The ROI of

Leadership
Development
Gail Doerr A Publication of

Leadership and PQi Practice Lead

 About

AchieveUnite Inc.
Delivering Next-Level Partnering Success
At AchieveUnite, we’re on a bold mission to empower organizations to excel through the power of trust
and dynamic partnerships. Our team is comprised of experts with extensive executive leadership
experience in partnering, sales, channel leadership, and coaching.

With deep experience across the channel and partner ecosystem, we are ready to help uplevel your
program and your team’s acumen. From strategic planning to flawless execution, at AchieveUnite, we’re
not just advisors or educators – we’re your dedicated catalysts for success.

Our Mission
To propel leadership in partnering as a strategic advantage for individuals and companies through
progressive, innovative people development, advisory services, and growth catalyst programs.

Our Vision
To empower individuals and companies to generate maximum joint value through the lifetime of all
partnerships.

STAY CONNECTED

©2024 AchieveUnite Inc | All Rights Reserved 2

Table Of
Contents #4. Introduction

#5. Confident Leaders Drive

Sales Revenue

#6. Satisfied Leaders Stay

#7. Engaged Leaders Drive

Productivity

#8. Prepared Leaders Enable

Succession Planning

#9. Developed Leaders Are

Change Catalysts

#10. Leadership Development

is a Profit Multiplier

#11. Testimonials

#13. Summary

#14. Contact Us

3
INTRODUCTION

ROI of Leadership
Development
There is tremendous ROI when developing your leaders, and it can be measured both qualitatively
and quantitatively. We just need to look at it a bit differently than other key performance indicators.

At AchieveUnite, Inc., we have some of the most progressive leadership development programs in
the nation. Our graduates are high contributors to their organizations, advance in their careers
with speed and grace, and are prepared to navigate and thrive in times of change and complexity.

Yet, those of us who study and teach leadership development are often asked by potential clients,
“What kind of real Return on Investment (ROI) can I expect from leadership development?”
Countless qualitative studies have demonstrated the benefits of these programs and the ripple
effect across the organization. In a data-driven world, and especially in the high-tech industry, it is
also important to be able to calculate and report on the ROI of these initiatives.

That’s why we were excited to see a recently published study by New Level Work. They found that
every dollar spent on leadership development results in an ROI ranging from $3 to $11, or
an average ROI of $7. Multiply that by hundreds or thousands of workers in your organization,
and it’s obvious that this is a highly cost-effective strategy for growth.

Other cost savings from leadership development

Among the most tangible benefits are seen in higher employee engagement and
of leadership development are: the ability to lead teams through the constant
change and complexity in our workplaces and in
1) revenue from sales the world with greater confidence and
2) savings from retention competence.
3) savings because of promotion
from within Let’s dive into each of these benefits with some
statistics and the rationale behind them.

©2024 AchieveUnite Inc | All Rights Reserved 4

 Confident Leaders Drive
Sales Revenue
The New Level Work study found that 42% of 42% observed an increase
respondents observed an increase in revenue
attributed to sales as a direct result of leadership
in revenue thanks to
development programming. They also found leadership development
that 47% of those who observed an increase in programming
revenue attributed to sales, credited higher-
performing managers and/or their direct reports –New Level Work Study
for the uptick.

How does this happen?

In our experience at AchieveUnite, Inc.,
participants in our leadership development
programs experience a mindset shift from
individual contributors to strategic leaders.
In our programs, they learn evidence-based
strategies, tools, and tactics that enable them to
build greater trust and experience a higher level
of confidence. In practical application, they can
develop deeper and more meaningful
relationships with their partners and customers.
The results of this shift in mindset and behaviors
include developing a larger funnel, achieving
increased short-term sales, and establishing
more loyal, long-term partners.

47% of those who observed

an increase in revenue
attributed it to sales and
credited higher-performing
managers
-New Level Work Study

©2024 AchieveUnite Inc | All Rights Reserved 5

Satisfied Leaders Stay
The new term, “attrition anxiety” is taking hold among
93% of leaders and HR professionals and accurately describes how
organizations are they respond when we ask, “What keeps you up at night?”
concerned about In a recent survey, 86% of professional respondents said
retention. that they would change jobs if a new company offered them
(LinkedIn Workplace Learning more opportunities for professional development. (The
Report 2023) ExecuSearch Group, “The Employee Experience: 4 Ways to
Attract, Engage, & Retain Employees In Today's Competitive
Market. 2019)

When we consider retention as it applies to Millennials, this need for professional development
becomes even more compelling. People in this generation are moving into key leadership
positions in our organizations and they know that they must lead differently than their
predecessors. To do this, they actively seek - and expect - professional development that will
hone their competencies and shape their leadership behaviors to meet new behavioral demands.
Deloitte’s Millennial survey showed that more than two-thirds of the Millennials surveyed believe it
is management’s job to provide them with accelerated development opportunities in order for
them to stay. (The Millennial Survey 2014: Big Demands and High Expectations)

Gallup and the Society for Human Resource Managers (SHRM)

estimate the cost to replace an employee is between 1.5 to 4x their
annual salary. This estimate includes the recruitment process, lost
production time during their vacancy, and the cost to onboard and
upskill a new employee. Avoiding these expenses by increasing
retention becomes a huge cost savings strategy.
When you invest in your people, they are more likely to feel valued, be
satisfied, and stay with your organization. LinkedIn research revealed
that organizations that offer ample opportunities for professional
development experience a 34% higher employee retention rate.
(LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2023). With upcoming
generations, all indications are that this rate will be even higher.
Here’s one more consideration for employers in terms of cost and
revenue: in an age of social media and increased transparency, when
you become known as a company that supports career development,
you gain a significant competitive advantage in attracting and hiring
top talent. And your happy, satisfied leaders are likely to be your most
effective promoters.

©2024 AchieveUnite Inc | All Rights Reserved 6

 Engaged Leaders Drive
Productivity
You not only want your people to stay, you want 87% of first-time leaders
them to be engaged. This is especially true of
your managers, who have a tremendous
feel frustrated, anxious,
downstream impact on their teams. and uncertain about
It is estimated that 87% of first-time leaders feel their role -Gallup
frustrated, anxious, and uncertain about their
role and many of them end up disengaged.
Gallup quantifies the cost of these disengaged
managers to the U.S. economy at $319 billion
to $398 billion annually. (Gallup The Guide to
Great Managers: What They Do Differently &
Why They Matter)

The biggest driver of engagement is an

employee’s personal view of their future. 80% of
the respondents on a Udemy Workplace
Boredom Study said that learning a new skill on
the job would make them more engaged.
(Udemy Workplace Boredom Study, 2016)
The result of high engagement through
leadership development is that individuals and
organizations become more agile and resilient.
Empowering employees with career
development engages learners and expands
workforce skills. The ultimate benefit is an
organization that can act quickly on valuable
opportunities.

80% of workers surveyed

said that learning a new skill
would make them more
engaged
- Udemy

©2024 AchieveUnite Inc | All Rights Reserved 7

 When companies take succession planning seriously
and put a plan in place, the results are that they have
a well-developed pipeline of future leaders who
have a history with their company, are highly
engaged, are confident in their skills, are resilient
and adaptable, and are ready to mentor others.

Prepared Leaders Enable

Succession Planning
Korn Ferry conducted a recent analysis to To adapt to this threat, organizations are
examine the age and tenure of individuals flattening their hierarchy, becoming more
holding C-suite titles and found that the average matrixed and networked, and using distributive
age for a top executive is 56 and the average decision-making. Businesses today must be
tenure is less than five years. (Age and tenure in smarter, faster, more agile, and more
the C-Suite) democratic. Effective leaders today and into the
future must be equipped with the skills to lead
A survey done by HRDive.com revealed that, in in this way.
addition to predictable retirement numbers,
technological changes may push an additional Not surprisingly, of the companies studied in the
2.4 million workers at all career levels into New Level Work study that were committed to
retirement earlier than expected. (2.4 million leadership development, 88% reported a
older workers may retire early due to higher desire to more frequently hire from
technological change) within and 83% reported better ability to more
quickly/easily fill job vacancies at all levels.
To plan for this mass exodus, companies need
to identify their top talent right now and In dollars and cents, the cost savings of internal
intentionally and thoughtfully prepare them to promotions are astounding. When companies
move into executive positions. prepare leaders and can promote them to
executive levels from within, the cost savings can
The process of upskilling leaders ideally occurs exceed $3 million per year.
over months or years and includes current and
relevant competencies that their mentors might
not have. We’re all observing first-hand the
radical shift in the way we work, with most
businesses under the constant threat of radical
disruption.

©2024 AchieveUnite Inc | All Rights Reserved 8

 Developed Leaders Are
Change Catalysts
Research shows that change capability in 78% believe their company
leaders such as tolerance of ambiguity,
adaptability, and curiosity, contribute
is helping them to adjust to
significantly to driving organizational change –Predictive Index
effectiveness.
The Predictive Index 2021 People
Management Report study showed that,
among respondents who said they have a
good manager, 78% also believed their
company is helping them adjust to change.
That percentage plummeted to 43%
among those with bad managers. (The
Predictive Index 2021 People Management
Report)
These specific leadership capabilities also
have a direct impact on business
performance. For example, the Korn Ferry
Institute’s research on organizational
transformation reveals that 50% of the
difference in financial performance among
highly transformational companies over a
5-year period was related to trust in
leadership.
Clearly, leading change is an acquired skill
that must be highlighted in all leadership
development initiatives.

50% of the difference in

financial performance
was related to trust in
leadership
-Korn Ferry Institute

©2024 AchieveUnite Inc | All Rights Reserved 9

Leadership development
is a profit multiplier
At AchieveUnite, Inc., we find that our leadership development programming increases several
intangible benefits that are known to produce more efficient and effective teams.
Specifically, our program participants score consistently better against nonprogram participants in
the following areas:

Work Quality Productivity Communication

Engagement Trust-Building Confidence

Regardless of company size, improved work quality is consistently reported as a top differentiator
between participants and non-participants.

“I have learned so much from this course. No one else has

ever been able to get through to me the same way that you
have. Vital pieces of information that now seem obvious and
are essential to career/leadership success simply didn’t
register prior to your course. (Such as the importance of soft
skills and relationships, for example.)”

-Product Marketing Manager (ACE Leadership By Influence)

©2024 AchieveUnite Inc | All Rights Reserved 10

 Testimonials
Our participants usually display increased levels of trust-building and
collaboration, both internally in their organization and with partners.

“We have teams with different cultures and styles and you bring them together. And
trying to work remotely where we're scattered all over; it was a real challenge. We all
came for PQi and it was life-altering and energizing. The ability for my team to be
more productive, and understanding each other's skill sets were just immediately
seen to the point where I said, “We need this for the whole organization.”
-Exec. Director, Indirect Channel Program (PQi Workshop)

Immediately after completing our programs, participants report that they have
an increased level of satisfaction with their company, are grateful for the
investment their company has made in them and are more highly engaged.

“The AchieveUnite PPA program is the most relevant and applicable leadership
program I have ever completed. The program transformed my mindset and helped
me harness my partnering skill set. I went from a consultative, reactive approach with
my customers to learning how to walk through the journey with them. Because of this
program, I went from 0 to 100 long-term customers “
-Executive Director (Partner Performance Advisor Program)

Over time, participants report that they advance in their career more quickly at
least in part to the competencies and confidence they gained in the leadership
development programs.

“AchieveUnite played a vital role in the transformation and success of our channel
Program. Their Partner Performance Advisor Certificate program opened up new
opportunities for our Channel Account Managers and equipped them with the skills
and knowledge to identify new partners, assess their fit, and get to the core of the
partner’s goals and motivations to build partnerships and accelerate productivity
together.”
-Insperity (Leadership & PPA program)

©2024 AchieveUnite Inc | All Rights Reserved 11

The AU Impact

Executives and directors of the companies we work with cite

improved collaboration, better communication skills, and
increased productivity as differentiators. They also tell us that
program participants are better prepared to be promoted from
within, better contributors to the culture at work and are overall
happier than non-participants.
All this participant reporting tracks well with the results of the
New Level Work study.

©2024 AchieveUnite Inc | All Rights Reserved 12

Summary

There’s no question that the world of work has

changed tremendously, especially post-pandemic.
Additionally, the complexity and pace with which
we function is at an all-time high and there is no
sign of this changing. Leaders are the connective
tissue between a company’s goals and the people
who drive success and those who don’t.
Those of us who work in the field of leadership
development understand that implementing these
programs takes commitment, time, effort, and
resources. We have always known that our
programs bring companies tremendous ROI – we
see the shifts in the leaders we work with and the
people they lead. Fortunately, because of recent
research shared in this e-book and elsewhere, we
now have both quantitative and qualitative data to
support our claims.
Leaders are made, not born. Companies that
educate their leaders and promote from within
see increased sales and higher retention rates.
They see greater returns in productivity,
engagement, and employee satisfaction.
Ultimately, they become known in the
competitive marketplace as an employer of
choice. For all these reasons and more, leadership
development can be an effective and reliable profit
multiplier for your company.

Let’s elevate your people together!

Learn more about AchieveUnite

©2024 AchieveUnite Inc | All Rights Reserved 13

Let’s unlock your Leadership
Potential!
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to develop the necessary skills around leadership and partnering
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