Leadership Programs
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Understanding the 70-20-10 learning model in succession planning
How People Learn in the Workplace
When it comes to succession planning, understanding how employees learn is essential. The 70-20-10 learning model offers a practical framework for learning and development (L&D) professionals and organizations seeking to build strong leadership pipelines. This model, widely recognized in talent development, suggests that effective learning happens through a mix of experiences, social interactions, and formal training.
Breaking Down the 70-20-10 Model
- 70% Job Learning: Most learning happens through real job experiences. Employees develop skills by tackling new challenges, taking on stretch assignments, and solving problems in their daily work. This experiential learning is crucial for leadership development and helps team members build confidence and competence over time.
- 20% Social Learning: Informal learning through interactions with colleagues, mentors, and managers plays a significant role. Sharing knowledge, receiving feedback, and observing others help employees learn in ways that formal training cannot always provide. Social learning supports performance and fosters a culture of continuous improvement within the team.
- 10% Formal Learning: Structured training, such as workshops, courses, and e-learning, still has its place. Formal learning provides foundational knowledge and ensures that all employees have access to essential information. However, it is only one part of a holistic development solution.
Why This Model Matters for Succession Planning
Organizations that rely solely on formal training often find their succession pipelines lacking. The 70-20-10 model will help L&D teams design development solutions that reflect how people actually learn at work. By integrating job learning, social learning, and formal learning, organizations can support employees at every stage of their leadership journey.
This approach also aligns with the latest thinking in performance support and leadership development. For a deeper look at how learning and development leaders shape these strategies, explore the role of a learning and development director in succession planning.
Why traditional training falls short in succession planning
Why relying solely on formal training misses the mark
Many organizations still depend heavily on formal training programs to prepare employees for future leadership roles. While these programs are structured and provide foundational knowledge, they often fall short when it comes to real-world application and long-term leadership development. The 70-20-10 learning model highlights that only a small portion of effective learning comes from formal learning experiences. Most people learn best through on-the-job experiences and social interactions, not just classroom sessions or online courses.
Traditional training solutions tend to focus on theory, policies, and procedures. However, leadership development requires more than just understanding concepts. Employees need to learn how to navigate complex situations, make decisions under pressure, and adapt to changing environments. These skills are best developed through hands-on job learning and informal learning opportunities, which are often missing from conventional training frameworks.
- Limited real-world exposure: Formal training rarely replicates the unpredictable nature of daily work, making it difficult for employees to transfer knowledge to performance.
- Lack of ongoing support: Once a training session ends, employees may struggle to apply what they've learned without continuous performance support or access to experienced team members.
- One-size-fits-all approach: Traditional programs often overlook individual learning needs, missing opportunities to tailor development solutions for diverse talent.
To build a sustainable succession pipeline, organizations need a more dynamic approach. Integrating informal learning, job experiences, and social learning into the development framework helps team members share knowledge and learn from each other. This model will create a richer learning experience and improve overall performance. For more insights on how to enhance your organization's future with a skills development facilitator, check out this resource.
By moving beyond formal training and embracing a broader learning development strategy, organizations can better prepare employees for leadership roles and ensure long-term success in succession planning.
Applying experiential learning to identify potential leaders
Spotting Leadership Potential Through Real-World Experience
When organizations look to strengthen their succession pipeline, relying solely on formal training or classroom-based development often isn’t enough. The 70-20-10 learning model highlights that most employees learn best through on-the-job experiences. This framework suggests that 70% of learning and leadership development comes from challenging assignments and practical work, while only 10% is from formal learning. The remaining 20% is shaped by social learning and mentorship. Applying this model, leaders and L&D teams can identify high-potential team members by observing how they perform in real work situations. For example, when employees are given stretch assignments or new responsibilities, their ability to adapt, solve problems, and collaborate with others becomes clear. These job experiences reveal qualities that formal training might miss, such as resilience, initiative, and the capacity to lead under pressure.- Job learning helps uncover hidden leadership skills that may not surface in structured programs.
- Performance support and informal learning allow employees to demonstrate growth in real time.
- Team-based projects and cross-functional work offer opportunities for employees to share knowledge and build influence.
The role of mentorship and social learning in leadership development
Unlocking Leadership Growth Through Social Connections
When it comes to leadership development, informal learning and mentorship play a crucial role that formal training alone cannot match. In the 70-20-10 learning model, social learning and on-the-job experiences are recognized as powerful drivers for talent development. Employees learn best when they have access to real-time feedback, guidance, and the opportunity to share knowledge with others in their organization.
Mentorship programs and peer-to-peer support create a framework where team members can learn from each other’s successes and challenges. This model will help employees gain practical insights that formal learning or classroom-based solutions often miss. By working closely with experienced leaders, emerging talent can observe leadership in action, ask questions, and receive performance support tailored to their needs.
- Job learning: Employees develop leadership skills by tackling real work challenges, supported by mentors who provide context and advice.
- Social learning: Team members learn through collaboration, discussion, and observing how others approach problems.
- Learning development: Informal interactions help reinforce formal training, making learning more relevant and memorable.
Organizations that prioritize social learning and mentorship as part of their leadership development strategy see stronger performance and a more sustainable succession pipeline. L&D professionals can facilitate these connections by encouraging cross-functional projects, job shadowing, and regular feedback sessions. This approach ensures that employees have ongoing access to development solutions that go beyond traditional training, supporting both individual growth and organizational success.
Formal education’s place in a holistic succession strategy
Formal learning as a foundation for leadership growth
In the context of the 70-20-10 learning model, formal learning plays a crucial but specific role in succession planning. While much of employees’ development happens through job experiences and social learning, structured training and formal education provide the essential framework and knowledge base that support leadership development. This formal component includes workshops, online courses, certifications, and classroom sessions designed to deliver targeted learning solutions.
Integrating formal training with real-world application
Formal learning alone rarely prepares team members for the complexities of leadership roles. However, when paired with on-the-job learning and performance support, it helps employees learn the theories, models, and best practices that underpin effective leadership. For example, formal training can introduce new managers to strategic planning, communication frameworks, or compliance requirements. These structured experiences create a shared language and set of expectations across the organization, which is vital for consistent talent development.
Ensuring access and equity in development solutions
One of the strengths of formal learning is its ability to provide equitable access to knowledge. By offering standardized training programs, organizations ensure that all potential leaders, regardless of their current role or location, have the opportunity to learn and grow. This approach supports a diverse leadership pipeline and helps identify high-potential employees who may not have had access to informal learning networks.
Formal learning as part of a holistic framework
While informal learning and mentorship are powerful drivers of leadership development, formal education remains a necessary part of a holistic succession strategy. It ensures that all team members have a baseline understanding of the organization’s values, processes, and expectations. When integrated with social and experiential learning, formal training enhances performance, supports ongoing learning development, and helps organizations build a sustainable succession pipeline.
- Formal learning provides foundational knowledge and skills
- It ensures consistency and equity in leadership development
- When combined with job learning and social learning, it maximizes the impact of the 70-20-10 model
Organizations that balance formal training with real-world experiences and mentorship create a robust environment where people learn, share knowledge, and prepare for future leadership roles. This integrated approach to learning and development is essential for long-term performance and organizational success.
Building a sustainable succession pipeline with the 70-20-10 approach
Embedding the 70-20-10 Framework into Everyday Practice
To build a truly sustainable succession pipeline, organizations must move beyond one-off training events and integrate the 70-20-10 learning model into daily work life. This model will help teams create a continuous learning environment where employees learn not just through formal training, but also through job experiences and social learning. The goal is to ensure that leadership development becomes a natural part of the workflow, rather than an isolated program.
Practical Steps for Long-Term Talent Development
- Job Learning: Encourage team members to take on stretch assignments and new responsibilities. Real job experiences are where most learning and performance support happen, helping employees develop practical leadership skills over time.
- Social Learning: Facilitate opportunities for employees to share knowledge and learn from each other. Peer coaching, mentoring, and regular feedback sessions are effective development solutions that foster informal learning and strengthen team bonds.
- Formal Learning: While formal training remains important, it should be used to complement on-the-job and social learning. L&D teams can offer targeted workshops, access to online courses, and structured leadership programs as part of a broader learning development strategy.
Creating Access and Equity in Leadership Development
One of the strengths of the 70-20-10 model is its flexibility. By offering a mix of learning experiences, organizations can provide all employees with access to leadership development, regardless of their current role or location. This approach helps identify hidden talent and ensures that the succession pipeline is diverse and robust.
Measuring Impact and Adjusting Solutions
To ensure the effectiveness of your succession planning framework, regularly assess the performance and growth of potential leaders. Use feedback from employees, performance data, and input from managers to refine your learning model and development solutions. Over time, this ongoing evaluation will help the organization adapt to changing needs and maintain a strong leadership bench.
By embedding the 70-20-10 learning model into the fabric of your organization, you create a dynamic environment where people learn, grow, and are ready to step into leadership roles when needed. This sustainable approach to talent development not only supports current business goals but also prepares your team for future challenges.
