Is Leadership Training a Waste?

Happy Friday,

Hmmmm...Maybe the better question is whether leadership training actually results in better leaders. 

Unfortunately, the answer is mostly no. But it’s not because the trainer or training is flawed.

It's because there’s no expectation—written or otherwise—that the trainees ever exhibit any of the leadership skills they were just taught. If you taught every leader Spanish but had no expectation that they ever speak it, how much Spanish would you hear two months later?

Without a clear mandate tying specific leadership requirements to performance evaluations, promotions, bonuses, and accountability (incentives and expectations), leadership training becomes just another box to check rather than a meaningful driver of change. 

Of course, it’s not black-and-white. Some leaders might embrace the training, or parts of it because it gives them a competitive edge. So, in other words, if you throw enough leadership training against the wall, some of it will stick. And that’s pretty much the state of play at most organizations today.

For the motion of an object to change, a force must act upon it (Newton). Not a suggestion. Not a training session. A force.  

So, yeah, in the absence of explicit leadership expectations, leadership training is like shouting into the void and is mostly a waste. 

EXTRA ……………………………………………………………………………………...

Here’s the fix:

These are the four minimum leadership expectations I previously recommend for ALL leaders: "It is the responsibility of every leader at (name of organization) to:

1.     Cause people to care more about this organization and its mission, and never less.

2.     Be an active listener, listening with your ears and your eyes.

3.     Develop and maximize the full talents of your team. 

4.     Exhibit steady, continuous improvement in your leadership skills."

With these four as the foundation, leadership training has a base to build on, and poor leaders can be more easily removed. Add to the list as you see fit. Leadership excellence offers a massive competitive advantage, accelerates the organization toward its mission, and spits out results that would embarrass a wealthy sheik. As it sits, it’s a missed opportunity, short-circuited by the absence of any firm expectations.

Have a great weekend!

Dave

Feedback and blowback are always welcome: dave@goodnewsfriday.com

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