The Assembly

Adam sits down with Sam Gibson, the Talent Director at Center Parcs and former Group Head of L&D at M&S, to get brutally honest about what's holding L&D back and what high-performing teams do differently.

With a career spanning banking, retail, nuclear decommissioning and hospitality, Sam has a rare cross-industry perspective: if you don't understand how your business makes money, you're probably doing nice things that don't matter.

They cover how to diagnose the right problems, build a commercial business case, and tell stories that earn influence which includes a standout M&S example where fixing a policy search issue saved 5,000 managers 30 minutes a month and unlocked a multi-million pound productivity win. They also tackle the deskless workforce problem: most L&D solutions are built for people with desks and diaries, and frontline teams deserve better.

If you want to sharpen your commercial edge and prove your worth - this one's for you.

Episode breakdown:
(00:00) From banking to L&D - Simon's unlikely path in
(02:30) What L&D is getting fundamentally wrong
(04:30) How to understand your business (and why most don't)
(07:00) Finding the right problem before building the solution
(10:00) The power of informal networks and honest feedback
(16:45) Measurement, impact, and the art of telling great stories
(19:00) The M&S case study - from policy chaos to productivity win
(24:00) Scrutiny vs. value - are we just bad at proving our worth?
(26:00) The future skills every L&D professional needs now
(31:00) Deskless workers - why they're underserved and what to do about it
(38:30) Three pieces of advice for anyone starting out in L&D

🔗Connect with Simon
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongibsonlearning/

📮 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.


👋 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
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/

Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn. 

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.