Version 2

Explore the calculator

Calculator overview

Build a planning scenario

A 91-second guide to the inputs, comparisons and results. English captions are available in the player. On a phone, use full screen in landscape to see the calculator details.

Download the videoRead the descriptive transcript
Read the text overview

Start with your employee count and leaders’ share. Add your own annual turnover and loaded hourly cost, including wages and benefits. The discount rate converts future amounts into today’s dollars. The defaults are starting assumptions. Choose five or ten years to compare the results over that period.

Compare Do nothing, Training events, Full program and Full system. They differ in spending, time and ongoing support. NPV estimates benefits minus costs in today’s dollars. BCR estimates benefits per dollar of cost. Risk-adjusted BCR applies an assumed success weight, not a validated probability.

The model uses fixed benefit and persistence assumptions. Results are planning scenarios, not guarantees. Before deciding, verify actual service costs and plausible productivity and retention changes.
Leadership development investment guide · SMB executive reference
DO THIS → GET THAT
Configure your organization — all results update live
−$13.7M
5-yr cost of inaction
3.76×
Best BCR
+$27.8M
Best 5-yr NPV
1,000 employees · 150 leaders · 15% turnover · $45.65/hr · 5-year horizon · 5% discount rate
1,000
150 leaders at 15%
15%
15%
$45.65
5%
Analysis horizon
Option 1
Do nothing
High hidden cost
What you spend
$0
direct annual spend
−$13.7M over 5 yrs at 0.5% drift
0 hrs/mo
Lasting behavior
0% — no change
5-year return
−$13.7M
accumulated value lost
0×
no return — losses compound
Avoid
Lowest cost now, highest liability over time.
Option 2
Training events
Low commitment
What you spend
$1.04M/yr
$6.9K/leader · 150 leaders
~2 hrs/mo
Lasting behavior
34% sustained
5-year return
NPV
+$7.7M
BCR
2.71×
Risk-adjusted BCR @ 80%
2.17×
Annual benefit: $2.83M/yr
Entry point
A credible start for orgs not yet ready for more.
Option 3
Full program
Strong value
What you spend
$2.84M/yr
$18.9K/leader · 150 leaders
~12 hrs/mo
Lasting behavior
62% sustained
5-year return
NPV
+$12.8M
BCR
2.04×
Risk-adjusted BCR @ 70%
1.43×
Annual benefit: $5.80M/yr
Upgrade
Strong ROI — the right choice when ready to invest.
Option 4
Full system
Maximum impact
What you spend
$3.53M Yr 1
→ $1.56M/yr Yr 3+ steady state
~16 hrs/mo
Lasting behavior
62% + 100% org reach
5-year return
NPV
+$27.8M
BCR
3.76×
Risk-adjusted BCR @ 58% (selected horizon)
2.55×
Annual benefit: $8.75M/yr
Transform
Treats the org as the unit of change. Highest return.
NPV comparison — 5-year horizon ($M)
Do nothing Training events Full program Full system

★ Conservative floor estimates — only 2 of 6 measurable benefit streams (retention + productivity) are monetized. Behavioral trajectories are research-anchored (Saks & Belcourt 2006; Harter et al. 2024; Lacerenza et al. 2017; Gallup 2015) and do not change with org inputs. Cost scaling from 150-leader baseline is approximate; ELD and OLDS costs reference Azimuth Consulting (WPD Leadership Academy) proprietary rates. For planning purposes only. Sources: Thompson (2026); BLS ECEC (2025). · Azimuth Consulting