Companies love to say they’re “learning organizations.”
But when the pressure hits, training is the first to get cut—or worse, it's used to mask deeper failures in leadership, culture, and accountability.

In this episode of Hero to Zero, host Ken Pearson sits down with David Dauman, CEO of Solutions House and longtime L&D advisor, to unpack how corporate training programs can become a performance illusion. What starts as a genuine effort to develop people often collapses into checkbox compliance, hollow slogans, and “launch in 30, measure in 2” metrics that never had a chance.

Together, Ken and David explore:

• Why so many learning initiatives are designed to fail
• The difference between training that teaches vs. training that protects leadership optics
• The myth of self-directed learning—and what people actually need to grow
• The fading line between “development” and “damage control”
• Real stories from organizations that got it right—and those that faked it until trust was gone

David introduces his framework of Compliant vs. Catalyst organizations:

Compliant systems train people to "do no harm."
Catalyst systems develop people to "do more good."

You’ll also hear sharp metaphors, lived satire, and stories that blend humanity with strategic critique—from the gym to Hamburger University to operating rooms and construction sites. This is one of our most layered episodes yet.

Whether you're in HR, executive leadership, or just tired of being “trained” without being supported—this episode will hit home.

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Follow David Dauman
🔗https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-s-dauman-a11bb8/

Follow Ken Pearson and ShadeTree Consulting
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/pearsonken/
🔗 https://shadetree-consulting.com/

Hero to Zero: What happens when leadership efforts collapse—and how to rebuild better.

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