The Talent Development Hot Seat - The #1 podcast for L&D Professionals

Andy Storch
  • 4.9 (132)
  • Management
  • Updated Semiweekly

The Talent Development Hot Seat podcast is a show dedicated to helping you develop the most important part of your organization – the people! Each week, Andy shares interviews with Talent Development professionals, thought leaders, and experts to share best practices, learn about the latest trends and find out what has been successful in the world of talent development. This podcast and community are designed to enable you to be successful in the world of Talent Development. If you work in Learning and Development (L&D) this is the podcast for you Be sure to check out our website and join our membership community to learn more and connect with other exceptional talent development professionals. http://www.talentdevelopmenthotseat.com/

  1. 1d ago

    Why Training Fails and How to Design for Change Instead with Heather Burright

    In this episode, Heather Burright shares what she has learned building learning and development programs for the nonprofit sector. Heather is the founder of Skill Masters Market and host of the Learning for Good podcast, with more than 15 years in L&D and a niche helping nonprofits and associations build the training their missions deserve. She combines instructional design expertise with change management principles to create real behavior change rather than course completions. Heather and Andy explore what makes L&D in the nonprofit world genuinely different, from training volunteers and community members to navigating federated structures where the national office supports local organizations it does not actually manage, and why influence and buy-in matter more there than authority ever could. The heart of the conversation is Heather's argument that training is too often treated as the goal when the real goal is change. She explains why L&D professionals should see themselves as change agents rather than training factories, walks through a seven month learning experience she designed that finally made a struggling team feel heard, and shares how she approaches skills analysis, competency models, and AI readiness. She also offers practical advice on building trusting stakeholder relationships, asking better questions instead of absorbing other people's stress, and the identity shift that helps talent development professionals earn genuine credibility. I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon. Connect with Heather Burright: LinkedIn

    Why Training Fails and How to Design for Change Instead with Heather Burright

  2. Jul 15

    AI Literacy Is a Leadership Problem: Christa Hill on What Executives Are Missing

    In this episode, Christa Hill shares what she has learned moving teams from AI resistance to real capability. Christa is the founder of Tacit Edge and creator of an AI readiness framework used by organizations across Canada and beyond. A product leader turned educator, she works at the intersection of AI literacy, leadership development, and workforce transformation. She and Andy dig into what she calls the messy middle of AI adoption, the place organizations land after the licenses are handed out and there is no plan for what comes next. Christa makes the case that there are no product problems, only people problems, and that adoption moves at the speed of trust, not the speed of technology. Christa walks through her mindset first framework and the sequence she takes teams through: mindset, then skill set, then tool set, and why buying tools before doing the other two is a costly mistake. She unpacks the most common sources of resistance she hears, the trap of judging AI by free tools, why leaders cannot delegate their own literacy, and how weak AI policies are usually a symptom of leadership that has not built any. The conversation also covers what companies getting this right actually do differently, the shift toward flatter organizations, and a round of Smash or Pass on the AI tools everyone is using right now. I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon. Connect with Christa Hill: LinkedIn | tacit-edge.com

    AI Literacy Is a Leadership Problem: Christa Hill on What Executives Are Missing

  3. Jul 7

    How Julie Stone Is Reinventing Learning and Development With AI at TTEC

    In this episode, Julie Stone shares how she is reinventing learning and development for a 50,000 person workforce as Group Vice President and Chief Learning Officer at TTEC, a global customer experience company operating in 22 countries. With a background in linguistics that shapes how she thinks about the way humans learn, Julie explains why practice, spaced repetition, and real feedback are the elements most training programs have been missing for decades, and how AI simulated practice finally solves for them. She walks through how letting frontline agents rehearse live customer conversations with AI builds confidence, shortens training duration by around 20 percent, and speeds up time to proficiency, all without the awkwardness of traditional role plays. Julie and Andy also dig into the bigger picture of AI in the enterprise: the proprietary wizard suite her team built to redesign the entire curriculum discovery, design, and development process, the redesign of jobs and workflows that comes with it, and why she believes L&D is now mission critical rather than optional. She makes the case for L&D professionals becoming work design architects, explains why skills are the new currency inside organizations, and offers practical advice for anyone trying to build a skills-based approach or drive real AI adoption on their team. I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon. Connect with Julie Stone: LinkedIn

    How Julie Stone Is Reinventing Learning and Development With AI at TTEC

  4. Jun 30

    From Truck Driver to VP of L&D: Joshua Remerowski on Frontline Credibility and Measuring Impact

    In this episode, Joshua Remerowski shares how he went from a temp truck driver at FedEx to Vice President of Learning & Development at SRS Distribution, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Home Depot, where his team has built award-winning training for sales performance and innovation. Drawing on his frontline roots, Joshua makes the case that credibility in talent development is earned by doing the work — getting into the field, talking to real people, and listening to the voice of the customer rather than relying on surveys or academic models. He explains why measuring impact is non-negotiable, how most L&D teams talk themselves out of it, and how rigor around measurement builds the trust that turns talent leaders into genuine business partners. Joshua and Andy also dig into co-creating programs alongside leaders, why frontline and middle managers are the most forgotten yet most influential layer in any organization, and how pushing executive teams out of their comfort zone (think gamified learning and Wild West-themed HR escape rooms) drives real engagement. The conversation closes on a growing challenge Joshua calls the death of critical thinking — how over-reliance on AI is producing lazy, half-baked work, and what leaders can do to keep their teams thinking, questioning, and pressure-testing ideas. I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon. Connect with Joshua Remerowski: LinkedIn

    From Truck Driver to VP of L&D: Joshua Remerowski on Frontline Credibility and Measuring Impact

  5. Jun 23

    Is AI Fluency Is the New Microsoft Office Proficiency?

    In this solo episode, Andy Storch makes the case for why AI fluency isn't optional — it's the new baseline for employability. While the macro debates around AI (government regulation, ethics, AGI timelines) are worth following, Andy argues that the wave is coming regardless. The real question is: will you be ready? Andy draws a powerful analogy between the early days of listing "proficient in Microsoft Office" on a résumé and what AI proficiency means for today's workforce — except the stakes are exponentially higher. He shares what he's hearing from talent development professionals, company leaders, and frontline employees, and explains why the biggest gap isn't technology — it's adoption. He also shares exciting news: Andy is launching an AI Kickstarter Workshop (available this fall) — a hands-on 90-minute session designed to get teams not just learning about AI, but actually using it and producing real output during the session. In This Episode, You'll Hear: Why the AI wave is happening whether we embrace it or not — and why that matters for L&DThe Microsoft Office analogy: how AI proficiency today mirrors a skill that once set candidates apart on résumésWhat Andy is hearing from leaders and talent development professionals about low AI adoption ratesThe "60% in the middle" — why most employees aren't anti-AI, they just don't know where to startWhy employees who avoid AI fluency risk being left behind in hiring — and what you can do about itHow organizations are paying for AI licenses that no one is using, and what to do insteadThe two types of speaking engagements Andy is now booking around AI enablement and career ownershipDetails on Andy's upcoming AI Kickstarter Workshop — a 90-minute session to get your team actually using AI tools Resources & Links Mentioned: Andy's website: andystorch.comEmail Andy directly: andy@andystorch.comAI tools mentioned: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini Work With Andy: Ready to get your team AI-fluent? Andy is booking two types of engagements: AI Kickstarter Workshop — A 90-minute hands-on session to get your team using AI tools and producing real output. Available this fall.Career Ownership & AI Keynote — For teams that have already started AI training but need a session on owning their careers and taking advantage of the opportunities in front of them. Reach out at andy@andystorch.com or visit andystorch.com. About The Talent Development Hot Seat: Hosted by Andy Storch, this podcast connects talent development professionals with insights, ideas, and inspiration to grow their careers and their organizations. With over 600 episodes published since 2018, the Hot Seat is your resource for what's next in L&D.

    Is AI Fluency Is the New Microsoft Office Proficiency?

  6. Jun 16

    The New Employee Contract: Why Career Growth and Transparency Matter More Than Ever with Tatiana G

    In this episode, Tatiana Goldberg shares insights from more than 20 years in HR, talent management, and leadership development. She explores how the employer-employee relationship is evolving, why career growth has become the most important retention factor, and how organizations must rethink talent mobility, leadership development, and performance management in a rapidly changing world. Tatiana also discusses the impact of AI on early-career talent, the importance of business acumen for talent professionals, and why performance management systems are among the strongest drivers of organizational culture. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes that behind every business challenge lies a talent challenge—and that talent leaders sit at the center of business success. I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon. Connect Tatiana Goldberg: linkedin

    The New Employee Contract: Why Career Growth and Transparency Matter More Than Ever with Tatiana G

  7. Jun 2

    Leadership Development Lessons from Nike, Google, and Amazon with Vic Smith

    Andy Storch sits down with leadership development expert Vic Smith to unpack what truly makes great managers and high-performing workplace cultures. Drawing from leadership development experience at Nike, Google, and Amazon, Vic shares why most leadership training programs fail, how organizations can actually drive behavior change, and why investing in managers is now a business imperative. The conversation explores modern leadership challenges, the impact of AI on management, culture transformation, coaching conversations, career development, and the critical role managers play in employee engagement and retention. If you lead people, build leadership programs, or work in learning & development, this episode is packed with actionable insights for building stronger leaders in today’s evolving workplace. I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon. Connect with Vic Smith: LinkedIn

    Leadership Development Lessons from Nike, Google, and Amazon with Vic Smith

  8. May 19

    How Sanjit Kaur is Transforming HR Through Culture, Leadership & Employee Experience at Cox Automotive UK

    Andy Storch sits down with Sanjit Kaur to discuss how modern HR leaders can drive business transformation through culture, leadership development, and intentional employee experience. Sanjit shares her journey from frontline contact center roles into executive HR leadership, emphasizing the importance of understanding the business, speaking the language of leadership, and aligning people strategy with organizational growth. Throughout the conversation, Sanjit explores how Cox Automotive is transforming its HR function through technology modernization, inclusive people practices, leadership development programs, and investment in future workforce skills. She highlights the importance of creating safe spaces, empowering middle managers, building a strong learning culture, and preparing employees for the evolving impact of AI and digital transformation. The discussion ultimately centers on one key message: intentional cultures and continuous learning are essential for building engaged teams and future-ready organizations. I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon. Connect with Sanjit Kaur: LinkedIn

    How Sanjit Kaur is Transforming HR Through Culture, Leadership & Employee Experience at Cox Automotive UK
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About

The Talent Development Hot Seat podcast is a show dedicated to helping you develop the most important part of your organization – the people! Each week, Andy shares interviews with Talent Development professionals, thought leaders, and experts to share best practices, learn about the latest trends and find out what has been successful in the world of talent development. This podcast and community are designed to enable you to be successful in the world of Talent Development. If you work in Learning and Development (L&D) this is the podcast for you Be sure to check out our website and join our membership community to learn more and connect with other exceptional talent development professionals. http://www.talentdevelopmenthotseat.com/

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