How learning helps us adapt to change
In a world of constant change, learning is one of our most powerful tools for staying resilient. But real learning takes time, effort, and the right environment. In this episode, we’re joined by Stella Collins, author of Neuroscience for Learning and Development, to explore how learning fuels real adaptation. Stella shares practical, science-backed strategies to help L&D teams build learning cultures that support performance, engagement, and long-term change.
Watch the full podcast video
Top tips for building learning that drives change
Don’t have time to listen now? Here’s a quick summary of what you’ll learn in this episode:
- Use learning to navigate change – Learning is key to adapting in an uncertain world.
- Make effort part of the process – Real learning takes time, repetition, and stretch.
- Use AI to democratize learning – Leverage AI tools with structure and purpose to unlock impact.
- Shift from content overload to task-first design – Focus on doing, not just knowing.
- Help people learn how to learn – Support learners in developing learning skills to build lasting capability.
- Reframe L&D’s role as a strategic challenger – Stop being helpful, start challenging.
1. Use learning to navigate change
In a time of uncertainty, learning isn’t just about performance – it’s about survival. Stella highlights that learning is a uniquely human tool for adapting to new environments, new technologies, and new expectations. Building a learning culture helps people – and organizations – stay resilient.
“The world is just changing. We don’t know where it’s going. So learning is our way of surviving. That’s how humans have survived.”
2. Make effort part of the process
Fast, frictionless learning sounds great, but real learning takes time, repetition, and effort. Stella emphasizes that learning is not meant to be easy. In fact, struggling with a concept can be a vital part of embedding it. L&D teams should move away from promising simplicity and instead create experiences that challenge and stretch learners – while still being supportive.
“Learning isn’t easy. Learning is effortful. There’s desirable difficulty involved in learning. We have to put the work in to learn.”
3. Use AI to democratize learning
AI is changing how people access and interact with learning, making it more widely available, but also raising the bar for quality and critical thinking. Stella highlights that while AI can support scalable content creation and faster access, learners still need structure and guidance to make it work. L&D’s role is to shape these tools into meaningful learning experiences that drive real outcomes.
“Democratization, I think, is really valuable. The ability to kind of find out what you want…and to dive deeper…and you can do it so much quicker. You know, you can solve that itch to have a piece of information.”
4. Shift from content overload to task-first design
One of the biggest mistakes organizations make is drowning learners in content while overlooking application. Stella advocates for a focus on doing over knowing, designing learning around real-world tasks and experiences. She warns of the rising “beige wave of content,” especially with AI-generated material, and urges L&D to balance knowledge with context and action. She also reminds us of the WIFM (what’s in it for me) concept – if the task isn’t relevant or timely, the content won’t stick, no matter how well it’s packaged.
“We are overwhelmed with content… and that can only get worse. That overuse of content and focus on knowledge rather than doing, that’s why the task approach is so interesting.”
5. Help people learn how to learn
In a world of self-serve content, AI tools, and rapid change, teaching people how to learn is more valuable than ever. Stella believes learning is a process – not an event – and says it’s vital that people understand how learning actually works. By using techniques like recall, reflection, and repetition, learners can improve performance and retain knowledge longer.
“If I had a magic wand… I would give everybody the skill of actually understanding how learning really, really happens. What’s the real approach? Because it’s a process. It’s not an instant thing.”
6. Reframe L&D’s role as a strategic challenger
Stella challenges L&D teams to stop simply responding to business requests, and start questioning them. Rather than being “order takers,” L&D should work to uncover what’s really needed to drive performance and change. That means being more curious, more strategic, and more courageous in how they interact with stakeholders.
“We should stop being helpful and start being more challenging… The best way to help would be to stop doing what people ask and try to understand what they really need.”
About Stella
Stella is Co-founder and Chief Learning Officer at Stellar Labs, and the author of Neuroscience for Learning and Development. With a background in psychology and years of experience in tech, training, and learning science, she helps organizations embed brain-friendly learning that drives real performance change.
Connect with Stella on LinkedIn.
Want more learning insights?
Stay ahead with the latest tips, expert learnings, and best practices from top learning managers and global leaders – delivered straight to your inbox. The Learning at Large newsletter brings you insider content each month to help you create, manage, and deliver engaging learning at scale.
Subscribe now and never miss an edition!
Enjoyed the podcast? Don’t forget to rate it in your favorite podcast app. Thanks for tuning in – we’ll see you next time!
