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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

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...

info_outline 43. What AI Means for Your L&D Job with Josh Cavalier show art 43. What AI Means for Your L&D Job with Josh Cavalier

L&D Must Change

AI isn’t coming for your L&D job... it’s rewriting it. In this episode, Jess and AI-in-L&D veteran Josh Cavalier dig into his provocative “Human Machine Performance Analyst” L&D role, why content creation is still on the table, and how to build the business, data, and learning-science muscles you’ll actually need. They unpack the real story behind AI layoffs, the emerging L&D tech ecosystem, and practical, low-risk ways to get your AI learning and practice reps in today. Jess and Josh Discuss Why Josh believes L&D must evolve into “Human Machine Performance...

info_outline 42. Organizing L&D for Results with Guus van Deelen show art 42. Organizing L&D for Results with Guus van Deelen

L&D Must Change

Tired of L&D busywork that doesn’t move the needle? In this episode, Jess and Guus van Deelen dismantle “course factory” thinking and show how to organize L&D for results. They unpack the five L&D “chessboards,” shift focus from learning to performance objectives, and set clear roles and decision rights to escape order-taking. You’ll hear how to segment stakeholders with RIS (Risk, Importance, Size), apply Lean thinking to clean up operations, and run an annual L&D Cleanup Day (yes, on March 12) to kill zombie offerings and refocus on business value. Jess and Guus...

info_outline 41. The Secret to Learning That Lasts with Katrina Kennedy show art 41. The Secret to Learning That Lasts with Katrina Kennedy

L&D Must Change

What if the key to better learning isn’t more content, but less? In this episode, Jess Almlie sits down with L&D expert Katrina Kennedy to explore how simplifying learning experiences and building in moments of reflection can transform behavior and performance. They unpack practical ways to focus on what really matters: workplace impact, learner ownership, and giving people the time and space they need to make learning stick. Jess and Katrina Discuss Why simplicity beats sophistication in learning design How reflection boosts retention and real behavior change The myth that “more...

info_outline 40. LIVE! Securing Influence and Credibility in the C-Suite with David L. Jackson III and Dr. Alaina Szlachta show art 40. LIVE! Securing Influence and Credibility in the C-Suite with David L. Jackson III and Dr. Alaina Szlachta

L&D Must Change

How do learning professionals earn a true voice in the boardroom? In this special episode, recorded live at the Learning Guild’s Learning Leadership Conference 2025 in Orlando, Jess Almlie sits down with Dr. Alaina Szlachta and David “DJ3” Jackson to unpack what it really takes to secure influence and credibility in the C-suite. Together, they explore how aligning with organizational metrics, speaking the language of business, and leveraging data-driven storytelling can transform L&D from a service provider into a strategic powerhouse.   Jess, DJ3, and Dr. Alaina discuss ...

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

L&D Must Change

Website: Article: (TD, August 2025) Article:  (TD, Jan 2024) Article: (ATD Blog, April 2024) Article: (Chief Talent Officer) Book:   Find and Connect with Jess Almlie Website: Book: Subscribe to Jess's Weekly Newsletter:   Additional Links from this Episode L&D Must Change Episode 35:

info_outline 38. Build Learners, Not Libraries with Irma Horvath show art 38. Build Learners, Not Libraries with Irma Horvath

L&D Must Change

What if the real power of L&D isn’t in the content we deliver, but in teaching people how to direct their own growth? In this episode, Jess is joined by Irma Horvath who leads learning at Kahoot! They explore how shifting from “training delivery” to “learning ownership” creates lasting impact. You’ll hear how to spark curiosity, set goals that guide attention, and make reflection the secret sauce of retention. From small experiments to culture-wide shifts, discover how to help people learn how to learn and why that’s more valuable than any course catalog. Jess and Irma...

info_outline 37. Order Taker No More! with Jess Almlie show art 37. Order Taker No More! with Jess Almlie

L&D Must Change

The tables have turned! In this episode, Jess Almlie steps into the guest chair as Sarah Cannistra interviews her about her brand-new book, L&D Order Taker No More. Together, they explore why the learning and development profession must shift from being transactional “order takers” to strategic business partners, and how small, intentional steps can create massive impact. Sarah and Jess discuss Why L&D must urgently move from transactional order-taking to strategic partnership, especially in the age of AI The critical mindset shift from “helper” to “partner” and how...

info_outline 36. Measuring Talent Intangibles with Colin J. Hahn show art 36. Measuring Talent Intangibles with Colin J. Hahn

L&D Must Change

How do you measure what you can’t easily see? For L&D and talent development pros, measuring improvement in skills like leadership, collaboration, and communication is a constant challenge. It isn't as easy as measuring technical outputs like sales numbers, quality scores, or production time. We often find ourselves wondering where to begin and how to proceed. In this episode, Jess and Colin J. Hahn explore why this problem keeps resurfacing followed by three highly practical ways to measure these intangibles. From operational definitions to breaking big questions into estimable parts...

info_outline 35. Conducting Tiny Experiments in L&D with Anne-Laure Le Cunff show art 35. Conducting Tiny Experiments in L&D with Anne-Laure Le Cunff

L&D Must Change

What if the best way to change and develop isn’t with big plans, but "tiny experiments"? Neuroscientist and author Anne-Laure Le Cunff joins Jess to explore how small, low-risk actions can unlock powerful learning, creativity, and change. Whether you’re an L&D leader navigating uncertainty or designing experiences for others, Anne-Laure offers a fresh, science-backed mindset shift. You’ll walk away with new tools to beat perfectionism, escape outdated scripts, and turn curiosity into real progress, one tiny experiment at a time.   Jess and Anne-Laure Discuss Why tiny...

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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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