In a McKinsey article, the authors explore why leadership development programs often fail. They discuss the context and how to define what kind of leadership skills are needed to grow the company. Some skills that need to be honed include sales, negotiation, and empathy. Other skills, such as empathy, are not as easy to teach. But, if these skills are lacking in your leaders, it’s time to develop them.
Change management
Organizations are not static entities; they are constantly changing. Marketplace changes, employee turnover, and company growth all contribute to ongoing change. Leaders must be well-prepared to navigate these changes and ensure the success of the change program. Change management training helps leaders harness the power of vision and provide strong leadership throughout the change process while improving performance. Here are five tips for effective change management training.
As the company grows, there are growing pains. Legacy systems and resources get out of whack, teams compete for limited resources, and accelerated growth forces the company to prioritize other focus areas. Unfortunately, new change management programs are often ignored when this happens, while the company’s collective mindset shifts. Instead, senior leaders should address these challenges, focusing on their employees’ motivation and performance.
Accountability
Developing accountability is one of the most important aspects of any leadership development program. Accountability is the key to ensuring that teams meet quarterly objectives. The leader must be explicit about expectations. Team members must be clear about what they need to do. It may take several repetitions before everyone understands what is expected of them. Accountability helps develop a strong team culture. -Setting clear expectations is essential for accountability to work. Without clear expectations from leaders, employees will be left feeling lost. A good leadership development program should establish clear expectations for behaviors and results. When leaders are held responsible for their actions, team members will be more likely to perform at a high level. The best way to create a culture of accountability is to define leadership within your company. Set clear expectations for your leaders. Doing so will create a culture of trust in your organization.
Reflection
Effective leadership requires a balance between technical knowledge and people skills. Reflective practice can develop these two elements and give leaders a more profound sense of purpose. Through reflection, leaders can identify their strengths and weaknesses and align their jobs and goals with their capabilities. This process is also called critical thinking..
Leadership cannot be reduced to pre-defined patterns or principles. As a result, many leadership theories and practices fail to meet the demands of professional practice. Reflective leaders are the holy grail of effective leadership.
Goal setting
Common challenge leaders face is the lack of motivation to achieve their goals. The best leaders learn to set challenging goals that provide a sense of focus and motivation. But goal-setting is often under-utilized or poorly implemented. My failure at setting goals shows just how important goal-setting is. Here are five key aspects of goal-setting. These are 1) SMART, measurable, achievable, time-bound, and specific.
2) Make it a habit. A new routine isn’t formed overnight, but it is practiced day by day. Try to treat setting goals as if they were appointments. Treat them like you’d treat a date with a dentist, avoiding the tendency to push them aside. Make goal-setting a habit. Make it a habit, and you’ll reap the benefits in the long run.
