What does it mean to be a good partner in Learning and Development? That’s what we’re exploring in this episode, but we’re doing it from the truest sense of the word partner.

I think one of the biggest mistakes we make is that we focus on the actions we need to take to be a good partner. And while actions are important, I don't want a list of actions today. I want us to look at the attributes or the characteristics of being a good partner.

▶️ Key Points:

00:58 The importance of being a good partner

04:45 The characteristics of being a good partner

07:05 Our goal in L&D

Why We Need to Rethink What It Means to be a Learning Partner

Would you rather be right? Or in relationship?

That was marriage advice I once heard, but it applies to so many areas of life beyond marriage.

It’s tempting in L&D to believe we are right…and that having the right answer is enough.

I get it. You are knowledgeable about how people learn. You have the experience to back it up.

You know what strategy will work.
You see the behavior that needs to shift.
You’ve got the data, the model, the framework.

But if your stakeholder isn’t bought in, aligned, or even willing to listen—none of that matters.

What It Looks Like to be a Good Learning Partner

I think one of the biggest mistakes we make is that we focus on the actions we need to take to be a good partner.

We need to be strategic and align with business strategy.
We need to communicate clearly.
We need to get a seat at the table.
We need to prove our impact.

All of these things are true, but is that what it looks like to be a good partner?

Instead of focusing on a list of actions, let’s think about the attributes or the characteristics of being a good partner.

Because here’s what real partnership looks like:

Responsibility — We don’t just create a solution and hand it over. We co-create, adjust, and build together. It's not my way or the highway. We are both responsible for the outcome.
Commitment— We are dependable. We will be accountable for our work and for our partnership. We will follow through on our promises. Our partners can rely on us.
Care — We prioritize the relationship. We speak truth with care. We offer clarity, not control.

A New Definition of L&D Success

As L&D, we are looking to impact the people we train, the outcomes they achieve, the organization’s success, and the result that has on the mission.

And we think about that in the context of training or some other solution.

But what if our job isn’t just to be instructional designers or training facilitators—but to be people who create space for change?

We can’t do that without the commitment and buy-in of our partners.

We can’t do that without being in relationship.

To learn more about being a good learning partner, tune into episode 134 of the Learning for Good podcast.

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