(Yes – You read that right)
For as long as I’ve been in learning and development, there’s been a mantra echoing through the profession:
“Don’t be an order taker.”
The implication? If you accept a manager’s request for training without challenging them at every step, you’re failing at your job. Never take anything at face value.
That attitude has always made me bristle. Here’s why…
Most of the people I work with in L&D—whether in-house managers or freelance consultants—have already done the business consulting. They’ve spoken with key stakeholders, got the empirical evidence, analysed the data, weighed up the options, and decided on the best course of action. They don’t need me to take them back to square one and question whether the problem is “really” a training problem. They need someone who can roll up their sleeves and make it happen – a training design partner.
Insisting on doing all that for myself wastes time, adds costs and far, far worse, implies that I don’t trust them to have done their job properly.
And if that makes me an “order taker”? Fine by me. Because business improvement doesn’t come from endless analysis—it comes from solutions being implemented.
The Role of L&D: Different Levels, Different Jobs
L&D is essentially a function that “empowers employees’ growth and develops their knowledge, skills, and capabilities to drive business performance.” But the way we do that depends on the level we’re working at.
Think of it like marketing. The Head of Marketing doesn’t write copy for every campaign. They set the strategy, define the brand direction, and align with business goals. Meanwhile, the copywriter, designer, or social media manager make the plan real.
It’s the same in L&D.
- If you’re the Group L&D Director, you should be working strategically; studying metrics, looking at the five-year plan, and aligning with stakeholders.
- But most people in L&D aren’t in that role. They’re practitioners: trainers, coaches, designers, facilitators, administrators, consultants. Their job is to bring the strategy to life.
And that’s valuable. Because let’s be honest—if every L&D professional stopped to re-analyse every request, nothing would ever get delivered.
Something done imperfectly will always have more impact than a “perfect” idea that never leaves the page.
Where I Come In
When I work with senior L&D managers or freelance consultants, I see my role as helping them deliver the solution they’ve already carefully chosen.
They’ve done the analysis. They know what the business needs. They’ve already had the conversations with stakeholders, and they’ve decided on the approach. My job is to help them to deliver that solution; sharing the load, making it easier, speeding things up.
When I support them with design, of course I ask questions along the way:
- What’s the culture we’re designing for?
- What will good look like in your context?
- What has been done in the past?
- How will success be measured?
Not to challenge the decision itself, but make sure what I create for them will match their expectations and work and to see where and how I can add extra value.
It totally leans in to my ‘Strategist/Implementer’ tendencies as defined by the GC Index which we looked at in this month Lunch n Learn Session. It’s where my energy leads to the biggest impact.
So yes—sometimes I am an order taker. But I’d argue that’s often precisely what’s needed to get the job done.
How to Be an “Order Taker” Who Adds Real Value
Being an implementer doesn’t mean being passive. It means using your expertise to make sure the solution you’ve been asked to deliver is as effective, engaging, and relevant as possible.
Here are 12 ways to do that well:
- Be clear about deliverables
Identify exactly what you’re expected to produce to support the solution, or you could end up massively over (or under-delivering). Download my 21 questions to ask when taking a design brief to help you. - Know the roles people play
Multiple people will have opinions and want to get involved. If you don’t have a clear process and chain of command, things will quickly become messy and frustrating for all concerned. Make sure you know what role each stakeholder plays in the project. - Understand the context and culture
Dig into the specifics: where exactly do people need to make a change, and what does “good” look like? A time management workshop for managers juggling meetings in a financial services firm is different from one for retail managers working in a branch. - Align content with outcomes
Even if you don’t personally love the defined goal, respect it. Keep your content tied to the outcomes, not your favourite model or the latest trend. Resist the urge to stray from the agreed plan without getting permission. - Know your audience
What’s their starting point? What motivates them? What frustrates them? Sometimes a low-tech, in-person workshop with flipcharts works better than the slickest digital solution. - Use your expertise
Practitioners tend to know what works and what doesn’t. It’s what allows you to pick the right models, select the best exercise, use the right story. Be creative within your boundaries. - Use what exists
Don’t reinvent the wheel if you can avoid it. Make sure that you refer to and repurpose existing modules, policies and how-to guides. It helps learning to feel joined up AND directly linked to the business. - Stay up to date
Senior leaders decide what people need to do and why. It’s up to us to decide how it’s best for them to learn those things. Being familiar with current methods, tools, and formats means you can suggest the best blend, and still be innovative within your role. - Be decisive
Great design isn’t about cramming in everything you know. It’s about ruthless editing—choosing what to include and what to leave out so the training stays focused. - Be brave in conversations
Tactfully challenge requests that won’t work. If a stakeholder insists on a two-hour session to cover a day’s worth of material, or wants to just provide information when practice and role-play would be more effective, explain why. - Manage expectations
Stay disciplined with time, budget, and scope. Part of the practitioner’s role is protecting delivery so it doesn’t spiral out of control. Keep your stakeholders updated and tactfully explain the consequences of changing requirements. - Balance detail and big picture
You’re the one who makes sure the videos play, the workshops flows, handouts make sense, the tech works, and the timings add up. But you also need to keep sight of the overall goal to avoid scope creep. It’s easy to get so into the detail of the training that we might forget the purpose of it.
Why This Matters
Not everyone in L&D needs to be a strategist, a pioneer, or a thought leader. If everyone is drawing maps, who’s actually laying the roads?
Most of the impact in L&D comes from practitioners who take a good plan and execute it well.
So don’t feel bad if you’re “taking orders.” Focus on your craft. Deliver to a high standard. And remember: the people who implement brilliantly are the ones who, over time, earn the trust to help define the vision.
👉 Download my 21 Questions to ask when taking a Design Brief to make sure you add value as an ‘order taker’
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