The Assembly

In this excellent interview, Adam sits down with Ross Garner and Paul Buller of Mind Tools to explore one of the most pressing topics in L&D today: the role of AI in content creation and the future of learning.

Ross is Chief Learning Officer at Mind Tools and a former Learning Designer of the Year. He’s also a long-time podcast host and co-author of the L&D Dispatch newsletter. Paul is Head of Content at Mind Tools, an executive coach, and an expert in leadership and organisational psychology with a track record in leading hybrid learning teams at global organisations.

In this episode, Ross and Paul unpack how AI is reshaping what we create, how we design learning experiences, and the skills L&D professionals need to thrive in this new landscape.

They share their reflections on:

1. Why content creation jobs are shifting—not disappearing
2. How AI can free up time to focus on behaviour change and learning design
3. The continued importance of authentic human connection in digital learning
4. Practical ways to integrate AI into workflows without compromising quality
5. How L&D can defend against “internet slop” with trustworthy, research-backed content

Ross and Paul give thoughtful, grounded insights into what AI means for learning teams today—and why embracing it with optimism and intentionality is the smart move. If you’re navigating the shift to AI-enhanced learning design, this is a must-listen episode.

Duolingo AI Revolution: https://drphilippahardman.substack.com/p/duolingos-ai-revolution

Connect with them on LinkedIn

Ross: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ross-garner/

Paul: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pbuller/

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.

Welcome to the very first episode of The Assembly – the new voice of Assemble You. Formerly known as L&D Challenges, our rebranded podcast reflects a more inclusive, optimistic, and forward-thinking take on learning and development.

In this episode, co-founders Richard Ward and Adam Lacey are joined by new co-host Brigid McCormack to walk you through what’s changing—and why.

What’s new?

We're not just renaming the podcast—we're revamping the format too. Expect:

1. Broader topics that go beyond traditional L&D hurdles.
2. More voices, with Brigid launching her own series aimed at newcomers to the L&D space.

Meet Brigid:

New to the industry herself, Brigid is curating L&D 101 interviews with industry veterans who answer foundational questions for those just starting out—or those wanting a refresher.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro refining your approach or brand new to the L&D world, The Assembly is here to bring insight, inspiration, and ideas to help you thrive. It’s not just about the problems—it’s about what’s working, what’s next, and how we can grow together.

Follow Assemble You on LinkedIn and subscribe to The Assembly wherever you get your podcasts to catch the latest episodes each week.

Remember 'performance support'? Amid all the talk of AI, adaptive learning, and skills, it's kind of been forgotten.

But not by us! Or by respondents to Don Taylor's Global Sentiment Survey, who ranked it 11th hottest trend this year (up two from last year).

In the first of a two-part series of crossover episodes with our partner MindTools, Adam sits down with Ross G and Paul to discuss:

• What makes great performance support?
• What conditions make performance support effective?
• What role does AI play in all this?

To find out more about the performance support available for leaders and managers, from Mindtools, visit mindtools.com. And, good news! You can now add Microsoft Shorts from Assemble You to your subscription.

During this episode, Ross G discussed extended cognition and the productivity paradox.

Paul discussed Gloria Gery's definition of performance support.

Ross also discussed the book Think Like a Marketer, Train Like an L&D Pro, and our 2016 report 'The Secret Learning Lives of Managers'.

We also discussed the World Economic Forum's 'Future of Jobs 2025' report.

And in 'What I Learned This Week', Paul recommended the book Kill the Unicorn, and Adam recommended The Anxious Generation.

If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with us on LinkedIn: 

• Ross Garner
• Paul Buller
• Adam Lacey

In this excellent interview, Adam chats with Director of Learning, Leadership, & Inclusion at Marston's, a leading UK pub operator with over 1,300 pubs and over 10,000 workers. 

With over 20 years of experience in the hospitality sector, she is recognised as a senior L&D thought leader and a strong believer in fostering high-impact cultures where individuals feel deeply aligned with their company’s mission, purpose, and values. Her expertise spans coaching, leadership development, employee engagement, learning technologies, apprenticeships, and skills development.

In this episode, Jane shares her experience as a coach and the coaching experience at Marston's, touching on some of her favourite experiences as a coach and sharing her thoughts. Including: 

1. How to Ask the Right Questions and Be an Excellent Listener
2. Mastering the Core Competencies of Coaching: Listening, Questioning, and Creating Awareness
3. Why Practice and Reflection Make Perfect
4. Embedding Coaching into Everyday Conversations

If you’re looking to integrate coaching into your life, this one is for you. 

Connect with Jane on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/janemurraytraining/ 

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 fantastic interview, Adam chats with the Head of Learning Experience at Greene King Pub Company, Simon Cox.

Si is a dynamic leader specialising in employee engagement and learning innovation, with over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry. As Head of Learning Experience at Greene King Pub Company, Si oversees the design and delivery of impactful learning strategies for over 40,000 team members, helping to foster a culture of growth and excellence.

In this episode, Si and Adam talk about the successes and challenges of implementing L&D across 1,800 pubs at Green King. Si talks about their mobile learning launched in 2024, touching on his passion for the hospitality industry, and some of his lessons learned in the industry. Including: 

1. The importance of team member induction for new hires 
2. Gamified learning for compliance and communication skills
3. Retaining staff in the hospitality industry
4. Launching a new learning to a nationwide organisation
5. How consistency is key for training and good service

If you’re looking to engage your workforce and create a consistent learning across your organisation, this one is for you. 

Connect with Si on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/si-cox-3360211b/?originalSubdomain=uk 

Check out Green King Pub Company: https://www.greeneking.co.uk/ 

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 exciting interview, Adam speaks with Natalie Newton the Early Careers Lead at Together Money. 

Beginning her career in recruitment advertising, Natalie developed a passion for talent development and creating impactful early career experiences. She has over 25 years of experience in talent development and has been leading the early career strategy at Together Financial Services for the past eight years. At Together, she has successfully implemented innovative programs to attract and nurture emerging talent.

In this episode Adam and Natalie discuss:

1. The power of proactive coaching in building long-lasting skills
2. Prioritising commerciality, confidence, and credibility as key qualities for apprentices and graduates
3. How to use learning and development to increase staff retention
4. How to conquer the challenge of retaining graduates and apprentices 
5. Conducting strength-based interviews 

If you’re looking to engage new graduates and build long-lasting skills, this is the episode for you. 

Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-newton-9661a43/ 

Check out Together Money: https://togethermoney.com/ 

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 insightful interview, Adam chats with the digital learning partner at River Island, Cameo Bondy. 

Cameo is a passionate Learning and Development specialist with a strong track record in designing inclusive and engaging training programs. With experience in both retail and healthcare settings, Cameo is dedicated to fostering accessible learning experiences, championing neurodivergent education, and creating a culture of continuous development. 

In this episode, Cameo uses her experience as a digital learning expert and accessibility ambassador at River Island, to talk Adam through how she designs and thinks about inclusive and accessible learning experiences. 

Some of her advice includes: 

1. How to design inclusive learning
2. The importance of self-paced learning
3. the beauty of self-paced learning and psychological safety
4. Having respectful curiosity about other’s neurodiversity 
5. Prioritising a strength-based and flexible assessment style

If you’re looking to foster a more inclusive and creative workspace where everyone benefits, this is the episode for you. 

Connect with Cameo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameo-bondy-5b6522120/ 

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.

Using Skill Sprints to Drive Individual-Lead Learning with Russell Woods

In this excellent interview, Adam sits down with Russel Woods from Aster Group UK.

Russell is the Learning and Development Partner for Aster Group. He has taken his experience from leading and developing organisations in the sports and social housing sectors into L&D and is now designing and delivering learning journeys within his organisation. 

In this episode, Russell programme designed by Russell design to help people upskill quicky and efficiently. Russel walks through a process he his testing at Aster Group called Skills Sprints, and how he is using them to help staff develop new skills at speed. 

Russell covers:

1. Addressing skills gaps and adapting to fast-changing workplace needs.
2. Working Learning around time and budget constraints
3. What a Skills Sprint is and how they are using them as a way to develop new skills at Aster Group.

If you're looking for an innovative approach to skills development, this episode is a must-listen.

Connect with Russell on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-woods-7470b655/

check out Aster Group UK: https://www.aster.co.uk/

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.

This episode features former professional athlete and mental health coach Aaron Ridley of Tribox & OPTIEDGE. Aaron is a former professional athlete who has spent years learning, improving, and gaining qualifications to switch from the ring to developing businesses in the corporate mental health arena.

In this powerful Mental Fitness Masterclass, we go beyond stress management and the normal expectation of 'wellbeing'—our focus is prevention. You’ll learn how to strengthen your mind, sharpen your focus, and develop unshakable mental resilience through a proven framework and actionable tools. Aaron and Adam will cover: 

1. The Mental Edge Formula – How Emotional Intelligence unlocks resilience & clarity
2. The Discipline Code – The key to consistency, motivation & focus
3. The Failure Advantage – How setbacks fuel personal & professional growth
4. Sustainable Mental Fitness – Daily strategies to prevent burnout & build lasting well-being

If you’re ready to upgrade your mental fitness and thrive under pressure, this masterclass is for you

Note: This episode is taken from a recorded webinar. You can watch the full webinar here: https://www.assembleyou.com/post/mental-fitness-masterclass 

Connect with Aaron on LinkedIn: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-ridley-b61b4a50/

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 fantastic interview, Adam chats with Learning Manager at River Island Tom Kirk. Tom has nearly 15 years of experience in various learning formats, including sports and business coaching, and university lecturing, and is a qualified Science teacher and former Head of Year. 

Since transitioning to Learning & Development post-COVID, he has trained thousands in leadership, skills development, and DEI.

Passionate about DEI, he is an accredited Inclusive Leadership facilitator and a D&I board member at River Island, using learning to drive inclusive change. Recognised in the 2024 Learning Technologies 30 Under 30, Tom is dedicated to elevating L&D’s impact and mentoring future leaders in this space.

In this episode, Tom talks Adam through his approach to building a new L&D team at River Island, specifically around hiring from within and the process he has recently gone through to build his team. He shares his thoughts on:

1. How to make every second count in L&D
2. Being Skills-focused when building a Team
3. Integrating into the business and building L&D from a holistic view 

If you need some inspiration on how to build the L&D dream team, this episode is for you. 

Connect with Tom on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-kirk-21980213b/

Check out River Island: https://www.riverisland.com/

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.