The 70-20-10 learning and development model stands as a cornerstone in the realm of professional growth, particularly for leadership development. This framework, born from extensive research into how executives truly learn and evolve, provides a simple yet powerful guideline for structuring learning experiences. It suggests that optimal development occurs through a blend of different learning modalities, broken down into a specific ratio.
According to the 70-20-10 model, learning is most effective when it’s distributed across three key types of experiences:
- 70% – Challenging On-the-Job Experiences: This dominant portion emphasizes learning through tackling new tasks, complex projects, and demanding assignments. It’s about real-world application and learning by doing.
- 20% – Developmental Relationships: Learning is significantly enhanced through interactions with others. This component focuses on coaching, mentoring, feedback, and collaborative learning from peers and superiors.
- 10% – Formal Coursework and Training: Structured learning environments, such as workshops, online courses, and formal training programs, play a crucial role in providing foundational knowledge and skills.
The core belief underpinning the 70-20-10 learning and development model is that leadership and professional skills are not innate but are cultivated through experience. In today’s dynamic work environment, the ability to learn from experience is more vital than ever for managers and individual contributors seeking to maximize their impact.
Moving Beyond the Surface: Experience-Driven Development in the 70-20-10 Model
While the 70-20-10 framework offers a straightforward blueprint, it’s crucial to recognize that not all experiences are equally impactful. To truly leverage this model, we need to delve deeper into the types of experiences that drive the most significant learning and growth.
Research has extensively explored the connection between different experiences and the specific leadership lessons they impart. By understanding this link, individuals and organizations can strategically design development plans that align learning needs with the most relevant experiences. This approach, known as experience-driven development, emphasizes the quality and type of experience within each component of the 70-20-10 model.
Studies on on-the-job learning and experience-driven talent development, initially rooted in U.S. corporations, have been expanded to a global scale. Researchers have collaborated with organizations in diverse cultural contexts, including China, India, and Singapore, to understand the universal and culture-specific aspects of leadership learning through experience.
An infographic illustrating the 70-20-10 Rule, highlighting the percentages allocated to challenging experiences, developmental relationships, and coursework for effective executive development.
Unpacking the Sources of Leadership Learning Across Cultures
Global research across China, India, Singapore, and the U.S. reveals both common threads and unique cultural nuances in how leadership is learned through experience. Across these diverse regions, five key sources of leadership learning consistently emerge as significant:
- Bosses and Superiors: Learning from the example, guidance, and feedback of those in leadership positions.
- Turnarounds: Navigating organizational or project turnarounds provides critical experience in crisis management and strategic redirection.
- Increases in Job Scope: Taking on roles with expanded responsibilities and complexities fosters growth in strategic thinking and execution.
- Horizontal Moves: Experiencing different functions or departments broadens perspectives and develops adaptability.
- New Initiatives: Leading or participating in new projects and initiatives cultivates innovation and change management skills.
Interestingly, each region also emphasizes two unique primary sources of leadership learning, reflecting cultural and contextual factors:
- China: Personal experiences and mistakes are highlighted as crucial learning avenues, emphasizing self-reflection and learning from errors.
- India: Personal experiences and crossing cultures are key, reflecting the importance of personal growth and navigating diverse environments.
- Singapore: Stakeholder engagements and crises are emphasized, underscoring the importance of relationship management and resilience in challenging situations.
- United States: Mistakes and ethical dilemmas are prominent, highlighting learning from errors and navigating complex ethical considerations.
Despite these regional variations, universally important leadership lessons learned from experience include managing direct reports, self-awareness, and executing effectively. These core competencies are consistently valued across cultures as essential for successful leadership.
To thrive and adapt, leaders must continuously seek new experiences and challenges that stimulate learning. While some opportunities arise from job changes or crises, powerful learning experiences can be found within the current workplace. Individuals can proactively enhance their development by cultivating strong relationships with bosses, mentors, and peers, regardless of their current role.
The 70-20-10 framework underscores the power of placing experience at the heart of talent management. This approach emphasizes the pivotal role of challenging assignments in attracting, developing, and retaining talent. Furthermore, it highlights how on-the-job experience is significantly amplified when combined with developmental relationships and structured learning opportunities. Research consistently demonstrates that challenging assignments are the primary catalyst for key learning experiences in managerial careers, aligning perfectly with the 70-20-10 model.
The Amplifier Effect: The 10% of Coursework and Training in the 70-20-10 Model
While formal coursework and training constitute just 10% of the 70-20-10 model, their impact is far from negligible. Well-designed learning programs act as an amplifier, enhancing and solidifying the 90% of learning derived from experience and relationships. Effective training programs provide frameworks, tools, and experiential practice sessions that equip managers and professionals to become more effective learners and leaders.
The 70-20-10 rule demonstrates that individuals acquire the majority of their knowledge – 70% from challenging experiences, 20% from developmental relationships, and 10% from structured learning. Skilled learning and development specialists play a vital role in leveraging this model to establish a shared knowledge base within an organization and align individuals with a common leadership vision rooted in the 70-20-10 learning and development model.
Ready to Optimize Your Learning and Development Strategy?
To maximize the effectiveness of the 70-20-10 model within your organization or personal development plan, focus on strategically building the “10%” – the coursework and training component. By partnering with experts in leadership development and talent management, you can create targeted programs that amplify the learning derived from experiences and relationships. Explore resources and solutions designed to build critical leadership skills and effectively implement the 70-20-10 learning and development model within your organization.
