The future of organizations relies on building a bench strength by developing your talent. However, selecting the correct people to put on the bench and then training, motivating, coaching and empowering them to Lead With Action, be bold, not fear failure and continually evolve is the ultimate validation. That means your programs must be specifically tailored for the needs of each audience—from emerging leaders to senior leader; plus general skill enhancement and evolution that are applicable to all.

While all leaders have common leadership challenges and opportunities, there are characteristics of leadership unique to each leader level. Making the transitions from leading one’s self as an individual contributor to leading others to leading other leaders all require heightened proficiencies.

This is where leadership development comes into play. To deepen talent bench strength, you’ll need three things:

A general development programs applicable to all

Targeted employee/team leadership training specifically designed for the needs of each role and responsibilities.

Developing leaders at all levels means approaching each leader level with respect to their current skills and the desired capabilities to ensure there are no gaps in development. Incorporating these key elements of leadership development programs for each level of leader can ensure development in targeted skills.

Emerging or high-potential leaders are just starting out on their leadership journey. Often, the first steps are to identify the emerging leaders, increase self-awareness, build relational skills, and focus on evidence-based leadership skills to prepare for the shift from managing one’s self to managing others in the future. These early-level leaders are becoming acquainted to the organizational leadership style and common language as they grow and form their leadership plan.
Some key elements to Emerging leader development training programs can include:

• Self-assessment to identify current areas of improvement
• Leading a key functional project to practice increased responsibility and accountability
• Group coaching to allow emerging leaders to grow together, connect across organizational functions, consider future scenarios and roles, or develop a management mindset
• Mentoring and coaching relationships to expose high-potential leaders to other parts of the business

Seasoned leaders typically have different needs than emerging or senior-level leaders and developing middle managers has to take into special consideration their prior experience. These supervisor, manager, or director-level leaders need coaching designed around deepening current skills, engaging and influencing others to amplify results, operating strategically, leading other leaders, and establishing teams.
Middle management leadership development training programs can include:

• Exposure to higher-level or senior leaders outside of the organization to deepen outsight
• Professional or industry association involvement to gain deeper knowledge and connections in the industry
• Action learning to practice solving a high-level, complex, real-world business issue with a diverse, cross-functional group
• Individual mentoring and coaching relationships with higher-level or senior leaders to gain understanding of the business as a whole
• Acting as a coach or mentor for emerging, high-potential leaders to develop or strengthen coaching and relational skills
• Cross-functional, cross-level, or international business assignments to diversify experience within the organization across business units or functions
• Leading a major organizational initiative or full-time strategic project assignment to practice building high-performing teams and leading other leaders
• Volunteer leadership or board role in an industry or professional association to build experience influencing others
• 360-degree assessments to identify areas of improvement and how they show up to others

As leaders rise to organization-wide executive roles, the complexity of what success looks like increases as well. C-suite leaders are expected to strategically manage the business as a whole and/or specific business units, no longer just manage groups of leaders. These leaders are expected to act as forward-looking visionaries, driving action through others.
Senior leadership coaching programs can include:

• Individual coaching to discuss complex business issues and development goals
• Executive team coaching to increase team cohesion and ability to identify a shared vision
• 360-degree assessments to identify areas of improvement and how they show up to others as leaders
• Executive education programs and advanced degrees to build business acumen and critical industry-specific skills