Catalysts: The Leaders Shaping the Future of Learning and Growth

Designing Skills-First Onboarding with Aaron T. Jones of Live Nation

• Jacob Ratliff

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In this episode of Catalysts, I’m joined by Aaron T. Jones, Director of Onboarding and Training. With a background in performance and a passion for people, Aaron brings a storytelling-driven approach to L&D that’s both strategic and deeply human.

We explore how his skills-first onboarding framework has led to major gains in retention and time-to-productivity—and why that success starts with consulting skills, deep curiosity, and a clear connection to the business’s bottom line. From integrating AI into learning design to empowering first-time managers, Aaron shares actionable insights for creating high-impact programs that prioritize people and performance.

Whether you’re building a team, designing onboarding, or simply trying to make learning more effective, this conversation is packed with ideas you can run with today.

Click here to connect with Aaron on Linkedin »

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Hey there and welcome to Catalysts, the leaders shaping the future of learning and growth. I'm your host, Jacob Ratliff, and this is the show where we spotlight the bold thinkers, builders, and leaders who aren't just responding to change in our industry, but are actually the ones driving it. Today's guest is Aaron Jones, who's the Director of Onboarding and Talent Development at Live Nation. And with a background in opera and a passion for performance, Aaron brings a storytelling driven lens to learning. He's a certified professional in training management whose skills first onboarding framework has driven a 26 to 28 % boost in retention and helped teams reach productivity 67 % faster than the industry average. At Live Nation, he leads a team of innovators creating immersive business-focused learning experiences that really accelerate the new hire process. So we'll be diving into the future of learning, the evolution of leadership, and really what it takes to drive meaningful change in the way that we learn and the way that we grow. So I want to go ahead and thank you, Aaron, for joining us here today. I want to start with kind of the big question, which is that when you think about the future of learning and development, what shifts do you think are going to define the next decade? Thank you, Jacob, for the very nice intro that was, I'm blushing over here. I think it is a really exciting question. It's something that we talk a lot about in the industry when we're talking shop. And I think even through this year going to a few different conferences and sitting in on several different round tables and... I hear some like common themes and threads around where we're going and how L &D is going to be a really critical part of it all. I mean, obviously AI is playing such a big part in how organizations are becoming more efficient and driving innovation and really encouraging creativity. But I also think it's... L &D partners will be critical for helping to drive that change. I think that's what we do so well, which is help organizations manage change from the front end through that messy middle part, all the way through like optimizing whatever those new processes or whatever that change looks like. So I definitely think the more we get our hands into AI, the more we're talking about it, the more we're getting ahead of it. I think we're uncovering how it really opens up the doors to create more individualistic experiences for people. I think we're less limited to, you know, teams, tiny L &D teams, which we typically are very small, lean and mighty, but a small team focused on building three really high touch programs within a year or four and really opening the opportunity to create more and less amount of time, especially with the amount of resources that we have at our disposal typically. I definitely think opening up the path to create more specific and intentional programming using the resources that we have and just being able to create more and less less amount of time. So I think that's definitely one way that we're I'm seeing things move forward. I also think the way that we're mapping out progression of skill over periods of time is becoming a lot easier using AI and we're getting more intentional about what growth looks like. Just because AI helps us spark ideas, helps us as L &D leaders to think more creatively and innovatively. So I think some of the ideas that are being brought to the table are sometimes maybe more fruitful because it's... it's just another way that we can think through some of these ideas and what the potential outcome or success will be from them. So definitely seeing that there. But in the same vein, I still think that with AI being integrated into a lot of the learning that's being developed at organizations now, I still think some of the tried and true methods will become even more accessible for folks like cohort learning and really leaning into group experiences and maybe more self-led, peer-led opportunities where we can really empower team members to lead and step into these almost like moderator roles and some of these sessions and giving folks the chance to really champion the learning and training opportunities that we have. I really feel like AI is going to take us to the next level in terms of efficiency, maybe creativity, but also allow us to leverage the resources and the methods that we already have and just optimize them. So I think, you know, we work hand in hand and partnership one really can exist without the other. So, but those are some of the things that I'm, that I'm seeing that I'm excited about. Yeah, absolutely. With all the new technology, know, AI, virtual reality, everything, there's obviously so much opportunity. But what you're saying that I'm really loving is that that doesn't mean we need to totally abandon all the things we've been doing that actually have been proven to be effective. There's a little bit more of an integration happening rather than kind of say an entire move away from instructor led training. for example, or small group cohorts. Yeah, something interesting that I'm seeing with even like the kind of like the instructor led, I'm seeing them almost like metamorph into these really interesting, like application based experiences where folks, I don't know, for example, maybe they're working on how to, how to write professional emails. You know, I've seen, I've seen tools and resources where. you know, somebody on the back end, whether or not that's somebody on an L and D team or some program manager, for example, building out those experiences and then really like letting groups of people go and do them. But the way that the AI tool is able to help guide that experience, it just really caters to how people are used to consuming information now and how they're used to navigating and working through resources, especially with technology and the way we're using our phones and our computers. And so I think it almost connects the dots in a more relevant way than sometimes it can if you're sitting in like a lecture-based class or something instructor-led where somebody's sharing knowledge or, you know, then you're kind of going... you're going back to the workbook and like writing in your answers, very, it mimics what our experience was in school. And something that's also interesting to me is not everybody has a positive experience with that and not everybody enjoys, not everybody had a great experience in school. Some people it's actually very like triggering for them and they don't like those scenarios. And you know, some people have really bad test anxiety and people. You know, they don't really enjoy that style, but I feel like a lot of people, they resonate with being in a kind of group setting where you're working through things on your own, but like it's in a method that works for you. So I feel like that's also a big pro to those sorts of tools is it really drives. like satisfaction and engagement and people are more apt to actually engage with that curriculum. So I think that's also a really big pro. It's funny that you mentioned writing as an example. One of the programs I do a lot is a business writing program, often in large banks. two thirds of that program is actual practice application. And we've not really done a whole lot with implementing AI into that program. But when you start to think about the different possibilities of how we could take that two thirds block of time and really, really turbocharge it, the possibilities are endless. And, you know, it all kind of circles back to this skills-based approach. you know, I mentioned a few minutes ago that, you know, your skills-first onboarding approach, you know, has radically, radically improved retention and productivity. I'm wondering if you could tell us a little bit more about kind of what that looks like from a high level. Yeah, so I definitely feel like it's contributed. I work on a team of really incredibly talented and smart people, so don't want to take all the credit, but it definitely, it's contributed for sure. I think kind of going back to what we're talking about with capability of AI and some, some pros to, to leaning into it a bit more, but even without it, I still very much strive to create individualistic experiences that are applicable for the person going through the program. I don't love For role specific training and onboarding, I don't love blanket programming. Not to say that it's not important or necessary in some capacity. I feel like especially if you work in a large organization like Live Nation, it's important. But something that really helped me is, is really getting in and kind of exploring the landscape whenever I started within this team that I'm working in and really understanding what the problems were, what the needs were, but most importantly, what they were doing on a day-to-day basis and what actually was driving success in their role, what the gaps were and what the pain points were. So just doing like a general needs assessment and understand like diagnostics. And from there, AI, I definitely have leaned into it a bit to help map out what progression of skill looks like once you kind of really understand what those tasks are. I refer to tasks as skills. It's something that... has kind of changed the way that we think about tasks and the things that people don't necessarily feel like are very important. How can we really add some weight to it and really see what a progression of that skill looks like, even if it's something as simple as, know, submitting an invoice, for example. How can you do that really, really, really well? And there are ways. And I think once you really get into it on a detailed basis, you're working with leaders and most importantly, the team and really trying to understand what they do on a day-to-day basis and then mapping out what that progression of skill looks like, building that infrastructure, really creating a system that makes sense, that's easily explainable. You can elevator pitch it. This is why this team exists. This is what they do. This is why they're important to the bottom line. This is how your role fits into that. You can really start to build out very impactful experiences, especially for new hires. And the goal is to connect them to that bottom line as fast as possible. They understand why their contribution is so important. That way they're showing up, submitting those invoices with as much integrity and detail as possible. And I had found that that's been very effective. I know that's at a very high level, but that's been my approach at a bird's eye view. And what you're talking about sounds like, in its purest sense, consulting skills that you're using kind of AI to help augment in some capacities. That's something that, you know, when we're an internal L &D practitioner developing solutions for our own organization, it's easy to forget the consulting piece because, you know, consultants are outside, you know, people, right? And not really. really showing up as kind of a strategic business partner to the business units that you're serving. Would you say that's a fair kind of assessment? yeah, absolutely. I call us, my team, consultants. We're here to, our teams that we work with and business units that we serve are our clients. And I definitely take that approach for sure. Yeah. And so over your career, I'm curious to learn a little bit more about how has your own leadership evolved alongside your LND experience. my gosh, I feel blessed and lucky to be an L and D every day. I feel like I wouldn't be as aware, self-aware of a human being. If I wasn't in this profession, I think we're very fortunate that this is what we get to do for a living and researching these topics and these frameworks and these different ways of thinking, really just continuously opens your mind and helps you. remove any blind spots that you might have, which is a blessing because not everybody's kind enough to make you aware of those things that you're not aware of. So I think it's a humbling journey. I didn't have a ton of leadership experience when I fell into this niche. I was working at a... international real estate brokerage and I was very, very small team. We had a VP of learning and development and then myself and we were, we were serving, you know, the 25,000 plus agents across the nation and building out programs all the way from like a new hire onboarding orientation esque experience to how do we help them build their business. I really feel like I started to develop those skills, not in a people leadership aspect, but in a, these people are trusting me to help set them up for success, especially the newer employees and the people that were really just getting started with their journey. So I always felt like it was really important to be credible and to do my due diligence, to really understand their industry and not just make. you know, assumptions or trusting that the research that I had been doing online or, you know, whatever, wherever I was finding those sources, but really getting in there and understanding again, like what the needs were, what their problems were. And I feel like that's whenever I started to develop those skills, just asking questions and those almost like coaching skills. And as I've grown and now leading a small team, it's been interesting. I do not get it right all the time. And I definitely don't get it right with the teams that I serve all the time. But I think putting people first, putting people in positions to succeed and to lift them up is always my goal. I really love the servant leadership mindset. putting others at the forefront and watching them be successful is fulfilling for me. And I think it's a big responsibility to be in that position. So it's something that I am continuously trying to strengthen and leading my own small team, helping them realize their potential and helping them see and think outside the box, be more creative, especially as younger. professionals is sometimes scary, but that's why I feel fortunate to be in the shoes that I'm in, because I can help to alleviate some of those fears that we all have as we're kind of entering our professions. you know, I feel like a lot of us probably had managers at one point or another that derailed us a bit or maybe skewed our thought patterns and how we approach situations or maybe approach solving problems or, you know, I like the idea of empowering people to solve problems on their own, knowing that unless it's going to cost the organization a lot of money, then, you know, nothing is like breakable. So. I try to translate that into everything that I do. So from like a big picture, that's how I try to lead in a L and D leader capacity. And it's interwoven into a lot of the programs that I create. My team creates big psychological safety buff. Yeah, the cycle creating a container of psychological safety in a learning program is can be one of the most it's maybe not complex, but it's it's difficult sometimes. uh Right? You know, I had a client a few months ago who, you know, they wanted an executive to come sit in on a training session and watch participants practice. We said, Ooh, let's see if we can find out a different way to, to show this executive. that what we're doing is working, because that's maybe not the best, right? Creating containers where people can fail, and that's OK. Yep. Yep. So I know you're gearing up to speak at TICE next month, which is the Training Industry Conference and Expo. So I'm curious, how important do you think it is for innovators like you in the L &D space to have some outward-facing visibility like this? Yeah, I mean, I think it depends on what your personal goals are. For me, this was never on the bingo card. I never thought that I would be sitting here even talking with you. it also comes as like a shock. I got my CPTM, the Certified Professional in Training Management certificate through... training industry, which is who hosts this event. And I got that certification because I have a instructional designer on my team and I've never led one. And I felt like it was important for me to really understand what the functions of some of these roles, how they should be operating so that I could advocate for them internally. And so again, it wasn't even really for my own benefit. It was so that I could come into that new dynamic a little bit more prepared. to support her and make sure that I was advocating for the right type of workload or just having that really good understanding. But they're doing it. was a fantastic experience. I would recommend it to any L &D professional. I really admire the people at the organization. So. when they reached out and asked me to speak on this panel, it was kind of a shock to me. But I'm excited to... talk about this topic of the future and where we're going, think mostly because I feel like in some way in my role and in these conversations that I'm having, I'm a part of shifting, removing whatever the future looks like, which is exciting. Just being a part of this collective group of thought leaders is really cool. And so for me, my goal really is just to contribute to that in some way. you know, my journey in L &D always, it's funny to me because I was never a good student. I was really bad at school. I had really bad social anxiety, so I didn't enjoy a lot of my experience in school, but I found music and that was whenever it really helped me to kind of... out of my shell and finding that community of people. And that was really what the key was for me was finding those like-minded people that enjoyed the same thing that I did. And it was like we had this deeper understanding of one another because of this thing that we liked and loved. and we had this like commonality. And so I find that to be very similar for me in the L and D space. And I always felt like a fish out of water and the corporate landscape coming from performance. So I kind of had to do that again. It's like I was in school all over again. I didn't really understand the people around me. didn't understand the lingo or, know, so it was a very humbling. experience those few years before I fell into this L &D role, that L &D role. And I was kind of scooped up by that VP of Learning and Development. Her name is Erin Campbell and I thank her every day because she put me in this path that has connected me with so many people that I admire. And I love talking and learning from people. So I think going back to your original question, like what is your goal with having these opportunities for like visibility or kind of networking yourself? I think for me, it's just to broaden the pool of people that I have the chance to learn from. I feel like it's really expedited my growth. I always try to ask questions and really learn from anybody and everybody that's around me, especially at an opportunity like going to Tice. So I know that I'll get to learn from. the people that I'm speaking on the panel with, all of the other speakers that will be there. And I learned a ton even going through the CPTM certification just from others and talking about the struggles they have in their orgs or the things that they're up against. But that's my goal. I feel like even in these kind of conversations, I'll learn something new or I'll have kind of like an aha moment. And that's my goal. But I think it's important. I think it's important to understand why you're looking or you're wanting those opportunities and then lean into what you're really good at. So for me, I'm really passionate about skills first experiences. Onboarding is kind of a passion for me right now. think I love getting to the root cause of things. And if I'm getting new hires at the beginning and I'm helping organizations set those standards and expectations, we're mitigating a lot of confusion and hopefully a lot of challenges that might come up in the future. So I love the onboarding space and thinking about it differently. so find something that you're really passionate about, find something specific and kind of lean into it, talk about it, post about it, talk about it whenever you're networking with people. And I feel like those opportunities just kind of come your way, but. Know the why, for sure. Knowing the why, absolutely. And you one of my favorite things about being an LND is the fact that there's just always opportunity to learn and grow. This has been just a comp, a trend with everyone in LND I've ever spoken with. They love learning, not just creating learning experiences and solutions, but learning in and of itself. So I really love the advice of starting with the of the why and finding what it is that you're good at and that you love. Any other advice for emerging leaders who really kind of their focus is impact driven. They want to make a big impact. Yeah, get in there and take advantage of all of the free... Roundtable opportunities you can get into those networking sessions if you want to make an impact to learn from others how they've made an impact and You know ask questions. I think that was also something in my life that I was very insecure about not knowing what questions to ask Again, I have pretty bad social anxiety or I did And asking questions was always scary for me. I didn't I was never the kid that raised their hand and asked questions I would just go home confused and not knowing. I would rather not ask and fail the test than ask, be embarrassed by the question, you know what I mean? whatever if that is if you're in a similar boat whatever you can do to kind of bridge that fear ask ask questions and from everybody not just people that are above you ask people that are Below you ask people that are in and the jobs that you were in like three or four years ago I think you can learn from anybody and everybody and I think that's where ideas spark And I think If there's a if there's a problem in your organization like this skills first onboarding situation Was created out of a need and I didn't know how to solve it. I did not know how to solve it. I came into this team that was, you know, they were struggling with retention and, you know, trying to figure out why and coming in as a new person, not having been in the dynamics and not really understanding what the historical context was or the context. That was a challenge for me. so figuring out how to get our leadership to articulate what the problems were, the team members who articulate what the problems were, really understanding what the issues were. And so it got down to some really basic questions. Like, what does it look like to do this well? Hmm, that's a good question. know, so it just really... It I had to uncover a lot and we're still uncovering stuff. So, mean that's just kind of always going to be a part of it, which is That's great and exciting. I I love The evolution and I like the diagnosing problems and figuring out how to fix it but Getting in there Really trying to understand what the root problem is not taking things at face value That is where you can make a big impact. What are the things that people are brushing over? What are the things that people don't have time to figure out? Figure it out. Because those are the things that are gonna create sustainability and that are really gonna optimize the way that people are working. And business leaders will notice because it's gonna make their lives easier. So ask questions, take advantage of all the opportunities you can, and not just networking opportunities, but there are so many free round tables that are offered all the time. Go. Offer to moderate. I moderate sessions all the time. Number one, to practice leading these discussions with leaders. Asking powerful questions. That is something that's very transferable to just being a good people leader. Being a good consultant, being a good problem solver. So put yourself in the situations that you're not ready for, quote unquote, or maybe make you feel a little bit imposter syndrome-y or uncomfortable. Put yourself in those situations, especially if they're not high stakes, and learn, and just get in there. Yeah. 20 % outside your comfort zone is a great rule of thumb and not to harp on consulting skills, but when it comes to asking questions like that, you know, one of the things that I had to overcome was realizing that like, Oh, I don't actually have to be an expert in this process that I'm helping someone improve. In fact, part of the consulting process is becoming an expert in that. It's an opportunity to learn all there is about that. So when I started developing a business writing program for corporate finance in a large bank, last corporate finance class I took for my master's program, I did awful and terrible. But then I was able to talk with these professionals, learn more about what it actually looks like in practice, not just what it looks like in a classroom. And suddenly I can talk so much more. professionally, incredibly about finance. So letting go of being the expert all the time. Yeah, and just you don't have to be the smartest person in the room. You have to be the most curious person in the room. I feel like to really, to get the most out of those experiences and even just a simple conversation, be the question asker, not the person being asked the questions. Absolutely. So one more question for you today before we wrap up, which is that for folks listening who want to follow your work or connect with you, what's the best way for them to do that? Yeah, you can follow me on LinkedIn. Aaron T. Jones is my name on LinkedIn. I don't know if I have like a unique handle or anything. uh I can throw the link to your profile right in the show notes. It'll be easy to find. follow me. respond to most if not all of my messages. People are actually shocked that I do that. You can send me an email, aaronjones at LiveNation.com. Yeah, I'd be happy to connect. I actually would love to do so. Well, Aaron, thank you so much for this conversation. Thank you for sharing your insights and a little bit about your journey. conversations like this are really why I started the podcast really to, you know, again, we're coming back to asking questions to learn more myself, because there's always, always room for that growth. So if you enjoyed this episode, make sure to hit subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next. And you. Connect with me as well on LinkedIn using the link in the show notes. And if today's conversation sparked ideas about your own presence and your own visibility, definitely reach out and chat. That's the exact kind of work I help leaders with. Thank you again for listening and I'll see you next time on Catalysts.

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