Here’s the truth: High course completion rates and glowing learner feedback aren’t indicators of real corporate training impact.
U.S. companies invested $101.8 billion in employee training last year, yet barely one-third of L&D teams track whether that spend moves any business needle—only 11 percent capture ROI, and just 19 percent capture organizational impact, according to Watershed.
That disconnect explains why high course‑completion rates and glowing smile‑sheet scores can feel great but still fail to boost revenue, retention, or risk reduction. When learning isn’t measured against the targets executives care about, even “award‑winning” programs can quietly miss the mark.
The Award-Winning Training Program That Failed
It had all the hallmarks of success.
Liz had led her team through the design and development of a global training program—one built to expand skillsets, shift mindsets, and empower employees across continents. The program was robust, engaging, and beautifully executed. It won multiple awards, both in the L&D space and at the corporate level. Internally, it was celebrated as a best-in-class example of learning innovation.
By all appearances, Liz had nailed it.
Eight years later, at a casual dinner with an executive from the same company, Liz was reminiscing about the journey, still proud of what her team had achieved.
Then came the curveball.
“That program you developed,” the executive said, pausing briefly before continuing. “It’s considered a failure.”
Liz was stunned.
As the conversation unfolded, the reason became clear—and painful. Despite the polish, the praise, and the global rollout, the program had missed its core business objective. It didn’t move the needle where the company actually needed impact. It didn’t solve the problem it was originally created to address.
In fact, Liz had never been told what the actual business target was.
This wasn’t just a failure of execution—it was a failure of alignment. And it’s a mistake more L&D teams make than we care to admit.
This is a story about what happens when training is disconnected from business strategy and business targets. It’s a reminder that no matter how beautiful the design or how high the learner satisfaction scores, if L&D isn’t driving toward a business result, it’s missing the mark.
The good news? With a performance‑first mindset and the right strategy, L&D can become a catalyst for measurable business growth. Let’s dig into the steps that make the difference.
So, How Do You Aim for Impact?
If you’re aiming to position L&D as a key contributor to business performance—and you should be—it’s time to draw the bow, set your sights, and shoot for what matters to the business. Because let’s face it: Organizations prevail only when hitting the right targets.
Below is a five‑step blueprint to reposition L&D as a driver of business results.
Step 1: Identify the Right Targets
Why it matters: If you don’t know what the business is trying to hit, you’ll never prove impact.
- Meet with leadership to surface the top 3–5 enterprise goals (profit margin, NPS, turnover, etc.).
- Translate those goals into precise, measurable learning objectives.
- Keep the targets visible in every design conversation.
Step 2: Recognize L&D as a Tool to Aim with Purpose
Why it matters: Courses alone rarely fix performance gaps.
- Map each learning asset to the behavior, metric, or risk it should influence.
- Example: Compliance training → reduced incident costs, stronger customer trust.
- Make the connection explicit for designers and learners alike.
Step 3: Know Your Starting Point
Why it matters: You can’t show progress without a baseline.
- Capture current skills, behaviors, and KPIs before launch.
- Use assessments, dashboards, and stakeholder interviews to set benchmarks.
Step 4: Build Strategy Aimed at the Target
Why it matters: Annual course calendars don’t guarantee business lift.
Move beyond the traditional “what courses are due for an update, development, or retirement this year?” approach and start thinking more strategically. Re‑frame planning sessions with questions such as:
- What business targets are we solving for?
- Who in the business can help us clarify these goals?
- How can we educate stakeholders on the role L&D plays in achieving these outcomes?
- What KPIs can we influence that indicate if our business is headed toward meeting its targets? How will we measure our contribution?
- Where are the current gaps in skills, mindsets, behaviors, or even culture that are impacting these business targets?
- What would a Fortune 500 L&D best practice approach look like in our context?
- Involve cross‑functional partners early: data, ops, finance.
Step 5: Put the Full Effort Towards Reaching the Targets
Why it matters: Training is only one arrow in the quiver.
- Layer in performance support, coaching, feedback loops, and accountability checkpoints.
- Layer in performance support, coaching, feedback loops, and accountability checkpoints.
You need alignment across the board—like a bow, an arrow, and a sharp-eyed archer all focused on the target. This holistic view is what separates good L&D from great. It’s also what delivers true, measurable corporate training impact.
Final Thoughts
If we want to elevate L&D beyond content delivery and into a true driver of business performance, we need to build smarter strategies, ask better questions, and measure what really matters. With the right mindset and methods, your team can be at the center of growth, innovation, and transformation in your organization.
Sign up to recieve our case study on Using New Hire Training to Achieve Business Targets.
Ready to move beyond course completions and into strategic impact? Make learning count with ttcInnovations. Book a complimentary 30‑Minute Impact Audit with our learning strategists and walk away with two custom recommendations you can apply tomorrow.
