Talent Development Leader

In this episode of Talent Development Leader podcast, Tina Robinson, executive coach and author of the ATD Press book, Developing Your Business Leaders, explains why many TD leaders get stuck reacting to requests instead of driving the business forward, and how to break the cycle. Tina shares the common pitfalls talent professionals face, how to build credibility with executives, and why defining the WHO, WHAT, and WHY of learning strategy always matters more than the HOW. If you're ready to elevate your TD function from "nice-to-have" to business-critical, this episode is your playbook.

As organizations move beyond high-potential-only development models, AI coaching is emerging as a powerful enabler of personalized growth at scale. In this episode of Talent Development Leader podcast, Kirsten Moorefield, cofounder of Cloverleaf, describes how AI coaching is leveling the playing field for people development. Learn what to look for and watch out for when it comes to AI coaching tools, plus practical use cases in the workplace. And discover how you can responsibly use AI to support learning, true behavior change, and performance across your organization.

What if the most powerful learning initiative isn't a program, but the way work itself is designed? In this episode of Talent Development Leader podcast, Sam Murray, Founder and CEO of AlignedCX, challenges traditional approaches to learning and enablement and makes the case for merging work and learning to drive real business outcomes. She describes how TD leaders can identify high-value work, decide what belongs with humans versus AI, and design employee experiences that fuel both growth and performance. Listen and explore new ways of thinking about data, performance measurement, and operating models for learning in a world where work is the classroom.

Website: https://www.alignedcx.com/

Human sustainability is no longer a "nice to have"—it's a strategic imperative. In this episode of Talent Development Leader podcast, Allyson McElwain, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer and Director of Development, Learning, and Engagement at TELUS, describes what it means to create workplaces where employees leave better off than when they arrived. Topics include reimagining employee engagement, supporting mental health and well-being, enabling belonging, and designing meaningful and flexible work. You'll walk through TELUS's human-centric approach to AI, discover the company's transformation journey, and learn how to use AI thoughtfully across the talent development lifecycle.

As AI, reskilling, and shifting workforce expectations reshape organizations, talent development leaders face the unique challenge of balancing innovation with the enduring fundamentals of how people learn. In this episode of Talent Development Leader podcast, bestselling author, facilitator, and former learning executive Jonathan Halls suggests there is a dual mindset required of today's TD leaders: They must be anchored in evidence-based learning principles while navigating ambiguity and preparing for what's next. Listen for new research about current C-suite priorities (hint: AI literacy tops the list), and learn how asking the right questions can future-proof your learning strategy.

Get Jonathan's book on learning objectives: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FYYPY918

C-suite leadership is changing as talent development leaders are gaining expanded responsibilities across learning, succession planning, engagement, and more. Many leaders are expected to be experts in talent development, pros at creating vision and strategy, and adept at AI—all while overseeing initiatives for the entire employee lifecycle. In other words, they're expected to be and do the impossible. In this episode of the Talent Development Leader podcast, Sara Daw—entrepreneur, researcher, and CEO of The CFO Centre and The Liberti Group—suggests practical solutions to these unrealistic pressures placed on TD leaders. She explores the rise of fractional leadership and the access economy and explains how TD leaders can use this new workplace context to their advantage. Listen here and learn about the Strategy and Leadership as a Service framework, a pragmatic approach that helps executives and organizations better adapt, thrive, and co-create sustainable value in this new era of work.

In this episode of Talent Development Leader podcast, Ryan Gottfredson—bestselling author, professor, and expert in leadership development—describes what it truly means to become better. Drawing from his latest book, Becoming Better: The Groundbreaking Science of Personal Transformation, Ryan shares why most leadership development is only incrementally helpful and how leaders can shift to transformational growth by elevating their "being side." Learn about mindset strategies, complexity quotient, and practical ways to build future-ready organizations. This episode will give you the tools to deepen your leadership impact and navigate complexity with greater clarity.

With an overwhelming abundance of skilling content and the rise of AI in talent development, what does effective employee support look like today—and what should organizations focus on? In this episode of the Talent Development Leader podcast, Lindsay Witcher, Global Leader at Randstad RiseSmart, discusses the evolving landscape of career development and the increasingly critical role of talent and learning leaders in building environments where employees can thrive. Listen here to learn what current research reveals about employee expectations around career growth, how to empower overwhelmed managers and create personalized development pathways, the strategic role of learning and development in a noisy ecosystem, and the impact of AI on career development strategies in 2025.

In this episode of the Talent Development Leader podcast, explore the power and pitfalls of performance feedback with renowned organizational psychologists Dr. Sandra Mashihi and Dr. Ken Nowack. With decades of experience in leadership development, coaching, and behavioral science, Sandra and Ken explore how feedback can fuel employee engagement, organizational culture, and business performance—when done right. From the neuroscience behind defensive reactions to feedback, to the essential elements that drive real behavior change, this conversation unpacks the disconnects between leaders and employees, and offers a clear, research-backed model for making feedback more effective. As a people leader and talent development professional, you'll walk away with practical strategies for building a feedback culture grounded in psychological safety and self-awareness.

Don't miss Amy on the main stage at ATD25. Register now to join us in D.C.: https://www.td.org/pre-checkout/atd25

In this special bonus episode of the Talent Development Leader podcast, we're joined by renowned Harvard Business School professor and bestselling author, Amy C. Edmondson—the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management and a keynote speaker at ATD25 in Washington, D.C. this May.

Amy shares powerful insights from her latest book, The Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well. She explores why failure is so difficult for many, identifying aversion, confusion, and fear as core barriers. She breaks down the concept of intelligent failure and offers practical strategies for learning from setbacks, building resilience, and fostering cultures where thoughtful risk-taking is encouraged.

Guest host Jennifer Homer, ATD's vice president of career development, leads this thoughtful conversation, which builds on Amy's groundbreaking work on psychological safety and its critical role in talent development.