L&D Must Change

L&D Must Change is a podcast dedicated to people development professionals (L&D, TD, OD, etc.) who want to make an impact. Through conversations with L&D colleagues passionate about changing our profession for the better and the occasional solo episode, Jess Almlie will uncover practical strategies we can all use to make a positive difference in the world of work. Let's learn from each other and collectively raise the bar for the work we do!

28. Maturing the L&D Function with David James 04/30/2025

28. Maturing the L&D Function with David James Imagine a world where L&D is a driving force behind business transformation, not just a provider of training. In this episode, David James, former Disney L&D leader and current CLO of 360Learning shares why realizing this vision requires L&D to mature beyond reactive and even proactive operational models. He introduces a new L&D maturity model that lays out a clear roadmap for that shift and explains why this evolution is more urgent than ever. This conversation offers both inspiration and a practical starting point for what’s next. Jess and David discuss The need for L&D to mature beyond providing learning. How most of the L&D profession is operating at a low level of maturity, stuck in reactive and proactive models. Why shifting stakeholder expectations and organizational mindsets is essential for maturing the L&D function. An overview of the 5 levels of a new L&D maturity model: Reactive, Proactive, Impacting, Strategic, and Transformative. Using this maturity model as both a vision and roadmap for the future. The potential a maturedL&D function has to close a $6.5 trillion skills gap. About David James David James is the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning and a highly respected voice in the Learning & Development industry. With a focus on harnessing technology to drive impactful learning strategies, David is recognised as one of the top 10 global influencers in the L&D space. His expertise lies in helping organisations modernise their approach to workplace learning, ensuring measurable results and business alignment. David is also the host of , which has amassed over 500,000 downloads and ranks in the top 1% of podcasts globally. With nearly 30,000 LinkedIn followers, he continues to shape the conversation around L&D innovation and best practices, drawing on his deep experience, including his time as Director of Learning, Talent & Organisational Development at The Walt Disney Company. Find and connect with David James Podcast: Take the Find and connect with Jess Almlie Website: Coming soon! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner will be published by ATD Press later on September 2. To be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the virtual launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/36059755

27. Rethinking Performance Feedback with Dr. Sandra Mashihi and Dr. Kenneth M. Nowack 04/16/2025

27. Rethinking Performance Feedback with Dr. Sandra Mashihi and Dr. Kenneth M. Nowack Good feedback fuels performance and behavior change. Poor feedback does the opposite. It’s one of the most powerful tools in a leader’s toolkit, yet one of the hardest to get right. In this episode, Dr. Ken Nowack and Dr. Sandra Mashihi unpack why feedback often fails, and how L&D can help leaders build the skills to deliver it in ways that actually drive results. From the neuroscience of feedback to practical models like the 3E framework and 4-quadrant approach, Ken and Sandra offer L&D professionals a clear path to elevating feedback across the organization. What You'll hear: How to move beyond feedback systems to personal connections. Addressing the gap between leader and employee perspectives on feedback. A 4-quadrant model that provides guidelines for personalized performance feedback. The neuroscience behind both successful and painful feedback. The 3Es of effective performance feedback: Enlighten, Encourage, Enable. Cultural considerations for feedback. About Dr. Sandra Mashihi Dr. Sandra Mashihi is a distinguished Organizational Psychologist, keynote speaker, and author with over 20 years of experience. She is dedicated to transforming leadership behavior, building high-performing teams, and enhancing workplace relationships. As the founder of Spectra Coaching, Sandra leads with a blend of psychology and practical strategies that have successfully impacted Fortune 500 companies and leaders across industries. About Dr. Kenneth M. Nowack Kenneth M. Nowack, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and Senior Research Officer of Envisia Learning, Inc. Dr. Nowack received his doctorate degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Nowack is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association’s Division 13: Society of Consulting Psychology and was the former Editor-in-Chief of the Consulting Psychology Journal. He is also a member of Daniel Goleman’s Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations. Find and Connect with Sandra and Ken LinkedIn: i, Websites: Sandra - , Ken - Book: Find and Connect with Jess Almlie Website: Coming Soon! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner will be published by ATD Press on September 2, 2025. To be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the virtual launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/35998445

26. AI Isn't a Tool; It's a Team Member with Josh Penzell 04/02/2025

26. AI Isn't a Tool; It's a Team Member with Josh Penzell Everyone’s talking about AI—but are we thinking about it the right way? In this special one-year anniversary episode, I finally dive into the AI conversation with Josh Penzell, who challenges us to see AI not as a tool, but as a teammate. This conversation isn’t about learning prompts—it’s about shifting mindsets and imagining what’s possible when we stop trying to make faster horses and start building something entirely new. Josh and Jess Discuss Using AI as a collaborative team member and not a tool. Working with AI as a brainstorming partner to reduce cognitive load and improve creativity. Developing our skills working with AI, instead of spending time figuring out how to use AI. Thinking about AI as a student and our L&D participants as teachers. How AI provides an entirely new infinity point of what's possible, busting through current scarcity models and resource restrictions. Shifting from the traditional L&D approach focused on creating optimized, one-size-fits-all learning experiences to one that enables individualized learning. About Josh Penzell Josh Penzell is the VP of AI-Driven Transformation at ELB Learning and Founder and Chief Transformation Officer at Imagination Applied. He helps organizations rethink how they integrate AI—not as a tool, but as a collaborative force that enhances learning, leadership, and innovation. With a career spanning Amazon Alexa, Zillow Rentals, and Skillsoft, Josh brings a unique perspective that blends corporate strategy with his background as a musical theater director. This fusion of disciplines led to the creation of TheaterThink®, a methodology that applies storytelling, improvisation, and systems thinking to help businesses navigate change, drive transformation, and make AI work for humans, not against them. A sought-after speaker at industry events like ATD, Learning Technologies, and Training Industry conferences, Josh is also one of the 14% of qualified autistic professionals in corporate leadership. He is a strong advocate for neurodiversity, AI ethics, and adaptive leadership, helping organizations shift their mindset from AI as a disruptor to AI as an enabler. Find and connect with Josh Penzell Email: AI Assistant: Find and connect with Jess Almlie Website: Coming Soon! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner will be published by ATD Press on September 2, 2025. To be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/35829560

25. L&D in the Startup World with Tom Bowen 03/19/2025

25. L&D in the Startup World with Tom Bowen When does the L&D function form in an organization? What's the first order of business when it does? Today's guest, Tom Bowen, is known as the L&D pro who can get an L&D function up and running in the startup world and he's done that job over and over again. He even calls himself a "serial startup guy" for L&D. In this episode, Tom will share what it's like to be the first L&D pro hired into a small start-up business including when he's usually brought in, what he does first, and what makes working in L&D in the startup world unique. Jess and Tom discuss The main focus areas for L&D in a startup. Key skills needed for those working in the fast-paced startup environment. The need to identify and prioritize all the "fires" according to which will mitigate future issues. How a startup's rapid growth requires the ability to scale processes and systems quickly. Pairing risk and volatility against the potential for large impact. Behaviors L&D can learn from the startup world. About Tom Bowen Tom Bowen has been in the talent development world since 2008 and has predominantly focused on the education and tech sectors. He is a "serial startup guy" and really thrives in creating order in the chaos that often comes with a rapidly growing organization. He is most recently at , a blockchain infrastructure startup valued at over $10B, where he leads all things people impact and change management. Often described as a divergent thinker, Tom enjoys challenging the status quo and finds the highest ROI activities are the ones where people are finding new ways to gain leverage with their time and energy and unlock their potential. Find and connect with Tom Bowen Find and connect with Jess Almlie Website: Coming Soon! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner will be published by ATD Press later this year. To be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/35616690

24. What L&D Can Learn From Product Management with Rashi Kakkar 03/05/2025

24. What L&D Can Learn From Product Management with Rashi Kakkar There's nothing I love more than when someone takes on an L&D role from another industry and becomes immediately confused as to why our profession functions the way it does. It provides an immediate opportunity for new ideas and conversation. This was the case for today's guest, Rashi Kakkar, when she moved from a career consulting in product management into an L&D leadership role. The result was a marriage of the two professions. One where the best pieces from each were elevated and the confusing bits eliminated. It turns out L&D can learn a lot from product management. Rashi and Jess discuss: Shifting L&D from a project-based to a product-based mindset Organizing L&D teams around stages in the employee journey rather than siloed functions Embracing iterative development, frequent user testing, and ongoing refinement Conducting regular user discovery sessions to understand needs and challenges instead of waiting for training requests to arrive on our desks Tracking impact longitudinally, across the employee journey, not just from individual interventions About Rashi Kakkar Rashi Kakkar has two clear professional drivers: Creating human-centered products, experiences, and services and achieving organizational success and growth by unlocking human potential As a global lead within McKinsey’s Leadership Center of Excellence, Rashi is dedicated to building large-scale institutional capability through a skills-first approach. At McKinsey, she has advised Fortune 100 clients on complex strategic, operational, and organizational challenges. Rashi has successfully driven digital transformations, enhanced organizational effectiveness, and redesigned operating models, all grounded in a foundation of human-centered qualitative and quantitative research. She has also led multiple enterprise-wide agility and innovation programs to deliver impactful results. Before joining McKinsey, Rashi worked at a boutique design thinking firm, where she developed expertise in human-centered design, experience and service design, and innovation. Earlier in her career, she gained valuable experience as a professional sports agent, specializing in talent management, sponsorship sales, and licensing and merchandising. Outside of her professional endeavors, Rashi is passionate about writing as a way to refine her thinking. She authors a bi-weekly newsletter with over 1,300 subscribers and has published more than 80 opinion pieces in leading global publications. An avid golfer, former varsity tennis player, and newly minted pickleball enthusiast, Rashi balances her professional pursuits with an active lifestyle and a love for sports. Find and connect with Rashi Kakkar Newsletter: LinkedIn: BlueSky: Threads: X (Twitter): Find and connect with Jess Almlie Website: Coming Soon! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner will be published by ATD Press later this year. To be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/35384680

23. Is It Time to Ditch Your LMS? with Sarah Mercier 02/19/2025

23. Is It Time to Ditch Your LMS? with Sarah Mercier How do you feel about your LMS? If you're like most you may have a love + hate relationship with the platform. Today's guest, Sarah Mercier, found herself working with client after client trying to solve clunky LMS issues, so she threw out the LMS playbook and created an alternate tool. What does that mean for you? Well, you just might not need your LMS any longer. Sarah and Jess discuss: The evolution of learning platforms Ongoing issues with traditional LMS systems like complexities in user access, content delivery, and data fragmentation The creation of the new, XCL tool, designed to solve persistent LMS problems XCL's ability to eliminate user logins while still tracking detailed analytics, provide flexible content types, centralize data, improve user experience, and offer cost savings How XCL solves challenges related to accessibility About Sarah Mercier Sarah Mercier, MBA, CPACC, specializes in innovative learning technology and strategic implementation of learning solutions. She is an advocate for learner-centered design and is known for her ability to translate highly technical concepts and research to real-world practice. As CEO of Build Capable, she leads a team of learning technology experts. Sarah is an author and the editor of Design for All Learners: Create Accessible and Inclusive Learning Experiences. She is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and business events on topics such as learning experience design, accessibility, xAPI, and learning ecosystems. Find and connect with Sarah Mercier Website: Email: Book: Find and connect with Jess Almlie Website: Additional links from the episode XCL Tool: 7 Taps Microlearning: Article: LXP vs. LMS: What Are The Differences? Coming Soon! Jess's book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner will be published by ATD Press later this year. To be the first to get behind-the-scenes updates, early sneak peeks, and join the launch party, join Jess's email list! You'll get the L&D Must Change newsletter delivered to your inbox weekly as well as special updates on the book when available. /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/35214460

22. Designing and Measuring on Purpose with Chris Taylor 02/05/2025

22. Designing and Measuring on Purpose with Chris Taylor It's time to clarify the purpose of our learning programs with our stakeholders, and I mean really clarify. Not just write the learning outcomes and create an evaluation form, but zero in our stakeholders' real needs and expectations. According to today's guest, Chris Taylor, CEO of Actionable.co, taking the reins to clearly define the purpose behind the request should drive everything else we do from design through measurement. Armed with a few practical questions, a strategy for continuous alignment, and clear measures to define our next steps, we can uplevel the effectiveness and impact of our programs. In this episode you'll hear: Ideas to sustain motivation after training interventions are complete How to shine a light on the immediate behavior change impact of learning programs, instead of only looking at lagging, longer-term data One key question to define what is really needed and keep stakeholders aligned and on track How to avoid over-complicating measurement by mapping out logic paths and measuring at multiple points The value of measurement for real time iteration Delivery practices proven to illicit behavior change rather than transfer information About Chris Taylor Actionable.co CEO, Chris Taylor, works at the leading edge of learning sustainment and impact measurement for progressive organizations. Described once by a client as “a curious blend of Boomer and Gen- Y”, Chris is often called upon to act as a bridge and translator between generations at work, our new state of constant change, and the impact technology has on team dynamics. Through Actionable.co, Chris brings empirical evidence and stories to illustrate how, exactly, we measure ROI on corporate learning initiatives, and the systems to ensure every program creates lasting impact. He’s personally consulted to over 400 organizations across 6 countries, in almost any sector you can name. In addition to being a regular speaker for both public and private events, Chris has penned over 150 articles for dozens of publications, been quoted in The National Post, Toronto Star and Globe & Mail and hosted 90+ thought leader interviews for the iTunes #2 ranked business podcast, The 21st Century Workplace. Find and connect with Chris Taylor Website: Find and connect with Jess Almlie Website: Newsletter: Additional links from this episode /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/35019250

21. Should L&D be Adding, Subtracting, or Changing? with Lavinia Mehedintu 01/22/2025

21. Should L&D be Adding, Subtracting, or Changing? with Lavinia Mehedintu It's time for L&D to both amp up our toolbox and become a tad more critical of our own work. Instead of adding content, we need to think about subtracting it or better yet, make changes that enable performance. Too often we prioritize activities over goals. Lavinia Mehedintu is known for this type of progressive thinking about the work of L&D, but she also believes in the necessity and power of supporting each other through changes in our profession that may feel risky. Join us in this conversation where we discuss some of the challenges L&D must address to have a greater impact as well as how to support and empower our L&D community colleagues while we change. In this episode: Shifting L&D's approach from adding to subtracting content. The need for L&D to take a systems thinking approach. L&D skills that can be applied beyond workshops. Reframing L&D's identity around goals vs. activities. Why understanding the business builds credibility and enables strategic conversation. Making cross-functional "friends" as a strategy for business success. The importance of support systems and community when building new skills, overcoming organizational resistance, and navigating change. About Lavinia Mehedintu: Lavinia Mehedintu has over 11 years of experience designing learning experiences across higher education, start-ups, and large enterprises. After leading an L&D team, she noticed a gap in resources tailored to L&D professionals' growth and found traditional approaches lacking the impact she was seeking. This inspired her to create Offbeat, a community where L&Ds explore their evolving roles amidst a rapidly changing world. Five years later, Lavinia combines experience design, behavior change, and technology at Offbeat to help L&Ds grow and consults with companies of all sizes on learning and behavior change initiatives. Find and connect with Lavinia Mehedintu here: (L&D Community) Find and connect with Jess Almlie here: Subscribe to the Website /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/34841005

20. The Intersection of L&D and Change Management with Jody Lumsden 01/08/2025

19.What It Takes to Hire and Develop an L&D Team with Laurel Schulert 12/11/2024

18. Do You Have Trainer Bias? With Jay Johnson 11/27/2024

17. The Simple Power of Book Discussions with Jeannine Lanoux 11/13/2024

16. Data Literacy and Business Acumen for L&D with Dr. Alaina Szlachta 10/30/2024

15. What's a Digital Coach Anyway? with Chris King 10/16/2024

14. The Landscape of L&D Roles with Abigail Wheeler Charlu 10/02/2024

14. The Landscape of L&D Roles with Abigail Wheeler Charlu In the last year, Abigail Wheeler Charlu (Abby) interviewed 50 L&D professionals in a variety of roles to learn more about the L&D landscape. She was curious about what people do in this profession, the breadth and depth of different roles, the skills and knowledge in each. In this episode, she shares her key takeaways and insights as well as a bit about her subsequent thoughts on how L&D needs to change as a result. Tune in to hear Abby and Jess discuss the results of Abby's informal research study including: Why study all these L&D roles? The breadth of the L&D profession The many opportunities for specialization within L&D The wide variance of L&D titles The critical need to clearly tie L&D to business objectives The emergence of internal talent marketplaces Common knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for success in L&D Advice for those looking to transition in L&D roles Abigail Wheeler Charlu (Abby) is a program manager, learning strategist, and performance consultant with over 9 years of leading end-to-end learning and leadership development programs. She leverages strong skills in research methods, relationship building, project management, marketing, facilitation, and analytics to enable skills development, drive change, and uplevel performance. Abby holds a master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology and has deep experience supporting global teams. She is driven by curiosity, collaboration, and impact and is on a mission to equip individuals, teams, and organizations with the skills they need to thrive in this human era of work. Currently, Abby is a Program Manager and Lead Learning Experience Designer at AROSE Group, a boutique leadership and organizational development consulting company where she designs and delivers custom leadership development programs and supports the creation and execution of thought leadership and industry knowledge. Find and connect with Abby here: Listen to the 50 Interviews: (podcast) Website: Find and connect with Jess Almlie here: Subscribe to the Website: /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/33178132

13. Career Development as a Team Sport with Julie Winkle Giulioni 09/18/2024

13. Career Development as a Team Sport with Julie Winkle Giulioni Why do we try to navigate complex, ever-changing careers relying on only ourselves or a manager? Why do we tend to think that career development needs to be a program or process? According to Julie Winkle Giulioni, career development champion, thought leader, and guru, we are making it too complicated. We need to simplify career development down to quality conversations. Conversations that we have together with our peers, our managers, and more. Career development should be a team sport. Tune into this episode and hear Julie and I discuss: Making career development a team sport How career development is different in our current day and age The beauty of hindsight, foresight, and insight Immobilizing myths that hold managers and L&D back from effective career development The power of asking great questions as a simple career development tool Key elements within Julie's new book, Help them Grow or Watch them Go with co-author Beverly Kaye Julie Winkle Giulioni is a champion for workplace growth and development and helps executives and leaders optimize talent and potential within their organizations. One of Inc. Magazine’s Top 100 speakers, she’s the author of Promotions Are So Yesterday: Redefine Career Development. Help Employees Thrive and the co-author of the international bestseller, Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go: Career Conversations Organizations Need and Employees Still Want, translated into seven languages. Julie is a regular columnist for Training Industry Magazine and SmartBrief and contributes articles on leadership, career development, and workplace trends to numerous publications including Fast Company and The Economist. You can keep up with Julie through her blog and LinkedIn. Find out more and connect with Julie Winkle Giulioni here: Book: New Book! Website: Find out more and connect with Jess Almlie here: Subscribe to the Website: One note on pre-orders for Julie's new book! Pre-order Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go and you will gain access to a specially curated library of microlearning videos from Julie Winkle Giulioni and Bev Kaye on a range of important topics that will enhance your leadership and help you get the most from the book – all provided by AthenaOnline. Just place your pre-order with your favorite bookseller, share your information here (), and jumpstart your career development efforts immediately. (Note: This offer will expire on September 24.) /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/33013517

12. Upping Our Strategic Thinking Game with Mary Rapaport 09/04/2024

12. Upping Our Strategic Thinking Game with Mary Rapaport Is a lack of strategic thinking holding us back? Today's guest, Mary Rapaport, believes that when we channel a more strategic mindset, the business culture thrives, teams become more creative, and employees lean in and engage more. The challenge is that we are up against a work culture that rewards execution over thinking, reflection, and strategy. Let's change that! In this episode you'll hear: Upping the impact of L&D by thinking of ourselves as businesspeople first and L&D functional experts second. Strategic thinking as a mindset and a skillset. Turning data into insights. Maturing the L&D function to be more strategic. The importance of understanding your company's growth strategy. Understanding what executives really care about. Integrating strategic thinking into our day, instead of checking it off our list. The challenge of operating in a culture that rewards us for getting stuff done instead of thinking and reflection. One thing L&D can do today to start working more strategically. Mary Rapaport is on a mission to democratize strategic thinking. She believes it's not just for the elite few, but for everyone in an organization. When everyone channels a strategic mindset, the business culture thrives, teams become more creative, and employees lean in and engage more. Cultivating this mindset helps leaders create a better (and more fun) place to work, fostering a stronger culture of creativity and innovation. As a strategic thinking architect, Mary empowers leaders and teams across all functions and levels to think, act, and lead more strategically. As the founder of Xcelerate, she builds learning strategies, designing and delivering immersive learning experiences that ignite "aha moments" and drive tangible business results. Mary also champions inclusive growth through the Minority Business Growth Alliance, a non-profit providing invaluable coaching and support to BIPOC entrepreneurs. She holds an MBA, a BA in International Business and French, and is a certified leadership and sales trainer. Mary has extensive experience in marketing, transformation, and strategic initiatives. She also serves as the current president of the Twin Cities chapter of the Association of Talent Development. Find and connect with Mary Rapaport here: Website: Learning Experience: Find and connect with Jess Almlie here: /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/32715617

11. L&D as an Organizational Contributor with Robyn A. Defelice 08/21/2024

11. L&D as an Organizational Contributor with Robyn A. Defelice What if L&D showed up as an organizational contributor instead of a service provider? Today's guest, Robyn A. Defelice regularly models this approach and also partners with L&D leadership and teams to help them make the change. Turns out, it's about seeing the bigger picture and getting real curious. She asks why a lot. Oh, and it might have something to do with Captain Kirk from Star Trek. Listen in and hear about: L&D as a business function Shifting from complaining to contributing The mission statement as a rolled up version of capabilities in the organization The need for L&D to optimize our own function System thinking with DSRP: Distinctions, Systems, Relationships, and Perspectives Operating like Captain Kirk instead of Doc or Spock Running alongside our stakeholders Elevating challenges for business prioritization decisions Taking control to alter our own L&D reality Gathering data about L&D team capacity and then getting curious Robyn A. Defelice, PhD is a learning intrapreneur, author, and presenter with over 20 years in the L&D field. She is the co-author of Microlearning: Short and Sweet and has been researching How Long it Takes to Develop Training for over a decade. Robyn is happiest when she is collaborating with L&D leadership and teams to get them to the decision-making table. Her mission is to empower her peers through unlocking their untapped capabilities and capacity for effective L&D. Her experience spans corporate to manufacturing, government to higher education, and non-profits to startups. She is currently serving as a board member of L&D Cares, the VP of Programming for Association for Talent Development of Central PA, and is a member of Learning Leaders Alliance through The Learning Guild. Find and connect with Robyn A. Defelice here: Book: Find and connect with Jess Almlie here: /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/32580677

10. Designing for Neurodiversity with Jessica Michaels 08/07/2024

10. Designing for Neurodiversity with Jessica Michaels There are a lot of different brains in the world and all of them are good. But they may process information in alternate ways that don't look "typical" from the outside. It doesn't mean learning isn't happening. The goal of designing for neurodiversity is to make learning accessible for all those brains. Today's guest is neurodiversity expert, Jessica Michaels. After receiving her own diagnosis of autism and ADHD in her late 30's, Jessica started to use her own personal experiences combined with her knowledge of L&D to amp up learning design with options that make sense for all the different types of brains. Listen in on my conversation with Jessica to learn more about: An explanation of neurodiversity A different type of "multi-modal" design Focusing more energy on the outcome than the process The fluctuation of learning preferences The importance of self awareness and humility when designing for and working with neurodiverse brains Jessica Michaels is an award-winning speaker, former stand-up comic, and manager development specialist. In her 30s, she discovered she was autistic and had ADHD. She now combines her experience and knowledge of L&D to educate, advocate, and advise on neurodiversity in business. With humor and directness, she shows her audiences how every employee benefits from a neuroinclusive environment. As a coach, she works one-on-one with professionals, trying to build the toolbox to work with their brains, not against them. Through her YouTube channel, she provides free resources with content like The Procrastination Fairy and The Neurodiverse Workplace. Her latest venture is a new networking and coaching group for neurodivergent professionals, and anyone interested in a neuroinclusive work environment. Jessica, her wife Ellie, and their dog Detritus live in Denver. Together, the humans host the Gifted Kid Messy Adult podcast, while the dog supervises. Find out more and connect with Jessica Michaels here: Website: Podcast: Udemy Course: Find out more and connect with Jess Almlie here: Newsletter: Website: /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/32297912

9. Measurement is a Change Effort with Peggy Parskey 07/24/2024

9. Measurement is a Change Effort with Peggy Parskey It's one thing to try and gather a few numbers, it's another to integrate measurement into every fragment of L&D. But yet, this is where measurement becomes most valuable. When integrated, measurement can provide the insights and actions needed to inform decisions. It doesn't just fade away, it endures as a valuable source of quality information. This is why today's guest, Peggy Parskey, co-author of Measurement Demystified and other books, insists that measurement needs to be tied to a change effort. But she also insists that starting to measure is better than waiting to know everything. It's a nuanced and flexible necessity for L&D pros today. Listen in on my conversation with Peggy to learn more about: Integrating measurement into every fragment of L&D The measurement ecosystem model Balancing measurement as you build it out The changing nature of measurement Considering the unintended consequences of measurement Determining current organizational capacity for measurement Sharing actionable data Getting started with measurement in L&D Career benefits of learning more about measurement Peggy Parskey has over 25 years of experience driving strategic change to improve organizational and individual performance. She focuses on team and organizational performance improvement leveraging measurement, management of change and organizational design to ensure sustainable capability. Peggy owns her own consulting firm, Parskey Consulting, focused on organizational improvement initiatives. She is also a Principal Consultant and part-time staff member with Explorance. Her clients are large and midsized firms requiring performance measurement of core business processes including employee engagement, diversity, equity and inclusion, culture change, and talent programs such as training, mentoring, and performance management. Peggy collaborates with her clients to build sustainable measurement capability to drive continuous improvement. She has co-authored three books on learning measurement as well as several book chapters and magazine articles on measurement strategy, learning analytics and visual storytelling. Find out more and connect with Peggy Parskey here: Book: Book: Book: Find out more and connect with Jess Almlie here: Newsletter: Website: /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/32123457

8.Online Training That's Better Than In Person with Kassy LaBorie 07/10/2024

8.Online Training That's Better Than In Person with Kassy LaBorie Online training can be better than in person training. Are you a believer? Or are you thinking that will never be true? Today's guest is none other than online learning pioneer and virtual training hero, Kassy LaBorie who is a firm believer that online training is equal to and can be better than in person training. Of course, the trajectory of online and virtual training shot up after the COVID pandemic and associated lockdowns. We all realized that online learning can be engaging and efficient. It can help to scale and save us time and money. But many of us still think of it as "less than" in person training. Kassy wants us to shift our thinking. She shares how with some practical takeaways. Listen in on my conversation with Kassy to learn more about: How Kassy got started as a virtual training pioneer Stopping ourselves from putting up blockers that online training is "less than" before we explore how it could be "better than" in person How tech is cool, but people are cooler The difficulties that come with learning something new Challenges that come with working remotely, even for a pro The story of a chocolate maker who adapted and created a "better than" offering online Practical steps to start creating your own "better than" online learning experience Kassy LaBorie is the founder and principal consultant at Kassy LaBorie Consulting, LLC. She is a professional speaker, author, facilitator, and instructional designer who specializes in virtual engagement for learning and development professionals and business owners who get to use web conferencing technology to connect with people around the globe. In her previous role at Dale Carnegie & Associates, she was the director of virtual training services, a corporate consultancy that partnered with organizations to help them develop, design, and deliver successful online training strategies. Kassy also served as the product design architect responsible for developing the company’s live online training product and experience, leading a team that built a $4 million dollar business in 4 years. Kassy is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and the co-author of two books about engaging online (see links below). Find out more and connect with Kassy Laborie here: Website: Website: Book: Book: Find out more and connect with Jess Almlie here: Website: One more fun link from this episode: /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/31971622

7. Stop Onboarding, Start Everboarding with Amber Watts 06/26/2024

7. Stop Onboarding, Start Everboarding with Amber Watts It's time to ditch the way we view onboarding. In most companies, onboarding is a formal time period that ends when the L&D team walks out, and the manager walks in. But new employees aren't ready to work autonomously after onboarding and far too many managers aren't set up to continue developing them to get there. This often results in anxiety, confusion, and even regression on the part of the new employee. It's time to stop onboarding and start everboarding, a systems approach that swaps a defined training time period for a continuous development cycle focuses on longevity and success over time. After discovering that onboarding was a poor predictor of future performance, Amber Watts started asking why. That led her to dive in and design an employee's training experience differently. The concept of everboarding, focusing on the systems and people who support performance, was born. Listen in on my conversation with Amber to learn more about: The components of everboarding that make it different than onboarding Equipping and supporting managers as part of the new employee experience Establishing a mentor program in addition to a buddy program L&D's role in aligning employee targets/KPIs in everboarding Measuring effectiveness in an employee's ramp up Questions to ask frontline managers when learning about their needs The importance of partnership with the talent acquisition team Amber Watts has over a decade of expertise in Talent Development and Sales Enablement, and deeply cares about fostering performance science wherever she goes. Throughout her career, she has left a significant impact on various industries. Currently serving as the Chief Revenue Officer at Magnet Medical. She holds a B.S. in Business Management & Leadership and a certification in Virtual Training Design. She was an Emerging Training Leader from Training Magazine in 2019, earned a Stevie Award for Sales Training/Coaching Program in 2020, and an award for Excellence in Learning Leadership with ATD Nebraska in 2023. Find out more and connect with Amber Watts here: Website: Find out more and connect with Jess Almlie here: Website: /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/31815377

6. The Power of Stories to Connect, Train, and Humanize with Rance Greene 06/12/2024

6. The Power of Stories to Connect, Train, and Humanize with Rance Greene Stories have the power to hold us in anticipation, motivate us to learn more, and connect with others on a human level. Rance Greene discovered this by accident when he made the move from directing actors on the stage to directing the creation of compliance training in business. Suddenly, ethics and compliance jumped to the top line item in the company culture survey. People knew what to do, listened to the stories, and reported that they were looking forward to the next round of compliance training. Can you imagine this happening in your company? Rance achieved this seemingly impossible feat using powerful stories in the compliance training. Stories that humanized the learners, provided a strong conflict, and motivated them to resolution. Listen in on my conversation with Rance to learn more about: Working with stakeholders and SMEs as humans first and sources of information second. The disrespect shown by not including observable actions in training. The importance of defining relatable characters, strong conflict, and a desire for resolution in a story designed for learning. Three questions to ask when starting any design project. Rance Greene is often known as the "Story Man," but he prefers the title "Story Designer." He formed and the School of Story Design () for those who struggle with storytelling at work. His methodology—Story Design—gives leaders and talent development professionals a systematic and creative way for discovering who their audience is and how to persuade them to act on new ideas. He helps leadership teams, entrepreneurs and instructional designers discover that they are uniquely equipped to tell the best story for their audiences. Rance is the author of , a practical guide for developing stories that train. He coaches, teaches, speaks, and writes often on the benefits of stories to connect people to one another. Find out more and connect with Rance Greene here: Website: School: "Story Zone" Blog: Book: Email: Find out more and connect with Jess Almlie here: Subscribe to the /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/31483972

The Performance Consulting Mindset Shift with Christopher Adams 05/29/2024

The Performance Consulting Mindset Shift with Christopher Adams It's time to dive into performance consulting with today's guest, Christopher Adams, Principal Consultant for Performance Change Strategies LLC. Performance consulting focuses on the gaps that exist between the performance of people and the desired business results. Sometimes training can help to close those gaps and sometimes it cannot. We owe it to our stakeholders, who come to us with a pain point that needs solving, to help figure out the best solution. Christopher and I discuss: Why it isn't enough for L&D to be experts in producing specific learning solutions. How L&D needs to develop a clear mindset around how work, the performance of people, and business results work together (and a mental model to do this). Asking questions that influence instead of simply gather data. The importance of investing in relationships in order to move from serving as a helper to working as a partner. As principal consultant for Performance Change Strategies LLC in Charlotte, NC, Christopher (Chris) has facilitated capability building programs for leading organizations in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. He is also an associate member of the graduate faculty at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He frequently writes and speaks about performance consulting, leading educational sessions at international conferences. In 2019, Chris co-authored the 2019 . He has also been personally endorsed by Jim and Dana Robinson, authors of the book, , to carry forward their work of building strategic capability in talent teams. Find and connect with Christopher Adams here: Website: Find and connect with Jess Almlie here: Subscribe to the Additional resources mentioned in this Episode: Book: by Jim & Dana Robinson, et. al. Book: by Thomas F. Gilbert Book: by Geary A. Rummler and Alan P. Brache /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/31297027

It's the Little Things: Cultivating Belonging Through Small Actions with Wendy Gates Corbett 05/15/2024

It's the Little Things: Cultivating Belonging Through Small Actions with Wendy Gates Corbett It's episode 4 and we're talking all things belonging with researcher Wendy Gates Corbett. She's on a mission to show everyone who wants to make a difference in their work culture how easy and possible it is to do just that, especially when it comes to belonging in the workplace. It turns out, a sense of belonging doesn't stem from big engagement programs and events, but from small (free) actions that anyone can do. As L&D professionals, we are in a unique position to help lead the way for these small actions to ultimately turn the tide on retention and engagement. Wendy and I discuss: The importance of creating a sense of belonging at work Three main components of belonging: connect, respect, and protect How we can simplify (and not overcomplicate) actions that lead to belonging How L&D can lead the way to model and advocate for belonging in the workplace The need for rest and recovery as an important part of belonging One thing you can do today to get started Wendy Gates Corbett, CPTD, stands at the forefront of Belonging and Leadership, wielding her expertise with a vibrant energy that transforms workplaces and speaking stages alike. Her personal journey as a biracial individual has profoundly influenced her mission to cultivate spaces of unconditional acceptance, a mission that she brings to life as a top-tier organizational culture consultant, global training executive, belonging researcher, and Adjunct Professor of Leadership and Management in all of Duke University’s graduate engineering programs. Wendy's research, which has touched over 150,000 people worldwide, pinpoints the behaviors that foster a genuine sense of belonging within organizations. Wendy's #1 bestselling book, "The Energy of Belonging: 75 Ideas to Spark Workplace Community," is a continuation of her vital discourse on the subject. Whether consulting in the boardroom, lecturing in the classroom, or captivating an audience on stage, Wendy Gates Corbett is a beacon of progress, hope, and action guiding a path toward a more inclusive, empowered, and thriving future. Her work sparks impactful change, encouraging everyone to claim their space, their voice, and their power to create spaces where belonging thrives. Find and connect with Wendy Gates Corbett here: Websites: / Book: "The Energy of Belonging: 75 Ideas to Spark Workplace Community" on Amazon: Find and connect with Jess Almlie here: Subscribe to the /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/30973358

Self-Compassion as a Key Leadership Skill with Massimo Backus 05/01/2024

Development in Real Life (vs. Idealistic Pristine Environments) with Stephen Mostrom 04/17/2024

Development in Real Life (vs. Idealistic Pristine Environments) with Stephen Mostrom Here we go! Diving into Episode 2 of the L&D Must Change Podcast, I start off with a few thoughts on what's "abuzz" in the L&D Must Change community these days: Measurement and... emotion! Then, I talk with Stephen Mostrom, founder of Develop Daily, about how learning happens in the context of real life more often than it happens in the pristine environments of classrooms and e-learnings. Thus, the question becomes, how can we, as L&D professionals, develop learning experiences that align with our learners' real lives, amidst the chaos, stressors, and growing 'to do' lists? Stephen and I discuss: How learning happens within the context of real life vs. within formal rational pristine environments (classrooms). A strategy for employees to strategically 'Develop Daily' in less than 15 minutes per day for habit-forming, skill-stacking growth that activates learning and engagement at scale. Specific and strategic identification of the skills each individual needs to develop within their own career. The ultimate skill to keep us all competitive and growing, the ability to continuously re-skill. The three enemies of growth that professionals run into on a dailly basis: The 'Learning Cliff,' random acts of learning, and employee disengagement (quiet quitting). The importance of understanding learners' everyday realities and one action L&D can take to start better understanding these realities as well as how learning might happen within them. Stephen Mostrom has several letters behind his name – JD, MBA, and PMP. But his titles are more important: DaDa and Founder. After spending a decade building internal L&D programs at Bank of America and Silicon Valley Bank, Stephen made the jump to entrepreneurship. He’s the Founder of Develop Daily, a career development consultancy. When Stephen’s not delivering workshops, he’s busy reading and crushing it on LinkedIn, where he publishes his Develop Daily newsletter. He enjoys hiking, red wine, podcasts, traveling, and a good indie film. Find and connect with Stephen Mostrom here: Find and connect with Jess Almlie here: Subscribe to the Additional links: /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/30683623

Shifting L&D Mindsets with JD Dillon 04/02/2024

Shifting L&D Mindsets with JD Dillon It's Episode 1 of the L&D Must Change podcast and we are starting off with a bang! Today we welcome talent development leader, author, speaker, and Back to the Future aficionado JD Dillon to talk about shifting our L&D mindsets to creatively match the needs of the people in our businesses. In many ways, we need to get out of our own way and move away from our own legacy thinking. You'll hear: The math problem that makes up our biggest challenge in L&D today and why it can no longer be addressed with traditional tactics. How we need to shift our mindset from that of providing traditional learning solutions to one where we are doing what is needed to help everyone in the organization do their best. When we, in L&D, get in our own way and create our own barriers. How L&D should start by using the tools, tactics, and technologies that are already easily available to people as they do their jobs. The necessity of L&D to have strong cross-functional partnerships in order to help people do their best work. The need for L&D to proactively understand how work and businesses will transform via emerging tech. How to start shifting perceptions of L&D by helping with minor issues, establishing a bottom-up approach. And most importantly, how L&D can and should act more like Alfred and less like Batman (copyright Warner Brothers). JD Dillon is a veteran talent development leader, internationally recognized author and speaker and dedicated Back to the Future aficionado. Over the past 20 years, he's led operations and L&D teams at Disney, Kaplan and AMC. Today, JD advises organizations around the world on learning and enablement strategies as Axonify’s Chief Learning Architect and Founder and Principal at LearnGeek. He’s also never ridden a bicycle. Find and connect with JD Dillon here: Find out more about JD's book (which Jess believes should be required reading for anyone in L&D) here: JD's talk show, Find and connect with Jess Almlie here: Subscribe to the /episode/index/show/867b7e50-8f3b-4a65-8e91-8cec582c2357/id/30507073

Welcome to the L&D Must Change Podcast 04/01/2024

L&D Must Change

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