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Maybe you’ve been invited to be part of a leadership development program, or maybe you’ve been tasked with developing leaders in your organization. Either way, the transition from an individual contributor or team member to leader is a big one. Leadership development is how organizations develop the talent they already have into the leaders they need for tomorrow. Companies don’t stay the same, even less so as the pace of change in business increases. Organizations need leaders with the skills to lead people, manage change, find new opportunities and execute strategy no matter how the business world changes. What is a leadership development program?Leadership development programs have traditionally been how companies invest in internal growth and equip high-potential employees to take on senior positions in the organization in the near term. Yet what we think of as good leadership qualities and the associated skills has evolved. And, as companies realize the importance of agility, leadership development for a wider range of managers has become more important. What should you expect? Though each company’s program may look slightly different, some common elements create a foundation for developing leadership skills. These include exposure and access to current management, individual groups for peer support and shared learning, and formalized mentorship. A clear structure helps employees grow while still balancing responsibilities for their current business. At the same time, it has become increasingly clear that growth and development as a leader is a personal journey and requires a personalized approach. A good leadership development program needs to be flexible to meet individuals where they are and provide the kind of support they need at the moment for the specific, often unpredictable, challenges they encounter. Context is crucialSmart organizations know that leadership development needs to emphasize the skills and experiences that will be most relevant to their own organization in the near future. An evolving competitive landscape and changing business objectives mean that the challenges of today won’t be the same as those of tomorrow. A McKinsey article exploring why some leadership development programs fail reminds us that understanding context is crucial to understanding what type of leadership you need to develop. What types of challenges is the company likely to face? What will be the key skills the company needs from its leaders moving forward? If the company plans to grow through acquisitions or they’re aiming to onboard new clients or partners, for example, sales and negotiation skills might be two areas to double down on in the program. Increasingly, evidence shows that “soft” skills like communication and relationship-building or capabilities like empathy and compassion are most relevant to the challenges of leading through uncertainty and unpredictability. How leadership development programs benefit the entire organizationWhy should companies have a leadership development program? It’s clear that companies need to plan for leadership development to ensure that they always have capable people at the helm — especially those who’ve been with the company for a while and understand its inner workings. It’s also easier to grow your own leaders than to find someone with the right skills from the outside when the timing is tight. But it can be easy to forget that implementing a leadership development program has an outsize impact beyond its specific goal. The ripples benefit the company in multiple areas.
What elements are important in a leadership development program?Though each organization should design its leadership development program to address the specific challenges and opportunities in its company’s future, certain building blocks are applicable to all types of businesses. We’ll go through each of them below. CoachingFirst, it’s important to provide a coach or a mentor for each person in your leadership development program. This way, they can gain access and exposure to top management, and have a clearer perspective into the day-to-day of the company’s leadership. Coaches also provide a safe space for employees to ask questions as they learn, and are available to bounce ideas off of, especially as the program participants explore which type of role they’re hoping to grow into. Skill development for a position as vague as “leadership” can be overwhelming without the right support. Coaches, perhaps even small support groups that all grow together, can help employees better identify the specific directions in which they want to head. This gives them a better idea early on about the skills they want to hone and the ways in which they would be excited to add value to their companies. AccountabilityTomorrow’s management will need to learn today how to hold teammates accountable without micromanaging and take accountability for their own actions. The two are intertwined, as the latter helps immensely with the former. Displaying a strong sense of accountability as a leader, especially when your actions are public-facing with stronger repercussions for missteps, instills a wider culture of accountability. This makes it easier to make sure that everyone else feels a sense of responsibility to complete their work, and to speak up when something’s not right. Encouraging accountability while helping everyone feel safe to pursue innovative ideas is a tough balancing act — but one that every future leader needs in their toolkit. Change managementWhether there’s an upcoming company reorganization, layoffs or a pivot in the overall strategic direction, change in business is inevitable. Leaders need to both understand the best way to get the business to the next phase and ensure that everyone is brought along with the transition. Traditionally, change management was all about setting the right tone, determining the correct process, and over-communicating to achieve a seamless execution. Given the complexity and speed of change, however, change management today is more about empowering more people throughout the team to define and shape needed changes rather than pushing an iron-clad plan from the top. Influence and negotiationSoft skills are important in a leader, and perhaps there are no soft skills more important than the ability to successfully influence others (especially across reporting lines) and negotiating in a way that creates value for each party. Despite a greater responsibility and accountability, leaders are still a part of a team. And the actions of their team both reflect directly on them and shine a light on their own capabilities. Both influencing and negotiation can have disastrous results for unskilled employees and foster negative sentiments, all while opportunities for win-win situations and value creation are left on the table. CommunicationAs a leader, communication takes on a whole new meaning. There’s an imbued sense of power and direction in a leader’s words, and their impact is far-reaching in a way that it just wasn’t when they were individual contributors. Leaders need to focus on clarity, providing no room for misinterpretation, and communicate carefully to set the tone. It’s also important to learn how to maintain a balance between respect and approachability, which is difficult to achieve without targeted effort to develop communication skills. If you have one, consider using your company’s internal communications team to produce thought leadership that relays messages from leadership. Goals and milestonesSetting clear milestones for participants of the program keeps everyone on track and helps management measure the success of the program. However, alongside the program’s own goals, instilling future leaders with an understanding of measuring company and team successes is critical. Make a goal too big of a stretch, and nobody will be motivated to work toward it, knowing that it won’t happen anyway. Make it too easy, and no one will feel challenged (not to mention, your organization won’t move as quickly and as far as it could have). Learning the strategy behind creating measurable and attainable goals, while still maintaining an element of aspiration, is a strong leadership trait — and an essential part of any leadership development program. Along with including all the elements above, take some time to consider what specific skills your particular company might need in the years to come. Instead of focusing on general skill-building — which can be overwhelming for many — make sure your leadership development program emphasizes traits that will best prepare your organization for the road ahead.
Published January 22, 2021 Read NextStay connected with BetterUpGet our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research.What are leadership training programs?Leadership training is a course of study that teaches individuals the skills they need to become effective and well-rounded leaders. A good leader should motivate, inspire and help develop those who report to them, while also making sure that the goals of the team align with the larger goals of the organization.
What are the objectives of leadership training?Top 10 reasons your business needs leadership training. Increase Productivity. ... . Increase employee engagement and reduce staff turnover. ... . Nurture future leaders. ... . Improve their managerial skills and abilities. ... . Improve Risk Management. ... . Achieve better Project Leadership. ... . Improve corporate culture. ... . Effectively manage change.. What are leadership development programs?A leadership development program helps build an individual's leadership skill and capacity to excel, both personally and professionally, in their role and organization. The best leadership development programs are research-based and build needed competencies while preparing leaders to tackle the challenges they face.
What is the best leadership training course?Best Online Leadership Classes of 2022. Best Overall: Center for Creative Leadership.. Best for New Managers: Coursera Strategic Leadership and Management Specialization.. Best for Current Managers: LinkedIn Learning.. Best Self-Paced Class: TrainUp.. Best Live Online Class: American Management Association.. |