A leadership development training program is a goal of many businesses, but what exactly does it include? What should it include? How can it be successful?
The benefits of an in-house leadership development program are worth figuring out the answers to those questions. A successful program can increase productivity, nurture and retain talent, improve employee engagement and enhance your employer brand in ways that may help attract new staff members.
Far too often, however, people can get stuck on the nuts and bolts of developing and implementing a system. And, yes, those things – determining training methods, selecting who will be trained, setting an implementation calendar, evaluating progress – are incredibly important considerations.
More crucial, however, is setting your program up for success by ensuring you have the right foundation.
What makes a successful leadership development program?
A well-designed leadership program isn’t just about skill-building – it’s about creating an environment where leaders can thrive. To do this, businesses must focus on creating a strong foundation by:
- Fostering strong interpersonal relationships
- Shaping an intentional workplace culture
- Defining essential leadership skills
As you sit down with your leadership team and decide how to get the most from your talent, how would you rank these core components in order of importance?
These elements are deeply interconnected, forming the foundation for any successful leadership program.
Prioritize strengthening workplace relationships
One of the most overlooked aspects of leadership is connection—the ability to understand, value, and nurture the people in your organization.
This core component of a leadership development training program centers on interpersonal engagement, including how we understand, value and nurture the gifts of the people we hire.
It’s also the piece with which most people struggle. Connection skills are soft skills, but that doesn’t mean they’re “weak.” In fact, they are quite powerful. Competency is what we expect from people, culture is what employees live in, but connection is what employees need.
How does connection fit into a leadership development program?
To connect well – and in ways that will motivate others to achieve more professionally, we have the opportunity to minimize our needs while maximizing our emotional awareness of others’ needs.
Strong interpersonal connections are what drive engagement and motivation. Leadership isn’t just about saying the right things; it’s about saying them in a way that resonates. A strong leader recognizes the needs of their team members and creates an environment where they feel heard and supported.
To help leaders develop stronger interpersonal connections, organizations can implement:
Peer-to-peer mentorship opportunities for ongoing learning and support
Behavioral assessments (DISC) to improve self-awareness
Emotional intelligence (EQ) training to enhance empathy and communication
Create a culture that supports leadership
The work climate we create is the foundational context through which our people use their gifts. This is the experience that employees and leadership hold in common.
Overall, culture reflects what our employees say about their day-to-day interactions – through our mission, vision and values statements – and how leaders live those out by example for the rest of the company.
If there’s any consistent misalignment apparent between what the core values posters say and what the people are experiencing, then you run the very real risk of losing the power of the culture you desire. Intentions can only go so far – if your organization values servant leadership, your employees will want to see that in action.
How does culture fit into a leadership development program?
A strong culture isn’t built overnight, but when leadership embodies the right principles, employees are more likely to feel invested in the organization’s mission.
To align leadership development with culture, organizations can:
- Emphasize servant leadership to build a culture based on influence rather than power
- Reinforce core values through training and daily interactions
- Ensure that leaders model organizational values in their everyday behavior
Define which leadership skills you want in your team
Developing skills doesn’t just mean throwing your team into a leadership training course on how to supervise and fill out time cards. There are key leadership competencies that should be prioritized to create leaders who are confident and effective. That said – every organization is different, and you know best what type of leaders will best serve your organization’s goals.
When designing a leadership program, consider training in:
- Conflict resolution
- Time management
- Effective communication
- Decision-making and accountability
- Building trust within teams
How do you train for specific skills in a leadership development program?
Saying these are the skills that you want to focus on is one thing, but it’s another to work them into your leadership development and training. How do you tech someone how to build trust?
Here are some ways to strength leadership competencies through practical evaluations and trainings:
360-degree assessments for well-rounded feedback
Situational Leadership training to develop adaptive leadership styles
Continuous learning programs to keep leadership skills evolving
Also consider that you can increase and enhance your leadership skills by understanding connection and culture. That opens up new growth potential (for them, for you and for your company) and increases engagement, while adding to your company culture in meaningful ways.
Summing it all up
Before launching a leadership development program, it’s essential to have the right foundation in place. Strong relationships, a well-defined culture and a clear vision for leadership skills set the stage for success. Without these elements, even the best training programs may fall flat. By prioritizing interpersonal connections, shaping a leadership-driven culture and identifying key leadership competencies, organizations can ensure their leadership development efforts are built on a solid foundation
Learn more about what goes into a great leadership team by downloading our free template: Crafting a high-impact leadership development program