Frontline managers have to support decisions they didn’t make, translate organizational goals into actions, identify meaningful opportunities for people to develop, remember to acknowledge successes, regulate their emotions, and resolve team conflicts. And they're usually 19-years-old.

This week on The Mindtools L&D Podcast, one of our favourite guests - JD Dillon - returns to the show to share insights from his upcoming book on the role of frontline managers. We discuss:

• The pressures faced by frontline managers
• How to help these managers feel confident in their roles
• How AI chat bots and digital communities can help managers respond to daily challenges.

In ‘What I Learned This Week’, Anna discussed the impact of the climate crisis on education.

JD discussed the banana pose.

Ross shared how to spot a suspicious statistic, via More or Less.

For more from JD, check out his website frontlineplaybook.com, jdwroteabook.com, and axonify.com.

For more from us, including details of our upcoming app (soon!) visit mindtools.com. There, you'll also find details of our award-winning performance support toolkit, our off-the-shelf e-learning, and our custom work.

Connect with our speakers 

If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with us on LinkedIn:

• Ross Garner
• Dr Anna Barnett
• JD Dillon

Exciting news at Mindtools Towers this week, as we launch our first 'Expert Skill Bite' course with Dr Markus Bernhardt, available now to all Mindtools Content Hub users!

To share more about what the course covers, and how it builds capability over time, Markus joined Ross G and Claire to discuss:

• Why a 'big top-down AI strategy' is never coming
• How to help managers build AI skills
• What to do if your organization bans AI tools.

Log in to Mindtools.com now to subscribe to the Skill Bite and try it for yourself!

In ‘What I Learned This Week’, Claire recommended 'How to stop being so phone addicted (without self-discipline or meditation)', from the Search Engine podcast.

Ross discussed the latest exciting news from the world of Wordpress plugins.

For more from us, visit mindtools.com. There, you'll also find details of our award-winning performance support toolkit, our off-the-shelf e-learning, and our custom work.

Connect with our speakers 

If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with us on LinkedIn:

• Ross Garner
• Dr Markus Bernhardt
• Claire Gibson

This week, we're handing the reigns of The Mindtools L&D Podcast over to our friends at Assemble You. Including the show notes!

In this excellent interview, Adam sits down with Ross Garner and Paul Buller of Mindtools to explore one of the most pressing topics in L&D today: the role of AI in content creation and the future of learning.

Ross is Chief Learning Officer at Mindtools and a former Learning Designer of the Year. He’s also a long-time podcast host and co-author of the L&D Dispatch newsletter. Paul is Head of Content at Mindtools, an executive coach, and an expert in leadership and organisational psychology with a track record in leading hybrid learning teams at global organisations.

In this episode, Ross and Paul unpack how AI is reshaping what we create, how we design learning experiences, and the skills L&D professionals need to thrive in this new landscape.

They share their reflections on:

• Why content creation jobs are shifting—not disappearing
• How AI can free up time to focus on behaviour change and learning design
• The continued importance of authentic human connection in digital learning
• Practical ways to integrate AI into workflows without compromising quality
• How L&D can defend against “internet slop” with trustworthy, research-backed content

Ross and Paul give thoughtful, grounded insights into what AI means for learning teams today—and why embracing it with optimism and intentionality is the smart move. If you’re navigating the shift to AI-enhanced learning design, this is a must-listen episode.

Duolingo AI Revolution: https://drphilippahardman.substack.com/p/duolingos-ai-revolution

Connect with them on LinkedIn
Ross: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ross-garner/
Paul: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pbuller/

To find out more about the performance support available for leaders and managers, from Mindtools, visit mindtools.com. And, good news! You can now add Microsoft Shorts from Assemble You to your subscription.