Nurturing Leadership Excellence: Establishing an Ecosystem for Long-Term Development Programs

While many organisations prioritise the development of technical competencies during leadership interventions, they often overlook the crucial element of self-reflection which needs Patience as a Virtue. To effectively shift their behaviours and add value to the organisation, leaders must first engage in self-reflection, examining their current beliefs, strengths, weaknesses, actions, and assumptions. This process can be facilitated by offering leaders structured opportunities for self-reflection, such as review meetings in which they discuss the successes or failures of one initiative; by asking probing questions leaders can introspect and understand – what belief of theirs or team played a role in the success or failure of the given situation.

These sessions create a space for leaders to critically analyse & review their own behaviours, identify areas for change, and reinforce the learnings imparted during the development interventions. Additionally, encouraging leaders to openly share insights, challenges, and lessons learned from their experiences promotes a culture of continuous learning and growth. Self -reflection enables leaders to make better decisions, empowering their decisions with the right action.

It is often difficult for managers to confront leaders about change initiatives in an organisation, which is why ideas are not brought to life or changes aren’t executed. It is because organisations lack a ‘psychologically safe environment’ wherein leaders feel comfortable sharing their initiatives or challenging the status quo without fear of social repercussions. Conversely, organisations that allow people to ask for help are more likely to adapt to change faster, innovate and create teams that can handle complexities without bureaucracy.

Organisations must create a safe environment for future leaders where they can share their ideas and challenge the status quo by supporting them and giving them the benefit of doubt for taking on the initiatives and change. Business leaders who act as catalysts encourage the new leaders to take on initiatives and make a positive impact on the organisation through reinforcing their expectations.

Another way business leaders can create an ecosystem is by leading through example. As the saying goes, Don’t ask your future leaders to do something if you don’t do it yourself. Leaders who model the desired behaviours and values set the tone for the entire organisation and a benchmark for other leaders to follow. In this way, participants are more likely to develop similar qualities when they observe leaders embodying qualities they admire.

Further, their active involvement demonstrates their commitment to the intervention and sets a positive example for participants. Workshops also provide leaders with opportunities to share their experiences, provide guidance, and reinforce the importance of leadership development. A leader who leads by example becomes a champion of change, demonstrating the mindset and behaviours needed for success. By creating a supportive environment, others feel empowered to embrace change, take risks, and adapt.

It is often said that time is the enemy of growth. Managers who enrol in such long-term interventions are often too busy juggling assignments and meetings to devote time to their learning. The task completion mindset wins over the development mindset leading to a loss of value for both the individual’s growth and the organisation investment. Organisations can overcome this mindset by prioritising leadership development interventions and ensuring that participants get enough time to learn.

Through honest and open conversations leaders can understand the participants’ schedules, commitments and responsibilities and gain insights into their specific challenges and priorities. Further, through collaborating with the participant they can help them identify time-saving strategies. This may involve delegating tasks, streamlining processes, eliminating non-essential activities, and re-prioritize work. Through these approaches, organisations can assure that leaders have the dedicated time to balance their responsibilities and learning.

The 70:20:10 model of learning and development states that 90% of learning is through observation. In the hybrid work world, a social learning experience helps leaders connect with like-minded people and learn and grow from them. Organisations can facilitate this by creating a support network or community within the organisation to propel the ongoing leadership development of employees. Besides serving as a platform for leaders to understand different perspectives, the network also fosters knowledge sharing and a sense of camaraderie.

Furthermore, by establishing such networks leaders can seek guidance, feedback from their peers to apply them to their own challenges and situations. In addition, they can learn new cognitive skills and behaviours, which ultimately alters their behaviour. By promoting a culture of continuous learning through social interactions, organisations can support rather than dictate the leadership development initiative.