The Learning & Development Podcast

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 outc...

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 f...

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 A...

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...

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...

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 "p...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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. K...

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...

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...

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 Bra...

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 ac...

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...

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 w...

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 n...

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 a...

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...

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. Drawin...

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...

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...

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. T...