Home Podcasts Bring Out the Talent: A Learning and Development Podcast
Bring Out the Talent: A Learning and Development Podcast

Bring Out the Talent: A Learning and Development Podcast

Maria Melfa & Jocelyn Allen 99 Episodes Oct 13, 2026

Bring Out the Talent is a podcast from The Training Associates (TTA) that focuses on learning and development. Hosts Maria Melfa and Jocelyn Allen interview subject matter experts and industry partners, discussing innovative approaches and sharing insights. The conversations are casual yet insightful, blending experience with humor. Each episode offers practical takeaways for fostering continuous learning in organizations.

Episodes

Leadership Lessons from a Lifetime of Karate
Leadership Lessons from a Lifetime of Karate Oct 13, 2026 2448 For our 100th episode of Bring Out the Talent, we’re thrilled to welcome back Bruce Tulgan, our very first guest in 2021.Bruce is a highly respected voice in leadership and management, a bestselling author of 21 books, and a sought-after keynote speaker who has taken the stage at some of the largest and most influential conferences in our industry. As founder and CEO of RainmakerThinking, he bring
Where to Begin with AI in the Workplace
Where to Begin with AI in the Workplace Sep 15, 2026 2492 Organizations are moving fast on AI, but not always with direction. Many business leaders know AI matters, but they are still trying to understand where it fits, how to prioritize use cases, and how to move from experimentation to real business impact.That gap between curiosity and execution is where many teams are getting stuck.Today’s guest brings a unique perspective to that challenge. Sergiu S
Building Emotionally Intelligent Leaders and Teams
Building Emotionally Intelligent Leaders and Teams Aug 11, 2026 2886 Research shows that 90% of top performers score high in emotional intelligence, a number that stands out even more as AI reshapes how work gets done. As technology takes on more of the tactical workload, the skills that set people and organizations apart are becoming more human, not less. The ability to read a room, stay grounded under pressure, build real trust, navigate difficult conversations,
Rethinking Engagement and Performance: A Systems Perspective
Rethinking Engagement and Performance: A Systems Perspective Jul 14, 2026 3319 Research from Gallup shows that only about 23% of employees are engaged at work globally, a number that has remained stubbornly low despite years of investment in culture, leadership, and development. In reality, what drives behavior at work is often much less visible - it’s the systems behind the scenes. The way meetings are structured, how success is measured, what gets rewarded, and what gets o
Strengths, Team Dynamics, and the Hidden Side of High Performance
Strengths, Team Dynamics, and the Hidden Side of High Performance Jun 9, 2026 2580 Every team is made up of people who think differently, communicate differently, solve problems differently, and contribute in very different ways. Yet in many workplaces, there is still an unspoken expectation that everyone should operate the same way.That is why strengths-based development has become such an important conversation for organizations and leaders. Gallup research has consistently fo
The AI-Powered Coach: Driving Performance at Scale
The AI-Powered Coach: Driving Performance at Scale May 12, 2026 2750 AI is changing the way organizations think about performance, coaching, and day-to-day work. Yet for many teams, the challenge is not simply adopting new technology. It’s understanding how to use AI in a way that feels practical and genuinely useful for the people doing the work. In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we’re joined by Tim Harrison, executive coach, founder of the Coaching Innovat
The AI Learning Revolution: Moving from Participation to Proficiency
The AI Learning Revolution: Moving from Participation to Proficiency Apr 7, 2026 2557 In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we explore The AI Learning Revolution and what it takes to move beyond participation to true proficiency. This conversation introduces a model built on accountability, where AI and human expertise work together to elevate performance and reshape how organizations develop talent in real time.Joining us is Ed Lance, an expert AI trainer and practitioner with
The Emotional Side of Leadership: How the 12 Emotional Gifts Shape Teams, Culture, and Performance
The Emotional Side of Leadership: How the 12 Emotional Gifts Shape Teams, Culture, and Performance Mar 10, 2026 2550 In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we’re talking about something that quietly drives almost everything at work but rarely gets measured in a meaningful way: emotion. Most leadership tools focus on what people think, what they do, or how they perform. Very few look at what people actually feel, even though emotions drive motivation, trust, engagement, and culture.In this episode, we discuss t
A Casual Conversation: Inside TTA Connect
A Casual Conversation: Inside TTA Connect Feb 17, 2026 2809 In this episode, we sit down with TTA leaders John Laverdure, Michael Aguirre, Jocelyn Allen, and Maria Melfa to explore how organizations are redefining the way they discover and engage talent, and why that shift led to the creation of TTA Connect.Today’s decision makers want greater control over how they evaluate options. Many prefer to research independently, compare choices, and build confiden
Revitalize Employee Onboarding: How Agile Thinking Helps Low-Energy Programs Deliver Results
Revitalize Employee Onboarding: How Agile Thinking Helps Low-Energy Programs Deliver Results Jan 13, 2026 2752 Organizations invest heavily in recruiting top talent, but without effective onboarding, much of that investment is at risk. In fact, companies with strong onboarding programs improve new hire retention by up to 82% and boost productivity by over 70%. The good news? With the right approach, onboarding can become one of the most powerful drivers of culture and performance.In this episode of Bring O
Change Management: What Do You Do When It Goes Wrong?
Change Management: What Do You Do When It Goes Wrong? Dec 9, 2025 2880 What do stalled initiatives, employee resistance, and missed business outcomes all have in common? They’re often signs that change management has gone wrong. In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we’re joined by Carrie Quick, a senior human capital, operations, and business development leader with over 23 years of multi-industry experience. Throughout her career, Carrie has guided organizations
Setting the Stage for Success: Onboarding and Orientation Strategies
Setting the Stage for Success: Onboarding and Orientation Strategies Nov 14, 2025 3008 Starting a new job should feel energizing, not overwhelming. Yet research shows that nearly 30% of new hires leave within their first 90 days, a costly miss that often traces back to ineffective onboarding and orientation. Even more telling, only 12% of employees believe their company provides a great onboarding experience, which means most people feel the system fails them at exactly the moment t

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