7 Things Businesses Should Consider Before Enrolling in a Leadership Program
Undoubtedly, education that aims to advance individual development is worth its weight in gold. However, those wanting to succeed in their careers must have a growth mindset to acquire knowledge and skills.
For businesses, management invests in leadership training to prepare their teams for leadership roles and make them more effective. But too often, the results are disappointing — meaning the applications of these programs are limited.
This article discusses why leadership training sometimes falls short and what to look for before considering a leadership program.
Exploring Why Leadership Training Fails
Investing in leadership programs for your team has many benefits. They help leaders to focus, stay present, and build relationships with other leaders in the organization. But why do most of them fail?
#1 Little time executing
“The purpose of education is not knowledge but action.” - Herbert Spencer
While training may last 2-4 days, true development doesn’t happen in such a short window. Let’s say you attend a 5-day leadership training program. Then you go back to the work environment where you spend the bulk of your time. The culture, people, and processes are unchanged. You can potentially implement one or two things you learned. But what’s the real result when you are back in an otherwise unchanged environment?
You’ll agree that attending basketball games can help you learn more about the game, but that doesn’t make you a pro ballplayer.
Leadership is about putting what you’ve learned into practice — knowing how leadership affects you and — knowing your level of effectiveness.
#2 Low engagement
Learning, development, and growth are about partnership. You play your part in a program as a contributor, and the program plays its part as well. Many leadership programs have a philosophy and process that they follow and also allocate how much input they want from the participants.
The ratio of input and group sharing from the participants is vital. For example, suppose that out of 100 hours of training, the program spends 90% of the time presenting content. It would mean that your time is packed with information — all that knowledge but likely little time for engagement.
Flip it around to a program that consists of 20% content and 80% input and discussion; it becomes highly engaging. So, explore the ‘experience’ of the program the next time you consider your leadership development.
#3 Large class size
Another reason leadership development programs fail is because of the number of participants. Some programs may enroll 30, 40, or 50 participants simultaneously. That will, of course, be more about the program and its content then, as opposed to the content coming from the participants.
From our experience here at NextGen Center, a program with 15 or fewer participants works best. With a cohort that size, everyone has opportunities to practice and engage. Everyone has a chance to speak. Everyone engages in one form or another.
Leadership development programs work best in small, focused groups. Having small groups allows leadership trainers to engage with each participant on an individualized basis as well.
Checklist: Everything You Should Look For Before Considering a Leadership Program
Now you know why most leadership programs impact businesses. However, before investing in leadership training for your team, consider the following:
#4 Determine your goal
The first step to growth is knowing what you want and why you want it. Some of the likely questions you need to ask yourself before considering any program are:
Where am I now?
Who do I want to become?
What are the options to move closer to where I/we want to be?
And what programs, processes, or experiences will help me bridge those gaps effectively?
When your company has a vision for you and other team members, it becomes something like this:
We want you to grow into Vice President one day. This is what we expect of you as a VP. You are a director now, but we want to get you to the next level.
So what programs will help you achieve this? That’s the fundamental question.
#5 Understand your learning style
Do you prefer more conversation, hands-on experience, and personal engagement?
Or a more data- and research-driven approach? You could also choose a blend of both.
Whatever your style is, make sure the structure aligns with your learning process and philosophy.
#6 Know the duration
Some leadership training lasts for a few weeks. However, they give participants intensive training in leadership skills, which demands their full attention. Other programs can last for months, teaching more complex topics and skills.
Whichever you choose, ensure it’s the best for your team. Outside duration, remember that constant practice will make the program effective.
#7 The reputation of the training company
Since you don’t know what you don’t know, consulting with a company with a track record of success across a variety of companies is best.
It’s like when you go to an implementation partner in tech. In that case, you might be great at development, but this person has done the specific implementation for hundreds of people.
When considering a training company, look for the following:
A successful track record
A wide range of training options, both standard and customized
Considers training to be a process rather than a single event
Measures effectiveness and adapts as needed
An engaging trainer or team.
Check the training structure
Many training programs use techniques and concepts not rooted in leaders’ everyday requirements.
Rather than following a standard framework, the training should focus on what’s happening within your company.
Only enroll in programs that provide details about the framework, size, and format. It is only possible to assess the program’s costs and perks with this information.
Leadership programs should have the following:
An obvious structure
Organized schedules
Formatted based on participants’ preferences (lectures, presentations, case studies, etc.)
It should be actionable
First, you may feel energized and ready to use your newly gained skills after completing a leadership program. But you need clarity on how to apply them. When what you learn is not actionable, you end up falling into old habits and ways of thinking because that’s what you know and what’s familiar.
Second, the need for a facilitative environment is another reason a program might need to be more actionable. Businesses should provide the right tools and support for their teams.
Create a leadership reinforcement program
Leaders should receive continual encouragement and reinforcement once they have completed the program and meet with their team regularly. Of course, when you invest so much in building up leaders, you can’t expect them to apply everything they’ve learned to their jobs instantly. They still need mentoring, coaching, and support for employee retention and growth.
And you’re good to go.
Enrolling in a leadership development program works if you know what to look out for and choose the right program.
At NextGen Center, we provide expert training and facilitation services customized to fit your team’s needs. In addition, we offer customized leadership programs to help your company advance and keep the best talent. Contact us today to discuss which program will work best for you.