In this episode of Lessons from Learning Leaders, I talk with Jazmin Webster about the path from corporate learning and development to entrepreneurship, the role professional communities can play in building confidence, and why meaningful growth often requires us to examine how we see ourselves and the people around us.

Jazmin also walks us through the Box Experience, an immersive learning activity that makes our “thinking boxes” visible. Participants explore how their experiences, emotions, assumptions, and goals shape the way they communicate, make decisions, work with others, and respond under pressure. We discuss the difference between reacting and responding, how facilitators create enough psychological safety for honest reflection, and why leaders sometimes need to model vulnerability before asking anyone else to take that risk.

The conversation also challenges the idea that serious professionals will reject creativity or play. Jazmin explains why experiential learning can work with everyone from volunteer leaders to executive teams, especially when the activity is clearly connected to a real problem the organization needs to solve.

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What if the most important skill a trainer develops isn’t presenting, facilitating, or even designing activities?

What if it’s listening?

In this episode of Lessons from Learning Leaders, I sit down with Elizabeth Chatham to talk about how listening changes everything, from the way we facilitate a classroom to the way we advocate, lead, and build relationships. Elizabeth shares her journey from working on Capitol Hill at just sixteen years old to training with Americans for Prosperity, and now serving as Associate Director of Philanthropy for Human Life International. Along the way, she explains why the best trainers spend less time proving what they know and more time discovering what their learners already know.

We also explore why training is about improving performance, not delivering content. Elizabeth shares practical ways she adapts her sessions on the fly by listening for cues from participants, using their stories to shape discussions, and helping experienced learners become valuable resources for everyone else in the room. You’ll also hear how the communication skills she developed as a trainer now help her build trust with donors, advocate for adoptive families, and coach others through difficult conversations.

Whether you’re a new trainer trying to find your footing or an experienced facilitator looking to sharpen your craft, this conversation is a reminder that some of the most important moments in training happen when we stop talking and start listening.

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What really changes the day you become a leader?

According to leadership expert, author, and researcher Vince Molinaro, it’s far more than a new title or a bigger paycheck. Leadership is a commitment, one that many people stumble into without ever understanding what they’ve actually signed up for.

In this episode of Lessons from Learning Leaders, Vince shares the ideas behind his Leadership Contract framework and explains why so many organizations promote great individual contributors without preparing them for the completely different job of leading people. We explore the transition from technical expert to leader, the importance of deliberate onboarding at every leadership level, and why clear expectations are the foundation of a strong leadership culture.

Our conversation also looks at the role Learning & Development can play in shaping organizational culture. Vince argues that trainers and instructional designers have an opportunity to create far more strategic value than simply delivering courses. By understanding the business, translating strategy into meaningful leadership behaviors, and helping leaders build healthy team cultures, L&D can become an essential partner in organizational success rather than just a support function.

Along the way, we discuss shared accountability, why culture is built through daily leadership behaviors, the difference between builders and maintainers, and why communicating strategy isn’t enough. Leaders have to translate it into language people can understand and act on.

Vince is also the author of several outstanding books on leadership, including The Leadership Contract, Accountable Leaders, Community of Leaders, and his newest book, Leading Strategic Shifts. If you’d like to learn more about his work, visit his author website here: Dr. Vince Molinaro’s author page. You can also replace the book link below with your Amazon affiliate link if you’d like to recommend one of his books to readers.

Whether you’re a trainer developing future leaders, an HR professional shaping leadership programs, or a manager trying to lead more intentionally, this conversation is full of practical ideas you can put to work immediately.

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