Why do most leadership development efforts fail?
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| Why do most leadership development efforts fail |
George was seen as an emerging leader in the company. People who worked for him loved and appreciated him. Senior Leadership saw his potential, thus he was invited to join the company’s leadership development course.
George was thrilled. He loved the company and wanted to advance and give as much as he could. He viewed this opportunity as a great step forward in that process. In addition, he had certain issues at work that he intended to learn how to deal with more effectively.
George learned about the program just about a week before it started. The email had all of the specifics, and he was ecstatic all over again. Excited, that is, until he glanced at his schedule and realized how much he had to do.
Because the training meant so much to him, he was determined to stay focused while there, so he worked hard to complete his tasks before leaving for the workshop.
George liked the workshop! The facilitator was excellent, the information was helpful, and the meal was even delicious! He was very stimulated by the fresh ideas and individuals he encountered. He gained confidence as they practiced some of the skills they had learned. He created an action plan as part of the program. He left the two days feeling really excited about what he had learned and how he would be able to implement it.
After the workshop
George awakened the following morning and went over his action plan. He was delighted because he knew exactly what he would do to become a better leader, beginning now. Then George went back to work. As he turned on his computer, he checked his voicemail.
23 messages
His heart plummeted somewhat. As he listened to the conversations, taking notes as required on his next moves, he opened his email and saw an even more terrible image. 91 emails. A quick check revealed that there was minimal fluff—it wasn’t 20 important emails and a load of reading or jokes, but 91 emails to read, work through, respond to, and act on.
After having a cup of coffee, George proceeded to greet his teammates. It took a long time since they had questions and topics they wanted to discuss with him, which was understandable given that he had been out of pocket for two days. By 9:15, he was back at his desk, ready to face all of the messages, including the 7 new emails that had arrived while he was gone.
By 3:00, he had almost forgotten about his action plan; he only recalled it when he spotted it in his briefcase. He pulled it out and stared at it regretfully. He remained committed to working on those topics, but they would have to wait until the next project meeting, which was all day tomorrow.
Reviewing the situation
Perhaps the circumstance described above is similar to yours. What is described up to the “After the Workshop” header seems to be a positive situation: an eager learner, a well-designed workshop, and a person departing enthused about his action plan. This scenario may seem a little too rosy—certainly, not everyone who attends training will be as eager and driven as George, but it doesn’t really matter—since a highly motivated individual like George will not receive as much out of this endeavor as he could or wants to.
Why?
Because, although most leadership development programs concentrate on building an excellent training program, this is just a tiny portion of the total chance of success. You see, learning—including the development of leadership skills—is a process, whereas training is an event.
We do not acquire significant, complicated life skills in an instant. In a moment, we may get an insight, an aha, or be inspired. In an event, we may gather ideas, techniques, checklists, and knowledge. However, abilities develop over time, not in a one-time training session (no matter how well planned or amazing the educator is). Skills develop via practice and application.
Leadership development is a process, and as long as those efforts are presented as events, the return on investment will be low.
Much may be written about particular things that can be done to improve the process, but you don’t need to start with that list. Reread the narrative above. Link it to your position, then think of two ways to improve your leadership development process for yourself or your company.
Summary:
Organizations spend significant effort and money in developing their leaders. Unfortunately, many of those investments do not provide the expected return. This article explains why.
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