Building L&D Credibility in a Disruptive Era: A Strategic Framework with Explorance Metrics That Matter (MTM)

In an era defined by disruption, budget scrutiny, and shifting workforce dynamics, Learning & Development (L&D) leaders are facing a hard truth: good intentions are no longer enough.

To secure funding, earn trust, and drive transformation, L&D must prove its value and do so in business terms. That means shifting from activity-based reporting to outcome-driven strategies that clearly demonstrate how learning moves the business forward and communicating impact in the language leaders understand.

At Explorance World 2025, Ryan Sullivan, Director of Enterprise Learning at Thermo Fisher Scientific’s PPD division, made a compelling case for rethinking L&D’s role within organizations. Drawing from over a decade of experience, he outlined a pragmatic, high-impact framework for building and sustaining credibility.

At the heart of his strategy? Metrics That Matter (MTM), a game-changing measurement platform that empowers L&D to speak the language of business.

Why L&D Credibility Matters More Than Ever

For institutions navigating shifting learner expectations, evolving workforce demands, and shrinking budgets, L&D credibility isn’t optional. It’s essential.

When L&D lacks trust at the highest levels, it becomes vulnerable to budget cuts, sidelined in strategic conversations, and seen as a cost center rather than a value driver. When L&D earns trust at the highest levels, it can:

1. Secure funding and resources, even in times of austerity

2. Earn a seat at the executive table, shaping organizational strategy

3. Align learning initiatives with measurable outcomes, such as student success, research output, or operational efficiency

4. Boost engagement, by designing programs that learners and leaders see as relevant and impactful

5. Scale transformation, turning learning into a catalyst for institutional change

A Framework for Credibility: From Alignment to Impact

Sullivan shared a practical, three-part framework for earning and maintaining L&D credibility in your organization’s eyes.

1. Align L&D with strategic business goals

A. Start at the top

Credibility starts by speaking the language of leadership. That means understanding the CEO or division leader’s annual priorities and framing learning as a lever for achieving them.

Instead of asking, “What training do you need?” ask, “What are you trying to accomplish, and how can learning help get you there?”

B. Translate strategy into business outcomes

Once priorities are clear, map your learning programs to key business outcomes such as:

• Revenue growth
• Operational efficiency
• Product or service quality
• Customer satisfaction

Even if full analytics aren’t immediately available, don’t let that stall the conversation. Use proxy measures like a simple low, medium, high perceived impact scale to start quantifying alignment and building the case for deeper measurement.

C. Track the right metrics

Use established models like Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels or Jim Kirkpatrick’s "learning impact mountain" to connect learning inputs to business results. Focus on meaningful KPIs and indicators that executives care about: performance improvements, cost savings, quality gains.

D. Communicate in business terms

The impact of L&D doesn’t speak for itself. You have to make it heard through routine reporting on how learning programs support business goals using language tailored to executive audiences. Avoid learning jargon. Instead, frame your impact in terms of business value.

2. Demonstrate measurable impact

This is where credibility becomes concrete. Sullivan’s “cheat code” includes three tools:

A. Metrics That Matter (MTM)

MTM helps businesses accurately analyze and report on data that shows how learning contributes to performance, productivity, and organizational goals. Sullivan shared how, at Dell, he used MTM to manage more than 3,000 learning sessions each quarter for over 170,000 employees, as a one-person team.

As Sullivan noted, “No other platform matches MTM’s combination of tools, support, and benchmarking. It scaled my impact beyond what I thought possible.”

B. The 6Ds framework

Based on The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning, this framework offers a comprehensive, practical approach for designing and delivering learning programs that drive real business outcomes.

C. Talent Development Reporting Principles (TDRP)

A business-oriented reporting model that helps L&D present its outcomes in a format familiar to executives, similar to GAAP-style financial scorecards. This framework translates learning metrics into business language, making it easier to communicate value and gain executive trust.

3. Foster strong stakeholder relationships

If data proves the value of Learning & Development, relationships amplify it. Trust, when intentionally built across the organization, is what transforms L&D from a service provider into a strategic partner.

In fact, some of the most significant credibility gains come not from dashboards, but from the voices of key stakeholders. Examples include:

• Executives Want to see business alignment. Speak in their terms, show measurable outcomes, and tie learning directly to strategic goals.
• Department heads Value operational impact. Build trust by embedding senior L&D staff as strategic partners who align learning with department objectives.
• Managers
  Often hold the most influence. Their feedback carries weight with leadership, especially when data is limited. Try to engage them through focused, time-efficient channels.
• Learners
  Need to feel heard. Respect their time, apply user-centric design, and close the loop by showing how their input leads to real improvements.

Sustaining L&D credibility over time

Ryan Sullivan emphasized that earning credibility is a milestone. However, keeping it requires ongoing discipline, transparency, and innovation.

According to Sullivan, the key to lasting credibility lies in these very practices:

1. Continuous improvement

Regularly evaluate the performance of your learning programs. Credibility requires the discipline to recognize when initiatives aren’t delivering value, even if significant time and resources have been invested. Tools like MTM’s portfolio model can help you prioritize efforts and focus on what truly drives impact.

2. Adapt to evolving needs

The learning landscape is constantly changing. Stay ahead of emerging trends, including AI integration, hybrid work environments, and shifting skill demands. Proactively identify potential challenges and propose solutions before they escalate into critical issues.

3. Transparency builds trust

Openly share both successes and setbacks. Ryan Sullivan recalls launching a program that received a tough outcome of a -70% Net Promoter Score. Rather than conceal it, his team acknowledged the problem, thoroughly investigated it, and committed to improvement. Providing stakeholders with real-time access to dashboards, reports, and updates fosters trust and accountability.

4. Collaborative innovation

Engage stakeholders across the organization to co-create learning solutions that meet evolving needs. Leveraging cross-functional expertise results in programs that are more relevant, effective, and embraced throughout the business.

A Final reflection: A 90-day plan for credible impact

Ryan Sullivan lays out a straightforward three-step assignment for L&D leaders aiming to elevate their function’s credibility within the next 90 days:

A. Assess your current credibility

Reflect on how easily you secure funding and whether your initiatives align with executive priorities.

B. Align a learning initiative to a strategic business goal

Choose one project that directly supports a key objective such as revenue growth, cost reduction, or operational improvement.

C. Connect with key stakeholders

Schedule a meeting with an executive, manager, or department head to discuss how L&D can drive performance and commit to building at least one new relationship.

Executing this assignment is where real credibility begins, but sustaining it requires the ability to measure what matters most. As Sullivan puts it, “No other tool matches MTM’s ability to scale learning measurement, connect it to business outcomes, and make the data speak executive language.”