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Why 90% of Employee Development Fails (And What to Do Instead)
You hired someone with potential. You believed in them. You invested in training, coaching, one-on-ones. And still — they struggled.
Most development fails not because people aren’t trying, but because we skip three critical assessments before we invest: Readiness, Capacity, and Desire.
In this episode, I share the story of a hire I failed — someone exceptional at relationships who couldn’t develop the technical skills the role required. I mistook belief for readiness, and both of us paid the price.
Prefer to read? Visit → The Manager’s Compass for the written guide and linked Trail Map tool.
You’ll learn• Why 80–90% of skills learned in training are lost within a year• The three assessments to run before any development plan• How to tell the difference between a skill gap and a mismatch• When to pivot from development to role adjustment• Why we promote people into management without assessing readiness, capacity, or desire
Free Trail Map
Development Readiness Assessment — Three-question framework with fill-in templates, red-flag list, and scripts for honest development talks.
→ subscribepage.io/trailmaps or Trail Maps
Pro Toolkit
Reality-Based Employee Development Toolkit — Full system with tracking tools, scenario libraries, and cues for when development has failed.
→ Store Listing
Resources Mentioned• Pro Toolkit → Reality-Based Employee Development Toolkit• Subscribe to Trail Maps → yourleadershipmap.com/trail-map
Sources & References• Bersin by Deloitte / Eduardo Salas, as cited in Cognota (2023). “Study: 90 Percent of New Skills Are Lost After Training.”• 24x7 Learning Survey, as cited in SHIFT eLearning (2015). “Statistics on Corporate Training and What They Mean for Your Company’s Future.”
Note: Figures are drawn from industry research and surveys; results vary by study and sector.
Connect Website → yourleadershipmap.com Email → [email protected]Newsletter → Field Notes from Your Leadership Map™
Related Episodes• Ep 19 — Why Performance Reviews Backfire (And How to Make Them Work)• Ep 18 — The Year-End Crunch: How to Deliver Without Burning Out Your Team
Music CreditsBackground Inspiring — Dmytro KuvalinPiano Classical Brand Motive Logo — Zakhar Valaha (via Pixabay)
© The Manager’s Mind Mapping Company™.Leadership Cartography™, Your Leadership Map™, Lead with Heart™, Lead with Support™, Lead with Purpose™, Lead Together™, and Lead with Precision™ are trademarks of The Manager’s Mind Mapping Company™. All rights reserved.
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By catherine inslerYou hired someone with potential. You believed in them. You invested in training, coaching, one-on-ones. And still — they struggled.
Most development fails not because people aren’t trying, but because we skip three critical assessments before we invest: Readiness, Capacity, and Desire.
In this episode, I share the story of a hire I failed — someone exceptional at relationships who couldn’t develop the technical skills the role required. I mistook belief for readiness, and both of us paid the price.
Prefer to read? Visit → The Manager’s Compass for the written guide and linked Trail Map tool.
You’ll learn• Why 80–90% of skills learned in training are lost within a year• The three assessments to run before any development plan• How to tell the difference between a skill gap and a mismatch• When to pivot from development to role adjustment• Why we promote people into management without assessing readiness, capacity, or desire
Free Trail Map
Development Readiness Assessment — Three-question framework with fill-in templates, red-flag list, and scripts for honest development talks.
→ subscribepage.io/trailmaps or Trail Maps
Pro Toolkit
Reality-Based Employee Development Toolkit — Full system with tracking tools, scenario libraries, and cues for when development has failed.
→ Store Listing
Resources Mentioned• Pro Toolkit → Reality-Based Employee Development Toolkit• Subscribe to Trail Maps → yourleadershipmap.com/trail-map
Sources & References• Bersin by Deloitte / Eduardo Salas, as cited in Cognota (2023). “Study: 90 Percent of New Skills Are Lost After Training.”• 24x7 Learning Survey, as cited in SHIFT eLearning (2015). “Statistics on Corporate Training and What They Mean for Your Company’s Future.”
Note: Figures are drawn from industry research and surveys; results vary by study and sector.
Connect Website → yourleadershipmap.com Email → [email protected]Newsletter → Field Notes from Your Leadership Map™
Related Episodes• Ep 19 — Why Performance Reviews Backfire (And How to Make Them Work)• Ep 18 — The Year-End Crunch: How to Deliver Without Burning Out Your Team
Music CreditsBackground Inspiring — Dmytro KuvalinPiano Classical Brand Motive Logo — Zakhar Valaha (via Pixabay)
© The Manager’s Mind Mapping Company™.Leadership Cartography™, Your Leadership Map™, Lead with Heart™, Lead with Support™, Lead with Purpose™, Lead Together™, and Lead with Precision™ are trademarks of The Manager’s Mind Mapping Company™. All rights reserved.