It’s not a course. It’s ability.
Step into any boardroom and ask the CEO what they want from the L&D function. They don’t call it “more e-learning courses.” They don’t say “the better UX of LMS.” And they definitely wouldn’t say “higher course completion rates.” What they say is, “I want people to play at a higher level.” And it has cutting.
While many L&D teams focus on content curation, learning pathways and completion of tracking courses, CEOs think about their capabilities, performance and business outcomes. They want to see returns, not just in numbers, but in actions. It also reduces your prioritization list quickly if your learning does not directly support your business’s strategic direction.
Why most L&D reports are flat
The CEO lives in a world of results. That’s their language. They think in terms of revenue growth, productivity gains, customer retention, market share and risk reduction. In contrast, L&D often speaks on output. Something like this:
The training time delivered. Learner satisfaction score. Content engagement statistics. Number of courses completed.
These are comfortable metrics. But comfort metrics don’t convince the CEO. What they want is a clear and undeniable link between learning investments and business improvements. They don’t ask, “How many courses have our people finished?” They say, “Are our people making better decisions? Are they leading better? Better sales? Do they provide faster? Innovate more effectively?” If your report doesn’t answer these questions, they’re not landing where it matters.
The CEO doesn’t want any further learning. They want more abilities
Let’s be clear. CEOs are not anti-learning. And it’s far from there. They understand that a more capable workforce is a more competitive workforce. They know that talent development is key to preventing business in the future. But they want L&D to drive real change. They want to see the ability gap close. They want to deal with poor performance. They hope that the rising star will develop into future leaders. They want a manager who can actually manage, not only complete another course. And most of all, they want confidence that the money spent on learning is well spent. It means results, not just reports. Not just effort, but results.
It’s time to rethink the purpose of L&D
Learning is often positioned as a support function. What matters is, yes, but not essential. It is considered perks, box tickers and a pleasant initiative. That’s a problem. If your L&D is focused on input, it will be measured in activity instead of impact, as it focuses on providing training rather than improving performance. And that’s why so many L&D teams struggle to gain real influence.
When learning is redefine as a performance engine, everything changes as the engine that drives measurable business outcomes. Change the way you design your learning. How you measure it. How to talk about it in the boardroom. And it changes the way CEOs see your values.
What CEOs really want for L&D
So what are CEOs actually looking for from their learning team? Remove the terminology and get to the core.
First, performance improvements are required. They are looking for evidence that learning moved the dial. It’s not anecdotal feedback, but an observable and measurable improvement in how people show up and deliver. They want to know that the available programs have led to more conversions. Leadership development reduces attrition in key sectors. The behavior changes and it sticks to it.
Second, they want business integrity. CEOs expect learning to support organizational goals and do not work alone. If the business is doing digital conversion, they want L&D to develop digital features. When customer satisfaction is a strategic priority, they want training to sharpen the customer experience. Learning should be connected to the engine rather than being performed along the engine.
Second, they want speed to competence. The CEO moves fast. They cannot afford to wait six months to see if the learning initiative worked. They want people to be faster, sharper and ready to play now. Long, bloated programs with no clear results will not inspire confidence. They want rapid development where real-world applications are burned into them.
They are also deeply interested in retention and progression. High-performance companies build talent from within. CEOs want to see a clear path for internal growth. They do not want to recruit from outside for roles that those already involved in the business can only meet if they are properly developed.
And most of all, they want an ROI that they can see. What is the return if the cost of learning is $200,000? Has the output increased? Will it improve the quality? Do you reduce the risk? If L&D cannot answer it with confidence, it becomes very difficult to justify ongoing investment, especially in tough economic circumstances.
Why L&D struggles to provide what business needs
So, with all this in mind, why are so many L&D features struggling to meet CEO expectations? One reason is that L&D is often caught up in serving learners rather than business. We want people to enjoy learning. We want them to feel supported and involved. However, when learners’ experiences become the sole focus, we risk losing sight of why learning exists in the first place. That’s to make people better with their work.
Another reason is that you are more obsessed with activity than applications. It’s much easier to count the number of people logged in to the platform than to track how learning has changed behavior. But if we stay in that zone, we are not helping our business, we are not helping ourselves.
Finally, there is a gap in confidence. Some L&D readers are not trained or empowered to simply speak the language of performance and results. They come out through HR and education design and are not exposed to commercial thinking. That needs to be changed.
Because there is a truth. The CEO doesn’t want L&D to be fluffy. They want it to be functional. They are paid attention every time if they can talk about learning in terms of business value, performance gaps, and measurable change.
From learning to performance: Restructuring the role of L&D
The C-Suite trusted L&D team positions themselves as performance partners, not as content creators. They don’t just ask, “What kind of training do you need?” They say, “What problems are you trying to solve?” They get involved early, get closer to business challenges, and design solutions that are rooted in context, not just content. This mindset is where there is a real opportunity to change from a training provider to a business enabler.
He suddenly doesn’t talk about learning when he shows CEOs how leadership programs can reduce regret attrition by 23% in one department, or how targeted learning interventions have reduced operational rework in half. You’re talking about business value. And it’s a conversation they never ignore. But it also needs to change the way success is measured.
Most learning teams default to things that are easy to track, such as course completion, test scores, and feedback forms. But these metrics don’t answer the questions that CEOs are quietly asking: “So what?” You need to go further. Track your application. Follow up on changes in behavior. Connects learning interventions to performance indicators. Partner with your manager to observe changes. Collect qualitative stories and back them with quantitative results. That’s what builds credibility. That’s what moves the L&D from the periphery to the core.
How to win CEO trust
Let this be simple. If you want to gain CEO respect, support and investment, here’s what you need.
Speak their language
Stop leads with learning metrics. Start with business challenges. It shows how learning solves them. Focus on the results
It’s not just about delivering content. Provides changes. And prove it. Matches with the strategy
All learning initiatives should be linked to business priorities. If not, ask why it exists. Track the real impact
Beyond the vanity metrics. It indicates that learning has improved performance, saved time, improved ability improvements, or reduced risk. Please be commercially aware
Understand margins. Know where your business is heading. Predict needs before they are expressed.
Doing so will not only be an advantage for learners, but also a lever for business success.
Final Thoughts: CEOs aren’t the problem
Don’t accuse the CEO of being cut off. They are mirrors, not problems. If they don’t see any value in the L&D, it’s up to us to show it. Step up, rethink our role and connect what we are doing with what is most important.
L&D has an incredible opportunity now. The workplace is changing. Skills have evolved. Pressure is installed. And organizations desperately need people who can adapt, grow and lead in new ways. Learning can drive its evolution, but only if you stop measuring something simple and start proving something worthwhile.
What CEOs really want in L&D is because they haven’t learned any more. It’s more abilities and performance. And it’s our job to provide it.
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Impact: How to turn learning into results
Skillshub
SkillShub drives real performance. With an engaging content library, a user-friendly platform and bespoke content options, we help organizations move beyond completion and into measurable impact.
