Inspire Software
Updated: June 2019
Increasing employee engagement and creating a positive company culture should be a top priority for every manager. If you want to improve your employees’ skills and create a welcoming workplace atmosphere, you need to have a leadership development program in place.
Employees can fall short of expectations when those expectations haven’t been properly laid out for them. Leaders need to motivate and assist team members to set individual goals that align with individual expectations and organization-wide priorities. Setting the right goals with the right techniques is the start of a successful leadership development program.
Leadership development allows individuals at every level of the organization to prepare for future leadership roles or strengthen their leadership skills in the role they already have. A great leadership development strategy will align organizational goals with those of individual employees. And, in turn, will build up the company as a whole. When employees at every level have a say in an inclusive and healthy company culture, it results in a motivated workforce. Offering training to all employees gives your team the ability to better develop themselves, and the company in return.
Here is our list of reasons leadership development is necessary for any organization:
How to Create a Successful Leadership Development Program 7 Leadership Principles Every Leader Needs to Understand The Missing Link in Your Leadership Development Strategy Bridging the Skills Gap Through Leadership Development The Importance of Self-Leadership and How to Leverage It to Improve Organizational Leadership The Flip from Traditional Leadership Development to the New Normal Out with the Old, In with the New: The Issue with Traditional Leadership Development Programs The Future of Leadership DevelopmentWhat You'll Learn
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The beginning stages of building a leadership development program can be daunting. To ensure your strategy will be a success, utilize new tools and implement new ideas incrementally. Every company has leadership needs in order to keep employees engaged, motivated, and to grow. Needs can be translated into leadership skills like feedback, listening, goal-setting, influencing, etc. Those skills should be defined as requirements when building a leadership development program.
When it comes to defining organizational goals, you should...
It’s sometimes easier said than done when it comes to creating a successful leadership development program. Here are things to do when determining the right strategy for your company and leaders:
Managing and developing an organization means optimizing the most important strategies through sustainable practices and should have a meaningful effect on overall performance. There are underlying beliefs and assumptions that are important for leadership, and, using the power of Leadership Genius, we believe that there are certain unquestioned principles that are imperative for your leaders to adhere to.
These leadership principles should be seen as guidelines, norms, and even requirements for the effective implementation of organizational strategy through leadership in its various contexts.
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Companies are prioritizing skill development, training, and advancement opportunities, yet there’s still a dissonance with employees. So, what is it that’s holding back leadership development?
Many companies’ leadership development programs fail because they are missing a crucial link. Employees are looking for career development opportunities within their job, and it’s important they feel like they can grow professionally.
Here is what your company’s leadership development program could be missing:
Leadership development is all about closing the gap between team members and leadership positions. Sometimes it’s more about finding new hires, and other times it’s about building employees up from where they currently are. First, identify the gap. Second, address the gap. Third, find a staffing solution. So, where does leadership development come into play?
Check out these 7 Statistics You Can't Ignore About Leadership Development:
77% of organizations report they’re currently experiencing a leadership gap.
US Companies spent $160 billion on employee training and education.
83% of organizations say it is important to develop leaders at all levels.
Only 10% of CEOs believe their company’s leadership development initiatives have a clear business impact.
89% of executives surveyed believe strengthening organizational leadership is a top
priority.
63% of Millennials said their leadership skills were not being fully developed.
81% of employees reporting to recently trained managers said they were more engaged in their jobs.
Download our free Beginners Checklist to Achieving Leadership Excellence here!
Leadership happens at every level of the organization. It begins with setting self-goals and adapting them to how they relate to the goals of the organization at large. To best lead others, you first have to learn the key skills of self-management.
These practices can help you leverage self-leadership to improve the organization:
The traditional leadership approach does not take the entire organization into account, which is why you need to combat this in a new way.
Traditional Leadership
How we lead people today cannot be done the same way we led people even just 5 years ago. Managers and executives should not be the only ones included in decision-making. The problem with the traditional approach is that it does not take a holistic approach to train the entire organization with the necessary skills.
New Leadership
This approach is adaptable, which in today’s workplace is a must. Anyone can become a great leader with the right training and development. This strategy ensures everyone has the skills needed to take the organization to the next level.
Leadership Development Can Rescue Your Organization From These 4 Threats!
Tip 1: Develop leaders to grow within organizations
Tip 2: Adapt leadership styles for the context of the unique situations
Tip 3: Define Leadership Competencies
Leadership development is constantly changing along with the ever-changing workforce. Leadership development programs are not a one-and-done ordeal; they require regular updating for the company to continue growing.
Leaders do not work alone.
Leaders do not only care about results.
Leaders are not born to lead.
Through leadership knowledge, innovation, and goal orientation one can successfully stay up to date with their leadership development program.
How can you motivate employees to reach personalized results, as well as contribute to the company’s goals as a whole? These employee engagement research results from HR.com can help you boost leadership development and employee engagement throughout your organization:
Leadership development is an important aspect in determining the success of any organization. Improving your own skills and the skills of those around you will benefit the future of your company. You should always be working to become a better leader today than you were yesterday.
Clearly defined, attainable goals are the definitive link between leadership development and measurable results within your organization. Defining your goals while also keeping each goal attainable is the first step in an actionable approach.
Here are the top proven reasons to invest in a leadership development program:
1. It’s cheaper than a new hire
2. Impending workforce crisis
3. Demand for learning and development opportunities
4. It will keep your employees engaged for the long-haul
5. Ability to cut future costs by tapping into your employee knowledge base
6. It increases your chances of hiring and managing diverse employees
7. To build a culture of collaboration
8. To utilize room for growth
9. Reinvestment in employees
So, you’ve found a new skill that can improve employee learning and development. Now, to get executive buy-in, you need to determine the ROI, build a foundation of facts, and pitch the idea. When employees have a clear idea of how to develop skills critical to their career, they are able to grow professionally and company culture is improved. Leadership development is your solution to reaching success for both managers and employees. To begin creating a successful leadership development program, get in touch with Inspire today!