Become Your Organization’s

Strategic Business Partner

When I moved my own team to work as strategic business partners, I stepped back and wondered, “Why doesn’t everyone work this way?

It was time to find out. After interviews with dozens of L&D leaders, I combined our stories and experiences to create the handbook I never had when making this shift with my own team.

This book is your guide, full of stories, tips, activities, and practical actions to take your leadership and your team to the next level. To start working in lock-step with the business as a Strategic Business Partner

I wrote this to be the handbook I never had

Praise for Order Taker No More!

  • Jess has a deep understanding of the state of L&D and a compelling vision for where we need to go. Her no-nonsense strategy is grounded in real stories. Follow the advice on these pages and take your department to the partnership level.

    Rance Greene, Founder, School of Story Design

  • This book couldn’t be more timely. The L&D role is evolving rapidly, and Jess captures one of the most crucial transitions we’re facing with authenticity and clarity. Every L&D professional should see this as a guide to the future—one where simply taking orders is no longer enough, and becoming a true business partner is essential for our role’s survival.

    Lavinia Mehedintu, Co-Founder and Learning Architect, Offbeat

  • Jess Almlie constantly challenges L&D professionals to focus on producing real business results. This book provides a clear road map for learning leaders who feel stuck in an ‘order taker’ role.

    Christopher Adams, PhD, Principal Consultant, Performance Change Strategies

  • This book is a practical guide for L&D professionals striving to do more, help more, and provide greater value to the people they support. It will empower you to break free from legacy practices, change the way people think about L&D, and become an integral partner within your business.

    JD Dillon, CLO, Axonify; Founder, LearnGeek

  • L&D Order Taker No More! is an empowering guide for L&D professionals who want to elevate their role from service providers to strategic business partners. Jess offers practical insights and tools that complement the work of building a strong, capable L&D team poised to drive business impact. This book is a must-read for those ready to shift perspectives and deliver real value.

    Robyn A. Defelice, PhD, Learning Intrapreneur and Strategist, RADLearning

  • Like an MBA program tailored specifically for L&D professionals, this book delivers practical frameworks that help you prioritize initiatives and manage limited resources. It’s the only book I’ve encountered offering a playbook for both becoming a strategic business partner and also building strong relationships with other strategic partners in your organization.

    Alaina Szlachta, PhD, Measurement Architect, By Design Development Solutions

Order Taker No More!
Chapter Outline

  • 1, How We Got Here
    2. Why We Stay Stuck
    3. What a Strategic Business Partner Looks Like

  • 4. Understand the Business First
    5. Build your Internal and External L&D Playbooks
    6. Determine Your Key Stakeholders

  • 7. Partner With Your Key Stakeholders
    8. Create Your Learning Strategy
    9. Master the Strategic Yes and No
    10. Measure to Make Decisions
    11. Develop a Team of SBPs
    12. Find the Opportunity in Every Orde