The Secret to Employee Retention? Continuous Learning
Navan Leadership Development Programme
Take a look behind the scenes of our workshop with Navan in Lisbon!
At Navan, rapid growth came with a challenge. They had a wildly talented leadership team, but inconsistent approaches to managing and motivating people.
Therefore, they needed a unified, high-impact leadership framework that could scale with their ambition. That’s where Excel came in.
The Impact



Beyond the numbers, the feedback from participants was electric. Leaders walked away with renewed confidence, practical tools, and a deep sense of connection, not just to the content, but to each other.
Watch Roberta share her experience on the programme below!

“The entire program was extraordinarily useful and effective to encourage leaders to coach, provide feedback, navigate change effectively, and understand how to run a more effective team.”
The Story
Navan’s team knew exactly what kind of impact they wanted to make... because they’d felt it before. Having experienced Excel’s programmes at other companies, they came to us with a clear vision: build a leadership experience that brought out the best of what they loved about Excel, shaped for Navan’s unique culture and needs.
Navan had grown fast. Really fast. And with growth at that pace, leadership development can sometimes fall behind. Their leaders were already smart, driven and passionate, but they hadn’t yet had the chance to access a formal programme at Navan. That meant there was a huge opportunity: to align leadership behaviours, introduce a shared language, and give leaders the tools to drive performance in the company’s next phase of growth.
We worked closely with them to craft a programme that was anything but off-the-shelf. Leaders committed to two intensive three-day modules, designed to shift mindsets and embed practical skills. More was needed though to ensure that these sessions would last for the long-term, which is why what happened outside the sessions was so crucial to the success of the programme.
Participants were tasked with 1:1s with their line managers, regular peer-coaching group meetings, and focused pre-work ahead of each module. We also sent monthly learning nudges, encouraging them to apply specific skills back in their roles both between modules and for three months after the programme. On-demand resources from the Excel Learning Hub reinforced these commitments, ensuring the learning stuck.
Every touchpoint was designed to move ideas into action… and turn learning into leadership.

“Understanding my management style and values and how I can work well/better with others. Gaining confidence to be able to have conversations on what’s important to me (values). I felt vulnerable but comfortable, and very supported.”
Watch Luke share his experience on the programme below!
We Understood Navan's Needs




“I really loved the whole course; I took away so many learning tools that I’ll be able to implement into my role that I feel will make me a better leader and help improve my entire team.”
Watch Bella share her experience on the programme below!
What Did We Deliver?





“The facilitator is amazing, so wise and was able to articulate in a way that was very easy to understand. Thanks for all the help.”

“Amazing training. I hope we'll have a chance to attend more in the future.”

“Understanding my management style and values and how I can work well/better with others. Gaining confidence to be able to have conversations on what’s important to me (values). I felt vulnerable but comfortable, and very supported.”