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Are You the L&D Leader Your Business Needs? Here’s How to Find Out

  • Matt Williams
  • May 15
  • 2 min read

If you're an L&D Manager, Head of Learning, or Talent Development Lead, you're probably doing a lot right—delivering content, managing training, maybe even leading a team. But here’s the question that really matters:


Are you the L&D leader your business truly needs right now—and tomorrow?


Because being good at organising and delivering training doesn’t automatically mean you're positioned to influence strategy, drive performance, or shape the future capability of your organisation.


At the TwentyOne Leadership L&D Academy, we’ve seen this pattern again and again: talented professionals doing brilliant work behind the scenes—but not getting the influence, investment, or recognition they deserve.

It’s not a question of how hard you work. It’s a question of whether you’re leading or simply delivering.


So, here’s your diagnostic. Be honest.


1. Do You Have a Clear, Business-Aligned L&D Strategy?


Can you articulate how your L&D function directly supports your company’s goals, performance metrics, and growth priorities? Or are you mostly responding to requests, chasing completion stats, and struggling to connect learning to business impact?


L&D leaders need more than a calendar—they need a roadmap tied to business outcomes.


2. Are You Seen as a Strategic Partner—or a Service Provider?


When leadership has a challenge—talent gaps, underperformance, change management—do they come to you for insight and solutions? Or are you looped in after the decisions are made, expected to “put a programme together”?


Your ability to influence at the top table determines your ability to lead learning transformation.


3. Can You Prove the ROI of What You Deliver?


Are you measuring your success in learning terms or business terms? Are your initiatives leading to higher performance, better retention, or stronger leadership pipelines? Or are you relying on smile sheets and anecdotes?


Impact is no longer optional—it’s expected. And proving it builds trust, budget, and credibility.


4. Is Your L&D Team Fit for the Future?


Do your team members know how to consult, influence, coach, and solve problems? Are they growing with the business—or just keeping up?


The strongest L&D leaders develop future-ready teams—not just deliverers, but true capability builders.


If You’re Not Where You Want to Be—The L&D Academy Can Help


The TwentyOne Leadership L&D Academy is a coaching and development programme built for L&D professionals ready to step into strategic, high-impact leadership.


We help you:


  • Build strategic clarity and leadership confidence

  • Influence senior stakeholders and secure buy-in

  • Align learning with business goals and future needs

  • Develop your team into a trusted, high-performing function

  • Shift from reactive delivery to proactive leadership


This isn’t a course—it’s a transformation.


If you’re ready to lead a team, a function, or a movement that’s focused on capability, credibility, and commercial value, The TwentyOne Leadership L&D Academy is here to help you do exactly that.


Email me matt@twentyoneleadership.com to learn more, or book a call to see how we can support your next chapter.





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