Industry trends are constantly changing, making it essential for every organization to keep up with them. As the context around an organization frequently changes, these changes do influence prospects and opportunities. Hence, leaders must have a clear understanding of these shifts to ensure the sustainability of their organizational operations. Equipping leaders for long-term success is indeed the need of the hour, and these demands call for picking and following an ideal leadership training program.
Before gaining more profound insights into the benefits of leadership development, let us understand what leadership training is and why it is important.
Leadership training and development are known to be highly structured experiences that are meant to enhance the leadership skills of an individual. The leadership training can take several forms, which include the following:
- Internal Development: These programs extend support in developing the knowledge and skills that organization leaders specifically need.
- Mentorship: Under this category of leadership training, emphasis is laid on the opportunities to learn from the organizational leaders.
- Leadership Courses: Under the leadership courses, the educational programs are run wherein lessons are imparted both in person and online to support the development of leadership skills for an organization to thrive.
If you are wondering how to develop leadership skills, then embracing any or all of the above-listed models can be of great help. So, if you are looking for means to enhance your foundational skills, and you are a prospective leader seeking leadership development, adequate training is the best means for you to adapt to industry trends.
How to master the art of picking an idyllic leadership training program?
One of the most talked-about frameworks in training leadership revolves around the 5 Cs of leadership. It is the most renowned framework for gaining insights into the traits of an effective leader. In addition, one must be aware of the key parameters to look for while picking a leadership training program.
Key factors on which a leadership training and development program depends include the following:
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Personal and professional goal:
Being self-aware is one of the most important requirements to pick an ideal leadership training program. Those who are new to leadership training must be aware of their specific professional needs, key strengths, and weaknesses. Though each professional has their own role, seeking help from a leadership course provides the right tools to access and accomplish the goals.
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Training format options:
The leadership training and development programs can be accessed in various formats depending on the expertise and responsibilities. Some of the best recommended ways to embrace most of these programs are by taking regular updates from the human resources department about such in-house programs, actively signing up for in-house training webinars, and searching for graduate business degrees as well as certificate courses.
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Never skip return on investment:
Another important aspect to consider while picking an ideal leadership training program is to check precise returns on investment. Format can be any, but your return on investment must be significant. In some cases, pursuing skill development outside the organization can be more rewarding and fulfilling. You must take a call based on your learning capability and the exact role assigned. Moreover, the returns are not restricted to a financial raise, but also act as a confidence booster to conduct a fair salary negotiation.
Importance of leadership development in an organization
A noticeable amount of time goes into leadership training, and this makes it important to evaluate whether the investment is really worth it. The key pointers highlighting how leadership training opportunities act as a major catalyst for change in an organization are discussed below:
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Supports change management:
Changes are bound to happen irrespective of the size of an organization. You can only expect your team to be able to cope with changes if they have received the right leadership training. These trainings involve strategic planning as well as change execution with minimal operational friction. In this specific scenario, a catalyst type of leadership style can prove highly beneficial.
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Resistance handling:
It is a harsh, but true fact that one of the greatest challenges that comes across organizations is not about technical or logistics-related issues, but is mainly due to workers resisting that change. Hence, it is extremely important to have support from organizational leaders who are capable of handling such challenging workspace dynamics. Coping with change resistance is a big task that requires the right identification and addressing the cause. Dedicated techniques are taught during training in leadership to manage the situation well. Such core training modules include feedback encouragement from stakeholders, empathetic listening of concerns, and making collaborations on strategy interactions.
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Cultivating stakeholder buy-in:
It requires tactful handling to get people on board with a fresh idea, as they need to be fully convinced of why the change should matter. Specifically considering both internal and external stakeholders, the internal ones are the ones who will directly live through the change process. On the other hand, the external stakeholders are likely to support such initiatives that further strengthen business results. Some of the most practical ways to cultivate stakeholder buy-in include celebrating wins, people empowerment, and rewarding innovation.
Relevance of Leadership Programs:
The role of leadership programs for senior executives is significant. One can expect their entrepreneurship skills to be boosted well by enrolling in an adequate program. As an organizational leader, these leadership sessions can help in a complete business transformation. Hence, advancing your knowledge as a senior leader offers great support to gain access to credible tools for making a real and long-term impact on an organization.
Dr. Ameet Parekh offers Leadership programs for Senior Executives, and the same can be a turning point in leadership development. So, grab this amazing opportunity and stay competitive in the long run.
