The Leadership Gap: Why Managers Make or Break Your Workforce Strategy
September 09, 2026
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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Prince Conference Center at Calvin University
1800 E Beltline Ave SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
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Program Description: Great strategies don’t fail in the boardroom; they fail at the frontline. While organizations invest heavily in talent attraction and retention, too many overlook the single greatest variable in workforce success: the manager. In this dynamic and practical session, behavioral scientist and TEDx speaker Jay Johnson unpacks the real reasons managers struggle and what organizations can do to fix it.
Learning Objectives: In this session, your audience will walk away with:
- Identify the behavioral and structural factors that contribute to the leadership gap in modern organizations.
- Explain how frontline managers influence employee engagement, retention, and execution of workforce strategy.
- Recognize common leadership breakdowns that sabotage culture, productivity, and team trust.
- Apply behavior-based tools to improve communication, accountability, and decision-making among managers.
Meet the Presenter: Jay Johnson, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Coeus Creative Group
Jay Johnson is a behavioral scientist, TEDx speaker, and award-winning trainer with over 20 years of experience helping organizations improve performance through better behavior. As CEO of Coeus Creative Group and co-creator of the Behavioral Elements framework, Jay has trained more than 10,000 managers across Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, healthcare systems, and manufacturing firms.
Agenda:
- 8:00am - Networking and Breakfast
- 8:30am - Program Starts
- 10:00am - Program Conclusion
Registration Encouraged, Walk-Ins Welcome at a cost of $50 (for members and non-members)
*Submitted for HRCI & SHRM Credits
Tickets
$25.00 Member: In-person attendance
$30.00 after 04:00 am September 6
$0.00 Pre-Paid Members
$10.00 Student Ticket
$30.00 Non-Member: In-person attendance
$35.00 after 04:00 am September 6
$25.00 Member: Virtual attendance
$30.00 after 04:00 am September 6
$30.00 Non-Member: Virtual attendance
$35.00 after 04:00 am September 6
REFUND POLICY
If you are unable to attend a chapter event and wish to cancel your registration, you must notify the AHRM Board Secretary no later than the Friday prior to the event at 4pm. If you notify us prior to 4pm on the Friday prior to the event, you will receive a refund for your payment. If you are unable to notify us prior to this time, no refunds will be given. If you register for an event but choose to pay at a later date, but do not attend the event (or cancel within the specified timeframe) you will still be invoiced for the payment.
