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Karen Peck

Smartly Written

January 2024 - TD Magazine

Know which qualifications and capabilities to gauge.

A Comprehensive Guide to Picking an Executive Coach

The Silver TsunamiHere's a sobering statistic that should keep every C-suite executive awake at night: 10,000 baby boomers are retiring every day in the US alone. That's not just people walking out the door, it's decades of institutional knowledge and hard-earned expertise evaporating into thin air.This Silver Tsunami isn't a distant threat. It's here, swirling around us right now. APQC’s recent survey of 1,000 knowledge management (KM) professionals across industries revealed that 51 percent of the enterprise workforce will retire or leave within five years. That’s half the organizational brain trust. Gone.The Boiling FrogRemember the parable of the boiling frog? The creature doesn't notice the water heating up gradually until it's too late to jump out. That's exactly what's happening to businesses today. While 58 percent of C-level executives and 51 percent of board members express concern about knowledge loss from departing retirees, the response has been glacially slow.The most damning finding? A staggering 92 percent of organizations don't capture knowledge on a regular basis. They are literally watching their competitive advantage walk out the door, day after day.Quill and PapyrusThe few companies attempting knowledge capture are stuck in the Stone Age. The survey revealed that 53 percent still rely on manual capture and documentation methods—essentially digital versions of quill and papyrus. Picture this: 30 percent of organizations wait until employees are literally heading for the exit door to capture their knowledge. Another 23 percent conduct last-minute elicitation interviews, which are typically rushed and shallow. Even worse, 37 percent depend on informal people-to-people transfers.These antiquated approaches are neither scalable nor sustainable—they're business malpractice.AI: Opportunity and ProblemEnter AI—both the solution and the problem rolled into one disruptive package. The opportunity is enormous: AI can automate knowledge capture, analyze patterns in expert decision-making, and create searchable repositories of institutional wisdom at unprecedented speed and scale.But here's the rub—the survey found that nine in 10 of respondents aren't leveraging AI to automate KM. And there's a reason: trust. Organizations are terrified of AI-generated answers that could be incorrect or non-compliant. It's a classic catch-22: the technology that could solve the knowledge crisis is paralyzed by accuracy concerns. No wonder 95 percent of AI pilots are failing to deliver business ROI, according to recent MIT research.KM and AI: BFFs for Business ValueAI automates knowledge management, and knowledge management makes AI trustworthy. This symbiotic relationship works because robust content management practices ensure AI has clean, accurate, well-governed data to work with. Meanwhile, AI handles the heavy lifting of knowledge automation to speed up the entire knowledge capture, retention, publishing, and optimization process.BFFs in ActioneGain’s Fortune 500 and Global 1000 clients are already striking gold with the combined power of AI and knowledge management:A global financial services corporation enhanced first contact resolution rates by 36 percent and cut onboarding duration by 40 percent through AI-powered knowledge platforms.A leading utility eliminated knowledge silos and sped up knowledge creation 10X while improving search success 6X.A fast-growing SaaS enterprise boosted contact center representative confidence by 60 percent and self-help utilization by 30 percent.A major federal government department serving 25 million citizens saw their Forrester CX Index ranking rise by a third in a single year.A massive federal agency redirected 70 percent of inbound calls to AI-enabled virtual support while slashing case resolution time by 25 percent.These aren't incremental improvements—they're transformational results that land these organizations in the elite 5 percent of companies succeeding with AI.Beat the Clock (and the Competition)!Your experts are retiring. The clock is ticking. Every day you delay implementing AI-enabled knowledge capture is another day of irreplaceable expertise walking out your door forever.Organizations that act now to leverage the power of AI and KM will emerge as the winners. They'll turn the knowledge exodus into a knowledge edge, transforming the Silver Tsunami from an existential threat into a competitive advantage.The question isn't whether you can afford to invest in AI-enabled knowledge capture and retention. The question is whether you can afford not to. Because in today’s knowledge-centered economy, there are no participation trophies—only winners and losers.The tsunami is here. Will you surf it or be swept away by it?

Strike Gold in the Silver Tsunami With AI-Enabled Knowledge Retention

It’s stressful to be a sales manager. You’re juggling more things than ever: recruiting and onboarding reps, coaching and developing them, collaborating with marketing, preparing reports, and more.With all that, it isn’t surprising that sales managers are turning to AI for help. In fact, 100 percent of sales leaders now use generative AI to drive performance and growth, according to Allego’s 2025 AI in Revenue Enablement Report. And 63 percent of those leaders say AI has improved coaching quality. AI can help in many ways, including making coaching more targeted and scalable. AI-powered dialog simulators provide real-world role-play exercises, and conversation intelligence analyzes sales calls, identifying skills gaps and training needs.But the fact is, and Allego’s soon-to-be-released neuroscience research proves this, AI alone is not sufficient for training and coaching. Human insight remains critical for engagement and behavior change.That means you must take an integrated approach, blending AI with human expertise and guidance.Why AI Is Transforming Sales CoachingOver the past year, AI’s capabilities have grown exponentially. More sales teams have tapped that power and are seeing clear benefits. The 2025 AI in Revenue Enablement Report shows big wins:Improved coaching quality (63 percent)Faster onboarding (44 percent)Improved sales confidence (20 percent)Allego’s neuroscience research backs this up: Sellers who received AI coaching remembered 50 percent more than those who received coaching from a human.Human Coaching Still Wins in Several AreasThat same neuroscience research, however, also shows where human coaching stands apart. Sellers anticipating human feedback felt more motivated, relaxed, and emotionally aligned during training. Those emotional states matter because they strengthen trust between coach and seller, making reps more likely to act on feedback.Human coaches can also pick up on subtleties AI might miss, such as tone of voice, body language, and hesitation. They can also adapt in real time to a rep’s emotional state, learning style, or deal nuances.This agility is particularly important when:A seller needs encouragement after a lost deal.Complex, relationship-driven strategies are required.A rep’s performance issues are tied to confidence or mindset.In those moments, empathy, encouragement, and tailored guidance can make the difference between short-term improvement and lasting behavior change.The takeaway from both sets of research is clear: AI and human coaching aren’t in competition. They’re complementary. 5 Best Practices for Blending AI and Human CoachingTo get the best of both worlds, design your coaching program so it integrates AI’s efficiency with the human touch. 1. Let AI handle the heavy lifting on data and analysis. Use AI to review call recordings, identify skills gaps, and surface performance patterns. This frees you to focus on coaching conversations.2. Use AI for structured, consistent feedback. AI can provide standardized, repeatable feedback that reinforces key selling skills. Follow it up with human-led discussions to add context and address nuances.3. Apply human coaching to motivate, build trust. Save one-on-one time for moments that matter most, such as helping a rep bounce back after a loss. That’s when empathy and encouragement make the biggest difference.4. Personalize learning with a hybrid approach. Combine AI’s personalized recommendations with your understanding of each rep’s strengths, challenges, and learning style. That’s how you make feedback stick.5. Alternate between solo and observed practice. Give reps space to practice with AI-driven role-play, then schedule live coaching sessions to deepen learning.Bringing It All TogetherAI can make coaching faster and more consistent, while human coaches bring the empathy and adaptability that inspire lasting change. When you combine the two, you get the best of both worlds: scalable feedback and genuine connection.

Coaching in the Age of AI: Blending Technology With Human Insight

For years, corporate training platforms were built to deliver content. Upload the course, assign it to learners, mark completion, and move on. But in 2025, that approach won’t cut it anymore.Learning leaders are expected to do far more than distribute information. You’re being asked to prove business impact, keep pace with skills disruption, and engage busier and more discerning learners than ever. Your role has shifted from administrator to strategist, and the tools you use need to keep up.That’s why the learning management system (LMS) you choose matters. The right platform doesn’t just host courses; it helps you shape a skilled, agile, and future-ready workforce. Here are five features to look for in an LMS to help you deliver on that promise.1. Role-Based Learning PathsOne-size-fits-all training wastes everyone’s time. New hires don’t need the same content as senior leaders. Contractors shouldn’t wade through courses designed for permanent staff. An LMS that supports role-based learning paths lets you design targeted, relevant, and consistent journeys without tripling your workload.For L&D professionals, this means you can stop reinventing the wheel for every team or department. Instead, you’re free to focus on aligning learning to business goals, confident that the system will handle the logistics of assigning the right content to the right people.2. AI-Powered InsightsExecutives aren’t impressed by completion rates. They want to know whether learning programs are helping people ramp faster, perform better, or stay longer. An LMS with AI-driven insights transforms data into a clear picture of how learning drives performance.This is what allows you to walk into the boardroom with confidence. Instead of defending your budget, you’re demonstrating workforce readiness, surfacing skills gaps before they become problems, and showing how learning directly drives performance.3. Mobile and Flexible Learning ExperiencesYour learners are juggling packed calendars and competing priorities. If training doesn’t fit into their reality, it won’t get done. That’s why flexibility matters. An LMS designed for today’s workforce supports learning anytime, anywhere, whether that’s mobile-first modules during a commute, asynchronous courses for distributed teams, or blended options for complex topics.For you, this isn’t just about convenience. It’s about engagement. When learning feels accessible and relevant, learners stick with it. And when they stick with it, your programs deliver the outcomes you’ve promised.4. Seamless Integrations With HR and Business SystemsYou didn’t get into L&D to spend your days managing spreadsheets. Yet for too many teams, manual enrollment and disconnected systems waste time and energy that should be spent on strategy. A modern LMS changes that.When your platform integrates directly with HRIS and CRM systems, enrollment happens automatically, data flows where it needs to, and reporting is streamlined. The result is less administrative overhead, more consistency across the organization, and more space for you to focus on designing programs that actually move the needle.5. Credentialing and Skills Validation“Completed” doesn’t mean “capable.” In an environment where skills gaps can slow productivity and derail growth, leaders need clear visibility into what their workforce can actually do. An LMS that supports credentialing—through digital badges, certificates, or role-specific pathways—gives you that clarity.For learners, these credentials act as milestones that motivate progress and prove value. For organizations, they provide a reliable signal of workforce readiness. For you, they’re evidence that the programs you’ve designed build real, transferable skills that matter in the workplace.The Bottom LineAs an L&D leader, every course you design is an investment in your organization’s future. To do that, you need tools that help you prove impact, scale programs efficiently, and meet learners where they are.The right LMS makes that possible. The right platform becomes the backbone of workforce growth, helping you build skills, demonstrate impact, and position learning as a growth engine.

5 LMS Features Every L&D Leader Needs in 2025

If you’re an L&D professional trying to get internal buy-in for a new training initiative, you’ve likely felt the pressure to create a full-blown, highly detailed proposal before bringing it to leadership.But what if the fastest way to a “yes” isn’t about completeness, but about confidence?Here’s a powerful, time-saving idea: Pilot your idea before proposing the full program.Instead of writing a 20-page proposal and waiting weeks for feedback (or silence), run a small version of the training with a test group. Think of it as building a prototype instead of a polished product.Why Pilots WorkExecutives aren’t just evaluating your proposal—they’re evaluating you. A pilot says:“I’ve already tested this idea.”“I’m not asking for a leap of faith.”“Here’s real-world data and feedback.”Even better, it gives you the chance to:Gather quotes and results that strengthen your case.Adjust based on early feedback (before you go wide).Demonstrate initiative, ownership, and results-orientation.Real-World Example: A Pilot That Opened the DoorIn 2020, the U.S. Air Force recognized a growing need to strengthen data governance across its departments. Instead of pitching a massive training overhaul, they started with a three-day pilot course for just two staff members. The results were so promising that leadership approved a three-year agreement to expand the program across the entire agency.How to Pilot FastHere’s the streamlined version:Start small. Pick one team or department where the training will have a noticeable impact.Keep it light. Think microlearning, a one-hour workshop, or even a facilitated team meeting with a training component.Measure something. Track one or two outcome indicators—engagement, confidence, behavior change, feedback ratings.Share the story. When you pitch the larger initiative, lead with a real story: “Here’s what happened when we ran this with the support team last month…”Suddenly, your proposal isn’t just an idea—it’s a proven improvement.Especially Helpful If You’re NewIf you’re new to your organization, a pilot can be your secret weapon. You’re still learning the culture and building credibility. A lightweight prototype lets you earn trust, start conversations, and show results fast—all without needing immediate executive buy-in for a massive rollout.The TakeawayYou don’t need perfection to get approval. You need proof. A well-executed pilot gives you that proof—without burning time or political capital.Ready to Try a Pilot? Start Here.Find a friendly team. Choose a department with a known need and a manager who’s open to experimentation.Pick a slice. What’s one lesson, tool, or concept from your bigger idea that you can test in 30–60 minutes?Measure one thing. Ask participants one question before and after. Even a small shift can signal impact.Want to Increase Your Chances Even More?Download the LPC Winning Training Proposal Checklist—a one-page guide you can use to quickly evaluate your proposal (or pilot!) before you send it up the chain.Covers the top elements executives look forBased on research-backed insightsWorks at any stage: idea, draft, or ready-to-sendGrab the checklist here → leadershipprogresscycle.com/winning-training-proposal-checklist.(And if you want a second pair of eyes, reply to the download email—we write a lot of proposals and we’re always interested in sharing, gathering new insight, and building relationships.)

Want to Sell a Training Proposal Fast? Don’t Build the Whole Thing First

Why do people stay?Talent and development leaders are asking this question with increasing urgency. Traditional incentives—like salary, benefits, and job security—aren’t enough to retain top talent in a workplace transformed by flexibility, rising expectations, and shifting values.What’s emerging in their place is something both timeless and timely: growth.Employees are staying where they feel supported, challenged, and continuously developed. In short, training is becoming one of the most effective retention strategies available today.The Promise of GrowthEmployees are more likely to remain with organizations that invest in their futures. When individuals see clear pathways to develop their skills and advance their careers, they’re not just more engaged; they’re more loyal.In fact, according to a recent Gallup and Workhuman report, 60 percent of employees upskill to perform their current job more effectively, and 51 percent view skill development as an opportunity for personal growth. Strikingly, only 4 percent learn new skills specifically to switch jobs. These numbers reveal a powerful insight: most employees don’t want to leave—they want to learn. When organizations create space for meaningful development, they tap into that desire and foster lasting commitment in return.Learning has evolved from a benefit into a message. One that says: We see your potential, and we’re ready to invest in it.From One-Off to Always-OnThe concept of training as a perk, as something that happens once a quarter or once a year, is quickly becoming outdated. Today’s workforce expects more: on-demand access, customized learning paths, and real alignment between training and real-world impact.Learning shouldn’t feel like a detour from work. It should feel like a natural extension of it.This is where modern educational technology has transformed what’s possible. Learning management systems (LMS) and other edtech platforms now allow organizations to deliver scalable, accessible, and personalized learning experiences that reach people wherever they are—physically and professionally.It’s not about checking boxes. It’s about creating momentum.Training as a Culture BuilderMore than a tool for skill-building, training reinforces organizational culture.When learning is prioritized, it signals that development is a shared value. When it’s celebrated, it becomes contagious. People begin to talk about what they’re learning, share insights with colleagues, and contribute more meaningfully to their teams.This culture of learning supports individual growth and anchors retention. It makes employees feel seen, supported, and part of something purposeful.Reframing the ROIToo often, training is viewed as a cost rather than a contributor to retention. But the economics tell a different story.Replacing a single employee can cost up to twice their annual salary when accounting for recruitment, onboarding, and lost productivity. The human costs—team disruption, institutional knowledge loss, and lowered morale—can be just as significant.Investing in learning helps retain talent, yes. But it also builds organizational agility, deepens leadership pipelines, and enhances performance across the board.Seen through this lens, training isn’t a cost center. It’s a retention engine.Building a Retention-Driven Learning StrategyFor talent leaders looking to make learning their edge in retention, here are a few strategic actions to consider:Start by listening. Ask your workforce what skills they want to develop and why. Then, co-create pathways that reflect their goals and your strategic priorities.Make growth visible. Link learning to advancement opportunities, internal promotions, and project ownership. Show that it leads somewhere.Empower people managers. Provide them with tools and support to guide career conversations and champion learning within their teams.Use data with depth. Go beyond course completions to track engagement, application, and movement. Identify what’s working and iterate.Foster a culture of sharing. Encourage employees to teach others, present insights, and take pride in their development.These actions create momentum—and momentum builds commitment.Where Learning Leads, Retention FollowsPeople stay where they grow. They stay where learning is valued, their development is prioritized, and their aspirations are taken seriously. When woven into the fabric of the employee experience, training doesn’t just build skills. It builds trust. And in today’s competitive talent landscape, trust may be your most valuable asset.

Training Is the New Retention Strategy 

If you aren’t rethinking your sales talent strategy in 2022, you could be putting yourself at a competitive disadvantage. Finding great sales talent in today’s tight labor market can be a time-consuming, expensive venture—to add to the challenge, top talent is constantly being targeted and recruited. In the last two years, more people have changed jobs than at almost any other time in modern history—with the pandemic-driven remote workforce accelerating this trend. Consider these statistics:Forty percent of workers globally say they might leave their jobs in the near future (McKinsey).Turnover rates for sales roles are nearly three times higher than any other line of business (HubSpot).The average cost to replace a single sales rep is 1.5–2-times the rep’s salary, and it takes 6.2 months on average to fill an open sales role, costing organizations hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue potential (Hire Velocity).The good news is that there are steps you can take to proactively address these challenges. Attract the next rock star seller and retain your most valuable talent by exploring these problems and their solutions:Lack of career advancementBetween April 2021 and April 2022, the number 1 reason (41 percent) people quit their jobs was due to a lack of career development and advancement.How to address it: Discuss career aspirations with your direct reports early and often—for new hires and tenured employees. This is not a one-and-done conversation and should involve both sales leadership and HR. Take the time to understand their career goals, and set up regular one-on-one meetings to discuss their paths and progress towards those goals. It will motivate new hires early on to strive for greater achievement and re-engage your tenured sellers knowing they have an upward trajectory.CompensationAnother top-rated reason employees stated they quit a job in the last year was due to inadequate compensation. With hundreds of thousands of sales jobs currently unfilled, there is significant competition for top talent. Employers are willing to pay more to attract the right talent.How to address it: Evaluate and benchmark your compensation structure to ensure you are remaining competitive in attracting new talent—especially if you haven’t done this in the last two years. Consider the level of tenure, expertise, and geography of the seller as these factors will influence the competitiveness of the offer you’re making. If you are unable to increase base pay to compete with other companies, consider other nonfinancial incentives as part of the overall benefits package like flexible hours, tuition reimbursement, or additional PTO.**Uncaring and uninspiring leaders (workplace culture)**In a recent McKinsey survey, 35 percent of respondents listed uncaring leaders as one of the top reasons they left an organization.How to address it: A great corporate culture combined with a competitive compensation strategy is a recipe for any healthy sales organization to thrive. However, one without the other is doomed to fail. Focus on building a culture of trust, accountability, and recognition. When you help sales reps realize their full potential and reward behaviors that drive success, you will make it harder for them to leave.Make wellness and work-life balance a priority, and don’t shy away from those conversations. Today’s employees want to know their leader cares about them; so instead of focusing only on deal reviews and pipelines during one-on-one meetings, take a few minutes to talk about their well-being and take appropriate actions if burnout or other life challenges are hindering their success.Absence of meaningful workNearly 70 percent of people say they define their purpose through work with seven out of 10 employees reflecting on their purpose because of the COVID-19 pandemic (McKinsey). As younger generations of talent enter the labor force, doing meaningful work ranks high among their ideals, and if they don’t feel a sense of meaning in the work they’re doing, they won’t stay long.How to address it: Build a supportive and reliable community within your sales organization that emphasizes meaning and purpose. Focus on your mission, vision, and values, and help connect the dots to your sellers’ definition of purpose and personal career aspirations. Create a culture that fosters diversity in talent, experience, background, and ideas and that engages all levels within the organization. Focus on the business challenges your solutions solve. Document and share how you’ve helped individuals or businesses achieve a specific outcome. If a seller never sees the result of their sales efforts, it’s difficult to see the greater purpose of what they are doing.Looking for ways to improve sales outcomes?Turn knowledge into action through high-impact sales performance frameworks.

4 Reasons Your Sales Talent Is Leaving and What You Can Do About It 

Currently, 58 percent of employees in the US are always or are sometimes working remotely—and many companies are expecting this to be the new normal moving forward. This shift means that these businesses are going to need to learn how to operate virtually. HR teams, in particular, have to adapt their approaches during this work-from-home age to ensure they have their employees and organizations set up for success. We’ll explain how in this post.3 Ways HR Needs to Adapt to the Work-From-Home AgeOnce the pandemic began, HR teams had to pivot the way they operated almost overnight. Now that most of us have settled into the world of remote work, it may be time to take a closer look at specific functions and ensure they’re optimized for the current situation.HiringThe process of identifying and hiring talent changed significantly during the pandemic. Companies went from hosting in-person and on-site interviews to having all of these conversations virtually. Teams have also had to get creative with how to virtually welcome and onboard new hires. In addition to all of this, organizations recognized that those offering remote job opportunities were seeing a competitive edge over those that don’t. With all of these changes in the hiring landscape, what can HR teams do to adjust?Be UpfrontHR needs to make it clear—from the initial job posting through the hiring process—what the company’s policies will be in the post-pandemic world. Will remote work be permanent? Or will your employees eventually return to the office? Will the current benefit offerings change after the COVID-19 pandemic ends? These factors will heavily influence a job searcher’s decision to apply to your company, so it’s important to be honest about where your organization stands.Take Advantage of the Remote EnvironmentCertain advantages come with being a remote company. Now that there aren’t any location constraints, you have a much bigger talent pool to select from. So, unless your company is planning to return to the office soon, use this as an opportunity to fill your pipeline with talented candidates.Adapt Your ProcessesAdjusting your interviewing and onboarding processes requires more than just giving everyone access to Zoom. You have to rethink the experience and make changes to ensure that candidates who go through your hiring process get the amount of information, exposure, and context they need to make the best decision. Similarly, you should train all your hiring managers on these new remote processes to ensure everyone is successful.BenefitsMany benefits, such as catered lunches and commuter cards, are no longer relevant to this new world of work. This means that your company likely has some extra budget being left on the table. Instead of letting this money go to waste, consider reinvesting it into new offerings that are more relevant for employees while they’re remote—especially given that 57 percent of employees say their benefits package is more important than ever before to them.Make Data-Informed DecisionsInstead of making assumptions about your employees’ wants, use an anonymous survey to collect feedback directly from your workforce. This data can help you identify where to invest company resources. For instance, you may learn that your working parents are especially stressed out during the pandemic. In this case, consider rolling out additional child care benefits, such as providing reimbursements for in-home babysitters or virtual tutors. As you adjust your benefits, use pulse surveys to gauge the impact of these new initiatives and ensure they have the intended effect.RetentionYour retention strategy might have shifted during this time as well—this is unsurprising. Employees have different priorities in a remote work setting than in an office setting. Company culture can also look different when people are physically apart. This barrier means HR teams have to figure out how to bring the organization’s values, mission, and vision to life across a distributed workforce. If a company doesn’t acknowledge these changes and adapt accordingly, they may risk losing their top talent to others handling the transition more effectively. This, in turn, can cost companies. Some studies predict that every time a business replaces a salaried employee, it costs six to nine months’ salary on average.Offer Additional Support.Right now, your employees are stressed and confused. The last thing you want is for them to feel like they’re alone in navigating these challenges. That’s why we encourage companies to use this time to offer more virtual support, whether that’s in the form of introducing a mentoring and coaching program or forming online ERGs. These resources can provide a space for employees to ask questions, receive guidance, or be heard.Build TrustYou need to ensure your workforce can trust your leadership team to make the right decisions. Specifically, employees want to know how the company is doing, where it’s headed, and what these changes mean for them. Building trust requires transparency. HR teams can adjust their communication strategies by increasing the frequency, diversifying their communication channels, and giving employees more access to leadership. As we all navigate this new world of work together, HR leaders need to think about adapting their practices, perspectives, and programs to align with what employees need today. To learn how our mentoring and coaching programs can support your remote workforce, request a demo.

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