L&D Must Change

If people need a skill, training alone isn't enough. In this episode, Jess talks with Julie Dirksen, author of Design for How People Build Skills , about what it really takes to help people develop proficiency. They explore how to define skills more precisely, determine whether training is actually the answer, and design practice and feedback that continue beyond the learning experience. Julie als...

What if becoming a better facilitator has less to do with learning another technique and more to do with understanding who you are in the room? Jess and Moe Poirier explore why facilitator development needs to move beyond content delivery and mechanics toward presence, adaptability, and human connection. They unpack Moe's five facilitation personas, how each meets a different learner need, and why...

What if trying to isolate L&D's impact is the wrong measurement goal? Kevin M. Yates, the L&D Detective, challenges the idea that training alone can explain changes in workplace performance. Jess and Kevin explore a performance-first approach that looks at L&D as one contributor within a larger performance ecosystem. They also discuss how to use business KPIs, navigate stakeholder resistance, and...

What if AI transformation isn't really a technology challenge at all? Jess talks with OneDigital executives Mike Sullivan and Vinay Gidwaney about why they see AI as a talent, leadership, and workforce transformation challenge, and why L&D should be at the center of it, leading the transformation. They explore what it means to treat AI as talent, redesign work around human and AI strengths, activa...

Leadership development has become far too complicated. In this episode, Jess and Matt Gjertsen strip away the jargon and return to the fundamentals busy managers can actually use. They explore the Minimum Viable Manager mindset, three core skills every leader needs, and why iteration matters more than perfection. You'll also hear how L&D can help employees navigate the career change into managemen...

Our learning design could be better if we understood how the brain is taking in and processing what we share. It would help us to know what's effective, and what's having the opposite effect. In this episode, Jess sits down with learning scientist Lauren Waldman to explore why neuroscience should be a foundational skill for every L&D professional. They discuss how memory really works, why most tra...

What if the biggest thing holding L&D back isn't AI, but our data? Jess sits down with Nolan Hout to explore why Learning is often "data poor," why completion metrics aren't enough, and how stronger partnerships unlock the business data that proves impact. They discuss AI, measurement, ROI, cost efficiency, and practical ways to connect learning initiatives to business outcomes. If you want L&D to...

What if L&D has been optimizing all the wrong things? Jess sits down with Brad Batesole, founder of Madecraft and former LinkedIn Learning leader, to explore why learning often feels harder than it should. They discuss designing learning that matches how people actually consume content, advocating for resources in budget-conscious organizations, using AI to personalize rather than replace learning...

Does the pace of new technology have you in a bit of a spiral? If the amount of tech and learning about tech coming at you these days is making you question your skills, your role, and the value of your expertise, or if you simply feel like you cannot possibly keep up, you are not alone. In this conversation with Betty Dannewitz of "If You Ask Betty," we dig into what Betty calls tech-induced impo...

If your SME projects keep stalling, it's possible the SME isn't the problem. Recorded LIVE at the ATD 2026 International Conference and Expo in Los Angeles, this special episode brings together influence strategist Tami Reiss and Sr. L&D Manager Jeff Daigle to tackle what can be one of the most universal frustrations in our field: working with subject matter experts. Together, Jess, Tami, and Jeff...

Most L&D teams are using AI to write content faster, but the business doesn't care. Megan Torrance, founder of Torrance Learning and author of the upcoming AI Implementation Guide for L&D , joins Jess to make the case that L&D professionals are sitting on a goldmine of untapped superpowers, and it's time to use them where it matters most: inside the business's core AI strategy. From the AI Impleme...

Most L&D teams are not struggling because they lack talent or effort. They are struggling because of the system they are operating in. In this episode, Jess sits down with L&D strategist Tracie Cantu to talk about why L&D's credibility problem is really an operating model problem, and what it looks like to fix it. They cover everything from governance and portfolio management to getting involved i...

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&...

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. F...

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 "ju...

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 o...

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 unco...

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 de...

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, an...

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 disci...

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-l...

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...

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 p...

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, Siz...

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 th...