1: Don’t Train for Yesterday: How to Future-Proof Your Workforce | Kamaria Rutland

Is Your L&D Strategy Built for Today—or Tomorrow?

Are your learning programs helping employees perform now, or are they preparing them for what's next? Too many organizations build for the business they have—and risk being outpaced by those building for the future.

In this episode of The Learnit Lounge, host Mickey Fitch-Collins and Kamaria Rutland, a global talent development leader at Kendo Brands, talk candidly about the challenge of aligning L&D initiatives with evolving business goals. From needing to show ROI to the importance of psychological safety and experimentation, Kamaria shares strategic insights and actionable advice that HR and learning professionals won’t want to miss. If your L&D efforts feel siloed or stuck, this conversation offers a roadmap to relevance, impact, and cultural transformation.

This Episode Covers:

• A key stat from PwC that underscores why reinvention can’t wait
• How to conduct organization-wide needs assessments that actually move the needle
• What ROI really means in talent development—and how to track what matters
• Why behavior change is harder than systems change (and how to start anyway)
• Two essential steps every L&D leader should take to stay aligned and future-ready

Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome to the Lounge: Kamaria Rutland joins host Mickey Fitch-Collins for a conversation on aligning L&D with business goals

02:33 – Big question: Develop employees for today’s business—or tomorrow’s?

03:05 – Kamaria: We must do both—develop for now and what’s next

04:10 – Why emerging platforms and technologies are reshaping L&D priorities

05:52 – 42% of CEOs believe their company won’t be viable in 10 years without reinvention

07:12 – L&D as master mechanic: Tuning the engine while driving the car

08:25 – Risks of L&D working in a silo: Obsolescence and lost engagement

10:47 – How to stay aligned: Needs assessments, metrics, and listening to employees

13:45 – Human skills vs. technical skills: Emotional intelligence and communication still matter

15:11 – The ROI question: Why measuring human skill development is so difficult

16:50 – What we can measure: Time savings, innovation, culture, and team performance

19:45 – L&D as a catalyst for culture change and employee retention

21:56 – If it’s on the calendar, it’s a priority: Making learning visible and valued

23:15 – Breaking tradition: Why adults need learning labs, not just webinars

24:40 – Play as learning: How safe experimentation fuels innovation

27:41 – Leadership lesson: Own the outcome—failures and victories alike

31:26 – Hard truth: Behavior change is harder than technical change

34:10 – Kamaria’s advice: Learn your org’s long-term strategy + study emerging tech

36:00 – Connect with Kamaria on LinkedIn—and share what resonated

About Kamaria

Kamaria Rutland is the Global Director of Talent Development and DEIB at Kendo Brands, an LVMH affiliate. With nearly two decades of experience at Marriott International across hotel management, B2B sales, and talent development, Kamaria brings deep insight into both hospitality and consumer goods. Known for “delivering results with a smile,” she’s passionate about helping teams and leaders perform at their best. Outside work, she’s an avid traveler and proud Oakland native.

Resources Referenced:

• Kamaria Rutland on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamariarutland/
• PwC CEO Survey: “42% of CEOs believe their company won’t be viable in 10 years without reinvention”
• Kendo Brands

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