building the leaders of today to shape a better tomorrow
Managers are often the lifeblood of an organization — the rising stars who bridge to the future, the connective tissue between individual contributors and executives, and the change agents whose impact can ripple across teams. But this same population is also in crisis, with market research continuing to underscore that manager engagement and fulfillment are eroding at alarming rates.
According to Gallup’s annual State of the Global Workplace report, in 2024, the global percentage of engaged employees fell from 23% to 21%. Engagement has fallen only twice in the past 12 years — in 2020 and 2024. And it’s our managers who are experiencing the sharpest decline, with manager engagement falling from 30% to 27%.
At half full, llc, we ensure your next-gen leaders are supported, elevated, and developed. Equipping them with not only the skill sets, tools, and frameworks to effectively lead others; but, perhaps more importantly, with the strategies to pour back into their own cups.
by the numbers
Manager engagement and happiness isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s directly tied to culture, financial, and operational gains for organizations. Just consider that…
57% of employees quit their job because of their boss
Replacing a manager can cost approximately 200% of their annual salary
Managers account for at least 70% of the variance in U.S. employee engagement scores
Organizations with top-performing managers yield multiple times the total shareholder returns of those with average or below-average managers over a period of five years
“When disengagement or apathy become the norm, risks are high: managers back off, they stop self advocating, and, they stop investing in their teams. Then the ripple effect ensues and individual contributors feel the impact of that disengagement. And think about what that means for the future of leadership!”
how we help
For over two decades, we’ve delivered professional and personal development programs curated specifically for emerging leaders. Building upon our Foundations Program and Human Lens of Management series, our latest Lead Forward Manager Program is designed to help managers:
Cultivate the skill sets needed to navigate constant change
Develop the capabilities required to effectively lead others
Align their personal impact with company vision and values
Strengthen engagement, belonging, and company loyalty
Adopt the mindsets and behaviors needed for workplace thriving
Offered across in-person and virtual formats, the Lead Forward Manager Program can be tailored to your organization’s unique needs. Learn more about the ways you can bring this program to life below…
January 2026 Cohort Program
Launching on January 13, 2026, we are offering open enrollment to our Lead Forward Manager Program! This cohort — running virtually every other Tuesday from 12-2:30 pm ET until March 24, 2026 — will bring together emerging leaders from around the world in a dynamic, immersive cohort experience.
Designed for managers eager to grow alongside global peers — or for leaders who want to invest in their managers — this program blends our most sought-after trainings from 20+ years of development work. The result? A powerful opportunity for rising stars to strengthen their skills, expand their perspective, and do their most important work in community. Interested in joining?
Click on the button to nominate yourself or a teammate!
company cohort program
Enroll your class of managers in your custom-built half full, llc, manager series. With deep understanding of your organization values, vision, and leadership expectations, half full, llc, engages your managers in interactive discussions about the unique challenges and pressures they are navigating and strategies to elevate engagement and impact. Session topics range from CliftonStrengths to the future of leadership to elevating inclusive leadership practices.
Interested in bringing half full, llc, to our company? Reach out to us here!
Together, we can dive deeper into the WHO makes sense to enroll from your company, your desired goals for development, and your ideal cadence for delivery.
Association Partnership Program
Do you run a leadership or industry association and are looking to strengthen your value to members? Oftentimes, managers make up the backbone of network associations, yet can be an under-supported group when it comes to custom programming. half full, llc, partners with associations like yours to stand up custom manager programs that you can offer to your members — giving the instant access to world-class leadership development, global peer connection, and practical tools they can immediately apply back at work.
To start to design your custom manager program, drop us a note by clicking here!
We’d love to learn more about your community makeup, the role you wish to play in cultivating the skills of future leaders, and what design would make sense for your association.
a program of impact
Ideal for mid-level managers, our Lead Forward Manager Program is especially helpful for individuals who are motivated to:
Translate strategy into action their teams can execute
Navigate complexity and uncertainty with resilience
Balance performance with people-first leadership
Reach the next rung of leadership impact
Unearth and learn to aim their inherent strengths
Cultivate innovation and creative thinking within their teams
Sustain their own energy, focus, and wellbeing as leaders
Prepare their teams to thrive in an ever-shifting landscape
Lead from a place of vulnerability and compassion
Build inclusive, collaborative team dynamic
“Together, we can lead the turnaround effect of the manager population crisis. Each of us — one team, one department, and one company at a time — can do the hard work, listen to understand, and shift into action to ensure the stats above do not become truths within our four walls.”
