Learning Leader Spotlight: Interviews with corporate L&D leaders · 2026-06-02 · 21 min
Mary Cooper , Director of Learning and Development at P.F. Chang's , joins us to make the case that L&D leaders who can't speak the language of the business will keep losing the budget fight. Mary draws on her path from operations to the L&D function to show why business acumen is now a core skill for talent development and learning strategy leaders. For training professionals navigating tighter budgets and higher scrutiny, her advice is direct: tie your learning solutions to sales impact, cost reduction and measurable business outcomes. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction. 03:05 Why Mary says speaking the language of the business is the most critical skill for L&D leaders right now. 04:20 How Mary's background in operations and ballet shaped her approach to helping others learn. 07:17 How AI is forcing L&D teams to rethink course length, delivery format and the pace of content creation. 09:04 Why Mary believes L&D is at a pivotal moment. 11:07 How to make the case for L&D investment when budgets are under pressure. 13:15 Why resilience and adaptability are the most important skills in the workplace.
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