In the business world, leadership development is a crucial element for success. Having managers and leaders who can make sound decisions to propel the organization forward; foster effective change management practices; and lead with vision, empathy, strategic foresight and courage are essential to organizational growth in this competitive global economy. Investing in your company’s leadership will improve productivity while positioning you as an industry leader. In the third and final lesson of my Investing in Leadership Development Series, I discuss why investing in leadership development enables decision-making and change management that will drive progress for your organization.
Effective Change Management
When you invest in leadership development, you move your company through change effectively by learning the following:
- The cycles of change.
- How to effectively collaborate to develop effective plans to move others through change.
- Ways to create an environment where change is expected and embraced.
- Actions to develop high-performing team members to be a positive force through change.
Those who don’t invest in leadership development may struggle with change and a demotivated workforce. The staff will be suspicious of change, and change is viewed as heavy, annoying, and taking lots of hard work. Employees do not easily embrace new ideas, tools, or processes. Each change requires the managers to be cheerleaders with significant effort for little change.
Effective Decision Making
When you invest in leadership development training, you discover the following tools and practices for improved decision-making.
- Models to use and critical thinking skills that provide better options and perspectives.
- How to effectively engage the right stakeholders in decision-making.
- How to create buy-in and positive momentum to implement decisions effectively.
Those who don’t invest in leadership development have weakened follow-through and pushed out decision making that can lead to the following behaviors from staff:
- Disinterest in following a weak leader.
- Decisions will be questioned with reasons “why it can’t happen” pointed out.
- Lack of follow-through on goals and recommendations.
- Leaders’ requests are taken as suggestions to ignore.
- Decisions will be an opportunity to debate and discuss.
- Absence of collaboration for better solutions.
Learn more about steps you can take now to invest in leadership development to move others to embrace change and implement effective decision-making skills … Connect to grow.
