Research attests that effective leadership development drives performance<\/a>, making a lasting impact on the biggest challenges that organizations face.<\/p>\n But only when it\u2019s done right.<\/p>\n Studies from Bersin by Deloitte, the Conference Board, and our own global research group show that substantial investments in leadership development drive performance. Organizations should know that, done well, development gives organizations a competitive advantage, among several key reasons to invest in leadership development<\/a>.<\/p>\n Leadership development research has found that effective development initiatives yield:<\/p>\n What does it take to earn those benefits? Knowing that there\u2019s a big difference between leadership development solutions that work \u2014 and those that don\u2019t \u2014 is a critical starting point.<\/p>\n One inspiring speaker or big idea shouldn\u2019t replace or short-circuit the hard work of learning and doing. Remember that while new information, ideas, and tools are essential for learning new skills and gaining new perspectives, motivation and boss support<\/a> are also required for leadership development to have a lasting impact.<\/p>\n Managers, teams, and individual contributors can \u2014 and should \u2014 build the skills that drive performance, such as communication, influence, and learning agility. But developing individual leaders isn\u2019t the same thing as investing in large-scale, systemic change that enhances and transforms the leadership culture of an entire organization and cultivates the specific leadership skills needed to implement a business strategy. Make sure your organization is linking the business strategy and the leadership strategy<\/a> together.<\/p>\n According to research, this dynamic occurs all too often and undermines the effectiveness of leadership development. It\u2019s essential to have full engagement and visible support and buy-in from senior executives who are committed to modeling effective leadership for the organization and providing the resources for these initiatives. If employees see that leadership development isn\u2019t a top priority for the senior team, they won\u2019t commit to it, either.<\/p>\n Leadership development research shows that training works best when organizations follow these leadership training best practices to ensure its success and take intentional steps to maximize the impact of organizational leadership development<\/a> initiatives.<\/p>\n Learning is a process, and research confirms that development works best when it\u2019s viewed as more than merely a one-time thing.<\/p>\n Leadership development should include formal training \u2014 but that\u2019s just one piece of the learning puzzle. You probably know the 70-20-10 framework for leadership development<\/a>: 10% of learning comes from courses, 20% from other people, and 70% through on-the-job experiences and challenges. This framework is based on our pioneering studies of key events in executives\u2019 lives and highlights the relative impact of 3 types of experiences on their leadership development.<\/p>\n When all 3 areas are factored in, the results are amplified.<\/p>\n The process of self-assessment and thinking about leadership goals is ongoing and should be the starting point for any formal development program, course, or assignment. Strive to connect the content and value of the development to the organizational purpose and situation.<\/p>\n Help people get past the initial awkward phase that usually comes with trying out new skills or behaviors by reinforcing and supporting action learning, coaching and mentoring<\/a>, peer support, and other approaches.<\/p>\n Personal stories and leadership experience are often interesting and useful guides for individual leaders. But truly understanding what scaling leadership development<\/a> looks like at individual, team, organizational, and societal levels starts with data <\/em>\u2014 high-quality research that helps clients understand what their challenges are and serves as the basis for building effective solutions.<\/p>\n Our global research on women\u2019s leadership and leadership across cultures, for example, played a key role in an effort to develop a more diverse pipeline of leaders at industrial technology company Ingersoll Rand<\/a>. The initiative ultimately increased the retention, performance, and promotions of participants, creating a lasting competitive advantage for Ingersoll Rand.<\/p>\n Similarly, our research on boundary spanning, change, and strategic leadership strongly informed our work with Credicorp, the leading banking institution in Peru, as it pursued aggressive international growth. This initiative linked leadership strategy with Credicorp\u2019s business strategy<\/a>, leading to an improved stock price and accelerating annual revenues.<\/p>\n Leaders need to see how a new insight, approach, or behavior change will impact the things that matter most to them.<\/p>\n They want relevance in a general sense (\u201cOh, of course, I need to improve how I influence my peers.\u201d),<\/em> but they also need a clear link to their specific challenges (\u201cMax and I share our technical resources, and it\u2019s not going well. I need to do something different if I\u2019m going to get my part of the product development done on time.\u201d<\/em>).<\/p>\n At CCL, in our leadership programs, we ask learners to select a key leadership challenge before engaging in a development experience. This challenge is a real, existing project that aligns with their organization\u2019s strategy and requires new approaches to be successful. It provides a direct link from the workplace to what\u2019s being taught, and a clear reason to practice new skills. It becomes a focal point for learning, and the person knows at the end of the program what they can do next to address their challenge.<\/p>\n Leaders also work with an in-class accountability partner and an at-work learning partner. Peers who have learned together and colleagues who understand the organizational context are powerful resources for linking formal coursework to real-life, strategic work and day-to-day demands.<\/p>\n Watch our webinar, The Challenges of Scaling Leadership Training<\/em><\/a>, to learn how to build a better workplace culture through scaling development opportunities for employees.<\/p>\n\n
Best Practices in Leadership Development: What Works & What Doesn\u2019t?<\/h2>\n
Avoid These Missteps<\/h3>\n
1. Avoid overselling a single workshop, learning module, or book.<\/h4>\n
2. Don\u2019t expect large-scale change without linking the business strategy and leadership strategy.<\/h4>\n
3. Resist launching leadership initiatives without senior-level support.<\/h4>\n
Encourage These Proven Actions to Ensure Leadership Development Works<\/h3>\n
1. Make leadership development a process, not just an event.<\/h4>\n
2. Inform the learning experience with cutting-edge, global research.<\/h4>\n
3. Connect the learning to on-the-job leadership challenges.<\/h4>\n
Access Our Webinar!<\/h3>\n