Leadership development has been one of the key strategic interests of companies in the recent years. At the very least, leadership development is often a topic in HR magazines and at HR conferences. Both research and studies also show interest in leadership development. We constantly hear that selected managers and talented employees are entering the so-called leadership development programs with the goal of becoming leaders. They can then lead employees to improve performance in line with corporate objectives. Is it, however, only lip service? This question was recently answered in an interesting article on humancapitalleague.com. It's author, Dan McCarthy, identified three major obstacles HR has to overcome for leadership development to work well in companies.
1. Disinterest and distrust by top management
First of all, you have to win the understanding, interest and enthusiasm of top management. Just creating a comprehensive report or a presentation for your CEO will definitely not be enough. You have to engage management's support by talking about the problems your company may face in the future. You must also present specific examples of what leadership development can change. Remember that senior managers have very strong egos. They should feel that they actually came up with the idea of leadership development themselves.
2. How to do it?
Top managers want to know specifically how you plan to develop leaders in the company. They will often think that everything must be created from scratch. Therefore, your task is to show that reinventing the wheel would be a waste of time and money. Provide proof that you have the knowledge of how leadership development works in other companies and that you know trusted consultants. Similar models and practices are used through out the industry. Base your leadership development program on them and only then prepare tailor-made solutions for your company. Start with a pilot program that can measure your progress.
3. Strong resistance to changes
Expect the fact that approximately 10% of employees in every organization totally reject anything new. Bonuses for those who accept the changes can help. However, if your CEO is among the 10%, you will probably not accomplish anything and you should try your luck with leadership development elsewhere.
-Kk-