Podcast Summary: Integrating Executive Coaching
Into L&D Strategy with Nicole Poole-McGill of Digitas
Nicole Poole-McGill, the Senior Vice President of Talent Development at Digitas North America, wears many hats: corporate leader, executive coach, and founder of her own coaching practice. She’s been in L&D for over 20 years and still refers to herself as a student of the field. Her passion for helping people grow shines through whether she’s designing training at Digitas or coaching clients one-on-one.
At Digitas, Nicole oversees a three-pronged approach to talent development: coaching, consulting, and curriculum. Her team partners closely with business units to build custom learning solutions, while also offering coaching for individuals who want more personalized development. Coaching provides an outlet for what she calls her “geeked-out passion” for helping people unlock their authentic selves.
The Evolution of Learning: Microlearning and the Rise of Coaching
When reflecting on how learning and development has changed over the past couple decades, Nicole points to two major shifts: microlearning and coaching.
Gone are the days of full-day, eight-hour workshops. Today’s learners want fast, focused, and relevant learning experiences. Microlearning fits that need. It’s shorter, more targeted, and often easier to apply on the job. “It saves time, it meets people where they are, and it delivers the skills they actually need,” Nicole explains.
The second major change? The explosion of coaching across industries. At Digitas, Nicole specializes in executive coaching, career management, and presence & delivery coaching. She believes coaching offers a powerful opportunity to help people explore challenges, work through imposter syndrome, and build stronger personal brands.
She’s quick to note, however, that coaching isn’t mentoring or therapy. Mentoring tends to involve advice and guidance from someone with experience, while coaching is more about asking powerful questions and helping individuals arrive at their own solutions. Therapy, on the other hand, often focuses on how the past affects the present, whereas coaching is rooted in the present and geared toward shaping the future.
The Future of L&D: AI, Coaching Niches, and Human Connection
Looking ahead, Nicole sees artificial intelligence continuing to disrupt and enhance L&D. Tools that generate training manuals, create learning decks, or even simulate coaching conversations are becoming more prevalent. While she sees the value in AI for saving time and boosting productivity, she’s also cautious.
“What’s missing is the human touch,” she says. “Learning is about relationships, understanding the audience, and tailoring the experience. AI can support that, but it can’t replace it.”
Within organizations, Nicole sees coaching as a critical complement to traditional learning programs. For example, coaching can be paired with a leadership development curriculum to give new managers tailored support as they transition into their roles. She also recommends offering “coaching office hours” where employees at any level can sign up for sessions based on their individual needs.
Books and Wisdom: The Power of Letting Go
When asked what she’s reading, Nicole recommends The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins—a book that challenges readers to stop trying to control everything and simply let people be who they are. “It’s freeing,” she says. “Professionally and personally, when we release the need to control others, we create more space to be our authentic selves.”
And if she had a magic wand to change one thing in L&D? It wouldn’t be the field itself, it would be how businesses value it. Too often, learning is viewed as a nice-to-have rather than a business imperative. Nicole wants to see organizations recognize that investing in people isn’t just a “soft” strategy, it’s how you grow the business.
Final Thoughts
Nicole Poole-McGill brings heart, strategy, and wisdom to the L&D space. Whether she’s coaching one-on-one or leading development at scale, her core belief never wavers. Support people, serve authentically, and trust that growth will follow. As L&D continues to evolve, Nicole’s blend of practical tools and people-first philosophy is exactly the kind of leadership the field needs.
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