4 Key Features that Confirm a Quality Leadership Development Program

In today’s fast-changing workplace, managers face unprecedented complex challenges. From hybrid work complexities to team alignment struggles, it takes more than technical skills to lead effectively. Poorly trained managers can hinder team morale, increase employee turnover, and lead to missed organizational goals.

Yet, the reality is that not all leadership development programs are created equal. In the first of this series of leadership development articles, we will unpack why leadership programs fail, what makes for an effective leadership program and what to look for.

Why are leadership development programs important?

Research conducted by CEB shows that 60% of all new managers fail within the first 24 months of their new position. The primary reason for this failure is inadequate training in managing people from the start.

Transitioning from being an individual contributor to leading teams requires new skill sets, leadership behaviors and mindsets. It requires not only professional growth, but personal growth, as well.

After all, effective leadership is complex, situational and multifaceted. Specific leadership approaches that might work for one leader, can easily fail with another.

An effective leadership and development program is vital for leaders because it equips them with the tools and strategies necessary to address modern workplace challenges effectively. Otherwise, leaders can waste a lot of time second-guessing themselves, modelling poor leadership behaviors they have observed, get trapped in a fixed mindset or feel inadequate about their abilities.

A high-quality leadership program enables leaders to improve team performance, enhance their emotional intelligence, adapt to change, improve employee engagement and strategic decision-making.

Investing in leadership development not only addresses these challenges but also delivers measurable returns. Businesses who invest in effective leadership development programs have reported a ROI ranging from $3 to $11, with an average ROI of $7 for every dollar spent.

Why leadership development programs fail

Despite the return on investment from high-quality leadership programs, it's a sad reality that some leadership development programs fall short in lifting requirements.

There are multiple reasons why leadership development do not always work.

Here are the three main reasons why efforts to enhance leadership skills often fail:

1. Lack of Senior Leader Support

Numerous studies over the years have demonstrated why leadership development fails, yet unfortunately, this insight has not reached the majority of companies.

Typically, training programs motivate team leaders during the training, even changing attitudes on how they to manage, but over time, leaders regress to their pre-training views.

It's not so much the fault of leaders, but the system they find themselves in. Traditional workplaces that do not give leaders the latitude to influence the system around them will struggle to implement their new knowledge and skills upon returning to their team.

The only exceptions were those whose bosses coached and supported training participants in harnessing a new leadership style and trying out practical skills the program was designed to teach.

Senior leader support to help future leaders and mid-level leaders apply their new leadership capability requires removing roadblocks and changing the system. Without it leaders will fail to further develop in their leadership role.

2. Motivation to Learn

Motivation to learn is also an important consideration. Leadership is hard. It's uncomfortable. Team leaders who attend a leadership program because their boss told them to, who lack self-awareness or who believe they are already an effective leader are less likely to improve.

Improving leadership potential requires effort and commitment.

Without the motivation to improve as a leader, no leadership development program will work.

Turning up to class isn't enough on it's own. Leaders need to fully immerse themselves in the learning experience - trying out new ways of behaving, communicating and interacting with others.

The truth is not everyone is open to self-improvement. Research shows that participants have different levels of readiness for growth, and some may need more support than others in order to benefit from these programs. Having the right mindset to learn is important, as well as being clear on personal learning goals before starting a program.

3. Ineffective Leadership Development Design and Evaluation

It is tempting for many organisations to select leadership development offerings from a well-known business school or training organisation. Leadership development is a big industry.

According to a study, few program directors at business schools could even identify how the design and evaluation of their leadership development offerings consistently meet scientific standards of desired impact.

Rather than tracking improvements in participants' abilities, most (70%) reported that they focus on favourable feedback about the program or proof of knowledge acquired, at least in the short term (63%). None connected their programs to shifts in participants’ career paths, followers’ attitudes or performance, or outcomes at the team or organisational level.

In fact, the same study revealed that HR executives rarely took into account the evidence of a leadership and development program's effectiveness. Instead, many admitted to making such decisions with insufficient information, frequently investing substantial amounts based on superficial factors like the program's appearance (such as an attractive website) or the faculty's charisma.

What to Look for in a Leadership Development Program

To avoid the temptation to choose a leadership program that comes from a well-known business school or has slick branding, here are some key features to evaluate:

1. Choose Training Programs that connect to your organisational goals

The majority of workplace learning is focused on preparing individuals for specific roles and responsibilities. According to Training Magazine’s annual survey, a mere 28% of training was allocated to areas considered "function-agnostic," like management, executive, and communication training.

This traditional approach is giving way to one where all leaders are given access to leadership training that is more aligned to the company's goals, rather than short-term team goals.

Companies are benefiting from rethinking the focus on roles, to future capabilities, particularly when the company needs to move quickly in a new direction.

2. Includes a Clear Vision, Learning Outcomes and Method

Leadership development is all about growing the leadership skills of team leaders, so they can lead their teams more effectively.

An effective leadership development program is focused on increasing participants’ knowledge, skills, or abilities. It's not about how much fun people had during the program.

According to a study, any evaluation of a leadership program starts with:

1. The vision and learning outcomes: What capabilities or qualities the program aims to develop in participants, why this is important and how it will address specific developmental needs.

Let's take a look at the vision and learning outcomes for the Tribe of Trusted Leaders - Leadership program:

Leadership Training Vision

The Tribe of Trusted Leaders is an intensive 12-Month online leadership development program. It uses the latest evidence-based research to help leaders create capable, thriving teams that achieve sustainable results.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the program, participants will:

• be more future outcome focused, in order to plan effectively and inspire others.
• develop their own leadership identity, so they feel more confident and capable in their leadership abilities and leadership style.

• utilize their emotional intelligence more efficiently, allowing them to better manage their emotions

• develop advanced communication skills to excel in delegation, lead effective meetings, conduct impactful one-on-ones, and approach difficult conversations with confidence and empathy.

2. The method: The plan to improve leadership skills. This element clearly specifies the foundational thinking or evidence on which the leadership development program is built. This consists of curriculum, learning methods (For example, participants discuss, self-reflect, submit work, role-play etc).

For example:

The Tribe of Trusted Leaders Leadership Program is a multi-pronged program that uses the latest principles in adult learning and leadership best practices. It starts with improving self-awareness and includes each participant undertaking an Enneagram assessment to learn more about their leadership style. It involves online monthly master classes that include time for self-reflection, group discussion and learning from others. This is supported by monthly group coaching, one-on-ones with Marie-Claire, as well as regular check-ins with their own manager to improve accountability. Homework is given monthly to ensure participants are taking action and trialing new leadership tools.

3. Focuses on Impact

The third element to assess in a leadership development program is its impact — the anticipated results for both participants and other stakeholders. Valuable training programs can clearly describe how participants will transform. Ultimately, this concerns a program's capacity to explicitly outline its anticipated outcomes, including the methods used to evaluate those results.

For example, here is the impact for the Tribe of Trusted Leader's leadership program:

During the Tribe of Trusted Leader's training program, participants fill out an online leadership competencies assessment, pre, midway and post training. Their direct manager also fills out one. These results are used to ensure participants are improving throughout the program. While a midway discussion with their direct boss fine tunes any further learning or adjustments required.

Managers report the following change in their leaders in the program:

• +44% improvement in running meaningful meetings.
• +34% effectiveness in one-on-ones.
• +32% confidence in providing feedback.
• +28% success in delegation.

In addition, qualitative changes that have been observed include:

Changes in leadership style - participants shift to being more comfortable in challenging their people, asking more of them and better able to handle change and negative situations. There is also a noticeable improvement in confidence levels, ability to more effectively undertake difficult conversations and being more future-focused.

Changes Observed in Team Performance - Teams become more motivated, focused on increasing their capabilities and working together to achieve results. Teams are visibly more engaged and happy.

Changes in Participant's Career Trajectories - Participants tend to be viewed differently by their leaders and seen as being more ready to take on an expanded leadership role. While promotions are dependent on individual company circumstances, 85% of participants are considered ready for promotion if an opportunity was available.

Changes Observed in Follower's Attitudes or Performance - Individual team members are more excited about future and change, more open to acting on corrective feedback and enjoy their job more.

If a leadership program developer cannot articulate their specific vision, explain how it aligns with your organization's needs and goals, and outline the principles it is based on, there is little reason to expect meaningful results.

4. Includes the Right Curriculum Topics for Leading Today

To achieve leadership success, researchers at the Neuroleadership Institute have determined that we need to excel in three essential areas of effective leadership:

• focusing on the future,
• being adept with people, and
• driving results.

A study by Zenger and Folkman analysed 400,000 360-degree survey results. They found that the most successful leaders possessed a powerful combination of leadership competencies.

Of leaders in the top quartile, 66% possessed both a focus on results and interpersonal skills (the ability to develop and maintain relationships). Meanwhile, only 13% of leaders who focused on results alone and only 9% of leaders who focused on interpersonal skills alone reached the 90% percentile.

As we advance in our leadership roles, our brains undergo changes that may impede our capacity to excel in these domains. A research review by Neuroleadership Institute into various leadership development programs implemented by larger organisations discovered that they frequently fail to adequately prepare leaders in all three domains.

In addition, another study found that leadership development is less about learning specific, tactical skills. They also need to tackle developing the whole self through cultivating self-awareness.  Successful development programs include elements of self-awareness and self-reflection.

When evaluating leadership programs, make sure the program covers these areas, as well as meets the needs of your company's strategic goals moving forward.

Leadership Programs for Effective Leaders

In the next article, we will explore in more depth the seven leadership development components that ensure learners receive the most benefit.

If you are interested in investing in an evidence-based leadership program, then take a look at the Tribe of Trusted Leaders - Leadership Program. Enrolment is open now. Book a strategy call to find out if it's the right fit for you or your managers.

Additional Links

4 Key Features that Confirm a Quality Leadership Program (LinkedIn)