LEARNER-

DRIVEN LEADER
DEVELOPMENT
MAXIMIZING INDIVIDUAL,
TEAM, AND ORGANIZATIONAL
PERFORMANCE

{ perspectives } LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

© 2018 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing is an affiliate of Harvard Business School.
LEARNER-DRIVEN LEADER DEVELOPMENT:
MAXIMIZING INDIVIDUAL, TEAM, AND
ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE
The learning needs and expectations of today’s leaders have intensified.
They face more business complexity, more demands on their time, and
more information competing for their attention. Learning professionals
can most effectively create a rich learning environment by taking cues
from their learners. Drawn from surveys and interviews with today’s
busy professionals, here are approaches that will help you engage and
motivate your people to learn.
BY JEFF DeSMET AND DORA GAO

IT’S NO SURPRISE: Organizations that make leadership
development a top priority outperform their competitors
on key financial metrics such as revenue. What’s more, they
excel at other crucial forms of business performance—
such as attracting top talent and keeping it on board. As
just one example, in a 2016 Gallup poll of millennials, 87%
rated “professional or career growth and development
opportunities” as important criteria in choosing a job.
To consistently develop top leadership talent,
organizations must foster a culture of ongoing learning.
In such a culture, individuals at all levels, in every
corner of the enterprise, continually build the skills,
knowledge, and expertise essential for adapting to the
forces shaping today’s business environment—such as
relentless technology advancement and ever-shifting
market conditions. Yet creating an environment that
supports continuous learning isn’t easy. Why? Just as the
world has grown more complicated, so have the needs of
today’s learners. Ask any employee or manager about her
typical day, and she’ll likely acknowledge that it’s packed
with competing priorities, interruptions, and distractions.
Even for individuals eager to learn, carving out time for
it can seem like an impossible task.

To consistently develop top leadership talent, organizations

must foster a culture of ongoing learning.

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 Wanted: Deep, Long-Lasting Learning
That Fits into a Person’s Day
To achieve those loftier kinds of goals, people need a deep,
enduring learning experience—one characterized by “chunked”
content that’s strung together to create a learning path.

The learning path should include chances for people to
apply their new skills and knowledge. These kinds of
learning experiences become even more potent when
they also feature opportunities for self-directed learning—
employees choosing what, when, and how they want to
learn as well as which resources and information they
draw on.
Why does self-directed learning matter? Employees
today want to learn—and they expect their employers
to provide the tools and opportunities for them to do so.
They’re also comfortable with taking initiative for their
own learning and using technology to find information.
leadership-development programs should be informed
more by learners’ needs than by initiatives originating
in L&D.
The upshot: Employees are already taking charge of
their own learning. And L&D professionals can create
even more value for their organizations by ensuring
that employees get the most from that learning. To do
so, L&D must design learner-driven experiences that
consistently encourage and engage learners.
KEY ELEMENTS OF A
LEARNER-DRIVEN EXPERIENCE

Additionally, employees have unique development needs Make learning efficient and effective.
they’re trying to satisfy, unique on-the-job problems they
must solve, and unique ways of approaching the learning Keep employees engaged in the learning
process. These needs, problems, and approaches are process.
constantly changing—making it even more challenging
Keep learning top of mind for people.
for learning and development (L&D) practitioners to
know exactly what learners need, and when. Encourage individuals throughout the
organization to make learning a habit.
To surmount these challenges, L&D must design more
customer-centric development offerings. Findings from Enable people to retain what they’ve learned
Harvard Business Publishing’s forthcoming State of and keep applying it at work.
Leadership Development Report of L&D professionals
and business line managers bear this out. As many as
76% of our survey respondents said that they believe

76% of our survey respondents said that they believe leadership-

development programs should be informed more by learners’
needs than by initiatives originating in L&D.

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 Benefits and Challenges of
Learner-Driven Experiences
Well-designed learner-driven experiences create
a win-win-win situation.

LEARNERS win because they can swiftly find the
information they need to build the skills and knowledge
essential for solving on-the-job problems and attaining
their professional goals.
L&D PRACTITIONERS win because they provide the
setting and guidance that help learners tailor their own
experiences to their needs—rather than having to rely on a
one-size-fits-all experience. As a result, employees achieve
the deep, enduring learning essential for mastery—L&D’s
ultimate objective.
ORGANIZATIONS win because they build a phalanx of
talent and gain other essential advantages that few rivals
can withstand. Indeed, in our survey, respondents who
said that L&D is critical to the success of their business
reported stronger revenue performance over the past
three years. They also saw themselves as further ahead
of their market competitors. And they expressed more
optimism about their organization’s future growth
potential than those who did not view L&D as important
to the business’s success.
Given the wealth of benefits that learner-driven
experiences can deliver, it might be tempting to conclude
that every organization is striving to design such
experiences in their leadership-development programs.
But that’s not easy. Yes, people are willing to devote time
to learning if it meets their individual needs. But several
hurdles remain, as shown below.

COMMON HURDLES IN SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING

Not enough time How can employees find the time to take advantage of learning
experiences? Some people struggle to block out time to focus on their
professional development. Others spend some time outside of work on their
development because they feel it’s the only time they have available for
this effort. Neither of these approaches can guarantee the kind of ongoing
learning that the best leadership development programs foster.

Too many How should employees search for needed information in the bewildering
information array of sources available to them? And how can they be sure the
sources—not all information they dig up is credible? Though searching the Internet to find
of them trusted quick answers to questions is a common tactic, there’s no guarantee that
those answers will pass the credibility test.

Too much choice Will the information employees gather help them seize an opportunity
or solve a problem that’s relevant to not only their work but also their
organization? L&D has to ensure that learners access content that helps them
support their own and the organization’s success. Since L&D practitioners
can’t control how and when employees use technology to search for
information, how can they ensure that leaders are learning what they need to
learn to succeed in their role?

Not enough space How can learners practice the skills they’re seeking to develop? One
to practice participant in our study admitted to us, “I don’t really have a good way
to practice without embarrassing myself. I would want … a way to try out
[techniques I’m learning] without [experiencing] major repercussions.”

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 A Closer Look at the Learner-Driven Experience
When it comes to designing exceptional learner-driven experiences,
providing short bursts of learning is only one piece of the puzzle.

ooContent sources with excellent search capabilities

Yes, employees value immediacy in having their
ooWays for learners to easily scan content to determine
most pressing questions answered in their moment
of need. But to help them get the most from their relevancy—such as pertinent titles, categorization
learning, organizations need to combine quick access schemes, or content labels
ooMechanisms for mapping content to learners’ stated
to information with a personalized learning plan that
endures over time—and that meets several key criteria interests, tasks, responsibilities, and experience level
ooRecommendations based on employees’ current
that came to light in our recent research: relevancy, choice,
and motivation. (See “About Our Research.”) learning behavior and habits

Learning experiences that meet these criteria help people

CHOICE
ultimately become better leaders—by building new skills
and knowledge, putting what they’ve learned into practice,
“Can I make my own decisions about
and reflecting on what went well and what could have learning content and experiences?”
gone better. As a result, they make learning a habit—a
Today’s employees want control over their learning
disciplined behavior that includes making time for ongoing
experiences. And control means having the power to
learning, no matter how busy an employee may feel. Below,
make choices on matters such as which content to focus
we examine these criteria in greater detail.
on, when to learn, and how to learn. To illustrate, learners
want content that not only supports their objectives but
RELEVANCY also reflects their current level of expertise. Content that
meets these criteria makes the most efficient use of busy
“Does it relate to what I’m trying employees’ time. It also further enhances personalization
to achieve?”
of the learning experience, deepening employees’
When learning experiences have relevancy, they directly engagement even more.
apply to a goal that learners want to achieve. Indeed,
Learners also want variety in the types of learning content
our research suggests that people will carve out time for
they consume and how they use that content. Indeed,
building skills if they think that doing so will help enhance
their preferences can be as personal and individual as
their job performance. As one participant in our research
they are, linked to factors including how much control
project pointed out, “If [the learning experience] doesn’t
they want over the learning experience or how they like
directly apply to me, I have a lot of trouble investing
to make use of time. For instance, some participants in
my time in it—even if it’s tangentially related. [And I]
our research project found podcasts compelling “because
definitely don’t want to invest my free time.”
I can listen to them while I am doing something else.”
While learning-program content format and duration are
important, according to our research findings, relevancy
is the number one criterion for learners’ choices about
which content to select. To enhance relevancy, L&D
professionals can provide:

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 MOTIVATION
That sounds really exciting.” Another explained, “I’m
“Does this experience make me want to very career oriented [and] have been trying to make
invest time in learning?” myself more valuable and build skills I find interesting.”
Other employees feel most motivated to learn when
By designing experiences that tap into employees’
they believe that doing so will enable them to tackle an
motivations for learning, L&D can help them make learning
immediate problem or task. For still others, learning is
a habit, keep it top of mind for employees, and further
most engaging when they see it as helping them support
strengthen their engagement in the learning process.
their team: “I don’t want to ruin things for my group by
Activating individuals’ motivations for learning provides
not having the right skills for the job.”
the behavioral nudge or reminder that some people require
before they’re willing to invest time in an already busy day Learning experiences that tap into employees’ competitive
to master a new skill or build new knowledge. or playful spirit, their desire to surmount a tough challenge,
or their desire to make progress as they build a particular
Motivations for taking time to learn can take numerous
skill can also be powerful motivators. Game mechanics
forms. For example, some employees feel most interested
offer a case in point. One participant in our study told us,
in learning that helps them advance in their career or
“A big thing for me is levels and leveling up. …With leveling
helps them work on skills that intrigue them or that they
up, it feels like stepping-stones. It’s obtainable. Once
believe are holding them back in their professional life.
you get there, there’s a quick sense of accomplishment.”
One participant in our recent study told us, “I’ve been
Another said, “Metrics for what I did during the day, [like]
looking at [managing others] as one factor for getting
quantifying [my] fitness, motivate me.”
promoted. …To have a bigger job is to lead a team. …

LEARNER-DRIVEN EXPERIENCES IN ACTION

Vanguard’s Story
One organization that has shifted its leadership development approach to experiment with more
learner-driven experiences (LDE) is Vanguard. Distinct from formal, classroom programs, the learning
team leverages insights gleaned from learners to create content and put learners more in control of
what, when, and how they are learning. Vanguard partnered with Harvard Business Publishing to help
accelerate the shift to LDE by finding new ways to deliver world-class content.

The response to Vanguard’s LDE experiments has been encouraging. Adoption rates have been
high, the feedback positive, and the team is learning new ways to integrate learning experiences
into the workday.

“Learner-driven experiences currently comprise 50% of the learning that we offer,” says Jacob Pantoja,
programs manager, leadership development for Vanguard. “Using insights gleaned from our learners,
we have built and packaged solutions that most fit into their busy days, we have made it easily
accessible, we have nudged them along the way, and the learners have come. We’re confident that
Harvard ManageMentor® Spark will help us push this even further.”

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 L&D’s New Imperative
How can L&D professionals create learner-driven experiences that
meet the criteria of relevancy, choice, and motivation—and that foster
the deep learning, practice, and reflection essential for ongoing
development for leaders?

Providing employees with access to world-class,
trustworthy, up-to-date content is essential. To deliver
the diversity of content and learning experiences that
today’s employees desire, a robust, global technology
platform is also a must for efficiently delivering learner-
driven experiences to employees when and where they
need them—whether learning cohorts number in the
tens, hundreds, or thousands.
The right content, design, and technology choices can
deliver crucial advantages as well. Offering a learning
dashboard accessible on mobile devices is a case in point.
A dashboard can help learners understand trends they’re
experiencing in their development (such as which skill
and knowledge areas they’re investing most of their time
in learning). It can also encourage learners to track their
progress and share it with peers. That can promote the
engagement and healthy competition that can catalyze
ongoing leadership development across the organization.
Learning designs that take advantage of game mechanics
can drive learning and engagement even further. For
instance, such designs can deploy notifications and other
features that encourage effective learning behaviors like
getting out of one’s comfort zone or making learning a
habit through streaks.
L&D can also use content, learning design, and technology
to tightly tailor learner-driven experiences to employees’
needs. To illustrate, development professionals can
categorize content by the required time investment: “Do
you want a learning ‘burst,’ a lesson, or an entire course?”
They can also offer a variety of sortable media types to
help learners explore prospective information and select
their preferred content—tapping into employees’ desire
for choice. But given that learners will do their own
searching for information, L&D should also provide
guide rails for finding relevant, credible content—such
as delivering content that’s tailored to a particular job
or skill level.
Additionally, L&D should encourage people throughout
the organization to make learning a discipline—
for instance, by helping them find the time to grab
development opportunities, fit learning into gaps in their
workdays, and proactively schedule learning. Through
such means, L&D can help employees learn how to learn,
by teaching them effective learning habits and behaviors
such as consistently building more time into their day
for learning, reflecting on their experiences in applying
new skills and knowledge, cultivating a curious mind,
exploring ideas in greater depth, asking good questions,
and prioritizing their learning needs.
Finally, L&D professionals can spell out the benefits of
committing to ongoing learning. They should do this
for employees as individuals (such as better chances for

By making a compelling personal and business case

for continuous learning, L&D can further tap into
employees’ motivation.

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 ABOUT OUR RESEARCH
In the past several months, Harvard Business Publishing surveyed thousands of learners to gather insights
on what it takes to engage the workforce in learning today. Along with the online survey, we conducted
in-depth interviews with twenty aspiring young leaders from leading client organizations. This rich input
was complemented by review and analysis of relevant third-party research.

promotion and greater employability) as well as for the
organization overall (including greater ability to pull
ahead of competitors and fulfill a mission). By making
a compelling personal and business case for continuous
learning, L&D can further tap into employees’ motivation
to invest the time and effort needed to get the most from
this essential activity.
that challenge—and help their organizations pull ahead
of competitors as a result. By designing leadership-
development programs that provide relevant content;
that give employees the power to choose what, when, and
how they learn; and that tap into individuals’ motivation
to learn, L&D can set the stage for a triple win that few
rivals can withstand.

Creating the conditions that support ongoing learning in

an organization will always be a tough challenge. But L&D
professionals have a crucial opportunity to overcome

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

JEFF DeSMET is senior manager, online learning, for Harvard Business Publishing
Corporate Learning. He serves as the group’s lead strategist for adult learning theory
and pedagogy for Harvard Business Publishing’s portfolio of leadership development
solutions, tracking the latest research and innovations emerging in the field. He has a
special interest in individual, self-directed learning. jdesmet@harvardbusiness.org

DORA GAO is a product owner on the product management team for Harvard Business
Publishing Corporate Learning. She is responsible for understanding the needs of
customers and ensuring that they are met by Harvard Business Publishing’s various
solutions. She brings experience in content development and design in the learning
industry. dora.gao@harvardbusiness.org

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ABOUT CORPORATE LEARNING
With more than 25 years of success delivering dynamic
learning experiences to the world’s biggest brands,
Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning partners
with Global 2000 companies to co-create leadership-
development solutions that align with strategy and engage
learners. The company combines unrivaled subject-
matter expertise and scale with unmatched flexibility
and contextualization to bring the right programs to
the right learners in the most useful ways. From highly
focused executive leadership programs to enterprise-wide
engagements for thousands of global employees, each
learning experience leverages the remarkable depth and
breadth of Harvard Business School and Harvard Business
Review resources, industry experts, technology-enabled
and user-friendly solutions, and a creative, collaborative
mind-set to help clients discover something new. The
result is stronger companies better prepared to meet
their challenges and thrive both today and in the future.
Harvard Business Publishing is comprised of three market
groups—Higher Education, Corporate Learning, and
Harvard Business Review Group—and is an affiliate of
Harvard Business School.

ABOUT HARVARD BUSINESS PUBLISHING

Harvard Business Publishing was founded in 1994 as a not-
for-profit, wholly owned subsidiary of Harvard University.
Its mission is to improve the practice of management and
its impact in a changing world. The company achieves its
mission through its relationships with customers in three
market groups: Higher Education, Corporate Learning, and
Harvard Business Review Group. Through these platforms,
Harvard Business Publishing is able to influence real-
world change by maximizing the reach and impact of its
essential offering—ideas.

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