🎯The One Career Skill Most L&D Leaders Overlook (But Shouldn’t)
Training Industry, Inc.
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Welcome to the May 2025 edition of the Learning Leader Ladder!
Your personal brand matters — it’s the promise behind every project you touch and the story it tells those you meet. It could mean the difference between:
➡️ Being seen as a tactical order-taker
➡️ Or trusted as a strategic business partner
In this edition, we’re breaking down simple ways to build a personal brand that gets you noticed, respected — and remembered. It's time to establish yourself in learning and development (L&D) and stand out.
Key Points:
Identity Crisis: Get Clear on Who You Are
Who do you want to be known as? Your brand starts with self-awareness. Write down three words that describe the professional image you want to project. Now, ask: do your current actions reflect that image? Align your daily work and growth goals with these traits — and if there’s a gap, plan personal projects or stretch assignments to close it. Or, take it a step further and add credibility to your name with a certification like the Certified Professional in Training Management (CPTM™) program.
Your language and tone are part of your brand, too — are you naturally formal, direct, witty or warm? Consistency builds trust, so make sure your written and spoken style feels authentic and intentional.
Need Help Uncovering Your Own Strengths and Weaknesses?
Take the Training Manager Competency Assessment and get a personalized snapshot of where you stand and where you can grow in your L&D skillset.
Make Your Expertise Impossible to Ignore
Sharing your thought leadership is another way to build your personal brand and position yourself as a subject matter expert (SME) in the L&D space. Your voice matters and you don’t need a big stage to start. You can:
"Whether you're intentional about it or not, you have a brand. It's shaped by every action, conversation and decision you make — both inside your organization and out. The question is: does it reflect the leader you want to be? If not, you have the power to make a change. Take control of your brand to open doors for new opportunities." — Amy DuVernet, Ph.D., CPTM , vice president of learning products, Training Industry, Inc.
Celebrate (and Document) Your Wins
Let your actions speak for themselves. Wins aren’t bragging — they’re proof. Here are some examples to start:
Your success stories are your brand’s proof points. Share them! Whether it’s through LinkedIn posts, a team newsletter or a quick anecdote about how you solved a business challenge — your experience helps others and cements your reputation.
Craft Your Perfect Elevator Pitch
A strong personal brand starts with a clear, simple introduction. Use this formula:
I help [audience] solve [problem] by [your approach] so they can [business impact].
Example: I help L&D teams align training strategy to business goals by designing scalable learning solutions so organizations can stay agile and competitive.
Let your personal brand open doors. You've got this!
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Human Resources Executive/Educator Author Researcher/Admin Speaker Guru at Aflac, Pre-Paid Legal & Federal HCM Capital Editor ESOMAR Researcher.
1wLeadership Training
Senior Editor | Podcaster | Storyteller
2wGreat tips in here! I love the idea of celebrating your wins (even if they seem small). Personal branding is key in building credibility and helping you shape a career path aligned with your core values. ✨
Senior Marketing Specialist - Audience Development @ Training Industry, Inc. | LinkedIn Certified
2wLove this. In any career, how you're perceived matters. It's not just what you do, but how you show up. 🌟
B2C Marketing Specialist | Graduate from North Carolina State University
2wA career skill needed no matter the job role! 👏 A powerful reminder that your personal brand is key. Sharpening self-awareness and aligning our daily work with the brand we want to project is what sets us up to lead with authenticity and credibility.
Companies grow when their people do | Human skills facilitator | Learnit
2wI tink a lot L&D brand/programs are still stuck in “push” mode-pushing content, pushing platforms, pushing people to complete training. Learners aren’t Tupperware---you can’t just fill them up and hope they stay fresh-haha! The real skill we should be building is self-directed learning. At Learnit, we’re big believers in learner autonomy—because when people choose to learn, they actually remember it (and maybe even enjoy it 🙃 The future doesn’t need more content. It needs more curiosity. More initiative. More learners who know how to navigate complexity without waiting for a course invite. This piece nails it: the best learning strategy isn't more answers—it's better questions.