The winners of the 2026 Leadership Development Awards were announced during HR.com's Future of Coaching and Mentoring for Leadership Virtual Event on March 4. The awards honor outstanding achievements in developing employees through coaching, mentoring, and training initiatives.

This year’s award recipients showcase outstanding solutions, programs, and individuals who are strengthening leadership and building more effective leadership pipelines. They demonstrate innovation, excellence, and a steadfast commitment to developing people and growing organizational success.

Leadership Development Solution Award: American Management Association

This program, titled “From Expertise to Influence: A Sustained Leadership Development Journey for Emerging Leaders,” goes beyond traditional leadership training by guiding high-performing contributors into influential leaders. Through sustained learning, real-world scenarios, and skill-building in strategy, presence, and influence, AMA develops leaders who inspire, drive performance, and deliver measurable organizational impact.

Best Leadership Development Program: Clarion Events – North America

Setting the standard in leadership development, this enterprise-level, scalable program aligns with business strategy, driving measurable behavior change, leadership readiness, and internal capabilities. Innovative and strategic, it positions leadership development as a true growth lever, not just a training initiative.

Leadership Development HR Visionary Award: Anna Jeffries, La Fosse

Jeffries developed the Lead the Future program, which blends leadership theory with experiential learning, peer coaching, and real-world application. Its three-pillar framework boosts self-leadership, team leadership, and strategic impact, driving measurable gains in engagement, retention, and organizational culture.

View All HR.com Awards: www.hr.com/awards

“These award winners are redefining leadership development,” said HR.com CEO Debbie McGrath. “They use forward-thinking strategies and creative approaches to cultivate the next generation of leaders and drive meaningful organizational impact.”

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