A new context demands a new leadership role

The year 2026 marks a period in which Vietnamese enterprises are simultaneously confronting multiple structural pressures: accelerating market dynamics, rising performance expectations, significant volatility in human resources, and an increasingly visible gap between strategy and execution. Within this context, Learning and Development (L&D) is no longer a supporting activity, but has become a critical factor in sustaining organizational competitiveness.

However, a common reality persists: L&D is often perceived as the responsibility of the HR or training department, or of individual employees themselves. Leadership involvement in learning and development frequently remains limited to approving budgets, attending opening sessions, or delivering orientation speeches. This approach is increasingly revealing its limitations in 2026.

L&D 2026 redefines the role of leadership: From “supporter” to “driver”

From both research and practical implementation perspectives, it can be firmly stated that an organization’s learning culture is not created by slogans, but is shaped through the consistent behaviors of its leadership team.

In L&D 2026, leaders are not only expected to act as sponsors of training programs, but also to become role models for learning. This does not imply that leaders must learn more than their employees, but rather that they must learn in the right way, focus on the right issues, and clearly demonstrate a learning mindset through concrete actions in their daily managerial practices.

When leaders proactively engage in learning, reflect on their practices, and adjust their ways of working, messages about learning and development are conveyed far more powerfully and persuasively than through any internal communication campaign.

[From “requiring employees to learn” to “leaders becoming role models for learning”]

Leading by example in learning: What must leaders do differently in 2026?

• Learning anchored in real issues, not symbolic learning

In L&D 2026, leadership learning must begin with the very “bottlenecks” the organization is facing. Rather than participating in generalized training programs, leaders need to focus their learning efforts on answering core questions: What is slowing the organization down? What is causing resource waste? What is preventing teams from executing strategy effectively?

When leaders learn to address real problems, learning becomes a natural component of management rather than an activity detached from daily work.

• Demonstrating learning behaviors openly and consistently

Leading by example is not merely about “attending training programs,” but more importantly about how leaders share what they have learned and how they apply those insights to managerial decision-making. When leaders openly acknowledge areas for improvement, are willing to adjust their approaches, and engage in transparent discussions with their teams about their own learning processes, organizations foster a psychologically safe environment for learning and change.

Conversely, when leaders demand learning from employees while failing to change their own managerial behaviors, L&D initiatives are unlikely to produce genuine transformation.

• Leading through feedback and coaching, not only through directives

A defining characteristic of L&D 2026 is the coaching role of leaders, particularly middle and senior managers. Instead of merely assigning tasks and evaluating final outcomes, leaders must engage more deeply in the capability development of their teams through timely feedback, effective questioning, and guidance on how to improve during the course of work. When leaders regard coaching as an integral part of their daily managerial responsibilities, learning becomes directly embedded in operational activities.

Leadership by example as a prerequisite for L&D value creation

Research findings and implementation experience consistently indicate that organizations whose leaders actively participate in and model learning behaviors tend to achieve higher levels of post-training transformation. In contrast, in organizations where leaders remain detached from the learning process, L&D often remains confined to awareness-building, with limited potential for sustained behavioral change.

In 2026, the value of L&D does not lie in the number of training programs delivered, but in the extent to which leaders leverage L&D as a mechanism to enhance organizational capability.

Conclusion

Leadership in 2026 is no longer defined solely by strategic decision-making, but also by the ability to guide organizations through leading by example in learning and development. When leaders learn appropriately, learn authentically, and apply learning to management practices, learning naturally permeates the organization.

L&D 2026 does not begin in the classroom—it begins with the behavior of those at the top. And it is precisely this behavior that will determine whether learning becomes a true competitive advantage for the enterprise.

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