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.
How to use AI in L&D
With 70% of business leaders fearing skills shortages are holding their businesses back, organisations that are using AI in learning to upskill fastest will gain a competitive advantage.
Nano learning: Your complete guide to the sub-five-minute learning revolution
What nanolearning means for L&D teams, why it works so effectively alongside other learning formats and how to implement it in your organisation to provide employees with professional development that fits every available moment.
From reactive to ready: Seven steps to build workplace learning agility
Skills are changing faster than ever, while traditional L&D approaches can’t keep pace with the speed of business transformation. This practical seven-step framework will transform your L&D function from firefighting to future ready through building workforce agility.
AI skills in demand: Building a future-ready workforce in 2026
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.
Stories that shape culture: Turning learning into lasting behaviour
The stories people tell at work define your culture. They can be page-turning tales of courage in times of crisis, or lacklustre fables about sticking with the status quo – or worse. Paul Matthews, Founder and CEO of PeopleAlchemy, explores ways to shift the narrative of an undesirable story, and how this mechanism can change behaviour and, ultimately, shape a better culture.
Why L&D needs to put on Superman’s cape in 2026
Learning and development has spent too long playing Clark Kent – quietly capable but underestimated. Erica Farmer, Business Director at Quantum Rise Talent Group Ltd, argues 2025 proved it’s time to put on Superman’s cape. Can your function shed the mild-mannered act and embrace its strategic superpowers: vision, capability building, and evidence-driven impact?
TrainingZone’s 2025 most popular reads
What captured your attention in the 2025 L&D sphere? It’s time to reveal our 10 most popular reads on TrainingZone…
2025 in review: Did the L&D experts get it right?
With the end of the year drawing closer, we asked 11 L&D experts to look back at their 2025 forecasting. Did they get it right? Were they woefully wrong? Find out here.
Case study: How South Western Railway boosted leadership excellence (and L&D’s credibility)
How can you build leadership skills among tired, time-starved managers? South Western Railway’s blended approach not only turned reluctant individuals into trusted leaders but also boosted L&D’s credibility as a strategic partner. Explore the case study here.
Four tips for coping in a BANI world
The world has moved beyond VUCA. A framework that captures today’s reality more honestly is BANI – brittle, anxious, nonlinear and incomprehensible. If our challenges feel harder to grasp, it’s because they are. Here, L&D expert Nigel Paine offers four practical strategies to help your workforce not just survive, but flourish in this unfathomable new world.
When learning and development labels become limiting
Are we so entrenched in debates about terminology that we forget the bigger picture? That learning and development is, essentially, about providing help? Leadership coach Matt Somer invites us to ditch the rigid definitions, remove the unnecessary boundaries and see the difference we can make.
The new rules of delegation: Trust first, tasks second
Delegation isn’t just about sharing workload – it’s about building trust and creating psychological safety. Dr Anna Barnett of Mindtools explores how shifting from task-focused to trust-first delegation transforms teams, drives innovation, and empowers both leaders and employees.