I’ve seen traditional leadership development programs take as long as three years to fully transfer knowledge and equip leaders with practical frameworks they can apply on the job.

These programs were designed for a time when leadership roles were more clearly defined and the skills required to succeed were more static. Today, traditional career paths have been upended, and leadership development needs to evolve, too.

Nearly 40% of the core skills today’s workforce depends on are expected to change by 2030, according to World Economic Forum (WEF) research. These skills are changing before participants in today’s leadership development programs even complete their training. As a result, large portions of such programs go unused because the roles they were designed to prepare someone for change seemingly overnight, before the certificate is even printed. The entry-level roles that some leaders oversee are changing even faster, according to a separate WEF report.

Leadership development has an opportunity to create readiness to pursue excellence despite how technology and its effects on the workforce continue to evolve. However, it can only do so if it evolves beyond the standard three-year program and focuses on something more dynamic, adaptable and integrated into daily work.

Knowledge Is Everywhere, But Readiness Is Rare

Today, knowledge is ubiquitous and easier to access than ever. A plethora of artificial intelligence (AI) tools can display proven frameworks and best practices nearly instantaneously. What once had to be learned over the course of several months or even years is now an AI prompt away.

However, scarcity still exists in the ability to apply that knowledge under real work conditions due to ambiguity, time pressure, friction and demand. Navigating these conditions requires what I call “readiness.”

In what Time refers to as “The Great Exhaustion,” workers lack the time or energy for the job they already have, which in turn drains leaders who have some of these same issues themselves and are attempting to drive excellence in their teams. Consequently, leaders are often left unprepared.

There are countless times when a leader has completed a program yet freezes when the time comes to apply that knowledge. For example, a leader might take a course on providing tough feedback but then freeze up when a difficult conversation takes place. They may have memorized the model for the conversation, but when faced with a defensive direct report, their instincts might take over. Knowledge-based programs will never close this gap, because true readiness can only be developed in realistic situations. That repetition builds the kind of confidence to execute in the moment.

There’s no single license or certificate that qualifies someone to be a great leader. Leaders must build skills through ongoing practice, reflection and real-world application. By prioritizing readiness over knowledge, organizations can focus on building the skills employees need for the future.

How to Accelerate Leadership Development

Consider the following best practices to accelerate leadership development in your organization:

Build in repetition and context.

A rising leader might learn about leadership best practices in a workshop, but can they exhibit them under pressure? Realistic scenarios that allow them to practice hard conversations help key behaviors become ingrained. They also offer the opportunity to hear feedback in the moment, not in a debrief when the chance to pivot has long passed.

Design around decisions, not competencies.

Most leadership development programs are organized into competencies like communication, delegation and strategic thinking. But decision-making is one of the most common skills leaders struggle with. Many leaders don’t know how to choose the best path forward when facing ambiguity or multiple options. Thus, teaching leaders decision-making skills is essential.

Measure behavior change instead of completion.

Most learning leaders have accepted that measuring factors like course attendance, completion rates and satisfaction don’t necessarily equate to the program having an impact. But many organizations still measure these metrics because they don’t have a way to connect learning to business impact. One approach is to explore whether learning drives behavior change. Choose two or three behaviors that you’re hoping to see more of from leaders, such as handling ambiguity more easily, and then track whether you’re seeing those on the job. If not, a different approach is required.

Ultimately, focusing on readiness can accelerate leadership development by shifting time away from outdated training videos and lectures toward repetition and real-world practice. Leadership is full of “messy middle” moments, and readiness helps leaders navigate them effectively. Executive leadership coaching is often critical to this process, giving leaders the space to practice, reflect and apply their skills when it matters most.