Holden Industries, a diversified manufacturing company based in Deerfield, Illinois, faced a significant challenge as their workforce demographics began to shift. With many Baby Boomers approaching retirement, Holden anticipated a loss of top talent and recognized the need for a formal process to develop future leaders. To address this issue, they partnered with our global affiliate, American Management Association (AMA) to create a customized leadership development program known as the Leadership Academy.
The Leadership Academy was designed to build essential skills that could be applied across Holden’s four core companies. The program included five customized AMA courses tailored to meet Holden’s specific needs. The initiative proved successful, with graduates applying their new skills on the job, leading to greater efficiency and role satisfaction. Most notably, 64% of the initial 22 participants who completed the core program were promoted to higher-level positions, demonstrating the program's effectiveness in fostering career growth and preparing high-potential employees for leadership roles
