The eLearning Champion Pod

What can business leaders learn from one of the biggest transformations in automotive history?In this episode, RK Prasad, CEO and Co-founder of CommLab India, speaks with Akli Aggoune, Vice President of Global Sales and Strategy for PowerDrive Systems at BorgWarner.The conversation is about how successful leaders balance long-term innovation with short-term business realities, create alignment across global teams, and prepare organizations for rapid technological disruption.In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• The key traits that distinguish successful global sales leaders
• How to manage and motivate sales teams across cultures and regions
• Strategies for balancing standardization with local market flexibility
• The role of coaching, learning, and continuous development in sales excellence
• How AI and technology are reshaping sales leadership and enablement
• Practical lessons for building resilient, customer-focused sales organizations

Whether you're a sales leader, sales enablement professional, or L&D practitioner supporting commercial teams, this episode delivers actionable takeaways to help your organization thrive in an increasingly complex global marketplace.

What happens when artificial intelligence transforms Learning & Development—but people remain at the center of learning?In this episode of the eLearning Champion Podcast, RK Prasad, CEO and Co-founder of CommLab India sits down with Jeff Hrusko, Learning & Development leader and founder of Compliance Creed, to explore how organizations can embrace AI without losing sight of what makes learning meaningful, memorable, and effective. In this conversation, you'll learn:

• Why learner-centered design is the foundation of effective training
• How to improve SME-led training by partnering experts with learning professionals
• The surprising advantage instructional designers have in an AI-powered workplace
• How AI can accelerate content creation while maintaining quality and accuracy
• Ways AI can support multimodal learning through videos, podcasts, quizzes, and simulations
• The ethical responsibilities of L&D teams when using AI-generated content
• Simple questions every learning professional should ask before publishing training

Jeff also explains why AI should enhance human thinking—not replace it—and how organizations can use emerging technologies responsibly while maintaining accountability, transparency, and content integrity. Whether you're an L&D leader, instructional designer, training manager, learning consultant, or anyone interested in the future of workplace learning, this episode offers practical strategies for combining the power of AI with the principles of human-centered learning.

What does it take to build skills at scale across thousands of employees, multiple countries, and diverse manufacturing environments? In this episode of the eLearning Champions Podcast, RK Prasad, CEO and Co-founder, CommLab India, sits down with Luz Lozano, HR Director, Americas – Talent & Development at Albéa Group, to explore the realities of learning and talent development on the manufacturing shop floor. Drawing on more than 15 years of global HR and L&D leadership experience across North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia, Luz shares practical insights on onboarding large frontline workforces, developing leaders across cultures, scaling learning in multiple languages, and creating a learning culture that thrives amid constant change. In this episode:

• Building learning frameworks that scale globally while respecting local needs
• Developing frontline operators, technical experts, and leaders in manufacturing
• Balancing standardized content with cultural and language localization
• Creating accessible, low-friction learning opportunities
• Using AI safely through governance, experimentation, and shared learning
• Why curiosity, adaptability, and human connection remain essential in the age of AI

Whether you're an HR leader, L&D professional, manufacturing executive, or anyone interested in workforce development, this episode offers practical, real-world insights on building capability at scale.

What happens when Learning &Development stops acting like a course factory and starts operating like a business transformation engine?In this episode of the eLearning Champion Podcast, we sit down with Matt Haag, Senior Organizational Effectiveness and Learning Leader, to explore how enterprise learning is evolving in the age of AI, rapid change, and business disruption.Matt shares why traditional training modelsare no longer enough, how AI is reshaping workplace learning, and why L&D leaders must shift from delivering content to enabling business readiness.From AI adoption strategies to AI governance, leadership behavior change, performance support, and preserving thehuman side of learning — this conversation is packed with practical insights for modern L&D leaders.If you're thinking about the future ofcorporate learning, AI in L&D, workforce readiness, or organizational transformation, this episode is for you. What You’ll Learn in This Episode✔ Why L&D must move beyond course creation
✔ How AI is changing enterprise learning
✔ The role ofperformance support in modern workplaces
✔ Why human judgment matters more than ever
✔ Practical AI guardrails organizations should build
✔ Who should own AI governance inside enterprises
✔ What digital learning still cannot replace
✔ How learning leaders can earn a strategic seat at the table
If you’re an L&D leader navigating AI, workforce transformation, and the future of workplace learning, this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply immediately.
🎧 Tune in now and discover how to position L&D as a true driver of business readiness and performance.

What does it take to move B2B sales beyond price conversations and toward real customer value?In this episode of the eLearning Champion Podcast, Marianne Portmann — Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Sales Officer at IGP Powder Coatings — shares how modern sales teams can build trust, strengthen commercial capability, and use AI to become more consultative and customer-centric.From value-based selling and role-specific sales training to AI-powered coaching simulations, this conversation explores how commercial leaders can align strategy, learning, and technology to drive smarter growth in complex industries.Tune in to discover:
• Why price-first selling weakens long-term customer relationships
• How consultative sales conversations create competitive advantage
• What effective “license to sell” training looks like
• How AI is transforming sales practice and feedback
• Why sales training should be treated as a business initiative — not a support function
A must-listen for sales leaders, L&D professionals, enablement teams, and anyone navigating the future of B2B selling.

The Power of Curious Conversations at WorkWhat if the biggest barrier to better teamwork, trust, and innovation isn’t a lack of skill—but a lack of curiosity?In this episode, RK Prasad speaks with Kirsten Siggins about the power of curious conversations at work and why listening, asking better questions, and reducing judgment can transform the way teams collaborate.They explore how curiosity strengthens trust, supports innovation, and shapes workplace culture—especially in environments where speed, certainty, and compliance often leave little room for open dialogue. The conversation also looks at how stress influences behavior and communication, and why leaders must create safe conditions for people to speak, listen, and think differently.Whether you’re an L&D professional, manager, HR leader, or anyone interested in building healthier workplace conversations, this episode offers practical insights on improving listening, reducing reactive responses, encouraging diverse viewpoints, and creating a culture where curiosity can thrive.

Episode 66 | The eLearning Champion Pod | Conversations with a Learning LeaderHow AI empowers and Elevates the Work of Instructional DesignersIn this episode of The eLearning Champion Podcast, Sherna Varayath sits down with Gerry White, Dean of Academic Technology at ECPI University, to explore how AI is transforming instructional design and learning experiences.Gerry shares insights on:

• How AI empowers instructional designers instead of replacing them
• The role of empathetic reasoning and creativity in an AI-driven world
• How learning personas and AI agents can create adaptive, personalized learning
• Key skills every L&D professional should develop — from prompting to ethical AI use
• What “vibe coding” is and why it’s the next frontier for instructional designers

A must-watch for educators, instructional designers, and L&D leaders looking to navigate the AI-powered learning revolution with confidence and creativity.Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to our channel for more updates and insights into the world of digital learning. Click the bell icon to get notified about our latest videos. Let’s learn and grow together!

What does human-centered learning really mean in today’s AI-driven world? 🤔In this episode of the eLearning Champion Podcast, host Sherna Varayath speaks with Dave Stevens, CLO and Founder of Advanced Learning Strategies, to explore how L&D leaders can balance automation with authenticity.Dave shares:🔵 Why human-centered learning isn’t about efficiency but transformation🔵 The key differences between performance training and growth learning🔵 How AI can take over performance training, freeing L&D to focus on what truly matters — helping people grow🔵 Why learning experiences that challenge and transform us are essential for future-ready organizations💡 Key takeaway:Don’t confuse what’s scalable with what’s strategic. Growth learning — reflective, messy, and deeply human — is what will keep organizations adaptable and resilient in the age of AI.
Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to our channel for more updates and insights into the world of digital learning. Click the bell icon to get notified about our latest videos. Let’s learn and grow together!

CEO Mindset 10 Questions on World-Class LeadershipWhat makes a world-class leader?In this episode of the E-Learning Champion Podcast, Andrea Petrone — trusted advisor to Fortune 500 companies and host of The World Class Leaders Show — joins us to explore the CEO mindset and what separates good leaders from great ones.Discover insights on:✅ Building clarity and a legacy-driven vision✅ Driving engagement and execution across teams✅ Overcoming leadership struggles amid uncertainty✅ The habits and mindsets of top CEOs✅ Why culture, trust, and integrity are the real game-changersAndrea also shares his inspiration behind WCL21, a global platform helping CEOs connect, learn, and lead in times of change.🎧 Tune in for an inspiring discussion that helps L&D professionals, leaders, and aspiring CEOs understand how to align learning with leadership success.

Building your L&D Team for Business ImpactHow can L&D teams move from being order-takers to true business partners?In this episode of the eLearning Champion Podcast, host Sherna talks to Mary Rappaport, Learning Strategist and creator of The Strategic Playground, about how L&D teams can elevate their role and drive measurable business outcomes.👉 What you’ll learn:

• How to transform L&D into a strategic business partner
• Building business acumen within your L&D team
• Asking the right stakeholder questions
• Shifting from activity-based metrics to business impact
• Using strategic thinking to prioritize and influence effectively

Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to our channel for more updates and insights into the world of digital learning. Click the bell icon to get notified about our latest videos. Let’s learn and grow together!