Op-Ed | Area employers developing leaders

VIEW ARTICLE AS FEATURED IN THE DAYTON DAILY NEWS

April 26, 2026 – The energy inside the room at the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting on April 14 was unmistakable. It wasn’t just optimism, it was a clear signal that our business community is thinking differently about the future of work, especially when it comes to developing early career professionals.

One theme rose above the rest: we need to reset expectations, on both sides of the table.

Too often, young professionals enter the workforce believing career growth should be immediate and linear. Title, salary and influence are expected to rise quickly and consistently. But as many of us have experienced, real growth rarely follows a straight line. Careers are built through experiences, setbacks, pivots and yes, sometimes even stepping down, to ultimately move forward in capability.

If we want to attract and retain the next generation of talent, we must provide clarity. Early career professionals are not asking for guarantees, they are asking for direction. What does success look like? What skills are required for advancement? What opportunities exist within the organization? Clear pathways don’t limit ambition; they focus it.

Equally important is creating environments where it’s safe to take risks. Innovation doesn’t come from playing it safe, and neither does professional growth. Employers who encourage calculated risk-taking, and who allow room for failure, will build more resilient, capable teams. A misstep early in a career, handled the right way, often becomes the foundation for long-term success.

We also need to reframe how we think about movement within an organization. A lateral move, or even a step back in title, can be one of the most strategic decisions an employee makes. Gaining new skills, experiencing different parts of a business, or stepping into a role that better aligns with long-term goals is not regression. It’s growth.

Finally, internships and apprenticeships continue to prove their value. These experiences are not one-sided evaluations, they are mutual interviews. Employers have the opportunity to assess talent, but just as importantly, young professionals are evaluating culture, leadership, and opportunity. When done well, these programs create stronger matches and more engaged employees from day one.

The conversations at this year’s Annual Meeting made one thing clear: developing talent is no longer a passive activity. It is intentional and will cultivate our future successors and business leaders.

If we get this right, Dayton’s business community won’t just adapt to the future of work, we’ll help define it.

Chris Kershner
President & CEO
Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce