Leaders Need Development and Support
Leadership isn’t a one-time achievement - it’s a journey of continuous improvement, adaptation, and personal growth.
In today’s complex business environment, leaders face challenges such as navigating workforce expectations, embracing digital transformation, and fostering innovation.
Leaders at every level need intentional development and robust support systems to overcome these challenges.
A Key Question is: How do we Support Leaders at All Levels?
In this third ‘Vital Truth,’ my answer to this question is ………it depends!
From my experience, there is no right way for an organization to support its leaders, as the approach depends on many contextual factors. These factors could include the organization's size and industry, strategic priorities, the current state of leadership development, and the annual budget for leadership development.
I will share some of the lessons I have learned (and still learn) about supporting and developing leaders over the last twenty years.
1. Ensure Strategic Alignment for Leadership Development
Investing in leadership isn’t optional - it’s a strategic imperative. Strong leadership directly impacts an organization’s ability to innovate, adapt, and thrive.
- Make the Case for Leadership Development
Collaborate with supportive leaders to align leadership initiatives with organizational priorities. For example: Link development programs to specific business challenges, such as improving team collaboration or achieving strategic growth.
Present a business case backed by data. Research from McKinsey shows that organizations with solid leadership pipelines are 2.3 times more likely to outperform competitors.
- Secure Strong Sponsorship
Leadership initiatives are most effective when championed by top executives.
To drive engagement and credibility, secure buy-in from key stakeholders, especially the CEO or senior leaders.
2. Determine Leadership Development Needs Across Individuals, Roles, and Teams
Not all leadership development is created equal. Effective programs address individuals, roles, and teams' unique needs while integrating with broader ‘people experience’ strategies.
- Focus on Horizontal and Vertical Development
According to the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), leadership growth can occur in two dimensions:
Horizontal Development: Building skills, knowledge, and competencies.
Vertical Development: Enhancing leaders' ability to think strategically and handle complexity.
- Tailor Development to Specific Roles
Different roles require different leadership skills. Consider the following priorities:
Emerging Leaders: Build self-leadership and resilience.
First-Time Managers: Strengthen team management and collaboration skills. Upskill people leaders to successfully lead their team through change.
Senior Leaders: Enhance strategic thinking, influence, and change leadership capability.
- Integrate Development with Other ‘People Experience’ Strategies
Use capability frameworks and organizational surveys to identify skill gaps and align programs with organizational needs. These frameworks can also protect the organization in employment disputes by clearly outlining behavioral expectations.
Ensure that leadership expectations are aligned to ‘roles’ and can support career development aspirations.
Have a consistent approach to creating and sustaining high-achieving teams, including clarifying the team's purpose and ways of working.
3. Be Specific About Your Target Audience
Leadership isn’t about titles; it’s about influence. However, development programs are more effective when tailored to specific groups. Segment your approach to address the unique needs of:
- Individual Contributors: Cultivate foundational leadership behaviors.
- Mid-Level Managers: Focus on cross-functional connectivity, collaboration, and conflict resolution.
- Executive Leaders: Build alignment and cohesion within the executive team.
Avoid a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Instead, invest in a learning needs analysis to pinpoint gaps and opportunities.
Ensure diversity and inclusion are central to your selection processes to avoid unintentional biases.
4. Choose Effective Development Methods
The suitable development methods vary based on the role and organizational context. Here are some proven strategies:
- Emerging Leaders: Pair participants with internal mentors. Facilitate peer learning circles. Use self-assessments like MBTI, Life Styles Inventory, or Hogans to build self-awareness.
- Mid-Level Managers: Combine 360-degree feedback with individual coaching. Incorporate experiential learning tailored to real-world challenges.
- Senior Leaders: Provide access to external executive coaching. Offer off-site opportunities to focus on personalized growth areas. Identify opportunities for external networking and connectivity.
Remember, the ultimate goal is to create a culture of leadership excellence - not just to develop individual leaders but to foster a cohesive and aligned leadership community.
5. Measure the Impact
How will you know if your leadership initiatives are working? Establish clear metrics for success, such as:
- Increases in employee engagement or retention.
- Improvements in business KPIs tied to leadership performance.
- Positive feedback from participants and stakeholders.
I find the diagram below a helpful reminder of the context of leadership development.
Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)
SMEs often lack the budget and infrastructure to organize their internal leadership development, so they generally rely on external sources. Some priorities to consider are:
- Cultivating an aligned, committed, and high-achieving leadership team is a crucial priority.
- Ensuring they have the essential technical skills needed to meet market demands.
- Updating their leaders on current legislative requirements, particularly regarding occupational health, safety, and well-being.
For SMEs, our Leadership Practices Framework (LPF) is a powerful tool for helping business leaders achieve more significant alignment and commitment in the daily pursuit of excellence.
‘Leadership development is not just about developing leaders – it is about creating a culture of accountability and performance … Leadership development creates a magnet for high performers and fosters high-performance organizations. Bersin and Associates
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