The Assembly

If your L&D team keeps landing the last seat at the table, the way in is to get close to the commercial reality of the business.

Brigid McCormack sits down with Lori Anne Powell, leadership development consultant and co-founder of LVL London, to unpack how L&D earns influence the way any function does: with credibility, trust and results the business can see.

Lori began her career at Harrods and went on to lead learning and development across Europe, the Middle East and Africa as Director of L&D at Tiffany & Co., supporting multi-territory teams at scale. She brings a commercial, human-centred lens to how learning drives performance in premium service environments.

She breaks down how to build a commercial mindset in L&D, how to influence stakeholders when you do not hold budget or authority, and what luxury retail's high-stakes shop floor teaches every learning leader.

What you'll learn:
  1. Why the most impactful learning creates a pull rather than a push, and how to build that appetite
  2. How to influence without authority by diagnosing before you prescribe, and making the stakeholder part of the solution
  3. What it means to be the commercial thinking partner, and how to reverse engineer learning from sales, retention and development
  4. Why the shop floor is where strategy meets reality, and how to close the friction between it and head office
  5. The skills for life that retail builds better than anywhere: presence, reading a room and recovering from rejection

🔗 Connect with Lori Anne Powell
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-powell/

📮 The Assembly Debrief
A short, practical email unpacking the best ideas from each episode, designed for modern learning leaders who want insight without the noise. https://www.assembleyou.com/the-assembly/newsletter

👋 Come and connect with us
We're always keen to hear what's resonating or what you're seeing in your world.
Adam Lacey - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamlacey/
Richard Ward - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardpward/

More from The Assembly & Assemble You
Learning that feels more like great content than training. Explore podcast-style lessons, video shorts, and series designed for real work. https://www.assembleyou.com

Privacy & Data
This podcast is hosted by Transistor. For more information on how your data is handled, please visit: https://www.transistor.fm/privacy/

What is The Assembly?

The Assembly: Where L&D Minds Assemble

The future of workplace learning doesn’t live in theory — it lives in lived experience, fresh research, and honest conversations.
That’s what The Assembly delivers.

Hosted by Adam Lacey, Co-Founder of Assemble You and digital learning veteran, and Brigid McCormack, a newcomer to the world of L&D, this is your go-to space for rich, real talk on what’s driving L&D forward.

In each episode, you’ll find:
Richer insights that go beyond surface-level tips to unpack what really works in learning today
Expert perspectives from leaders shaping the L&D landscape
Access to new research on tech, methods, and innovations defining tomorrow’s learning culture
Practical strategies you can use right now to build essential skills like leadership, communication, and adaptability

Whether you’re designing programs, shaping strategy, or driving culture change — if learning is your thing, this is your podcast.

Formally known as L&D Challenges.