The Business of Learning, Episode 45: Building Business Acumen as a Learning Leader

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.  

From recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) to immersive learning technologies and much more, the learning tech space is an exciting and fast-paced segment of the corporate training market. In the first episode of The Business of Learning's seventh season, we spoke with industry experts about learning technology trends and innovations. Listen now for insights on: How advancements in AI are impacting the learning tech space. How to select the right technology to support your programs. The skills learning leaders need to maximize their learning tech stacks.

Without reinforcement, even the best training programs will fail to drive sustained behavior change. Delivering “sticky” learning programs that encourage learning retention over time is key to realizing the business benefits of training and development. To learn more about learning reinforcement strategies and best practices, we spoke with Elena Agaragimova, a talent development specialist, author and podcaster, and Rachel Walerstein, CPTM, senior manager of learning and talent development for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, in the latest episode of The Business of Learning. Listen now for insights on: The manager’s role in learning reinforcement. Leveraging technology for improved learning retention. How to create a learning culture in both in-person and virtual settings.

Competency modeling offers learning and development (L&D) professionals a data-driven approach to understanding employee skills and abilities, and their alignment with job roles and functions. However, building impactful competency models can be complex, particularly in large, geographically dispersed organizations. This episode of The Business of Learning offers expert advice that can help you begin building custom competency models for your organization. Listen now for insights from Dr. Amy DuVernet, CPTM, director of training and development at Training Industry, Alyssa Kaszycki, learning product manager at Training Industry, Brian Blecke, founding partner and senior learning strategist at Actio Learning, and Kelly Smith, partner and senior performance consultant at Actio Learning.

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies have made the need for digital skills training a top business imperative. Without digital skills, employees will be ill-equipped to do their jobs in today’s world of work — and in tomorrow’s. In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Shauna Begley, founder of ModernWork and current program head of the business information technology management program at the Business Columbia Institute of Technology, and George Hanshaw, director of digital learning solutions at Los Angeles Pacific University, to learn more about building a digitally fluent workforce. Listen now for insights on: The difference between digital fluency and digital literacy. Why “technical know-how” is just the beginning of cultivating digital fluency. How to assess your organization’s current level of digital fluency.

The skills employees need to do their jobs today might look quite different from the skills they'll need to do their jobs even just a few years from now. In fact, The World Economic Forum’s 2023 Future of Jobs report found that 44% of workers’ core skills are expected to change in the next five years. To stay competitive, it's imperative that organizations map the skills their employees need to be successful not only in today's business environment, but also in tomorrow's.  In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Rose Cartolari, founder and CEO of RC Consulting, and Lisa Paulson, L&D manager at Nesnah Ventures, to learn more about skills mapping, and how it can help improve workforce readiness.     

Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are impacting nearly every industry, including learning and development (L&D). With all the hype around AI, it makes sense that L&D professionals have some questions: How will AI impact the learning leader's role? How can it be used to make their jobs easier? How will it shape the future of corporate training as a whole?  Training Industry’s CEO, Ken Taylor, and Dr. Tom Whelan, director of research, recently sat down to discuss how AI is bringing both challenges and opportunities to the L&D field. Their conversation offers greater clarity for learning leaders around the future of L&D in the age of AI. In this episode, we outline five things you need to know, as a learning leader, about AI and its potential to impact corporate training as we know it.

From virtual instructor-led training (VILT) to eLearning to virtual reality (VR), there's no shortage of training delivery modalities available to choose from. This means that determining which modalities are best for your programs can be a challenge — especially as advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) continue to bring innovative delivery options to the market.  In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Lauren LePage, a learning designer at Chick-Fil-A, Jeffrey Dyer, CPTM, a senior technical training manager, and Valerie Marsh, CPTM, director of learning and development at Jushi, to learn more about:  How to select the right delivery modality for your programs.  How to create a blended learning experience.  How technology is impacting training delivery.               

Measuring the business impact of training has long been a notorious challenge for learning and development (L&D) professionals, and rightly so: It requires a certain level of business savvy, in addition to working with stakeholders well before rolling out a program. In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with industry experts Lindsey Clayton, a learning and development consultant at Caterpillar, Dr. Allan Church, managing partner at Maestro Consulting and former senior vice president of global talent management at Pepsi Co., and Dr. Jaimie Krause, director of L&D at Indeed in global learning and enablement, for tips that can help "demystify" training measurement and prove the value of training to the business.