Strong leaders take companies to the next level. But the cold, hard truth is that exceptional leadership abilities don’t develop overnight.
Transforming impressive individual contributors into strategic people managers requires targeted development plans that consolidate personalized assessments, immersive learning, and consistent practice tailored to their unique needs.
The good news is that with the proper guidance and commitment to continuous growth, any driven employee can enhance their capabilities and steer their teams to new heights.
Let’s explore some examples of leadership development examples that you can model!
TL;DR – Leadership Development Examples
From personalized development plans to SMART goals, here are 5 real-world leadership development examples:
- Crafting a leadership development strategy that identifies strengths, weaknesses, and growth opportunities.
- Setting SMART goals that zero in on conflict resolution, public speaking, or other leadership skills.
- Joining a cohort-based program focused on collaboration and team development.
- Enrolling in specialized courses on communication, emotional intelligence, and strategic thinking.
- Working with an executive coach for 1-on-1 guidance tailored to your unique needs.
These examples offer unique insights into how organizations can nurture leadership talent. Whether you’re looking to improve your leadership skills or develop a program for your team, these examples provide valuable guidance.
Do you want to join a cohort-based program focused on collaboration and team development? Tandem Coaching’s 9-month program will help you start your leadership development journey.
This immersive program pairs group coaching and learning with 1-on-1 sessions tailored to each leader’s growth goals based on in-depth 360 assessments.
Get in touch with us to start today.
What is Leadership Development?
Leadership development refers to the process of building the competencies you need to effectively motivate teams, make strategic decisions, and drive organizational performance.
This continuous journey focuses on enhancing your existing capabilities and acquiring new skills as challenges evolve.
This process typically involves a combination of activities:
- Formal learning programs
- Mentoring and coaching
- On-the-job experiences
- Self-reflection and assessment
- Continuous learning and feedback
The goal is to create well-rounded leaders adept at communication, accountability, resilience, and adaptive leadership abilities that empower those around them to excel.
With the right development program, any motivated employee – from new managers to seasoned executives – can maximize their potential.
Why is Leadership Development Important?
Investing in leadership development pays dividends across the organization.
Studies show targeted programs can:
- Increase productivity by driving employee engagement and performance management. According to Gallup, managers account for 70% of the variance in employee engagement scores.
- Reduce turnover by providing advancement opportunities. LinkedIn’s 2018 Workforce Learning Report found that 94% of employees would stay at a company longer if it invested in their career development. Lack of career growth is a top reason employees leave, and development programs help retain top talent.
- Strong leaders drive better business results. A study by the World Economic Forum found that leadership and social influence are among the fastest-growing workplace skills.
The proof is in the results – purposeful development creates better leaders, and better leaders drive better outcomes.
Leadership Development Examples
Leadership development manifests in diverse forms catered to unique growth needs across the organizational hierarchy.
An emerging first-time people manager will likely undertake more fundamental learning, while a seasoned executive may pursue high-level leadership development strategy workshops or nuanced coaching.
Despite the program specifics and complexity variance, all target building tangible leadership competencies. Let’s look at some examples of leadership development initiatives.
Leadership Development Plan Example
An impactful leadership development plan starts with honest self-assessment to pinpoint areas for growth.
An example process includes:
- 360-Degree Feedback: Collect perceptions from supervisors, peers, and direct reports to evaluate how others experience you as a leader. High-quality input lays the foundation.
- Identify Opportunities: Analyze survey results to find relative strengths and weaknesses. Common developmental areas include communication, strategic thinking, and conflict management.
- Set SMART Goals: Target 2-3 priority skills tied to business objectives with specific, measurable goals and timelines. We’ll cover formulating SMART goals next.
- Set Learning Activities: For each goal, outline specific activities:
a. Attend a workshop on effective communication
b. Read one leadership book per month
c. Practice delegation techniques with team members - Execute the Plan: Participate in sessions and experiences that help practice new behaviors and achieve outlined goals.
- Practical Application: Identify opportunities to apply new skills in real work situations.
- Re-Evaluate Progress: Circle back for additional 360-degree feedback to quantify improvements and inform the next steps.
This example plan combines evaluation, reflection, and action to create a roadmap tailored to the leader’s growth needs.
Leadership Development Goals Examples
SMART goals are a proven framework for meaningful development. They make objectives Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
For example, a leader struggling with public speaking might set a SMART goal to:
- S: Improve public speaking skills
- M: Present at 2 meetings per month
- A: Achievable target within the current workload
- R: Boosts communication abilities
- T: Implement over the next 3 months
Other examples include:
- Managing time better by organizing daily tasks in a digital planner within 1 month.
- Increasing delegated projects from 1 to 3 per quarter to develop the team and free up strategic time over 6 months.
- Raising team productivity by 15% by implementing weekly objectives and progress tracking within half a year.
Regardless of skill, SMART goals create focus, accountability, and a means to measure leadership development.
SMART Goals For Leadership Development Examples
SMART goals can hone both soft skills like self-awareness and hard skills like business operations. Examples include:
Soft Skills:
- Specific: Improve emotional intelligence by identifying triggers and managing reactions
- Measurable: Track reactions and coping methods in a monthly journal
- Achievable: Address one trigger area per month
- Relevant: Enhances self-awareness and team cohesion
- Time-bound: Noticeable progress within six months
Hard Skills:
- Specific: Streamline operations by implementing project management software
- Measurable: Monitor project speed and team efficiency
- Achievable: Integrate with current systems; provide training
- Relevant: Increases productivity and reduces bottlenecks
- Time-bound: Complete implementation within two months
Tailor goals to address your unique growth areas as an aspiring people manager or executive-suite leader.
Skills Gained in a Leadership Development Program
Whether through targeted goals or a more expansive leadership program, expect to gain modern capabilities like:
- Communication: From active listening to public speaking, connect through verbal and written messaging.
- Self-Awareness: Understand personal triggers, biases, and strengths to develop areas for improvement consciously.
- Emotional Intelligence: Understand and manage your own emotions and those of others.
- Strategic Thinking: See the big picture, connect decisions to overarching objectives, and anticipate future opportunities and threats.
- Resilience: Navigate change gracefully, overcome challenges, and learn from setbacks.
- Change Management: Guide teams through organizational transitions.
- Conflict Resolution: Address and resolve disagreements constructively.
- Cultural Competence: Lead diverse others effectively by building inclusive environments.
- Innovation and Creativity: Bring new ideas and approaches within the team.
- Time Management: Prioritize tasks and manage resources efficiently.
- Ethical Leadership: Make decisions that align with organizational values and ethics.
These skills form the foundation of effective leadership and can be developed through targeted programs, practical experience, and ongoing reflection.
The benefits of leadership development programs extend beyond individual growth, positively impacting team performance and organizational success.
Level Up Leadership Development With Tandem Coaching
At Tandem Coaching, we offer an immersive nine-month leadership development program for high-potential employees and leaders who want to maximize their potential.
Our personalized coaching journeys include:
- Comprehensive 360 assessments identifying targeted areas for leadership growth.
- Tailored learning plans based on assessment results and individual development goals.
- Monthly group coaching and mastermind sessions focused on core leadership competencies.
- Optional 1-on-1 coaching to reinforce new behaviors and achieve outlined objectives.
- Reassessment at program completion to quantify transformations.
If you seek to accelerate your leadership performance, explore Tandem Coaching’s transformational leadership development program by connecting with us today.
Our experienced coaches will help motivated professionals become empowered leaders prepared to steer their teams to new heights.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Are Some Examples of Leadership Activities?
Examples of effective leadership development activities that build critical skills include:
- Role-Playing Exercises: Simulating challenging leadership scenarios to practice decision-making and communication skills.
- Team-Building Activities: Organizing events that foster collaboration and trust among team members.
- Shadowing Senior Leaders: Observing experienced leaders to gain insights into their approach and decision-making processes.
- Leading a Project: Taking charge of a cross-functional project to develop planning, delegation, and execution skills.
At Tandem Coaching, we incorporate many of these activities into our leadership development programs, ensuring that you get hands-on experience as well as theoretical knowledge. Contact us to learn more.
What is an Example of a Leadership Development Goal?
A strong leadership development goal uses the SMART framework.
For example, a SMART goal to boost emotional intelligence could be:
- Improve ability to understand personal triggers and reactions (Specific);
- Track reactions and management methods in a monthly journal (Measurable);
- Address one trigger area per month (Achievable);
- Enhance self-awareness and team cohesion (Relevant);
- Noticeable progress within six months (Time-bound).
How Do Executive Coaching Programs Foster Leadership Growth?
Executive coaching pairs leaders with dedicated coaches who facilitate assessment-driven development.
Through consistent guidance, personalized feedback, and regular accountability, our executive coaching program helps leaders pinpoint and address skill gaps to unlock their fullest potential.
These confidential partnerships lead to transformational growth that benefits individual leaders and their organizations.
Conclusion
Leadership development is an ongoing journey that requires commitment, reflection, and a willingness to grow. The examples we’ve explored above offer valuable insights into how organizations and individuals can approach this critical process.
However, knowing about leadership development strategies is just the beginning—the real challenge is implementing them effectively. This is where Tandem Coaching comes in.
We offer a transformative experience for new leaders, seasoned professionals transitioning to leadership roles, and high-potential individuals preparing for future promotions. We don’t just teach leadership theories – we help you build practical skills you can apply immediately in your work environment.
Connect with Tandem Coaching today and take the first step towards becoming the leader you aspire to be.
