The four leadership skills that make or break a merger
Donald Thompson has been on both sides of an acquisition. Drawing on this experience, he makes the case that leadership development isn’t a nice-to-have during M&A, it’s the difference between integration and collapse.
How the right tools and training enable inclusion in practice
Inclusion in the workplace is essential, but it doesn’t happen simply because you’ve written a policy or put a strategy deck together, writes Ian Morley. Managers need the right tools and training to consistently deliver inclusive outcomes.
Seven steps to leverage mentoring as a strategic advantage
Many recognisie mentoring and social learning as important, but are yet to take action. Ricky Burt provides guidance on introducing a mentoring programme to realise the benefits and gain a strategic advantage.
How employers can turn training ambition into productivity gains
Are current learning efforts developing capabilities with long-term staying power? Emma O’Dell explores how to close the gap between training activity and future readiness.
Three reasons why leadership training isn’t working
UK workers are stressed, disengaged and unproductive. They think they’d do a better job than their line manager. Robin Hoyle delves into the three main reasons why leadership development is not having a discernible positive impact.
How to build skills to reduce the stress of workplace conflict
Relationship breakdowns at work can lead to higher levels of stress and anxiety. For Stress Awareness Month, Anna Shields explores the skills that can help to mitigate these harms and how to build them.
You don’t have an AI problem, you have a skills problem
While generative AI is widely adopted in UK workplaces, its promised productivity gains are being limited by a significant skills and training gap. Cassandra MacDonald explores how to turn AI from a promising technology into a genuine driver of productivity.
Recruit for attitude, train for skill: Are we ready to take this seriously?
As the world of work shifts and the ability to evolve becomes increasingly important, capability is becoming less about stored knowledge and more about learning agility. Matt Somers explains why a coaching style of leadership is well suited to this new world.
From confrontation to conversation: How coaching transforms conflict
Many workplace conflicts are not really about the issue that first lands on the table. Louise Webb provides an ER perspective on how by moving from reactivity to curiosity, leaders can resolve conflict earlier and more effectively.
Completion isn’t competence: Rethinking how we measure learning
New research shows that we are still measuring activity over impact when it comes to training. Tanya Boyd shares the route to learning becoming a true driver of performance.
Stop starting with training: Where L&D goes wrong
For most L&D professionals, the process starts with a simple question: what training does your team need? Lavu Njobvu explains why that starting point was holding him back and what needed to change to achieve more focused and relevant outputs.
Why your change plan is failing your managers (and what to do instead)
Most organisational change is treated as a predictable clock when it’s actually a messy cloud. L&D can make a real difference by equipping managers to navigate the reality, not just follow the plan, write Dani Bacon and Garin Rouch.
Workplace training has a problem but L&D already knows the answer
New research from Mindtools Kineo describes an industry that has accumulated substantial knowledge about what effective learning looks like but consistently struggles to apply it. Ross Garner shares how to create the conditions to close the gaps.
Four leadership mindsets, one hidden barrier: Is fear holding you back?
New research from GP Strategies shows that the biggest barrier to better leadership isn’t a knowledge gap, it’s fear. Until L&D programmes are designed to build deliberate courage alongside mindset awareness, that gap will persist.
Coaching as a profession vs. coaching as a leader: What’s the difference and does it matter?
Both professional coaching and managerial coaching have their place. But we cannot overlook the difference in expectations and power dynamics. Coaching skills trainer Matt Somers digs into these nuances and where things can get messy.
The future of work, shaped by 65 people practitioners
On 5-6 February 2026, 65 senior talent and HR leaders gathered in Amsterdam to collectively help shape the future of work. L&D expert Nigel Paine reports on the four themes that brought them together – from harnessing AI for good to rethinking leadership development in a world without certainty.
The 10 laws of coaching
Having developed the 10 laws of coaching many years ago, coaching expert Matt Somers now revisits these principles. Have they stood the test of time, or is a refresh required to suit today’s workplaces?
Setting intentions, not resolutions: Foundations for a successful 2026 in learning and development
It’s hard to stick to New Year’s resolutions – even if you’re an L&D pro who’s well-versed in behaviour change and habit-forming practices. TrainingZone columnist Jackie Clifford invites you to switch it up and, instead, set intentions for 2026. The explorative questions she outlines below will help you form your strategic direction across three core segments: you as an L&D professional, your learners as individuals and the organisation as a whole. Give it a go!
2026 L&D predictions: The year of resets, workflow and real human connection
What will shape L&D in the year ahead? We asked our top writers of 2025 to share their predictions for 2026. From AI-driven workflow transformation and renewed focus on human relationships, to transferable skills and boundaryless performance, here’s what lies ahead for the profession.
AI skills in demand: Building a future-ready workforce in 2026
Carolin Boldt explores the essential AI skills your workforce needs, which roles are most affected by AI transformation and how to bridge the training gap with practical, accessible learning solutions.