AI is reshaping the role of individual contributors. ICs can now do more on their own than ever before, presenting both a challenge and an opportunity for L&D. This newsletter explores how to shift your focus from only developing managers to equipping ICs with the influence skills that drive retention, accelerate OKRs, and position L&D as a strategic partner to the business.
[3-2-1] Why Managers Can’t Carry It All
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Hi Reader, Welcome to the first edition of the 3-2-1. You're getting this because you care about developing people. I'm sharing what I'm learning as we solve the IC development crisis. 3 things you can use for work, 2 things for fun, and 1 idea from me. Let's get into it. 3 Things for L&DL&D at the Crossroads—Why HR Leaders Must Embrace a New Era of Learning
Working with AI: Measuring the Occupational Implications of Generative AI
L&D's Make-or-Break AI Moment
2 Things for YouThe Kettlebell Christmas Commercial
Seth Godin's 65 "notes to myself"
1 Idea From Me🏋️♀️ Effort ≈ 2 min read Most L&D leaders I talk to are exhausted. They’ve trained managers to coach down, but projects still stall. Teams still misfire. Individual contributors—the people closest to the work—aren’t moving fast enough across functions. The problem isn’t just management. If managers coach down but ICs can’t influence up and sideways, the system breaks. One side pulls, the other drags. The weight falls back on managers, who end up carrying it all. Here’s the overlooked truth: influence is a skill, not a title. When ICs learn to frame problems, connect dots, and win support across teams, everything changes. When they do this together with ICs from other functions, projects accelerate. Managers stop bottlenecking. Innovation spreads. So what’s the move? Don’t stop investing in managers. Expand the circle. Run cross-functional IC cohorts tied to real OKRs. Teach ICs the skills they need to deliver on the OKR, like research, writing, and storytelling. Watch them develop cross-functional understanding in real time and smash their OKRs out of the park. In other words, embed learning in real work. That’s how exhausted leaders regain leverage. That's it for this week. I hope you enjoyed. I'll be back in two weeks. Till then, ✌️ Andrew P.S. What did you like about this email? What didn't you like? Hit reply and send me your feedback. I'd be so grateful 🙏 |
Andrew Barry
AI is reshaping the role of individual contributors. ICs can now do more on their own than ever before, presenting both a challenge and an opportunity for L&D. This newsletter explores how to shift your focus from only developing managers to equipping ICs with the influence skills that drive retention, accelerate OKRs, and position L&D as a strategic partner to the business.
Hello Reader, Today I'm launching a newsletter to tackle the fastest-growing problem I see in talent development. 👉 The Rise of the Individual Contributor (IC) and the Lack of Growth and Development You're getting this because we worked together, we chatted, or you subscribe to my newsletter. (Which tells me you care about developing people.) Structural shifts in how we work (flattening hierarchies, siloed growth, and the AI info explosion among them) are making the IC role more critical than...