Developing leadership capability in individuals requires dedication and focus on the part of the 'student'. A high quality leadership development program has to be tailored to the organization and the leader being trained. Generic industry cross-organisational programs rarely work, as the individuals and the context of their role within the organisation are not taken into account.
Here are 7 critical factors of any successful leadership training 1. The development program needs to be owned and promoted at the highest levels of the organization. 2. The values of the organization must be woven into the competency scorecard. 3. The competency scorecard must be integrated with the internal development processes. 4. 'Learning on the job' should comprise the majority underpin the design of the leadership training program. 5. Constructive feedback to raise self-awareness is integrated into the development process. 6. The company has a culture of coaching and is an expectation of all leaders. 7. Leaders’ performance is recognized and rewarded as part of a transparent process.
The differences between leadership training and other kinds of training.Leadership is different to other types of management in that one of its main aims is to define where the company is trying to go (the vision). Without a sense of direction and sense of purpose, no leader can expect others to buy into the goal and come along for the ride. It's not always easy to define the end-game so a good leader takes the time to evaluate the situation and define clear goals. Without a crystal clear goal in mind, there simply is no way to galvanize the troops and bring together a team to deliver the company to its new destination . In contrast, an operational manager might be more concerned with the day-to-day running of his or her business unit with little immediate concern for long-term planning.These fundamental differences between the requirements of a leader versus an operational manager significantly impact on the approach that should be taken when developing leadership training programs. What underpins leadership development? 1. Your success as a leader is The responses you largely based on your responses to make to real life business situations. ultimately decide your success as a leader. Success is, therefore, situationalAn effective leadership development program recognizes this fact and strives to incorporate ‘active learning’.. 2. Your desired outcomes are essentially to have a guiding vision, a motivated following and ongoing sustained success. 3. Your competence as a leader is at its core dictated by your behavior. The point is, leaders are individuals each bringing a unique range of capabilities and character traits to the table. Therefore, it is very important to take a systems-based approach to leadership development training. Your leadership training program should work at 3 levels: 1st Level: Change Management and stakeholder management should be considered key to the leadership development program. 2nd Level: In order to change behavior we have to develop skills that enable us to unlock our own and others’ current ways of thinking. Self-examination and developing motivation skills are critical to enabling this. 3rd Level: Leadership is as much about doing as it is about thinking and planning. It is important to encourage collaboration and implementation of new leadership behaviors. 10 steps for successful leadership development programs i) Get clear on the skills, knowledge and attributes leaders need now and in the future Leadership Competencies Development .
ii) Conduct gap analysis between current and desired leadership capability. iii) Gain full support from the CEO and Exec team. iv) Be clear on the company's values, its vision and specific needs of leaders. v) Develop and implement an assessment process and provide quality feedback. vi) Ensure that all participants are trained in adult learning techniques. vii) Allow participants to conduct self-appraisal. viii) Share all development requirements and learning outcomes with teams and coaches. ix) Develop action-based learning with clear feedback and mentoring. x) Develop programs that foster better leadership in team environments (including coaching and collaboration). xi) Clearly measure the success of all programs and provide ongoing feedback. In summary, developing a leadership training program is an involved process that requires a good deal of thought. However, by following a systematic approach, a company's chances of a successful implementation are greatly increased.