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.
Your ICs stuck
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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 ever. But most orgs jump to “communication training,” “presentation skills,” or “collaboration tooling.” They skip the behavioral sequencing and cognitive stack required for ICs to influence without authority. That's what we'll be exploring 2x a month in your inbox. We'll cover topics like: 👉 The Idea Graveyard: Why 7 of 10 Ideas Die in the Room—and How to Spot the Pattern 👉 Meeting Math: The Hidden $18K per Manager Your Calendar Is Costing This Quarter 👉 Attention Tax: Why Your 12-Page Deck Gets 38 Seconds of Real Focus (and What That Means for ICs) In a brief [3-2-1] format:
Nutrient-dense knowledge; no fluff. Don't want another 2 emails in your inbox each month? No worries, unsubscribe here, no hard feelings. Sticking around? I'll be back with the first edition on Sunday. Why Sunday? I loved getting the Sunday newspaper (sports section mostly) as a kid. It's always felt like a great day to read something new. See you on Sunday ✌️ |
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.
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&D L&D at the Crossroads—Why HR Leaders Must Embrace a New Era of Learning RedThread’s Dani Johnson explains how L&D must evolve from “course provider” to strategic capacity-builder. 🏋️♀️ Effort ≈ 6 min read...