In this episode of Catalysts, I’m joined by Cole Bastion, Senior Director of Learning and Culture at HOA Brands, where he's helped reduce management turnover by 10% and transformed L&D into a powerful driver of enterprise-wide change.
We dive deep into how Cole positions his team not as order-takers—but as change makers.
Key topics we cover:
- Why L&D must become the “epicenter of transformation” in the org
- The risks of staying in the traditional training lane
- How Cole earned the trust to facilitate annual strategy sessions with the executive team
- His process for evaluating new tech (and avoiding shiny object syndrome)
- Why visibility matters—and what it’s opened up for him as a leader
Cole’s story is packed with insight on what it really takes to lead learning with purpose, partnership, and influence.
🔗 Connect with Cole on LinkedIn: Cole Bastion, MSIOP
🎧 Listen now and subscribe to Catalysts: The Leaders Shaping the Future of Learning and Growth.
Connect & Learn More
- Connect on with me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-ratliff
- Position Yourself as a Thought Leader in Your Industry: executivebrandbuilder.com
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