Don't Wait for January: Why Q4 is the Perfect Time to Plan Your 2026 Leadership Training Budget

Let's be honest. As soon as the fourth quarter hits, everyone's brain turns to gravy and vacation days. The last thing on most leaders' minds is getting a jump on next year's budget. The temptation is to kick that can down the road to January and deal with it "after the holidays."

This is a huge mistake. Especially when it comes to leadership training.

Pushing your training budget to the new year isn't just procrastinating; it's a bad strategy. You're letting the chaos of Q1 dictate your most important investment: your people. By the time you get around to it in January, you're already behind. Here's why you need to be planning your 2026 leadership training right now.

You'll Pay for Training Anyway. Might as Well Be Good Training.

Here's a hard truth I always talk about: "You will pay for training whether you intend to or not."

Think about it. You pay for it in missed deadlines, bungled projects, and employee turnover when a high-potential leader quits out of frustration. You pay for it when a manager who doesn't know how to give constructive feedback accidentally creates a toxic team. The cost of not training your leaders is always higher than the training itself. The question isn't if you'll pay, but how. Do you want to pay proactively for training that builds strong, confident leaders? Or do you want to pay reactively to clean up the messes left by untrained ones?

Stop Letting Untrained Leaders "Drive the Forklift"

We have a massive blind spot in business. As I often ask, "You would never allow a forklift driver to drive without training… So why do we allow leaders to fly by the seat of their pants?"

It makes no sense. We hand the keys to our most valuable assets—our teams—to new managers with zero training and then act surprised when they crash. We promote our best salesperson and just expect them to magically know how to lead a sales team.

Great doers don't automatically become great leaders. Leadership is a skill. It requires training, practice, and intention. Planning that training in Q4 isn't a budget exercise; it's a strategic imperative. It's how you build a resilient, agile, and engaged team for the year ahead.

Get Strategic: High-Impact Training That Fits Your Budget

Getting a head start in Q4 means you can be thoughtful and strategic about your investment. You can look at the data from this year's performance reviews, identify the real leadership gaps on your team, and choose training that delivers a real ROI—not just a check-the-box exercise. Effective training boosts morale, sharpens communication, and gives your leaders practical tools they can use tomorrow.

Here are a few ways to make it happen:

• Live Group Training: Need targeted training for your specific challenges? Contact John to discuss live virtual or in-person sessions customized for your team's needs and schedule.

• Build Foundational Knowledge with Digital Courses: For self-paced, deep-dive learning, our digital courses give your leaders the foundational skills they need to excel. They can learn on their own schedule, building the confidence to handle any challenge.

  
  

Don't wait for the new year. The time to build your 2026 leaders is now. By planning in Q4, you move from being reactive to being strategic. You stop paying for mistakes and start investing in success.

Ready to build your 2026 leadership plan?

Connect with John and let's get started.