Welcome to the first episode of 2026 on The Talent Development Hot Seat Podcast! Join host Andy Storch for a solo deep dive into the six (plus a bonus!) biggest trends shaping talent development this year and beyond.

In this episode, Andy Storch shares actionable insights and strategies informed by countless conversations with industry leaders—and even some innovative advising from his custom ChatGPT! Discover what organizations, L&D teams, and individual professionals MUST focus on to thrive in a rapidly evolving workplace.

What you'll learn:

1. Why "AI readiness" is about more than just tools—and how to create a growth mindset for tech adoption.
2. The shift from roles to skills: How to actually execute as a skills-based organization (not just talk about it).
3. Career ownership as the new retention strategy—in a world where promotions are slower and organizations are flatter.
4. Coaching at scale: Managers as key drivers of employee engagement, performance, and growth.
5. How L&D professionals can move from content creators to strategic business advisors.
6. The essential role of personal brand—why visibility and reputation inside organizations are now business assets.
7. BONUS: Why human skills will be the ultimate differentiator in a tech-dominated future.

This episode is packed with real-world examples, practical frameworks, and resources for anyone responsible for talent development—or those simply interested in owning their career amid change.

Grab the quick one-sheet summary of these 2026 trends at:

https://talentdevelopmenthotseat.com/

Hit ‘Subscribe’ for more expert discussions, practical strategies, and future-focused talent development insights!

Talent Development, L&D, Learning and Development, Andy Storch, Future of Work, AI Readiness, Career Ownership, Coaching at Scale, Skills-Based Organization, Personal Brand, Employee Engagement, HR Trends, Workplace Innovation, Human Skills, Strategic Advisor, Talent Management, Leadership Development, Career Growth, Professional Development, Organizational Culture, Retention Strategies, Corporate Learning, Amazon, Allstate, BetterUp, ATD Press

Connect with Andy:

Website: https://andystorch.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystorch/

My books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Andy-Storch/author/B08NF9QPFY?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1767699536&sr=8-2&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

In this special “Best Of” rebroadcast, I'm sharing a powerful conversation with legendary leadership thinker Liz Wiseman, bestselling author of Multipliers and Impact Players. Originally recorded around the launch of Impact Players in 2021–2022, this episode explores what truly sets high-impact individual contributors apart and how anyone can elevate their influence and value inside an organization.

In this conversation, we explore the concept of moving from being a solid contributor to becoming an "impact player"—someone who doesn’t just do their job, but actively looks for the work that matters most to the business. Liz Wiseman shares insights from her research, explains the differences between good contributors and true impact players, and offers practical advice for those seeking to amplify their influence and value at work.

Whether you're in a leadership role or an individual contributor hoping to level up, this episode is packed with actionable tips on building upward empathy, navigating ambiguity, and aligning your work with what’s truly valued in your organization. Plus, Liz Wiseman reveals what managers can do to create the culture and permission for impact players to thrive. It's a must-listen for anyone passionate about talent development, personal growth, and building high-performing teams.

So grab your notebook and get ready for an inspiring, practical discussion that can help you and your organization unlock more impact than ever before!

This episode is sponsored by LearnIt, which is offering a FREE trial of their TeamPass membership for you and up to 20 team members of your team. Check it out here.

Order my new book, Own Your Brand, Own Your Career on Amazon

And my first book, Own Your Career Own Your Life, is on Amazon as well.

Here is the link to the YouTube channel of Talent Development Hot Seat Podcast.

Connect with Andy Storch here: Website | LinkedIn

Connect with Liz Wiseman: LinkedIn | Website

I’m excited to share a special highlight from The Talent Development Hot Seat podcast perfect for anyone passionate about building thriving workplaces, authentic leadership, and truly inclusive cultures.

Since this is a holiday week and many of us (myself included) are taking some well-earned downtime, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to revisit the archives and reshare a few of our most popular and impactful episodes. Today’s feature is one I found especially meaningful and insightful: my conversation with my friend Claude Silver, originally released as Episode 365 in January 2023.

Claude is on a mission to spread what she calls “emotional optimism,” which is simply an awareness that we have the capacity to influence how we think and how we feel.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

1. The mission of Vayner Media and what the term Honey Empire means to Claude Silver.
2. How you can move away from leading with fear and instead leading with honey in your organization.
3. Why safety in an organization is vital for employees to bring their authentic selves to work.
4. What emotional optimism is, why it’s important in the workplace and what toxic positivity is.
5. The definition of radical inclusion and how it can help others find their voices to participate in the conversation.
6. A preview of Claude’s talk about building a culture of belonging and bravery at the upcoming Talent Development Think Tank Conference.

And also LearnIt, which is offering a FREE trial of their TeamPass membership for you and up to 20 team members of your team. Check it out here.

Order my new book, Own Your Brand, Own Your Career on Amazon

And my first book, Own Your Career Own Your Life, is on Amazon as well.

Here is the link to the YouTube channel of Talent Development Hot Seat Podcast.

Connect with Andy Storch here: Website | LinkedIn

Connect with Claude Silver: LinkedIn | Website

Welcome back to The Talent Development Hot Seat! In this episode, I sit down with Elizabeth Villa, a dynamic people development leader and the global head of learning at Edenred, a leading French financial services firm. Elizabeth brings a truly international perspective growing up in Mexico, studying in the United States, and building her career in Paris with a background that’s both inspiring and practical for today’s global professionals.

Elizabeth is recognized for her transformative approach to corporate learning, especially her pioneering work on integrating emotional intelligence and humanity into traditional learning and development programs. Throughout the episode, she shares how she designs learning experiences that go far beyond the classroom focusing on building circles of trust, cultivating psychological safety, and inspiring genuine human connection among participants.

You’ll hear about her journey learning three languages, navigating different cultures, and crafting award-winning leadership programs that drive cultural change. Elizabeth also dives deep into the evolving intersection of technology, artificial intelligence, and the future of HR and learning, exploring what it means to be human in an increasingly digital world.

Whether you’re an L&D leader, HR professional, or curious about the future of work, this conversation is packed with insights about creating meaningful development experiences, fostering career growth, and ensuring people stay at the heart of every organization even as robots and AI become more prevalent. Don’t miss Elizabeth’s practical tips, global perspective, and passion for the human side of talent development!

Order my new book, Own Your Brand, Own Your Career on Amazon

And my first book, Own Your Career Own Your Life, is on Amazon as well.

And also LearnIt, which is offering a FREE trial of their TeamPass membership for you and up to 20 team members of your team. Check it out here.

Connect with Andy here: Website | LinkedIn

Connect with Elizabeth: LinkedIn

Today, I am talking with Shrikant Pattathil from Harbinger Group, a recognized leader with more than 25 years in the eLearning and HR technology space. In this conversation, Shrikant shares his unique perspective on the evolution of eLearning from the early days of computer-based training to today’s dynamic, AI-powered personalized learning experiences.

You'll learn how eLearning has transformed over the decades, the pitfalls organizations still encounter when implementing digital learning solutions, and the best practices for driving engagement and adoption. Shrikant dives into the concept of “industrialization” of eLearning, explaining how hyper-personalization and AI are reshaping the future of content creation and delivery for both learners and enterprises. Whether you’re a talent development leader, learning designer, or tech enthusiast, this episode is packed with actionable insights and fresh ideas for navigating the rapidly changing landscape of workplace learning.

Learn more about The Harbinger Group

Order my new book, Own Your Brand, Own Your Career on Amazon

And my first book, Own Your Career Own Your Life, is on Amazon as well.

This episode is also sponsored by The Harbinger Group, a trusted leader in eLearning.

And also LearnIt, which is offering a FREE trial of their TeamPass membership for you and up to 20 team members of your team. Check it out here.

Connect with Andy here: Website | LinkedIn

Connect with Shrikant: Website I LinkedIn

Today, host Andy Storch sits down with Geoffrey Roche, the inaugural North America Director of Workforce Development at Siemens Healthineers. With over 16 years of leadership experience in hospitals and higher education, and a deep passion for advancing talent development in healthcare, Geoffrey Roche brings a wealth of expertise to the conversation.

In this episode, you'll discover how learning and development plays a crucial role in shaping the future-ready healthcare workforce, the unique challenges faced by frontline healthcare professionals, and why the industry is reimagining leadership development and talent pipelines. Geoffrey Roche shares powerful stories about the impact of great leaders, dives into the importance of connection, equity, and apprenticeship models, and discusses the evolving demands in healthcare and talent management.

Whether you work in healthcare or are simply passionate about developing leaders, this episode offers practical insights and compelling strategies to help individuals and organizations thrive in today’s dynamic environment. Tune in and learn how transformational L&D can drive better culture, retention, and career mobility in healthcare and beyond!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why traditional approaches to healthcare leadership often fall short—and how to better prepare nurses and doctors for management roles.
• Real examples of inspiring executive leadership and the impact on retention, culture, and patient care.
• The importance of connecting learning initiatives to business strategy and organizational outcomes.
• Fresh solutions for delivering training to busy frontline healthcare workers (think microlearning and mobile-first!).
• The role of equity in workforce development and how to build pipelines for diverse future leaders.
• Trends to watch: AI in L&D, work-based learning, and the rising power of apprenticeship degrees.

This episode is also sponsored by LearnIt, which is offering a FREE trial of their TeamPass membership for you and up to 20 team members of your team. Check it out here.

Connect with Andy here: Website | LinkedIn

Connect with Geoffrey Roche here: LinkedIn

Order my new book, Own Your Brand, Own Your Career on Amazon

And my first book, Own Your Career Own Your Life, is on Amazon as well.

Welcome to a milestone episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat! In this very special 600th episode, host Andy Storch reflects on the incredible journey of the podcast, which has been igniting conversations in the world of talent and learning development since 2018. Andy Storch takes us behind the scenes, sharing heartfelt gratitude for listeners, guests, sponsors, and the team members who've helped make the show a success.

But this isn’t just a celebration—Andy Storch dives deep into the most powerful insights uncovered over the last 600 episodes. You’ll hear his top eight takeaways on the evolving talent landscape, from the importance of fostering a learning culture to the game-changing impact of AI, the shift toward skill-based organizations, and why human-centered leadership and career ownership are now essential. Plus, Andy Storch shares memorable quotes from standout guests and outlines what’s ahead for talent development in the coming years.

Whether you’re a longtime listener or discovering the podcast for the first time, this episode is packed with actionable ideas, heartfelt stories, and a roadmap for the future of learning and development. Join Andy Storch as he celebrates this major milestone and looks forward to helping you and your organization thrive in the ever-changing world of work!

Certainly! Here’s a comprehensive sequence of topics covered in this episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat podcast, with sub-topic bullets under each primary topic. This breakdown follows the episode’s flow and highlights the main insights and supporting details discussed by Andy Storch.

KEY TOPICS:

1. Introduction and Milestone Celebration

• Acknowledgment of episode 600 and the podcast’s evolution since 2018
• Initial doubts and challenges when starting the podcast

Growth into a vibrant community, conference, and ongoing conversations with top talent leaders

2. Podcast Structure and Guests

• Breakdown of solo vs. interview episodes (less than 10% solo)
• Types of guests: talent leaders, practitioners, gurus, authors, and sponsors
• Expression of gratitude to listeners, guests, sponsors, and support staff

3. Recognizing Support and Production Team

• Shoutouts to editors, assistants, and virtual staff for helping sustain the podcast
• Personal reflection on strengths and weaknesses in managing podcast details

4. Purpose of the Episode & Value to Audience

• Intention to share actionable insights for listeners—especially those in talent development
• Explanation about the method: reviewing recent episodes to find key trends and lessons

5. Eight Biggest Insights in Talent Development (Main Segment)

Learning Culture is the Strategic Foundation

• Importance of fostering curiosity and growth mindset
• Role of leadership in modeling and encouraging learning
• Quotes from guests emphasizing experiential and continuous learning

Leadership Must Be Human, Authentic, and Vulnerable

• Shift from command-and-control to coaching and empathy
• Employees’ desire for authenticity, transparency, and psychological safety
• Supporting quotes on modern leadership and human connection

Career Ownership and Talent Mobility Are Now the Norm

• Rise of individual responsibility in career growth
• Shift from linear career ladders to skill-based, lateral, and diagonal career moves
• Organizations supporting internal mobility through marketplaces and stretch assignments

L&D Must Become Data-Driven and Evidence-Based

• Emphasis on measuring business impact and connecting to KPIs
• Need for strategic alignment and moving beyond anecdotal evidence
• Recommendations for L&D leaders to be strategic business partners

Onboarding and Employee Experience are Strategic Levers

• Onboarding’s impact on satisfaction, retention, and performance
• Data-driven improvements and examples from guest organizations
• Importance of early connection and experience management

AI and Skills-Based Organizations are Reshaping Everything

• Integration of AI in learning, coaching, content creation, and talent development
• Movement towards skills over job titles and traditional roles
• Urgency for organizations and individuals to embrace and learn AI tools

Human Skills, Inclusion, and Wellbeing as Competitive Advantages

• Growing value of empathy, creativity, adaptability, and inclusion in the age of automation
• Well-being and belonging drive performance, retention, and engagement
• Addressing burnout and focusing on whole-person development

L&D Must Be Agile and Do More With Less

• Response to shrinking teams and budgets: being resourceful, creative, and partnership-oriented
• Impact of strategic alignment and external partners on L&D’s effectiveness
• Examples of small teams leveraging industry networks and vendors

6. Future Trends for Talent Development (2026 and Beyond)

• AI-infused Talent Development and Skills Marketplaces
• Acceleration of personalized, adaptive learning journeys via AI
• Skills intelligence and talent mobility powered by new technologies
• Leadership for Uncertainty
• Emphasis on resilience, adaptability, and comfort with ambiguity in leaders
• Measurement-Focused, Results-Driven L&D
• Heightened expectations to demonstrate ROI and business results
• Inclusive, Human-Centric Learning
• Embedding inclusion and belonging into all aspects of talent management
• Career Ownership and Mobility
• Growth of platforms and systems supporting employee-led career development
• Agile L&D Teams and Ecosystems
• Increasing reliance on curation, partnership, and strategic focus
• Onboarding and Employee Experience
• Employee experience recognized as a strategic business priority

7. Reflections and the Podcast’s Future

• Andy Storch's personal journey: growth, connection, and contribution through hosting
• Reminder of the importance of environments, leaders, and opportunities for development
• Invitation for feedback on the podcast’s direction and mention of upcoming changes

8. Resources for Listeners

• Announcement of a downloadable guide summarizing episode insights
• Offer for speaking engagements and further support to organizations

9. Closing Thoughts and Appreciation

• Expression of gratitude to listeners, sponsors, guests, and the broader community
• Encouragement for ongoing learning, growth, and gratitude in career and life

This episode thoroughly covers both the evolution of the podcast and current trends shaping the field of talent development, with a strong focus on practical insights, future direction, and community acknowledgment.

This episode is also sponsored by LearnIt, which is offering a FREE trial of their TeamPass membership for you and up to 20 team members of your team. Check it out here.

Connect with Andy here: Website | LinkedIn

Order my new book, Own Your Brand, Own Your Career on Amazon

And my first book, Own Your Career Own Your Life, is on Amazon as well.

Mentioned in this episode:

Check out Learnit!

For fantastic on-demand learning, check out learnit.com/hotseat

In today’s episode, I'm talking with Andrew Wilhelms, VP of Talent Management at Databricks and a seasoned leader with a wealth of experience from organizations like Twilio and Tesla. In t his conversation, we explore the evolving world of talent development and break down the difference between building individual capabilities and managing organizational systems, and why understanding both is crucial in today’s dynamic business landscape.

Andrew also shares insights from his unique journey, including how his philosophy background shaped his approach to leadership, what he believes actually transforms good teams into high-performing ones, and why the next wave of talent will require us all—no matter our title—to start thinking (and leading) like executives. They also dig into the impact of AI on both work and leadership, the importance of designing a positive employee experience, and practical ways to move beyond “knowing” to actually “doing” when it comes to developing great leaders.

Key Notes and topics we cover in this episode:

1. The Nature of Leadership
2. Preparing Future Leaders
3. Challenges in Corporate Leadership
4. Talent Management vs. Talent Development
5. The Next Paradigm Shift in Talent: AI
6. AI and Tools in Talent Development
7. The “Brickster Experience” at Databricks
8. Psychological Safety and Growth Mindset
9. Manager and Leadership Development Models
10. Career Development Philosophy
11. Lessons Learned & Reflections
12. Talent Development Trends
13. Recommended Resources
14. Career Advice for Talent Professionals

This episode is also sponsored by LearnIt, which is offering a FREE trial of their TeamPass membership for you and up to 20 team members of your team. Check it out here.

Connect with Andy here: Website | LinkedIn

Connect with Andrew Wilhelms here: LinkedIn

Order my new book, Own Your Brand, Own Your Career on Amazon

And my first book, Own Your Career Own Your Life, is on Amazon as well.

Welcome back to The Talent Development Hot Seat! In today’s episode, host Andy Storch sits down with Eric Nielsen, founder and CEO of YUI Consulting. With over 20 years of experience working with Fortune 500 companies—including a 17-year stint at Verizon—Eric is a recognized expert in organizational development and leadership transformation.

This episode dives deep into the challenges and opportunities of designing truly effective training and development programs. Eric shares powerful insights into trends like experiential learning, the importance of focusing on root causes rather than symptoms, and how to build a training culture that drives high performance—rather than delivering “flavor-of-the-month” programs that fade from memory.

We’ll also hear about common pitfalls in change management, why many soft skills trainings only scratch the surface, and how Eric’s unique ADEPT framework is helping organizations achieve dramatically better results—in customer and employee experience, engagement, and hard metrics like cost savings.

If you’re in talent development and want to move beyond order-taking to real business impact, or you’re curious about what makes learning stick for the long term, this conversation is packed with practical advice and bold challenges to rethink your approach.

Ready to unlock the untapped performance hiding in your organization? Let’s jump into this enlightening conversation with Eric Nielsen.

Order Own Your Brand, Own Your Career on Amazon

Apply to Join us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community!

This episode is also sponsored by LearnIt, which is offering a FREE trial of their TeamPass membership for you and up to 20 team members of your team. Check it out here.

Connect with Andy here: Website | LinkedIn

Connect with Eric: Website I LinkedIn

—

They discuss:

• The biggest trends and opportunities in talent development, including experiential learning and the shift towards AI (Yes, it’s shaking things up!).
• Why so much corporate training fizzles out within months—and how to ensure learning lasts and drives real behavior change.
• The importance of focusing on root causes, not just surface-level issues, to create solutions employees truly run towards.
• Eric’s unique "ADEPT" framework for advanced soft skills and de-escalation—delivering powerful results like reduced escalations, higher employee engagement, and even fewer absences!
• The often-overlooked risks companies face when cutting back on training in uncertain times.
• The real reason employees resist change (spoiler: it’s not just “people hate change!”), and how leaders can effectively manage and communicate through organizational change.
• The staggering cost of delivering “okay” or generic training versus programs that create lasting WOW experiences.

Eric challenges the industry to ditch checking the box on training hours and instead measure real outcomes—with the bold promise of guaranteed results. If you want to know how to get employees excited about training, make learning stick, and drive business results your execs can't ignore, you’ll love this episode!

—

#talentdevelopment #leadership #changemanagement #training #learninganddevelopment #L&D #organizationaldevelopment #employeeengagement #businesssuccess #softskills #AI #trainingresults #futureofwork #andystorch #YUIConsulting #ADEPTframework

Mentioned in this episode:

Check out Learnit!

For fantastic on-demand learning, check out learnit.com/hotseat

Welcome back to The Talent Development Hot Seat! In this episode, host Andy Storch sits down with Molly Hill, Global Head of Talent Development at Toast, for a lively and insightful conversation on the evolving landscape of talent development. Molly shares her fascinating career journey, from her early days at Disney and impactful roles at Microsoft, Starbucks, and Airbnb, to her current adventure at Toast—where she blends her professional passion with the hands-on experience of owning a bar in picturesque Lake Chelan, Washington.

Together, Andy and Molly dig into the art and science of large-scale leadership development, codifying company values, and fostering a culture of connection in remote and in-person environments. Molly offers practical advice and lessons learned from orchestrating major events at Starbucks and spearheading innovative programs like the Leadership Lunchbox series and executive development initiatives at Toast. Plus, the conversation touches on the importance of behavior change, using marketing principles in L&D, and adapting to the growing influence of AI in HR—including hosting internal hackathons to inspire curiosity and collaboration.

If you're ready for fresh ideas on building manager capability, driving career development, or creating memorable learning experiences, you won't want to miss this episode!

Order Own Your Brand, Own Your Career on Amazon

Apply to Join us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community!

This episode is also sponsored by LearnIt, which is offering a FREE trial of their TeamPass membership for you and up to 20 team members of your team. Check it out here.

Connect with Andy here: Website | LinkedIn

Connect with Molly: LinkedIn: LinkedIn

Mentioned in this episode:

Check out Learnit!

For fantastic on-demand learning, check out learnit.com/hotseat