In today’s fast-paced workplace, many professionals believe that the secret to climbing the career ladder is collecting certificates, finishing endless online courses, or signing up for the latest upskilling platforms. But decades of leadership research suggest a very different reality: formal learning plays the smallest role in real career advancement.

The most successful professionals grow by following a practical development model known as the 70-20-10 framework, designed by career experts Michael Lombardo and Robert Eichinger. This formula transforms how we think about skill-building, performance, and long-term success.

What is the 70-20-10 development model?

Created in the 1990s after studying hundreds of top-performing managers, Lombardo and Eichinger discovered a common pattern.

See Full Page