How do you design effective leadership and development programs?

My go-to is speaking with people and learning from them. Surveys usually get minimal results, so I lean towards focus groups and good old fashioned 1-1 conversations.

As an experienced trainer, I made the mistake of asking people what training they wanted. What I got was a wish-list of topics. Not very helpful. I learned to focus on business needs first. For example, my company was growing. A number of management positions would soon be open. This highlighted a clear need to make employees promotion-ready so we could fill those roles internally. Executives were reluctant to support a generic list of training topics. Getting support for a program that helped the business achieve a specific goal was far easier. Lesson learned: focus on business needs first and work backwards to identify what training is needed to achieve those goals.

In Regeneron IT, we have a comprehensive Career Framework that includes business and technical competencies for every role, every job family in IT. This helps us identify skills our people managers and functional managers need to develop as they move up or across in the organization. Aligning this with the roadmaps for our functional areas helps make sure as people are growing, they are also developing skills we need in 3 - 5 years.

One thing that I found useful was to create a key skills exercise where employees highlighted what their key skills are (and how they show this). This is followed by what skills they would like to develop and how it would benefit them. Encouraging the employee to be more reflective has been crucial.

To me this is all about assessing the potential needs of the individuals that you want to move into leadership. Too often, and too many organizations promote top performers into leadership roles without providing any guidance on moving from an individual contributor role to a leadership role. I believe that organizations should be identifying "High Potential" team members and offering them courses, mentoring, and coaching that help them grow into a leadership role over time, rather than have promote them and have them walk in the door tomorrow as a new leader and let them fend for themselves. Assess what new leaders will need, and then build team members into leaders over time. Don't expect them to be leaders overnight.

In addition to assessment and design, it’s just as critical to build in opportunities for real-world application and reflection. Learning that is practiced and refined based on current circumstances and business challenges contributes to mind shifts and behavior change. Applied learning that yields improved outcomes can then be modeled for others, shifting organizational behaviors.

In 2023, leveraging virtual training and AI is leading the way. However, how do you develop leaders at different levels? Recently I was part of a team crafting a leadership development program, and we landed on case studies in a discussion format. No matter the level or experience, everyone has gained practical knowledge. There were a lot of great discussions in these sessions around challenging problems and what leaders should/could do.

An effective learning should be structured as follows: 𝟭𝟬% 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: you can incorporate the following formal learning methods: 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙙𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙨, 𝙀𝙭𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙨. 𝟮𝟬% 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Social learning involves learning from others through: 𝙋𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙪𝙢𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨-𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨. 𝟳𝟬% 𝗢𝗻-𝘁𝗵𝗲-𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: you can implement the following strategies: 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨, 𝘼𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙍𝙤𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙨.

Effective leadership training should lean heavily on two things: context and experience. Context ties leadership skills to specific business needs. For instance, "building trust" is a vague concept on its own. Adding context, such as implementing a new business process, makes "building trust" much more tangible. Experience comes from applying leadership skills in a real setting. It reinforces other training and often provides lessons that wouldn't otherwise be discovered. Give people a chance to lead others, whether it's a small project, an informal group, or an existing leadership role. Pair that experience with coaching or mentoring to guide development.

It's my belief that the real learning comes from discussion and real life examples. One can certainly augment knowledge with e-learning. However, the soft skills concepts taught in leadership training need space for talking it out, asking questions, learning from peers and subject matter experts, and even pushing back. For this reason, live instructor-led training is optimal. Supplementary knowledge can be gained from many different sources, but it's the live, facilitated discussions that offer the richest sources of learning.

Consider not designing your content, actually. I've found that there is a huge venn diagram when it comes to leadership development. Yes, there are nuances that are specific to an industry, geographic, demographic, or org culture. However, if you start from scratch and assume your org needs in LD are super unique...good luck. This is a long road of consulting engagements, internal alignment, executive approvals, testing, etc. before you ever deliver a single hour of leadership development programming! Do yourself a huge favor and start with what has already been figured out, what's best practice and shared across orgs. And get that deployed quickly. Then see where the gaps are and enhance with your own customer LD content.

Design effective leadership programs by aligning content with organizational goals. Develop a structured curriculum covering key competencies. Use real-world case studies for practical insights. Include diverse learning materials and interactive sessions for engagement. Integrate ethical considerations and foster a culture of continuous development. Regularly update content to reflect industry trends, ensuring participants acquire essential skills for successful leadership.

Remember your audience- especially when developing leadership development content- which usually means they are pressed for time and may not have an hour to attend a learning session. I like to design quick hit, in the moment micro-learning sessions so leaders only need to spend 10 minutes learning a skill. Media preference is video with audio or a quick reference guide.

Before designing content, consider a step almost never included - observation. Including a few conversations with the potential recipients of the training that are not interviewed based on terms of the ask but focused an “a day in the life” to understand on the job challenges. You may not always get to do this, but it’s great if you can. For others, a pre-survey or even pre-survey could fill in gaps before the design begins to understand where people are at.

When designing your content, think like a marketer. Craft your leadership program content with the same zeal and creativity as a high-impact marketing campaign. Employ storytelling, relatable scenarios, and real-world case studies that resonate deeply with your participants. This approach not only ensures engagement but also aids in the practical application of learning, leading to quicker and more effective leadership decisions that can spur revenue growth.

Implementing effective leadership programs demands clear communication, securing buy-in, and strategic resource allocation. Establish a flexible timeline, ensuring accessibility. Engage skilled facilitators, fostering a participative environment. Monitor progress, adapt based on feedback, and set measurable goals for accountability. Cultivate a culture of continuous improvement, emphasizing the program's impact on leadership and organizational success.

Here’s a tip: Be prepared to fully execute and implement the program after all the data collection, program design, methodology approach, etc. Where I get disappointed is when organizations get to the implementation phase and decide, nah…. we can’t afford this after all. Have a budget and base- level logistics figured out first!

When implementing the program is important to have the management support not just in the communication process but also in the training interventions to show everyone the importance of the program and the benefits for each one.

Effective implementation of leadership programs is akin to launching a new product in the market. It requires meticulous planning, robust marketing strategies, and continuous refinement based on feedback. Treat each program as a unique brand, creating excitement and anticipation among potential participants. This mindset not only ensures smooth execution but also builds a culture of continuous learning, directly impacting organizational agility and revenue.

Rolling out with clarity and enthusiasm is crucial. Set expectations early and communicate clearly why this is important. Support is essential—not just during the learning phases, but before AND AFTER!!!! Make sure logistics don’t overshadow learning.

Evaluation starts at step one in the assessment phase. You must tie your leadership program to business results. Your CEO doesn't care whether people gave the leadership program positive reviews or passed a quiz. That's not WHY the leadership program is funded. Find out what the business needs, design a program to help achieve those goals, and then measure the impact. Working backwards like this will align your program with the business, generate more support for your program, and make it easier to improve the training as you go.

Evaluating the results also means learning from them. It is important that you allow your leadership and development programs to become living things. This will encourage continued engagement and collaboration. Don’t throw programs away just because they don’t produce the results you wanted either. Take the time to understand what worked, what didn’t, where changes could be made, what could be removed, and what could be added. Evaluation is the process of developing a deeper understanding, while being prepared to make appropriate course corrections when needed. Evaluations are not simply just pass or fail. Keep that in mind when evaluating your programs successes and failures.

The same way you start is the way you finish. Survey, focus group and questions. Your training should have a call to action and follow up.

I’ve seen leadership programmes struggle with measuring impact but it is possible to measure direct and inferred outcomes. 😮 Reactions and learning retention are useful for evaluating the participant experience and the effectivenes of programme design. 🚶♀️ Behaviour change helps to determine if the programme has inspired leaders to evolve and adapt. 360/180 surveys can help identify trends and patterns in individuals and across a community of leaders. 🎯 Business outcomes and results can be tricky as it can be hard to connect specifically to profit or shareholder value. But there are other metrics you could track. For example if Innovation is a theme, is there a shift in R&D spend, or new products launched.

Evaluating your programs should go beyond traditional metrics; it should be a strategic tool for business growth. Implement advanced analytics to measure the direct impact of your programs on individual performance and business outcomes. Correlate training data with sales growth, innovation metrics, and customer satisfaction scores. This approach transforms program evaluation into a vital cog in your strategic decision-making process, directly linking leadership development to revenue enhancement.

If we're not researching what others are doing, we're crazy. Talk with people and learn from the programs that they've instituted.

This is one aspect often overlooked.... and it's the power of community. Encourage leaders to connect with each other, creating a network where they can share experiences, challenges, and solutions. This not only enhances learning but also builds a supportive leadership culture that transcends the individual sessions of the program. HR / L&D can be quite an enabler here setting up platforms and events to support peer learning too.

This is great! My team is building a leadership development program now - I am always looking for insights from others who have established programs.

Learning from others in the field should be an exercise in strategic intelligence gathering. Seek out industry disruptors and innovators, understand their training methodologies, and adapt them to your context. This not only provides fresh perspectives but also equips you with unconventional strategies that can be game-changers in your leadership development efforts, directly influencing your organization's competitiveness and revenue potential.

I truly appreciate learning from others. Not only does it provide a bit of a short cut, if you will, but it also provides the opportunity to consider something new. Sharing our ideas makes us all stronger and enhances our reputations as quality training providers.

Leadership development is not “one size fits all”. Each individual in your organization needs to start with a baseline evaluation that focuses on self-awareness. While there are some universal attributes you want to see and develop in your leadership training program, each individual will find their best with the help of a good coach working with them on specific leadership challenges they face.

The key thing is to be very clear what you want to achieve from a programme. What changes do you want to see and then work backwards with the design and delivery according to learner needs. Start with the end in mind as Covey says. There are fantastic programmes available on the market but I see businesses making the situation fit the programme they wish to engage with, rather than the other way around. Sometimes the requested programme doesn’t actually deal with the management and leadership challenge being faced. I often say to learners that simply attending management and leadership programmes adds zero value to you or the business - the value comes from consistently applying that learning in the workplace.

Remember that correlation does not equal causation when measuring learning impact. Leadership development is not technical training where you can measure immediate results like fewer errors, lower time to resolution, or fewer return calls. It is something that takes dedicated time, top-down nurturing, and relentless practice. You may be able to indicate correlation with 360 feedback results, fewer HR cases, retention, lateral/horizontal movement, manager behaviour indexes, etc. - but be clear with the executives that “it takes a village” to build good leaders. And a learning program on its own is barely the village’s central square.

Having trained in house within corporate companies previously, I always remember how people felt about any kind of Training and Development. Some would roll their eyes, some would be excited about it and some would feel it was an interruption Others felt it was a test of their skills So it's important to get an external expert in to do a group session with the leaders and almost in a disarmed way, find out what they want so honesty becomes part of the process in regards to what is needed This can then be fed back to the relevant parties who then are able to create a programme that really delivered what is needed

A good leadership and development course should not have an ending point, if anything, it should have a regular "restart" and refocus on a regular basis to ensure the latest and greatest principles are being shared.