Will Thalheimer has once again provided us with essential wisdom. In his inimitable style, he lays out the flaws in the L&D business, peppered with the too-often neglected realities of how humans learn. This is a book that needs to be understood throughout the organization, from the CEO down to L&D.

Clark Quinn
Quinnovation.com
Research-to-Practice Consultant, Speaker, Author

Will has written a book that is passionate and pithy. He’s not taking it anymore. After a lifetime researching and reflecting on what not to do, he’s come up with a two–barrel shotgun blast that says – listen up – let’s stop mucking around and get this right. It’s a plan… no a masterplan… by a master of his craft.

Donald Clark
Author of AI for Learning and other books

The book is a most remarkable collection and an indispensable resource for not just the CEOs, but any learning professional – whether at expert or entry level. It also proves a valuable text for master’s programs offering an in-depth research-backed glimpse of all the intricacies that go into the work and decisions for training and performance support.

Elham Arabi, PhD
Researcher, Speaker, Global Learning Consultant
at Higher Ed. & Corporate

There are so many things I like about Will Thalheimer's latest book, The CEO's Guide to Training, eLearning & Work.  Will anchors learning to performance requirements, encourages collaboration between L&D and business stakeholders, and guides us to the learning sciences and away from poor practices influenced by myths and misunderstandings in learning practice.

Guy W. Wallace
President, EPPIC (retired)

(Fanboy. When people ask me about Will that's what I say.) I admired Will's work from afar for more than a decade then close up for a year. I learned something in every article, post, and conversation. This book gets to the heart of the matter: how to make learning work. Direct, research-informed, and clear… just what every leader needs. Highly recommend!

Jerry Hamburg
Performance Consultant

Will Thalheimer's book is an indispensable resource for CEOs and learning leaders who are serious about cultivating talent and driving performance in their organizations. With a laser-sharp focus on empirical evidence and practical strategies, Thalheimer demystifies the complex world of corporate learning. He goes beyond the conventional wisdom to offer a guide that is thought-provoking, evidence-informed  and actionable.  This book is a must-read for anyone committed to fostering a culture of continuous learning. It provides the tools to recognize and utilize the inherent potential of learning in organizations. Thalheimer's expertise shines throughout the pages, making it an authoritative text that will undoubtedly contribute to the future of the learning field.

Jos Arets

Will Thalheimer writes the book so many in our field need. It is aimed at CEOs and they need to read it but, really and truly, anyone in the L&D field would benefit from the ideas, concepts, and advice expertly presented by Dr. Thalheimer. Buy multiple copies of this book and share with the executive as well as the L&D leadership teams. The entire organization will be better for it. 

Dr. Karl M. Kapp
Professor of
Instructional Design and Technology
at Commonwealth University
and an expert on the convergence of
learning, technology, and business.

Will Thalheimer is one of a handful of people I turn to all the time to explain the practical and applied side of research related to our profession in L&D. What many don’t know about Will, is he also has a tremendous background as a business and leadership consultant. So, this book is a marriage of the science of learning and the “careabouts” executives should have when it comes to that science. In other words, he streamlines what execs should ask for, expect, demand, measure, and more. He gives them a prescription for learning when learning is not their day job. And even more importantly, he provides a blueprint for CLOs and learning pros when they engage those same execs. If this book doesn’t change your life… you haven’t read it!

Matt Richter
The Thiagi Group and
Learning Development Accelerator

No kidding, I’m buying copies of this for my entire team and our clients, too. Whether you’re the CEO, a senior leader, someone with a great idea for a course, or you can simply spell the acronym, this is the wake-up call that you need about the training you’re developing. Will pulls no punches.

Megan Torrance
Chief Energy Officer, Torrance Learning

Great book! Through indexed bite-sized snippets of shared wisdom and experience, CEOs will quickly learn why their organization’s training isn’t contributing the performance results their organization needs. They’ll also learn how they, in partnership with their learning team, can fix it.

Michael Allen
Chairman and CEO
Allen Interactions

An essential read for both L&D leaders and CEOs, Thalheimer's book is a crucial tool for enhancing the synergy between senior executives and L&D. It not only deepens the dialogue on elevating L&D's impact but also fosters a stronger, more aligned relationship for organizational growth.

Michelle Ockers
Organisational Learning Strategist
Learning Uncut

Will does an exceptional job of encouraging the C-suite to actively engage in the learning process while also holding learning professionals accountable to business impact. The CEO’s Guide is for all executives and learning professionals who want to increase employee engagement, develop productive teams, and show meaningful improvement at the organizational level.

Nikki Vassallo, MBA, CPTD
 Vice President Learning and Development
Workers Credit Union

After reading most of what has been written on the management, design and evaluation of training and performance improvement over the past couple of decades, I have no qualms about recommending this engaging, succinct, evidence-based, and accurate discussion as absolutely the best. Will Thalheimer not only describes what needs to happen in all organizations but clearly points out what is most often happening in training that works against the bottom line, how to get rid of the negatives and what should replace them. The book also clearly and accurately describes the myths and misconceptions that often support expensive but damaging initiatives. Problematic training initiatives exist in all large organizations and are not a popular topic, but the best outcomes most often begin by acknowledging, eliminating and/or changing programs and beliefs that are preventing success. It is rare for anyone to have Will’s broad and deep knowledge and experience in organizational management, learning and performance research, as well as expertise in training design and development. He has not only done all that but can write in a way that engages, entertains, and enlightens readers. Many of us who have invested our careers in this area look to him to answer questions and pull it all together in a useful way. Now this book provides his excellent summary of what we know that would be useful to managers at all levels. I’m often frustrated by authors who discuss needs in a general way but fail to clearly describe how to accomplish a desired program or strategy. This book excels at describing how to do what is recommended.

Richard E. Clark
Professor Emeritus, USC
Legendary Learning Researcher

Another excellent offering from Will Thalheimer who does the heavy research lifting and provides straightforward and practical guidance. Ignore at your peril.

Robert Brinkerhoff
 Professor Emeritus Western Michigan University
and Research Advisor Promote International 

You won’t like this book, which is exactly why you must read it. Will Thalheimer continues his no-nonsense, no-holds-barred style to speak truth to power: to tell business leaders what they need—but don’t necessarily want—to hear about the current effectiveness of training & development and what to do about it.

Roy V.H. Pollock, DVM, PhD
Chief Learning Officer
The 6Ds Company
Co-author, The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning

Make a short investment of your time for a big return.  Read this book.  Encourage anyone associated with workforce learning to read this book.  Then apply the wisdom packed in the short conversational chapters to maximize your organizational ROI in performance improvement.

Ruth Clark
Legendary Author
Learning Research Translator

The complex world of L&D is distilled into an essential guide for any senior leaders to digest in 'The CEO's Guide to Training, E-learning, and Work'. The book's brilliance lies in its clarity and directness, making sophisticated L&D concepts accessible and actionable. What impresses me the most is how each chapter unfolds as a revelation, challenging conventional wisdom and offering practical insights. The author's expertise shines through in the honest, relatable, and often humorous narrative, effortlessly guiding leaders through the fundamentals of learning and performance support practices and the nuanced world of evaluation and research. This isn't just a book; it's a roadmap for CEOs and learning professionals alike, empowering them to unlock the full potential of their teams and make learning a pivotal aspect of their success. An indispensable guide in the ever-changing era of workforce development and organizational learning.

Stella Lee, Paradox Learning Inc.