The Assembly

In this excellent interview, Adam sits down with Pooja Shemar.

Pooja is a senior L&D leader and passionate mental health advocate with over 20 years of experience, including 17 years driving transformation at Microsoft. Fuelled by her own personal journey, Pooja is on a mission to normalise conversations around mental health in the workplace, creating environments where people can truly thrive.

In this powerful and practical episode, Pooja shares her personal story and provides an essential guide to Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). She offers a masterclass in creating psychologically safe spaces, including:

1. What is Mental Health First Aid?: Pooja breaks down the role of an MHFAider – not as a therapist, but as a crucial first point of contact to recognise signs, offer support, and guide colleagues toward professional help.
2. How to Spot an Issue: Learn the simple, observable steps to recognise when a colleague might be struggling, centered around the powerful question: "Are you okay?"
3. A Practical Toolkit for Offering Support: Pooja provides a step-by-step guide on how to help, including how to create a safe space, listen without judgment, show empathy, and encourage without forcing.
4. Starting with Care, Not Assumptions: Discover the importance of framing conversations with concern for the individual, rather than labelling their behaviour or assuming you know what they're going through.
5. How L&D Can Lead the Charge: Pooja outlines actionable ways L&D and HR can champion mental health, from embedding it in onboarding to making it a top-down leadership responsibility.
6. The Power of Language: A crucial reminder to be mindful of casually using terms like "depressed" or "anxious," and the impact this can have on those with lived experience.

Pooja offers a deeply human and actionable framework for anyone looking to build a more supportive and mentally healthy workplace. If you want to learn how to open up the conversation and make a real difference, this is a must-listen-to episode. 

Connect with Pooja on LinkedIn: Pooja Mehta Shemar (FLPI) 

Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

In this excellent interview, Brigid sits down with Jayne Mather.

Jayne is an author, consultant, and expert in technology adoption, focusing on digital transformation and intelligent automation. She is the author of Humans and AI: The Future of Work and Super User Networks for Software Projects and specialises in helping businesses integrate emerging technologies to deliver long-term value.

In this episode, Jayne walks Brigid through understanding and leveraging AI within learning and the wider organisation. 

Jayne gives a masterclass on the practical application and human side of AI, including:

1. The "Netflix of Learning": How AI and machine learning can finally deliver on the promise of creating truly personalised learning paths for employees.
2. The Gift of Time: What organisations should do with the time they gain from AI, including re-skilling for the future and moving toward a four-day work week.
3. Moving from Insight to Impact: Using AI to rapidly analyse data (like training evaluations) so your people can focus on high-value, strategic work.
4. Practical Ways to Start: How to begin exploring AI, from experimenting with prompts to training chatbots on your own company policies and procedures.
5. The Importance of Trust: Why technology projects must be done with people, not to them, and how to get buy-in for AI adoption.
6. Diversity in AI: Jayne discusses the risks of biased AI and why having diverse perspectives at the table is crucial for creating technology that benefits everyone.

Jayne provides a clear, strategic framework for thinking about AI. This is a must-listen episode if you want to understand how AI will shape the future of work and L&D.

Connect with Jayne on LinkedIn: Jayne Mather 

And check out her website: Jayne Mather - Author | Speaker 

Jayne's books: 

1. Humans and AI: The Future of Work
2. Super User Networks for Software Projects: Best practices for training and change management

Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

In this excellent interview, Adam sits down with Dwayne Britton of DayWon.

Dwayne is a seasoned expert in learning, brand, and culture with over 15 years of experience at iconic, people-first companies like Apple, Lululemon, and On. Now, through his consultancy, DayWon, he helps growing organisations align their learning initiatives with their unique brand culture.

In this episode, Dwayne draws on his non-linear career to explain why L&D's role is not just to create content, but to act as a "cultural amplifier." He provides a masterclass on integrating brand identity into learning, including:

1. The “Signature Brew” Model: Dwayne unveils his signature framework for creating impactful learning experiences that hit the sweet spot between three crucial realms: Strategic, Brand, and Human.
2. Creating a Learning Philosophy: Learn why every organisation needs a clear point of view on "how people grow here" to avoid siloed, off-brand training and to build momentum behind learning.
3. Making it Practical: Dwayne walks through a step-by-step example of applying his model to a common L&D request—feedback training—showing how to tie it to strategic KPIs, adapt it for brand and cultural fit, and make it resonate on a human level.
4. From Sidelined to Strategic Partner: Actionable advice for L&D leaders who feel like a "training team" on the sidelines. Dwayne explains how to reclaim your strategic role by making your impact visible across the business.

Dwayne offers a powerful perspective on how L&D can move beyond being a support function to become a core driver of culture and brand. If you are looking for a practical framework to elevate your strategic influence, this is a must-listen-to episode.

Connect with Dwanye on LinkedIn:  Dwayne Britton 

And check out the mini needs analysis: https://www.daywon.co/blog/translating-great-ideas-into-learning-that-belongs

DAYWON website: https://www.daywon.co/

Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

In this excellent interview, Brigid sits down with Barry Ryan of Thirst.

Barry is a seasoned marketer turned L&D advocate and is the Head of Marketing at Thirst, the learning platform built for SMEs. With a deep background in B2B marketing, Barry is on a mission to help L&D teams think more like marketers to drive real impact and boost learner engagement.

In this episode, Barry talks Brigid through how to apply marketing principles to L&D. 

Barry covers the core challenges L&D professionals face and how to overcome them, including:

1. Know your audience: How to create and use learner personas to ensure you’re not "shooting in the dark."
2. Content is king, but relevance is queen: Why great content is useless if it doesn't solve a problem for your learners.
3. Engagement funnels equal learning journeys: Practical tips on how to build campaign momentum using hooks, segmentation, strong visuals, and repurposed content.
4. Social proof and internal advocacy: Using testimonials, success stories, and internal influencers to build trust, credibility, and a fear of missing out (FOMO).
5. Measure what matters: Moving beyond completion rates to track metrics like engagement, behaviour change, and long-term retention to prove and increase L&D's value.

Barry gives practical advice on how to build and manage learning campaigns and highlights the commonalities between marketing and L&D. If you are looking to drive engagement with your learning, this is a must-listen-to episode.

Connect with Barry on LinkedIn: Barry Ryan 

Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

In this excellent interview, Adam sits down with Sarah Clayton Jones.

Sarah is the Founder and CEO of Read to Lead, an organisation that delivers book-inspired peer learning experiences to develop human-skilled leaders and connected teams. With over 20 years of experience leading teams at global organisations, including VW and Accenture, Sarah is an ICF-accredited performance coach, facilitator, and certified NLP and neuroscience practitioner.

In this episode, Sarah talks Adam through why it's business-critical to get people to think differently and how to overcome the common barriers that stand in the way. Sarah shares her journey into L&D and explains her unique, book-led approach to fostering cognitive diversity and creating a culture of curiosity.

In this episode, Sarah and Adam cover:

1. Why thinking differently is essential for organisational growth, innovation, and resilience.
2. The common barriers to new ways of thinking, including the need for certainty and a lack of psychological safety.
3. How to use books and structured, peer-led dialogue to catalyse change.
4. Practical tips for designing learning experiences that provoke thinking shifts, focusing on "one insight, one action".
5. Approaches to measuring the impact and ROI of developing human skills.

Sarah gives practical advice on how to build a culture of curiosity and connection by challenging assumptions and making it safe to explore new ideas. If you are looking to spark innovation in your teams, this is a must-listen-to episode.

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn:  Sarah Clayton-Jones, FLPI
Find out more about Read to Lead: Read To Lead

Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

In this episode of The Assembly, host Brigid sits down with Susi Miller, an internationally recognised expert in e-learning accessibility and the award-winning author of Designing Accessible Learning Content. With over 30 years of experience, Susi breaks down the essentials of creating digital learning that is not just compliant, but truly inclusive and effective for all learners.

Together, Brigid and Susi unpack:

1. The true meaning of accessibility—moving beyond compliance to create genuinely equitable experiences.
2. Why up to 25% of your workforce may be facing learning barriers you don’t even know about.
3. Practical, real-world examples of accessible design for sight, hearing, motor, and cognitive needs.
4. How embracing accessibility leads to innovation and better learning design for everyone.
5. The power of "Quiet Access-ability" and making an impact, one learner at a time.
6. Actionable starting points for practitioners, including the "progress over perfection" mindset.

Whether you're an instructional designer, an L&D leader, or anyone creating digital content, this episode is an essential guide to understanding why accessibility must be the default, not an afterthought.

Connect with Susi on LinkedIn: Susi Miller 

Designing Accessible Learning Content
eLa1000 Accessibility Assessment

Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

In this interview, Adam sits down with Will Thalheimer, a world-renowned expert in learning science, learning evaluation, and evidence-based practice in L&D.

Will is the founder of Work-Learning Research, a respected speaker, and the creator of the Learning Transfer Evaluation Model (LTEM). He is also the author of Performance-Focused Learner Surveys and his latest release, The CEO’s Guide to Training, eLearning and Work: Empowering Learning for a Competitive Advantage.

In this episode, Will explains how L&D professionals can better partner with business leaders by focusing on strategic impact. He unpacks the thinking behind his latest book, written specifically to help CEOs—and L&D teams—understand how to drive competitive advantage through better learning.

Will talks Adam through:

1. How to speak the language of business without losing your L&D soul
2. Why competitive advantage is a powerful frame for L&D’s value
3. The limitations of learner surveys—and what to measure instead
4. How to influence senior leaders using evidence-based learning principles
5. Practical ways to push back on poor training requests with tact and structure
6. The importance of empowering managers to support continuous learning
7. Why L&D needs more emotional intelligence and community

Will also explains how to use LTEM to evaluate learning in a meaningful way and shares actionable strategies for building stronger learning interventions grounded in the science of retention, decision-making, and performance.

This episode is packed with energising insights for learning professionals at any level. Whether you’re leading a function or just starting out, Will’s advice is a must-listen if you want to deepen your impact and influence in your organisation.

Connect with Will on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-hinchliffe-yourskillshub/ 

And check out Work-Learning Research: Work-Learning Research

More information on LTEM

Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

In this episode of L&D 101, host Brigid McCormack sits down with renowned senior learning strategist Lori Niles-Hofmann to demystify the big shifts shaping Learning and Development today. With over 25 years of experience across international banking, consulting, and marketing, Lori offers a compelling look into the evolving world of L&D—from digital acceleration to AI and skills-based transformation.

Together, Brigid and Lori unpack:

• The three seismic shifts reshaping L&D post-pandemic
• Why skills—not job titles—are the future of workforce strategy
• What L&D professionals really need to know about AI and AI agents
• How to track and recalibrate skills over time like a supply chain
• Actionable tools and trusted resources for those new to the field
• Why the human element will always be at the heart of learning—even in an AI-driven world

Whether you're new to the industry or a seasoned pro navigating change, this episode is packed with practical insight and perspective on the path forward in L&D.

Connect with Lori on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorinileshofmann/

Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

In this excellent interview, Adam sits down with Jez Light of Ground Control.

Jez is an award-winning learning leader, known for his transformational approach to L&D. He is Head of Learning and a member of the executive team at Ground Control, a national maintenance and construction company operating across the UK. Jez previously led learning for global brands including Phones4U and Superdry, where his work won a CIPD People Management Award.

At Ground Control, Jez has reimagined L&D—moving it from compliance-driven training to a vibrant, learner-first culture that supports everyone, from apprentices to senior leaders.

In this episode, Jez walks Adam through how he’s rebuilt learning at scale. He shares the tools, tone, and thinking behind GC Academy, and how he transformed a dormant apprenticeship levy into a major engine for growth and retention.

Jez covers:

1. How to rebrand L&D to engage the whole business
2. Creative strategies to make learning accessible, flexible and fun
3. Turning the apprenticeship levy into a company-wide perk
4. Practical systems for tracking ROI and learner impact
5. Building psychological safety inside L&D teams

Jez gives honest, inspiring, and refreshingly practical advice on how to create a learning culture people genuinely use—and love. If you’re trying to get your L&D function listened to, this is a must-listen episode.

Connect with Jez on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jez-light-07150249/

Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

In this debut episode of L&D 101, host Brigid McCormack welcomes the inimitable John Helmer—podcast host, writer, and long-time learning industry figure—for a no-nonsense exploration of how the world of L&D has evolved over the past two decades. Drawing on his deep experience as a marketer, buyer, and thought leader, John shares practical advice on how to navigate the complex, often messy business of purchasing learning solutions.

This episode is essential listening for anyone stepping into the L&D space—especially those grappling with vendor selection, learning systems, or content procurement.

Brigid and John discuss:

• Why trust, scale, and innovation are non-negotiables in vendor relationships
• The difference between content vendors and LMS providers—and why it matters
• How to sniff out risk, recognise desperation, and avoid getting "nickeled and dimed"
• The buyer’s golden rule: Know your vendor

John gives practical advice and insight to the world of L&D, if you're just starting out or want to increase your knowledge then this is a must-listen-to episode. 

Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer/

Listen to the Learning Hack: The Learning Hack podcast

Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn.