Episode 73: Proving the Value of Leadership Development with Jack Phillips

Leadership development is a $370 billion global industry – but how much of that investment is actually paying off? In this episode of the HRDQ-U In Review podcast, host Sarah sits down with Dr. Jack Phillips, founder of the ROI Institute, to discuss how organizations can demonstrate the true value of their leadership development programs. Jack reveals the need to go beyond anecdotal feedback and measure real-world impact.

Jack shares why fear often keeps organizations from evaluating their programs and explains how shifting the mindset – starting with business needs and involving leaders in setting measurable objectives – can drive better outcomes. He breaks down his approach to connecting training efforts to ROI, discusses common evaluation mistakes, and offers tips for collecting credible, executive-ready data.

Whether you're a leadership development professional, an HR leader, or a business executive, this episode offers straightforward, actionable insights to help you design programs that truly move the needle and demonstrate the value of leadership development programs.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to connect leadership development to business needs
• Ways to overcome the fear of measuring ROI
• The value of leadership development at levels 3 and 4 evaluation: application and impact
• How to present data that resonates with executives
• Tips for starting small and building momentum

Chapters & Time Stamps

00:00 – Introduction

01:08 – Jack’s Background

03:17 – Why Organizations Avoid Measuring Leadership ROI

04:47 – Executive Buy-in and Key Takeaways

06:06 – Connecting Development to Business Needs

07:03 – Letting Leaders Choose Impact Measures

09:15 – Sharing Results with Credibility

10:44 – How Long It Takes to See ROI

12:25 – Going Beyond Learning: Level 3 & 4

13:46 – Where to Learn More

Action Items

• Watch the full webinar replay on HRDQ-U for more insights
• Learn more at roiinstitute.net or contact Jack directly at jack@roiinstitute.net

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