Training Leaders in your Organization

Great Leaders Need to be Trained

Once you’ve identified your leadership candidates, you need to set them up with a development plan. It doesn’t have to be too rigid, but it’s important to make sure it suits their learning style.There are a number of training tools available. I’ve broken them down into some primary categories. A mix of different options tends to be most effective, in my experience.

Internal Mentorship

Having a coach and learning from others is invaluable. Here are a few mentorship ideas.

●      Have them sit in with more senior leaders so they can observe their methods without the pressure of performance

●      Give them a challenge and check in with them along the way. It helps to take notes throughout so you can give them actionable feedback

●      Work with them to identify their biggest challenges or roadblocks and help them develop a training path to address them

Workshops and Seminars

There is a multitude of workshops and seminars both online and in-person. Some are industry-specific, and some are general. You need to do some research to find the best mix for your soon-to-be leaders. Some of my personal favourites are from Dale Carnegie.

Reading and Research

Reading is an effective, self-directed training tool. You just need to have the right books.Here are my Top 5 books every leader should have in their library. Pro tip: these make great gifts for leadership candidates.  

●      The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lenocioni

●      Built to Last by Jim Collins

●      How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

●      Start with Why by Simon Sinek

●      The Art of War by Sun Tzu

Community Organizations and Board Governance

Getting out of the office and learning from people from other backgrounds is incredibly valuable. Managing the needs of stakeholders and understanding the challenges of community members sets one up for the challenges of leadership. Serving on a governance board develops the ability to empower others. Decisions are made and handed off to an executive and it’s up to the board members to step back and let the executive run with it. Examples:

●      Volunteer as a board member with a community organization

●      Join a church or non-profit board

●      Serve in a professional organization

●      Run for a municipal board or council

Training is a never-ending process and it’s helpful to have a catalogue of these options on hand. Keep notes on the results of various experiences and training initiatives and the types of people who enjoyed them. This will become a valuable part of your training playbook.