Most training fails not because the content is wrong, but because the learning environment is. The 70-20-10 model designs learning where it actually happens: on the job, with social support, and reinforced by formal training. For background, see Center for Creative Leadership’s overview and the original research lineage.

Source we’re acknowledging: Growth Engineering’s primer on 70-20-10.

What is 70-20-10?

• 70% On-the-job application: practising new skills in live work with goals and feedback. This “experience first” emphasis traces to Lessons of Experience (McCall, Lombardo, Morrison) and subsequent CCL work.

• 20% Social learning: coaching from leaders, peer learning, mentoring and role-modelling. Meta-analyses show mentoring has positive effects across contexts.

• 10% Formal learning: workshops, e-learning and tools—important foundations but not sufficient on their own. See practical overviews from Training Industry and CCL.

A useful nuance: the percentages aren’t a law of nature—they’re a heuristic drawn from executive self-reports; the exact ratio isn’t the point.

Why it matters for NZ & Australian organisations

You need training that translates to customer outcomes fast—pipeline health, conversion, CSAT/NPS and retention—rather than “event-only” learning. Transfer-of-training research shows behaviour change depends on context, follow-up and opportunity to apply on the job.

How we design to 70-20-10 at Integrity Solutions Centre

10% Formal (foundations):
Interactive workshops align mindset, skills and a common language (e.g., Integrity Selling®, Integrity Service®), supported by practical playbooks and micro-learning. Spaced reinforcement improves retention versus one-off learning. PubMed+1

20% Social (support):

• Integrity Coaching®: leaders coach to goals and behaviour, not just numbers. Workplace coaching is associated with positive organisational outcomes. PMC

• Peer huddles, role-plays, ride-alongs and call reviews with fast feedback loops; mentoring and peer support matter. PMC

70% On-the-job (performance):
Fieldwork assignments tie directly to live opportunities or customer moments. This is where transfer occurs—when people apply new skills with feedback and support. Gwern

A sample 8-week pathway (sales or service)

Week 0 – Manager alignment: define success metrics, set coaching cadence. (Transfer research consistently flags supervisor support as critical.) Gwern
Week 1 – Workshop (the 10%): mindset + skills + tools; commit to 1–2 high-impact behaviours.
Weeks 2–8 – Coaching & practice (the 20% + 70%): two short coaching sessions weekly, peer huddles, and fieldwork on real accounts/tickets; micro-learning nudges spaced over time. PMC+1
Week 9 – Review & sustain: celebrate wins, remove blockers, roll into quarterly rhythm.

What managers do differently (and why it sticks)

• Model the behaviours (pre-call plans, discovery, objection handling, service recovery).

• Coach weekly with a consistent framework (Ask–Listen–Coach–Commit).

• Remove barriers (process, tools, capacity) so reps can apply new skills.
  These factors show up repeatedly in transfer-of-training evidence. Gwern+1

Measuring what matters (and proving ROI)

Track a balanced set of leading and lagging indicators:

Leading (within 1–4 weeks): pre-call plans completed, new decision-makers engaged, coaching sessions completed/quality, service recovery steps followed. Leading indicators provide early signals that transfer is occurring. Gwern

Lagging (4–12+ weeks): win rate, average deal size, cycle time, CSAT/NPS, first-contact resolution, escalation rate, revenue per rep, retention, cross-sell/upsell. Review weekly; spacing your reviews (and micro-learning) improves durability of behaviour change. PubMed+1

Common pitfalls (and how we prevent them)

• Event-only training: solved by an 8-week coaching cadence and fieldwork. (Transfer literature warns against “train and hope”.) Gwern

• No manager involvement: solved by leader toolkits and coach training; coaching effectiveness is well-supported. PMC

• Vague goals: solved by role-specific behaviour targets and clear metrics.

• No reinforcement: solved by spaced micro-learning and peer huddles. PubMed

Proof in practice

A national service team aligned on a consistent recovery conversation, coached weekly, and practised on live tickets. In eight weeks they lifted first-contact resolution and reduced escalations while CSAT rose. Mechanisms match the research: supervisor support, practice opportunities and spaced reinforcement. Gwern+1

Is 70-20-10 right for you?

Choose 70-20-10 if you want training your people use tomorrow—and leaders who can coach it next quarter. Treat the ratio as a design principle, not a rigid rule; its strength is focusing attention where learning actually sticks. ATD

Further reading:

• Center for Creative Leadership: “The 70-20-10 Rule for Leadership Development.”

• Lessons of Experience (McCall, Lombardo, Morrison) – foundational research underpinning 70-20-10.

• Training Industry: “The 70-20-10 Model for Learning and Development.”

• ATD: “70-20-10: Where Is the Evidence?” (useful caution on interpreting the percentages).

• Baldwin & Ford (1988) + updated reviews: classic transfer-of-training research.

• Cepeda et al. (2006/2008): meta-analytic evidence on spacing effects (why post-workshop reinforcement matters).

• Mentoring and coaching meta-analyses: evidence for the “20%” social learning component.