GSDC Mentor Connect: Mastering Core Competencies for L&D Specialists

The session kicked off with a challenge: participants were shown a list of 17 L&D responsibilities that included tasks like:

• Designing training programs
   
• Conducting training needs analyses
   
• Coaching team members
   
• Building stakeholder relationships
   
• Interpreting data and learner feedback
   
• Creating performance support tools
   

Then came the real question: “How many of these responsibilities do you actually carry out?”

Answers varied from 10 to 17 and in some cases, even more than 17, as participants cited tasks like video editing, digital content design, and LMS administration as part of their workload.

This exercise revealed a vital truth: L&D specialists today are wearing multiple hats: strategist, designer, technologist, facilitator, analyst, and coach often all in a single day.

What does an L&D specialist do? In short, they are the cornerstone of employee growth and organizational development, influencing company success by nurturing skills and aligning learning initiatives with business goals.

For those considering becoming an L&D specialist, it's important to understand that the L&D specialist salary can vary depending on experience, skills, and industry, but it is generally competitive for the impact and value L&D professionals bring to an organization

While technical skills are essential, the session revealed that interpersonal and strategic skills are what truly elevate an L&D specialist.

When asked which single activity had the highest impact in their roles, participants consistently pointed to:

• Establishing interpersonal relationships
   
• Coaching and developing others
   
• Interpreting information and translating it into learning solutions
   

One participant said that all her L&D interventions end up succeeding mostly because she builds trust early on with her business stakeholders. 

Another participant shared that active listening and emotional intelligence have helped her understand the real learning need and not merely the request.

Such insights reinforce that while AI, automation, and digital tools are changing the 'how,' the 'why' and 'who' of L&D remain deeply human.

Bridging the Gap Between Business Needs and Learning Design

The session also explored the challenge of transforming vague requests like “Can you run a soft skills training?” into actionable, measurable programs that deliver real impact.

Participants discussed strategies such as:

• Holding stakeholder interviews
   
• Reviewing performance metrics
   
• Conducting pre-training surveys
   
• Creating problem statements instead of content wishlists
   

As one professional shared, “It’s our job not just to accept training requests, but to ask the right questions, uncover the root issue, and then propose a learning intervention that solves the actual problem.”

This mindset shift from order-taker to strategic partner is at the core of modern L&D specialist practice.

Beyond philosophy, the Saturday session was packed with practical knowledge:

• Some attendees shared how they’re using learning nudges to improve adoption and reduce course abandonment rates.
   
• Others talked about leveraging AI tools to auto-summarize feedback or generate learning content outlines.
   
• A few mentioned their transition into L&D from operations or finance, bringing with them a strong understanding of business KPIs and how to align learning with those metrics.
   

The facilitator emphasized that L&D isn’t just about content creation, it’s about solving business challenges. 

And in doing so, today’s L&D specialists are also building skills in analytics, design thinking, change management, and stakeholder facilitation.

Here’s a roundup of powerful insights shared during the session:

• L&D is not just a support function, it's a business enabler.
   
• Strong interpersonal skills are just as important as design expertise.
   
• Creativity and adaptability help professionals craft customized, engaging learning.
   
• Asking the right questions is a superpower in L&D.
   
• A great L&D specialist uses data to influence, not just inform.
   
• The more cross-functional your exposure, the more strategic your solutions.
   
• You don’t need to know everything, but you do need to keep learning.

The role of an L&D specialist continues to evolve, with core competencies expanding to include leadership skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to leverage technology to enhance learning impact.

As organizations rapidly adopt hybrid models, digital transformation, and continuous learning cultures, the role of L&D specialists is more vital than ever.

The GSDC session highlighted a crucial perspective: future-ready L&D specialists must blend curiosity with confidence, empathy with efficiency, and creativity with consistency.

Everyone who motivates emerging leaders, onboards new hires, or runs training globally, the capacity to think like a business partner and act like a designer will absolutely separate you within the industry.

Get Ready to Master Learning & Development.

The Certified Learning and Development Professional (CLDP) program is offered by GSDC and gives a powerful framework to empower you with deeper skills, an expanded mindset, and credibility in this impactful field.

Join a global community of learners, exchange experiences in real time, and learn directly from experts shaping the future of workplace learning.