Building L&D that Earns a Seat at the Table

Nicholas Bird, VP of Learning & Development, Straightaway Tire & Auto

Nicholas Bird, VP of Learning & Development, Straightaway Tire & Auto

Connecting Training to Outcomes That Matter

Nearly three decades in this industry have taught me one lesson above all others: training that isn’t tied to business outcomes is just activity. At Straightaway, every program we design starts with a simple question: what business problem are we solving? If I can’t articulate how a training initiative supports a measurable goal, whether that’s improving technician efficiency, reducing turnover or driving customer satisfaction, we need to go back to the drawing board. That discipline earns your team a seat at the table with operations leadership, and it’s something our team is focused on constantly.

When it comes to designing training, it starts with understanding that frontline members and leadership teams are fundamentally different audiences with different realities. A technician in one of our service bays has completely different pressures, time constraints and learning needs than an area manager overseeing multiple locations. For our frontline teams, relevance and accessibility are everything, meaning shorter, targeted learning that speaks directly to what they’re doing each day. For leadership, we’re building competencies around strategic thinking, coaching and operational decision-making, often through longer-form development experiences. The common thread is that no one should ever sit through training wondering why they’re there. Every minute should answer the question, “How does this help me do my job better?”

Training Impact and Industry Learning Trends

The impact of these training programs cannot be measured by a single metric. Satisfaction metrics still matter. I want to know whether our team members found the content relevant and feel equipped to apply it back on the job. But the real measure lives in the business data. Are technicians performing more efficiently? Are sales numbers improving? Have customer satisfaction scores moved? Are we retaining our best people? Turnover among high performers is one of the most expensive problems in every industry, and strong development programs are one of the best tools to address it. When you can draw a clear line from training to business outcomes with data, it changes the entire conversation about the value of L&D.

“Training that isn’t tied to business outcomes is just activity.”

This demand for clearer, data-driven outcomes is also shaping how learning itself is evolving in the automotive service industry. Many of the same trends reshaping L&D globally are hitting our industry. AI is the most significant; it’s changing how we build training and how people access information. The expectation is shifting toward on-demand, personalized learning and that has real implications for our technology strategy. At the same time, advancements in VR and XR technology have enormous potential for an industry where so much development is hands-on. Imagine walking a technician through a complex repair in an immersive environment before they ever touch the vehicle. Technology is maturing quickly, and the organizations investing proactively and intelligently will be the ones that lead.

What the Next-Generation Leaders Must Embrace

Learn the business. The fastest way to earn credibility with operating teams is to understand their drivers, speak their language, and align what you’re building to the outcomes they care about. Beyond that, be technically savvy. AI is reshaping the tools we use, the way we deliver learning, and the roles our teams play.

If you’re not actively exploring how it fits into your strategy, you’ll fall behind. And don’t lose sight of why this work matters. The role of L&D is evolving, but the mission hasn’t changed: we’re building teams and shaping culture. That’s not becoming less important; it’s becoming more critical than ever.