As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to impact how we work and learn, learning leaders need robust AI skills to leverage this innovative technology for more impactful — and efficient — training. However, with AI quickly advancing, and new AI-powered learning technologies frequently hitting the market, building your AI skill set can seem daunting to busy training professionals.

In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Marc Ramos, an industry vet with 20 years of experience with Google, Novartis and Accenture, who was most recently the chief learning officer at Cornerstone OnDemand, and Melissa Brown, CPTM, learning and development leader at Holland and Hart LLP, about building your AI skills as a learning leader.

Tune in now for their insights and advice on: 

• The skills learning leaders need in an AI-driven world, and how to develop them. 
• Tips for becoming proficient with AI-enabled tools and technologies. 
• The importance of “keeping a human in the loop.” 

In today’s workplace, it seems like the only constant is change. Organizations need agile leaders who can adapt to evolving business needs and guide their teams through uncertainty. Of course, this is easier said than done: Leaders need training and development to build key skills like resilience and agility. 

In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Jennifer Garvey Berger, an author and the CEO of Cultivating Leadership, and Mindy Vail, an author and the founder and CEO of The MindShift Effect, for tips on developing agile, future-ready leaders. 

Tune in now for insights on: 

• The skills leaders need to manage change. 
• Navigating the human side of change. 
• Innovating strategically to avoid burnout. 

Human-centered leadership skills, like emotional intelligence (EQ), self-awareness, communication and more, are essential for leaders looking to support and empower their teams to perform at their best.
However, many leaders struggle to develop human-centered skills. In fact, according to Gartner, 71% of employees believe that their leaders don’t exhibit human skills.

In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Karolien Koolhof, an author and founder of the training and coaching business Quiet Quality, for tips on how to develop human-centered leaders. 

Tune in now for expert insights on: 

• Why human-centered leaders are critical to business success today. 
• The connection between human-centered leadership and company culture.
• The (often overlooked) power of introverted leaders. 

In this special episode of The Business of Learning, brought to you by Wisetail, we spoke with Evan Melick, director of product at Wisetail, to learn more about how confidence impacts learning and performance.

Tune in now for expert insights on:

• Why psychological safety is critical for effective learning.
• How leaders can assess employees’ confidence in a given skill.
• Why confident employees are more likely to take risks and drive innovation.

In this first video episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Tom Whelan, Ph.D., director of corporate research at Training Industry, about training measurement and evaluation. Specifically, we discussed the International Organization for Standardization, or ISO’s, latest guidance for L&D metrics, which are further detailed in the Training Industry Research e-book “Learning Measurement for Modern Business: Making Sense of ISO 30437.”

Tune in now for insights on:

• The 5-4-3 Framework.

• The three categories of metrics mentioned in the report — efficacy, effectiveness and outcome metrics.

• What these guidelines mean for the training vendor market moving forward.

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Multiple studies have shown that employee well-being is declining, with one recent report revealing that over 80% of employees are at risk of burnout in 2024.

Although employee well-being is primarily a human priority, it’s equally important for businesses. In addition to burnout, low employee well-being can lead to decreased productivity, engagement and even turnover.

In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Kyile Stair, chief people officer at Litmos, to learn more about how learning and development (L&D) leaders can champion well-being — and even improve their own.

Listen now for insights on:

• The manager’s role in supporting employee well-being.
• The importance of mental health awareness training.
• How to make time and space for wellness and self-care as a busy learning leader.

Businesses across industries consistently struggle to engage their workforce. Can learning and development (L&D) help businesses engage their people? And if so, how can learning leaders begin tackling what has become a pressing business challenge?

We answer these questions more in the latest episode of The Business of Learning, where we spoke with Josiah Pledl, CPTM, founder of 45 Degrees Leadership Consulting and Dr. Britt Andreatta, author and CEO of Brain Aware Training.

Tune in for insights on:

• The connection between employee engagement and employee well-being.
• How to create a learning culture in your organization.
• The manager’s role in supporting employee engagement.

With job roles ranging from instructional designer to training manager to chief learning officer and more, a career in learning and development (L&D) offers purpose-driven opportunities for growth and advancement. However, most L&D careers are far from linear, and it's inevitable that you'll face both highs and lows along the way.

In this episode of The Business of Learning, sponsored by Edstutia, we spoke with two “accidental trainers” — Jen Recla, leadership coach and trainer at Recla Coaching and Consulting, and Annie Lee, Ed.D., senior director of organization and talent development at PepsiCo Beverages North America — to hear about their L&D career journeys and their advice for others in the field.

Tune in for insights on:

• The skills that training professionals need to be successful (and how to develop them).
• How to “be your own advocate” throughout your L&D career.
• The benefits of pursuing a career in L&D.

Business acumen can help position learning leaders as strategic business partners. The challenge? Most of us aren’t born with business savvy. The good news, however, is that business acumen is a skill that can be learned.

In the 75th episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Dr. Keith Keating, author of “The Trusted Learning Advisor” and chief learning and development officer at BDO Canada, to learn more about how to build business acumen as a learning leader.

Listen now for insights on: 

• Learning the lingo: Why speaking the language of your stakeholders is key in gaining their buy-in and support.
• Seeking feedback: Why feedback is ultimately a gift that can help you advance L&D in your organization.
• Listening to learn: Why taking the time to listen and learn is essential for delivering strategic training programs.

Today’s workforce consists of a diverse blend of generations whose distinct values, experiences and skills bring both challenges and opportunities to organizations. After all, research consistently shows that diverse teams outperform their counterparts.

In this episode of The Business of Learning, brought to you by Wisetail, we spoke with Ryan Jenkins, a Wall Street Journal best-selling author and thought leader on working and leading across generations, about navigating the multigenerational workplace.

Listen now to hear Ryan’s thoughts on:

• Why generations are “clues” not “absolutes.”
• How to leverage each generation’s strengths.
• Leading multigenerational teams.

In 2024, it’s widely established that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is essential for business success. However, many companies still struggle to deliver DEI training and awareness initiatives that make a lasting impact.

In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Deanna Singh, author and co-founder of Uplifting Impact, a training and education workplace inclusion firm, to learn more about the state of DEI training in 2024 as well as tips for developing and delivering effective DEI programs.