Rewriting the L&D Playbook for AI: Closing the Gap Between Training and Performance with Jennifer Baker of Foot Locker

Jennifer Baker, Director of Talent and Leadership Development at Foot Locker North America and Founder of Jen in AI, joins us to talk about how learning and development is changing as AI reshapes what people need to learn, how they learn it and the value an L&D team brings to an organization.



Jennifer shares how she built her way into L&D, from running two fashion boutiques and leading a retail store to creating her own training program before anyone asked her to. She explains why learning is moving closer to the work itself, why judgment is becoming one of the most important L&D skills in the AI era, and why learning agility, adaptability and curiosity matter more than trying to predict exactly what a job will look like five years from now.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

00:00 Why Jennifer built her way into L&D instead of setting out to work in the field.

01:38 Jennifer’s 60-second path from retail to leading talent development at Foot Locker.

03:28 From fashion boutiques to store manager: how Jennifer built her first training program.

07:30 Why learning is moving closer to the actual work.

09:53 Where AI is taking L&D over the next five years.

14:17 The biggest challenge facing learning leaders right now.

17:08 Why learning agility is the most important skill in the workplace.

24:16 Jennifer’s go-to sources for industry news.

30:17 The Adam Grant book Jennifer recommends for every aspiring L&D leader.

35:14 Inside Jennifer’s LinkedIn Learning course on AI for instructional design.

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RESOURCES MENTIONED

Association for Talent Development (ATD), the professional association Jennifer credits for research, chapter events and real-time industry information

Safe Space by Workweek, a private online community for HR and people professionals that Jennifer credits for candid, real-time peer advice

“Hidden Potential” by Adam Grant, the book Jennifer recommends for anyone moving into L&D leadership

“AI-Powered Content Creation: Train Your AI to Think Like an Instructional Designer,” Jennifer’s LinkedIn Learning course on using AI as an instructional design assistant

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