The Talent Equation Podcast with Nolan Hout

Skills-based organizations are quickly replacing job-based models as AI reshapes how work gets done. In this episode, Nolan Hout , Senior Vice President, Growth, Infopro Learning , sits down with Koreen Pagano , Co-Founder of Rising Tide Cooperative and the author of 'Building the Skills-Based Organization: A Blueprint for Transformation,' to explore how AI and automation are transforming the futu...

AI is changing leadership faster than most organizations are ready for. So, what skills will matter in the next 2–5 years? In this episode, Rachel Bolton , Author, Speaker & Executive Coach, Career Craft by Rachel, and Nolan Hout , Senior Vice President, Growth, Infopro Learning , explore the ‘Power Skills Era’ and what leaders must master as AI accelerates change. They discuss why empathy, co...

What happens when organizations focus less on individual performance and more on learning together? In this insightful episode, Dr. Nigel Paine , Author, Speaker, Consultant, Co-Presenter, ‪ Learning Now TV‬ (LNTV) , and Nolan Hout , Senior Vice President, Growth, ‪ Infopro Learning , unpack why shared knowledge, culture, and collaboration are the real foundations of organizational resilience. Fro...

Training only works when people actually pay attention. In this episode, Mike Taylor , Learning Consultant, Nationwide ‬ and co-author of ‘Think Like a Marketer, Train Like an L&D Pro: Strategies to Ignite Learning, joins Nolan Hout , SVP of Growth, Infopro Learning , to discuss why L&D teams need to think like marketers. From attention triggers to learning campaigns, this conversation sha...

Most training doesn’t fail because of bad content; it fails because of bad measurement. In this episode, Dr. Will Thalheimer , Consultant, Speaker, Researcher, Work-Learning Research and Nolan Hou t, SVP, Growth, Infopro Learning , discuss the biggest mistakes companies make when evaluating learning and why traditional metrics rarely reflect real performance. They explain how learning science can...

AI is boosting efficiency while raising anxiety and job insecurity. Dan Rust , Vice President, Leadership & Commercial Development, Infopro Learning , and Nolan Hout , Senior Vice President of Growth, Infopro Learning, discuss how leaders can create real psychological safety, encourage honest dialogue, and guide teams through disruption. Essential listening for leaders managing AI transformati...

How can leaders create teams where people confidently speak up? Jeremy Khoh , Founder, Khoh Partners Pty Ltd , and LinkedIn Top Voice, joins Nolan Hout , SVP, Growth, Infopro Learning , to explore psychological safety through real-world experiences, cultural lessons, and research-backed insights. They discuss how culture, upbringing, and communication style affect whether people speak up, and why...

In this insightful episode, award-winning thought leader Laura Overton , Founder of Towards Maturity and co-author—together with Michelle Ockers —of 'The L&D Leader: Principles and Practice for Delivering Business Value,' joins Nolan Hout , SVP-Growth, Infopro Learning , to explore what modern L&D leadership truly requires. Laura shares decades of research to explain why L&D must engag...

Data has always been the currency of learning, but AI is redefining how it’s analyzed, applied, and acted upon. Matthew Eade , Senior Director, L&D, Empire Today , joins Nolan Hout , SVP, Growth, Infopro Learning , to discuss how his team uses AI and analytics to uncover performance trends, build competency frameworks, and demonstrate measurable ROI. He shares how the responsible use of AI ens...

In this episode, Julie Dirksen , Learning Strategy Consultant, Usable Learning and author of the bestselling instructional design books, ‘Design for How People Learn’ and ‘Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change,’ and Nolan Hout , Senior Vice President, Growth, Infopro Learning , explore how behavioral science can shape more effective learning experiences. Julie explains how to u...

What if you could design learning experiences that truly reshape how people think, learn, and perform? In this episode, Stella Collins , Learning Strategist and widely recognized as “The Brain Lady,” joins Nolan Hout , SVP, Growth, Infopro Learning , to explore how neuroscience is transforming learning design, motivation, and retention. Together, they discuss how the G.E.A.R. model, neuroplasticit...

The future of workplace learning is powered by technology. Joanna Wroblewska , Senior Instructional Designer, Puget Sound Energy & Mentor, ATD Puget Sound Chapter, joins Nolan Hout , SVP, Growth, Infopro Learning , to explore how L&D leaders can use technology and AI to enhance learning experiences and business results. They dive into how organizations can foster stronger learning cultures...

Every learning initiative should create measurable business value. In this episode, Dr. Keith Keating , Chief Learning & Development Officer, BDO Canada , joins Nolan Hout , Senior Vice President, Growth, Infopro Learning , to challenge the traditional view of L&D metrics. They discuss shifting from a knowledge economy to a value economy, building strong partnerships with CFOs, and applyin...

OKRs aren’t just for business goals; they can transform how we measure learning impact. In this episode, Andrew Barry , Founder and CEO of Curious Lion , joins Nolan Hout , SVP of Growth at Infopro Learning , to explore how connecting Learning and Development (L&D) initiatives to OKRs can link learning directly to measurable business outcomes. They discuss aligning learning with company strate...

AI is reshaping learning and development—but what’s real and what’s just hype? In this episode, Dr. Markus Bernhardt , Principal, Endeavor Intelligence , and Nolan Hou t, Senior Vice President-Growth, Infopro Learning , discuss actionable strategies for integrating AI into workplace learning. They discuss the insights behind ‘The Endeavor Report,’ the value of client-led case studies over vendor c...

How do you ensure learning initiatives don’t just sit on the shelf? In this episode, Edmund (Ed) Monk, CEO and Co-founder of The Learning and Performance Institute (LPI) , and Nolan Hout , Senior Vice President, Growth, Infopro Learning , explore how L&D programs can move beyond the shelf and deliver real results. They discuss creating strong learning cultures, the power of accreditation, and...

What makes workplace communication succeed—or fail? In this episode, host Nolan Hout , Senior Vice President, Growth, Infopro Learning , talks with Professor Hayley Blunden , Assistant Professor of American University, Kogod School of Business , about the science behind advice vs. feedback, delegation, and virtual communication. Learn how small changes in words, tone, and context can transform rel...

Dr. Karl Kapp , gamification expert and Full Professor, Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, joins host Nolan Hout , Senior Vice President, Growth, Infopro Learning , to explore why adults learn best when they start with action. Drawing on his latest book Action-First Learning, Karl explains how immediate activities spark curiosity, keep learners engaged, and drive performance outcomes. From c...

Ward Christman , founder of HR Tech Advisor , joins host Nolan Hout , SVP-Growth, Infopro Learning , to discuss how smart HR tech partnerships move beyond press releases to deliver real business impact. Drawing on decades of experience, Ward shares why open communication, aligned goals, and cultural understanding are essential, how vendors can reduce friction and win more bids through collaboratio...

Clark Quinn , Executive Director of Quinnovation , joins host Nolan Hout , SVP of Growth at Infopro Learning , to discuss how evidence-informed learning design transforms skill acquisition. Drawing on four decades of experience in L&D, Clark explains the importance of skills over jobs, the dangers of accidental instructional design, and the critical role of practice, spacing, and iteration—whi...

Craig Lutz , Senior Director of Enterprise Learning at Gannett | USA TODAY NETWORK , joins host Nolan Hout , Senior Vice President, Growth at Infopro Learning , to unpack how AI is transforming workplace learning. They explore the balance between innovation and security, the role of AI councils in governance, and how tools like Microsoft Copilot and Synthesia are reshaping workflows. From pilots t...

How do you cut L&D costs by 30% without sacrificing quality? Sriraj Mallick , CEO of Infopro Learning , reveals the AI-driven strategies behind million-dollar savings. Hosted by Nolan Hout , Senior Vice President of Growth at Infopro Learning, this episode explores the Intelligent Design Framework (IDF), hyper-personalized learning, and how human+AI synergy is redefining the future of corporat...

In this episode, Autumn Carter , Assistant VP, Learning and Organizational Development at Janney Montgomery Scott LLC and Nolan Hout , Senior Vice President of Growth at Infopro Learning , examine the evolution of workplace learning. From reviving the 70/20/10 model to responsibly deploying AI in regulated environments, Autumn unpacks the strategic decisions facing learning leaders today. This is...

What if the key to fixing healthcare’s workforce crisis lies in learning and development? In this episode, Geoffrey M. Roche , Senior Vice President of Healthcare Solutions at Risepoint and Nolan Hout , Senior Vice President of Growth at Infopro Learning , explore how healthcare leaders can take ownership of learning, scale training through technology, and build future-ready teams. Perfect for L&a...

What if the goal of L&D wasn’t learning—but performance? In this episode, Theresa Zeller , Global Head of Learning Creation, Merck , speaks with Nolan Hout , Senior Vice President, Growth, Infopro Learning , about why Learning and Development (L&D) must shift its focus from content to outcomes. From aligning with business strategy to embracing AI as a co-pilot, they explore how empathy, cr...