Founder of The MASIE Center, he has been at the forefront of innovations from CBTs and LMSs to MOOCs, VR, and now AI. He also created the long-running Learning conference series, bringing leaders together to explore how workplace learning must evolve. With his trademark mix of curiosity, candour, and foresight, Elliott challenges L&D professionals to question assumptions and embrace the future with confidence.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliottmasie/
https://masie.com/
Bob Mosher
Bob Mosher is a pioneering voice in workplace learning, best known for championing performance-first approaches that put support in the flow of work at the centre of L&D. With decades of experience advising global organisations, he has helped leaders move beyond traditional training to solutions that deliver measurable impact where and when employees need it most. As Chief Learning Evangelist at APPLY Synergies, Bob continues to shape how organisations think about workflow learning, change management, and scalable performance support, earning a reputation as one of the most trusted figures in modern L&D.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmosher/
https://applysynergies.com/
Jennifer Florido
Jennifer Florido is Group Head of Talent & Growth at Telia Company, leading strategy to develop, engage and enable talent across one of the Nordics’ largest telecommunications providers. With experience in leadership development, organisational growth and workforce transformation, she brings a practical, business-focused view of how L&D can drive measurable impact. Jennifer is passionate about creating environments where employees can thrive, adapt and grow, aligning learning with both performance and culture.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferflorido/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
AI, Workflow Learning and the Future of Performance with Bob Mosher
As AI reshapes the world of work, Learning and Development faces a defining moment. Will the profession double down on creating faster training or finally step up as a true driver of performance? In this …
Show notes
As AI reshapes the world of work, Learning and Development faces a defining moment. Will the profession double down on creating faster training or finally step up as a true driver of performance?
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Bob Mosher - Chief Learning Evangelist at APPLY Synergies and one of the world’s foremost advocates for workflow learning. Together, they explore why L&D’s obsession with “shiny pennies” and new delivery modes risks missing the real opportunity AI presents: to transform how people perform on the job, not just how they learn.
Bob shares why the long-standing cycle of “stakeholders ask for training, L&D delivers it” is more dangerous than ever, what it really means to become a performance architect, and how workflow learning lays the foundation for L&D to stay indispensable in an AI-powered world.
If you’re serious about shifting your team’s focus from learning outputs to business outcomes - and using AI to elevate performance where it matters most - this episode is essential listening.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
If L&D keeps focusing on creating training faster rather than addressing performance, they will be left out of the conversation.
Embracing technology is essential. But don´t simply do what you are doing now, only faster. Demonstrate to your organisation that these tools enable you to go beyond training and enhance performance.
Courage and leadership are required to break old habits and proactively guide organizations through disruptive change, even when it's uncomfortable. Bob shares how to have those conversations.
BEST MOMENTS
“We have to move beyond this training, learning deliverable mindset, to performance and productivity.”
“Don´t confuse busy with relevance.. .that´s the danger of perceiving our value by the ask, or how many people are at the door.”
“We have to be able to be seen as that learning professional, that performance professional and not the L&D department that we all know.”
“I´ve been at this, 43 years. I've never seen anything as disruptive as this.”
Bob Mosher BioBob Mosher is Chief Learning Evangelist at APPLY Synergies and a pioneering voice in workplace learning with over 30 years of experience helping organisations drive measurable performance. A co-creator of the Five Moments of Need® framework, Bob has spent decades challenging traditional training models and championing workflow learning - an approach that supports employees at the point of need, not just in the classroom.
Before founding APPLY Synergies, Bob served as Global Chief Learning Strategist for Microsoft, where he helped redefine how the company enabled performance at scale. Today, he works with global organisations to implement learning strategies that close the gap between learning and doing.
Renowned for his candor, practicality, and unwavering focus on business results, Bob continues to shape the conversation about what truly effective learning looks like in the AI era.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmosher/https://applysynergies.com/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/Enterprise Skills Unlocked With Craig Friedman
In this episode, Craig Friedman, author of Enterprise Skills Unlocked, joins David to explore what it really means to build a skills-based organisation, and why now is the critical moment for change. Together …
Show notes
In this episode, Craig Friedman, author of Enterprise Skills Unlocked, joins David to explore what it really means to build a skills-based organisation, and why now is the critical moment for change.
Together, they unpack the macro forces reshaping work, the difference between skills-based and role-based approaches, and the most compelling business cases driving adoption. Craig shares where organisations should start, the role (and pitfalls) of technology, and how governance and measurement come into play when scaling globally.
He also offers practical advice for leaders feeling overwhelmed by the scale of transformation, with clear steps to move from ideas to action. If you’re curious about how skills can unlock new ways to manage, develop, and empower talent, this episode is essential listening.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
It is now possible to manage and develop skills at a truly granular level, enabling real-time, targeted learning pathways tailored to each employee or business need instead of just for broad roles.
An integrated ecosystem of HR technology - including talent marketplaces, skills intelligence tools, and performance and learning management systems - enables true skills-based talent management. You can match the right person to the right project or task, instantly and precisely.
To have real impact, organizations must ground skills initiatives in urgent business objectives.
BEST MOMENTS
“This is a technology driven HR transformation, essentially …. we have access to a new level of skills data that we actually can manage.”
“It shifts talent from being a headcount management exercise to a capability management exercise, a giant step closer to business alignment.”
“No matter what anybody tells you, there is no one system that does it all.”
Craig Friedman
Craig Friedman has 30 years of experience as a human capital and talent advisor, executive, and entrepreneur. He specializes in skills-based talent strategies, learning operating models, change management, and performance consulting. A Senior Talent Strategist at St. Charles Consulting Group, Craig partners with CHROs and CLOs to align global talent strategies, supporting Fortune 500 companies and four of the five largest professional services firms.
He spent 15 years at Deloitte, leading talent development for the U.S. Tax practice and earning several national and international learning awards. Craig also co-led Deloitte’s clinician change adoption practice and helped establish corporate universities for regional health systems.
Craig’s background includes launching two eLearning start-ups and earning two U.S. patents for innovations in online education. He holds an M.A. in Learning Sciences from Northwestern University and dual undergraduate degrees from Tufts University in Human Factors Engineering and English. Craig is the author of the new book Enterprise Skills Unlocked: A Blueprint for Building a Skills-Based Organization.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-w-friedman-8950841
Book: https://stccg.com/enterprise-skills-unlocked-2/
HOST RESOURCES
L&D Master Class: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
Breaking Free from Legacy Expectations: The Next Chapter for L&D Skills With Candice Mitchell
L&D has long carried the “hangover” of legacy expectations: delivering courses, creating content, and measuring completions. But in 2025, those skills won’t cut it - and they could even put the profession at …
Show notes
L&D has long carried the “hangover” of legacy expectations: delivering courses, creating content, and measuring completions. But in 2025, those skills won’t cut it - and they could even put the profession at risk of being replaced by AI.
In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Candice Mitchell - consultant, founder of the Talent Development Academy, and researcher into L&D’s future skills - to explore the next chapter for L&D. Together, they unpack the critical capabilities every practitioner needs now: from business acumen and consulting skills to the human strengths that AI can’t replicate.
Candice also shares her Impact Toolkit and five-spoke model for reframing the role of L&D, plus practical advice for professionals who feel stuck as reactive order-takers. If you want to move beyond legacy expectations and position yourself as a true business partner, this is the episode you can’t afford to miss.
Take your L&D to the next level
Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership.
It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Businesses have to let go of the training course “comfort blanket”. Now, we need strategic skills development.
Teams that do not change will be replaced by AI.
AI skills will soon be standard. The human capabilities you bring beyond technology will set you apart.
Candice’s Impact Toolkit equips you to transition from order taker to strategic partner.
BEST MOMENTS
“Smart businesspeople just won’t let go of the comfort blanket.”
“We are good at delivering courses, at training people… but now we need to do the hard things so that we can stay relevant.”
Candice Mitchell
With nearly 20 years in the field, Candice has worked both as a corporate L&D leader and as a consultant to global organisations, designing capability strategies that go far beyond “training delivery.”
Candice is a consultant, educator, and founder of the Talent Development Academy, where she helps mid-to-senior L&D professionals develop the skills needed to drive real business impact. Her Master’s research explored the skills L&D professionals must build to stay relevant in an AI-integrated workplace - concluding that while AI literacy is table stakes, it’s human and strategic capabilities that will define the future of the profession. Known for her optimism, candour, and practical frameworks, Candice is passionate about helping L&D break free from legacy expectations and step confidently into a more impactful role.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicemitchelltdnerd/
https://talentdevelopmentnerds.com/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
The Race for Impact With Egle Vinauskaite
In this episode, Egle Vinauskaite joins David to discuss the very latest AI in L&D report, The Race for Impact, and why L&D is at a pivotal moment. They explore the shift from AI experimentation to …
Show notes
In this episode, Egle Vinauskaite joins David to discuss the very latest AI in L&D report, The Race for Impact, and why L&D is at a pivotal moment.
They explore the shift from AI experimentation to implementation, the barriers holding teams back, and the new models of impact outlined in her “Transformation Triangle.” With case studies from Leyton and TTEC, Egle shows how L&D can move beyond content creation to workforce enablement and lasting business value.
If you want to understand how L&D can harness AI, adapt with confidence, and stay relevant in a fast-changing landscape, this episode is essential listening.
Get Ready For What Comes Next
L&D isn't ready for what's next, but you will be - the L&D Performance Academy is a free 9 course certification that gives you the playbook to stay essential in the age of AI agents and rising expectations.
Learn how to align learning with business goals, measure real impact and lead with confidence alongside a global community of L&D pros.
Don't just ask for a seat at the table, show up with the agenda – enrol here - https://bit.ly/488gT5w
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Standing still in today’s landscape is risky, L&D needs to go beyond producing content and become an indispensable partner in workforce performance.
Egel shares and explains the 3 future models L&D can use to evolve and become invaluable within their business - Skills Authority, Enablement Partner, and Adaptation Engine.
Not adopting AI is becoming a career-limiting risk for L&D professionals. Your performance is likely to be defined by whether and how you work with AI.
BEST MOMENTS
“L&D can move beyond content creation, embrace new models of impact and position itself as an indispensable partner in the workforce.”
"L&D can't stay a content producer or it will disappear"
"First understand your starting point, what does the business come to you for? What is your value add? "
Egle Vinauskaite Bio
Egle Vinauskaite brings extensive expertise in learning, behaviour, and technology, working with both global enterprises and emerging edtech innovators. Her background spans AI, XR, mobile learning, digital platforms, and blended learning design, giving her a unique perspective on how technology is reshaping organisational learning and the future of work. As both an advisor and researcher, she helps L&D teams integrate AI into their operations and prepare workforces with the skills needed for effective adoption. Blending rigorous research with hands-on application, Egle has a sharp view of how AI is redefining the role of L&D and creating new possibilities for learning in the workplace.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinauskaite
http://nodes.works
The Race for Impact report: https://donaldhtaylor.co.uk/research_base/focus04-race-for-impact
VALUABLE RESOURCES
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
https://360learning.com/blog
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
L&D Order Taker No More with Jess Almlie
Too often, Learning and Development professionals find themselves reacting to requests, churning out courses, and struggling to prove their value. In this episode, Jess Almlie—L&D leader and author of L&D Order …
Show notes
Too often, Learning and Development professionals find themselves reacting to requests, churning out courses, and struggling to prove their value. In this episode, Jess Almlie—L&D leader and author of L&D Order Taker No More—shares how L&D teams can stop spinning their wheels and start stepping into a more strategic, credible role.
Drawing from her 20+ years of experience and the insights in her new book, Jess unpacks why L&D gets stuck, how legacy thinking from stakeholders holds us back, and what it takes to shift from service provider to business partner. She introduces tools like the "Order Taker Assessment," the power of building a vision, and the role of strategic playbooks in aligning stakeholders across the business.
Jess also explores the reality of organisational politics, the importance of truly understanding your business, and the small, intentional steps that help L&D earn trust and influence over time.
For anyone who’s tired of being reactive and wants to build a more impactful L&D function—this episode offers both validation and a clear path forward.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Moving from being order takers to true business partners means saying no to low-impact requests and focusing on work that drives organisational goals.
L&D needs to get off of the content creation hamster wheel.
Navigating organizational politics, the “unwritten rules” of how work gets done, is essential, not optional.
Operate with integrity and savvy, not naivety or ego.
BEST MOMENTS
“If you stand in one place on the beach and apply gentle pressure with your foot and slowly massage the sand, eventually you create a deep indent.”
"We need to operate as if we are a part of the business, not as separate.”
“This is a mindset and cultural shift for the entire organisation about how to work with L&D.”
Jess Almlie Bio
Jess Almlie is a seasoned Learning and Development leader, consultant, speaker, and author of L&D Order Taker No More. With over two decades of experience across sectors including healthcare, education, and financial services, Jess has led enterprise learning strategies that focus on business alignment, stakeholder engagement, and measurable impact. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Learning Experience at WEX.
Drawing on her own journey from instructional designer to senior L&D executive, Jess helps practitioners diagnose the factors keeping them stuck and take deliberate steps toward becoming strategic business partners. Her work blends deep organisational insight with practical tools - like assessments, playbooks, and stakeholder mapping - to help L&D teams earn influence and deliver real value.
Jess is helping to reshape what it means to be effective in L&D today - moving beyond reactivity to lead with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessalmlie
L&D Must Change Podcast: https://www.jessalmlie.com/podcast
Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Order-Taker-No-More-Strategic-ebook/dp/B0F83XBBCV
VALUABLE RESOURCES
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT DAVID JAMES
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
https://360learning.com/blog
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
L&D Detective Kit For Investigating Performance Impact With Kevin M Yates
In this episode, Kevin Yates - widely known as the L&D Detective® - joins David to explore why measuring impact remains one of the most persistent challenges in Learning & Development, and how L&D can finally …
Show notes
In this episode, Kevin Yates - widely known as the L&D Detective® - joins David to explore why measuring impact remains one of the most persistent challenges in Learning & Development, and how L&D can finally start getting it right.
Together, they unpack why reporting on learning activity isn’t enough, what it really means to uncover evidence of performance impact, and how L&D must evolve to contribute meaningfully within the wider performance ecosystem. Kevin outlines the flaws in traditional training needs analysis, introduces his Workplace Performance Investigation Framework, and explains how business metrics—not LMS data—must become the cornerstone of meaningful measurement.
Kevin also shares how L&D teams can use tools like the Performance Impact Blueprint and Instructional Design for Performance to plan for outcomes from the outset, and why embracing the identity of ‘impact investigators’ is critical for L&D’s future. If you’re serious about proving learning’s contribution to business performance, this episode is unmissable.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The "village" approach is central to performance. L&D should measure collective, not isolated, impact.
LMS data is easy to get, but it does not truly measure the impact on business performance.
The 6 questions for business performance and 6 for human performance, in the framework, uncover the true needs behind a training request.
Because improving performance involves many teams, a project management approach helps organize everyone’s roles, tasks, and contributions toward a shared business goal.
BEST MOMENTS
“It takes a village to impact workplace performance."
“We must define impact. Before we can investigate it.”
"Designing for performance is very different than designing for training."
Kevin M. Yates Bio
Kevin M. Yates is globally recognised as the L&D Detective®, known for investigating the impact of training and learning on workplace performance. With over 25 years of experience across major brands like McDonald’s, Meta, and Grant Thornton, Kevin brings a practical, data-driven approach to measuring learning’s contribution to business results. His work empowers L&D teams to go beyond activity metrics and uncover real evidence of performance impact. Kevin is also the founder of Meals in the Meantime, a nonprofit tackling food insecurity with the same focus on measurable outcomes.
You can follow and connect with Kevin via:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinmyates/
Book: https://kevinmyates.com/detective-kit
Website: https://kevinmyates.com/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
ABOUT THE HOST
David James
David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.
CONTACT METHOD
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
Blog: https://360learning.com/blog
L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
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