By Alysia Kehoe, Founder, Kehoe Consultants, LLC
The Association for Talent Development (ATD)’s 2025 Conference held in South Carolina was all about “Breaking Boundaries and Unlocking Potential” when it comes to developing talent in the workplace. We started the crisp fall day bright and early and had a jam-packed schedule full of keynotes, connection, and learning.
As coaches, leaders, and facilitators, our work is hard—whether we’re creating and guiding structure, managing the pressure of responsibility, or being the person ultimately accountable for “success” (or the dreaded “failure”), work can be a struggle.
Building trusted learning as leaders is a journey, not a quick fix, but impactful learning truly changes organizations and lives.
Shifting from “Order Takers” to Trusted Learning Advisors
To start off the day, I had the honor of attending Dr. Keith Keating’s (keithkeating.com) keynote.
In his presentation, he challenged us to stop thinking of ourselves as “order takers” — simply delivering the training our executives request — and instead become Trusted Learning Advisors who provide research-backed training specific to individual organizations, based on our HR, coaching experience, and education.
“Don’t just do the training, show your expertise in the science of learning.”
He encouraged learning professionals to use tools like Google Scholar or McKinsey Global Institute reports to base recommendations on evidence and outcomes.
Lasting Change Beyond Training
Another key lesson was that truly effective learning doesn’t end with the session. Transformation happens when we create reinforcement and opportunities for reflection beyond the training.
Dr. Keating described practical strategies to make this happen, such as:
Elaboration through Neuroscience: Don’t just present information. Create activities that reinforce learning by connecting new knowledge to prior experiences. This helps participants process, connect, and apply it long-term.
- For example: After teaching a new leadership framework, ask participants to recall a time they successfully navigated a team challenge and identify which parts of the new framework they might have unknowingly used. Linking this new learning to a real-world experience strengthens both comprehension and memory.
Learning Transfer: Give participants action plans at the 5-day, 2-week, 3-week, and monthly intervals to continue applying what they’ve learned in the workplace.
Spaced Retrieval and Micro Learning: Follow up with short, intentional touchpoints like a week-one video, week-two questionnaire, and week-three peer activity to reinforce new behaviors.
These small, structured reminders help turn the information you taught into lasting habits and impactful, measurable change even after you’ve left the building.
Creating Your Own Table
One of my favorite key takeaways that can be applied to your business and within other organizations:
“Don’t wait for a seat at the leadership table, create your own.”
Invite others to join your discussion and listen to what other experts have to say. This can be as simple as monthly Zoom discussion groups with other experts in your field. I attend a variety of these types of online leadership meetings monthly, and have found a profound impact in sharing ideas and building strong, deep networks. I look forward to creating and leading my own, next.
Neurodivergent Learning Design
Another great keynote from Nick DeStefano (chasingtheawesomelife.com) emphasized the importance of neurodivergent learning design. Everyone’s brain works differently, so inclusivity means offering flexibility and variety in how people engage and retain new information.
Some practical ways to support neurodiverse learners include:
- Providing agendas in advance
- Offering multiple learning modalities
- Using plain language
- Allowing flexible participation
- Enabling breakout options for more comfortable, smaller groups
Ditching a one-size-fits-all mentality is critical for developing the next generation of talent. Yes, I’m especially looking toward Generation Z and the next up-and-coming workforce, Generation Alpha.
Building an AI Inclusive Learning Culture
In a session led by Artrell Williams (Mukeva Learning Partners), participants used AI collaboration to solve problems in real time — prompting AI for useful and relevant insights.
For many of us, including myself, it was a hands-on reminder that AI is only as powerful as the questions asked.
Artrell and I plan to continue collaborating on ways to make AI applications practical yet human-focused in future workplace sessions, with a focus on ‘asking the right questions.’
Starting Beneath the Surface
Finally, Ty Graham’s session, “Breakthrough Starts Beneath the Surface,” was a strong way to wrap up the day. Her message about learning leadership was simple yet powerful:
“Sow, show, and grow. Get down in the dirt and sow the seed.”
She used this analogy to go further.
You must water the seed and give it sun to grow — i.e. focusing on positivity and ridding yourself of negative environments and people. Then the bloom can happen, which comes from being intentional and remembering that you are in charge.
Ty ended on an important note, “Defeat is the thief of joy.”
When setbacks or obstacles steal our sense of purpose, we lose sight of the growth that’s still happening beneath the surface. It’s a powerful reminder that the most important growth happens during these periods.
Closing
Each inspiring session reinforced my belief that impactful and trusted learning truly changes lives. It was an honor to be able to learn from these amazing speakers, connect with fellow leaders and change-makers, and now have the exciting opportunity to apply these strategies in my future learning workplace sessions across organizations and individuals.
Trusted learning is earned through partnerships, research, conversations, and follow-up. This is exactly the kind of work we’re proud to lead at Kehoe Consultants.
If your organization is ready to move from “training” to trusted learning that transforms your culture, engagement, retention, and overall business long-term, let’s talk.
Send me an email at alysia@kehoeconsultants.com or schedule a time here: https://calendly.com/alysia-kehoe
About the Author
Alysia Kehoe is an Executive Coach, Certified Coaching Strategist, and Engagement Specialist who helps organizations build trusted learning cultures that retain talent. Founder of Kehoe Consultants, she combines assessments, training, coaching, and organizational interventions to turn “training” into transformation. Alysia holds an MS in HR Management and is Hudson Institute certified.
