The 70:20:10 Model: Leadership Training and Development for Managers
For L&D and OD leaders, the 70:20:10 learning model remains a cornerstone of modern learning strategy: roughly 70% experiential, 20% social, 10% formal. This guide explains what the model means for leadership development training today, why the “20%” of social learning drives outsized impact, and how to implement it in the flow of work using small leadership training and development groups.
What Is the 70:20:10 learning model?
The 70:20:10 learning model describes the balance of how adults learn effectively at work: about 70% via on‑the‑job experiences (doing, experimenting, reflecting), 20% through social learning (peer feedback, mentoring, dialogue), and 10% through formal learning (courses, eLearning, workshops). For leadership training programs, this balance ensures that new mindsets and behaviours are practised and reinforced, not just understood.
In CoachingOurselves, co‑created with Henry Mintzberg, the model comes to life through short, structured small group leadership development coaching sessions that turn day‑to‑day challenges into learning experiences—so managers grow while getting real work done.
Why Social Learning Is the 20% That Drives Impact
Leaders don’t improve in isolation. The “20%” fosters psychological safety, diverse perspectives, and mutual accountability—all essential for behaviour change. In practice, social learning looks like small groups of managers meeting regularly to reflect on recent events, exchange insights, and commit to targeted actions. The result: higher engagement, stronger relationships, and more consistent application of leadership skills back on the job.
How to Implement 70:20:10 Model in Your Organization
1) Form leadership training and development groups
Create small, diverse groups of 4–6 leaders who meet every month. Keep sessions to 60–90 minutes with simple reflective warm up.
2) Use structured topic guidebooks to spark reflection
Leverage CoachingOurselves topics to guide rich conversations tied to current work. Start with our Developing Your People: The 70:20:10 Framework to launch momentum.
3) Embed learning in the flow of work
- Ask managers to bring live challenges and recent decisions.
- Use a standard reflection prompt (e.g., “What did we try? What happened? What will we do differently?”).
- End every session with 1–2 specific commitments to test before the next meeting.
4) Support with psychological safety
Set norms for confidentiality, curiosity, and constructive challenge. To deepen this capability, run a workshop using our guidebook on building psychological safety.
5) Measure what matters
- Leading indicators: session attendance, commitment follow‑through, quality of dialogue.
- Outcomes: team trust, collaboration, and evidence of changed leadership behaviours.
Examples of 70:20:10 Model in Action
Cross‑functional manager circles: A cohort of new managers meets biweekly using CoachingOurselves topics on dialogue, feedback, and uncertainty. Within eight weeks, they report faster decision‑making and stronger peer support across silos.
Leadership culture refresh: Senior leaders hold monthly peer sessions focused on values‑to‑behaviours alignment and psychological safety. They identify two “moments that matter” in their meetings and adopt new practices that cascade to teams.
Explore our customer stories and program examples in the Resources library.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
- Over‑indexing on courses: Don’t stop at the “10%.” Pair formal learning with ongoing peer reflection.
- No managerial sponsorship: Ask leaders to attend the first two sessions and model the behaviours you want to see.
- Ambiguous outcomes: Define success up front (e.g., psychological safety, peer accountability) and track behaviours, not just completions.
Related:
- Leader Training for Managers
- Charles Jennings: Author of Developing your People: the 70:20:10 framework
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the 70:20:10 learning model in leadership training and development?
- It’s a practical framework for workplace learning: ~70% experiential, 20% social, 10% formal. Leadership capabilities stick when reflection and dialogue are layered onto real work.
- How do we implement 70:20:10 in a hybrid workplace?
- Run small leadership development and coaching groups on a regular cadence (virtual or in‑person), use structured guidebooks, and end with clear commitments to try before the next session.
- What’s the difference between social learning and coaching?
- Coaching is often 1:1. Social learning is group‑based: multiple leaders reflect together, exchange feedback, and co‑create ways forward—faster diffusion and accountability.