Essentials for Effective Leadership Development Programs

In the last 10 years I've designed, delivered and assessed the impact of several large scale leadership development programmes. Want to know how I make sure they actually matter and aren't just a pretty certificate or a report of butts on seats? It's my 6 power questions. Start asking these and you're guaranteed to have leadership programmes that create long lasting behaviour change AND reportable outcomes. 1) What are the core leadership capabilities and behaviours we need both now and in the future? This is where you survey leaders at all levels to identify essential skills. If you're not talking to your audience then you're missing a HUGE piece of the puzzle. And for the love of god please incorporate strategy here too. What does the business need to achieve and what role does leadership play? 2) How will you assess current leadership competencies and development needs across the organisation? Are you using 360 reviews, skills assessments, interviews? 3) What development formats will allow for skills practice, real-world application and feedback? This could include workshops, cohorts, mentoring, job rotations, special project assignments... something that let's them practice is essential. 4) How will leadership development intersect with your talent management processes? The amount of times this isn't considered is staggering. Look at integration points with recruitment, promotion, succession planning and performance management. This is crucial. 5) What measures will define the success of this programme at the participant, leadership bench strength, and organisational level? Identify key leading and lagging indicators. Wanna know what these are? 💡 Leading = participation rates, completions of tasks, engagement surveys, tests etc. 💡 Lagging = leadership pipeline for critical roles, if your programmes affect things like EVP and brand, leadership retention, and your key metrics around profitability etc. Great programmes measure both ⬆️ 6) How will you evolve curriculums over time to meet changing business objectives and leadership needs? Build in processes for continuous review and refresh. This is my biggest non-negotiable. At a push you should review every 3 years but I suggest a review every year in line with strategy and business objectives + engagement surveys and employee data. Leadership development is a serious game friends. It's not just away days and leadership theory. This is how you future proof your organisation, and goes from grass roots through to established leadership. Anything I've missed that you would add?👇

Is your leadership development built to last or built to fizzle? Despite over $60B invested globally each year in leadership development, some studies suggest as few as 5% of leaders apply what they learn in sustained, meaningful ways. Some programs even show a negative ROI. The problem? We treat leadership development like an event when it needs to be a system. In this paper, Jaason Geerts, PhD outlines a set of enabling factors to maximise the outcomes and ROI of leadership development programs. Here’s where the magic (and missed opportunities) often lie: 1. Pre-program Prime the conditions before the learning starts: ⚙️ Involve stakeholders in co-design so the learning addresses real-world problems, not abstract concepts ⚙️ Have leaders create a development plan before the program begins with goals linked to their role, team needs, and the organisation’s strategy ⚙️ Ensure line managers are briefed and bought in. Better yet, include them in onboarding or launch activities ⚙️ And here’s one often skipped: run a barriers analysis. What might stop leaders from applying what they learn and how can you remove those roadblocks now? 2. During the program. Design for use, not just insight: ⚙️ Build in experiential and peer-based learning. Real development requires practice, not passive consumption ⚙️ Create space for in-the-moment reflection and real-time feedback ⚙️ Use "culminating activities" (like project presentations or commitments shared with peers or execs) to raise the stakes on application. 3. After the program. Don't let learning and the intent to use it fade: ⚙️ Remind participants and their managers that follow-up assessments are coming and offer support to prepare for them ⚙️ Build in public sharing of results whether through showcases, storytelling, or impact reports ⚙️ Keep the community alive. Invite alumni back as mentors, facilitators, or contributors. It signals development is an ongoing expectation, not a one-time event. 4. At the system level. Think beyond the program, as this is where the biggest return often is, and the biggest gaps are: ⚙️ Integrate leadership development with talent processes - performance reviews, promotion criteria, succession planning ⚙️ Make leadership a shared expectation across the organisation, not just for those with direct reports. Embed it in your culture, systems, and symbols ⚙️ Develop a leadership development blueprint that visualises how different programs and development experiences connect across the employee lifecycle. In other words, great content isn't enough. If you want behaviour change, build a system around the learning. 💬 Over to you: What’s one thing you've done (or stopped doing) that made a real difference to your organisation's leadership development outcomes? 👇Let's swap notes in the comments. #leadershipdevelopment #leadershipdevelopmentsystem #behaviourchange #organisationaldevelopment

The primary task of a leadership programme isn’t to build skills. It’s to build the capability of your organisation to deliver on its strategy. Too many programmes focus narrowly on skills. Essential, yes – but without connection to the organisation’s requirements and unique context, those skills rarely shift how the organisation actually works. The research is clear: 🔸 McKinsey’s global survey found that only 11% of executives strongly agreed their leadership programmes achieved sustained results (What’s Missing in Leadership Development, 2017). 🔸 Harvard Business Review showed that training fails when organisational design and culture remain unchanged – people are pulled back into old habits (Beer, Finnström & Schrader, 2016). That’s why leadership development must be designed around: 🔹 Understanding and navigating your structure, processes, and informal power networks – so leaders can enable strategy execution rather than be blocked by it 🔹 Bringing the outside in – connecting the programme directly to the needs of customers, service users, funders, and stakeholders 🔹 Equipping leaders to shape culture – through the thousands of daily interactions that reinforce or shift how work gets done 🔹 Holding multiple time horizons – developing the capacity to deliver in the now, steer for the coming months, and invest for the long term 🔹 Designing platforms that enable coordination, collaboration, and knowledge sharing across the organisation 🔹 Acting into complexity – experimenting, adapting and learning in uncertain environments 🔹 Decisions and problem-solving that draw on the collective intelligence of their people Otherwise, leadership development is just more classroom confidence, with little shift in behaviour, culture, or strategic delivery. This is where we work differently. We combine extensive research into your strategy, culture and ways of working with engagement of key stakeholders – creating the supportive environment leaders need to try new approaches. That way, development is anchored in your system and shaped by the realities leaders face every day. If you’d like to explore how leadership development can build your organisation’s capability to deliver strategy, drop Dani and me a line.

I've built and/or delivered leadership development training for hundreds of companies over the last five years. Here's the formula for the most successful programs: Leadership Behavior Change = Catalyst Event + Systemic Changes Leadership development aims to change behavior. When we're deploying leadership training, it's because we need our managers to be taking different types of actions inside of our organizations. We need the different behavior to either save costs or make more revenue. We need real business impact. But the problem is that training classes do NOT exclusively change behavior. Sending your managers to a one-time manager bootcamp will not result in the changes you're hoping to see. Instead, use in-person events as a catalyst event. In-person events have a very valid purpose. They serve to get people to think differently. During successful leadership development events, leaders agree to reframe their approach. Furthermore, leadership in-person events build community and trust for longer-term peer-based support inside our organizations. Then, once the event is done, we have to focus on making system changes that support our new behaviors. We have to change the processes that feed into the previous cultural norms. Managers need real-time support for the behavior change we're asking of them. This might look like: - Coaching (group or 1-1) - Conversation guides - On-the-job challenges - Cross-training - Stretch opportunities - Mentorship - Internal/external networking - Internal change campaigns Traditional leadership development doesn't create this effect. Only when we combine the two together do we achieve lasting real business transformation. What do you think about this formula? What's missing or what would you change here?

Training and coaching programmes in many workplaces are often seen as one-size-fits-all solutions. Its time for that to change, especially when it comes to leadership development. Too often, learning and development initiatives are decided without involving the people who are not actually taking part in them. Organizations make huge investment into programmes, without effective research into people's needs. They don't ask people what they want or need. They presume everyone's needs are the same. There are times where this might be ok....specific technical skills for example or simple standard work practices. But leadership development requires a different approach. To be honest, I used to deliver one-day trainings on leadership skills here and there. But I never felt good about it. I felt like I wasn't adding real value to anyone. I knew most people were likely to forget everything they learned. It seems like such a waste of time and money. Now, I largely provide a blend of training and coaching programmes. They include an assessment of participant needs. They have a measure of individual development over time. Each person's coaching programme is tailored to what they need. I communicate with my programme participant's managers, to support the continuation of coaching long after their initial coaching programme ends. I always think I can do better so I gather feedback from every participant and improve my programmes all the time. These are the best practices guidelines I follow and teach: 1️⃣ Assess participant needs and customize programmes 2️⃣ Clarify the measures of effectiveness that will be used. 3️⃣ Personalize learning paths- this is possible through blending training with 1:1 coaching programmes 4️⃣ Foster a culture of continuous learning where coaching and training is part of what people regularly give and receive. Ensure all managers have effective coaching skills 5️⃣ Evaluate and adjust all training and coaching programmes. Make improvements based on feedback and measures. ❓What else would you add to ensure training and coaching programmes are highly effective? #learninganddevelopment #employeedevelopment #leadershipdevelopment #traininganddevelopment #training #learning #coaching

Throughout my career, I've had the privilege of mentoring and developing leaders across various industries. One thing has become abundantly clear: the strongest organizations prioritize leadership development at every level. It's not just about finding the right people; it's about continuously nurturing their potential and making learning and growth a part of the organizational DNA. This realization has profoundly shaped my approach to leadership, pushing me to invest time and resources into building robust leadership development experiences and learning to add value to leaders. Here's what I've found to be critical in successfully developing your leaders: ▶ Create a Culture of Continuous Learning: Great leaders are lifelong learners. As executives, we must create an environment that encourages and celebrates curiosity, growth, and development. This involves offering continuous development opportunities, supporting leaders to step out of their comfort zones, and rewarding those who seek new challenges and perspectives. ▶ Be the Leader People Want to Follow: Leadership development starts at the top. You must model the behaviors and values you wish to see to grow leaders within your organization. Lead with integrity, demonstrate a commitment to personal growth, and show resilience in facing challenges. Your actions set the standard for the leaders you're developing. ▶Mentor and Coach: Effective leadership development goes beyond formal training—it involves real-world experience, coaching and guidance. As executives, we mentor and coach emerging leaders, offering them insights from our experiences, helping them navigate complex situations, and supporting their professional and personal growth. This hands-on approach accelerates their development and builds a deeper connection to the organization's mission and values. 💭 #TakeBackYourMonday by igniting the future of leadership and reflect on the following: 1️⃣ How are you fostering a culture of continuous learning within your organization? 2️⃣ How can you become the leader others aspire to be? 3️⃣ What opportunities are you providing for mentoring and coaching emerging leaders? Remember, your leadership legacy is not just in what you accomplish—it's in the leaders you help create to lift the room. Your role in this process is invaluable, and your efforts in developing leaders will shape the future of your organization. Take action now, and lead with purpose to inspire and elevate those who will follow. #leadership #leaders #futureofwork #leadershipdevelopment

Leadership development should not be a checkbox. It should be a catalyst. I had the opportunity to work with a client facing high attrition and disengagement among mid-level managers. Instead of offering a generic solution, we co-created a leadership development programme tailored to their unique culture and goals. The focus was clear: • Equip leaders to lead with clarity and connection • Address real business challenges, not just theory • Build momentum beyond the training room Every session included live case studies from their teams, real-time role plays, and follow-up coaching to apply learning in daily leadership moments. Within six months, we saw a measurable shift. Attrition dropped. Internal communication improved. And most importantly, leaders felt seen, supported and empowered. The ROI wasn’t just in numbers. It was in morale, energy and ownership across the board. Leadership programmes work when they are relevant, real and reinforced. Is your organisation investing in development that sticks? #leadership #culture #mindset #inspiration #lead  

If we're going to be effective with the execution of our organization's strategy it's going to hinge on the skills and capabilities of the leaders and managers we entrust with accomplishing it. The difference between a good strategy and its successful implementation lies in the hands of those who consciously lead others, recognize what's happening, and don't see giving up as an option. Here is what that takes: Articulation of Vision. Effective leaders possess a clear vision of desired outcomes and communicate it compellingly, ensuring everyone understands their goals and how to achieve them. Transparent Communication. Regular, open communication is essential. Managers who keep teams informed about progress, changes, and challenges foster a culture of trust and engagement, listening to feedback and responding to concerns. Goal Alignment. Effective managers ensure individual goals align with key initiatives at every level, breaking down the strategy into actionable plans for each department, team, and individual. Resource Allocation. Successful leaders allocate and manage resources—time, budget, and talent—efficiently, investing where needed to support critical aspects of the strategy. Clear Expectations. Winning at strategy execution requires clear expectations and performance standards, defining actions, metrics, and milestones to guide teams. Accountability. Leaders inspire accountability by supporting their teams, reviewing performance, removing obstacles, and helping them get unstuck when needed. Agility. Strategies require adjustment in response to internal and external changes. Leaders who pivot quickly ensure their organization remains on track despite unforeseen challenges. Problem-Solving Skills. Effective managers anticipate obstacles and develop contingency plans, addressing issues promptly to minimize disruptions. Regular feedback loops help leaders assess progress and make necessary adjustments. Empowerment and Collaboration. Effective leaders empower their teams by delegating authority and responsibility, this builds trust, ownership, and innovation, while enhancing cross-functional collaboration. Continuous Learning. Investing in training and development enhances your team's skills and capabilities, equipping them to execute at high levels daily. We recognize that all of this represents a significant amount of work. However, integrating these attributes into a dynamic process can make them disciplined habits that can lead to the results you need. What are you currently doing to enhance your people's understanding of strategy and its execution? #CEOs #Leadership #Strategyexecution #Attribute

I had the chance to interview Daniel Goleman during one of our recent Leadership Development Community of Practice events. Daniel talked about his new book "Optimal" and how to best design and deliver an emotional intelligence (EQ) training program. He pointed to five key ingredients: 1/ Highly motivated participants. Participant motivation is something leadership development should shape and influence. He uses an example of a program that employed email nudges to increase and extend engagement. Short, concise nudges triggered PRACTICE. 2/ 10+ hours of training, spaced out over time, with periodic booster sessions. Spreading training hours over longer periods of time helps make learning stick. Five 2-hour sessions is more effective than one 10-hour session. 3/ Ongoing practice and reinforcement. EQ is a behavioral skill (like golf). So, PRACTICE is the key to mastery. The more you get your participants to practice high EQ behaviors, the more likely it is that they’ll apply the EQ framework one, three, and even ten years later. 4/ Social support. For executives and high-level leaders, Daniel recommends 1-on-1 coaching. As you scale, he recommends cohort-based training (i.e., group coaching). Regular coaching is also a great way to space training hours out over time (see bullet 2). 5/ Active support from key organizational leaders. The last ingredient is active engagement, support, and modeling by senior leaders. Win their buy-in early and involve them aggressively! *** You don’t need all five ingredients to build a successful training program. But the more you have, the better your odds will be. To get started, pick just one and really lean into it. #leadershipdevelopment P.S. these ingredients can pretty easily be applied to any training program, not just EQ.

Most leadership programs fail because they're HR initiatives. The ones that actually work? They are seen as business initiatives. After 20+ years watching programs succeed and fail, I've noticed a pattern: The programs delivering real impact aren't focused on improving generic leadership skills. They're focused on developing the critical leadership capabilities the business needs. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁: They start with "Leadership for what?" - tying development directly to your 2-3 year business strategy. Senior leaders buy-in and co-create, not just sign off - making it their program, not HR's. They focus on self-awareness through 360s and coaching - because leaders can't fix what they don't acknowledge. Peer learning builds community and connection - your best leaders learning from each other creates exponential impact. They bring outside-in perspectives - understanding the broader industry landscape helps your leaders anticipate changes coming in next 2-3 years. The programs that succeed? They're owned by the business. They build specific capabilities. They drive strategic outcomes. Swipe through the carousel for the complete framework - including questions to ask before launching your next program. What’s your advice to ensure your leadership development program is not an HR initiative? P.S. Want more frameworks for building business-focused HR strategies? Join 3,000+ HR leaders getting practical insights every Thursday in the Future of HR newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gYSzn72F