L&D Leaders Podcast

#1 with Katarina Noén, Head of Learning for Sweden at Ericsson. In this episode, Katarina shares how she helps people learn and grow inside a global, fast-moving tech organization.

We discuss what it takes to build future capabilities at scale, why social learning matters, and how to keep learning connected to real business needs. Katarina talks about working across functions and industries, and creating spaces where people learn from each other through real projects, mentoring, and communities.

Other themes in this episode include

• How to support learning in complex environments
• Why clarity, curiosity, and collaboration matter
• The role of Communities of Practice and cross-company learning
• How L&D can act as a trusted partner to the business
• Practical examples from Ericsson’s current collaborative learning initiatives

Takeaways

• Building future skills means aligning learning with business goals.
• Knowledge sharing across companies and industries supports building the needed capabilities for the future.
• Curiosity and innovation are key to successful learning.
• Social learning and networking are essential for career growth.
• Leadership should focus on clarity, people development, and results.
• Involving end users early leads to better learning outcomes.
• Building connections is crucial for future success.
• Learning should be a core part of organizational success.

Chapters

• 00:01:21 Introduction and Katarina's role
• 00:05:37 Career evolution
• 00:08:34 Approach to learning
• 00:10:49 Collaboration initiatives
• 00:14:21 Future learning strategies
• 00:22:29 Aligning with business goals
• 00:27:18 Ericsson's learning support

Katarina also references a national collaboration between Ericsson, Saab, ABB, Volvo Group, and four Swedish universities. More information: https://www.linkedin.com/company/expert-learning-lab

Join the L&D Leaders Community at ldleaders.net. Free, curated community where leaders come together to share what's actually working, ask the harder questions out loud, and build relationships with peers who genuinely get it.

Welcome to L&D Leaders Podcast, where Hanna Liimatainen sits down with influential voices in learning and development to discuss what it takes to make learning collaborative, strategic, and continuous in organizations changing faster than ever.

Every episode brings honest conversations about real challenges, unexpected breakthroughs, and the everyday moments where most of the actual learning happens.

Join the L&D Leaders Community at ldleaders.net. Free, curated community where leaders come together to share what's actually working, ask the harder questions out loud, and build relationships with peers who genuinely get it.