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When it comes to creating real impact in Learning and Development, having a solid strategy isn’t optional—it’s essential. In this episode of Learning Matters, I sat down with Carrie Berg, VP of Learning and Development at Teladoc Health, to talk about what makes an L&D program truly effective, how to drive buy-in, and the exciting changes shaping the future of workplace learning.

It Starts With Strategy—A Real One

Carrie’s first point was crystal clear: too many organizations think they have an L&D strategy, but they don’t. A true strategy should be clear, documented, and understood by the whole team. It also needs to show L&D as a need—not a “nice to have.” That means backing it up with metrics that show real business value, from behavior change to retention and engagement. “Your strategy better make yourself a need rather than a nice to have,” Carrie said. And she’s right.

Creating a Culture of Learning (Not Just a Line Item)

Carrie’s worked with organizations that either wanted her to build programs from scratch or overhaul what wasn’t working. In both cases, she found that many leaders misunderstood what a learning culture actually is. Spoiler: just hiring an L&D person doesn’t mean your organization has one. So how do you shift mindsets and show value? Carrie says it comes down to making learning so integral and effective that leaders can’t imagine doing without it.

Keeping It Simple, Strategic, and Sticky

When dealing with leaders who aren’t excited about training, Carrie recommends cutting the fluff. Flashy programs might look nice, but they don’t always get results. Instead, she leans on tools that offer immediate insights—like 360 assessments or personality diagnostics—to build self-awareness and spark change. It’s also about showing how learning connects to results. “People who attend our courses stay with the company. Managers who attend have higher engagement scores.” That kind of data tells a story that leaders listen to.

On the Job? Still Time to Learn

Whether it’s compliance or role-specific onboarding, Carrie emphasized that learning has to meet people where they are. Even more so, she believes in helping employees grow their transferable skills—like communication, accountability, and feedback—which serve them in any role. For those looking to move up? “Figure out what you’re good at and where you need to grow—then work with your L&D team to get there.”

New Generations, New Expectations

According to Carrie, newer workers come in with high expectations around learning—and that’s a good thing. Unlike Gen Xers who were told to “figure it out,” today’s talent expects support, structure, and access to meaningful development early on. She’s seeing startups build L&D into their culture from day one. “They’re hiring learning professionals at 25 to 50 employees because they know it matters.”

AI Fatigue—and What Actually Works

While AI is all the buzz, Carrie admits she’s a bit tired of hearing about it. “Tell me how it makes me more efficient,” she said. Until it integrates with existing tools and content meaningfully, she sees it as more of a buzzword than a game-changer. That said, she’s found real value in tools like Microsoft Copilot, especially when it provides real-time feedback managers can use to improve communication and performance.

Making the Most of What You Already Have

One of Carrie’s favorite team challenges? Figuring out how to better use the tools they already own. From LMS features to Smartsheet tricks, she encourages her team to stretch their tech know-how each year to improve efficiency without spending more. “We’re only using 20% of these tools—what else could we be doing?”

Tackling Big Challenges with Limited Resources

Like many L&D leaders, Carrie’s team often faces budget and bandwidth constraints. Their solution? Reflect, rework, and get creative. They’ve focused on adapting content, expanding reach internationally, and making sure programs are high-impact even when resources are tight. And it’s working. Participation is growing, learners are coming back for more, and internal feedback is shaping real improvements.

Telling a Data Story That Matters

Carrie stressed the importance of partnering with the data analytics team to move beyond surface-level metrics. Her team connects LMS data with employee profiles to answer bigger questions: • Do people who complete training stay longer? • Do trained managers retain their teams better? • Are participants more engaged across the organization? These insights help build a story that shows exactly how L&D impacts the business.

From Sales to Strategy: Carrie’s Path to L&D

So how did Carrie get into this space? Like many of us—accidentally on purpose. With a background in healthcare and medical sales, she discovered her passion for simplifying complex topics and helping others grow. Her dad, a teacher, always told her she’d end up teaching. Turns out, he was right. “I found my sweet spot—it just took me a little while to get there.”

Final Thoughts: Stay Curious

If she could give her younger self any advice? “It’s all going to be okay. You’ll make money someday. And always be open to other people’s bubbles.” Wise words from someone who’s built her career on curiosity, connection, and continuous learning. If you, like I, was blown away by Carrie’s insights, connect with her on LinkedIn.