SAN DIEGO, CA—November 3, 2025—Blanchard®, a global pioneer in leadership development, consulting, and coaching for more than 45 years, announced that Kristin Brookins Costello was named a winner of the Bronze Learning in Practice Award in the Strategy category. Costello is COO and Chief People Officer at Blanchard.
The Strategy Award is presented to learning executives who have demonstrated exceptional business acumen and innovative alignment between employee development and strategic goals.
Costello and her team developed Blanchard’s Business Acumen Foundations program to strengthen every employee’s understanding of business operations and the customer journey. The initiative built essential financial literacy and strategic thinking skills, helping employees connect their day-to-day work to broader company goals.
“We wanted every Blanchard employee to think like a business owner; understanding how their work drives customer and financial success,” said Costello. “The program has transformed the way we collaborate and make decisions across the organization.” Delivered through the Intrepid platform, the 10-week program combined microlearning, real-world case scenarios, and live scrimmage sessions that encouraged cross-functional problem-solving. Employees learned to interpret financial statements, understand cost structures, and connect their work to each phase of Blanchard’s customer lifecycle.
Results were striking:
- Understanding of the customer lifecycle increased from 41% to 95%
- Confidence in financial decision-making grew from 37% to 64%
- 88% of employees completed the program, with overwhelmingly positive feedback
The initiative also strengthened Blanchard’s culture, breaking down silos and reinforcing alignment to company strategy during a period of transformation. Due to its success, Business Acumen Foundations has become a permanent part of new-employee onboarding and future learning pathways.
“This program didn’t just teach financial concepts, it changed how our people see themselves in the business,” said Debbie Ung, President at Blanchard. “It’s become part of who we are at Blanchard.”
About Blanchard
Blanchard is a global leader in leadership development, consulting, and coaching. For more than 45 years, Blanchard has partnered with organizations to maximize individual achievement and organizational performance, bringing measurable progress and true transformation. Blanchard’s SLII® is the global leadership model of choice, powering inspired leaders for more than 10,000 organizations worldwide. Blanchard also offers a suite of award-winning solutions through flexible delivery modalities to meet the specific needs of clients and learners.
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