New Book Challenges the Way Organizations Invest in Leadership

ATD's new release argues leadership development should be treated as a strategic investment, not a collection of programs.

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Most organizations approach leadership development backwards. They start with programs, workshops, and vendors rather than the business case. They begin with the "how" instead of the "why."

In Developing Your Business Leaders: A Guide to Investing at All Levels, the newest title from the Association for Talent Development, author and leadership strategist Tina Schust Robinson challenges that pattern. The book reframes leadership development as a results-focused investment and provides a practical framework for deciding why to invest, who to invest in, what capabilities matter most, and how to build leadership strength across the entire talent life cycle.

Drawing on more than two decades of advising executives and organizations, Robinson shows how leadership investments can move beyond isolated initiatives such as training, coaching, or mentoring and become part of a coordinated strategy that strengthens leadership capability across the organization.

"I wrote this book for people I call leadership investors – C-suite executives, functional heads, frontline managers, talent development professionals, and HR partners who are responsible for deciding where time, money, and attention go, and who want leadership development to actually pay off," explains Robinson.

Interviews with successful corporate and nonprofit leaders and talent development professionals bring the business case framework into action. Checklists, assessments, and exercises allow leadership investors to apply their learnings immediately and tailor solutions to specific audiences and business needs.

This book is not another how-to book. It's the business case for leadership investment. "Leadership development is not an HR initiative. It is capital allocation," Robinson adds. "When leadership investors approach it with the same rigor they apply to financial investment, the results are transformational."

About the Author

Tina Schust Robinson, MBA, is a globally recognized voice on leadership and the founder of WorkJoy, a firm dedicated to helping leaders at every level unlock their potential. Drawing on nearly 30 years of multi-industry experience across sales operations, technology consulting, and talent development, Tina helps organizations translate strategy into behavior and potential into performance. Recognized as a top 100 human resources influencer and Professional Certified Coach (PCC), she is a trusted advisor to executives leading through complexity and change.

About ATD and ATD Press

The Association for Talent Development (ATD) is the world's largest association dedicated to those who develop talent in organizations. ATD's members come from more than 120 countries and work in public and private organizations in every industry sector.

ATD Press publications are written by industry thought leaders and offer anyone who works with adult learners the best practices, academic theory, and guidance necessary to move the profession forward. For more information, visit td.org/books.

Developing Your Business Leaders

ISBN: 9781960231765

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SOURCE Association for Talent Development (ATD)