Resources for Developing Leadership Skills in Employees

Your leadership training isn't working. Here's why: 45% of managers say their companies aren't doing enough to develop future leaders. But the problem runs deeper than just "not enough training." After a decade of designing leadership programs, here's what I consistently see organizations get wrong: ➡️ They treat leadership development as an event, not a journey. Think about it: You send your high-performers to a 2-day workshop. They return energized with new ideas. Then... nothing changes. Why? Because the training isn't integrated into their day-to-day performance. Here's how to fix this: 1️⃣ Start with the end in mind Map out exactly what success looks like for your leaders. What behaviors and outcomes do you want to see? Build your development plan backward from there. 2️⃣ Create accountability partnerships Pair leaders with internal mentors who can provide ongoing support and feedback. (36% of managers report witnessing ineffective leadership regularly - mentorship helps break this cycle.) 3️⃣ Design learning that sticks Instead of one-off training sessions, create a blend of: - Practical assignments tied to business goals - Peer learning groups for real-time problem solving - Regular coaching check-ins - Opportunities to teach others 4️⃣ Measure what matters Track behavioral changes, not just completion rates. Are your leaders demonstrating improved communication? Better decision-making? Increased team engagement? 5️⃣ Make it systematic Leadership development should be part of your performance management system. Tie development goals to promotions and compensation. Remember: Great leaders aren't born in a classroom. They're developed through intentional practice, meaningful feedback, and real-world application. What's one thing you're doing to develop leaders in your organization? #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveCoaching #TalentDevelopment #OrganizationalDevelopment

Leader development doesn't happen just because they show up in an office. Leadership development is a key challenge for many firms, including a lot of hybrid and remote-first organizations that I work with. Managers don't know how to lead distributed teams, leaders who are under pressure to deliver and don't have time to learn, and gaps in who gets mentored -- and who doesn't. Michael Hudson and a team from Hudson Institute of Coaching have a case study on how they helped a global consulting firm build an environment that drove development into how people worked. Highlights below, and you should really read the details -- it's well structured and thought through: 🔸 Structured peer learning: Curated 6 person groups, diverse in experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives; "learning pods that might never have formed organically in a physical office." 🔸 Embedded development: Weekly 15 minute practices to build habits, continual learning and reinforcement. 🔸 Expert-facilitated sessions: Monthly structured forums for group learning and peer conversations. Expert coaches can help you get deeper, faster. 🔸 Competency-Focused Curriculum:  Targeted specific leadership skills, especially around issues like belonging among diverse populations and in distributed teams. Check out the article, linked in comments. Also, I'd personally recommend Hudson Institute of Coaching. I found their LifeForward program to be immensely impactful, and know a number of incredible certified coaches who have been through their program. #Leadership #Development #Coaching #Coach #FutureOfWork

A lot of People Ops leaders have talked to us about having a large population of new managers who need training. Here's a collection of all the L&D strategies I've heard so far to tackle this: 🤝 MENTORSHIP PROGRAM Chances are, you have great experienced managers in the org who are eager to teach your newer leaders. Creating a mentorship program is an easy way to create cross-team collaboration and give teammates applicable learnings they can use for managing at your company. 💸 L&D BUDGETS I heard a lot of mentions of dedicated L&D stipends for employees, and this is especially important for new managers. Go beyond a patch solution by recommending books, courses, and trainings for them to purchase. The best teams also lean into marketing these benefits well and often. 👋 NEW MANAGER PLAYBOOK/STARTER PACK No one can define what great management looks at your company besides you, which is where playbooks and starter packs can really come in handy. Walk them through the skills and competencies they need and give them an few points of contact with HRBPs when they have a question. 💚 FACILITATED SUPPORT GROUP A big shoutout to Peter Mostachetti, who's story of manager support groups was some of the best I've heard so far. Create shared learning experiences or readings and bring your managers together to discuss them. The discussion and camaraderie is where this information will really stick! 👩🏫 SPOT WORKSHOPS WITH SME's Another favorite activity I've heard, bring in some great subject matter experts to speak on leadership, communication, and managing teams. Some of my favorites include the incredible Kim Scott, Jessica Chen, Lindsey Nehls, Ali Merchant, and Scott Asai to name a few. 💬 LEADERSHIP GROUP COACHING Individual coaching can feel out of budget for a lot of HR teams, but that's where group coaching can be really handy. Bring in executive coaches like Matthew Cooke or Janine Davis, at Evolution to facilitate support groups and shared coaching experiences. They can dive deep into leadership situations and give managers great insight! 🍏 THIRD-PARTY OR IN-HOUSE COURSES We've seen L&D and HR teams go the extra mile for their managers by developing custom courses. This is a time-consuming labor of love, and some incredible folks like Josh Zimmerman have built entire trainings with a team of one. An alternative option, you can purchase external courses from Coursera/Udemy/LinkedIn Learning, or go with providers like Elevate Leadership. What new manager development options did I miss? Did you have any favorites? Let me know in the comments! Next Monday's issue of my Substack dives deep into this topic. Sign up today so you don't miss it: https://lnkd.in/gGiTem3y #management #training #leadership #learninganddevelopment #hr #peopleops

Leadership development is not just a one-time training event (time to change): Is your organization truly investing in its leaders? Developing leadership is more than just a one-time event. It needs an ongoing approach with several key parts. To grow strong leaders, focus on these four areas: 1️⃣ 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: ↳ 360-degree feedback for strengths & areas to improve. ↳ EQ and leadership skills make sure leaders are balanced. ↳ Career plans give a path for growth. ➟ 𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡: Do regular assessments to track progress. -- 2️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: ↳ Executive coaching offers personal guidance. ↳ Peer coaching creates a supportive environment. ↳ Mentor relationships build trust and share knowledge. ➟ 𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡: Set up a coaching and mentoring program. -- 3️⃣ 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 & 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: ↳ Stretch assignments challenge leaders to grow. ↳ Action learning mixes learning with real work. ↳ Real work experiences build practical skills and confidence. ➟ 𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡: Give stretch tasks and encourage action learning projects. -- 4️⃣ 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: ↳ Blended learning uses different training methods. ↳ Common models & shared meanings ensure consistency. ↳ Aligning expectations and leader-led sessions reinforce learning. ➟ 𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡: Make a training plan with blended learning methods that fit goals. -- Investing in these areas will grow your leaders and build a strong, innovative, and forward-thinking organization. Start today! __________ 💡 React if this resonated with you. 💬 Comment to share your thoughts. ♻️ Repost to benefit your network. ➕ Follow me for more content like this.