Leadership Development: 5 Types of Leadership Development

Leadership development is a form of professional development that offers current and future leaders a chance to hone their skill sets, help their company grow, and improve team morale. Leaders can engage in leadership development programs (LDPs) through online learning, in-person conferences, or retreats that bring together higher-ups from companies across the globe. Leadership development can positively impact organizational culture, granting those in supervisory positions the leadership competencies needed to foster a healthy work environment where the next generation of future leaders can succeed.

Leadership development can promote behavioral changes within a company so its employees can reach their full potential. Consider the following ways leaders and companies can benefit from leadership training:

1. 1. Retain talent. If junior staff members do not respect or agree with senior executives, they are more likely to leave their jobs, creating turnover issues and slowing business growth. Training programs for leaders offer the chance to gain the leadership skills necessary to create a warm, professional, and secure environment that employees will want to thrive in.
2. 2. Improve the bottom line. Executives who engage in leadership programs may see an improvement in their company’s bottom line. This happens for a few reasons: investment in human capital instills trust in leadership, invites an atmosphere of inclusive leadership for new ideas, and trickles down to staff and then to clients, upping customer satisfaction and revenue.
3. 3. Promote internally. Leaders who engage in leadership programs may become interested in mentoring those working beneath them. This mentorship can help to empower new leaders familiar with the company’s brand to step up when the time comes, allowing for a smoother succession process.

Leadership development training offers program participants opportunities to gain new skills and finesse existing ones. Common learning development topics include:

1. 1. Conflict resolution: No office or team will be entirely devoid of conflict, but if leaders view conflict as a chance for healthy growth, disagreements can be an opportunity for change. Conflict resolution is crucial for many leadership development programs, which often cover navigating issues between team members, or between junior employees and upper management.
2. 2. Virtual leadership: For businesses operating remotely full-time, remote work changes how leaders oversee employees, build camaraderie, and lead meetings. Having virtual leadership skills is advantageous in an increasing number of organizations.
3. 3. Creative problem solving: Anyone who leads a team knows there are often unexpected hiccups, scheduling difficulties, or mistakes that need fixing. Creative problem solving empowers leaders to look to the team for solutions. The buck may stop with senior leadership, but team members can help figure out innovative solutions to unforeseen problems.
4. 4. Improving employee performance: On any given team, certain employees will excel more than others. Leadership development programs offer various channels to activate an employee’s performance, including ones that lean into an associate’s strengths so that they feel useful and happier in their workplace.
5. 5. Building trust: Trust and respect are two crucial traits of an excellent leader. Trust takes many forms, and for some workers, it is difficult to earn and easy to lose. Establishing trust will make for more accessible, more fruitful collaboration with employees and help create a strife-free environment.

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