What are the most common mistakes to avoid when implementing a leadership development program?

The biggest mistake that can be made when implementing a leadership program is forgetting to communicate with the target group why in the first place this solution is sought after. There should be consensus between leader and team member about what needs improvement, what is strived for and how successful leadership will be measured. So, the biggest mistake lays in not being clear about the goal of the leadership program and consensus of how success will be measured. The moment the goals to be accomplished by applying the leadership program are shared and agreed upon by all involved, chances of success increase. Implementing leadership is not a one-way effort.

Often there is a lack of involvement from the participant's leaders and thus, there is a lack of support to continue the learning after the program. Leadership development programs should have specific mile markers where leaders are briefed and directly involved to improve the 'stickiness' of the learning.

One fails in making and implementing leadership program when there is a lack of clarity on the “WHY & WHAT” – the objectives. Leadership programs are generally conducted in small cohorts who have similar requirements hence one size fits all approach can be avoided. It’s all about need. If one exists, good, if not, create one. Winning top management on the need of the program is essential. Leadership program needs experiential approach over a theory hence right balance is necessary. Such programs can’t be one time event hence pre & post program activities are crucial. Finally, do not forget to weave the organizational culture and values in the program to make it more relevant. To make the program successful, be accountable.

• The wrong participants are selected – people with little desire for leadership growth or to change. This can create a very negative culture in a cohort. • The wrong curriculum is put in place without a needs assessment, and people don’t get the skills/experiences that are needed for their growth. Be sure to consider common mistakes and costly errors that are made in laying out the content. • There is no infrastructure for accountability to use the new skills, so people enjoy the experience but don’t act on the learning. • There is no support or participation from senior leaders in the organization, and the “why” isn’t communicated to the cohort. Consider having a senior leader in each session to emphasize how important it is.

1. Choosing candidates purely based on their technical and functional expertise 2. Assuming that intense well designed and skillfully facilitated training sessions are adequate 3. Assuming that all candidates are equally motivated or skilled 4. Taking for granted the candidates' ability to change their beliefs and behaviours 5. Not involving the immediate managers and senior leaders in the program implementation 6. Lack of an effective and empowering review system

While my current employer has managed to align their LDP with the company's values, culture, and mission to some extent, they've missed out an integral piece - individual competency development. Leader do not have meaningful engagement with the program because they fail to see how the skills taught in the program can benefit them directly in their supervisory role. On top of that, training topics include general leadership skills and are not necessarily based on individual skills assessment. So, my proposal to the management is to tie in the LDP with performance management - focusing on specific skills gaps identified through 360-degree reviews and other leadership assessments and including them in the LDP so as to foster engagement.

It is sad when an organization invests in a leadership program but its own leadership team values are not aligned with the program I saw it twice while facilitating a leadership program that included psychological safety components, the participants embodied the concept and tried to apply it in their department but a couple when they practiced it with their bosses got shut down and borderline reprimanded did they lost all faith not only in the program but in the organization that doesn’t walk the talk or talk the walk. They felt fakeness and when you lose leadership authenticity nothing remains

As with most learning objectives, if they are not aligned with the needs of the audience, you will be immediately in a position of disconnect if this step is missed. What is worse is that when you are out of alignment with the leadership, you lose the buy-in when it comes to launching training out to their direct reports. I have found it to be really helpful to ask the question of leadership, but also participants: "What is it that you would like this training to accomplish?". This provides a place for that feedback to happen before you've said or written a single word.

In addition to aligning the leadership development program to company goals, strategy, mission, vision, and values, you will want to identify the specific leadership competencies and skills that are most relevant to your company's needs and align your program to those as well. These might include communication, decision-making, emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, and change management, among others.

Leadership development programs should not always focus on alignment. Leaders need to be able to think independently, challenge the status quo, and build relationships with people from different backgrounds. Instead of alignment, leadership development programs can focus more on developing critical thinking skills, interpersonal skills, and the ability to build relationships across cultures.

This is an important aspect for success of any leadership development initiative. The support of the seniors and the awareness of the culture gaps with a willingness to create changes that support the initiative will lead to effective application of the program.

A mistake I've seen time and time again within an organization is wanting to have a leadership development program but failing to properly build and support it. Without proper resourcing, clear expectations, and alignment to long term goals, these programs go from beneficial to potentially having strong implications to morale when they fail. Managers are eager to engage with a leadership development program hoping to make them better leaders and help them reach their career goals. When a program isn't built well, managers can equally get frustrated and become less enthusiastic with their future contributions to the organization. Even a small, well built and resourced program has far more potential benefit than a failed one.

I relate to this support requirement. It's the most overlooked. Yes, you can recruit the right number of new managers to deliver an objective, then train them, then set them free to manage. Then what? Real life issues stand up and smack them in the face, often relating to people management, and they end up floundering or failing. It's essential to support new leaders in these early phases by pre-identifying likely issues and planning for them with the new leaders. You need to actually go looking for these issues. The individual leader and wider team learns from solving them, it strengthens the team and creates a common way of working. Don't let new leaders fail. Be visible in your support as each issue presents itself. Don't let them fail.

Lack of support is very common in my experience. Whether it's senior leaders who only pay lip service to the effort, or managers who won't let attendees use their new knowledge and skills, the program turns into an event rather than a transformational experience. One way around this is to equip the managers of attendees with the knowledge of the content and tools to support individuals as they move through the program.

Leadership development programs should not always focus on support. Leaders need to be able to learn from their mistakes and develop their own resilience. Too much support can create a dependency on others and stifle growth. Instead, leadership development programs should focus on developing leaders' self-awareness, self-efficacy, and ability to learn from their mistakes. They should also provide leaders with opportunities to practice their skills in real-world settings.

Variety in leadership development courses ensures you are casting a wide net of opportunities for your audience. The modalities that participants use to engage with content, such as in-person sessions, virtual chatrooms, and self-paced modules all support the need for variety in learning. These also encourage retention and application in-role, as bringing learners together to share experiences as they relate to the content creates memorable learning.

I agree that incorporating a variety of learning methods, formats, and experiences into the program is key to engagement with the participants. People learn in many ways. The use of break-outs, debates, peer-to-peer feedback, and challenges along with opportunities to practice and reflect on the learning will ensure that the participants are equipped to apply the learning to their day-to-day interactions with others.

leadership development programs should not always focus on variety. Leaders need to be able to focus and master a few key skills. Too much variety can be overwhelming and confusing. Instead, leadership development programs should focus on developing leaders' core competencies, such as communication, problem-solving, and decision-making. They should also provide leaders with opportunities to practice their core competencies in real-world settings. Action learning projects are typically short-term projects that are designed to help leaders solve real-world problems. They involve working with a team to identify a problem, develop a solution, and implement the solution.

70-20-10 is too simplistic. Everything needs to be focused on the work, I.e., work-based learning, if it is a programme based in an organisation. Personal development needs to be considered- within the context of the programme and work. 70-20-10 doesn't work for new recruits, e.g , military officers or police officers, because no one would want them to be leading when they have not completed a full programme of training and development.

To overcome this type of mistake, the leadership development program should be tailor made for each organisation and to the members attending it. Moreover these would be the same people who attended lots of these programs in the past and bringing something that exclusively makes them think "this is different from other programs I attended" has a huge impact on the success.a workshop on ' Point in your thought pattern that connects your work and life ' would be an example of exclusivity.

To measure the effectiveness of leadership development programs, companies can utilize various methods. This includes tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics aligned with program goals, assessing changes in leadership competencies through standardized assessments, analyzing pre- and post-program leadership effectiveness, and calculating the return on investment (ROI). Employee surveys, and succession planning readiness, and participant satisfaction could also be valuable. Qualitative methods like interviews and qualitative feedback can provide deeper insights. Combining quantitative and qualitative approaches ensures a comprehensive evaluation of the program's impact and informs ongoing improvements.

It is important to understand that leadership development is about creating a viable pipeline of leaders who are prepared to fill leadership roles at every level of the organization. Measurements and metrics do not assist in this, but evaluating succession management, internal promotion, and an assessment and analysis of employees' knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies can.

Sometimes we ‘forget’ to accommodate the talent to implement their knowledge and skills after attending the program. This is happening when there are no vacancy or assignments to level up their current position within the organization. The talents have to wait for quite some time to implement what they have just learned. They should have been assigned to certain roles once they completed the program in order to measure the effectiveness of the training program.

Effective measurement ensures alignment with organizational goals and enables continuous improvement. It also provides insights into the program's impact on leadership development and helps justify investment in future initiatives. Regular feedback loops, surveys, and performance reviews are essential for gathering qualitative and quantitative data to gauge participant satisfaction and program efficacy. By addressing this mistake, organizations can enhance the success and sustainability of their leadership development initiatives.

Measurement is not always necessary in leadership development programs. Leadership development is a long-term process, and it is difficult to measure its impact in the short term. Additionally, measurement can be a distraction from the real goal of leadership development, which is to develop leaders who can make a positive impact on their organizations. Instead, I believe that leadership development programs should focus on developing leaders who are committed to continuous learning and improvement. They should also provide leaders with opportunities to reflect on their learning and identify areas for improvement.

A common mistake in implementing leadership development is forgetting that leaders are dynamic, complex human beings. Leadership is actually a life skill. Leaders bring their whole selves into the professional environment. Thus, their ability to lead is connected to their own level of human development, including: their level of EQ/SEL, awareness of personal perceptions & bias, & their ability to connect with the humanity of those around them. Thus, leadership also requires empathy & vulnerability; & a realization that everyone we encounter in our leadership is also on their own developmental journey. Thus, leadership development should focus on how we can both be the best version of ourselves & support others around us in doing the same.

Leadership development programs should not be purely self-paced. The program should have points where through reflective exercises, or case studies the person in the program is evaluated as to their progress and where they may need further development. Reading a book is not the clear answer to developing a leader. Once a development plan is determined then ensuring that there is a mentor to follow the new leader into and through their development.

It is vital that when such program starts, that it has a clear end goal set from the beginning and that the program continues to exist. Too often these programs are set-up to just be available, sort of a 'checked it off of the list'. Ensuring continuation is important to show the positive impact of such program. Evaluate, re-evaluate and continue to grow the success!

Another mistake that some leadership programs may make is failing to emphasize the people that leaders are responsible for leading. While it's understandable to focus on the leaders themselves, it's equally important for programs to identify and include the voices of those who are led by these leaders. This requires a transparent approach to feedback, taking ownership for reactions to feedback, and learning how to respond in ways that benefit both parties. Often, leaders struggle with feedback and lack the skills to receive and respond to it effectively. Receiving feedback and learning how to respond appropriately are essential for leaders to grow and develop.