ATD Blog
The Three Groups Desperate for Leadership Training
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Whether your focus is aligning leaders across departments, equipping new managers, or driving performance in key teams, targeted leadership development can transform results.
Whether your focus is aligning leaders across departments, equipping new managers, or driving performance in key teams, targeted leadership development can transform results.
Fri Mar 07 2025
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When Jon took over leadership of 20,000 employees, his priority was integrating multiple cultures post-acquisition while driving performance. Rodney, on the other hand, needed to solve a critical supply chain issue, ensuring Children’s Tylenol reached store shelves amid shortages. Meanwhile, Joan was tasked with expanding behavioral health coverage by mobilizing 3,000 nurses to meet rising patient demands.
When Jon took over leadership of 20,000 employees, his priority was integrating multiple cultures post-acquisition while driving performance. Rodney, on the other hand, needed to solve a critical supply chain issue, ensuring Children’s Tylenol reached store shelves amid shortages. Meanwhile, Joan was tasked with expanding behavioral health coverage by mobilizing 3,000 nurses to meet rising patient demands.
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Despite their diverse challenges, Jon, Rodney, and Joan all took the same approach: investing in leadership development. They recognized that equipping managers with the right skills was key to achieving performance goals.
Despite their diverse challenges, Jon, Rodney, and Joan all took the same approach: investing in leadership development. They recognized that equipping managers with the right skills was key to achieving performance goals.
The Newest Research
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The newest data from a massive, year-long survey involving more than 1,000 executives, managers, and learning and development (L&D) team members reveals a common theme of where organizations have the greatest need for training. The industry or location of an organization doesn’t matter. All point to the same three groups inside their companies that need the most development. Let’s look at those three groups and what the research uncovered.
The newest data from a massive, year-long survey involving more than 1,000 executives, managers, and learning and development (L&D) team members reveals a common theme of where organizations have the greatest need for training. The industry or location of an organization doesn’t matter. All point to the same three groups inside their companies that need the most development. Let’s look at those three groups and what the research uncovered.
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Group 1: All People Leaders
Group 1: All People Leaders
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“We need help at every level,” Wendy, a retail training leader, explained. Her organization struggled with a fragmented leadership development approach. The survey, conducted by Lone Rock Leadership and the faculty of Lead In 30, found that 31 percent of respondents identified training all people leaders as their top priority.
“We need help at every level,” Wendy, a retail training leader, explained. Her organization struggled with a fragmented leadership development approach. The survey, conducted by Lone Rock Leadership and the faculty of Lead In 30, found that 31 percent of respondents identified training all people leaders as their top priority.
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The Challenge: Companies lacking leadership training for all managers often suffer from misaligned priorities, inconsistent communication, and poor cross-functional collaboration.
The Challenge: Companies lacking leadership training for all managers often suffer from misaligned priorities, inconsistent communication, and poor cross-functional collaboration.
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The Solution: L3Harris needed to train more than 2,000 managers across multiple continents without disrupting operations. Jon implemented a scalable program that created clarity, alignment, and movement within 90 days. “We weren’t sure we could reach all our managers and create that kind of impact. It was remarkably effective,” he noted.
The Solution: L3Harris needed to train more than 2,000 managers across multiple continents without disrupting operations. Jon implemented a scalable program that created clarity, alignment, and movement within 90 days. “We weren’t sure we could reach all our managers and create that kind of impact. It was remarkably effective,” he noted.
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Group 2: New Managers
Group 2: New Managers
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Twenty-one percent of respondents prioritized training for new managers. “They feel overwhelmed,” said Lisa, who oversees leadership development at a national restaurant chain. While her company provided content on trust and communication, they lacked a structured approach to helping new managers succeed.
Twenty-one percent of respondents prioritized training for new managers. “They feel overwhelmed,” said Lisa, who oversees leadership development at a national restaurant chain. While her company provided content on trust and communication, they lacked a structured approach to helping new managers succeed.
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The Challenge: Organizations need simple, clear training that helps new managers shift from individual contributors to effective leaders who drive results.
The Challenge: Organizations need simple, clear training that helps new managers shift from individual contributors to effective leaders who drive results.
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The Solution: Joan, head of Care Solutions at Cigna, ensured that all new managers were trained in establishing team key results (TKRs) before receiving any other leadership development. By focusing on shared priorities and measurable outcomes first, she laid a foundation for success.
The Solution: Joan, head of Care Solutions at Cigna, ensured that all new managers were trained in establishing team key results (TKRs) before receiving any other leadership development. By focusing on shared priorities and measurable outcomes first, she laid a foundation for success.
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Group 3: High-Performing Teams
Group 3: High-Performing Teams
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Nineteen percent of respondents highlighted the need to develop managers responsible for performance-critical teams. Brittany, a corporate training leader, shared that her company struggled with low engagement in certain departments, while Michael, chief people officer at a pharmaceutical firm, needed to set a new product innovation team up for success.
Nineteen percent of respondents highlighted the need to develop managers responsible for performance-critical teams. Brittany, a corporate training leader, shared that her company struggled with low engagement in certain departments, while Michael, chief people officer at a pharmaceutical firm, needed to set a new product innovation team up for success.
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The Challenge: Rodney, who led the delivery team at Kenvue during the pandemic, faced supply chain disruptions that prevented essential products from reaching retailers. Parents of sick children didn’t care about logistics—they just wanted medicine on store shelves.
The Challenge: Rodney, who led the delivery team at Kenvue during the pandemic, faced supply chain disruptions that prevented essential products from reaching retailers. Parents of sick children didn’t care about logistics—they just wanted medicine on store shelves.
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The Solution: Rodney focused leadership training on his managers and directors, implementing a 30-day cohort training program designed to drive immediate performance improvements. “Not only did we solve the supply chain issues, but we also had the highest engagement scores in the entire corporation,” Rodney said. “When other executives ask how we did it, I tell them it was that leadership training experience.”
The Solution: Rodney focused leadership training on his managers and directors, implementing a 30-day cohort training program designed to drive immediate performance improvements. “Not only did we solve the supply chain issues, but we also had the highest engagement scores in the entire corporation,” Rodney said. “When other executives ask how we did it, I tell them it was that leadership training experience.”
Where’s Your Greatest Need?
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Every organization faces unique challenges, but the need for leadership training is universal. Whether your focus is aligning leaders across departments, equipping new managers, or driving performance in key teams, targeted leadership development can transform results.
Every organization faces unique challenges, but the need for leadership training is universal. Whether your focus is aligning leaders across departments, equipping new managers, or driving performance in key teams, targeted leadership development can transform results.
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The experiences of L3Harris, Cigna, and Kenvue demonstrate that leadership training goes beyond soft skills—it develops leaders who deliver measurable outcomes. The research highlights three priority groups that require investment now.
The experiences of L3Harris, Cigna, and Kenvue demonstrate that leadership training goes beyond soft skills—it develops leaders who deliver measurable outcomes. The research highlights three priority groups that require investment now.
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Where does your organization need leadership training the most?
Where does your organization need leadership training the most?