7 Insights and Actions from the 2025 State of Ed-tech Leadership Development

The Ed-tech Leadership Collective recently released the 2025 State of Ed-tech Leadership Development, a 27-page report based on an industry-wide survey of ed-tech executives. Below are seven key insights from the report, along with actionable steps leaders can take to address them.

1) The Leap to the C-Suite Remains Significant

Very few C-level leaders (27%) are confident they have capable internal candidates for executive vacancies. Meanwhile, 63% of non-executive leaders believe they are ready to step up to the next level. This marks the third consecutive year that we’ve observed this confidence gap regarding internal promotions.

Although there is strong alignment on the skills necessary at the executive level, most companies need to significantly improve how they support aspiring leaders—providing clearer expectations, more targeted feedback, and ongoing professional development. Several of those strategies are outlined below.

2) The Key Skill for C-Suite Advancement: Managerial Expertise

C-suite leaders (70%) and non-executive leaders (63%) agree that managerial expertise is the most critical skill for career advancement. This includes competencies such as:

• Communication
• Strategic planning
• Team leadership
• Problem analysis and decision-making
• Cross-functional collaboration and influence

Fortunately, 95% of respondents indicated that their company plans to invest in leadership development. However, when leveraging these funds, it’s important to select professional development programs that specifically emphasize managerial expertise—rather than those that focus solely on K-12 domain knowledge or function-specific skills (marketing, sales, customer success, or product management).

3) Establish Clear Expectations for Executive-Level Qualifications

Although most employees (82%) describe their manager as being supportive of their advancement, very few (9%) receive clear guidance on what it takes to reach the next level. This is likely a reason that aspiring executives are overestimating their readiness, while C-suite leaders remain hesitant to promote from within.

It’s the responsibility of HR teams and hiring managers to define—in concrete terms—the skills, experiences, and behavioral competencies required for executive roles. Ideally, organizations should provide clear exemplars of leadership readiness to set a transparent path for advancement.

4) The Frequency of Constructive Feedback is Crucial

Far too many companies still operate in the mindset that annual performance reviews are the primary opportunity for providing feedback. In fact, 71% of employees report receiving constructive feedback only a few times per year—if at all.

Without regular feedback, how do we expect employees to advance professionally? Constructive feedback should be an ongoing process—not a once-a-year event. Managers should provide clarity, reinforcement, critique, praise, and guidance at least once every few weeks. Employees who aren’t receiving necessary feedback should proactively engage with colleagues or peer groups to help identify awareness gaps, validate their progress, and receive constructive criticism.

5) Leadership Development Opportunities Are Not Equitable

Only 31% of respondents believe their company effectively supports the talent development needs of historically marginalized groups. However, this issue is not perceived equally across all demographics:

• 52% of male respondents felt that their company’s practices provided adequate support for historically marginalized groups, compared to only 21% of female respondents.
• Men (46%) were nearly twice as likely as women (24%) to receive constructive feedback from their manager on a monthly or weekly basis.
• Men (82%) were also twice as likely as women (41%) to say that they found the feedback from their manager helpful.

When building their leadership teams, executives should tap new leaders who bring diversity of thought, perspective and background—rather than defaulting to the most visible or outspoken self-promoters. 

Organizations must also hold managers accountable for creating clear advancement pathways and identifying high-profile projects that serve as proving grounds for underrepresented employees to demonstrate readiness for leadership roles.

6) Imposter Syndrome is Widespread

Seven out of ten leaders (70%) report experiencing imposter syndrome. This is particularly common among managers who oversee teams but are not yet department heads or part of the executive team.

As leadership responsibilities grow, it’s natural to seek perspective, validation, and guidance on tackling complex challenges. Many leaders turn to professional peer groups to gain insight, support, and structured mentorship. Whether through formal programs or informal connections, engaging with peers outside your company can help one to feel grounded and help provide a system of support. 

7) When Layoffs Occur, Narrow Your Focus

“We need to do more with less.”

This was the company mandate according to 71% of respondents. Despite conducting layoffs, companies expected employees to maintain the same level of productivity. With 83% of employees at moderate to high risk of burnout, organizations must reconsider this approach. Instead of spreading remaining employees even thinner, companies should become more disciplined about prioritization and narrow their focus to essential objectives. This requires saying ‘no’ to non-essential initiatives.

Focusing on mission-critical priorities reduces execution risk and minimizes turnover, ensuring long-term organizational stability.

Conclusion

These seven insights and actions are just a few of the key findings from the 2025 State of Ed-tech Leadership Development. I encourage you to dive deeper into the data and reflect on how these trends may be present in your organization.

To access the full report, visit the Ed-tech Leadership Collective website.

About the Author

Collin Earnst is the founder and managing partner of the Ed-tech Leadership Collective, an organization focused on creating an environment where high-performing executives can amplify their impact and enrich their leadership journey. The Collective provides executive coaching and professional peer groups designed specifically for leaders at key points in their career.