ATD Research: Leadership Development Is a High Priority for Organizations

Leadership development is no longer limited to those employees with formal titles.

ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Almost half of all organizations have started offering leadership development programs to individuals at all levels, according to Leadership Development: Cultivating Critical Skills for Employees at All Levels, sponsored by SIY Global.

Nearly 79 percent of organizations experience improved organizational culture when providing leadership development to all employees. "Leadership development isn't just about titles," a survey respondent shared. "We are all leaders. It's about influence, ownership, and impact. Every person in an organization, from the front line to the executive suite, has opportunities to lead, make decisions, solve problems, and help others succeed."

Some key findings in the Association for Talent Development research study include:

• Most C-suite executives (84 percent) think decision-making skills are very important for all employees.
• Many learners (68 percent) experienced improved job performance because of leadership development.
• About 66 percent of organizations mandate leadership development for people managers.

C-suite executives and learners are aligned in their thoughts around communication and decision-making skills. Ninety-three percent of C-suite executives say communication skills are very important, and 84 percent value decision-making skills. Learners are most interested in developing communication (63 percent) and decision-making (59 percent) skills.

This report explores how organizations implement leadership development at all levels, what leadership skills are most important to organizations and learners, and how organizations and learners benefit from leadership development programs. The study surveyed 214 talent development professionals, 104 C-suite executives (excluding HR and TD executives), and 1,035 working Americans (learners).

ATD is hosting a webinar on the report on May 28 at 2 p.m. ET.

About ATD

The Association for Talent Development (ATD) is the world's largest professional membership organization supporting those who develop the knowledge and skills of employees, improve performance, and help to achieve results for the organizations they serve. Established in 1943, the association was previously known as the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD).

ATD's members come from more than 100 countries and work in public and private organizations in every industry sector. ATD supports talent development professionals who gather locally in volunteer-led US chapters and international member networks, and with international strategic partners.

For more information, visit td.org

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SOURCE Association for Talent Development (ATD)