Lessons in Change, Capability, and Curiosity

ByPauline Valvo

Highlights from the 2025 ATD Learning Summit

I recently attended the 2025 ATD Learning Summit in Indianapolis, where over 200 learning and development professionals gathered to explore what’s next for leadership, learning, and workforce transformation. With themes like adaptability, AI readiness, and human-centered leadership front and center, the sessions underscored what we focus on every day at SkillsWave: effective upskilling.  

In this article, I’ll share some standout speaker moments, emerging tech insights, and the top leadership development trends that caught my attention. 

Speaker Insights: Humor, Empathy, and the Future of Leadership 

  • Vivian Blade kicked off the conference with a compelling keynote on building leadership capability. Her message was clear: “Change is the job now.” Organizations must move from managing resistance to enabling transformation—and that starts with empowering frontline leaders as active change-makers. 
  • Gerald Bush explored the rising importance of emotional intelligence in leadership development. Adaptive leadership requires trust, empathy, and the ability to flex leadership styles based on context. 
  • Jeff McKinney, PhD delivered one of the most unique sessions: how comedy can strengthen leadership presence. By applying humor, storytelling, and self-awareness, leaders can create psychological safety and build authentic team connections. 
  • Jess Rodriguez encouraged attendees to embrace curiosity as a foundational leadership mindset. Her challenge: replace “No, but…” with “Yes, and…” to unlock collaboration, innovation, and agility,especially during uncertain times. Curiosity, she noted, isn’t a luxury, it’s a foundation for navigating uncertainty with openness and agility. 
  • Matt Donovan wrapped the day with a clear directive: L&D teams are entering a “State of AI Emergency.” His “Three Stages of AI Adoption” reinforced the importance of data quality, mindset shifts, and system readiness as we move toward human+AI collaboration. 

New Tools & Technology: AI as Capability Infrastructure 

AI is no longer a future trend. It has emerged as both a disruptor and an enabler and is becoming the infrastructure of modern L&D strategy. Here’s what stood out: 

  • AI maturity models are helping organizations assess their current readiness and build structured adoption roadmaps 
  • Clean, structured data is critical. Without reliable learning and performance data, AI-driven solutions can’t deliver personalized or measurable value 
  • Sessions emphasized that AI is reshaping, not replacing, L&D leaders, freeing up time to focus on high-impact learning design and strategy 
  • Sessions made it clear that AI isn’t replacing learning leaders; it’s reshaping their role. The most prepared teams will be those that view AI as a collaborative and strategic partner. 

Top 5 Takeaways from the 2025 ATD Learning Summit 

1. Change is a Leadership Skill

No longer a phase or project, change is now a permanent feature of leadership, and organizations need to build “change-ready” cultures. Organizations need to embed adaptability into every level of leadership, not just executive tiers.

2. Human-Centered Leadership is on the Rise 

Emotional intelligence, curiosity, and storytelling are becoming critical tools for effective leadership, especially in times of uncertainty. Curiosity is emerging as a leadership muscle, leaders who ask better questions drive more inclusive, innovative teams.

Sessions emphasized the importance of balancing head and heart: blending analytical thinking (IQ) with emotional awareness (EQ) to build high-trust, high-performing cultures 

3. AI is Here and It’s Reshaping the Workflow 

From content delivery to impact measurement, AI can handle more—but only if data quality and clarity of purpose are in place. AI is streamlining everything from skill gap analysis to content recommendation, but only if data is well-structured and actionable.

L&D professionals are actively seeking platforms that integrate AI-powered personalization into the learner experience.

4. Mid-Level Managers = Capability Multipliers 

These often-under-resourced leaders are key to turning strategy into culture and embedding new skills into daily operations. They need scalable toolkits for coaching, change enablement, and performance management, not just general leadership content.

5. Learning Must Be Learner-Centric 

Demand is growing for microlearning, short-form content, and role-based learning paths that align with business needs. Skill-based pathways paired with manager guidance improve completion rates and on-the-job application 

Final Thoughts 

The ATD Learning Summit 2025 confirmed what many of us in L&D already know: The pace of change is accelerating, and the expectations placed on learning leaders are rising with it. Whether it’s preparing for AI, enabling mid-level leaders, or building systems that drive change, L&D is now at the center of organizational transformation. 

If you’re rethinking your approach to leadership development, upskilling, or change enablement, now is the time to act. Let’s design learning programs that not only support today’s workforce but power tomorrow’s.

Want to explore how SkillsWave can support your team’s next step? Let’s connect.