New Conference Board Study Validates RBL's Guided Learning Model Improves Business and Leader Impact

The Conference Board and other leaders in the learning and development space, including The RBL Group, Udemy Business, ROI Institute, and the University of Michigan Ross School of Business conducted a study to determine if leadership can be effectively developed using a virtual, semi-synchronous leadership development program cohort. In fact, leaders who completed RBL's results-based guided learning reported topics and skills learned: 

• Were highly relevant to 75.2% of their job requirements. 
• Increased talent-related key leadership skills.
• Improved overall employee engagement by 50%. 
• Improved productivity as a leader by 50%. 
• Increased overall job contribution by 15.2%. 

A select group of high-potential, front-line managers who are "early in career", and lead hybrid work teams completed RBL's Talent Academy, a six-week, virtual leadership development program. The purpose of the program is to enable leaders to support ongoing team productivity and engagement in an increasingly common hybrid work environment.

The results of the study reveal that leadership development skills can be effectively developed in a virtual, semi-synchronous learning environment with equal or higher efficacy than traditional in-person approaches analyzed using a similar approach. In fact, over half of the participants rated content and engagement as excellent. RBL’s learning model, which includes results-based guided learning and continual support, through expert-led facilitated sessions, nudged participants to practice and enabled them to improve.        

 The report concludes that building core skills for effective leadership in hybrid work settings can be offered through targeted, cost-effective, virtual programs at scale.

Key Takeaways

The results of this study corroborate the core principles of RBL's results-based, guided learning model and programs:

• Guided learning can have equal or higher efficacy than traditional in-person approaches. In fact, 89.8% of respondents in the post-program survey rated Leading in a Hybrid Work Environment as effective in providing the ideal elements for such a program.
• Cohort-based learning yields higher engagement and program completion. 
• Levels of skill mastery and commitment to continued development post-program lead to high ROI of leadership development.
• Supervising manager involvement is critical for business alignment and ongoing support. 
• RBL’s results-based guided learning journeys optimize individualized, structured learning processes using synchronous and asynchronous approaches. 
• Organizations reported a high return on business impact for the time invested. 
• Leaders must focus on the competencies that are most critical in the hybrid work environment: interpersonal skills, giving productive coaching/feedback and fostering an inclusive environment. 

Explore our results-based guided learning programs with RBL's premier offering, RBL Omnia. RBL Omnia is an integrated solution for building human capability across talent, leadership, organization, and HR to drive greater business impact. 

Click here to download the full report.