The Learning & Development Podcast: The #1 L&D Show

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 AI has made that conversation urgent. From there, he unpacks his shopkeeper to engineer idea and his view that L&D is like Mexican food, the same ingredients folded differently, before making the case for why people now build their own burrito and L&D's role is to help them do it better. He then turns to impact, setting out the difference between counting, measuring and evaluating, why a performance baseline matters, and how asking "help me understand" can change the conversation with the business, with a memorable example involving sickness absence and extendable lanyards. Along the way, he discusses podcasting as a way of connecting people and surfacing the insight inside an organisation, the 50 Big Ideas to Change L&D, and the health of the profession today. He closes with why he won't give advice without understanding someone's context, and, in a bonus segment, why L&D should respond to uncertainty by agreeing principles rather than writing a strategy. It's a thoughtful conversation for anyone in L&D who wants to move from taking orders to solving problems. Take your L&D to the next level Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership. It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - ⁠https://360learning.com/maturity-model⁠ KEY TAKEAWAYS From Shopkeeper to Engineer: L&D often acts as a shopkeeper, taking orders for courses and delivering them without questioning the root cause. To drive real change, L&D professionals must become performance engineers who step back, understand the business problem, and build systemic solutions. L&D is like Mexican Food: Much of what the learning profession produces uses the exact same ingredients, just folded and packaged differently—like a burrito versus a fajita. Rebranding basic management training as leadership development without changing the core approach fails to solve actual business needs. The Capacity Gap: L&D is highly skilled at addressing ability through courses and workshops, but it consistently fails to address organizational capacity. True capability requires building the relationships, structures, systems, and technologies that allow employees to apply what they learn. Measure Outcomes, Not Inputs: The profession needs to stop measuring input data like attendance, course completions, and test scores. True evaluation requires establishing a baseline of current performance, defining the target outcome with stakeholders, and measuring the actual shift in business results. BEST MOMENTS "We can do ability until we're blue in the face. Courses, classes, workshops, brilliant, design and materials and content. What we fail to work within is the capacity part of capability within the organization." "L&D's like Mexican food. We do this all the time... it's the same ingredients but folded differently and cooked in the oven." "We are arguing about the seat at the table so much that we're forgetting that maybe the table won't exist anymore." "The first step you take as a crew manager is backwards. And that's what L&D needs to do. When someone says, we've got a fire, I need some help, can you do a course for me? What we should do is go, step back, absolutely, what's the problem? And start talking in terms of performance within the business." Andrew Jacobs Bio Andrew Jacobs is the Learning Principal for Llarn Learning, known for innovative thinking about learning, training and technology. He has significant experience across a range of roles in learning, training, talent and people development, gained across public and private sector industries, most recently in central government with HMRC and DHSC. Andrew has a specific understanding of developing online and digital solutions for learning, social profile and engagement. He is a Fellow of the Learning Performance Institute (LPI) and a CIPD Leader in Learning. He received the Internet Time Alliance award for his work on informal learning in July 2020 and was highly commended at the CIPD People Management Awards in 2021. He blogs daily at www.lostanddesperate.com and produces the podcast Women Talking About Learning. You can contact or follow Andrew via the following:Blog: https://www.lostanddesperate.comPodcast: https://womentalkaboutlearning.podbean.com/ Website: https://llarn.com/ Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Proving-Impact-Measure-effectiveness-results-ebook/dp/B0D8LJ3VXV/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=AEojL&content-id=amzn1.sym.5e81eabe-938d-4936-a067-ca199f0f9913&pf_rd_p=5e81eabe-938d-4936-a067-ca199f0f9913&pf_rd_r=262-7492473-4010600&pd_rd_wg=2RTPW&pd_rd_r=5cf75a4d-7716-490d-8b77-65952af5474c VALUABLE RESOURCES The Learning And Development Podcast - ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523⁠ L&D Master Class Series: ⁠https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home⁠ ABOUT THE HOST David James David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. CONTACT METHOD Twitter: ⁠ https://twitter.com/davidinlearning⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin⁠ L&D Collective: ⁠https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective⁠ Blog: ⁠https://360learning.com/blog⁠ This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

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 to a project built for interns. Danny shares how he's laying the groundwork for taking AI to the next level, including the knowledge repository he's building and where his early experiments with AI agents are taking him. Along the way, David and Danny get into what this shift is doing to Danny's own sense of his role, and what it might mean for where the L&D profession is headed next. For anyone wanting to experiment more with AI in their own L&D practice but unsure where to begin, this episode offers a grounded, honest look at what it actually takes. Take your L&D to the next level Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership. It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model KEY TAKEAWAYS You need a human in the loop. When you chain multiple AI steps together without human review, small inaccuracies compound and your final output can be seriously off. At step 1 it will be about 90% correct, take that content unchecked through 5 AI driven steps and you end up with something that is only 59% right. Grounding AI in SME interviews, recordings, and a curated knowledge repository and a fact-checking process or tool is critical to avoid hallucinations and keep content fresh. You don’t need to be a coder to build useful AI workflows: start with small “unit tests,” then turn repeatable wins into reusable skills your whole team can leverage. AI creates space for L&D to stop being order takers and instead act as strategic consultants, orchestrating ecosystems, agents, and knowledge flows that solve real business problems. BEST MOMENTS “I’m passionate about using AI to add business value and boost efficiency in learning and development without sacrificing the quality.” “Where AI has come into the picture is it is making us move faster, not differently.” “We shouldn’t be order-takers. We should be consultants to guide the business and coach them towards best practices.” "Start small.... it doesn't even have to be learning and development related.” Danny Barrow Bio Danny Barrow is Lead Learning Program Manager at Ridgeline, an investment management technology company, where he designs and implements learning and enablement solutions to help the business scale. His recent work has included re-imagining the onboarding curriculum for Ridgeline's Customer Experience department and leading the implementation of 360Learning's LMS, transitioning the company's training operations from manual processes onto the platform. Before Ridgeline, he worked at InvestCloud as a technical trainer. He is based in Los Angeles and studied at Pitzer College.https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-barrow-4b199163/ VALUABLE RESOURCES The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home ABOUT THE HOST David James David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. CONTACT METHOD Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidinlearning LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective Blog: https://360learning.com/blog This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

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 living in Hard Mode," before diving into the AI dividend and what it could offer L&D and the wider workforce. Erica unpacks the practicalities of prompting, makes the case for sustainable AI adoption, and discusses the role of HR and L&D in driving AI adoption and advocacy. She also addresses concerns around AI-supported wellbeing, sets out L&D's role as a curator of skills, and explores the opportunity in AI-augmented coaching. Erica also touches on the impact of AI on talent management and paints a picture of how agentic AI is shifting people development from generative to autonomous, closing with her vision for learning-led HR. Take your L&D to the next level Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership. It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model KEY TAKEAWAYS L&D has a huge opportunity to become the stakeholder’s best friend by using AI to solve real operational problems, shifting to architecting skills, intelligence, and quality solutions. AI is an opportunity to stop “living in hard mode” by automating low‑value work and doubling down on high‑value human skills and relationships. AI should be treated as a thinking partner and coaching ally that democratizes access to support, not a replacement for human coaches, facilitators, or therapists. BEST MOMENTS “AI can be an Iron Man suit that can help you to achieve an enormous amount more than before. But if you're going to stay in your lane … then AI is your meteor. .” “Using AI as a thinking partner will help you challenge yourself and develop and start to think in a way that traditionally you might not of and therefore come up with more innovative ideas.” “If you're somebody who will say naturally, I'm not techy, then become techy.” Erica Farmer Bio Erica Farmer has over 25 years of learning and development and apprenticeships experience with some of the UK's best known brands such as LV=, British Gas, Specsavers and Virgin. Her area of specialism is AI and future skills. Erica speaks about this in her TEDx talk, 'Reforming Education through the Digital First Mindset', and in her courses as a LinkedIn Learning Instructor. Erica is passionate about driving human collaborations with tech. Examples are the 'AI for the Average Joe' podcast show, making the complex, simple, alongside her innovative keynotes and workshops focusing on AI for everyone, AI in leadership and practical uses AI in wellbeing. An advisory member of the AI in Work & Skills Forum, Erica is a seasoned presenter who was shortlisted as Best AI Speaker in the 2025 Speaker Awards. She is also an AI Strategist for a leading European learning and teaching assessment organization. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericafarmer/ https://ericafarmer.ai/ AI for People Professionals book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/People-Professionals-Understand-Artificial-Intelligence/dp/139862599X/ ABOUT THE HOST David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, he is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. CONTACT https://twitter.com/davidinlearning https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective https://360learning.com/blog L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

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 "power skills" that genuinely serve a young, frontline workforce. They also explore how senior leaders are being embedded as active role models across the organization, the friction encountered when transitioning from local teams to global academies and the specific metrics needed to remain accountable and valued in 2026. Take your L&D to the next level Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership. It's all distilled into one framework to help you level up L&D. Access the L&D Maturity Model here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model KEY TAKEAWAYS Merlin shifted from fragmented, locally driven L&D to global academies to build consistent leadership, enterprise capabilities, and democratised learning at scale. Including academies that target specific roles or departments e.g. engineers. A sharp focus on a few power skills, including storytelling, great conversations and business partnering drives frontline performance and long‑term careers far more than catalogues of courses. Those soft but powerful skills work for a lifetime. Storytelling is treated as a core power skill because it makes everything else work better: presentations, influencing, leadership, and guest experience all become more effective when people can tell simple, human, memorable stories. A shared high‑performing team model combined with diagnostics drives systemic change and shows you where you need to focus next. L&D leaders must lean into discomfort, own their expertise with executives, and relentlessly tie learning to business impact. BEST MOMENTS “The goal is great leaders, not great leadership development.” “If you identify the right levers, you can make a very very substantive difference.” “Data informs people. Stories move people.” “Leadership is the cornerstone of any successful organisation. It´s a cornerstone of any transformation.” “You have to stay laser focused on the things that make the single biggest difference.” Rob Peacock Bio Rob Peacock is a senior learning and development leader with over 15 years of experience building capability across global organisations. He currently serves as Global Director of Leadership and Learning at Merlin Entertainments, having joined in 2024. Before Merlin, Rob held senior L&D and talent roles at The Very Group, Samsung Electronics, and Virgin Media, where he led the company's L&D Academy. His career began at Tesco, where he spent nearly a decade across recruitment, HR business partnering, and learning roles spanning 22 countries. https://www.linkedin.com/in/robpeacockuyl/ VALUABLE RESOURCES The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home ABOUT THE HOST David James David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. CONTACT METHOD Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidinlearning LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective Blog: https://360learning.com/blog L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

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 witnesses - in a fast-paced, interactive trial of truth versus tradition. Each expert panellist takes on a widely accepted L&D myth - presenting their “case,” examining the evidence and defending the reality based on years of frontline experience: Becky Willis (CLO & Founder, Tractus Learning) Jess Almlie (Learning & Performance Strategist) Kevin M. Yates (The L&D Detective®) Audience members become the jury - voting “Guilty” or “Not Guilty” after each myth and ultimately deciding which challenged belief brought the biggest insight. This unmissable episode blends drama, debate and practical truth - leaving the audience with grounded strategies to modernise their L&D approach, reject outdated assumptions and focus on what truly drives performance and impact. Take your L&D to the next level Take advantage of 1000s of hours of analysis and conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on L&D leadership - here - https://360learning.com/maturity-model KEY TAKEAWAYS Today’s challenges need integrated, AI-driven, business-aligned ecosystems, not legacy, course-catalogue LMS “dinosaurs with wheels.” L&D's value does not lie in delivering exactly what leaders request. Our value lies in helping the organisation achieve its goals through strategic performance improvement and capability development. Completions, surveys and smile sheets have value, but they will never show true performance impact. Focus measurement on workplace performance outcomes. BEST MOMENTS “It might look slick, but in reality, it won´t do the job.” “Training the business to think differently about how they approach us with requests ... happens one person at a time.” “We need to remove the myth that training alone can fix it, ghat L&D has magic dust, magic wands and secret formulas.” Becky Willis Becky Willis is founder and chief learning officer at Tractus Learning, helping customers build successful digital learning strategies. She also founded WillLearn Consulting. Previously, she was VP of Engagement at EdCast and led learning innovation at Hewlett Packard. https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckywillis/ https://tractuslearning.com/ Jess Almlie Jess Almlie is an L&D leader, consultant, speaker, and author of L&D Order Taker No More. With 20+ years of experience, she has led enterprise learning strategies across healthcare, education, and financial services. Most recently, she was VP of Learning Experience at WEX. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessalmlie/ L&D Must Change Podcast: https://www.jessalmlie.com/podcast L&D Order Taker No More: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Order-Taker-No-More-Strategic-ebook/dp/B0F83XBBCV Kevin M. Yates Kevin M. Yates, the L&D Detective®, is a global expert in measuring learning’s impact on workplace performance. With 25+ years of experience at organisations including McDonald’s, Meta, and Grant Thornton, he helps L&D teams use data to demonstrate business impact. He also founded the nonprofit Meals in the Meantime. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinmyates/ https://kevinmyates.com/detective-kit https://kevinmyates.com/ RESOURCES L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home THE HOST David James has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. https://twitter.com/davidinlearning https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/