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39. Lead the Change, Don’t Absorb the Burnout with Holly Burkett

L&D Must Change

Release Date: 10/01/2025

53. AI in L&D: Overreliance, Resistance, or Exuberance? with Timothy Frost show art 53. AI in L&D: Overreliance, Resistance, or Exuberance? with Timothy Frost

L&D Must Change

Many L&D teams are being asked to “train the business on AI”… but what does that really mean? In this episode, Jess and Timothy Frost unpack the tension shaping AI in Learning and Talent Development: overreliance, resistance, and exuberance. They explore how these mindsets show up in your daily work, impact learning quality, and influence how you use AI. They also tackle the growing pressure on L&D teams to lead company-wide AI training and share a more strategic approach grounded in clear goals, data, and real use cases. If you are trying to figure out how to use AI without...

info_outline 52. The Role of L&D in Frontline Success with JD Dillon show art 52. The Role of L&D in Frontline Success with JD Dillon

L&D Must Change

Eighty percent of the global workforce is doing frontline work, yet, most L&D strategies are built from a corporate perspective. That's a mismatch. In this episode, Jess welcomes JD Dillon, author of "The Frontline Enablement Playbook," for a candid conversation about why the frontline workforce requires a fundamentally different enablement approach than the one designed for corporate employees. From rethinking leadership development to getting L&D professionals onto the floor alongside the people they support, this episode is a practical call to action for every talent professional...

info_outline 51. Rethinking Microlearning with Robyn A. Defelice show art 51. Rethinking Microlearning with Robyn A. Defelice

L&D Must Change

Microlearning sounds simple. It’s not. In this episode, Jess sits down with Robyn Defelice to unpack why microlearning often fails and what L&D pros are getting wrong. They explore the critical shift from covering content to making intentional decisions, why misalignment derails projects, and how to actually use microlearning as part of a broader learning strategy. If you’ve ever been asked to “just make it shorter,” this conversation will change how you think about design, stakeholders, and impact.   Jess and Robyn Discuss Why L&D must shift from content coverage to...

info_outline 50. Design Learning Beyond Courses with Mark Britz show art 50. Design Learning Beyond Courses with Mark Britz

L&D Must Change

What if your real job in L&D isn’t to build better courses, but to design better conditions for learning? In this episode, Mark Britz challenges us to step outside the L&D box and examine the larger ecosystem shaping performance every day. Through powerful stories and practical examples, Jess and Mark explore how control, efficiency, and legacy systems can unintentionally block learning. Instead of asking “What training should I create?” you’ll be invited to ask, “What environment am I designing?” This conversation will stretch how you see your role and the impact you can...

info_outline 49. World Learning Content Cleanup Day with Ger Driesen show art 49. World Learning Content Cleanup Day with Ger Driesen

L&D Must Change

Is your L&D content closet getting a bit cluttered? When was the last time you cleaned it up? In this episode, Jess sits down with Ger Driesen, founder of World Learning Content Cleanup Day (#WLLCD), to challenge L&D’s obsession with creation over maintenance. They explore why outdated learning erodes credibility, how to adopt a "retire by default" mindset, and how a simple annual cleanup can uncover powerful data insights. Let's reduce risk and increase the benefits of our content together with a cleanup celebration.    Jess and Ger Discuss Why L&D teams prioritize...

info_outline 48. Choosing the Right L&D Tech with Becky Willis show art 48. Choosing the Right L&D Tech with Becky Willis

L&D Must Change

Choosing the right L&D technology can feel overwhelming when every platform promises transformation. In this episode, Jess and learning strategist Becky Willis cut through the noise to talk about how to evaluate learning tech with a critical eye. They explore how to separate real capability from marketing hype, what AI should actually be doing behind the scenes, and how to make smart technology decisions even when budget or legacy systems get in the way. If tech decisions stress you out, this conversation will help.   Jess and Becky Discuss Why legacy LMSs were built for course...

info_outline 47. Robots vs. Humans: Storytelling and AI with Stephanie Hubka show art 47. Robots vs. Humans: Storytelling and AI with Stephanie Hubka

L&D Must Change

AI can spit out an L&D outline in seconds, but it cannot create connection. In this episode, Jess Almlie talks with Stephanie Hubka about why storytelling is the missing ingredient in a world of fast, transactional training. They break down how to choose stories with intention using the SOL framework, how to design learning through story using scenarios and choose-your-own-adventure techniques, and how to use AI as a partner without outsourcing the best parts of your craft. You will leave ready to start a story journal and humanize your learning.   Jess and Stephanie Discuss How AI...

info_outline 46. Using PIPs for Development, Not Discipline with Amy Kay Watson show art 46. Using PIPs for Development, Not Discipline with Amy Kay Watson

L&D Must Change

Let's be real. Most Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) don't actually improve performance. They're a legal termination plan in disguise. That doesn't make anyone feel good. But, they don't have to be this way! In this episode, Jess talks with coach and culture consultant Amy Kay Watson about rebooting accountability so performance improvement becomes a true development process instead of a disciplinary paper trail. Amy breaks down why most PIPs don't include learning or development and then shares a practical model built designed to restore psychological safety, clarify standards, and build...

info_outline 45. Ensure Learning is Worth the Expense with Melanie Martinelli show art 45. Ensure Learning is Worth the Expense with Melanie Martinelli

L&D Must Change

Your learners loved the course… and then nothing changed. In this episode, Jess talks with Melanie Martinelli (Institute for Transfer Effectiveness) about why L&D’s obsession with “great training” often fails at the only thing that matters: on-the-job application. You’ll unpack the 12 Levers of Learning Transfer, learn how to run a quick transfer audit, and hear a case study where a clunky old e-learning outperformed a shiny new one. All because the ecosystem mattered more than the content.   Jess and Melanie discuss Why L&D “falls in love with the solution” instead...

info_outline 44. Facilitating Engagement Isn't Enough with Brian Washburn show art 44. Facilitating Engagement Isn't Enough with Brian Washburn

L&D Must Change

Your learners don’t need another “fun” workshop; they need results. In this episode, Jess and Brian Washburn unpack why engagement alone is a dangerous success metric and how to design for real performance change. Brian introduces his simple four-step facilitation model: Anchor, Content, Application, Future Use, which turns any session into a repeatable, effective learning experience. They explore how to equip SMEs to facilitate (without gimmicks), handle awkward moments like silence or “I don’t know,” and adapt these principles for virtual and global audiences. Why engagement...

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Change isn’t an event, it’s the air we breathe. In this episode, Jess talks with Holly Burkett about reframing change management as energy management, tackling stacked changes that drain capacity, and recognizing burnout as a workplace issue and not a personal failing. They explore how L&D can read the room on organizational readiness, coach managers to have safe workload conversations, and push for small pilots over all-or-nothing launches. L&D pros have the potential to be powerful change agents. 

Jess and Holly Discuss

  • Why change/disruption is the context for learning and performance
  • Stacked changes,” fatigue, and how burnout shows up at work
  • Capacity vs. capability: measuring energy to absorb new demands
  • Reframing resistance as a signal of limited capacity
  • Practical levers for L&D: business cadence, pilots, after-action reviews
  • Equipping managers for safe, honest workload conversations
  • Framing tradeoffs in business terms: “Are we willing to risk it?”
  • Self-care, recovery rituals, and modeling boundaries for teams

 

About Holly Burkett

Holly Burkett is an accomplished talent builder, change leader, evaluator, and workplace learning professional with over 20 years experience as a trusted consultant and business advisor. She is passionate about helping leaders and teams build change-ready learning and performance capabilities that foster high engagement, employee wellbeing, and operational excellence. As a Prosci® certified change practitioner, a Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coach®, Associate of The ROI Institute, and select member of The Conference Board, she is a sought-after speaker, coach, and facilitator who is invited to speak regularly at international conferences held by ATD, ACMP, ISPI, and the OD Network.

Holly is a frequent contributor to many industry resources including ATDs “Handbook for Measuring and Evaluating Training” (2025), ATDs “Organizational Development Handbook “(2023) – where she wrote the Change Management chapter -- and ATDs Handbook of Training and Talent Development (3rd ed, 2022). An enthusiastic life-long learner, foodie, and travel junkie, she also wrote the award-winning book “Learning for the Long Run”. She earned a doctorate in Human Capital Development and a Masters in Human Resources and Organization Development.

 

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