70% Learning from challenging assignments, 20% from others and 10% from coursework (formal), that’s a golden rule of learning theory. But where does it come from? Is it proven? Bob Eichinger explains.

To Whom It Apparently Concerns,

Yes Virginia, there is research behind 70-20-10!

I am Robert W. Eichinger, PhD. I’m one of the creators, along with the research staff of the Center for Creative Leadership, of the 70-20-10 meme [the dictionary defines a meme as an “idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person”].

At the time in the late 1980s, Michael Lombardo and I were teaching a course at the Center called Tools for Developing Effective Executives. […] One of the study’s objectives was to find out where today’s leaders learned the skills and competencies they were good at when they got into leadership positions.The study interviewed 191 currently successful executives from multiple organizations.

Read more: 70-20-10: Origin, Research, Purpose – 70-20® Blog