Have you wondered if it’s time to invest in a leadership development program to strengthen your team and move your company forward? Many ag business owners are weighing the pros and cons of such an investment since nearly 60% of surveyed leaders believe training directly improves their performance. Plus, nearly half of employees say they’d stick around longer if they received leadership development training.
There are obvious upsides to dedicating time, money, and energy to a training program, yet it’s not quite a no-brainer. Not all leadership development programs are created equal—and many come with a hefty price tag. Before you shell out for a training initiative that doesn’t deliver, read these three common concerns we hear from clients (and participants) who are deciding whether or not to invest. You’ll also find five questions to ask so you get the ROI you need and deserve.
Concern #1: “I don’t know what I’m doing here.”
This complaint, which is usually muttered under someone’s breath, isn’t just an unfounded gripe. It’s evidence of a communication gap between program participants and their well-intentioned leaders. Specifically, it shows that no one has taken the time to connect the dots for participants about why a leadership development program is good for every aspect of business.
To ensure everyone’s on the same page, before the training starts, identify specific behaviors the program will address. For example, if a key leadership behavior (or skill) is to get better at giving feedback, talk about how mastering it will:
- Help the company reach its broader goals and initiatives. A client in our Leadership Transformation Program wanted to establish a 4:1 positive-negative contact ratio (with four positive moments of recognition for every negative moment), so feedback training was a key aspect of their skills development.
- Help individuals succeed in their specific roles. Be specific about how a training program will help individuals build the skills and tools they need to flourish.
- Support and align with company values. When leaders at every level understand the link between company values (such as acting with integrity and caring for others) and behavior (leading by example and listening to employees), they can stay in lockstep with employees and quickly course-correct as needed.
All this to say: the more people understand the bigger “why” of attending a leadership development program, the more motivated they’ll be to make the most of the opportunity.
Concern #2: “If this is so important, why isn’t my manager here?”
Valid question! We can’t overstate the importance of engaging not just program participants but their leaders, too. When leaders are actively involved, they can support attendees in all manner of ways, from asking about the latest assignment and what’s going well to providing support when challenges arise and offering tips for success. This kind of ongoing interaction can significantly impact how well participants engage with and respond to leadership training.
Now, back to the burning “Where’s my manager” question. Here are four great answers—and one response that always makes us groan.
- “The senior leaders are attending the program, too.” (Fantastic!)
- “The leaders have already completed a similar training.” (Great!)
- “The leadership team took a crash course to understand the program.” (Good call.)
- “Our leaders get detailed weekly content updates so they can engage with participants about what they’re learning.” (Makes sense.)
- “The senior team doesn’t need leadership development training.” (Yikes.)
Red alert: Answer #5 puts your whole business at risk since 70% of the variance between a lousy culture and a strong culture is the knowledge, skills, and talent of your team leaders. Your company is only as strong as your weakest leader, so you must ensure your top team knows what is expected and is role-modeling those behaviors.
Concern #3: “I go to the training and then it’s back to the day-to-day grind.”
We know it’s not easy to sustain and reinforce all the great learnings once a training program ends and everyone’s back to business as usual. Here’s the solution: Incorporate the new behaviors and skills into your daily processes.
For example, after a training, you might be excited to try giving feedback through a framework like the BIT (Behavior. Impact. Tomorrow) approach. Don’t wait for an official performance review to apply what you’ve learned—and don’t let perfection stand in the way of progress. Instead, start using and practicing what you’ve learned right away during already-planned conversations like merit meetings or 30-60-90-day reviews for new hires. Your direct reports will instantly benefit as you hone your new skills, and your job will be easier, too.
5 questions to gauge the ROI of a leadership development program
You can dig deeper into the philosophy, structure, and hands-on approach behind any program by asking:
- What specific skills does the program build for managers?
- How do you define “success” for participants when the program ends?
- How are the new skills sustained and reinforced during the training?
- How are they sustained and reinforced once the program is over?
- How does the training equip senior leaders to engage with participants?
We hope this information will guide you as you weigh the merits of any leadership development program and make an investment that truly counts.
To learn more about People Spark’s Leadership Transformation Program, email Erin: erin@peoplesparkconsulting.com