
Is Training The Answer?
By Rory Sacks & John Parsell
Is Training The Answer? sets out to learn more about the world of Learning and Development from a leadership perspective. Join John and Rory as they talk to CLOs, Senior Directors, VPs, and other senior Learning and Development professionals from companies big and small. The goal is to learn about what it takes to build and grow a successful L&D department. We talk about concepts such as presenting learner data to senior leadership, what big (and small) challenges they face, how to successfully build an L&D brand, what to look for when hiring the right people, and more.

Mary Remillard - Head of Employee Success and Development
Mary Remillard - Head of Employee Success and Development
Is Training The Answer?Mar 14, 2023
00:00
33:10

Mary Remillard - Head of Employee Success and Development
Mary Remillard - Head of Employee Success and Development
In this episode, we are joined by Mary Remillard, Head of Employee Success and Development at HomeLight. We discuss starting a new L&D department, succeeding through adversity, and staying laser-focused on contributing to leadership's most significant needs.
Mar 14, 202333:10

Michael Sabbag - Director of Leadership and Org Design - Broward Health
Michael Sabbag - Director of Leadership and Org Design - Broward Health
Michael has dedicated his career to helping organizations succeed by creating highly engaging cultures and exemplary people processes. He worked in Learning and Development, Human Resources, and Organization Development as a Vice President and consultant.
Jan 24, 202340:11

Christopher Lind - CLO of ChenMed
Christopher Lind - CLO of ChenMed
In this episode, we interview Christoper Lind, Vice President, Chief Learning Officer at ChenMed, Host of the Learning Tech Talks Podcast, and Founder of Learning Sharks. We discuss how he dramatically changed the L&D strategy, business model, and brand at ChenMed, his perspective on ROI, and creating an invisible learning organization.
Dec 26, 202239:45

Noelle Sue Chalfant-Morra - Director of Training at Navis
Noelle Sue Chalfant-Morra - Director of Training at Navis
Noelle Sue Chalfant is the Director of Training at Navis, LLC, a company specializing in software solutions for global terminal operators, carriers, and ship owners. Her focus is on elevating the Navis Training portfolio of products and services. Prior to that, she co-founded iBrandConnection, a Marketing and Consulting firm specializing in digital media, team building, marketing, and technical IT consultative services.
Nov 28, 202221:53

J.D. Slaughter - Group Vice President, Organizational Development & Effectiveness
J.D. Slaughter - Group Vice President, Organizational Development & Effectiveness
In this episode, we interview J.D. Slaughter, Group Vice President, Organizational Development & Effectiveness at Huge. We discuss the currency of experiences, how he developed his organizational strategy, and the need to focus on where you can make a real impact.
Oct 31, 202233:01

April Petrey - Director, Learning & Development
April Petrey - Director, Learning & Development
In this episode, we talk with April Petrey, Director of L&D at ShipHawk. Throughout her career, April has supported hyper-growth that has taken companies from 250 to 1200 employees. During that time she designed and hired an international staff to support internal and external learning strategies taken.
Sep 28, 202225:44

Emily Lopez - Director of Learning & Development
Emily Lopez - Director of Learning & Development
In this episode, we interview Emily Lopez, the Director of Enterprise L&D at Pine Gate Renewables. Emily is an organizational and workforce transformation specialist with more than 20 years of experience in change leadership, talent management, and culture building. Emily holds a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership from Columbia University.
Aug 29, 202228:19

Kristin Trujeque - Senior Director of Learning, Development, and Inclusion
Kristin Trujeque - Senior Director of Learning, Development, and Inclusion
In this episode, we chat with Kristin Trujeque. A compassionate leader of Learning and Development with a background in finance, technology, and the US Air Force. With over 10 years in the Learning and Development arena and 8 years of dedicated service in the USAF, Kristin is an execution master. Through strategic planning processes and a servant attitude, she is driven to ensure the well-being, resiliency, and development of those she leads. She thrives on helping people see and grow in their potential, having led High Potential Teams, Tactical Resiliency teams, and global teams. Challenges are another puzzle to be solved with deliverables to be met as she adapts quickly to changing markets to provide favorable results consistently.
Jul 21, 202242:31

Kyle Teague, CPTD - Director of Learning and Development
Kyle Teague, CPTD - Director of Learning and Development
Hello, friends in this episode we interview Kyle Teague, The director of L&D at Olo. Together we discuss how to run your L&D organization as a business, make your first hire(s), and treat your learners like guests.
Jun 09, 202248:09

David Macon - Executive Director of Learning & Development
David Macon - Executive Director of Learning & Development
In this episode, we interview David Macon, an Executive director of L&D at bridge locations. Together we discuss how to run your L&D organization as a business, build relationships, and create an amazing L&D brand. David has over a decade of experience transforming ideas into full-spectrum solutions resulting in business growth and improved performance. Empowering learning and development teams to become strategic business units that fuel profitability.
May 04, 202249:44

Going From Order Taker To Business Partner With Tara Cohn
Going From Order Taker To Business Partner With Tara Cohn
In this episode, we are joined by Tara Cohn. Tara is a Director at Wipfli, a Data Storyteller, and Analytics Translator! Together we discuss how to go from order takers to business partners, helping stakeholders & L&D identify and measure outcomes, and telling a better story with data that inspires the business to take action.
Mar 06, 202231:18

Steffaney Zohrabyan Discusses Digital Adoption
Steffaney Zohrabyan Discusses Digital Adoption
In this episode, we interview Steffaney Zohrabyan a Digital Sales Enablement Leader and Host of The Digital Adopter Series. Together we discuss the value of digital adoption platforms, how digital adoption efforts differ from training, and how to make the case for digital adoption tools and processes at your organization.
Jan 20, 202221:37

How To Have Better Conversations with Stakeholder Featuring Angie Flynn-McIver
How To Have Better Conversations with Stakeholder Featuring Angie Flynn-McIver
In this episode, we interview Angie Flynn-McIver, a leadership coach, author, theater director, and founder of Ignite CSP (Coaching, Speaking, and Presenting), Together we discuss how to have better conversations with our stakeholders, team members, and how to say “NO” to those tough project requests.
Dec 30, 202140:55

Change Management with Organizational Change Management Leader Pamela Acker
Change Management with Organizational Change Management Leader Pamela Acker
In this episode, we interview Pamela Acker, an Organizational Change Strategist with over 20 years of experience helping organizations to successfully achieve their change goals. Together we discuss how to use the ADKAR methodology to enhance your learning experiences, generate a desire for change, and how you can be better partners with change leaders at your organization.
Takeaways:
Put people first, especially in change and learning efforts.
You cannot manage change or people from a spreadsheet.
Build a relationship between change and learning to share the knowledge of what’s going on in your organization.
Managers need to be better at helping people through change.
Provide managers with information about the change curve and resources to help themselves and their team navigate change.
Dec 22, 202151:44

Re-Imagine Project Prioritization with RICE
Re-Imagine Project Prioritization with RICE
In this episode of Is Training The Answer? John and Rory use the RICE methodology to take the bias out of prioritizing training project requests. What our takeaways are from our conversation about RICE:
1. Thinking about more than just audience size and urgency when prioritizing work.
2. Using a formula like RICE can help to take the emotion out of project prioritization.
3. Implementing a project prioritization framework can help you to have better conversations with stakeholders and the business about the value of new and existing work.
Prioritization for project managers: https://www.intercom.com/blog/rice-simple-prioritization-for-product-managers/
Oct 21, 202127:54

Product Marketing and L&D Partnerships with Zach Napolitano
Product Marketing and L&D Partnerships with Zach Napolitano
In this conversation we’ll talk with Zach about his career journey from L&D to Product Marketing, learning about how he uses L&D resources to train his internal staff and external clients, we’ll also learn about what Product Marketing does and how we can be better partners through a great understanding of their goals and needs.
You can learn more about Zach on our website, IsTrainingTheAnswer.com where we have a bio and his socials if you want to connect with him or maybe even follow up with him on something you heard in the podcast.
Sep 16, 202138:08

Partnering with Account Managers with Troy Chen
Partnering with Account Managers with Troy Chen
In this episode, John and Rory sit down with Troy Chen. Troy is the Senior Director of Account Management at Bloomreach and shares how he and his team interact, utilize, and succeed with the help of L&D.
Aug 18, 202139:05

Our thoughts and ideas about Cathy Moore's "Is training really the answer?" flowchart
Our thoughts and ideas about Cathy Moore's "Is training really the answer?" flowchart
In our very first episode of John and Rory discuss Cathy Moore’s delivery framework, aptly titled: ‘Is Training Really The Answer’. We talk about the simplicity of the framework, whether we think such a framework can do what it is designed to do, and what we think the real takeaway of this framework really is.
You can view the flowchart here: https://blog.cathy-moore.com/2013/05/is-training-really-the-answer-ask-the-flowchart/
You can reach out to John and Rory through the website: istrainingtheanswer.com
Aug 18, 202129:24

Introducing: Is Training The Answer?
Introducing: Is Training The Answer?
Welcome to Is Training The Answer? A podcast about answering L&D's most asked question. Join John and Rory to get a lay of the land. How this whole thing came to be, where we are going, what we hope to learn, and who we are. Visit our website at istrainingtheanswer.com
Jun 26, 202103:39