Skill-Building That Sticks: How Real-World Leadership Training Drives Results

Leadership development is a critical driver of business success. And yet, the way many organizations approach it is… underwhelming.

Too often, training feels like a moment in time—an inspiring workshop, an insightful model, a well-structured session. But the real question is: what happens after?

At The Violet Group, we believe great leadership development starts with a simple premise: real change requires intentional design.

We don’t just ask, “What do we want people to learn?”

We ask:

• How do professionals in high-pressure roles make space to practice new habits?

• How do mid-career leaders unlearn what made them successful earlier in their careers?

• How do we ensure learning sticks—beyond the workbook and into day-to-day behavior?
  

These are the questions we ask every time we design a leadership offering—whether it’s a one-time training, a cohort-based leadership program, or a high-touch coaching engagement.

Let’s look at a recent client story that brings this to life.

A Global Financial Firm Needed to Build Leadership Bench Strength—Fast

This organization had no shortage of talent. But in the face of rapid growth and increased complexity, they needed leaders who could:

• Communicate clearly

• Delegate strategically

• Influence without authority

• Collaborate across business lines

We partnered with their HR and Talent Team to build and design a year-long skill-building series for employees at multiple levels. The sessions were short (90 minutes), practical, and grounded in real-world challenges. The goal wasn’t just to teach—it was to change behavior.

We applied core learning design principles:

• Modular sessions to reduce cognitive load and allow for repeated exposure

• Small-group discussion to increase psychological safety and reflection

• Behavioral science insights to deepen understanding and make concepts sticky

• Application prompts and toolkits to translate learning to real work

Over 50 sessions were delivered. Attendees included people across diverse roles -- engineers, finance professionals, data analysts, and team leads. Many were initially skeptical, rightly so, of what the experience in the "classroom" might be like.

And yet…

• 92% rated sessions Good or Excellent

• 93% said they’d recommend to a peer

• Delegation and High-Performance Teams became highly requested follow-up topics

• Return attendance was high—people didn’t just show up once. They came back.

The learning stuck.

One participant told us:

“I used the delegation framework the next day in a 1:1. It gave me language I didn’t know I was missing.”

That’s the kind of feedback we design for—not just satisfaction, but application.

Why Most Soft Skills Training Doesn’t Stick

Recent research (Hamzah et al., 2024; Buyalskaya et al., 2024) confirms what many L&D leaders already feel: training alone isn’t enough.

Organizations invest over 100 billion annually in soft skills development—but much of it fails to produce lasting results. Why? Because we’ve underestimated how adults actually learn.

Habit formation takes time. Studies show new behaviors take 65 to 91 days to become automatic (Buyalskaya et al., 2023; Lally et al., 2009). And learning transfer depends on three key factors:

• Capability: Learners need a strong foundation and the self-efficacy to apply what they’re learning

• Motivation: Engagement increases when learners feel emotionally connected and see the relevance

• Opportunity: Without real chances to practice, reflection turns into frustration

It’s not enough to run a training. You need an environment where the learning can breathe.

So, What Actually Works?

For us, the answer has always been a mix of science, engagement, application and a healthy dose of fun.

• We design for insight—but also repetition.

• We teach frameworks—but also give people time to experiment.

• We rely on behavioral science—but always meet people where they are.

Because at the end of the day, skill-building isn’t a onetime event—it’s a process. And when the conditions are right, that process can lead to lasting, measurable leadership growth.

A Final Question for Leaders and L&D Teams:

You’re investing time and money into training. Are you designing it to actually work?

If you’re not sure, we’d love to help you figure that out.

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Ready to talk about what your leaders really need next?

📧 Contact us to learn more about our leadership solutions.

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