New DDI Study: AI Coaching and Manager Coaching Work Best, Yet Only 1 in 4 Managers Coaches Well

Survey of 11,000+ Leaders and 2,500+ HR Professionals Also Finds 68% of HR Leaders Say Development Works, but Nearly Half Can't Prove It

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- DDI, the global authority in leadership development for more than five decades, today released new findings from its Global Leadership Forecast 2027, drawn from 11,395 leaders and 2,519 HR professionals across 1,900+ organizations, 50+ countries, and 24+ industries. With more than 25 years of research and approximately 26.4 million data points, the Global Leadership Forecast is the largest and longest-running global study on leadership. This second installment in the 2027 edition examines the pressure on HR to prove development works as AI competes for investment.

The research finds nearly 3 in 4 (72%) HR professionals have or are considering AI-based learning for leadership development, yet only 37% of organizations already using it see strong results. AI coaching is often pitched as a substitute for developing managers, but the data shows it works best alongside them: 64% of leaders who get both AI and manager coaching rate their development as high quality, compared with 45% with manager coaching alone and 39% with AI coaching alone. Yet only 1 in 4 leaders says their manager is an effective coach, leaving most without the foundation AI coaching needs to deliver.

See the full findings: www.ddi.com/research/global-leadership-forecast-2027.

"Most organizations aren't seeing strong results when using AI in development, which suggests the technology alone isn't the answer," said Rosey Rhyne, Manager of DDI's Center for Analytics and Behavioral Research. "The coaching that matters most comes from a leader's manager. Our data shows that leaders whose managers are effective coaches are more than twice as likely to bring out the best in their teams as those without it. AI coaching can extend that impact by giving leaders a safe place to practice the skills their manager is helping them develop."

AI coaching is one of several decisions testing HR's value. Other key findings include:

• Half of HR Can't Show Development Works: 68% of HR professionals say development has improved leadership capabilities, but only 51% can provide evidence of overall effectiveness. Programs that start with assessment, personalize experiences, involve managers, and align to strategy are 6.5X more likely to have evidence of effectiveness.
• Development Pays Off: Organizations that report improved leadership capabilities are 1.6X more likely to be top 10% of financial performers. High-quality programs also strengthen the bench, allowing HR to fill 39% more critical leadership roles with internal candidates.
• Few HR Teams Are Looking Ahead: Only 11% of HR teams say anticipating future talent needs best describes their work, a share that has shrunk by a third since 2018. After a restructuring, 43% of anticipator teams report a stronger leadership pipeline, compared with 26% of reactive teams.
• Development Starts Before the Program: Organizations that diagnose leaders' strengths and needs are 2.3X more likely to see improved leadership capabilities, yet only 13% of HR teams use assessment extensively to do so.

"Every business strategy is a bet on leaders, but too many organizations are still making that bet without evidence," said Verity Creedy, Chief Product Officer at DDI. "HR has access to something incredibly valuable: objective data about leadership capability, readiness, and growth. The opportunity now is to turn that data into intelligence the business can act on, showing not just that development happened, but where it changed leadership capability and truly strengthened the bench."

About DDI

DDI is the global leadership company that helps organizations build the leaders they need today and prepare for tomorrow. For over 55 years, we've helped organizations hire, develop, and promote exceptional leaders. Across all levels, from emerging leaders to C-suite executives, we deliver integrated assessment and development solutions, leveraging data to guide talent decisions and accelerate leadership growth. This Continuous Leadership Intelligence approach enables organizations to anticipate leadership needs before they become urgent and build the precise capabilities their business strategies demand. Grounded in behavioral science, DDI helps the world's leading organizations achieve lasting success through better leadership. Learn more at ddi.com.

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SOURCE DDI