You will never succeed in L&D if you don’t understand the business.What happens when a seasoned L&D leader is fired by HR but instantly rehired by the business? In this high-impact episode, we dive into the strategic, gritty, and sometimes controversial truths behind learning and development in the corporate world. This isn’t about theory—this is about what really works when you're trying to drive results, earn respect, and survive the shifting sands of internal politics.

Dirk Rossi—former CHRO, private equity director, and ex-head of L&D for JP Morgan across Asia Pacific—shares stories that redefine what success looks like in the people development world. From firing 5,000 employees to sending ignored “Cassandra” warnings that proved true, his experience proves one thing: real influence comes from understanding the business better than HR does.

Key Takeaways

1. True business credibility for L&D professionals comes only from stepping outside HR and diving into operational roles.
2. Dirk’s proudest and most painful moments show how being too aligned with HR can cost you—and how the business often sees your value more clearly.
3. The "Cassandra Emails" metaphor reminds us of the danger of foresight without influence in corporate environments.

Timestamps

[00:00] Why You Need to Leave L&D to Truly Succeed

[00:00:42] Dirk Rossi’s International Career and Background

[00:01:52] His Obsession With Business Results in L&D

[00:02:28] Project Panter: The Most Successful L&D Campaign

[00:03:23] The Hand Gesture That Changed His Divorce and Life

[00:04:18] The One Skill Dirk Still Struggles With After 30 Years

[00:04:50] Winning a Change Management Award for a Merger

[00:05:12] Getting Fired by HR—Then Rehired by Business Heads

[00:06:03] Cassandra Emails: Foresight With No Influence

[00:07:00] Final Advice: Step Out of HR to Earn Real Respect

Links

• Dirk Rossey on Linkedin
• Tom Bailey on LinkedIn
• Tom Bailey Website

Humility—not knowledge—is the most underrated skill in learning and development.

This episode gets real about the ups and downs of learning and development, breaking down what it takes to create strategies that actually work. We’re talking about the power of sharp analytical and consulting skills, why old-school training often misses the mark, and how trailblazing leaders are shaking things up. Whether you want to wow your stakeholders, align L&D with business goals, or dodge some common (and costly) mistakes, this chat is packed with practical tips you can start using right away.

Key Takeaways:

1. The value of consulting skills in L&D: Identifying problems first ensures meaningful and aligned solutions.
2. Agile approaches in L&D: How Sky redefined management training by ditching traditional methods.
3. Personal and professional growth in L&D: The importance of humility, adaptability, and continuous learning.

Timestamps:

• [00:00] Best advice: Investing in analytical and consulting skills
• [00:36] Introduction to Rogue L&D Hot Shots podcast
• [01:04] David James shares his background and passion for impactful L&D
• [02:27] The most inspiring L&D campaign David witnessed at Sky
• [08:30] Worst L&D experience: Missteps at Lehman Brothers
• [09:31] Best celebrity moment: Sharing a flight with Paul Stanley of Kiss
• [10:53] A belief David holds: Performance-oriented L&D is timeless
• [12:45] Tools and frameworks for effective L&D consulting
• [14:50] How analysis drives stakeholder credibility and lasting impact
• [16:09] Closing thoughts and call to connect on L&D development practices

Links & Future Learnings

• ⁠David James on LinkedIn⁠
• ⁠David James 360 Company⁠
• ⁠Tom Bailey on LinkedIn⁠
• ⁠Tom Bailey Website⁠
• ⁠360 Learning Masterclass Video Courses by David James⁠

This is what a broken L&D system sounds like — and Dan Hill has lived through it all.

Vocational training is broken in subtle but powerful ways — and Dan Hill has spent the last two decades trying to fix it. In this episode, he reveals the messy reality of what happens when training goes wrong, the traits that define a world-class trainer, and the difference between learning outcomes that stick versus those that evaporate.

From teaching in the military to co-authoring a bestselling textbook used by over 50,000 students, Dan brings a unique blend of rigor and real-world relevance. Listeners will walk away with a better understanding of how to design impactful L&D programs, the role of personal accountability in growth, and the future of individualized learning in a digital-first world.

Key Takeaways

1. Coding left me behind, and I learned it’s okay to drop what no longer aligns with my path.
2. Great training starts with the trainer — not tech, not curriculum, but presence and preparation.
3. You can’t teach resilience with handouts; learners need grit, not entitlement.

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Timestamps

• [00:00] The harsh truth about entitlement in the workplace
• [00:38] Dan’s career journey from Air Force to L&D
• [01:50] Why quality trainers matter more than tech
• [02:50] The future of training: personalization and AI
• [04:00] The skill Dan regrets not mastering — and why
• [05:00] The proudest moment: publishing a training bestseller
• [06:11] The nightmare training session Dan can’t forget
• [08:00] A shocking story about a student walking out forever
• [09:50] Sitting next to Bryce Courtenay on a pirate ship
• [11:09] The advice Dan wants every future hire to hear

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Links

• Dan Hill on Linkedin
• Institute for Learning & Performance Asia Pacific
• SpecTraining
• Tom Bailey on LinkedIn
• Tom Bailey Website