President, Career Transition & Mobility, Leadership Development & Coaching, and HR & Talent Advisory, LHH
L&D Buy-In for Talent Attraction and Retention, with John Morgan
In this episode, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover talks with John Morgan about the new LHH report on the key challenges to leadership development programs and creating L&D buy-in for talent attraction and retention.
John Morgan ( / john-paul-morgan-lhh (https://www.google.com/url?q=https://...) ) is President of LHH’s Career Transition and Mobility and Leadership Development businesses and has more than 20 years of experience providing leadership advice to clients across industries on navigating economic shifts. Prior to his current role, John served as Chief Operating Officer for three years and...
Transcript (25 segments)
N
Narrator0:00
Monetizing Digital Services since 2004, boosting the entertainment industry by making digital content accessible for everyone. AWG where Innovation meets monetization.
H
Host0:14
Welcome to the Human Capital Leadership Podcast. We're your source for personal, professional, and organizational growth and development. We share original research, explore industry trends, and interview executives and thought leaders. Join us for content on leadership, HR, talent management, organizational development, and change management.
Welcome to the Human Capital Leadership Podcast. In this episode, I talk with John Morgan about the new LHH report on key challenges to leadership development programs and creating L&D buy-in for talent attraction and retention.
J
John Morgan1:33
Happy to be here. Thanks for having me. It's a pleasure to be with you. I'm joining from New Jersey. I've been in the human capital industry for 25 years, with a background in organizational psychology and an MBA. I'm fascinated by human behavior at work.
H
Host3:07
Great background. Let's dive into the report. Give us some context on how this report came about and its components.
J
John Morgan3:27
At LHH, we conduct research to guide our work in recruiting, developing, and transitioning talent. This study focuses on developing talent and leadership development. We surveyed about 1,500 C-suite executives across the US, UK, Canada, and Australia to understand what works in leadership development. Key insights include challenges with change management and agility, how L&D programs impact recruitment and retention, geographic differences, and building an L&D culture.
H
Host5:29
Let's start with geographic differences. Give us a high-level summary of what you found.
J
John Morgan5:43
There were two major differences. First, in North America, leadership programs have a strong focus on DEI, unlike in the UK and Australia. Second, in North America, 80% felt their programs were clearly linked to business strategy, while outside North America, less than 50% affirmed that connection.
H
Host7:15
That's interesting. Anything else to add before we dive deeper?
J
John Morgan7:44
The DEI component wasn't a surprise, as North American companies are focusing more on it despite recent government rulings. It's encouraging to see clients building this into effective leadership.
H
Host8:20
Let's talk about buy-in. What are the biggest challenges for C-suite leaders in generating buy-in for leadership development programs?
J
John Morgan9:08
The report identified five key challenges: lack of interest, lack of awareness, inadequate resources, lack of clarity on business connection, and perceived lack of measurability. To overcome measurability issues, we now use AI and digital tools to quantify impact, such as in coaching programs. Executive sponsorship is also crucial—leaders must personally advocate for development to create a culture of commitment.
H
Host12:44
That's a big key—making development an honor, not a chore. I've seen organizations where it's seen as a distraction.
J
John Morgan13:21
Exactly. The impact on attraction and retention is clear: people want to join companies where development is a priority. Authentic executive sponsorship drives culture where feedback and vulnerability are accepted.
H
Host14:33
You mentioned impact on talent recruitment and retention. How do we translate good intentions into impactful practice?
J
John Morgan14:53
It requires visible advocacy and investment at all levels. The best clients segment their employee population and provide development journeys for different career stages. Clear career paths prevent stagnation and turnover. Democratizing tools like coaching builds a culture of development.
H
Host16:48
You mentioned unique pathways. In an agile world, organizations need personalized pathways. How does that work in large organizations?
J
John Morgan17:04
We're seeing a shift toward internal career mobility, though there's still a lag. Companies realize it's costly to keep hiring and releasing. Investing in employee growth by identifying skill adjacencies helps fill jobs internally, which is more sustainable.
H
Host19:35
That's shifting out of necessity. Before we wrap, let's talk about return-to-office mandates. How does leadership development culture play into this?
J
John Morgan20:19
Leadership culture is key to solving return-to-work issues. People don't like extremes—five-day mandates cause retention issues, but fully virtual isn't realistic either. Hybrid is what people want, but structuring it is challenging. For example, JB Smucker uses a core week concept with high participation. Leadership development should mirror work, with components in-person to build relationships and collaboration.
H
Host24:02
Flexibility is key. One-size-fits-all mandates don't work. Also, remote work has DEI impacts—positive for opportunities but negative for development if completely remote. You have to balance it.
J
John Morgan25:40
Absolutely. The top challenge from the study is change and agility—over 90% reported it. Build leadership development programs that address agility. You can reach me at [email protected]. Our website is lhh.com. Thanks for having me.
H
Host26:56
Thank you, John. Audience, connect with John and his team at LHH. Stay healthy, find meaning at work, and have a great week.
N
Narrator27:18
Thanks for joining this episode of the Human Capital Innovations Podcast. Stay healthy and safe, and have a great week.
Monetizing Digital Services since 2004, boosting the entertainment industry by making digital content accessible for everyone. AWG where Innovation meets monetization.