R&D 2026 | From Practice-Based Research to the Banking Training Program Portfolio

In 2026, every bank already possesses clearly defined strategies and strategic directions. However, when examining these strategies closely, one critical aspect remains difficult to see clearly: organizational capability—the ability to translate strategy into consistent, day-to-day actions across every touchpoint.

Digital transformation and the application of AI are accelerating—and will continue to accelerate—the pace of the market to a new level. Yet speed alone does not create competitive advantage when internal friction persists, such as: rigid processes combined with weak cross-functional coordination leading to slow responses, errors, and blame-shifting; numerous KPIs without corresponding behavioral change resulting in fatigue and low productivity; services that are “standardized” in principle but deliver inconsistent customer experiences depending on the counter or branch; and AI tools that exist but have not yet been transformed into genuine new working capabilities.

For this reason, Lead-UP’s R&D activities for the banking sector in 2026 follow a single guiding principle: not starting from “training courses,” but from “bottlenecks.” We assess operational performance, service experience, and management capability in practice; identify real operational constraints; and only then design programs aligned with four distinct workforce layers - Leadership, Middle Management, Frontline Staff, and Support Functions—to drive top-down, organization-wide transformation that can be measured through work outcomes.

In 2026, Lead-UP Academy does not develop programs by simply “naming courses and offering them for sale.” Instead, Lead-UP conducts R&D as a structured cycle, beginning with real operational challenges within banks and subsequently “packaging” the findings into a coherent training portfolio.

1) What does Lead-UP R&D observe within banks?

Through surveys, implementation projects, and real-world benchmarking in the banking environment, Lead-UP focuses on four recurring groups of issues:

  • Leadership & Executive Management: Growth pressure, risk control requirements, and digital/AI transformation demand faster yet more precise decision-making.
  • Middle Management: Operational overload, limited coaching and performance management tools; interdepartmental conflicts that reduce processing speed.
  • Frontline Units (Tellers – Customer Service – Relationship Managers – Call Centers): Inconsistent interaction quality; complaint handling and upsell/cross-sell activities fail to fully leverage critical “moments of truth.”
  • Support Functions / Head Office: Internal coordination remains fragmented; reporting, data usage, and work tools are suboptimal; AI exists but has not yet become a core capability.

2) Lead-UP R&D conclusions and priorities for 2026

Lead-UP adopts an R&D direction centered on role-based capability standardization combined with transformation measurement (behavioral change, performance improvement, and experience enhancement). Accordingly, the 2026 program portfolio is structured around four workforce levels to ensure:

  • Leadership: sound decision-making and decisive leadership
  • Middle Management: effective team leadership and performance generation
  • Frontline Staff: service standardization and enhanced value at customer touchpoints
  • Support Functions: increased productivity and reduced coordination errors

LEAD-UP ACADEMY TRAINING PROGRAM SYSTEM PROPOSED FOR 2026

(Dedicated to the Banking Sector)

I. Programs for SENIOR LEADERSHIP (Board of Directors – CEO – Directors / Heads)

No.

Program Title

Duration

1

Leading with Influence: A 5-Level Leadership Transformation Workshop

2 days

2

Leadership Gold (Leadership Excellence – John Maxwell Certification Program)

2 days

3

Becoming a Person of Influence (John Maxwell Certification Program)

2 days

4

The Law of Success

2 days

5

Empowering Leadership: Transforming Managers into Effective Internal Coaches

2 days

6

Transforming Leadership: Coaching Strategies for Empowering Teams and Driving Performance

2 days

7

Customer Experience Strategy (CXM) & Standardizing Customer Experience Across the 6-Stage Journey

2 days

8

Inspirational Leadership

2 days

9

Operational Management in the New Context & Digital Transformation

2 days

10

Data Analysis & Decision-Making in Business Operations

2 days

11

Building Service Culture & Brand DNA

2 days

12

Applying AI in Management & Workforce Development

2 days

13

Crisis Management: Organizational-Level Communication Crises & Service Incidents

2 days

14

Transformational Leadership – Leading Change

2 days

15

Green Growth Strategy & Sustainable Development

1 day

 

II. Programs for MIDDLE MANAGEMENT

(Branch/Department Managers, Team Leaders)

No.

Program Title

Duration

1

Lean Operations Management & Supervision

2 days

2

Coaching & Mentoring Employees (GROW – EDAC)

2 days

3

Conflict Resolution & Cross-Departmental Collaboration

2 days

4

Multi-Generational Management & Leading Gen Z

1 day

5

Effective Planning – Monitoring – Reporting

1 day

6

Performance Evaluation – KPI – SLA in Service Operations

2 days

7

Communication, Feedback & Handling Difficult Situations

1 day

8

Applying AI for Middle Management

2 days

9

Standardizing Management Competencies During Transformation

2 days

10

Work Management & Decision-Making Under High Pressure

2 days

11

Managing Multi-Generational Teams & Latent Conflicts

2 days

12

Customer Experience Management (CXM)

2 days

13

Leading Without Authority – Influence-Based Leadership

2 days

14

Train the Trainer – Internal Trainer Development

3 days

 

III. Programs for FRONTLINE CUSTOMER-FACING STAFF

(Tellers, Customer Service Officers, Relationship Managers, Call Center Agents)

No.

Program Title

Duration

1

Standardizing Professional Service Mindset & Behavior

2 days

2

Rapport-Building Communication & Difficult Situation Handling

1–2 days

3

Complaint Handling & Service Recovery

1 day

4

Upselling & Cross-Selling in Service Environments

2 days

5

Cross-Departmental Coordination & Service Error Reduction

2 days

6

Emotional Regulation When Working with Customers

1 day

7

Applying AI to Customer Service & Operations

2 days

8

Internal Customer Service – When Colleagues Are Also “Customers”

2 days

9

Integrated Omnichannel Customer Care Skills

2 days

10

Rapport-Building Communication & End-to-End Customer Care

2 days

11

Personal Emotional Management in High-Pressure Service Environments

1 day

12

Negotiation & Multi-Style Persuasion Skills

2 days

13

Sales Skills & Effective Deal Closing

2 days

 

IV. Programs for OFFICE & SUPPORT FUNCTIONS

(Head Office, Operations, HR, Finance, IT, Legal, etc.)

No.

Program Title

Duration

1

Internal Communication, Coordination & Internal Customer Service

2 days

2

Personal Work Management & Productivity

1 day

3

Reporting, Presentation & Data Handling Skills

1 day

4

Applying AI in Office Work

2 days

5

Service Mindset & Employee Experience (EX)

1 day

6

Work Coordination via Zalo, Email & Internal Collaboration Platforms

1 day

7

Effective Planning & Work Organization (AI-Integrated)

2 days

8

Professional Conduct, Discipline & Employee Image

1 day

 

Concluding the Spirit of Lead-UP’s R&D 2026 for Banking

The above portfolio is not a “menu of training courses.” It is a capability framework derived from Lead-UP’s R&D activities, enabling banks to select programs aligned with:

  • Strategic objectives (growth / efficiency / risk management)
  • Operational challenges (coordination, processing speed, service quality)
  • Experience goals (CXM / EX)
  • Digital and AI capability development

If your organization seeks to enhance workforce capability without falling into the trap of “training completed, impact forgotten,” take one simple step: contact Lead-UP Academy to schedule a rapid diagnostic assessment with our experts.

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