For the first time ever, The Learning & Development Podcast was recorded in front of a live audience in New York! In this special episode, I sit down with Julianne Gill, Director of Learning & Development at Smile Brands, to explore what it truly takes to build an L&D function that delivers measurable impact.

Julianne shares insights from her career journey, how she assessed and transformed L&D at Smile Brands, and the pivotal role of performance consulting and collaborative learning in making L&D a strategic business driver.

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 leaders need to think strategically to truly help the business.
• Seek real customer feedback. If you don´t know what people really think you can´t improve.
• Focus on how people really learn. It is always evolving.
• The L&D department needs to learn and evolve themselves.
• Collaborative learning works.
• Always partner with subject matter experts. Where possible update what they have already created, then get them to edit it.
• Start by helping people to achieve their KPIs.
• Educate yourself about performance consulting.
• Focus on outcomes.
• Be smart with people´s time.
• When you have different perspectives and experiences in the room you achieve more.

BEST MOMENTS

“You need to show value pretty quickly.”

“You are telling them their baby is ugly, and nobody likes to be told that their baby is ugly.”

“When training is the absolute wrong solution, you're going to waste a lot of money.”

“I can turn anything into a $ sign.”

“Start with the data.”

“Take the wins when you can and work your way around.”

Julianne Gill Bio

Julianne is an innovative Learning, Development, Talent Acquisition, & Knowledge Management leader with a track record of success in leading complex initiatives. Julianne has deep expertise in training design & strategy, performance improvement, business planning, talent acquisition, employee engagement, operational efficiencies, leadership development, and change management with a proven history of building and leading high performing teams. Through leadership and collaboration, Julianne has successfully developed and executed programs and improved operational workflows that lead to performance improvement and achievement of strategic goals.

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

In a time when organisations must adapt and evolve more rapidly than ever, the role of learning is at a crossroads. In this episode, Nigel Paine, author of The Great Reset: Unlocking the Power of Organisational Learning, shares his vision for transforming L&D into a strategic driver of culture, leadership, and inclusion-focused change.

Nigel outlines the dimensions of organisational learning, the five values that underpin it, and the critical questions that leaders must ask to shift from transactional L&D to a more holistic and impactful approach. He also discusses the role of generative AI in reshaping learning and how L&D professionals can rise to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing landscape.

With philosophical reflections and practical guidance, this conversation provides a roadmap for those ready to reset their thinking, elevate their practice, and embrace a bold vision for the future of learning.

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

• Sharing and supporting is a component of agile organisations.
• Provide people with the freedom to work holistically and across departments.
• Ensure your systems are relevant.
• Create a culture of trust so people are free to support each other.
• Use team targets instead of individual ones.
• Set benchmarks to prove you have achieved it.
• Empower people to look after their own development and remove barriers.
• AI can be a personal development engineer for each person.
• Inclusion genuinely brings different perspectives.

BEST MOMENTS

“I don't believe you can rely on individuals being smart enough ... We need collective intelligence.”

“Value decency and human kindness.”

“Detoxify your culture.”

“The 5 values create an agenda for action.”

“AI is going to be life enhancing.”

“Build credibility based on making meaningful impacts.”

Nigel Paine Bio

Nigel Paine is a renowned author, speaker, and thought leader in the field of L&D. He is a passionate advocate for innovative, people-centred approaches to organisational development.

As the author of several influential books, Nigel challenges L&D professionals to think beyond traditional boundaries and embrace the profound potential of learning to shape culture, foster leadership, and drive inclusion.

Nigel’s career spans senior leadership roles, consulting with global organisations, and teaching at institutions such as the University of Chicago and IE Business School.

Twitter: @ebase

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelpaine

Book: https://store.bookbaby.com/book/the-great-reset Use the discount code: LDAP10

https://www.nigelpaine.com

VALUABLE RESOURCES

L&D Master Class: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home

ABOUT THE HOST

David James has been a People Development professional for 20+ years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.

David is Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.

CONTACT METHOD

•  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective
• https://360learning.com/blog

Too often, L&D delivers learning solutions that fail to drive real behaviour change. But why does this happen, and how can we design interventions that truly make an impact? In this episode, learning design expert Julie Dirksen unpacks the science behind effective learning and what actually motivates people to apply what they’ve learned.

Julie explores the biggest reasons training fails, the role of attention and habit formation, and how L&D can move beyond information delivery to solving real performance challenges. She also shares strategies for diagnosing root causes, overcoming engagement barriers, and designing for complex skill development.

With practical insights and research-backed strategies, this conversation is a must-listen for L&D professionals looking to create learning that sticks—and that leaders take seriously as a driver of business success.

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

• When people do not see the value in the action they do not do it.
• If what you are asking for is not viable people won´t do it e.g. They can´t see their work clearly while wearing safety glasses.
• Learning does not have to be short; it has to be relevant.
• User testing learning before rollout is effective.
• Teaching people how to examine and solve problems is powerful.
• Create opportunities for feedback to reinforce learning.
• AI can help you in ways humans can´t.
• Break down why the behaviour is not happening.

BEST MOMENTS

“They know the right actions to take, yet it’s still not happening.”

“Sometimes people don't see the value in the action.”

“AI can pull out what is successful and then use that as a model.”

Julie Dirksen's Bio

Julie Dirksen is an expert in instructional design, learning science, and behaviour change. She is the author of Design For How People Learn and a sought-after consultant who helps organisations create learning experiences that drive real performance improvement. With a background in UX, game design, and cognitive psychology, Julie focuses on bridging the gap between what we teach and what people actually do. Through her work, she equips L&D professionals with the tools to design learning that truly sticks.

You can follow and contact Julie via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliedirksen/

Blog: http://usablelearning.wordpress.com/

Website: https://usablelearning.com/

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