Leadership Development: Where to Start

Many organizations recognize the importance of leadership development, but have no existing programs. They feel overwhelmed about where to begin. Building a comprehensive program can seem daunting, but focusing on a few key areas can help you get started. The key is: get started.

We’ve outlined four approaches to leadership development below. Each has a different focus in terms of leadership level, scope, and potential budget. And they all allow you to to grow your program over time as your leaders learn—and use—the skills they have developed. As you read through these, which option below makes the most sense for your workplace today?

Focus on One Organizational Level

Instead of trying to implement a broad, company-wide program, start with a single, targeted group, like your directors. Choose the group who has the most direct impact on employee engagement and productivity. By providing them with foundational skills like communication, feedback, delegation, and prioritization, you can create a ripple effect of positive change. And by engaging all of the leaders at a specific level, you create consistent skills, expectations, and organizational culture. This focused approach allows you to pilot a program and refine it before scaling up. And offering the program year over year ensures organizational continuity and increases the overall impact.

One of our civil engineering clients has facilitated the same program for years, building two cohorts a year focused on creating a consistent pipeline of leaders armed with tools to immediately guide their team to success. With wide endorsement from the most senior leaders of the organization and a clear point of view on what is required of leaders, this program has had a significant impact on shaping the culture as the organization has grown.

Build a High-Potential Talent Program

Identify your high-potential employees (those who show the greatest promise for future leadership roles) and invest in them. A high-potential program might include specialized training, 360° feedback, special projects, access to senior leaders, and individual or group and peer coaching sessions to prepare them for senior roles. This strategy not only develops a strong internal talent pipeline but also serves as a powerful retention tool, as it shows your top employees you are committed to their career growth.

We worked with a large healthcare insurance company to build a year-long program focused on a cohort of thirty-five high potential leaders each year. Through workshops, one-on-on and group coaching, projects, and 360° feedback, 83% of participants reported experiencing a significant shift in their leadership capabilities. These leaders are now spread throughout the organization in a variety of different roles, mentoring others, and setting the example of leadership.

Launch a Program for All Managers

Leadership is a skill set all managers should possess. Start by launching a program for all managers that explicitly defines what leadership is within your company and teaches the foundational skills that are essential for managing others. Skills that they may have never been taught before. This program should establish a common language and set of expectations around core competencies like delegation, communication, and providing constructive feedback. This approach ensures consistency and builds a shared understanding of effective leadership throughout the organization.

We have a large biotech client who wanted to start a leadership development program. We started by conducting an analysis of internal data to define six core leadership expectations. We then created a customized two-day program, held multiple times over a year, to include all leaders. The program now runs twice a year to give newly promoted or hired managers the same core skills as their peers. And we are now focused on building the next level of upper management leadership training and conducting executive coaching engagements.

Start with the Senior Executive Team

By focusing on the senior executive team, you ensure leadership development has buy-in and is role-modeled from the highest level. When senior leaders visibly invest in their own growth, it signals that leadership development is a serious priority, creating a strong foundation for future initiatives.

At a large event client, the executive team is relatively new in their roles and are each finding their place in leading within the organization. We are assisting in aligning this group with a common vision for leadership, gaining perspective on their individual contributions, and helping them develop skills through coaching to take the lead in setting the example of leadership.

Where to start your organizations journey with leadership development depends on your unique needs and strategic objectives. But what is true for all companies is that leadership development is necessary to cultivate a healthy, engaged workforce, maintain organizational agility, and create sustainable financial performance.

Let us know how we can help you and your organization create the leadership development program that is right for you.