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Practical Advice for Closing the Gap between Learning and Achieving
Training Industry Magazine: Mind the Gap Issue features leadership experts and columnists Marshall Goldsmith and Sam Shriver, who share practical …
Leadership isn’t just for formal management roles. Every employee has the potential to develop leadership skills and make a positive impact on colleagues and the organization as a whole.
Many of today’s companies recognize the value of leadership development in nonmanagerial roles and are becoming flatter, reducing hierarchical layers and giving employees greater autonomy and decision-making power. Flattening the hierarchy is especially impactful for Gen Z workers, who, according to Stanford University research, may prefer collaborative leadership over hierarchy.
Whether your organization is flattening or seeking increased overall performance, leadership development across all levels can have significant benefits.
Transforming employees into informal leaders requires investing in training and skill development—an investment that’s well worth making due to the following advantages:
Investing in employee development can make team members feel more valued, and in turn, more engaged and committed to your organization. Gallup research shows that organizations with more engaged employees see significantly less absenteeism, lower turnover and higher productivity than those with less engaged employees. With employee engagement at a 10-year low, considering ways to get employees excited about their work and committed to achieving goals is crucial.
Leadership development prevents employees from feeling stagnant in their careers by allowing them to grow new skills and contribute more to the organization. For some employees, leadership training can lead to career growth, opening doors to new roles and greater responsibility.
According to Gallup, gaining career growth opportunities is the top reason people give for changing jobs. Additionally, organizations that strategically invest in employee development have double the retention rate of those that don’t.
While participating in a leadership development program, employees learn critical skills that drive collaboration, such as communication skills and adaptability. In the Situational Leadership® Essentials course, for example, participants learn how to adapt their leadership style to the individuals they’re influencing by considering each person’s unique performance needs. This “others-focused” approach enhances transparency, builds trust and strengthens relationships—all vital for enabling a collaborative culture.
Leadership training teaches employees the importance of understanding the “why” behind tasks and conveying this information effectively to others. When team members at all levels know the purpose and impact of their work, they are more motivated to achieve their goals.
Employee development also makes employees feel more engaged and valued, which makes them more likely to go the extra mile and directly impacts productivity.
An important aspect of leadership training is honing critical thinking skills. These skills help employees see problems objectively and from multiple perspectives, allowing them to make strategic decisions faster. When employees at all levels feel empowered to make thoughtful decisions, the organization experiences a greater sense of accountability and collaborative problem-solving.
Training solutions help organizations create a performance culture where employees and leaders are equally committed to achieving shared goals and growing professionally.
The Situational Leadership® Essentials course, for instance, equips leaders with the communication skills to build a performance culture by enabling them to establish clear expectations, discuss individual performance needs effectively and empower employees to take ownership of their performance. These skills help create a culture that encourages goal alignment, transparency and achievement.
A human-centric approach, which focuses on employee well-being and potential, is the future of work. Organizations that want to attract and retain talent in a competitive, ever-changing business environment must embrace human-centered leadership to some degree.
Leadership training can enable organizations to transition into a human-centered framework by helping participants develop skills that support employee well-being, like empathy and active listening. The Situational Leadership® Model, for example, teaches leaders to assess individual performance needs in a nonjudgmental way and meet employees where they’re at rather than take a one-size-fits-all approach.
Your organization can create opportunities for employees across all levels to build their influence and responsibilities beyond their titles. The following strategies are good places to start:
True leadership is the ability to influence others, and anyone can harness this ability with the right training and mindset. By equipping more of your employees with timeless leadership skills, you’ll increase their engagement and motivation to perform in the present while also preparing your organization for future challenges and uncertainty.
At The Center for Leadership Studies (CLS), we offer various leadership development courses to nurture leaders across organizational levels. Our Situational Leadership® Essentials course teaches the foundation of the widely adopted Situational Leadership® Model, which any employee can apply—whether leading or collaborating with others. The Situational Performance Ownership™ course is another impactful solution for all employees, teaching them to embrace accountability and advocate for their development.
Ready to empower your teams with the skills needed to thrive in a dynamic work environment? Explore our learning solutions or contact us to learn more.
