From Order Takers to Strategic Partners: The Mindset Shift L&D Needs Now

What’s really “mission critical” in your organization? Spoiler alert—it’s not just sales. In this episode, Vanessa Alzate, CEO of Kirkpatrick Partners, challenges one of the most dangerous assumptions in business: that learning and training are expendable when times get tough. Drawing from real-world examples across industries—government, healthcare, military, and corporate—Vanessa makes the case that investing in people isn’t optional; it’s the only way to sustain performance through disruption. Too often, organizations cut back on training during downturns, only to scramble later when rebuilding. The cycle is reactive, shortsighted, and ultimately costly. Vanessa reframes the conversation: training is not about content; it’s about performance. And performance is what’s truly mission critical. Key Takeaways: Why learning is the first budget cut—and why that’s a mistake. The hidden cost of layoffs and rehiring without workforce capability-building. Real-world examples of mission critical training that saves lives. How organizations that invest in people weather crises better. Why Gen Alpha’s expectations will disrupt traditional workplace structures. The difference between optional learning vs. essential performance-focused training. 👉 Don’t miss this one if you’re leading through disruption, advocating for L&D, or preparing for the future of work. Subscribe to the Kirkpatrick Podcast, share this episode with your network, and join us at the upcoming event to go deeper into performance-driven learning.   Learn more about the Kirkpatrick Model Watch the Show on YouTube! Submit your Questions/Stories: Do you have a question you would like us to answer on the Kirkpatrick Podcast? Have a story about how the Kirkpatrick Podcast or other Kirkpatrick events/programs have positively impacted your career? We would love to hear from you! Follow this link to submit your questions and/or stories, and we may just share them on the next episode of the Kirkpatrick Podcast.

What do you do when disruption shakes your organization — restructuring, new tech, shifting leadership — and the stakeholders you’ve relied on are suddenly gone? In this episode of the Kirkpatrick Podcast, I (Vanessa Alzate) reflect on lessons from the Training Officers Consortium and my own journey of building community in a new state. Disruption is inevitable, but the way we respond — especially in how we engage stakeholders — determines whether we survive or thrive.Stakeholder engagement isn’t just a task on your to-do list. It’s about community. In times of disruption, rebuilding relationships is harder, but it’s also where resilience, alignment, and performance live. What You’ll Learn: Why disruption isn’t just economic — and how to spot it in your own organization. How stakeholder engagement mirrors building community in your personal life. The role of empathy and listening in strengthening fractured relationships. Why managers often resist training reinforcement (and what to do about it). Practical steps to proactively build and sustain stakeholder trust. How celebrating small wins can strengthen ownership and alignment. If you’ve felt frustrated by losing relationships, overwhelmed by disruption, or stuck in rebuilding mode, this episode is for you. ➡️ Listen now to learn how to turn disruption into opportunity. ➡️ Watch the video on YouTube ➡️ Subscribe for weekly insights on evaluation, leadership, and organizational performance. Learn more about the Kirkpatrick Model Submit your Questions/Stories: Do you have a question you would like us to answer on the Kirkpatrick Podcast? Have a story about how the Kirkpatrick Podcast or other Kirkpatrick events/programs have positively impacted your career? We would love to hear from you! Follow this link to submit your questions and/or stories, and we may just share them on the next episode of the Kirkpatrick Podcast.

More dashboards don’t mean more insights. In fact, they might be what’s holding your organization back. In this episode of The Kirkpatrick Podcast, Vanessa Alzate challenges the way executives and L&D leaders approach data. If you’ve ever sat in front of a sea of dashboards and still couldn’t answer the simple question — “What’s actually changed?” — this conversation is for you. Here’s what we cover: Why too many dashboards create information overload instead of clarity. The hidden danger of relying on vanity metrics like completion rates and survey scores. How disconnected KPIs undermine your ability to prove impact. The shift from data collection to actionable insights that drive decisions. Why alignment, behavior change, and transparency are the real levers of learning impact. Three critical questions every executive should ask before approving another training investment. Executives don’t need more numbers. They need better data, sharper alignment with strategy, and evidence of behavior change. This episode will help you move away from clutter and toward clarity so that your L&D investments actually influence business results. Listen now, and if you’re ready to move beyond vanity metrics and into data that drives impact, schedule a discovery call with Kirkpatrick Partners. It’s budget justification season — if you’re only looking at 2025, you’re already behind. Let’s set you up for 2026 and beyond.

Budget season is here — and for many L&D professionals, that means stress, scrutiny, and the dreaded question: “What are we really getting from all this training spend?” In this episode of the Kirkpatrick Podcast, Vanessa Alzate walks you through three essential questions to ensure your learning budgets are justified, strategic, and defensible. Too often, training programs get funded without critical evaluation — draining resources, frustrating teams, and weakening the credibility of L&D. Vanessa shows how to flip the script by using the Kirkpatrick Model as a decision-making lens, ensuring every dollar spent ties directly to organizational goals and measurable results. You’ll learn: The #1 mistake L&D leaders make during budget justification. How to tie programs to specific business goals and KPIs (instead of “training for training’s sake”). Why behavior change (Level 3) is the bridge between learning and results — and how to prove it. How to separate vanity metrics from true impact metrics executives care about. A practical framework to evaluate vendors, tools, and programs for real business value. If you’ve ever worried about cuts to your budget — or struggled to prove the ROI of your programs — this episode gives you the language, mindset, and tools to position L&D as a true business partner. 🎧 Listen now and take the first step toward stronger budget justifications, smarter investments, and greater organizational impact. 👉 Don’t miss the upcoming Kirkpatrick Summit, where we’ll dive even deeper into proving impact and building a high-performance learning culture.   Learn more about the Kirkpatrick Model Watch the Show on YouTube! Submit your Questions/Stories: Do you have a question you would like us to answer on the Kirkpatrick Podcast? Have a story about how the Kirkpatrick Podcast or other Kirkpatrick events/programs have positively impacted your career? We would love to hear from you! Follow this link to submit your questions and/or stories, and we may just share them on the next episode of the Kirkpatrick Podcast.

When impact measurement is left to a single department—especially L&D—it’s a recipe for failure. In this episode of the Kirkpatrick Podcast, Vanessa Alzate shares why evaluation must be a shared responsibility across the organization, how to break down silos, and four actions executives can take to model a culture of evaluation that drives real performance results. You’ll learn: Why Level 3 and Level 4 results need to be co-owned by L&D and operational leaders How to get managers and other departments invested in performance change The biggest mindset shift organizations must make to sustain impact Lessons from influencing without formal authority (and how L&D can use them) Four executive behaviors that embed evaluation into the DNA of your organization Whether you’re in learning and development, HR, operations, or executive leadership, this episode will help you move from siloed measurement to enterprise-wide accountability—and create results that last. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: The danger of siloed impact measurement 01:10 – Why “If impact lives in one department, it dies in isolation” 02:20 – The limits of L&D owning evaluation alone 04:00 – How disconnected KPIs weaken organizational results 05:25 – The mindset shift from tools to shared accountability 07:15 – Why managers are critical to sustaining behavior change 09:00 – The problem with relying on post-training surveys 10:30 – Lessons from influencing without formal authority (sorority leadership story) 14:45 – Four ways executives can model a culture of evaluation:   • Integrate measurement into strategic plans   • Celebrate wins tied to results   • Hold managers accountable   • Provide resources for tracking and acting on data 21:30 – Practical starting point: “What’s the evidence?” in every update 22:15 – Call to action: Invite departments to co-own success from day one 22:55 – Invitation to join the Kirkpatrick Summit for hands-on impact solutions   Learn more about the Kirkpatrick Model Watch the Show on YouTube! Submit your Questions/Stories: Do you have a question you would like us to answer on the Kirkpatrick Podcast? Have a story about how the Kirkpatrick Podcast or other Kirkpatrick events/programs have positively impacted your career? We would love to hear from you! Follow this link to submit your questions and/or stories, and we may just share them on the next episode of the Kirkpatrick Podcast.

We’ve all been guilty of celebrating the wrong data—hours of training delivered, high NPS scores, without asking if it actually changed anything. In this episode, Vanessa Alzate takes a hard look at how organizations define success, why L&D can’t do it alone, and why executive sponsorship is critical to lasting change. You’ll hear: The “green smoothie” problem with vanity metrics Why culture change must start at the top (and bottom) How middle management can derail your evaluation efforts What L&D pros must ask themselves about their role in the future It’s time to move from learning to performance—and stop pretending the status quo is good enough.   Learn more about the Kirkpatrick Model Watch the Show on YouTube! Submit your Questions/Stories: Do you have a question you would like us to answer on the Kirkpatrick Podcast? Have a story about how the Kirkpatrick Podcast or other Kirkpatrick events/programs have positively impacted your career? We would love to hear from you! Follow this link to submit your questions and/or stories, and we may just share them on the next episode of the Kirkpatrick Podcast.

Season 4 kicks off with a candid solo from Vanessa Alzate as she reflects on the last two years since acquiring Kirkpatrick Partners. Hear the behind-the-scenes story of building a company through personal sacrifice, the release of her new book Building a Culture of Evaluation: The New Kirkpatrick Model for Performance and Innovation, and why this isn’t just another year—it’s the catalyst. From designing a new kind of summit experience to launching next-gen tools like Bigfoot and trevato, Vanessa lays out the vision for transforming how organizations evaluate, learn, and lead. In this episode: A raw look at what it takes to reimagine an iconic brand Why most training fails—and what we’re doing about it The story behind the book and the upcoming Kirkpatrick Summit Sneak peeks at upcoming tech tools and brand refreshes A call to senior leaders: it’s time to stop cleaning the fish   Learn more about the Kirkpatrick Model Watch the Show on YouTube! Submit your Questions/Stories: Do you have a question you would like us to answer on the Kirkpatrick Podcast? Have a story about how the Kirkpatrick Podcast or other Kirkpatrick events/programs have positively impacted your career? We would love to hear from you! Follow this link to submit your questions and/or stories, and we may just share them on the next episode of the Kirkpatrick Podcast.

In the season finale of the Kirkpatrick Podcast, Vanessa brings together three dynamic leaders who are proving every day that learning doesn’t matter unless it makes a difference. Join Veronica Soria, Genevieve Nystrom, and Deana Brown, practitioners and champions of the Kirkpatrick Four Levels® (aka the Kirkpatrick Model), as they share how they’ve built evaluation into the DNA of their organization. Whether you’re leading training in the military, higher education, or global consulting, this episode offers real-world strategies for showing impact, shifting culture, and leading with courage. 🔑 Key Takeaways: How to align stakeholders around performance outcomes—not activity Why courage and consistency are the foundations of learning cultures How these leaders went beyond smile sheets to track real behavior change Practical tips for integrating Level 3 and 4 data into performance conversations What it feels like when learning earns a seat at the strategy table 🎯 Topics Covered: Learning evaluation strategy Kirkpatrick Four Levels® in action Culture building and leadership ROI and behavior change Building systems for continuous improvement 🎧 Don’t miss this special sendoff to the season—packed with wisdom, candor, and real talk from three true champions of impact. Learn more about the Kirkpatrick Model Watch the Show on YouTube! Submit your Questions/Stories: Do you have a question you would like us to answer on the Kirkpatrick Podcast? Have a story about how the Kirkpatrick Podcast or other Kirkpatrick events/programs have positively impacted your career? We would love to hear from you! Follow this link to submit your questions and/or stories, and we may just share them on the next episode of the Kirkpatrick Podcast.  

Vanessa welcomes Dr. Nigel Paine, a global thought leader in organizational learning and author of The Great Reset, to the Kirkpatrick Podcast. Together, they unpack what it truly means to lead in a world of constant disruption. Nigel reflects on the dual forces that shaped his career—technology and adult learning—and why AI is not just a tool but an essential collaborator for the future of work. They explore how organizations must pivot beyond individual performance metrics to create systems that empower entire teams and embrace change. Vanessa also shares how Kirkpatrick Partners is integrating AI into evaluation processes to deepen impact and speed up learning feedback loops. Key Takeaways: Why the "clean fish in a dirty fishbowl" metaphor is the wake-up call your organization needs. How AI, when democratized and dialogic, becomes a partner in personal and organizational learning. Nigel's evolution from small grassroots education to leading global learning at the BBC. What the future of leadership requires: Less command-and-control, more courage, curiosity, and systems thinking. Kirkpatrick Partners’ AI-powered evaluation tools are reshaping how learners get feedback and how L&D proves value. Listen if you're a leader looking to: Future-proof your organization with a culture of learning agility Explore the role of AI in amplifying—not replacing—human performance Move from transactional training to transformational outcomes   Learn more about the Kirkpatrick Model Watch the Show on YouTube! Submit your Questions/Stories: Do you have a question you would like us to answer on the Kirkpatrick Podcast? Have a story about how the Kirkpatrick Podcast or other Kirkpatrick events/programs have positively impacted your career? We would love to hear from you! Follow this link to submit your questions and/or stories, and we may just share them on the next episode of the Kirkpatrick Podcast.

In this uniquely personal episode of the Kirkpatrick Podcast, Vanessa shares her reflections after hosting a very special pair of guests: her two young daughters, Giselle and Gianna, for Bring Your Kid to Work Day. What started as a fun, spontaneous activity quickly turned into a powerful conversation about what learning really looks like—free from jargon, metrics, and formality. What her children expressed, without realizing it, was a masterclass in emotional intelligence, behavior change, and human-centered performance. Why does this matter? Because emotional intelligence—the ability to recognize, understand, and manage our own emotions and those of others—is not only foundational for leadership... it's critical for learning transfer. In this episode, you’ll explore: How children instinctively understand key drivers of learning transfer: coaching, repetition, and emotional support Why emotional intelligence is a performance catalyst—not just a personal trait How feedback (even from a 7-year-old) reveals blind spots and builds trust The connection between microlearning and respect for cognitive and emotional bandwidth Why organizations must audit not just outcomes—but perception and morale Whether you're a CEO, VP, or L&D strategist, this episode invites you to see learning through a new lens—one rooted in empathy, human connection, and psychological safety. Because the truth is: when people feel seen, supported, and safe, they learn more, apply more, and contribute more. Key Takeaways: Emotional intelligence enables learning transfer by creating safe, supportive conditions Coaching and mentoring aren’t “extras”—they’re essential to behavior change Microlearning isn’t about speed—it’s about respect for time and attention Honest feedback—even hard truths—build stronger, more aligned teams Your people are paying attention. The question is: are you asking what they see? Listen if you’re asking: Why aren’t our people applying what they learn? How can I foster a more emotionally intelligent culture of feedback? What would I learn if I stopped assuming—and started asking? 🎧 Tune in for this unexpected yet powerful reminder: The most effective learning environments don’t just transfer knowledge. They affirm humanity.   Learn more about the Kirkpatrick Model Watch the Show on YouTube! Submit your Questions/Stories: Do you have a question you would like us to answer on the Kirkpatrick Podcast? Have a story about how the Kirkpatrick Podcast or other Kirkpatrick events/programs have positively impacted your career? We would love to hear from you! Follow this link to submit your questions and/or stories, and we may just share them on the next episode of the Kirkpatrick Podcast.