RESEARCH

The Hult Ashridge Leadership Learning Index (HALLI)

In partnership with Hult International Business School 

Author: Professor Vicki Culpin

How do leaders learn best – today and in the future?

This research report –the largest study of its kind - sets out key findings and practical recommendations for L&D leaders to better support leadership learning in their organizations.

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Learning today and tomorrow: What does the research tell us?  

Learning is the single greatest capability that enables organizations to keep adapting in a perpetually changing world. Organizations need agile, reflective leaders who can continuously learn, unlearn and relearn.

And the capacity to lead through these cycles depends on the effectiveness of leadership learning and development opportunities. 

“The learn-it-all will always do better than the know-it-all.” 

Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO and Chair 

The Hult Ashridge Leadership Learning Index (HALLI), led by Professor Vicki Culpin, set out to understand how leaders learn best. Drawing on responses from over 1,000 leaders from across five regions, six levels and 17 sectors, it is the largest and most geographically diverse research that focuses specifically on how leaders learn.

Following our research (The Better Leaders Paradox, which explored six critical leadership shifts), HALLI goes beyond what leaders need to be “better” and looks at how they actually get there. The “how” of learning is arguably even more important than the what. Without an effective learning methodology, the best content will never stick. 

And HALLI shows that 88% of people agree that how people learn will change more than what they learn. So for those in the position of designing and delivering transformational leadership development, the focus must be not just on the how of today – but the how could we of tomorrow.  

What you'll discover in the research:

How organizations are choosing to develop their leaders and clear “effectiveness gaps” in the underutilization of effective methodologies  


The greatest barriers and enablers to learning and their impact on ROI – including the time-to-learn paradox  


What you can do to maximize learning transfer in your organization  


How access and attitudes to learning change across levels of seniority, and how you can increase the democratization of learning 


The demand for AI literacy alongside a call for human-centered leadership capabilities

HALLI Research Report

How do leaders learn best – today and in the future?

Download the research to discover the true picture of leadership learning and the key implications for leadership development.

Meet the author

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Vicki Culpin

Professor of Organizational Behavior at Hult International Business School

Vicki specializes in how to master leadership and resilience in turbulent times and has spent over 20 years researching the impact of well-being and memory. 

Vicki also researches in the field of adult pedagogy, specifically in relation to learning transfer. Vicki works with a range of clients from across the world, advising on leadership development, along with sharing her research findings.

Discover the true picture of leadership learning

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