7. Leader Reboot; How to train Future-Proof leaders

In the face of automation, Artificial Intelligence, and a corporate environment that is evolving faster than ever, life-span of a business depends greatly on a workforce that is adaptable. However this alone is insufficient. To successfully complete a voyage, crew members and the captain both must be skilful! In today's Article, The HR Odyssey intends to venture deep in to the question of "how to train a leader who is imaginative, flexible, and adept at handling uncertainties?"

The Changing role of the Leader in the automated work environment

Emergence of AI demands a change in the priorities of leadership. While AI is excellent at automation and data analysis, human leaders are still required to sail the ship by using AI's skills, encouraging innovation, and assembling capable teams (Manyika et al., 2017). Additionally, leaders must negotiate a dynamic external environment. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic required the use of crisis management techniques, remote team leadership, and an emphasis on worker welfare (Gratton et al., 2021).

What does Leadership Development entail?

Leadership development and training is the process of equipping current and future leaders with the competencies required to thrive in leadership roles. Programmes for developing leaders often concentrate on developing participants' strategic thinking, change management skills, ability to influence, communication skills, and decision-making abilities. However, these programmes could and should also concentrate on particular skill sets that is specifically required to function in the relevant industry. Over the past few years, there has been a major evolution in leadership training and development. The pandemic and the consequent need for automated or hybrid work environments have altered the way leadership programmes prioritise skills.

These days, a lot of leaders are concentrating on qualities that promote workplace culture and employee happiness and honing their ability to adjust rapidly to change. A strong programme for developing leaders can assist in addressing business issues including the requirement for companies to draw in and retain talent as well as cultivate future leaders.

Factors to consider when designing a Leadership Development Programme

1. Linking leadership initiatives to corporate goals.

Which leadership competencies align with the problems and goals of your present business? The foundation of any effective leadership development programme is a set of precise objectives and a suitable setting (Jones, n.d). For instance, if the vision of the company is to be the pioneer in technology and the company has set a goal to replace a manual internal system with a technologically advanced system based on AI, then the leadership development programme has to focus on change management. In the above scenario, initiating a generic  leadership development programme intended to improve public speaking skills would not be the most suitable.

2. Combining leadership abilities with field work

When employees practise new abilities in real-world scenarios, they are more likely to integrate and use them. This should be taken into account for leadership development programmes, which, for instance, offer capstone projects intended to assist students gain real-world experience by combining their classroom education with practical experience(Jones, n.d). Although most training programmes require both instructor-led sessions and self-paced online courses, task-based leadership development may be integrated with various learning settings.

3. DEI needs the backing of the leadership

There are several advantages to giving diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) top priority in your organization's leadership programme. It provides a more expansive viewpoint and degree of experience, which encourages creativity, a positive work environment, and increased output. Since potential workers care about DEI and want to see their perspective represented in corporate leadership, it's also perfect for talent acquisition and retention. Recruiting women, minorities, and other underrepresented groups for leadership training programmes is one way to demonstrate your commitment to diversity in your leadership development programme.

Educating Future Leaders in the Digital Era

Long-standing, conventional training programmes are insufficient nowadays. Innovative teaching strategies are embraced by modern leadership development.

• Microlearning: brief, bite-sized learning sessions that are ideal for hectic schedules 

• Mobile learning: On-the-go learning made possible by easily accessible educational materials provided via smartphones and tablets 

• AI-powered systems provide targeted feedback and personalised learning pathways for learners.

Skills that can be developed through Leadership Development Programmes

Positions and titles have little bearing on leadership. It concerns one's capacity to persuade, encourage, and inspire people towards a common goal (Aggarwal, 2022). A special combination of hard and soft abilities is possessed by leaders, such as: 

1. Strategic thinking - the capacity for scenario analysis, wise decision-making, and long-range planning. For instance, leaders may be given fictitious scenarios to work with and be asked to create plans that take on various outcomes (e.g., economic downturn, new competitors). Also, performing case studies examining the effective and ineffective business practices of other companies might yield insightful information. Another interesting way to develop strategic thinking skills is through wargaming. Leaders can enhance their critical thinking abilities by simulating possible confrontations with rivals or internal firm difficulties.

 

2. Communication: According to Day(2011), leaders actively listen, clearly state their goals, and offer helpful criticism.

3. Emotional intelligence (EQ): Developing healthy relationships requires the ability to comprehend, control, and empathise with others' feelings (Goleman et al, 2002). According to Jennifer Recla, Colorado Access's Director of Organisational & Learning Development, it's critical that all employees—including leaders—benefit from a psychologically secure training environment where they aren't afraid to speak out or take chances, even when they're unsure or when we're moving into uncharted territory (360Learning, n.d.) For Jennifer, Colorado Access's innovative culture depends on this psychologically comfortable atmosphere (360Learning, n.d.) The most common way used by HR professionals to develop this skills is conducting Self-Awareness Evaluations. These mindfulness practices and personality tests can assist leaders in identifying their emotional intelligence strengths and limitations. Another is 360-degree Feedback; obtaining anonymous input from subordinates, supervisors, and coworkers can yield insightful information on the emotional influence of a leader!

4. Agility and adaptability: The ability to welcome change, pick up new skills, and adjust plans of action in reaction to changing conditions (Goleman et al, 2002). Great leadership training requires the correct amount of flexibility, particularly in times when markets are changing quickly.

Successful Leadership Development Programmes ; Real-World Examples

General Electric (GE) offers a blended learning program featuring classroom sessions, virtual reality (VR) simulations, and personalized coaching to their to-be leaders. Their programme focusses on two main elements;

• Adaptability: The program's diverse learning methods equip leaders to handle complex situations and changing environments. VR simulations, for example, can immerse leaders in realistic scenarios, allowing them to practice decision-making and crisis management skills.
• Developing Well-Rounded Leaders: The combination of classroom sessions, personalized coaching, and VR simulations caters to different learning styles and addresses both theoretical knowledge and practical application (GE, n.d.).

Walmart on the other hand, offers a Academy Leadership Development Program which is also a mix of online learning modules, in-person workshops, and on-the-job mentorship (Stomski, 2023). Their main focus seems to be scalability and accessibility. Online modules allow Walmart to deliver consistent training across a vast geographical reach, making the program accessible to a large number of leaders while the In-person workshops and on-the-job mentorship opportunities ensure leaders can translate theoretical knowledge into practical skills relevant to the complexities of the retail industry.

How to say if your Leadership Development Programme is successful?

How can you determine whether your plan for developing and training leaders is effective? A company can assess the effectiveness of a leadership development programme in a number of ways, such as:

• Participant input: Using focus groups or surveys to get participant input might give important details about the program's advantages and shortcomings (Jones, n.d).

• It might be specially difficult to measure the influence on soft skills like communication and emotional intelligence, but conducting Employee Surveys can help. Continual surveys can monitor how staff members feel about support, fairness, and communication from management.

• Enhanced output: Assessing leaders' pre- and post-program performance can help determine if the programme was beneficial. Metrics like higher output, better staff engagement, and better financial outcomes can be used to measure this.

• Teamwork Evaluations: It is possible to utilise teamwork activities to gauge a leader's capacity for cooperation, inspiration, and conflict resolution.

• Participant retention: Participant retention statistics can provide insight into how well a programme is keeping and developing elite talent.(Jones, n.d).

• Higher rates of promotion: One way to measure the influence of the leadership development programme on career progression is to keep track of how many participants go on to receive promotions within the organisation after taking part in it.

• Alignment with business objectives: Determining how well the programme complies with the organization's overarching goals and strategy can shed light on how well it develops leaders capable of propelling the business forward (Jones, n.d).

That said, leadership is a continuous journey. By embracing modern training methods and prioritizing DE&I and mental health initiatives, organizations can cultivate the agile, innovative leaders needed to navigate the complexities of the 21st century workplace. In L&D, it’s important to remember that leaders are learners, too. They have their own particular learning needs and aspirations, their own weak spots, and their own goals!

Until then, Smooth Sails!

References

1. 360Learning. (n.d.). Leaders Are Learners, Too: 5 Ways L&D Teams Can Support Leadership Development. [online] Available at: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-support-leadership-development/ [Accessed 1 Apr. 2024].

2. Aggarwal, J. (2022). Yukl, G. A., & gardner, W. L. (2020). leadership in organizations. pearson education, inc. Journal of Leadership Studies, 16(3). doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/jls.21826.

3. Day, D.V. (2011). Leadership development. [online] ResearchGate. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282651226_Leadership_development. [Accessed 1 Apr. 2024].

4. GE. (n.d.). Global Leadership Programs. [online] Available at: https://jobs.gecareers.com/global/en/global-leadership-programs.[Accessed 1 Apr. 2024].

5. Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R.E. and McKee, A. (2002). (PDF) Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence. [online] ResearchGate. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230854764_Primal_Leadership_Realizing_the_Power_of_Emotional_Intelligence.

6. ‌Gratton, L., Erickson, T., & Dopson, I. R. (2021). Reimagining leadership for the COVID-19 recovery. Grateful Leadership

7. ‌Jones, R. (n.d.). What Is Leadership Training and Development? 5 Strategies for Successful Programs. [online] www.trainingfolks.com. Available at: https://www.trainingfolks.com/blog/what-is-leadership-training-and-development-5-strategies-for-successful-programs#:~:text=Leadership%20training%20and%20development%20programs [Accessed 1 Apr. 2024].

8. Manyika, J., et al. (2017) A Future That Works: Automation, Employment and Productivity. McKinsey & Company, New York.

9. Porkodi, S. (2022). Leadership Approaches for Post-Covid Recovery: A Systematic Literature Review European Journal of Business Management and Research <DOI - 10.24018/ejbmr.2022.7.3.1420>

10. Stomski, L. (2023). Walmart to Provide Leadership Training to Thousands of Store Managers Across the Country This Year. [online] corporate.walmart.com. Available at: https://corporate.walmart.com/news/2023/04/28/walmart-to-provide-leadership-training-to-thousands-of-store-managers-across-the-country-this-year.