What if your organization’s biggest performance issues aren’t due to talent—but bad learning models?

Learning isn’t about sitting in classrooms or ticking boxes—it’s about embedding growth into the real, messy challenges of everyday work. In this episode, listeners dive deep into how transformative learning can drive genuine performance change across organizations. You'll discover why traditional models are failing, and why courageous, purpose-driven approaches to development are the future.

Leonie Rothwell, co-founder of Encounters and Sprout and a global expert in leadership and organizational performance, shares her bold vision for what learning should be—and the pitfalls that many companies fall into when they don’t evolve. From live learning challenges to virtual coaching revolutions, this conversation will inspire you to rethink everything you thought you knew about L&D.

Key Takeaways

1. Real change in organizations happens when learning is embedded into real work, not isolated training rooms.
2. Redefining performance around purpose, motivation, and problem-solving transforms companies at every level.
3. True learning requires action—knowledge without application doesn’t drive real change or growth.

Timestamps

[00:00] Why Knowing Isn’t Enough Without Action

[00:49] Meet Leonie Rothwell: Learning Innovator

[01:22] Passion for People and Systemic Change

[02:11] How Development Is Changing Globally

[03:00] High-Stakes Learning: Real World Applications

[04:00] Filmmaking Lessons and Learning by Doing

[05:00] Solving Career Challenges for People with Disabilities

[06:13] The Dangers of Non-Expert L&D

[07:03] Meeting Robbie Williams and the Leadership Lesson

[08:32] How Virtual Leadership Coaching Changed the Game

Links & Future Learnings

• Leonie Rothwell on Linkedin
• Encountas
• Sprouta
• Tom Bailey on LinkedIn
• Tom Bailey Website

What if being good at your job isn’t enough anymore?

Confidence might just be the most overlooked skill in your professional toolkit. In this episode, we dive deep into what truly drives growth and fulfillment in the learning and development space—from the power of community, to the ways artificial intelligence is reshaping how educators work. It’s a conversation packed with vulnerability, real-world insights, and surprising moments of transformation.

Inna, a fifth-generation educator and learning strategist at Eli, shares the personal and professional stories that shaped her approach—from hosting her own Ed Talks podcast and building AI tools, to mentoring traumatized refugee children through karate. Whether you're stuck in your current role or seeking that next spark of inspiration, this episode offers both grounding wisdom and a fresh perspective on L&D today.

Key Takeaways

• Confidence often outweighs talent, especially when it comes to how you're perceived in your career.
• Belonging to a knowledge-sharing community can drastically enhance professional growth and help escape stagnation.
• Real transformation can come from unexpected roles—like teaching a language you barely know or using martial arts to rebuild broken lives.

Timestamps

[00:00] Confidence is more valuable than professionalism

[00:44] Inna’s background: educator, AI builder, and volunteer leader

[02:00] Why talking to different departments fuels her passion

[02:13] The power of the L&D Showcase community

[04:00] Avoiding stagnation in small orgs through community

[05:00] How teaching English before mastering it unlocked true learning

[06:00] Using AI to reduce hours of work to seconds

[07:00] Helping a traumatized child become a karate world champ

[08:26] The Zoom lecture with 0 interaction—and what came of it

[13:08] Why “acting like you understand” is a learned superpower

Links and Future Learnings

• Inna Horvath on Linkedin
• elai - L&D Essentials: A Starter’s Handbook
• Tom Bailey on LinkedIn
• Tom Bailey Website

Leadership isn’t about information—it’s about transformation.

What if leadership programs stopped focusing on “fixing” individuals and started designing for the real system they operate in? This episode unpacks why most L&D initiatives flop, what actually drives behavior change, and how to create a learning culture that sticks. Through vivid stories—from Ericsson’s transformation to Zoom cooking fails turned learning insights—Jennie Brown shares a refreshing take on how to do development that matters.

Jennie Brown, Managing Consultant at LIW, brings her strategic insights and deep experience leading transformative leadership initiatives across global organizations. In this conversation, she breaks down the mindset shift from pushing information to enabling real practice, and how flipping the usual learning sequence (context > team > self) unlocks meaningful performance. Whether you're in HR, L&D, or a leader looking to elevate your team—this episode is your blueprint for smarter, more human development.

Key Takeaways

• Building leadership from system to self makes development meaningful and measurable.
• Real change happens through practice and experimentation—not perfection or theory.
• Strong L&D programs demand line manager involvement and contextual, actionable learning.

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Timestamps:

[00:00] Choose what you care about in L&D

[00:51] Jennie introduces herself with personality and purpose

[02:00] Why work experience needs to change—and how leadership shapes it

[03:00] Deep dive into Ericsson’s cultural transformation program

[05:00] Why experimentation beats perfection in leadership

[07:00] The cooking story: what didn’t work, and what that teaches us

[09:00] Proudest moment leading a first-time intern to real impact

[12:00] The worst kind of L&D: overwhelming, unlinked, and manager-less

[16:00] Jennie’s contrarian take: reverse the order of leadership programs

[19:00] Best advice: Practice, curiosity, and intentional care

Links and Future Learnings

• Jennie Brown on Linkedin
• LIW Website
• Tom Bailey on LinkedIn
• Tom Bailey Website