Strategy
The TJ L&D Influence Report 2026
After months exploring why L&D’s best evidence and intentions still stall, Editor Jo Cook shares a new report shaped by Training Journal’s 60th Anniversary Conference. It introduces the Readiness Enablers Index and highlights practical conditions like stakeholder access, data, experimentation and support. Download it free and join the 2026 survey. What helps L&D move from good ideas and strong intentions to meaningful action? That question sits at the heart of this new report. At the centre of the report is…
The AI upskilling mandate: An L&D strategy for the AI era
In the rush to govern AI and fear automation, organisations are ignoring the most urgent issue: capability. This article argues HR and L&D must distinguish autopilot risks from co-pilot opportunity, move beyond basic AI prompt training, and prioritise critical thinking, synthesis and change leadership. Lee Whitmore sets a four-point plan. For the people profession, the conversation around AI has been dominated by two themes: the anxiety of automation (which jobs will be lost?) and the ethics of governance (how do…
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,…
Stop calling everything a skill
Ben Satchwell argues that muddled language is undermining people frameworks, HR systems and L&D credibility, especially as skills data becomes machine-readable. Ben clarifies the building blocks from knowledge to behaviour, explains why competencies evidence individual performance while capabilities describe systemic potential, and shows how aligning both creates readiness without duplication. This article is the first in a three-part series exploring how organisations can clarify, connect and modernise their use of competence, capability and skills frameworks. There’s a quiet crisis of…
How one council made training measurable, strategic and value-led
Martin Furminger explains how a UK council adapted the Systems Approach to Training to build a structured, flexible learning system aligned to its People and Culture Plan. He shares how analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation create measurable impact, improve governance confidence and shift culture from ad hoc to planned. The Systems Approach to Training (SAT) was developed in the 1960s and ‘70s for the US Department of Defense. It was later formalised by NATO and has become the gold…
Beyond generative: The leadership playbook for agentic AI learning
As agentic AI moves to setting goals and acting, workplace learning is shifting into the flow of work. Johnson Wong argues leaders must design AI-enabled workflows, reskill for human oversight, and enable department alignment of IT, operations and the people profession to turn continuous, embedded learning into measurable performance gains. Enterprises around the world are entering a new phase of digital transformation, one defined not just by automation, but by intelligent collaboration between humans and autonomous digital agents. This shift…
AI jobs apocalypse… or bonanza?
Will AI steal our jobs? Wrong question. AI performs tasks and most jobs involve a combination of tasks. The AI impact depends on organisational choices, not just the technology. David Buchanan and Steve Macaulay explore how the outcome for jobs depends on a combination of replacement, compensatory, and augmentation effects. AI may steal bits of your job, but very few jobs will be completely stolen. Simple admin, content generation, customer support, data entry, financial analysis, and manufacturing tasks can be…
AI at the top: Pressure, paralysis and performative action in the C-suite
AI is a board-level priority, yet research shows many executives lack the skills to lead it safely and effectively. Wendy Lynch explores the widening AI leadership gap, the huge risks of moving too fast or too slowly, and why a new ‘AI translation’ role may just be the missing link. Artificial intelligence has jumped from an interesting demonstration project to a core pillar of corporate strategy with mind-spinning speed. Three-quarters of corporate leaders expect the technology to transform their industry…
My book ‘AI for People Professionals’ was a human-first experiment
Behind the pages of a book shaped by humans and machines, Erica Farmer shares the creative highs, challenges and lessons from writing ‘AI for People Professionals’. From neurodivergent-friendly workflows to AI-supported thinking, it’s a candid look at what it means to write about the future of work in real time. When I started writing my book AI for People Professionals, I had no idea how much of a creative, emotional and intellectual rollercoaster it would be. This wasn’t just a…
The leadership imperative: Shaping AI culture from the top
Vishaal Gupta argues that building an AI-ready workforce is less about technology and more about culture. From transparent leadership to continuous learning, this feature lays out how organisations can move beyond hype to action, bridging people readiness gaps, reducing risk, and turning AI into a true strategic advantage for organisations. AI is fundamentally transforming organisations, creating a clear competitive distinction between those acting decisively and those hesitating. This isn’t just another technology upgrade; it requires a complete rethink of how…
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