Why Top Talent Says “No, Thanks” to Leadership Jobs

What if your organization's leadership shortage isn't a talent problem, but a leadership job design problem? Many organizations are investing heavily in leadership development while watching their leadership pipelines grow weaker. Why? According to Gallagher's latest research, talented employees are looking at leadership roles and deciding they don't want them. In this episode, Maureen Metcalf speaks with Steve Dion, National Managing Director of Leadership and Organizational Development at Gallagher, about why traditional leadership systems are struggling to meet today's realities, and what organizations can do to reverse the trend. Together they explore: How burnout, workload, and outdated role design discourage future leaders Why leadership pipelines reflect leadership systems, not just talent availability Why succession planning must become an ongoing organizational capability instead of an annual exercise Practical steps CEOs and boards can take today to strengthen leadership capacity for the future. Rather than asking how to train better leaders, this conversation asks a more important question: How do we create leadership roles that talented people genuinely want to fill?   Other episodes you'll enjoy: - Leading to Shape the Future: Theory U with Otto Scharmer - Rethinking Leadership for the Future with Cynthia Cherrey - Back to the Future…of Work with Jim Ritchie-Dunham, Suzie Lewis, & David Dinwoodie For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. RESOURCES:   Learn more about Gallagher’s leadership research at https://www.ajg.com/.    Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.   Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.    -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan Booking Producer: Jenna Reik ([email protected]) Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.   CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Steve Dion is National Managing Director of Leadership and Organizational Development at Gallagher, where he leads a team helping organizations strengthen culture, develop leaders at every level, and improve organizational performance. With more than 30 years of HR, executive leadership, and consulting experience, he previously founded and served as CEO of Dion Leadership, an award-winning leadership development and executive coaching firm that joined Gallagher in 2025. He is widely recognized for helping organizations translate complex people challenges into practical strategies that improve engagement, retention, leadership effectiveness, and business results.