Pressure doesn't create failure. It reveals it. In this episode of The Kirkpatrick Podcast, we explore a leadership truth many organizations avoid: when performance breaks down under pressure, the root cause is almost never motivation or intent—it's preparation, practice, and the absence of meaningful evaluation. Our conversation with Ray Resendez, Senior VP of Government Solutions at ELB Learning and a former Army officer, forces a reckoning with how leaders are developed—both in high-stakes environments and in modern organizations. From combat decision-making to business leadership, the throughline is clear: when leaders haven't practiced the behaviors required under pressure, instincts fail and emotions take over. We talk candidly about why most leadership training doesn't translate into performance, how organizations confuse activity with readiness, and why data—not gut instinct—is the missing link in leadership decision-making. We also challenge the assumption that learning automatically equals capability, especially in an era where AI and tools can mask skill gaps rather than close them. This episode matters because organizations today are operating in constant pressure—market volatility, talent shortages, remote work, and rapid change. Leaders are expected to perform flawlessly, yet few are evaluated on the behaviors that actually drive results. Takeaways: Stop assuming leaders will "figure it out" under pressure—unpracticed behaviors collapse when stakes are high. Training without rehearsal and feedback does not create readiness. Emotions and ego are the biggest performance risks when decisions aren't grounded in data. Behavior (Level 3) is the most overlooked—and most powerful—leading indicator of results. Performance dashboards should guide conversations, not punish people. Evaluation is not about proving success; it's about preventing failure. If you're responsible for developing leaders, improving performance, or making decisions that impact others, this conversation reframes what readiness really means. 🎧 Listen to the full episode and subscribe to The Kirkpatrick Podcast for grounded, performance-focused leadership conversations. Pressure doesn't create failure. It reveals it. In this episode of The Kirkpatrick Podcast, we explore a leadership truth many organizations avoid: when performance breaks down under pressure, the root cause is almost never motivation or intent—it's preparation, practice, and the absence of meaningful evaluation. Our conversation with Ray Resendez, Senior VP of Government Solutions at ELB Learning and a former Army officer, forces a reckoning with how leaders are developed—both in high-stakes environments and in modern organizations. From combat decision-making to business leadership, the throughline is clear: when leaders haven't practiced the behaviors required under pressure, instincts fail and emotions take over. We talk candidly about why most leadership training doesn't translate into performance, how organizations confuse activity with readiness, and why data—not gut instinct—is the missing link in leadership decision-making. We also challenge the assumption that learning automatically equals capability, especially in an era where AI and tools can mask skill gaps rather than close them. This episode matters because organizations today are operating in constant pressure—market volatility, talent shortages, remote work, and rapid change. Leaders are expected to perform flawlessly, yet few are evaluated on the behaviors that actually drive results. Takeaways: Stop assuming leaders will "figure it out" under pressure—unpracticed behaviors collapse when stakes are high. Training without rehearsal and feedback does not create readiness. Emotions and ego are the biggest performance risks when decisions aren't grounded in data. Behavior (Level 3) is the most overlooked—and most powerful—leading indicator of results. Performance dashboards should guide conversations, not punish people. Evaluation is not about proving success; it's about preventing failure. If you're responsible for developing leaders, improving performance, or making decisions that impact others, this conversation reframes what readiness really means. 🎧 Listen to the full episode and subscribe to The Kirkpatrick Podcast for grounded, performance-focused leadership conversations. Learn more about the Kirkpatrick Model Watch the Show on YouTube! Submit your Questions/Stories: Do you have a question you would like us to answer on the Kirkpatrick Podcast? Have a story about how the Kirkpatrick Podcast or other Kirkpatrick events/programs have positively impacted your career? We would love to hear from you! Follow this link to submit your questions and/or stories, and we may just share them on the next episode of the Kirkpatrick Podcast. #KirkpatrickPodcast #LearningImpact #PerformanceImprovement #TrainingEvaluation #CultureOfEvaluation #KirkpatrickModel
