Start Promoting Your Team: A Need for Leadership Training

Experts estimate that global investment in leadership development programs is over $300 billion. Are you investing in the future of your organization through an employee leadership development program?

Or, are you still waiting to step inside of the elevator, asking questions like, "what is the purpose of a leadership development program?"

In this blog, you’ll learn everything you need to know about the benefits of leadership training programs. Plus, what to consider when choosing the right one for your company.

Time to talk about leadership.

What is the Purpose of a Leadership Development Program?

Let's review the purpose of these programs before we explain the advantages you can expect from leadership development training programs.

As the name suggests, leadership development training programs empower employees to be proficient managers and workplace leaders. Corporate leadership skills training covers a wide range of topics, including:

• Creative problem solving
• Performance management
• Effective communication skills
• Change management (everyone knows a little bit about “change” in today’s new normal!)

Leadership training programs vary in length and depth. However, the best company leadership development programs leave managers feeling more confident in themselves and their ability to lead others.

6 Corporate Benefits of Leadership Development Training Programs

You might be wondering whether company leadership programs are worth outsourcing. Maybe you think you can train employees on management and leadership best practices internally. 

But the key leaders you’re mentally volunteering for the job need to spend their time engaging remote teams – not developing training programs (that’s what we do).

If you're hesitant about committing to a leadership training program, we might just change your mind in this section. Here’s how your company can benefit from a corporate leadership development program.

1. Increase Employee Engagement

Only 33% of American workers say their jobs engage them (Gallup). Without potential growth and career advancement, your employees are practically sitting ducks. Prioritizing leadership development can improve employee engagement by training better middle managers.

2. Reduce Turnover Rates

If you want to reduce your employee turnover rate, provide employees with development opportunities. Engaged employees are enthusiastic about their work and are more likely to stick around. Improve productivity and retain your talent by empowering employees to be lifelong learners. 

3. Higher Employee Satisfaction

Everyone wants to be satisfied with their jobs, right? Well, you can directly increase employee satisfaction through leadership training and growth tracks. In addition to retaining happy employees, ongoing learning and professional development are attractive benefits to millennial job seekers.

4. Reduce Onboarding Costs

Keeping your employee retention rates high means you don't have to spend as much money interviewing and onboarding new employees. Instead of throwing your resources out of a revolving door, invest in leadership training to equip and promote current employees for open management positions.

5. Improve Communication

Investing in leadership training elevates the professional communication of managers. Leadership development programs teach aspiring managers how to provide constructive feedback, solve problems, motivate teams to hit goals, and resolve interpersonal conflicts. Training managers to have strong communication skills will also elevate the client experience at your organization.

6. Create Confidence

In 2016, a Grovo study found that 87% of managers wish they had received more training before being asked to lead. Leadership development programs enable managers to lead with a newfound confidence in their abilities. 

A star-employee won’t always make a good leader. Take a proactive approach and transform employees into leaders through training before promoting them to “manager.” 

What to Look for in a Leadership Development Program

If you see a need for leadership training in your organization, how do you choose one of the best company leadership development programs? 

Whether you’re looking for a custom leadership training program or timely off-the-shelf training, we’ve got options for you.

Here are some things to consider before deciding on the best leadership training program for your team.

Customization

When researching program options, look for one that allows you to customize the content and has a variety of modalities. A custom leadership training program molds to your business’s unique needs and goals, which has a longer shelf life than a generic course.

At Unboxed Training & Technology, we do the heavy lifting involved in course/content creation – all you need to do is introduce the learning materials to your employees. If you don’t already have an LMS to house your training content, check out Spoke® Mobile Learning Management System.

Accessibility

Find a leadership training program that’s mobile accessible. For example, can employees access learning materials on their desktops at work? What about on their smartphones while they commute? Is the content available from home on a personal laptop?

Accessible training offers flexibility in your corporate training programs, enabling learners to complete the course in a way that works best for them.

Quality Content

Evaluate the relevance and reliability of the program’s content. Is it tested? Are there case studies proving its results? Does it cover the topics your managers need to know? Take a look at the training materials and consider whether it aligns with your brand and business goals. If not, can the content be altered, providing a more customized training program?

Positive Reviews

Consider whether any well-known businesses in your industry, or in general, endorse the best leadership training program you find. The training company’s website is usually a good place to discover who the program is publicly “trusted by,” along with a few client testimonials.

Don’t forget to look for reviews on third-party websites for unbiased opinions. Are the reviews generally positive? Are reviewers recommending it to specific types of businesses? Do you see common themes in the program reviews?

Invest in Your Employees Today

Now that you see the value in leadership and management training, you won’t be wondering, “what is the purpose of a leadership development program?" anymore.

Stop onboarding new employees.

Is there a rising leader in your organization who needs management training?

Are you promoting someone who’s good at their job but hasn’t managed people before?

Start promoting employees within your organization who have management qualities by enrolling them in a leadership training program. Upskill your workforce by implementing a virtual leadership development program in your organization.

Request a demo of Unboxed Training & Technology’s custom management and leadership training program today.