Think Like a Leader: The 3 Conversations Every L&D Professional Should Be Having
- Matt Williams
- Apr 10
- 2 min read
Let’s get real: if L&D wants a seat at the table, it’s not enough to deliver excellent training. We need to speak the language of leadership. That means showing up in conversations about talent, performance and strategy – not just learning.
Too many L&D professionals get stuck in the cycle of logistics and delivery. You’re booking rooms, sourcing facilitators, rolling out eLearning... but missing the bigger, business-changing conversations that leadership is actually having.
At The TwentyOne Leadership L&D Academy, we help L&D professionals break that cycle. Because if you want to be seen as a leader, you need to think like one – and speak like one too.
Here are the three conversations every L&D professional should be confidently having with senior stakeholders, and how we help you lead them.
1. The Talent Conversation: ‘Who’s Ready for What’s Next?’
Your CEO isn’t just thinking about next quarter – they’re thinking about next-level talent. Succession planning, leadership talent pools and critical skills are always on their radar. Are they on yours?
L&D shouldn’t just be reactive, waiting for development requests. We should be proactive, spotting gaps, developing pathways, and partnering with HR to future-proof the workforce.
At The TwentyOne Leadership L&D Academy, we teach you how to:
Map talent needs against learning strategy
Build leadership and high-potential development frameworks
Engage senior stakeholders in succession conversations
2. The Performance Conversation: ‘How Are We Improving Results?’
Let’s be honest – nobody in the boardroom is asking how many people completed that course. They’re asking:
‘Is this making people better at their jobs?’
‘Are we solving performance issues?’
‘What’s the ROI?’
That’s why we help L&D professionals shift their focus from the learning activity to performance improvement. We’ll show you how to measure impact in ways that matter, speak the language of performance metrics, and align learning directly to business outcomes.
Because when you can show how L&D boosts sales, retention, service levels or innovation you become indispensable.
3. The Strategy Conversation: ‘How Does L&D Fit into the Bigger Picture?’
This is where true leadership happens. When you’re able to sit in strategic planning sessions and say:
‘Here’s how we’ll build the capability to deliver that goal.’
‘Here’s what we need to invest in, based on future skill requirements.’
‘Here’s how learning will enable our three-year vision.’
In The TwentyOne Leadership L&D Academy, we equip you with the mindset, tools and confidence to become a strategic learning partner.
You’ll learn how to align learning with long-term business plans, influence stakeholders and build credibility at the highest levels.
Ready to Step into Bigger Conversations?
If you’re ready to lead these conversations – and not just take notes in them – The TwentyOne Leadership L&D Academy is for you.
Email me matt@twentyoneleadership.com to learn more or book a call to see how we can support your next chapter.
We help you become more than an L&D manager. We help you become a Talent Leader, a Performance Partner, and a Strategic Influencer.
