Leadership training used to lack variety, but this no longer works in an ever-evolving workplace. Organisations need to tailor leadership development to match their own complexities and changing needs, argues Judith Germain.
In a constantly changing and evolving world, the traditional one-size-fits-all approach to leadership development is no longer fit for purpose.
Organisations are struggling to attract and retain the right employees and report that leadership development has become an unlikely battleground. They feel trapped between the expectations of Boomers and Generation Z and the pragmatic, frustrated sensibilities of Generation X. How did we get here?
During the years of stable economies, homogeneous workers and a culture of leaving your personal problems at home, the idea that there was one type of leadership development that catered for all was comforting.
Leadership training
When leaders had similar perspectives and experiences, and the environment changed little, it felt safe, and inclusive even, to ensure that everyone had the same type of development.
However, things are different now. Many of the organisations I work with are recognising that only nuanced leadership development achieves the results expected by key stakeholders.
Generation Z employees, for example, are increasingly likely to leave organisations that do not provide the right type of development for them.
Risks of a one-dimensional approach
It ignores diversity: When organisations choose to buy ‘off the shelf’ leadership development they risk overlooking the diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives of individuals they already have or wish to employ.
When you fail to account for individual differences, these programmes can inadvertently perpetuate biases and exclude valuable contributions from underrepresented voices.
In addition, the desired culture of the organisation should be considered when designing or purchasing leadership development.
How you want your leaders to behave and operate is a valuable consideration that an off-the-shelf, one-size-fits-all approach, almost routinely ignores.
It neglects context: Context matters in leadership development, yet a one-size-fits-all programme often overlooks the unique challenges and dynamics present in different organisational contexts.
What may work in one organisation or industry may not be applicable in another, highlighting the need for bespoke approaches that consider specific organisational contexts and goals.
I believe this must be done at the design stage so that a solution is tailor-made for how an organisation wants its leaders to think and behave.
What may work in one organisation or industry may not be applicable in another, highlighting the need for bespoke approaches
‘Bolting on’ context to generic programmes can often cause misalignment to a desired organisational culture and a lack of authenticity for leaders within the organisation.
This often leads to development programmes having reduced returns on investment, and key learning lacking a take up of action by leaders.
It stifles authenticity: Standardised leadership development approaches may pressure leaders to conform to predefined leadership styles, stifling their authenticity and creativity.
This is particularly true when organisations choose to train their leaders in a leadership style that was conceived in the 20th century and designed for a world that no longer exists.
When leaders feel compelled to fit into a leadership style that does not cater for the requirements of a modern workforce, they may struggle to connect with their teams authentically, leading to decreased morale and engagement.
Breaking the mould of a one-size-fits-all philosophy is an essential requirement for organisations that want to enhance their leadership capability.
Make it nuanced
When considering leadership development, organisations need to ensure that they have a more nuanced approach. For example, neurodiversity, cultural, ethnic, gender and cognitive diversity are important to consider during the design phase.
By recognising and valuing diverse perspectives, experiences, and skills, nuanced leadership development fosters inclusivity and innovation within teams.
Leadership requires adaptability, agility, and an ability to navigate complexity, which is why all leadership development solutions should have this requirement ‘baked in’.
Contextualised leadership ensures that you have leaders who are able to utilise lateral thinking, and create innovative solutions that when executed, exceed the expectations of key stakeholders.
I believe that ensuring that leaders are able to make contextualised decisions improves their leadership capability.
Nuanced leadership development also empowers leaders to understand who they are as leaders, their key strengths and competencies and how to align themselves to their organisation.
By encouraging leaders to explore and leverage their unique strengths and values, nuanced approaches cultivate trust, transparency, and authenticity within the organisation.
Maximising impact
Organisations need to ensure that their leadership development is tailored to their organisation, as often generic approaches do not provide the required behavioural change they are looking for.
For example, by tailoring development initiatives to address unique strengths, areas for growth, and organisational context, leaders can maximise their impact and effectiveness.
When organisations provide diverse learning opportunities, for example, mentoring, coaching, experiential learning or formal training, they ensure that this flexibility allows them to accommodate different learning styles and the needs of the organisation.
A nuanced approach also allows for leaders and the organisation to evolve, reflect and grow. Organisations today need leadership development solutions that are designed for their unique complexities, desired culture and the individual nature of their leaders.
This enhances leadership capability, enabling the organisation to thrive in constantly changing environments.
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