Episode 268: The Need for a Revolution in Leadership Development

Excellence at Work

The world of work has undergone massive shifts in recent decades, yet many organizations still rely on outdated leadership development approaches from the 1950s.

According to research by McKinsey, only 11% of executives strongly believe their leadership programs are successful. Similarly, estimates suggest a mere 10% of the $60 billion spent annually on leadership training generates concrete results.

These dismal numbers stem from an overreliance on skill-based training that fails to address the increasing complexity and context-driven nature of modern leadership.

As Lori Mazan, co-founder and president of Sounding Board, explains in the latest Brandon Hall Group™ Excellence at Work podcast interview with Rachel Cooke, COO and Principal HCM Analyst at Brandon Hall Group™, leadership is just as complex and can be life and death. The whole of employee development, including leader development, is built on this training model. We still constantly talk about upskilling and reskilling, and there is a need for this. But this is only the most basic.