The Learning Hack podcast

What if the ideas that L&D has been nodding at for thirty years are finally about to become unavoidable? Bob Mosher has spent his career arguing that training and performance are not the same thing — and that building courses, however well-designed, only meets two of the five moments when people actually need to learn. The other three happen in the workflow, at the point of need. Most of the profession has agreed with him in theory. Rather fewer have changed what they do. In this conversation, John and Bob catch up on how generative AI is changing that picture. Bob describes what AI is actually doing inside live workflow learning projects right now — including a headline figure on development time that stopped John in his tracks — and explains why the digital coach, not the course, is becoming the central deliverable. They also dig into the risks: what happens when AI accelerates the wrong thing, why L&D needs a seat at the IT table before it's too late, and what it means to be a performance architect rather than a training order-taker in an AI-assisted world. The boulder, Bob says, has been going uphill for a long time. He thinks it's about to roll back. This episode is about what happens when it does. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Start 01:55 - Intro 04:27 - The five moments of need 08:14 - How has AI changed the conversation about workflow learning? 10:44 - How does AI save time? 24:07 - Risks to workflow learning from AI 31:42 - Has AI caused a rethink in practice? 40:19 - Workflow learning impact 53:38 - End CONNECT WITH LEARNING HACK LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer X: https://x.com/johnhelmer Threads: @jphelmer Bluesky: @johnhelmer.bsky.social Website: https://learninghackpodcast.com

Does L&D know where it's going? What separates the L&D functions that genuinely move organisations forward from those that stay busy but never quite shift the dial? That question has driven Laura Overton's research for over two decades — and it sits at the heart of The L&D Leader, the new book she co-authored with Michelle Ockers. Their answer, drawn from more than ten thousand L&D professionals and two hundred learning leaders, points not to new tools or models, but to something older and harder to teach: the ability to read the organisation, sense its currents, and navigate your own way to somewhere that matters. In this episode John talks with Laura and Michelle about the ideas behind the book, which opens with the extraordinary story of the ancient Polynesian navigators — people who crossed 2,500 miles of open ocean without a compass or a clock. They discuss the lasting legacy of the pandemic for L&D, why two decades of research on workplace learning strategy show surprisingly little change in how most functions operate, and the risk that chasing the latest tool or model is actually damaging L&D's ability to drive real value. And then there's the question that sits underneath all the talk of L&D maturity and business alignment: when we talk about driving value through learning, who exactly is that value for? TIMESTAMPS 00:02:44 - Intro 00:05:55 - What was the genesis of the book? 00:10:04 - The collaboration — how Laura and Michelle came to write together 00:13:29 - Legacy of the pandemic for L&D 00:16:10 - Was the pandemic a 'golden period' for L&D? 00:19:42 - What are they telling people in The L&D Leader? 00:30:00 - The Polynesian navigators — and what they mean for L&D leadership 00:39:09 - Is technology causing 'skill fade' in L&D? 00:41:42 - How has the L&D community changed over two decades? 00:50:55 - Who gets the value from workplace learning — the learner or the stakeholder? 01:02:58 - End CONNECT WITH LEARNING HACK LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer X: @johnhelmer Threads: @jphelmer Bluesky: @johnhelmer.bsky.social Website: learninghackpodcast.com

The results of the 2026 Global Sentiment Survey are out — and the mood in workplace learning is uneasy. In this episode, John speaks with Donald H. Taylor about AI's "hangover moment," rising pressure on L&D teams, diverging regional trends, vendor anxiety, and what showing value really signals this year. Is this a temporary wobble — or a structural shift in what L&D is for? Timestamps 00:00 - Start 02:21 - Intro 04:14 - Overview of this year's GSS 12:50 - Metaverse and virtual environments 21:59 - Opportunities and Challenges of AI 26:49 - More US respondents this year? 28:33 - Global differences in vibe? 33:46 - Personalisation and individualism 36:09 - New vs returning respondents 41:04 - The challenge of technology 52:47 - End Connect with Learning Hack LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer X: @johnhelmer Threads: @jphelmer Bluesky: @johnhelmer.bsky.social Website: learninghackpodcast.com

What if the most powerful learning system in your organisation is already there — hidden in plain sight? In this episode, Dr Kinga Petrovai introduces The Learning Hive: a structured, research-informed model for peer learning that amplifies tacit knowledge, builds community, and accelerates learning transfer. Drawing on her academic background and real-world practice, Kinga explains why informal learning is often undervalued — and how deliberate design can make peer learning both human and effective. Timestamps 00:02 – Introducing the Learning Hive 00:06 – What makes it true peer learning 00:12 – Origins in academic research 00:19 – Why "hives", not communities 00:25 – Systems thinking and learning design 00:31 – Peer learning, tacit knowledge, and AI 00:41 – Keeping the human at the heart of learning 00:50 – Karaoke closer Links & Contact LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer X: @johnhelmer Threads: @jphelmer Bluesky: @johnhelmer.bsky.social Website: learninghackpodcast.com

Paul Bacsich, long‑view analyst of online and distance learning. Buena Jill Galleposo, young learning technologist and 30 Under 30 honoree. Ibraheem Adedayo Adediran, Nigerian educator and counselling psychologist working on AI and e‑counselling. Margaret Korosec, digital education leader focused on human‑centred AI. Donald H. Taylor, learning analyst tracking AI adoption and L&D trends. They discuss humanity in the age of AI, human‑centred AI in higher education, AI for mental health and the Global South, talent and changing learning models.

The year ahead for learning, skills and work As organisations head into 2026, Josh Bersin returns to The Learning Hack to make sense of what is really changing in work, skills and learning. Drawing on his latest research and global advisory work, Josh explains why AI has crossed a threshold, how jobs are being reshaped rather than eliminated, why skills velocity is fundamentally cultural, and why L&D is facing a once-in-a-generation structural reinvention. Timestamps 01:28 – Intro 03:12 – What happened in 2025? 05:08 – 'Superworkers' & 'supermanagers' 09:39 – What's happening in the job market? 16:40 – Skills velocity 25:30 – What are the biggest shifts in L&D? 31:08 – Where are the real, durable changes in learntech, a year ahead? 36:44 – Obsequious LLMs 38:03 – Differences across global regions? 42:39 – What signals should people look out for in the coming year? 46:25 – Should we expect consolidation in the learntech market? 50:01 – End Connect LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer X: @johnhelmer Bluesky: @johnhelmer.bsky.social Website: learninghackpodcast.com

Recorded live at Online Educa Berlin, this episode of Great Minds on Learning explores AI and the Global South through history, hard lessons, and contemporary debate. John Helmer and Donald Clark examine early techno-utopian experiments, the ethics wars around AI, and newer perspectives rooted in language, power, and lived experience. From Negroponte and Mitra to Gebru, Arora, Manyika, and Mugane, the conversation asks who AI is really for—and who gets to decide. Timestamps 00:57 – Intro 01:58 – Introduction to AI & the Global South 14:11 – Nicholas Negroponte 17:38 – Sugata Mitra 24:11 – Global South takes on AI 28:11 – Timnit Gebru 32:27 – Payal Arora 37:39 – James Manyika 43:12 – John Mugane 54:49 – Summing up 58:41 – Q&A About the Show Great Minds on Learning explores 2,500 years of learning theory—from the Greeks to the geeks. Hosted by John Helmer and Donald Clark, the podcast connects historical ideas to today's debates in education, technology, and society. Connect LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer X: @johnhelmer Bluesky: @johnhelmer.bsky.social Website: https://learninghackpodcast.com

2025 was billed as a "make-or-break year" for L&D. But what actually happened? To make sense of a turbulent twelve months in learning, talent and HR, John Helmer speaks with Myles Runham of Fosway Group, Europe's leading analyst firm. They explore AI's real impact, shifting buying patterns, skills intelligence, evaluation, and whether L&D is heading for reinvention or obsolescence. A clear-eyed, data-led look at where we stand — and where we're heading. Timestamps 00:59 – Intro 03:30 – Did we make it or break it? 07:02 – Are organisations spending smarter or just spending less? 09:06 – Have HR buying patterns changed too? 16:24 – Where is he seeing genuine AI transformation? 22:06 – Are organisations training enough on AI? 25:00 – AI effects on the job market 28:31 – Are we any closer to meaningful skills intelligence? 34:57 – Are we getting any better at evaluation? 37:31 – Trends in the systems and tools market 43:06 – Will L&D avoid obsolescence? 49:16 – Karaoke favourite? Contact / Follow LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer X: @johnhelmer Bluesky: @johnhelmer.bsky.social Website: learninghackpodcast.com

How AI agents are reshaping learning workflows and the L&D ecosystem "Agentic AI" is the buzzword of the moment. But how many people fully understand what it really means—or how it will change learning and work? Dr. Ashwin Mehta, Chief AI Strategist at the Learning & Performance Institute and founder of Mehtadology AI, joins John Helmer to unpack the hype and explore the practical realities of AI agents, workflow re-engineering, and the emerging skills ecosystem in learning and development. Timestamps 00:00 - Start 01:51 - Intro 03:52 - AI strategist role with LPI 08:33 - What are AI agents? 12:41 - Is agentic AI tech widely available yet? 23:25 - What skills do L&D need to use Agentic AI? 29:25 - How Dr Mehta uses AI agents in his business 34:54 - Workflow re-engineering 40:14 - AI negatives Q&A: cost-cutting, slop, bias and AI armageddon 50:16 - How AI reshapes the L&D ecosystem 56:51 - End Connect LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer X (Twitter): @johnhelmer Bluesky: @johnhelmer.bsky.social Website: learninghackpodcast.com

From refugee to Russian pop star, startup founder to life coach and evangelist pastor — Christian Ray Flores's journey has spanned continents, ideologies, and careers. In this remarkable conversation, John explores how those experiences shaped Christian's views on creativity, entrepreneurship, AI, faith, and the American dream. Can such diverse identities truly fit together? The result is a thought-provoking dialogue across boundaries of culture, belief, and experience. Timestamps 00:00 – Start 00:51 – Intro 03:00 – Christian's extraordinary backstory: refugee, pop star, entrepreneur 08:15 – Standing out by serving others 09:42 – Building a personal brand: the "outer game" 13:45 – How his program helps people flourish 18:35 – The role of "good fuel" and "bad fuel" in motivation 25:24 – AI and the future of coaching 35:46 – Faith and human potential 47:00 – Immigration and American values 54:31 – Go-to karaoke song? 55:21 – End Find John Helmer LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer X (Twitter): @johnhelmer Bluesky: @johnhelmer.bsky.social Website: learninghackpodcast.com