Most training fails because it forgets the human at the center.

This episode dives deep into how learning becomes more than just training—it becomes an experience people want to be part of. Vanessa Trower, award-winning learning consultant and industry leader, shares her creative approach to designing programs that connect both to the heart and to business outcomes. From the power of storytelling to the importance of collaboration, her insights reveal how to create initiatives that don’t just tick boxes but truly move the needle.

Along the way, Vanessa opens up about her proudest achievements, including winning L&D Professional of the Year, and even some epic failures—like the time an LMS mishap spammed an entire company. With humor, honesty, and practical wisdom, this conversation will leave you rethinking how learning works, what really matters, and how to design experiences people never forget.

Key Takeaways

• Creating learning that connects to both hearts and business outcomes is what makes programs stick.
• Collaboration and valuing other people’s strengths always lead to stronger results than going solo.
• Even mistakes and failures can become the spark for some of the best learning experiences.

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Timestamps

• [00:00] Introduction & Vanessa’s background
• [01:31] Why she focuses on meaningful learning experiences
• [03:20] What truly fires her up about L&D
• [05:20] Balancing creativity with business impact
• [07:11] Vanessa’s favorite campaign: “Homecoming”
• [11:06] Personal quirks: gestures, cooking, and food
• [13:36] Learning Spanish—and the reality of failure
• [15:55] Proudest career moments & major awards
• [20:47] Her worst L&D experience: the LMS email fiasco
• [29:01] Vanessa’s best advice for anyone starting in L&D

Links

• Vanessa Trower on Linkedin
• Nexperk
• Tom Bailey on LinkedIn
• Tom Bailey Website

Training is the laziest—and often the worst—solution organizations reach for.

Most organizations rush into training without asking the most important question: what’s the real problem we’re trying to solve? In this episode, Tom Bailey, a seasoned people development maverick, breaks down why traditional training often misses the mark—and what to do instead.

Listeners will discover how to separate real skill gaps from deeper organizational issues, why performance consulting models are essential, and how to create measurable outcomes that actually change behavior. Whether you’re in HR, leadership, or team development, this episode will shift the way you think about learning forever.

Key Takeaways

1. Training requests often mask deeper issues like resources, management, or structure—not just skills gaps.
2. Real people development starts by clarifying the exact behavior change or outcome desired.
3. Using a performance consulting model helps diagnose, address, and measure what truly matters.

Timestamps

[00:00] Don’t jump straight into training

[00:09] Why organizations default to “more training”

[00:22] Asking the critical outcome question

[00:36] When the issue isn’t training at all

[00:52] Examples of hidden causes: resources, pay, shifts

[01:05] Why L&D often misses the real gap

[01:15] The trap of traditional schooling bias

[01:25] What real learning and development should do

[01:35] Using performance consulting to diagnose issues

[01:45] How to measure behavior change that matters

Links

• Tom Bailey on LinkedIn
• Tom Bailey Website

There I was, buried in a pile of buzzwords—‘capability,’ ‘instructional design,’ ‘OD’—wondering what L&D actually meant.

Most people hear “learning and development” and immediately think of training sessions or workshops—but that’s only scratching the surface. In this episode, Tom Bailey, a passionate expert in people development, breaks down the real meaning of L&D and why it’s the most underleveraged tool in your company’s arsenal. From debunking the “training equals learning” myth to showcasing how L&D drives real business performance, this episode reframes how organizations should think about their people strategy.

You’ll learn the broader toolkit behind successful L&D—from coaching and mentoring to experience-based learning—and how to apply it based on actual needs, not assumptions. If you’re tired of wasted training budgets and disengaged teams, this episode is the wake-up call that’ll help you build a smarter, more effective workplace.

Key Takeaways

1. L&D is not just about training—it’s about driving real performance and behavioral change in teams and individuals.
2. Training is only one part of a much broader toolkit that includes mentoring, resources, simulations, and more.
3. To unlock L&D's true impact, organizations must shift from a content-focused approach to an outcome-based mindset.

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Timestamps

• [00:00] What is L&D and why it matters
• [00:23] The buzzword salad: how we confuse terms
• [00:55] L&D’s real goal: performance improvement
• [01:09] Where L&D sits in organizations
• [01:20] Why “training” is misunderstood
• [01:44] The true scope of L&D tools
• [01:58] Diagnosing the real issue behind performance gaps
• [02:10] Why L&D is crucial for organizational outcomes
• [02:25] Common misconceptions about “training”
• [02:45] The mindset shift L&D needs now

LinksTom Bailey on LinkedInTom Bailey Website

“It was just paper on a screen”—Jean-Marie on the dark days of e-learning.​What if training didn’t feel like training—but instead felt like a game, a story, or even a personal journey? In this episode, we explore how AI and immersive design are turning old-school e-learning into brain-igniting experiences. You’ll hear about what actually lights up the learner’s mind and how to rethink engagement from the ground up.

Jean-Marie, CEO of Cognant AI and a veteran of marketing, gaming, and behavioral design, shares a radically human vision for development. From Burning Man insights to launching fragrances at L’Oréal, he connects tech, purpose, and creativity in a way that will challenge how you think about learning—forever.

Key Takeaways

• AI is finally capable of making learning experiences feel deeply personal, interactive, and unforgettable.
• Traditional e-learning methods fail because they ignore joy, play, and the human need for engagement.
• Tools like Ikigai help connect meaningful work to purposeful living—especially in leadership and development.

Timestamps

[00:00] The core philosophy behind fun, choice, and change

[00:39] Jean-Marie’s background and mission with Cognant AI

[01:02] Why most training fails—and how immersion changes everything

[01:59] Gaming as the “MetaMedia” and its power in L&D

[02:51] The AI revolution that’s finally making learning “stick”

[03:58] What Corsican hand gestures taught about perspective

[04:30] Learning music without learning theory—and what that means for L&D

[05:14] The worst thing about early e-learning—and how AI is the antidote

[07:40] Burning Man, Cory Doctorow, and digital ethics

[10:47] Why Ikigai isn’t just philosophy—it’s a design blueprint for happiness

Links

• Jean-Marie Guitera on Linkedin
• CognentAI Website
• Tom Bailey on LinkedIn
• Tom Bailey Website

You will never succeed in L&D if you don’t understand the business.What happens when a seasoned L&D leader is fired by HR but instantly rehired by the business? In this high-impact episode, we dive into the strategic, gritty, and sometimes controversial truths behind learning and development in the corporate world. This isn’t about theory—this is about what really works when you're trying to drive results, earn respect, and survive the shifting sands of internal politics.

Dirk Rossi—former CHRO, private equity director, and ex-head of L&D for JP Morgan across Asia Pacific—shares stories that redefine what success looks like in the people development world. From firing 5,000 employees to sending ignored “Cassandra” warnings that proved true, his experience proves one thing: real influence comes from understanding the business better than HR does.

Key Takeaways

1. True business credibility for L&D professionals comes only from stepping outside HR and diving into operational roles.
2. Dirk’s proudest and most painful moments show how being too aligned with HR can cost you—and how the business often sees your value more clearly.
3. The "Cassandra Emails" metaphor reminds us of the danger of foresight without influence in corporate environments.

Timestamps

[00:00] Why You Need to Leave L&D to Truly Succeed

[00:00:42] Dirk Rossi’s International Career and Background

[00:01:52] His Obsession With Business Results in L&D

[00:02:28] Project Panter: The Most Successful L&D Campaign

[00:03:23] The Hand Gesture That Changed His Divorce and Life

[00:04:18] The One Skill Dirk Still Struggles With After 30 Years

[00:04:50] Winning a Change Management Award for a Merger

[00:05:12] Getting Fired by HR—Then Rehired by Business Heads

[00:06:03] Cassandra Emails: Foresight With No Influence

[00:07:00] Final Advice: Step Out of HR to Earn Real Respect

Links

• Dirk Rossey on Linkedin
• Tom Bailey on LinkedIn
• Tom Bailey Website

Humility—not knowledge—is the most underrated skill in learning and development.

This episode gets real about the ups and downs of learning and development, breaking down what it takes to create strategies that actually work. We’re talking about the power of sharp analytical and consulting skills, why old-school training often misses the mark, and how trailblazing leaders are shaking things up. Whether you want to wow your stakeholders, align L&D with business goals, or dodge some common (and costly) mistakes, this chat is packed with practical tips you can start using right away.

Key Takeaways:

1. The value of consulting skills in L&D: Identifying problems first ensures meaningful and aligned solutions.
2. Agile approaches in L&D: How Sky redefined management training by ditching traditional methods.
3. Personal and professional growth in L&D: The importance of humility, adaptability, and continuous learning.

Timestamps:

• [00:00] Best advice: Investing in analytical and consulting skills
• [00:36] Introduction to Rogue L&D Hot Shots podcast
• [01:04] David James shares his background and passion for impactful L&D
• [02:27] The most inspiring L&D campaign David witnessed at Sky
• [08:30] Worst L&D experience: Missteps at Lehman Brothers
• [09:31] Best celebrity moment: Sharing a flight with Paul Stanley of Kiss
• [10:53] A belief David holds: Performance-oriented L&D is timeless
• [12:45] Tools and frameworks for effective L&D consulting
• [14:50] How analysis drives stakeholder credibility and lasting impact
• [16:09] Closing thoughts and call to connect on L&D development practices

Links & Future Learnings

• ⁠David James on LinkedIn⁠
• ⁠David James 360 Company⁠
• ⁠Tom Bailey on LinkedIn⁠
• ⁠Tom Bailey Website⁠
• ⁠360 Learning Masterclass Video Courses by David James⁠

This is what a broken L&D system sounds like — and Dan Hill has lived through it all.

Vocational training is broken in subtle but powerful ways — and Dan Hill has spent the last two decades trying to fix it. In this episode, he reveals the messy reality of what happens when training goes wrong, the traits that define a world-class trainer, and the difference between learning outcomes that stick versus those that evaporate.

From teaching in the military to co-authoring a bestselling textbook used by over 50,000 students, Dan brings a unique blend of rigor and real-world relevance. Listeners will walk away with a better understanding of how to design impactful L&D programs, the role of personal accountability in growth, and the future of individualized learning in a digital-first world.

Key Takeaways

1. Coding left me behind, and I learned it’s okay to drop what no longer aligns with my path.
2. Great training starts with the trainer — not tech, not curriculum, but presence and preparation.
3. You can’t teach resilience with handouts; learners need grit, not entitlement.

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Timestamps

• [00:00] The harsh truth about entitlement in the workplace
• [00:38] Dan’s career journey from Air Force to L&D
• [01:50] Why quality trainers matter more than tech
• [02:50] The future of training: personalization and AI
• [04:00] The skill Dan regrets not mastering — and why
• [05:00] The proudest moment: publishing a training bestseller
• [06:11] The nightmare training session Dan can’t forget
• [08:00] A shocking story about a student walking out forever
• [09:50] Sitting next to Bryce Courtenay on a pirate ship
• [11:09] The advice Dan wants every future hire to hear

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Links

• Dan Hill on Linkedin
• Institute for Learning & Performance Asia Pacific
• SpecTraining
• Tom Bailey on LinkedIn
• Tom Bailey Website

I had no idea what I was doing when I started podcasting.

This episode breaks open the often-overlooked truth in learning and development: formal training rarely creates real impact. Instead, we hear how genuine curiosity, performance-focused design, and unexpected life experiences shape transformative L&D practices. Whether you're a newcomer or a seasoned pro, this conversation will push you to rethink what works—and what’s just wasting time and budget.

Tom Bailey, Dr. Alistair Ritt L&D Professional of the Year 2025 and creator of the Rogue L&D Podcast, shares his journey from category manager to award-winning learning leader. With stories ranging from childhood kite contests to professional breakthroughs at Blackmores, Tom unveils the mindset shifts and tactical changes that power high-impact development in modern organizations. If you're ready to ditch the old models and learn from someone who’s actually done it, this one’s for you.

Key Takeaways;

• Great L&D isn’t about training—it’s about enabling behavior change that impacts business outcomes.
• Most professionals in L&D never studied it formally; real growth comes from experience and community.
• Building genuine, trust-based relationships in L&D opens doors to innovation, collaboration, and transformation.

Timestamps

• [00:00] — The energy cost of networking (and why it’s worth it)

• [00:51] — Who is Tom Bailey, and why he’s on the mic this time

• [01:40] — What drives real behavior change in L&D

• [02:40] — Why Nick Shackleton-Jones’ book changed his life

• [03:48] — Microlearning, space repetition, and why Yanu works

• [05:18] — How most of us learned L&D through the side door

• [07:01] — Building the award-winning Blackmores Commercial Academy

• [08:45] — The L&D fail that cost a company big (and why it still hurts)

• [10:50] — Renting vans to childhood heroes: the Keith Harris story

• • [13:25] — The Lurpak kite, Dutch radio, and other strange origin stories

  
  

  Links

  • Tom Bailey on LinkedIn
  • Tom Bailey Website

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