Independent Professionals
Learning without limits: 38 years outside the HR bubble
Andy Candler has spent nearly four decades in L&D without setting foot in an HR team, and he thinks that’s exactly why it’s worked. In this refreshing and honest take, he champions a commercial, customer-focused approach to learning that’s more about storytelling and sales than tick boxes and training plans. At a recent learning event the conversation turned to L&D, its alignment with HR, and the usual comments about people strategy and employee engagement. It got me thinking about my…
Stop reporting and start persuading: Unlock the potential of your learning data for business impact
Most L&D teams collect data, but few translate it into the business language that decision-makers value. iSpring’s global survey reveals a “translation problem” holding many teams back. Tanya Galton shares insights into three L&D maturity clusters, along with practical steps to boost your influence, impact, and alignment with business priorities. Are you being heard in the boardroom or are you overlooked when L&D budgets are allocated and cut? When you lead or manage L&D in your company, understanding the level…
Editor’s blog: Beyond inspiration, the why of reflection at conferences
Jo Cook shares the thinking behind the TJ 60th Anniversary Conference and why reflection and action planning are central to its design. Drawing on expert insights and her own experiences, Jo explains how making space for thought can transform a good event into one that drives real change and learning. “Reflection is essential for professional competence development in every profession”, stated Alberto A. P. Cattaneo, and from the very first imaginings of a TJ conference I wanted to ensure that…
Value is back, and this time it means business
At the 2025 Business of Training Conference, Gaëlle Watson reports on an industry redefining its purpose. With trust, outcomes and business impact essential, L&D professionals are being challenged to adapt their approach, collaborate and prove their value or risk being left behind in a world of changing work and demands. The 2025 Business of Training Conference from Inmisceo once again gathered an eclectic mix of leaders: from management development specialists to niche providers in aviation and healthcare, united by a…
The human side of AI: Why wellbeing is the next core capability
Artificial Intelligence is reshaping work at speed, but human wellbeing is struggling. TJ Conference speaker Tom Bryant explores how L&D can take the lead in building wellbeing as a skill, designing more human-centric workplaces and using AI with intention to support emotional intelligence, resilience and adaptability in the modern workplace. Artificial intelligence is transforming the workplace faster than most of us imagined, taking on administrative, analytical and repetitive tasks with astonishing speed. Yet while AI is supposed to lighten the…
From AI to ADHD: designing learning for every mind
Learner outcomes are dropping, and AI is being hailed as the fix, but technology alone won’t solve a broken approach to learning design. TJ Conference speaker Sascha Evans argues that L&D must flip the script on inclusion and adopt a proactive mindset to support diverse learners from the very beginning. This week, Google published a white paper laying out their vision for the Future of Learning. Their research shows that learner outcomes have dropped sharply worldwide, and UNESCO projects a…
TJ podcast: Beyond courses: How AI transforms L&D into a strategic business partnership – episode 328
In this episode, Josh Bersin, Erica Farmer and Laura Overton join Jo Cook to unpack how AI is shifting L&D from static courses to adaptive support. They explore dynamic content, practice with AI coaching, and why learning teams must redefine impact in terms of performance, relevance, and real business value. Key takeaways: Created by CleanVoice Podcast summary: Created by CleanVoice and edited by ChatGPT Jo Cook, Erica Farmer, and Josh Bersin explore how AI is reshaping learning and development from…
Too busy to think: Why clarity, influence and inspiration begin with intention
Sue Stockdale explores why thinking time is so critical for effective leadership. When leaders slow down, clarity returns, influence grows, and energy builds. This insightful piece shares practical ways to reclaim space for reflection, helping leaders shift from reactive to intentional, and inspiring others through purpose-driven presence, not constant motion. If there’s one symptom I see time and time again in my coaching work with leaders, it’s this: thinking time is in critically short supply. The people I work with…
AI vs human learning: Where the real value lies
Helen Routledge argues the real opportunity with AI isn’t replacing L&D teams but rethinking how we approach our work. By blending AI’s scalability with human insight, learning becomes immersive, realistic, and effective; preparing people for critical moments before they count and delivering performance-driven outcomes that matter to individuals and organisations. Every few months, a new ‘influencer’ pops up declaring that AI is going to replace trainers, instructional designers, or entire learning departments. It’s a provocative headline and it generates clicks…
TJ interviews: Joshua Wohle on AI in the workplace, revealing what leaders are missing
In this interview by Mark Matthews, Mindstone CEO Joshua Wohle explains why AI mastery starts with mindset. He challenges the automation-first thinking, makes the case for live demos, and, importantly, shares how leaders can rewire their workflows to unlock AI’s full potential: strategically, safely, and at the speed of experimentation. Joshua Wohle is a distinguished figure in the realm of technology speakers, with a rare talent for turning complex AI and learning-science concepts into practical strategies for leaders and organisations.…
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