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How to Make a LeaderWelcome to "How to Make a Leader," a leadership development podcast from Big Think where we take the best ideas from the biggest minds in learning and development and distill them into actionable insights. Author: Big Think
Welcome to "How to Make a Leader," a leadership development podcast from Big Think where we take the best ideas from the biggest minds in learning and development and distill them into actionable insights. In each episode, host Hannah Beaver sits down with learning and development leaders to discuss how to create world-class leadership development programs, how to nurture frontline leadership skills, and even how to combat burnout. Language: en Genres: Business, Education, Management Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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Build a system of learning (not just one-off programs)
Episode 23
Thursday, 30 April, 2026
T. Rowe Price doesn't do one-off training programs. They engineer leadership.Ryan Smith leads Global Leadership and Career Development at T. Rowe Price, where he's spent nearly four years building a company-wide learning system that reaches leaders at every level, from the C-suite to frontline associates. The foundation: a belief that everyone, regardless of title, has the capacity to lead.He shares how they built their leadership academies, why co-creation was non-negotiable at every level, foolproof tactics to get buy-in from the C-suite, and how they turn a learning event into lasting behavior change.Things to listen for:(00:00) Introducing Ryan Smith(01:13) The “everyone is a leader” mantra(02:39) The difference between leaders and managers(05:51) Why systems of learning became a priority(09:33) Defining a system of learning(10:28) Leadership academies and behavior frameworks(12:27) Insights from the Executive Leadership Academy(13:37) Building manager capability(15:16) Building communities of practice(17:10) Driving adoption and executive buy-in(19:56) Connecting learning systems to organizational metrics(23:02) Measuring engagement and performance(24:30) First steps for leadership development strategy(25:53) Best leadership advice Ryan has receivedAbout Ryan Smith:Ryan Smith is the Head of Global Leadership and Career Development at T. Rowe Price, where he focuses on career mobility and building scalable leadership systems that develop leaders at every level of the organization.Before joining T. Rowe Price, Ryan spent 15 years at Truist, leading leadership and professional development for more than 45,000 employees. His work centers on creating equitable access to leadership development and aligning learning with real business outcomes.Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn.
