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