AXIOM Insights Learning and Development Podcast

What happens after a learning ecosystem goes live? In the final episode of this three-part AXIOM Insights Podcast series, Scott Rutherford and Tom Decker discuss launch, adoption, stakeholder management, and the future of learning technology strategy. Tom shares lessons learned from managing enterprise rollout and user adoption, including how to keep leadership engaged, how to support decentralized learning teams, and why successful learner experiences should feel intuitive and familiar to employees. The conversation also explores the future relationship between L&D and technical teams, including the growing importance of “build and buy” strategies that combine internal engineering capabilities with external learning technology platforms. Topics include: • Enterprise learning rollout • Learning platform adoption • User adoption strategy • Learning ecosystem governance • Personalized learning experiences • Build versus buy learning technology • Learning and development innovation • Future of workplace learning and L&D technology

What does a modern learning ecosystem actually look like, and how do L&D leaders begin building one inside a real organization? In part one of this three-part AXIOM Insights Podcast series, Scott Rutherford speaks with Tom Decker about the strategy behind building an integrated learning ecosystem for employee training and workforce development. The conversation explores how organizations move beyond disconnected learning tools toward a unified learner experience that supports personalization, data visibility, and measurable business outcomes. Tom discusses how to define the objectives of a learning ecosystem initiative, how to identify the right mix of internal resources and external vendors, and how to build support among executives, stakeholders, and business leaders. The episode also examines the importance of prototypes, internal advocacy, and change management when introducing large-scale learning technology initiatives. Topics include: • Learning ecosystem strategy • Learning technology modernization • LXP and LMS strategy • Employee training platforms • Learning and development leadership • Stakeholder buy-in and change management • Enterprise learning strategy • Learning experience design

In many organizations, conversations about workplace culture and employee engagement are often framed as “soft” issues. But what if investing in people is actually one of the most direct paths to stronger business performance? In this episode of the AXIOM Insights Learning & Development Podcast, Scott Rutherford speaks with Dr. Angela Jackson, lecturer at Harvard University and research director at the Future Forward Institute, about the ideas behind her book The Win-Win Workplace. Drawing on more than a decade of research and analysis of over 1,200 organizations, Dr. Jackson explores how companies that intentionally listen to employees, invest in human skills, and build high-trust teams often outperform their peers. The conversation examines the concept of “worker voice” and why it has become a critical leadership capability in today’s workplace. Dr. Jackson explains how organizations that actively listen to employees—and act on what they hear—create stronger engagement, higher productivity, and measurable business results. She also discusses the growing role of trust as organizations navigate AI adoption, rapid technological change, and evolving expectations around leadership and work. For learning and development leaders, the discussion highlights practical ways to move beyond traditional training initiatives and take a more strategic role in the business. Dr. Jackson shares examples of how organizations are using data, small pilot programs, and targeted leadership development—particularly for middle managers—to strengthen performance and improve workplace outcomes. Key topics include: What research across 1,200 companies reveals about high-performing workplaces Why employee voice and trust are becoming strategic drivers of performance The role of human skills in an increasingly technology-driven workplace Practical ways L&D and HR leaders can use data and experimentation to influence business strategy If you are responsible for learning, talent development, or organizational performance, this conversation offers a research-grounded perspective on how people strategy and business results are more closely connected than many leaders realize. Links to learn more about Dr. Jackson's work can be found on the episode page, at axiomlearningsolutions.com/podcast.

The Human Side of Platform Rollouts How to turn large-scale system rollouts into lasting performance improvement. When an organization decides to implement a new enterprise system—an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tool, a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform, or a claims and billing solution—the technology itself is rarely the hardest part. The true challenge lies in adoption: getting people to understand, embrace, and use the system effectively in their day-to-day work. In this episode of the AXIOM Insights Learning & Development Podcast, we speak with David Kaiser, senior learning consultant and change leader, about how to make large-scale system rollouts succeed by focusing on people and process, not just technology. Drawing on experience from multiple Fortune 500 implementations, David explains how to connect the who and the why behind change to the what and how of project execution. The conversation explores the mechanics of building role-based training plans tied to system access, establishing feedback loops between trainers and system owners, and creating a champions network that sustains adoption long after the go-live date. David shares how well-designed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can measure impact through real-world metrics like error reduction and efficiency gains, and how clear governance, version control, and rapid response mechanisms keep projects agile and responsive. Most importantly, the discussion reframes leadership’s role during a rollout, from one of control and risk avoidance to one of empowerment and trust. By fostering psychological safety and aligning teams around shared purpose, organizations can turn stressful implementations into opportunities for growth, innovation, and engagement. Whether you work in Learning and Development (L&D), Information Technology (IT), or Operations, this episode offers a practical, human-centered playbook for system rollouts that deliver measurable results and lasting cultural change.

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In this bonus episode of the podcast, we are resharing a recording from a live stream discussion. This is a discussion with Dr. Guido Minaya (CEO and Chief Learning Officer at Minaya Learning Global Solutions) and Susan Nabonne Beck (Vice President of Learning Design and Strategy at AXIOM Learning Solutions). We cover the current experience using AI tools in L&D, and the pros and cons of how AI tools can be used to enhance the learner experience and the development of learning content. The discussion also explores the opportunity created by enterprise adoption or experimentation with AI, as the L&D function is a resource for AI skills development and helping the organization manage AI related risks. More information on this episode can be found at https://axiomlearningsolutions.com/podcast

This episode explores the dynamics of gender, age, and experience in the workplace. We are joined by Laurie Johnson, a senior level learning consultant with the Boulder Crest Foundation, a nonprofit that supports combat veterans and their families; before this work, she was a senior leader of Accenture Federal with more than three decades experience in corporate learning; and Pamela Johnson, a senior attorney and Of Counsel with Halunen Law, where her legal practice specializes in handling sexual harassment, wrongful termination, whistleblower and retaliation claims. She is also a mediator with Johnson Benrud Mediation and Consulting, building on a 30 year career as an insurance professional and litigator. This episode explores both how organizations can and should prioritize the skills and perspectives of older women in the workforce, as well as considerations and actionable advice for driving cultural change and breaking down workplace barriers.

In this episode of the AXIOM Insights Learning and Development Podcast, we're joined by technologist and technical training expert John Kidd to discuss the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in learning and development (L&D). The discussion explores the capabilities of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok, exploring how these tools can enhance performance by automating tasks and accelerating content creation. This potential is also discussed with a cautionary note to understand the limitations of AI, emphasizing the need for human oversight to ensure accuracy and quality. John also highlights the importance of teaching prompt engineering and integrating AI into training processes to boost efficiency and innovation across technical and non-technical roles. Ultimately, this discussion highlights how and why AI is not about replacing jobs but augmenting them, allowing professionals to focus on more strategic tasks while leveraging AI to streamline repetitive functions. This episode offers advice for organizations exploring the use of AI to support L&D operations as well as broader business operations.

Managing change is a cyclical and ongoing challenge for organizations, and it can come in many forms: mergers/acquisitions, economic shifts, and regulatory change, to name a few. During times of change, learning and development can play an important role in navigating the change and creating the groundwork of success. In this episode, we're joined by Nina Hollon, founder and CEO of Catalyst Learning Strategies, who shares her perspective and expertise developed over a career in training, including more than 20 mergers and acquisitions, including a learning leadership role in the largest merger in the history of the Wealth Management sector.

Grant funding to support skills training for the workforce is available from most U.S. states and a number of local governments. How can you navigate the sources of funding for training, and what do you need to know? In this episode, we're joined by Krysta Van Ranst, the founder of BuildingPPL, an organization which specializes on assisting businesses to apply for workforce development grant funding to support their training and performance goals.

Effective learning relies on the effective use of language. In order to ensure the learning experiences you develop are effective, they must be understood and experienced by the learners as intended. That's why translating and localizing learning content is a critical element of creating effective learning. In this episode of the AXIOM Insights Learning and Development Podcast, host Scott Rutherford speaks with two translation and localization experts: Nicholas Strozza, CEO of Interpro Translation Solutions, and María Fagrelius, Project Manager, Interpro Translation Solutions.

In this episode of the podcast, we explore the process of using e-learning to support the growth of professional development learning, through the experience of education non-profit HILL for Literacy. In the most recently completed school year, HILL for Literacy has supported the professional development of more than 8,500 teachers and school administrators, with learning content which helps teachers apply scientifically-grounded literacy instructional techniques in the elementary school classroom. Through this professional development learning, HILL has affected the education of more than 184,000 students. HILL for Literacy’s professional development programs were developed to be delivered through in-person workshops. Since 2019, HILL has undertaken a transformative initiative to expand their reach through virtual delivery of their content, with a combination of virtual coaching and synchronous and asynchronous virtual delivery (e-learning). In this episode, we are joined by HILL for Literacy’s director of research and development, Cindy McGurl, and marketing director MarcyKate Connolly. Cindy McGurl served as a consultant and coach on state, district, and school projects for more than twenty years, including implementing whole district/school literacy change models, using data to drive instruction, adopting instructional practices that support diverse learners, and program evaluation. As the Director of HILL Online, she now drives the process of developing tools and applications to make those projects more efficient, scalable, and sustainable. MarcyKate Connolly served in marketing roles at several nonprofit arts organizations before landing at HILL for Literacy, where she found a mission she was passionate about—teaching children how to read—that matched with her skillset and dovetailed perfectly with her work as a children’s book author.

In this episode of the podcast, we take a look at the pressures and opportunites in workforce development and learning in the healthcare sector, a highly regulated sector that has faced extreme pressures over the past five years. How can healthcare organizations support their workforce needs, especially in the face of demographic pressures which forecast significant shortages in skilled healthcare roles? Our panelists for this discussion are Dr. Lamata Mitchell, vice president and Chief Learning Officer with AdventHealth; Hillary Miller, vice president and Chief Learning Officer with PennState Health; and Geoffrey Roche, Director of Workforce Development, North America with Siemens Healthineers.