Leadership Organizations Mar 11, 2020
Podcast: Is Management Training Worth It?
And which managers stand to benefit most? Find out on this episode of The Insightful Leader.

To researchers, management training is something of a black box.
to your inbox.
While previous studies had measured the impact of company-wide training programs—for instance, those that trained managers in the marketing, operations, and sales departments all at once—the research still left some important questions unanswered. “What we didn’t really know yet was, what was the effect of training managers in different areas?” says Nicola Bianchi, an assistant professor of strategy at Kellogg.
New research from Bianchi and Michela Giorcelli of the University of California, Los Angeles, goes inside the black box of management training to pinpoint which kinds of training improve productivity most. The surprising answer could help companies get more bang for their buck.
Note: The Insightful Leader is produced for the ear, and not meant to be read as a transcript. We encourage you to listen to the audio version above. However, a transcript of this episode is available here.
-
Will AI Eventually Replace Doctors?Maybe not entirely. But the doctor–patient relationship is likely to change dramatically.
-
3 Tips for Reinventing Your Career After a LayoffIt’s crucial to reassess what you want to be doing instead of jumping at the first opportunity.
-
What Happens to Worker Productivity after a Minimum Wage Increase?A pay raise boosts productivity for some—but the impact on the bottom line is more complicated.
-
6 Takeaways on Inflation and the Economy Right NowAre we headed into a recession? Kellogg’s Sergio Rebelo breaks down the latest trends.
-
What Is the Purpose of a Corporation Today?Has anything changed in the three years since the Business Roundtable declared firms should prioritize more than shareholders?
-
How to Get the Ear of Your CEO—And What to Say When You Have ItEvery interaction with the top boss is an audition for senior leadership.
-
Why We Can’t All Get Away with Wearing Designer ClothesIn certain professions, luxury goods can send the wrong signal.
-
Why You Should Skip the Easy Wins and Tackle the Hard Task FirstNew research shows that you and your organization lose out when you procrastinate on the difficult stuff.
-
How Are Black–White Biracial People Perceived in Terms of Race?Understanding the answer—and why black and white Americans may percieve biracial people differently—is increasingly important in a multiracial society.
-
Which Form of Government Is Best?Democracies may not outlast dictatorships, but they adapt better.
-
When Do Open Borders Make Economic Sense?A new study provides a window into the logic behind various immigration policies.
-
Why Do Some People Succeed after Failing, While Others Continue to Flounder?A new study dispels some of the mystery behind success after failure.
-
How Has Marketing Changed over the Past Half-Century?Phil Kotler’s groundbreaking textbook came out 55 years ago. Sixteen editions later, he and coauthor Alexander Chernev discuss how big data, social media, and purpose-driven branding are moving the field forward.
-
How Old Are Successful Tech Entrepreneurs?A definitive new study dispels the myth of the Silicon Valley wunderkind.
-
How Offering a Product for Free Can BackfireIt seems counterintuitive, but there are times customers would rather pay a small amount than get something for free.
-
Immigrants to the U.S. Create More Jobs than They TakeA new study finds that immigrants are far more likely to found companies—both large and small—than native-born Americans.
-
College Campuses Are Becoming More Diverse. But How Much Do Students from Different Backgrounds Actually Interact?Increasing diversity has been a key goal, “but far less attention is paid to what happens after we get people in the door.”
-
How Peer Pressure Can Lead Teens to Underachieve—Even in Schools Where It’s “Cool to Be Smart”New research offers lessons for administrators hoping to improve student performance.