Gresham Smith's LEAP Program Wins Gold in Leadership Development…

Event summary

Gresham Smith's Leadership Evolution and Advancement Program (LEAP) won Gold in the 2026 Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Awards.
LEAP is a year-long program developed with the Center for Creative Leadership, combining in-person summits, small-group experiences, and targeted learning sessions.
The program aims to strengthen leadership effectiveness, expand perspectives, and build connections across the firm.
Gresham Smith reported $354 million in annual gross revenue and operates 27 offices across the United States.

The big picture

Gresham Smith's recognition underscores the growing emphasis on leadership development in professional services firms. As the industry faces increasing competition for talent, programs like LEAP are becoming critical for retaining and developing high-potential employees. The firm's $354 million in annual revenue and its commitment to integrated solutions position it well to leverage this award as a competitive differentiator.

What we're watching

Program Impact: How LEAP's measurable outcomes will influence Gresham Smith's succession planning and leadership pipeline.
Scalability: Whether Gresham Smith can sustain the program's effectiveness as it scales across its 27 offices.
Industry Benchmark: The pace at which other firms in the architecture and engineering sectors adopt similar leadership development programs.