Many nonprofit learning and development professionals know their work matters, but still find themselves executing requests rather than shaping solutions.

In this episode of Learning for Good, I sit down with global learning and development leader Mark Nilles to explore what it really means to shift from order taker to strategic partner, and how nonprofit L&D professionals can build the capability, opportunity, and motivation to lead with influence.

Strategic partnership is not a personality type or a seniority level. It is a set of skills any L&D professional can develop, one small step at a time.

▶️ What Strategic Partnerships Look Like in Learning & Development with Mark Nilles

▶️ Key Points:

00:00:00 Mark's Origin Story in L&D

00:08:23  The Three Cs of Strategic Partnership

00:13:12  Can Anyone Lead as a Strategic Partner?

00:14:21  Strategic Partnership in Practice: From Conversion Request to eLearning Solution

00:23:49  Why L&D Professionals Get Trapped in the Order Taker Role

00:26:49  The COM-B Model for Behavior Change

00:35:54  Practical Steps Toward a More Strategic Role

Resources from this episode:

Join the Learning for Good Summit in July: https://collective.skillmastersmarket.com/invitation?code=9A6625  

Past strategic partnership episodes:

• Episode 186: The Mindset that Separates Strategic L&D Leaders from Order Takers
• Episode 134: Being a Strategic Learning Partner & The Biggest Mistake You're Making

Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective

Connect with Mark

LinkedIn: Mark Nilles

Connect with Heather

LinkedIn: Heather Burright

Website: skillmastersmarket.com

Book an interest call with Heather here.

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Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms