Driving Strategic Business Value Through L&D with Dr. Keith Keating of BDO Canada

Dr. Keith Keating, Chief Learning and Development Officer of BDO Canada, joins us to share insights from his decades-long journey in L&D and his new book “Hidden Value: How to Reveal the Impact of Organizational Learning.” With a career that began unexpectedly and evolved into a lifelong calling, Keith reflects on the transformational power of learning, both personally and organizationally. He unpacks the critical shift from a knowledge economy to a value economy and urges L&D professionals to move beyond defending their worth to actively amplifying their impact. Keith also outlines the strategic mindset required to thrive in today’s fast-changing landscape, where adaptability, service orientation and storytelling are as essential as technical expertise.

Key Takeaways:

(05:06) Learning can create deep personal and professional transformation.

(08:57) The workplace is shifting from valuing knowledge to valuing outcomes.

(11:23) L&D must be positioned as a driver of organizational value.

(13:21) Strategic frameworks can help demonstrate learning’s broader business impact.

(18:41) Storytelling is a powerful way to make learning outcomes resonate.

(21:12) Every learning strategy must align with organizational context.

(30:29) Future readiness comes from adaptability and value creation.

(32:46) A mindset of service helps L&D stay relevant amid constant change.


Resources Mentioned:

BDO Canada website

“Hidden Value: How to Reveal the Impact of Organizational Learning” by Dr. Keith Keating

“The Trusted Learning Advisor” by Dr. Keith Keating

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