If we need leaders with different knowledge, skills and attitudes for our changing world, how come most of us are developing them the same old way? That’s the provocative question that Marcus Buckingham asks in his recent article, “Creating a Top-Performing Team: Leadership Development for Tomorrow’s Corporations” at Chief Executive. Here’s the money quote.
“Billions of dollars are spent annually on leadership development programs – $171.5 billion by U.S. businesses in 2010, the most recent year for which data is available, according to the American Society for Training and Development. That’s an average of $1,228 per employee, but virtually all of this investment is spent on the same formulaic training model and black-and-white metrics. With their focus almost exclusively on classroom learning and lockstep generic curriculums, these dinosaurs of training simply don’t have what it takes to develop the next generation of leaders, managers and employees.”
So what will the future of leadership development look like? Peter Drucker reminded us that the future cannot be known in detail, but it will be different than the present, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take a crack at it.
Buckingham notes that different leaders will need and prefer different “solutions.” He also shares an algorithm that intends to present the right techniques to people who can use them. It’s in use now at Hampton Inns.
I’m sure that matching algorithms and push delivery will be part of any future of leadership development. But I think any program that develops leaders in the future for the future will also have other core characteristics. Here are four things I think will also be part of any such program.
Leadership development will be more self-directed than it is now.
Classroom learning will have its place.
We’ll use more shoulder-to-shoulder methods, like coaching, mentoring, and peer support.
Leadership development will have to prepare leaders for quick learning when they’re confronted with new challenges.
What do you think? How do you think leadership development can and should work?
For More Ideas
Future Trends in Leadership Development by Nick Petrie at CCL (PDF)
The Future of Leadership Development by Dan McCarthy
The Future of Leadership Development by Kevin Wheeler (SlideShare)
