45. Ensure Learning is Worth the Expense with Melanie Martinelli
L&D Must Change
Why L&D must focus on impact not satisfaction
Jess and Melanie challenge satisfaction metrics and ask whether training actually changes on-the-job behavior.
Your learners loved the course… and then nothing changed. In this episode, Jess talks with Melanie Martinelli (Institute for Transfer Effectiveness) about why L&D's obsession with "great training" often fails at the only thing that matters: on-the-job application. You'll unpack the 12 Levers of Learning Transfer, learn how to run a quick transfer audit, and hear a case study where a clunky old e-learning outperformed a shiny new one. All because the ecosystem mattered more than the content.
Jess and Melanie discuss
- Why L&D "falls in love with the solution" instead of diagnosing the real performance problem
- The difference between learner satisfaction and business impact (Level 1 vs. Level 3)
- What "learning transfer" actually means: application back on the job
- The 12 Levers of Transfer (trainee, training design, and organizational factors)
- How to use a "transfer audit" to find the biggest barriers for that specific program
- Why you shouldn't try to pull all 12 levers at once (perfectionism kills transfer)
- Active learning vs. active practice—and why practice gets cut first
- Designing for constraints: what to do when training time is limited
- Why investing in "before and after" support beats polishing course content
- The "Certificate of Implementation" tactic that drives supervisor support
About Melanie Martinelli
Melanie Martinelli combines her entrepreneurial spirit with her 20 years of experience in L&D to help build memorable & results-based learning experiences. In her role as CEO of the Institute for Transfer Effectiveness and Founder of Going Beyond Training, she applies strong business acumen, rich practical experience across cultures & a deep understanding of what makes learning transfer happen to support her clients in being more strategic in their L&D initiatives.
Find and Connect with Melanie Martinelli
Find and Connect with Jess Almlie
- Website: www.jessalmlie.com
- Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner
Introducing the L&D Strategic Business Partner Team Assessment and Development Blueprint
Want to know how your L&TD team can stop reacting to requests and start operating as a true strategic business partner? The L&D Strategic Business Partner Team Assessment and Development Roadmap shows you exactly where your team is today and provides a clear, practical path to change how you work, build credibility with leaders, and deliver measurable business impact. Learn more and reach out to Jess Almlie to bring this tool to your team.
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