L&D Leaders
Why early involvement is only part of the story
Getting L&D involved early matters, but this discussion shows that access alone is not the full answer. Kim Ellis, Cathy Hoy, Donald H Taylor and Laura Overton reflect on stakeholder relationships, strategic credibility and why influence grows when L&D understands the business well enough to help shape what happens next. Summary A recurring theme in the TJ L&D Influence Report is that good intentions and strong evidence are rarely enough on their own. What often makes the difference is whether…
Boundaries, not burnout: Building a culture of leadership kindness that lasts
In this candid piece, Maureen O’Callaghan shows why kindness at work starts with self-kindness. From silencing the inner critic that shouldn’t be your coach, to setting boundaries and building support, she argues sustainable leadership means staying present and protecting capacity. Kindness is not a performative tool, it is what endures. I used to stand at networking event doors, turn around three times, and leave. The voice in my head would say, ‘You’re boring. Nobody will be interested. Look how clever…
The efficiency paradox: Why AI is speeding up work but slowing down leadership
Andrew Bryant argues that AI-driven efficiency is outpacing leadership capability, creating an “efficiency paradox” where organisations perform better on paper but grow strategically weaker. He explores Klarna’s AI lesson, the shift from performance management to potential development, and why L&D must build leaders who unleash human judgement, creativity, and meaning. Organisations are getting faster. But they are not getting better at leading people. That is the uncomfortable truth at the centre of the AI revolution. As companies race to automate,…
Three AI adoption patterns that look busy but break performance
Fahed Bizzari argues most organisations are just drifting into AI use, creating activity without dependable performance. He outlines three common patterns: waiting, rolling tools out, and mandating use, all of which fuel shadow AI: uneven quality and rework. He shows how L&D can build role-based capability, checking habits and accountability. Most organisations are already living with AI at work. People use it to draft, summarise, rewrite and plan. Some outputs are good. Most are just fast. A lot is quietly…
When leaders look away and employees push back, L&D can be the bridge
In organisations with constant transformation, change stalls when employees resist and leaders disengage. This article shows how L&D can interpret pushback as information, rebuild leadership visibility, create listening loops, align learning to purpose, and reinforce new habits so change sticks in daily work. Anne Katrine Carlsson Sejr shows us how. In most organisations today, transformation is the norm rather than the exception. New systems, new organisational designs, new strategies. Yet too often, transformation efforts stall because the people expected to…
Purposeful leadership: The mindset and the skillset shift L&D needs to back
Nicola Pye argues that purpose only delivers results when leaders practise it daily, not just talk about it. Drawing on research and frameworks, she shows how to build the capabilities behind clarity, connection and energy, avoid the “purpose paradox,” and embed purpose into performance, coaching and succession for sustainable impact. Purpose is more than a statement on the wall. It’s a spark that, with the right practice, fuels clarity, connection and energy in leadership. For L&D, the challenge is clear:…
Does reaching the top of the corporate ladder really bring happiness in 2026?
Rochelle Trow argues that today’s senior roles sit at the centre of global turbulence, where pressure rarely eases and success no longer guarantees fulfilment. Drawing on research from WEF, Gallup and Deloitte, she explores cognitive load, organisational strain and why leadership development must build inner steadiness, not just outward skills. For decades, the message was simple: work hard, climb high, and life will feel better when you get there. Influence, control, reward. Success was expected to bring happiness. But in…
Starving for questions in the age of instant answers
Gargi Bhatt explores why disciplined questioning is making a comeback as work gets more complex and AI makes quick answers effortless. Drawing on Socratic dialogues, coaching and action learning, she shows how inquiry strengthens critical thinking, surfaces assumptions and builds reflective capacity, helping navigate uncertainty with clarity, curiosity and courage. In a world obsessed with having the answers quick, clear, and confident, there is something quietly revolutionary about not knowing. As organisations grapple with rapid change, complexity, and the uncomfortable…
Ready or not, 2026 is the year of skills
AI is reshaping UK work, yet readiness is patchy and shortages still persist. Mark Onisk argues that 2026 demands skills-based workforce orchestration, tighter skills governance, smarter AI-human collaboration and scaled leadership development. Organisations that embed learning in the flow of work and prioritise high-impact skills can turn disruption into advantage. The UK workforce is at a turning point. AI is reshaping roles, but adoption and readiness vary widely across sectors. Skills England warns of persistent barriers, including low foundational literacy,…
Strategic communication is not soft: Why L&D needs a strategy before silence sinks change
Steve Macaulay and David Buchanan argue that strategic communication is a core capability, not a soft skill, and L&D and HR must build it for change. From a gym takeover that went silent to practical steps on timing, channels and feedback, they show how two-way messages protect trust and performance. Communication needs to be managed strategically, and HR and L&D must embed this as a core capability. Strategic communication is the purposeful use of communication by an organisation to achieve…
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