The Assembly

Assemble You
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The Assembly: Where L&D Minds Assemble The future of workplace learning doesn’t live in theory — it lives in lived experience, fresh research, and honest conversations. That’s what The Assembly delivers. Hosted by Adam Lacey, Co-Founder of Assemble You and digital learning veteran, and Brigid McCormack, a newcomer to the world of L&D, this is your go-to space for rich, real talk on what’s driving L&D forward. In each episode, you’ll find: Richer insights that go beyond surface-level tips to unpack what really works in learning today Expert perspectives from leaders shaping the L&D landscape Access to new research on tech, methods, and innovations defining tomorrow’s learning culture Practical strategies you can use right now to build essential skills like leadership, communication, and adaptability Whether you’re designing programs, shaping strategy, or driving culture change — if learning is your thing, this is your podcast. Formally known as L&D Challenges.

  1. 1D AGO

    How Do You Build Critical Thinking, Curiosity, and Better Decision-Making in an AI-Driven World? With Liggy Webb

    In this episode, Adam sits down with Liggy Webb to explore how L&D leaders can equip their people with the human skills that matter most - cutting through noise, thinking clearly, and performing in a complex environment. Liggy, a behavioural skills specialist and author, shares practical ways to develop an “inquiring mind” - from building self-awareness and asking better questions, to strengthening curiosity and critical thinking. Together, they unpack how learning can move beyond information and focus on how people think, decide, and act - offering simple, actionable ways to navigate today’s fast-changing world. If you’re looking to future-proof your workforce or build stronger thinking skills, this episode will give you practical ways to move forward. Episode breakdown: (00:00) Introduction to Inquiring Minds (02:00) Why critical thinking matters more than ever (04:00) The nine skills of an inquiring mind (05:00) Self-awareness and feedback (09:00) Cultivating curiosity (12:00) Lifelong learning in a changing world (16:00) The power of human conversations (21:00) Asking better questions (26:00) Critical thinking vs emotional reactions (31:00) Distilling complexity (34:00) Problem solving and decision making 🔗 Connect with Liggy LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/liggyw/ 📮 The Assembly Debrief A short, practical email unpacking the best ideas from each episode, designed for modern learning leaders who want insight without the noise. 👋 Come and connect with us We’re always keen to hear what’s resonating or what you’re seeing in your world. Adam Lacey - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamlacey/ Richard Ward - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardpward/ More from The Assembly Learning that feels more like great content than training. Explore podcast-style lessons, video shorts, and series designed for real work. https://www.assembleyou.com Privacy & Data This podcast is hosted by Transistor. For more information on how your data is handled, please visit: https://transistor.fm/privacy/

    45 min

  2. APR 28

    How do you prove the value of L&D in a business that sees it as a cost, not a driver of performance? With Jade Rogers

    In this episode, Brigid sits down with Jade Rogers to unpack how learning and development leaders can build influence, demonstrate impact, and secure a more strategic role within their organisations. Jade, an L&D professional in a tech consultancy, describes her role as “the bridge between potential and performance” - but like many in the field, she’s had to navigate the challenge of making that value visible. Together, they explore practical ways to reposition L&D - from using storytelling to demonstrate ROI, to speaking the language of senior leaders and aligning more closely with business goals. They also go deeper into the realities of organisational change. Jade shares her experience navigating multiple rounds of redundancies—what it does to culture, trust, and morale - and how L&D professionals can support others while managing their own resilience. If you’re trying to increase your influence, communicate your value more effectively, or navigate uncertainty in your organisation, this episode will give you practical ways to move forward. Episode breakdown: (00:00) From youth work to L&D (02:30) Why L&D is misunderstood (04:30) Storytelling as ROI (06:30) The link between L&D and culture (08:00) Why L&D is at risk during redundancies (10:00) Speaking the language of leadership (12:00) Progress over perfection (14:00) The emotional impact of change (17:00) Rebuilding trust and culture (20:00) Meeting people where they are (22:00) Turning insight into action (25:00) Building resilience at work (28:00) Communicating your value 🔗 Connect with Jade LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaderogers/ 📮 The Assembly Debrief A short, practical email unpacking the best ideas from each episode—designed for modern learning leaders who want insight without the noise. https://www.assembleyou.com/newsletter 👋 Come and connect with us We’re always keen to hear what’s resonating or what you’re seeing in your world. Adam Lacey – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamlacey/ Richard Ward – https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardpward/ More from The Assembly Learning that feels more like great content than training—explore podcast-style lessons, video shorts, and series designed for real work. https://www.assembleyou.com/ Privacy & Data This podcast is hosted by Transistor. For more information on how your data is handled, please visit: https://transistor.fm/privacy/

    31 min

  3. APR 21

    Award-Winning L&D at Qatar Airways: Gary Clarke's Blueprint for Success

    In this fascinating episode, Adam sits down with Gary Clarke, former Group Head of Learning and Development at Qatar Airways. Gary has over 20 years of experience managing global learning and leadership transformation. In this candid interview, Gary shares his journey from starting in the British Army at age 16 to leading L&D at corporate giants like BlackRock, Capita, and most recently, Qatar Airways. In this interview, Gary provides a masterclass on managing a complex and geographically dispersed L&D function. He takes us through: Managing Global Complexity: Leading an 80-person L&D team responsible for the capability strategy of 65,000 employees. Overseeing learning technology, digital content, leadership pipelines, and highly regulated operational training across 170 international stations.Rebuilding Team Culture: The impact that fostering a culture of trust and psychological safety can have, and how in enabled people to innovate.Fostering Connection: To build community, Gary introduced cross-departmental "Lunch and Learns", "potluck" meals and internal learning conferences. Inclusive Recognition: Gary highlights the importance of recognising the entire workforce. He implemented peer-nominated awards, including a "Pay It Forward" trophy for acts of kindness outside the workplace. Gary offers a deeply human yet commercially grounded perspective on leading a world-class training operation. If you want to learn how to build culture at scale and align your L&D function with high-level business goals, this is a must-listen-to episode. Connect with Gary on LinkedIn:  Gary Clarke  Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

    33 min

  4. APR 14

    How do you move L&D from delivering training to driving real performance in an AI-powered world? with Yousaf Khan

    In this episode, Brigid sits down with Yousef Khan, an AI strategy and business transformation consultant, to explore how learning and development leaders can shift from knowledge delivery to measurable impact, and stay relevant as work evolves. Starting his career in L&D, Yousef quickly recognised the gap between learning and real performance. Now working across strategy, performance, and AI, he helps organisations rethink how work actually gets done and where L&D can add the most value. Together, they unpack what it takes to reposition L&D as a driver of performance, from diagnosing the real problem to focusing on workflows over skills and using AI to enhance how work happens day-to-day. They also explore how AI is reshaping the workplace, and how L&D leaders can use it as a performance multiplier - boosting speed, capacity, and efficiency - without jumping to solutions before fully understanding the challenge. If you’re looking to move beyond traditional training, show real business impact, or better understand how AI is changing the role of L&D, this episode offers practical, thoughtful ways to rethink your approach. Episode breakdown: (00:00) From L&D to performance and AI (02:30) The gap between learning and performance (04:30) Why knowledge isn’t enough (06:30) Shifting focus to workflows (08:00) Diagnosing the real problem (10:00) Why training isn’t always the answer (12:00) AI as a performance multiplier (14:00) Increasing speed, capacity, and efficiency (17:00) Fix, enhance, reimagine (20:00) Starting with the work, not the solution (22:00) Redesigning workflows with AI (25:00) The future role of L&D (28:00) Driving real business impact 🔗 Connect with Yousaf LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/yousaf-khan-b36a0591/?originalSubdomain=ae Performance Intelligence AI - www.performanceintelligence.co 📮 The Assembly Debrief A short, practical email unpacking the best ideas from each episode, designed for modern learning leaders who want insight without the noise. https://www.assembleyou.com/newsletter 👋 Come and connect with us We’re always keen to hear what’s resonating or what you’re seeing in your world. Adam Lacey - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamlacey/ Richard Ward - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardpward/ More from The Assembly Learning that feels more like great content than training—explore podcast-style lessons, video shorts, and series designed for real work. https://www.assembleyou.com/ Privacy & Data This podcast is hosted by Transistor. For more information on how your data is handled, please visit: https://transistor.fm/privacy/

    48 min

  5. APR 7

    The Human Side of Change Management: Navigating Uncertainty at Work with Ket Patel

    In this excellent interview, Adam sits down with Ket Patel, the founder of Change Agitators and Assemble You, Expert. Ket is a master change practitioner with over 20 years of experience who specialises in helping organisations navigate the uncertainty of scaling and modernising. Transitioning away from traditional, purely process-driven change management, Ket focuses deeply on the human, relational dynamics that dictate how groups of people respond to new organisational directions.  He's worked with Assemble You on two series that support organisations, leaders, and individuals in managing change more effectively. In this episode, Ket unpacks the emotional reality of workplace transformations and shares practical frameworks to help leaders and teams navigate ambiguity, including: Combating "Ambient Fatigue": Ket explains that the most common reaction to a new corporate initiative is an eye roll, stemming from the "ambient fatigue" of being asked to adopt the next big thing before the previous change has even settled.Transferring Personal Resilience: While corporate change can feel frustrating because it is uninvited, Ket reminds listeners that every individual already possesses coping skills developed through personal life changes, like moving house or facing adversity. The Art of Honest Feedback: Creating a safe space does not mean a manager must action every piece of feedback they hear. It is about listening fairly, validating the employee's voice, and being honest that leadership must ultimately choose which feedback to implement.The Four Mindsets of Change: Ket shares his personal mental toolkit for enduring complex projects: Visionary Pragmatism, Sceptical Optimism, Belligerent Humility, and Persistent Humour.Cultivating Group Resilience: Resilience is highly effective as a collective trait, allowing the group to pick up an individual when they are struggling. Ket recommends having teams openly share their individual experiences with change to build empathy and shared strength. Ket offers a highly empathetic and human-centred approach to one of the corporate world's most stressful realities. If you are a leader guiding your team through a transition or an individual dealing with change fatigue, this is a must-listen-to episode. Connect with Ket on LinkedIn: Ket Patel Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

    27 min

  6. MAR 31

    Are your inclusion efforts driving real impact or just ticking boxes with Chris Shearer-Wright

    Are your inclusion efforts driving real impact or just ticking boxes? 👀 In this episode, Brigid sits down with Chris Shearer-Wright, Senior EDI and Community Partnerships Manager at Oliver Bonas, to explore how L&D and EDI can work together to create more inclusive, effective workplaces. Starting his career on the shop floor, Chris brings a unique perspective on how inclusion shows up across both customer experience and internal culture. He describes inclusion as a “golden thread” running through everything - from hiring to store design. Together, they unpack how to design inclusive learning that drives real impact, from acting as a “critical friend” to L&D, to building solutions rooted in real business challenges and team needs. Episode breakdown: (00:00) From shop floor to EDI leadership (02:30) The link between L&D and EDI (05:00) EDI as a “critical friend” to learning (07:00) Designing inclusive, brand-led learning (09:00) Culture add vs culture fit (11:00) Equitable decision-making in practice (13:00) Leading multi-generational teams (15:00) Measuring impact beyond metrics (18:00) Aligning learning with business priorities (20:00) Balancing brand identity and inclusion (22:00) Listening to teams and customers (24:00) Inclusion in store design and hiring (27:00) When inclusion shapes business decisions (30:00) Learning from what doesn’t land (34:00) Why inclusion is an ongoing journey (36:00) Bringing inclusion in from the start 🔗 Connect with Chris LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-shearer-wright-087698118/ 📮 The Assembly Debrief A short, practical email unpacking the best ideas from each episode, designed for modern learning leaders who want insight without the noise. https://www.assembleyou.com/newsletter 👋 Come and connect with us We’re always keen to hear what’s resonating or what you’re seeing in your world. Adam Lacey - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamlacey/ Richard Ward - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardpward/ More from The Assembly Learning that feels more like great content than training—explore podcast-style lessons, video shorts, and series designed for real work. https://www.assembleyou.com/ Privacy & Data This podcast is hosted by Transistor. For more information on how your data is handled, please visit: https://transistor.fm/privacy/

    37 min

  7. MAR 24

    From 9-to-5 to 24/7: How They Rolled Out Audio Learning at AO.com with Stephen Holderness

    In this special live episode recorded at the Podcast Learning Festival, Adam speaks with Stephen Holderness, Learning and Development Lead for Digital Strategy and Growth at AO.com. Stephen shares his journey of transforming the digital learning offering at AO, a rapidly growing electrical retailer known for owning every part of its customer journey—from in-house legal teams to logistics networks and a massive fridge recycling plant. Recognising that traditional e-learning was not meeting the needs of this diverse, 3,000-strong workforce, Stephen pioneered the introduction of audio learning to the business. In this interview, Stephen offers a candid look at the successes, mistakes, and lessons learned from launching an audio learning initiative. He discusses: Listening to the Learner: Stephen's first step was to stop looking at what other companies were doing and instead ask AO employees what they actually wanted. A company-wide roadshow revealed a strong preference for audio formats and podcast-style learning, especially among neurodivergent staff who struggled with text-heavy e-learning.The Power of the Expert Voice: AO employees specifically requested to hear from verifiable experts rather than faceless, authorless e-learning modules. Knowing the source of the information added immediate credibility and trust to the content.Unlocking the "Commute Commute": By offering learning via a mobile app, AO inadvertently transformed its 9-to-5 learning culture into a 24/7 operation. The L&D Professional as Marketer: Stephen emphasises that simply having a content library is not enough; L&D must act like marketers. He advocates for relentless, multi-channel promotion, integrating audio into existing leadership programs, aligning content with internal awareness days, and leaning heavily on word-of-mouth advocacy from peers.Measuring Impact Through Stories: While AO uses quantitative data, Stephen argues that the most powerful ROI metric is qualitative storytelling. The fact that operational staff (who previously only completed mandatory compliance) are now voluntarily learning on their own time is a massive win that proves the "cost of inaction" was too high.Stephen offers a highly practical roadmap for any organisation considering audio learning. If you want to understand how to align your training formats with your employees' daily realities, this is a must-listen episode. Connect with Stephen on LinkedIn: Stephen Holderness Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

    32 min

  8. MAR 17

    How to Build Psychological Safety and Trust in L&D Workshops with Charlie Manthorp

    In this engaging episode, Brigid sits down with Charlie Manthorp. Charlie is a passionate workshop facilitator and the head of the talent development function at Wiser, where he focuses primarily on early talent and developing future leaders. With an unconventional career path that transitioned from management consultancy at Accenture to a coaching role at Multiverse (Europe's first EdTech unicorn), Charlie brings a highly adaptable and human-centric approach to learning and development . In this interview, Charlie shares his philosophy on creating impactful, memorable workshops and navigating the unpredictable nature of live facilitation. He covers: The "Rubik's Cube" of Facilitation: Charlie describes every workshop room as a Rubik's Cube, requiring constant mental agility and problem-solving to find the right combinations of interactions that work for the specific group. He advises facilitators to prepare thoroughly but remain willing to abandon the script and pivot transparently if an exercise is not landing.Breaking the Ice and Building Trust: To establish an immediate connection, Charlie uses informal, wacky icebreakers. He then relies on the Trust Equation (credibility, reliability, intimacy, and focusing on the audience's needs rather than his own) to deepen relationships in the room.Handling Dissent to Build Psychological Safety: When a participant openly challenges a workshop's premise, Charlie recommends thanking them, asking them to elaborate, and treating their viewpoint with respect. Handling pushback with curiosity signals to the entire room that diverse opinions are welcome, thereby modelling true psychological safety.Measuring "Nebulous" Behavioural Skills: Acknowledging that human behavioural skills (such as resilience and adaptability) are notoriously difficult to measure directly, Charlie advocates using proxy measures from organisations like Gallup and Randstad. He emphasises that while granular metrics are helpful, leaders must also trust the well-documented link between human connection, employee retention, and overall productivity.Charlie offers a refreshing, highly empathetic masterclass on holding space for learners. If you want to elevate your facilitation skills, build genuine trust with sceptical audiences, and inject strategic fun into your workshops, this is a must-listen-to episode. Connect with Charlie on LinkedIn: Charlie Manthorp | LinkedIn Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

    42 min
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About

The Assembly: Where L&D Minds Assemble The future of workplace learning doesn’t live in theory — it lives in lived experience, fresh research, and honest conversations. That’s what The Assembly delivers. Hosted by Adam Lacey, Co-Founder of Assemble You and digital learning veteran, and Brigid McCormack, a newcomer to the world of L&D, this is your go-to space for rich, real talk on what’s driving L&D forward. In each episode, you’ll find: Richer insights that go beyond surface-level tips to unpack what really works in learning today Expert perspectives from leaders shaping the L&D landscape Access to new research on tech, methods, and innovations defining tomorrow’s learning culture Practical strategies you can use right now to build essential skills like leadership, communication, and adaptability Whether you’re designing programs, shaping strategy, or driving culture change — if learning is your thing, this is your podcast. Formally known as L&D Challenges.

Information

  • Creator
    Assemble You
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    108
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Assemble You Limited
  • Show Website
    The Assembly

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