Leadership development is a thriving industry worldwide. In 2015, US companies spent $160 billion on training programs, and organizations globally spent $356 billion. Unfortunately, not all leadership development programs are created equally. If your organization invests in one that doesn’t result in lasting change, the investment can feel like a waste of resources.
Luckily, carefully designed leadership learning experiences can bring huge benefits—if they are planned with long-term goals in mind. Here are six questions to ask as you design your leadership development programs.
1. How do you define strategic success for the company?
Starting a leadership development program without first establishing what strategic success looks like within the company is like launching a manned space mission with no destination in mind. Will your rocket land on the moon? On Mars? Or is its mission something else entirely—perhaps to gather data and return to earth to analyze findings? Without a purpose in mind, you’re simply launching a rocket into the vast unknown. There’s no way to measure whether your mission is a success.
If your company’s strategic goals are already defined, make sure you align your leadership development program with those goals. If the strategic goals are not defined or if they need revision, start there. Figure out what strategic success looks like first, and then design a leadership development program that provides your leaders with the skills and resources they need to achieve your strategy.
2. What skills and mindsets do leaders need to build strong teams for the future?
In some sense, the most foundational leadership skills never really change. The best leaders have certain common skills and mindsets, such as foundational business skills, the ability to delegate, and an approach that encourages building trust between leaders and team members.
But knowing what leaders need in general and knowing what your specific leaders need for the future are two different things. It may be helpful to conduct a gap analysis to help find places where your leaders or future leaders need additional development. You may also use feedback and reviews to help determine if there are common gaps among leaders and high-potential employees.
3. What development approaches will help you prepare future leaders?
Once you have an idea of how to align leadership development with the overall strategy of your company and the skills and mindsets your leaders need, then you can consider what approaches might be appropriate.
If you have many leaders or future leaders who need to develop similar skills, a group approach might be helpful. Consider group coaching or a short-term program that addresses the common needs of these leaders. If, however, your leaders’ needs are more disparate or unique, individual coaching may be the right approach.
Every organization is unique. The best combination of approaches and methods for your organization right now will not only be different from what works in another organization; it will change as your organization grows or establishes new strategic goals. Plan on regularly evaluating your leadership development programs to ensure continued strategic alignment.
4. How will the right current and future leaders be identified and prepared?
No organization has unlimited resources on hand to train every current and future leader for leadership roles, so it’s important to be strategic and judicious in choosing candidates for leadership development. Start by looking for candidates who are most likely to meet the strategic goals and develop the specific skills and mindsets you want to meet future challenges. Don’t confine yourself to the “smartest” people or the most eager; consider that some very gifted future leaders may be quieter or reluctant to draw attention to themselves. Look for people who take initiative, even quietly, and who have strong relationships with co-workers, bosses, and mentors.
Remember that selecting candidates is not a one-time process. While you may have limited spots in any given program, it’s always possible to offer other future leaders stretch assignments, committee roles, or opportunities on cross-functional teams to keep them developing new skills while they wait for a formal development opportunity to arise.
5. How are other leaders in the organization involved and supportive?
Leadership buy-in and support are critical to the success of any major organizational initiative—especially leadership development initiatives. Yet getting senior leadership support can be tough; one study found that only 11% of executives “strongly agreed” that leadership development initiatives bring the desired results.
Senior leaders can show their support of development programs by participating in assessments before the programs, attending opening and closing sessions (and more, if possible), and encouraging participants to stay in the programs and pursue improvements. Across the organization, leaders can foster a culture of learning, encourage a growth mindset, and actively work with direct reports to find informal development opportunities for all employees.
6. How are you sustaining and embedding the learning into the day-to-day experience?
How much of what you learned in high school or college can you remember today? Chances are good that unless you are directly using that knowledge in your day-to-day life, you don’t remember much.
Leaders need three kinds of learning to fully develop skills and thrive in leadership roles—experiential learning, relationship learning, and formal learning. Approximately 70% of development should involve experiential learning, which means that any development efforts need to be sustained and embedded into everyday job duties. Experiential learning can include special projects, rotational assignments or jobs, or committee assignments—anything that helps reinforce formal development efforts. The consistent use and repetition of new leadership skills will help embed them into daily practice.
Leadership development programs can have a tremendous impact on the culture and growth of a company, but success begins well before the programs start. By asking these six questions, you can set up your program for maximum impact and start developing leaders who can drive long-term success.
Self-check:
- What is one way our leadership development programs support our strategic goals?
- Is there one way I can encourage my direct reports to participate in leadership development opportunities?
- Can I name one senior leader who would champion leadership development programs in our organization?
