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For 22 years, senior leaders from Fortune 1000 companies have brought their hardest problems here — and left sharper than they arrived.

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BARYONS

Ágora Learning & Consulting

<div style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'Candara', 'Segoe UI', 'Optima', Arial, sans-serif; color: #333; line-height: 1.6; max-width: 800px; margin: auto; font-size: 1.1rem;">
<blockquote style="border-left: 4px solid #990000; margin: 20px 0; padding: 10px 20px; background-color: #f8f9fa; font-style: italic; color: #555; font-family: 'Calibri', sans-serif; font-size: 1.1rem;">"We are pushing all of this AI experimentation, but yet, we are not reducing our performance metrics." — <a href="https://www.ele.llc/people/adrienne-guerrero" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrienne Guerrero</a>, Positive Delta</blockquote>
That quote named something most organizations haven't said out loud yet.
People leaders from CNA Insurance, Combined Insurance, Spencer Stuart, UL Solutions, The Regis Company, and across the ELE community gathered to work through a problem hiding in plain sight: employees aren't keeping skills current — not because they don't care, but because no one's adjusted what gets measured. Perform now, learn later is the rational choice. Until that changes, upskilling is just noise.
Who was in the room: Nicole DeFalco facilitated. Vilson Simon, Adrienne Guerrero, and Mike Hruska led breakouts. Matt Sernaker produced. Baryons AI participated live — synthesizing room signals in real time.

<h3 style="font-family: 'Montserrat', sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 1.3rem; margin-top: 30px; margin-bottom: 10px; border-bottom: 1px solid #eee; padding-bottom: 5px;">The reframe that stopped the room</h3>
Three breakout perspectives — HR business partner, frontline manager, employee — surfaced the same signal: no one's been given a clear reason why upskilling matters or what's in it for them. Managers aren't being villains. But they're signaling, unintentionally, that delivery wins.
<a href="https://www.ele.llc/people/baryons-aimentor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BARYONS AI Mentor</a> fed it back:

<blockquote style="border-left: 4px solid #990000; margin: 15px 0; padding: 5px 20px; font-style: italic; color: #555; font-family: 'Calibri', sans-serif; font-size: 1.1rem;">"If we reframe upskilling as a funded investment in job security, rather than a threat to productivity, we can convert employee fear into innovation."</blockquote>
That wasn't a framework from a slide. It was the room's own thinking — sharpened. The smiles weren't about the AI output. They were recognition.

<h3 style="font-family: 'Montserrat', sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 1.3rem; margin-top: 25px; margin-bottom: 10px; border-bottom: 1px solid #eee; padding-bottom: 5px;">What the room produced</h3>
A 30/60/90 scaffold: communicate the why in 30 days, adjust metrics to create safe learning zones by day 60, formalize a reward structure for both learning and output by day 90. That thread moves into the AI Practical Lab on June 11 for deeper implementation work.
<a href="https://www.ele.llc/people/michael-hruska" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Hruska</a>'s breakout tested an approach worth stealing: the AI human sandwich — human framing first, AI synthesis in the middle, human challenge and iteration at the end. <a href="https://www.ele.llc/people/marty-murrillo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marty Murrillo</a> put it simply:

<blockquote style="border-left: 4px solid #990000; margin: 15px 0; padding: 5px 20px; font-style: italic; color: #555; font-family: 'Calibri', sans-serif; font-size: 1.1rem;">"You have to challenge it, think, and iterate. You're the director."</blockquote>
<img class="aligncenter" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Baryons-SuperManagers-in-my-pocket.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="640" />
That skill — challenging AI output before you act on it — isn't in most upskilling plans yet. It should be.

<h3 style="font-family: 'Montserrat', sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 1.3rem; margin-top: 25px; margin-bottom: 10px; border-bottom: 1px solid #eee; padding-bottom: 5px;">The open question nobody answered</h3>
<a href="https://www.ele.llc/people/azizeh-constantinescu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Azizeh Constantinescu</a>, UL Solutions, asked the one that landed hardest:

<blockquote style="border-left: 4px solid #990000; margin: 15px 0; padding: 5px 20px; font-style: italic; color: #555; font-family: 'Calibri', sans-serif; font-size: 1.1rem;">"When AI can do the task faster, are we cutting off human growth and development at the knees?"</blockquote>
Classic change models assume a destination. AI doesn't offer one. Any reskilling strategy built toward a defined endpoint will be obsolete before it's deployed. The leaders getting traction are designing for iteration — not installation.


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June 11, the same co-presenters take this into coaching workflows -- live. If you missed June 5, this is where the work continues.
Join the June 11 AI Practical Lab: <a style="color: #0056b3; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.ele.llc/calendar/ai-practical-labs-23" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.ele.llc/calendar/ai-practical-labs-23</a>

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Bring this work forward.
If your organization is stuck on the same double bind — pushing AI adoption without adjusting what gets measured, or asking people to upskill without giving them a reason that connects to their future — this is exactly the kind of real work the ELE community is built for.
Bring the challenge. Compare signals with trusted peers. Leave with practical next moves you can actually use.
Submit My Challenge Now: <a style="color: #0056b3; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.ele.llc/faqs/share-top-of-mind-talent-challenges">https://www.ele.llc/faqs/share-top-of-mind-talent-challenges</a>

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Design Charrette | Simplifying Reskilling to Scale

Future of Work

Digital &amp; AI

dirk.tussing

newton.moore

suzanne.sherry

learning culture

Change Management

azizeh.constantinescu

adrienne.guerrero

marty.murrillo

patricia.ouzounian

karla.pellettiere

matt.sernaker

skills strategy

adrianna.jimenez

david.scherer

rachel.kaberon

ismail.koubaytari

AI Adoption

erin.joslin

michael.hruska

nicole.defalco

performance metrics

reskilling at scale

2Q2026

manager enablement

Design Charrette

human agency

People Leaders

vilson.simon

peer intelligence

baryons.aimentor

kimberly.flood

upskilling barriers

double bind

AI human sandwich

job security

This live discussion with experienced talent executives, mostly ex-Accenture, made one thing clear: skills are more than a talent metric—they’re the language of business capability. When viewed as data, skills connect individual growth to enterprise agility, shifting the conversation from headcount to capability management.
<a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/craig-friedman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Craig Friedman</a> reminded us that:

<blockquote data-start="1100" data-end="1220">
“Skills are both people data and business data. That shift takes us from counting heads to managing capabilities.”
</blockquote>
That single shift reframes how talent leaders partner with the business. Instead of defending headcount, we’re managing capabilities that drive agility, growth, and performance.
But, as Heber cautioned:

<blockquote data-start="1441" data-end="1560">
“Skills data only matters if it’s accurate. Decisions are only as strong as the confidence you have in the data.” -- <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/heber-sambucetti" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heber Sambucetti</a>, Skillsoft
</blockquote>
Confidence in your data determines whether leaders trust skills intelligence to shape pay, succession, and workforce planning.
And as Craig warned, complexity is the enemy:

<blockquote data-start="1740" data-end="1840">
“If your taxonomy is exploding, step back. Keep the skill the skill—and separate the context.”
</blockquote>
The conversation didn’t just redefine skills—it revealed what leaders must prioritize to make skills strategy work in practice

<h3 data-start="1972" data-end="1991">Key Takeaways:</h3>
🔹 Skills are strategic currency, bridging individual growth with enterprise capabilities. 🔹 Data quality is non-negotiable—without it, business decisions crumble. 🔹 Start where the business hurts; pilots anchored in real challenges prove value fast. 🔹 Simplicity wins—overbuilt taxonomies collapse under their own weight. 🔹 AI is an accelerant, not a replacement; governance keeps it usable.


<hr data-start="2400" data-end="2403" />

<h3 data-start="2405" data-end="2447">Practical Actions for Talent Leaders:</h3>
✅ Frame conversations with executives around capability, not headcount. ✅ Audit skills data before using it to drive staffing, comp, or workforce plans. ✅ Launch a pilot tied to a pressing business problem to win support and credibility. ✅ Establish governance guardrails early: clear definitions, owners, and refresh cycles. ✅ Use AI smartly—let it speed tagging and content, but apply governance filters.

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Skills strategy isn’t about boiling the ocean. It’s about building trust, proving value, and scaling what works—step by step.
Which of these actions feels most urgent in your organization right now? Let’s continue this conversation in the <a href="https://www.ele.llc/idea-exchange" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ELE Idea Exchange</a>.

Skills Are Data: Designing a Strategy for Agility and Growth

future of work

Strategy

Analytics

jean.ryan

janice.simmons

talent development

reskilling

organizational agility

learning and development

maryann.kennedy

talent agility

workforce planning

skills taxonomy

future skills

skills data

audrey..hackley

HR Innovation

Organizational Growth

Strategic HR

Workforce Strategy

craig.friedman

AI in talent development

Workforce Agility

3Q2025

capability building

skills-based organization

HR data

skill mapping

talent analytics

organizational design

talent development strategy

talent intelligence

heber.sambucetti

capability management

skills governance

data quality in HR

business capability

Zurich North America

getAbstract

In today’s fast-paced work environment, learning can no longer be confined to traditional methods. To upskill your workforce effectively, it's time to think outside the box. This session provided senior HR talent leaders with actionable insights on redefining learning strategies to address the evolving needs of the modern workforce.

The discussion highlighted the importance of focusing on "durable skills" like emotional intelligence and adaptability, which remain critical over time. Unlike technical skills that often have a limited shelf life, these capabilities form the foundation of a resilient and future-ready workforce.

Key takeaways for senior HR talent leaders:
<ol>
 	<li>Time constraints require creative solutions: Zurich’s “Day of Learning” strategy increased engagement by 150% by breaking down annual learning weeks into quarterly, themed sessions aligned with data-driven insights.</li>
 	<li>Leadership engagement is critical: Involving leaders as content creators and advocates ensures alignment with business goals and fosters organizational buy-in for learning initiatives.</li>
 	<li>Personalization enhances impact: Tools like GetAbstract’s curated content and AI-driven learning ecosystems empower employees to find relevant, role-specific training in the flow of work.</li>
 	<li>Balance technology with timeless skills: While technology accelerates learning, durable human skills like self-reflection and emotional intelligence remain the foundation of resilient, adaptable teams.</li>
 	<li>Data drives relevancy: Using LMS analytics, industry trends, and HRBP feedback ensures training addresses real-time needs while fostering a culture of continuous development.</li>
</ol>
As we navigate an era of rapid change and increasing complexity, senior HR leaders must prioritize learning strategies that meet immediate challenges while cultivating the durable skills necessary for long-term success.

Here are a few examples you can read more:
<ul>
 	<li><a href="https://hub.getabstract.com/miab" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meeting-in-a-Box</a></li>
 	<li class="ql-indent-1">FUNCTIONAL SKILL: <a href="https://hub.getabstract.com/miab-learning-at-speed" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MIAB - Learning at Speed</a></li>
 	<li class="ql-indent-1">TECHNICAL SKILL: <a href="https://hub.getabstract.com/miab-openai-ceo-on-gpt-4-chatgpt-and-the-future-of-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MIAB - OpenAI CEO on GPT-4, ChatGPT, and the Future of AI</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://www.bookclub.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bookclubs</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://www.getabstract.com/en/ask-getabstract" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AI-based Learning Experiences – Start with a question</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://knowledgebase.elblearning.com/what-can-jeopardy-be-used-for" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Games and Gamification for Training – JEOPARDY!</a></li>
</ul>

Learning Outside the Box for Upskilling: Fostering a Culture of Continuous Improvement and Agile Development

Engagement &amp; Culture

upskilling

chris.olson

geovanny.andino

leadership development

employee engagement

workforce development

continuous learning

rahul.sharma

CHIE2024

emotional intelligence

durable skills

HR leadership

Professional Growth

organizational learning

future workforce

Microsoft

Rockwell Automation

Komatsu

I am excited to invite you to join us for a session on Skills Strategy. We will begin with introductions, followed by a discussion on why skills are crucial for our organization at this point in time, exploring the current skills landscape.

We will then delve into the Skills Strategic Framework, which will help us understand the skills we need to succeed as an organization. By assessing our current state, we will identify best practices and challenges that we need to consider. We will then explore the Four Pillars for Skills Strategy Success and discuss how to use them to create a successful skills strategy. Finally, we will develop individual and organizational action plans and wrap up with closing thoughts. I am confident this session will be informative and productive, and I look forward to your participation.

Design Charrette | Simplifying Reskilling to Scale

Skills Are Data: Designing a Strategy for Agility and Growth

Learning Outside the Box for Upskilling: Fostering a Culture of Continuous Improvement and Agile Development

Why Skills, Why Now? | Skills Landscape Discussion

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