For decades, employee development has largely been reserved for leaders and high-potential talent. But as organizations face growing succession challenges, talent shortages, and a rapidly changing workforce, many are beginning to ask an important question:

What about everyone else?

In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne Okoren sits down with Susan Christensen to discuss the hidden development gap affecting organizations today. Together, they explore why traditional development models leave so many employees behind, how that impacts engagement and succession readiness, and what organizations can do to build a stronger talent pipeline from the ground up

Whether you’re an HR leader, talent development professional, manager, or executive, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on how organizations can create a more engaged, capable, and future-ready workforce.

Interested in bringing Extraordinary You to your organization?

Visit Zenger Folkman to learn how Extraordinary You helps individual contributors identify their strengths, accelerate their development, and make a greater impact—long before they step into formal leadership roles.

The post Episode 187: The Future of Employee Development first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Why do so many capable professionals overestimate their effectiveness at work? And what are the hidden behaviors quietly limiting trust, credibility, communication, and career growth?

In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne Okoren sits down with Zenger Folkman co-founder Jack Zenger to explore new research on one of the most important drivers of professional growth: self-awareness. Drawing on data from thousands of individual contributors, they uncover a surprising gap between how employees view their own effectiveness and how their managers actually experience them.

BreAnne and Jack discuss the eight workplace behaviors people most commonly misjudge—including trust, communication, follow-through, initiative, and speaking up—and why these blind spots can stall development long before someone enters a leadership role. They also explore why traditional development programs often miss the mark and how organizations can begin building stronger contributors earlier through meaningful feedback and strengths-based development.

Whether you’re an individual contributor looking to accelerate your career or a leader responsible for developing talent, this episode offers practical insights on how greater self-awareness can become a powerful competitive advantage.

 Zenger Folkman’s new development experience, Extraordinary You, is designed to help individual contributors build strengths, increase self-awareness, and accelerate growth at every stage of their career.

1. Self-awareness is a competitive advantage.

2. Blind spots are more common than most people realize.

3. Feedback from others is more accurate than self-assessment alone.

4. Small behaviors have a big impact on reputation.

5. Development should start before leadership roles.

Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here.

The post Episode 186: Filling the Missing Gap in Early Career Development: Extraordinary You first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Why do so many capable people overestimate their effectiveness at work? And what are the hidden behaviors quietly damaging trust, credibility, communication, and career growth?

In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne Okoren sits down with Joe Folkman to explore new research from Zenger Folkman on the surprising gap between how individual contributors see themselves… and how their managers actually experience them. Based on a study of more than 15,000 professionals, the conversation uncovers the 8 workplace behaviors people most commonly misjudge — from follow-through and communication to trust and work ethic.

Joe explains why self-awareness is one of the greatest competitive advantages in today’s workplace and how blind spots can quietly limit performance and growth. BreAnne and Joe also discuss why organizations need to start development earlier — before someone becomes a formal leader — and how Zenger Folkman’s new development experience, Extraordinary YOU, is designed to help individual contributors build strengths, increase self-awareness, and accelerate growth at every stage of their career.

If you’ve ever wondered whether others experience you the way you think they do… this episode is for you.

1. Most people have larger professional blind spots than they realize.

Research from more than 15,000 individual contributors revealed major gaps between self-ratings and manager ratings, especially in behaviors tied to trust, communication, follow-through, and influence.

2. Self-awareness is a competitive advantage.

The professionals who improve the fastest are not necessarily the most naturally talented — they are the most accurate at seeing their strengths and weaknesses clearly.

3. Small daily behaviors shape your reputation more than you think.

Reliability, preparation, responsiveness, and consistency quietly build — or erode — credibility over time.

4. High performers proactively seek feedback instead of waiting for reviews.

People who actively ask for specific behavioral feedback are better able to close the gap between intention and impact.

5. Leadership development should start earlier.

BreAnne and Joe discuss why organizations often wait too long to develop employees and how Extraordinary You helps individual contributors build self-awareness, strengths, and effectiveness long before they move into formal leadership roles

Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here.

The post Episode 185: Are You Overestimating Your Effectiveness? (And Why It Matters More Than You Think) first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

In this episode of The 90th Percentile Podcast, BreAnne Okoren and Jack Zenger sit down with leadership expert Michelle Fabian to explore one of the most overlooked—but critical—elements of effective coaching: presence.

While many leadership coaching models focus on goal setting, performance gaps, and action plans, this conversation takes a different approach. Michelle shares why great coaching begins with trust, connection, and a deep understanding of the individual—not just the problem.

Grounded in Zenger Folkman’s research on strengths-based leadership development and data from over 1 million 360-degree assessments, this episode reveals what truly differentiates leaders who coach effectively.

You’ll learn practical coaching techniques to help leaders:

If you’re a leader, HR professional, coach, or facilitator looking to improve your leadership coaching skills, this episode offers a simple but powerful truth:

???? The best coaching conversations don’t start with answers—they start with presence

Many leaders jump straight to goals and solutions. But effective leadership coaching begins with building trust and connection. Without it, even the best coaching techniques fall flat.

Being fully present—listening without distraction or agenda—is what allows leaders to uncover deeper issues like uncertainty, self-doubt, and competing priorities.

Strong coaching skills require understanding what motivates someone, where they feel confident, and where they feel stuck. This broader perspective leads to more meaningful and lasting development.

Coaching isn’t about solving everything at once. The most effective leaders help others identify small, actionable next steps that build momentum and confidence over time.

Zenger Folkman’s research shows that leaders who develop others effectively don’t rely on giving answers. Instead, they ask thoughtful questions that help individuals think more clearly and take ownership of their growth.

Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here.

The post Episode 184: Coaching is Connection First— Why Presence Outperforms Advice first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Gossip may seem like a minor workplace habit, but the research tells a very different story.

In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne and Joe Folkman explore new data from Zenger Folkman’s 360-degree leadership assessments revealing how destructive comments about others can quietly undermine a leader’s effectiveness. Based on feedback from hundreds of leaders and thousands of raters, the findings show that leaders who engage in negative gossip are perceived as significantly less effective across nearly every leadership competency.

Joe explains why leaders fall into the gossip trap, the hidden ways it erodes trust and psychological safety, and how this behavior spreads through organizations. More importantly, the research reveals that when leaders become aware of this pattern and change it, their effectiveness can improve dramatically.

For HR, Talent Development, and Learning leaders, this conversation highlights the powerful role feedback and leadership development play in shaping healthy cultures. When leaders commit to speaking about others with integrity—and addressing issues directly rather than through back channels—they build the trust, collaboration, and influence that define truly extraordinary leadership.

1. Leadership gossip is not harmless—it’s a career-limiting behavior.Zenger Folkman’s research shows that leaders who engage in destructive comments about others are viewed as less effective in 29 of 31 leadership behaviors measured in 360-degree feedback assessments.

2. Gossip erodes trust and psychological safety.When leaders criticize others behind their backs, team members become guarded and hesitant to speak openly—damaging collaboration, innovation, and honest communication.

3. The impact extends far beyond the individuals involved.Destructive comments create ripple effects across organizations, contributing to toxic culture, decreased collaboration, wasted energy, and higher turnover among top performers.

4. Small behavior changes can produce dramatic leadership gains.Leaders who improved their behavior around discouraging destructive comments saw their overall leadership effectiveness rise dramatically—from the 29th percentile to the 78th percentile in the study.

5. Awareness and feedback are powerful catalysts for change.360-degree feedback can help leaders recognize behaviors they may not realize they exhibit. When leaders commit to addressing issues directly and sharing praise instead of criticism, they build stronger trust and influence.

Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here.

The post Episode 183: The Gossip Trap— One Leadership Habit That Quietly Destroys Trust first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.