Issues with Leadership Development Programs

Issues with Leadership Development Programs

Organizations invest too little in developing leadership behaviors and competences of their employees. They invest in too few individuals and the results of the implemented programs are ineffective compared to how they should be.
Godtfredsen (2014) identified the following three leadership development gaps that need to be addressed by each organisation:

• THE LEADERSHIP GAP: The author researched that nowadays, most organisations implement cost focused approaches towards leadership development processes. Unfortunately, they do not invest in programs that actually would yield the most value to its employees and the organisation itself. The author suggests to close the overall gap by implementing leadership development processes which are based on incremental continuous steps, targeted on specific organisation’s values and strategy and at individuals in all levels.
• THE MINDSET GAP: This gap represents the difference between what the individuals think leadership is about and what the organisation actually requires to be successful now and in the future. Due to an insatiable desire to achieve results, many individuals at the top are willing to sacrifice investments in others' development so as to execute their own daily jobs. Many individuals expect their organisations to invest in their leadership capability development; they do not consider the incremental investments that can be done at an individual level in order to develop others.
• THE KNOWING-DOING GAP: this represents the mismatch between what leaders know that needs to be done and what they actually do to be effective. One of the most prominent examples is the 360-degree feedback analysis, which is widely recognised to be important, however is rarely implemented by individuals at the top level.
Godtfredsen, T. (2014), Direct the White Space: Refocusing Leadership Development from Program to Process, Skillsoft.

		Gregory Johnson Coach, United States
	Leadership Development Issues and Approaches An interesting deep delve. Let's begin with the choice of words. Leadership versus Leader. The concept of "Leadership"...