#38 Leader Development is More Than a Monthly Lecture, Here’s a Better Blueprint

Welcome to the 3x5 leadership podcast―a show dedicated to making more intentional leaders regardless of role, rank, or responsibility because we believe that better leaders and build a better world. The reality is, however, that you cannot successfully and sustainably pour into others from an empty cup. So, how do you keep your cup full as a leader? This show aims to fill your cup with simple, practical strategies so you can live, lead, and learn more intentionally.

You can listen to the episode on Apple and Spotify!

When you look at your work calendar, where do you see “leader development”? And when your team sees it, what does it mean to them? If it’s a laid-back hour of lecture or forced group discussions, it might be time to reconsider.

In this episode, we’ll dive into the 70-20-10 model for development planning and show you why those lectures and discussions only cover about 10% of what a leader truly needs to grow and thrive.

The remaining 90%? It doesn’t require a ton of extra effort on your part as the leader developer. What it takes is intentionality and building relationships that reinforce the experiences your team is already having. These experiences might look like:

• Delegating an initiative to someone who’s not quite ready, then supporting and coaching them through the execution
• Assigning a new hire to a cross-functional project, helping them build connections across departments
• Letting a junior leader make a critical decision and backing them up—no matter the outcome

We believe that implementing this model won’t cost you much time or resources, and we’ll share actionable ideas to help you put it into practice right away. When you do, you’ll see your leader development results soar, as people gain the core experiences and insights that amplify the impact of your lectures and discussions.

Related Episodes

Interested in learning more? Check out these related 3x5 Leadership podcast episodes.

• #18 How to Make Leader Development Easier

• #29 The Most Common Leader Development Mistake…and How to Fix It (Hint: Start with Why)

• #33 Three Ways Leaders Use Feedback to Create Developmental Experiences

Things Referenced in the Episode

• Introducing our Leadership University coming in early 2026! If you’re interested, you can learn more and sign up to be the first to know when it’s ready at our Leadership University page.
• Book by Michael Lombardo and Robert Eichinger, The Career Architect Development Planner.
• The Center for Creative Leadership.
• The 70:20:10 Institute.

Discover More

• Like and Review the Show! If you found this episode valuable, we invite you to give the show a like and review. It builds our credibility, helping others discover the show and know it’s worth their time.
• Join Our Email List. When you do, you’ll get free, weekly insights sent straight to your inbox to help fill your cup as a leader. Subscribe and learn more at 3x5 Leadership.

Until next episode, friends, take care and lead well!