Rogue L+D Hotshots with Tom Bailey
Rogue L+D Hotshots with Tom Bailey
Podcast Description
A short podcast allowing you to meet some of the brilliant folk driving people performance and development forward.
We do this in an informal and human way.
Our host Tom Bailey, award winning L&D leader and passionate maverick for all things development.
Join us as we ask just ten questions of some of the industries most innovative and interesting people.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on various themes such as digital transformation in education, leadership development, design thinking, and brain-friendly learning. Episodes include discussions on breaking traditional L&D practices with real-world examples, such as the BBC's training transformation and the integration of identity and purpose in career success
A short podcast allowing you to meet some of the brilliant folk driving people performance and development forward.
We do this in an informal and human way.
Our host Tom Bailey, award winning L&D leader and passionate maverick for all things development.
Join us as we ask just ten questions of some of the industries most innovative and interesting people.
Most training fails because it forgets the human at the center.
This episode dives deep into how learning becomes more than just training—it becomes an experience people want to be part of. Vanessa Trower, award-winning learning consultant and industry leader, shares her creative approach to designing programs that connect both to the heart and to business outcomes. From the power of storytelling to the importance of collaboration, her insights reveal how to create initiatives that don’t just tick boxes but truly move the needle.
Along the way, Vanessa opens up about her proudest achievements, including winning L&D Professional of the Year, and even some epic failures—like the time an LMS mishap spammed an entire company. With humor, honesty, and practical wisdom, this conversation will leave you rethinking how learning works, what really matters, and how to design experiences people never forget.
Key Takeaways
- Creating learning that connects to both hearts and business outcomes is what makes programs stick.
- Collaboration and valuing other people’s strengths always lead to stronger results than going solo.
- Even mistakes and failures can become the spark for some of the best learning experiences.
Timestamps
- [00:00] Introduction & Vanessa’s background
- [01:31] Why she focuses on meaningful learning experiences
- [03:20] What truly fires her up about L&D
- [05:20] Balancing creativity with business impact
- [07:11] Vanessa’s favorite campaign: “Homecoming”
- [11:06] Personal quirks: gestures, cooking, and food
- [13:36] Learning Spanish—and the reality of failure
- [15:55] Proudest career moments & major awards
- [20:47] Her worst L&D experience: the LMS email fiasco
- [29:01] Vanessa’s best advice for anyone starting in L&D
Links
Disclaimer
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