In our webinar Mindset Shift, Scalable Impact, Meredith Clark from Easygenerator and I unpacked how L&D leads can shift from centralised learning stewards to enablers of scalable, sustainable learning - without losing coherence, consistency or oversight. This piece pulls out the high‑impact themes.
Why we still default to centralised learning
Let’s be honest: part of it is legacy. Historically, L&D teams were the “shopkeepers”: owning content, curation, approval. But in recent years our role has shifted to curators, campaigners, capability builders. Meanwhile, the demands have exploded: AI literacy, upskilling, changing regulations, compliance, future skills. The central team just can’t keep up alone.
So decentralisation isn’t optional; it’s a shift we need in order to deliver learning at speed and scale.
Also: most SMEs aren’t trained in learning design. So, unless we shift mindset and structure, things can get messy fast.
Why decentralisation benefits everyone
One of the themes in the webinar that really resonated: decentralisation isn’t just a way to scale L&D. It also creates real value for learners, for contributors, and for the business itself.
Learner / employee motivation & retention
Data shows that people increasingly choose employers that invest in their learning and development. If your organisation empowers its people to teach, influence, and share knowledge, that becomes a powerful differentiator.
Deeper learning through teaching
When SMEs convert their tacit knowledge into structured content, they consolidate their understanding, gain new perspectives, and see others benefit. That’s more memorable for them and richer for the learner audience.
Preserving intellectual capital & context
Think about when someone leaves. If knowledge lives only in their head, you lose it. If they’ve shared and structured it in learning modules, you retain context-rich, high-value content. Decentralisation helps capture “how we really do things” not just “what we say we do.”
Decentralisation can be framed not as a loss of control, but as a reinvestment: in people, in knowledge, and in culture.
Three mindset shifts that make decentralisation possible
From total control to collaboration
Letting go of every approval doesn’t mean chaos. It means building systems and boundaries people can operate within safely. Strategy over micromanagement.
Be gardener, not gatekeeper
Your role becomes designing the environment: soil, sun, watering schedule. Others grow the content. You prune, guide, nourish - not micromanage.
Guardrails beat approvals
Approvals are bottlenecks. Guardrails (templates, tone guides, light checklists) set boundaries. They preserve consistency without undue friction.
What’s working in practice?
These moves surfaced strongly in the discussion and in our own experience.
Templates + tone‑of‑voice guides
Scaffolding helps SMEs overcome blank-page paralysis. Build modular, chunked templates that guide without constraining creativity, to retain cohesion across content.
Review loops
Move from a “send to L&D and wait” model to iterative peer review. Form small content guilds or review buddies. Let your role be audit & spot checks - not micro‑approver of every slide.
Experiment with early adopters & pilots
Don’t flip the whole ship at once. Choose one team or learning need, identify cheerleaders, run a pilot. Use it to learn what works, what doesn’t, what support SMEs actually need. Collect metrics: time to publish, review effort, SME sentiment, learner usage.
Co‑design with SMEs & push vendors to prove their fit
A tool is just a tool - the process, the partnership, is what matters.
Include SMEs early
- Ask them what they’re worried about, what help they really need.
- Let them trial the authoring tool before full rollout.
- See whether it fits their workflow, mindset, and constraints (time, software, tech comfort).
Push your vendors (and yourself) harder
- Don’t accept shiny demos - ask: can we grow together?
- Will this tool scale with us? Or will we outgrow it?
- Are they aligned with our vision, or just selling features?
- Can it support our guardrails, feedback loops, templates, style constraints?
Buy for fit and future potential, not just current bells and whistles.
Pitfalls to plan for, and how to respond
Even with good intentions, decentralised learning can wobble. Here's what to watch for, and what to do about it.
Inconsistent quality or brand drift
If some content starts to feel “off-brand” or disjointed, it’s a sign your guardrails aren’t clear enough. Solution: provide core style layers, example modules, and light-touch audit points to keep things on track.
SME disengagement or fallback to old habits
When authors stop engaging or revert to “just send it to L&D”, it’s usually because something’s not working - the tool, the guidance, or the support. Co-create the process with them. Ask what’s getting in their way and reduce friction wherever you can.
Review bottlenecks
If your team is still buried in content checks, it’s time to shift more review responsibility upstream. Set thresholds: what really needs L&D input, and what can run on peer review?
Tool mismatch or poor adoption
If the authoring tool doesn’t fit your people or process, adoption stalls. Always test with SMEs first. Ask vendors the tough questions: around roadmap, usability, and scalability, before you fully commit.
If you only do three things this week…
- Run a short pilot - one SME team, one use case.
- Draft 3 guardrail rules (must‑haves) and share them with SME partners for feedback.
- Meet with your vendor(s) to revisit your goals, test with SMEs, and push for roadmaps.
Decentralised learning is not about dumping control. It’s about evolving your role so L&D scales with impact. When done right, it improves learning culture, retains knowledge, fosters meaning, and frees your team for higher-order work.
