Want To Spot A Great Leader? Check Their Calendar.

If you want to know who your most effective leaders are, don’t bother reviewing their resumes or watching how confidently they command a room. Instead, ask one simple question: When was the last time they attended leadership training?

Because here’s what the data tells us: the best leaders—the ones who build strong cultures, inspire great performance, and actually improve over time—are the ones actively seeking out leadership development. They read the books, show up to the workshops, and ask for feedback. Not because they’re deficient, but because they know that leadership is a muscle, and muscles atrophy when you stop using them.

Conversely, the worst leaders tend to opt out. They don’t need training (in their minds), because they already “know it all.” They’re uninterested in feedback, unreceptive to coaching, and unlikely to admit they could be better.

The research is overwhelmingly clear: a leader’s willingness to invest in their own growth isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a bold signal of emotional intelligence, humility, and ultimately, competence.

The Self-Awareness Paradox: Why Bad Leaders Think They're Good

One of the most paradoxical findings in behavioral science is that the people who are worst at something are often the most confident in their abilities. This phenomenon, known as the Dunning-Kruger effect, shows up in countless domains, from logic to grammar to—yes—leadership.

One groundbreaking study by Rutgers, Cornell, and Columbia researchers explored how managers assess their own emotional intelligence. Not surprisingly, those with the least emotional skill were also the least likely to recognize their deficits. Even when given explicit feedback about their shortcomings, these individuals either dismissed the feedback entirely or questioned its relevance. The result? The least competent leaders were also the least interested in self-improvement—while top performers were the most likely to seek coaching, training, or resources to grow.

This finding is echoed in numerous studies, including one from Cornell and University of London scientists, who found that low-ability individuals not only fail to recognize their incompetence, but also overestimate their skill and actively resist corrective information.

In essence, the leaders who most need development are often the most resistant to it. They’re not skipping leadership training because they’re too busy—they’re skipping it because they don’t think they need it. Meanwhile, the best leaders are hungry to learn—not because they’re bad, but because they know how much they still have to improve.

Leadership Training as a Marker of Leadership Intelligence

Leadership IQ surveyed over 3,000 leaders about their proficiency across 18 essential leadership skills—from reducing burnout to managing hybrid teams to delivering effective feedback. The results were sobering: Only 19% were adept at reducing burnout. Just 31% could manage difficult personalities. And a mere 28% felt capable of managing hybrid teams.

These are not fringe skills. These are core competencies for leading in a modern, complex workplace. And yet, many leaders dramatically overestimated their abilities—and, not coincidentally, had never received meaningful training in these areas.

Contrast that with the behavior of high performers. In study after study, we’ve found that the most engaged and high-performing leaders were also the most likely to seek out training. They’re not running from development. They’re running toward it.

Leadership training is also a sign of intellectual humility; one of the most underappreciated hallmarks of great leadership. Leaders who attend development sessions, seek coaching, or read leadership books are saying, “I can still get better.” That kind of thinking doesn’t just improve the individual—it raises the bar for the entire organization.

The Irony of Poor Leadership: The Ones Who Need Training the Most Avoid It the Most

There’s a cruel irony at play in many organizations. The leaders most in need of training—those struggling to manage people, set goals, or handle feedback—are often the least likely to pursue it. Why? Because they don’t know they’re bad.

One of our studies at Leadership IQ surveyed over 21,000 employees to assess how well their leaders were actually performing in seven core leadership behaviors. And the results were damning: Only 20% of employees said their leader takes an active role in helping them grow and develop their full potential. Just 16% said their leader always removes roadblocks to their success. Only 26% said their leader responds constructively when employees share problems.

Across the board, these are foundational competencies—clear communication, emotional intelligence, mentoring—that any leadership development program should be instilling. But the reality is that most programs have failed to deliver. Despite the chaos of the past few years demanding more from leaders than ever before, our data shows that most leaders have not developed the skills to meet the moment. And the absence of those skills isn’t just a performance issue—it’s a flashing red light that those leaders aren’t doing the work to grow.

So what’s happening? The answer is this: bad leaders don’t think they’re bad. They don’t see the gaps in their skillset because they don’t know what great leadership looks like. They think showing up to training is an admission of weakness—when in fact, it’s a sign of strength.

Why Great Leaders Lean Into Leadership Training

Let’s flip the script. Instead of thinking about training as remedial, think of it as elite conditioning.

The best leaders I’ve studied—people who inspire passion, foster innovation, and build high-performing teams—aren’t sitting around saying, “I don’t need this.” They’re constantly asking, “How can I get better?” They crave feedback. They embrace stretch goals. They voluntarily walk into rooms where their ideas will be challenged.

It’s not that they’re insecure. It’s that they’re deeply secure—secure enough to admit they’re still learning.

And here’s where the data gets really clear: Organizations filled with training-averse leaders see slower innovation, more disengagement, and worse performance. In contrast, the companies with the most proactive learners outperform their peers. They attract top talent, respond faster to change, and build more resilient cultures.

If you're a leader and you’re not investing in your own development, don’t be surprised when your team stops investing in theirs.

Reframing Leadership Training: It’s Not a Punishment, It’s A Power Move

Leadership training shouldn’t be something leaders get “sent to” after a bad 360 review. That framing reinforces the exact stigma we need to eradicate.

Instead, training should be a strategic differentiator—an executive-level priority that communicates one thing: Only the most committed, growth-oriented leaders belong here.

A culture shift occurs when training is repositioned this way. Suddenly, the best leaders start racing to the front of the line. They ask better questions. They engage more deeply with feedback. And they model the very mindset they want their teams to adopt.

Think about how we treat elite athletes. They don’t go to the gym because they’re weak. They go because they’re strong and they want to stay that way. Leadership training is no different.

If you want your leaders to think like top performers, treat their development like elite preparation—not corporate compliance.

Show Me Your Learners, I’ll Show You Your Leaders

If you’re an executive, HR leader, or CEO, here’s a challenge:

Audit your training attendance. Look at the last 12 months. Who showed up to leadership development? Who asked for coaching? Who read the books, completed the modules, participated in peer reviews?

Now, compare that list to your list of top performers.

The correlation between leadership effectiveness and a willingness to grow isn’t just anecdotal, it’s empirical. If someone isn’t investing in their own development, they probably aren’t equipped to invest in others.

Great leadership is teachable. But only to those who show up to class. So the next time someone asks how to spot a great leader, don’t just look at their charisma or track record.

Ask this instead: “When was the last time they sat in a leadership training?” Because the answer to that question might just tell you everything you need to know.