The Assembly

If the value conversation happens at the end of your projects, the only question left is how to justify what you have already built.

Adam sits down with Tom McDowall, who through Evolve LD helps organisations upskill their L&D, training and HR teams in practical ways of working, to unpack a distinction that changes how a function operates: the difference between proving you were valuable after the fact and asking how you can be valuable before anything gets made.

From managing a sales team, to delivering the same induction week after week for a year and a half, to leading digital teams and chairing the Learning Network, Tom brings a practitioner's lens to measurement, with a fully worked example and real numbers to go with it.

He breaks down the metric chain that connects an intervention to a board-level objective, why line managers are already doing the observation L&D is not capturing, and where AI has finally become good enough to do the statistical work.

What you'll learn: 
  1. Why proving value after the fact is a conversation no other business function has to have, and what to ask instead 
  2. How to build a metric chain from intervention to behaviour to KPI to organisational objective, and how certain you should expect to be at each link 
  3. Why every learning asset needs a sunset date, and how zombie content survives in most catalogues 
  4. How to get closer to your own business, from reading the annual report to what to say when you ask for an hour of the C-suite's time

🔗 Connect with Tom LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-mcdowall/

📮 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.