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ELE Group, LLC

Rothy's

This live discussion provided a necessary strategic pause—reframing 2025, a year when AI acceleration outpaced governance and skills into a clear, action-oriented agenda for 2026, shaped by some of the brightest minds in talent leadership.
The session, which focused on turning 2025's lessons into 2026's impact, moved beyond a simple recap to identify the structural gaps holding organizations back: unclear roles, inconsistent manager readiness, and a lack of skills and governance to match the speed of AI experimentation.

<h6 data-path-to-node="2">The Core Narrative: Addressing Structural Crisis and Strategic Mandate</h6>
The key insight is that AI has exposed profound flaws in organizational design, making the chief priority for 2026 a fundamental overhaul of how we define and manage work itself.

<blockquote data-path-to-node="3,0,1">
"Work is evolving faster than roles, causing heartburn around antiquated job structures." -- <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/megan-bickle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Megan Bickle</a>, Rothy's
</blockquote>
This structural crisis demands that the talent function lead the charge in strategic redesign—not as a support function, but as the architect of how work, skills, and AI come together.

<h6 data-path-to-node="6">Key Takeaways for Senior Talent &amp; Learning Leaders:</h6>
<ul data-path-to-node="7">
 	<li>
The Structural Work/Role Disconnect is the New Crisis: Work is evolving faster than job architecture, creating real tension around compensation, accountability, and career paths.
</li>
 	<li>
Operational AI Exposes Manager Readiness as the #1 Governance Gap: As AI moves into daily work, inconsistent manager capability—not technology—has become the primary bottleneck.
</li>
 	<li>
L&amp;D's Identity Must Pivot to 'Designer of the Blended Workflow: The talent function must intentionally design how human judgment and AI systems integrate—moving people up the value chain by design, not accident.
</li>
 	<li>
The Future of Work is a Mental Health Design Challenge: The focus is shifting from reactive wellness programs to proactively redesigning work in ways that protect psychological well-being.
</li>
</ul>

<hr data-path-to-node="8" />

<h6 data-path-to-node="9">The Strategic Mandate: Linking AI to Business Value</h6>
The ultimate goal for 2026 is harnessing AI to maximize competitive advantage. That requires moving past technological enthusiasm to disciplined, strategic deployment. As Chris Dunford emphasized, this is the constraint talent leaders must enforce:

<blockquote data-path-to-node="3,0,1">
"Don't just follow the tech for the tech's sake; it must be linked to a business need." -- <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/chris-dunford" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Dunford</a>, Aon
</blockquote>
This quote serves as the central mandate for any new AI-driven capability investment.
When that constraint is applied, the value proposition becomes clear. 
As <a style="font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;" href="https://www.ele.llc/members/matt-donovan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt </a><a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/matt-donovan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donovan </a>reinforced, this is the outcome talent leaders should design for:

<blockquote data-path-to-node="3,0,1">
"AI takes on tasks to enable humans to move up the value chain."
</blockquote>
This is not a philosophy—it’s the benchmark against which every AI-enabled role redesign, learning investment, and manager capability should be measured.


<hr data-path-to-node="15" />
Practical Actions for 2026 Strategic Planning (Where to Start)
To generate the necessary Talent Development Intelligence and address these strategic and human gaps, talent and learning leaders can start with the following actions:

<ol start="1" data-path-to-node="18">
 	<li>
Launch a Cross-Functional "Deconstruction of Work" Sprint: Start by deconstructing 3–5 mission-critical roles. Map which tasks are best handled by AI versus high-value human judgment to inform Q1 job architecture and skill redesign.
</li>
 	<li>
Measure Manager Readiness for AI Governance (Not Just Usage):  Assess managers on their ability to govern, embed, and coach responsible AI use—not just whether tools are adopted.
</li>
 	<li>
Reallocate L&amp;D Resources to the "Three C's": Use AI to clarify role expectations, co-curate third-party content, and customize individual learning journeys—embedding learning directly into the workflow.
</li>
</ol>
These actions shift talent teams from reacting to AI disruption to intentionally redesigning how work actually gets done.
ELE Outlook for 2026: Why Incremental Change Isn’t Enough for How Work Gets Done
As ELE heads into 2026, one signal is already clear: incremental improvements won’t keep pace with the human, structural, and leadership challenges created by AI at scale.  The mandate for talent and learning leaders is to shape how work evolves—clarifying job architecture, building practical manager capability for AI governance, and ensuring every technology investment is explicitly tied to business value. By focusing on these priorities, talent and learning leaders can turn the disruption of 2025 into a scalable impact in the year ahead.

2025 in Review, 2026 in Focus: Defining Talent Priorities for the AI Workforce

future of work

Strategy

Future of Work

Digital &amp; AI

dirk.tussing

tracey.wik

upskilling

azizeh.constantinescu

talent development

talent management

learning &amp; development

matt.donovan

Talent Strategy

marsha.love-morrow

employee experience

reskilling

workforce planning

matt.sernaker

megan.bickle

HR transformation

HR leadership

Business Alignment

sara.fitzgerald

AI &amp; Workforce

angelica.janina.stilling

4Q2025

cindy.pinkstaffmiller

L&amp;D strategy

organizational design

terresa.bubbers

ali.glaser

sam.amelio

AI governance

2026 planning

chris.dunford

dustin.brewer

manager readiness

job architecture

executive learning

2026 priorities

CCA Inc.

Burnout is at an all-time high—and it’s not just an individual problem. This interactive session explores the issue from three levels: the employee experience, the leader’s role, and the organizational culture that shapes it. Together we’ll examine how stigma around mental health, fears of AI and job insecurity, and identity-based differences amplify burnout in the workplace. Participants will leave with practical strategies to reduce stigma, lead with empathy while maintaining high performance, and reimagine cultures that support sustainable success.

🏡 How to Apply This Back at Work
Don’t let this stay a roundtable insight—make it a real-world shift. Here’s how to bring these burnout-busting, data-informed strategies home:

Individual Level:
Take one daily “micro-reset” to check in with your energy—pause, breathe, and adjust your pace before burnout builds.

Leader Level:
Begin every 1:1 by asking how your team member is really doing—then listen without jumping straight to solutions.

Organizational Level:
Redesign workflows and meeting norms to support recovery time, focus, and psychological safety across teams.

Learning &amp; Development:
Embed energy management and well-being practices into all leadership and onboarding programs, not just wellness initiatives.

Talent Management:
Use engagement and pulse data to spot early signs of burnout—and intervene with workload, clarity, or connection support.

These aren’t just ideas—they’re upgrades to your people strategy. Start small, test fast, and share what works.

Everyone Is Burnt Out | Recharging Your People Strategy

Engagement &amp; Culture

Leadership

people strategy

employee engagement

psychological safety

CHIE2025

organizational culture

employee well-being

Burnout Prevention

Sustainable Success

manendra.bhugra

mental health stigma

leadership empathy

workforce recovery

L&amp;D programs

data informed strategy

Zurich North America

The era of AI has created a $4.4 trillion productivity opportunity, yet many L&amp;D strategies are fundamentally misaligned to capture it . The challenge isn't just about adopting new tech; it's about shifting your entire talent function from a focus on static skills and mindset to continuous, measurable momentum.

This keynote cuts through the surface-level AI talk to deliver a practical framework for senior talent leaders. You'll gain forward-thinking insights on:
<ul>
 	<li>The Dangerous Cost of Cultural Lag: Why an AI strategy without a corresponding culture strategy doesn't just fail, but actively amplifies existing organizational weaknesses.</li>
 	<li>New Rules of Performance: Understand the critical shift from driving for traditional Output to maximizing Contribution, and from building basic Skills to enabling strategic Capabilities.</li>
 	<li>Time as a Talent Advantage: Explore how leaders can deliberately shape a culture where Trust is an action verb and the speed of learning becomes the new competitive edge.</li>
 	<li>The Five Talent Pillars: Review the key areas for transformation—from what you develop and how you deliver it, to how leaders model future-ready behaviors—to create a truly future-ready workforce.</li>
</ul>
Walk away with actionable strategies to move past generic development plans and build the necessary cultural and talent infrastructure to drive measurable business growth in the age of AI.

Developing Talent to Power Growth | From Mindset to Momentum

Integrated Talent Management

teri.hart

performance improvement

leadership development

cultural transformation

future-ready workforce

Strategic HR

Trust Building

Business Growth

AI Adoption

strategic capabilities

This robust discussion underscored a powerful truth: talent development leaders can no longer afford to wait for lagging indicators to reveal problems. To stay ahead, we must anticipate needs, align talent metrics with strategy, and act before gaps derail performance.
As Matt Sernaker shared:

<blockquote data-start="483" data-end="650">
"Shifting from surveys after the fact to shaping daily experiences turned our lowest-rated hotel into the top performer—and gave everyone a role in improvement."
</blockquote>
And Angelica Stilling reinforced with her systemic view:

<blockquote data-start="715" data-end="864">
"A focused talent scorecard reveals workforce patterns early—speeding time-to-fill, boosting retention, and giving leaders actionable visibility."
</blockquote>
Together, these perspectives highlight a shift in mindset and practice. It’s not just about reporting outcomes—it’s about shaping them. Predictive talent strategies bring business and HR closer together, using early signals to drive accountability, innovation, and measurable results.
When leaders integrate predictive metrics into strategy, they move from reactive firefighting to proactive value creation. And when those metrics are transparent, they don’t just inform decisions—they shape culture, empowering people at every level to own outcomes.


<hr data-start="1423" data-end="1426" />

<h3 data-start="1428" data-end="1450">🔑 5 Key Takeaways</h3>
<ol data-start="1451" data-end="1813">
 	<li data-start="1451" data-end="1519">
Lagging tells you what happened; leading tells you what’s next.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1520" data-end="1595">
Predictive metrics must align with business strategy to gain traction.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1596" data-end="1667">
Sales and DEI examples show how early signals prevent costly gaps.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1668" data-end="1732">
Transparency in data creates ownership and cultural buy-in.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1733" data-end="1813">
Don’t wait for perfect dashboards—directionally correct data drives action.
</li>
</ol>

<hr data-start="1815" data-end="1818" />

<h3 data-start="1820" data-end="1845">✅ 5 Practical Actions</h3>
<ol data-start="1846" data-end="2223">
 	<li data-start="1846" data-end="1921">
Embed predictive metrics into business reviews and strategic planning.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1922" data-end="2000">
Review leading indicators more frequently to allow for course correction.
</li>
 	<li data-start="2001" data-end="2066">
Define measures with executives upfront to secure alignment.
</li>
 	<li data-start="2067" data-end="2132">
Pilot predictive talent metrics in one function, then scale.
</li>
 	<li data-start="2133" data-end="2223">
Share results beyond leadership—use ERGs and employee forums to drive culture change.
</li>
</ol>

<hr data-start="2225" data-end="2228" />
🔮 Predictive talent isn’t just a measurement shift—it’s a mindset shift. By blending culture, data, and foresight, talent development leaders can deliver results that matter most to the business.
📣 How is your organization shifting from lagging to leading indicators? Let’s continue this conversation in the <a href="https://www.ele.llc/idea-exchange" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ELE Idea Exchange</a>.

Predictive Talent: Anticipating Needs Before They Hit the Business

talent risk

Analytics

suzanne.sherry

colin.hahn

Culture Change

marty.murrillo

Performance Improvement

organizational agility

workforce readiness

employee retention

kelly.wojda

yolanda.mangram

HR Analytics

Predictive Analytics

emily.decker-bess

HR Insights

data driven HR

3Q2025

DEI Strategy

talent forecasting

capability gaps

future learning

talent trends

talent analytics

holly.r.pyatt

predictive talent

leading indicators

lagging indicators

talent metrics

HR scorecard

sales enablement

proactive talent development

This live discussion provided a wake-up call for talent development leaders: to influence the C-suite, it’s not enough to show data — you must show why it matters.
We explored how L&amp;D leaders can transform talent insights into true business intelligence by focusing on one essential principle:

<blockquote data-start="429" data-end="539">
“Define the decision you’re supporting, then show the data that reduces uncertainty so leaders can act.” -- <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/colin-hahn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Colin Hahn</a>, FranklinCovey
</blockquote>
Here’s the real challenge — it’s not the communicating that’s hard; it’s knowing what to gather, why it matters, and how it ties to business outcomes.
Instead of reporting training hours, flip the script: ✅ What risk are we reducing? ✅ What opportunity are we unlocking? ✅ How does this help the business win?
Five takeaways to spark your next conversation with executives:
🔹 Frame talent metrics as business outcomes. Speak the C-suite’s language: revenue, risk, cost, speed, and competitive edge. 🔹 Use rising external reporting as leverage. Public companies will soon report talent risks and strengths to shareholders — get ahead by shaping the internal story now. 🔹 Playbook available — leverage ISO 30414. Use global standards to boost credibility and translate talent insights into business terms. 🔹 Focus on outcomes, not activities. Shift from counting programs to showing measurable results executives care about. 🔹 Position talent risks as business risks — and advantages. Show how skill gaps, leadership pipelines, or engagement directly affect strategy and market position.
Practical next moves for talent leaders: ✨ Audit your reporting: are you showing impact or activity? ✨ Build a one-page human capital statement that speaks their language. ✨ Find your executive champions. ✨ Map the skills that future-proof your business. ✨ Socialize early — shape the narrative before the big meeting.
Here’s the unlock: When talent leaders shift from reporting to advising — from showing numbers to reducing uncertainty — they become indispensable partners at the table.

Talent Data = Business Strategy: Speaking the Language of the C-Suite

jane.shlaes

talent acquisition

eduardo.burgos

HR Strategy

HR leaders

learning analytics

lauren.marder

data storytelling

business strategy

HR Data Analytics

Workforce Transformation

sheryl.smikle

phyllis.king

Executive Influence

adam.walleser

HR business strategy

talent insights

HR talent management

HR data

C-suite communication

human capital reporting

L&amp;D metrics

business outcomes

Lake Forest Center for Leadership

It’s time to stop treating succession like a box to check—and start seeing it as your best tool for unlocking hidden talent.
At the Milwaukee Talent Development Conference 2025, <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/jennifer-kern" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jennifer Kern</a> and <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/matt-sernaker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Sernaker</a> delivered a powerful call to action: evolve your leadership playbook from control and cloning to trust, improvisation, and inclusive growth. Their session reframed succession planning as a daily practice—not a once-a-year HR task.
<img class="aligncenter wp-image-43060" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Jennifer-Kern-WISE2025-Keynote-Speaker.jpg" alt="" width="691" height="518" />
Instead of grooming carbon copies of today’s leaders, they challenged us to foster environments where individuals can experiment, stretch, and bring their full selves forward. That means modeling courage, showing vulnerability, and creating space for people to take risks without fear of retribution.
🔑 What Forward-Thinking Talent Leaders Can Do Now:

<ul data-start="1162" data-end="1503">
 	<li data-start="1162" data-end="1257">
Coach, don’t just delegate: Empowerment means being present—co-creating, not handing off.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1258" data-end="1379">
Liberate talent to lead differently: Stop rewarding mimicry. Invite diverse thinking, even when it’s uncomfortable.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1380" data-end="1503">
Set the rhythm, then step back: Think jazz, not marching band. Define outcomes—but let your people shape the journey.
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote data-start="1505" data-end="1592">
“Potential won’t show up unless leaders make it safe to act.” — <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/jennifer-kern" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jennifer Kern</a>, Lake Forest Center for Leadership
</blockquote>
This session emphasized that empowerment isn’t passive. Liberation isn’t about letting go—it’s about leaning in with intention and trust. Real succession planning happens in the moments when leaders choose to make space, model learning, and prioritize long-term development over short-term perfection.
If you want a stronger bench and a more resilient culture, stop replicating what worked in the past—and start unlocking what’s possible now.

Liberating Potential in Individuals

growth mindset

succession planning

organizational development

inclusive leadership

jennifer.kern

Coaching Culture

Trust-Based Leadership

wise2025

leadership agility

liberating potential

talent empowerment

Intrepid by VitalSource

St. Charles Consulting Group

In an era where workforce agility is no longer optional, this session made it clear: the future of talent strategy hinges on skills—not just roles or headcount. The conversation, led by Craig Friedman (St. Charles Consulting Group) and supported by insights from Angelica Stilling and others, revealed that becoming a skills-based organization isn’t about overhauling everything at once. It’s about transforming how we think—shifting from tracking people in static jobs to understanding, validating, and mobilizing dynamic capabilities across the enterprise. This isn’t an abstract theory. It’s a data-driven, business-aligned transformation that brings HR, learning, and business strategy together around a shared language: skills.
<blockquote>"Skills-based talent management changes talent from an exercise in headcount management to one in capability management." -- <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/craig-friedman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Craig Friedman</a>, St. Charles Consulting Group</blockquote>
<h3 data-start="1174" data-end="1195"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-43028" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Skills-Based-Talent-as-Data.jpg" alt="Talent Processes as Interlocking Skills in a Value Chain with Craig Friedman" width="1920" height="1229" /></h3>
<h3 data-start="1174" data-end="1195"></h3>
<h3 class="" data-start="1174" data-end="1195">🔑 Key Takeaways:</h3>
<ul data-start="1196" data-end="1900">
 	<li class="" data-start="1196" data-end="1343">
Skills-first is a data transformation, not just an HR system upgrade. It enables real-time staffing, upskilling, and business responsiveness.
</li>
 	<li class="" data-start="1344" data-end="1491">
Start where it hurts most. The most successful skills initiatives address urgent talent shortages or disruptions—not enterprise-wide reboots.
</li>
 	<li class="" data-start="1492" data-end="1618">
Validation is the new currency. Without confidence in your skills data, your decisions are only as good as your guesses.
</li>
 	<li class="" data-start="1619" data-end="1753">
Competencies and skills are complementary. Use competencies to frame long-term development and skills to drive near-term action.
</li>
 	<li class="" data-start="1754" data-end="1900">
Internal mobility is evolving fast. New platforms link skills to roles, learning, and gigs—empowering employees to move anywhere in the org.
</li>
</ul>
<h3 data-start="1902" data-end="1928"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-42798" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/STCCG-Skills-Gears-vDetailed-2024APR.png" alt="Skills-based Talent Value Chain" width="1002" height="365" /></h3>
<h3 class="" data-start="1902" data-end="1928">✅ What You Can Do Now:</h3>
<ul data-start="1929" data-end="2590">
 	<li class="" data-start="1929" data-end="2053">
Launch a pilot tied to a business-critical gap. Look for roles that are hard to fill or functions hit by rapid change.
</li>
 	<li class="" data-start="2054" data-end="2197">
Establish a skills confidence framework. Layer validation types (e.g., tests, endorsements, certifications) to guide workforce decisions.
</li>
 	<li class="" data-start="2198" data-end="2328">
Update job profiles with tagged skills. This enables dynamic learning pathways and more precise talent marketplace matching.
</li>
 	<li class="" data-start="2329" data-end="2459">
Collaborate across HR disciplines. Align your talent acquisition, compensation, and L&amp;D teams using shared skill taxonomies.
</li>
 	<li class="" data-start="2460" data-end="2590">
Create governance now. A cross-functional skills council ensures consistency and avoids siloed efforts as your system grows.
</li>
</ul>

<hr class="" data-start="2592" data-end="2595" />
As senior talent leaders, we’re being asked to lead with more speed, data, and alignment than ever before. What this session underscored is that skills are the connective tissue—linking hiring, learning, development, and workforce planning. But adopting a skills-based strategy doesn’t require flipping the entire enterprise overnight. Start small. Solve something real. Let the results speak for themselves. Because when you shift from managing people to managing capability, you stop reacting—and start leading.
💬 Curious how others are implementing these ideas? Our Skills Mini-Series just launched. Let’s co-create, not just consume: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/events/7316808743541714944/comments/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">🎯 Cohort Signup Portal: Unlock Integrating Enterprise Skills | Mini-Series</a>

Talent Processes as Interlocking Skills in a Value Chain | Best Practice Sharing

strategic alignment

learning and development

tim.chudy

skills taxonomy

diana.barnett

cohort-based learning

people analytics

craig.friedman

Skills Gap

Internal Mobility

Strategic Workforce Planning

capability building

skills-based organization

talent processes

skills value chain

best practice sharing

employee lifecycle

enterprise skills

HR consulting

workforce skills

Skills-Based Hiring

LAK Group

Culture isn’t a poster on the wall—it’s the unwritten rules shaping every decision, every hire, and every exit. In her keynote at the Milwaukee Talent Development Conference 2025, “Culture Shift: Navigating Constant Change Management Using Better Assessments,” <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/shelley-smith">Shelley Smith</a> (Managing Director, LAK Group) challenged us to confront an uncomfortable truth: most culture efforts fail not from lack of effort—but from fuzzy alignment and wishful thinking.

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-43036" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Afternoon-Keynote-Shelley-Smith.jpg" alt="Culture Shift - Navigating Constant Change Management Using Better Assessments" width="632" height="352" />

This interactive session explores how advanced, science-based assessments can provide clear insights into leadership agility, team dynamics, cultural alignment, and individual readiness, enabling leaders to proactively manage a dynamic workplace and workforce.

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-43038" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Afternoon-Keynote-Culture-with-Shelley-Smith.jpg" alt="Culture Shift - Navigating Constant Change Management Using Better Assessments" width="634" height="351" />
If your culture work feels performative, here’s what Shelley says you’re missing:
🔥 5 High-Impact Moves from Shelley Smith:

<ul data-start="1699" data-end="2389">
 	<li data-start="1699" data-end="1848">
📊 Get brutally honest with assessments: Skip the assumptions. Let the data surface the gap between leadership narratives and employee reality.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1849" data-end="1983">
🚀 Train leaders to see their blind spots: Culture shifts when leaders model the future—starting with their own micro-behaviors.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1984" data-end="2106">
🔄 Redefine ‘change’ as human transition: Change is logistics. Transition is mindset. One sticks, the other doesn’t.
</li>
 	<li data-start="2107" data-end="2248">
🧠 Use neuroscience to rewire habits: Repetition and coaching create new neural pathways. It’s not fluff—it’s how transformation works.
</li>
 	<li data-start="2249" data-end="2389">
🧩 Hardwire culture into your talent stack: Recruitment, onboarding, succession—they’re not separate from culture, they are culture.
</li>
</ul>
Shelley didn’t talk about culture as a vibe—she talked about it as an operating system.
💡Want to lead real transformation? Start with the truth, invest in the brain, and make leaders your culture’s architects—not just its mouthpieces.

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