Leadership development is a central component of modern corporate strategies. It supports companies in developing leaders in a targeted manner and systematically expanding their competences in order to meet increasing demands. Step 9 of the KIROI concept in particular emphasises the targeted development of skills in order to strengthen managers in the long term and prepare them for future challenges.
Leadership development through targeted skills development: an integrative approach
The core of success in leadership development lies in the combination of different learning methods that promote competences in a practical and theoretical context. Many companies rely on a mixture of formal further training, individual coaching programmes and practical training. Banks, for example, integrate customised workshops with systemic coaching to deepen leadership skills in a team context. At the same time, technology companies use rotation programmes so that their managers understand different areas of the company and can act flexibly. Companies in the manufacturing industry also often emphasise 360-degree feedback in order to combine self-perception and external assessment and thus build up strengths in a targeted manner.
These diverse measures enable individual development that takes both professional and social skills into account. The basis for this is a structured competency model that identifies the key qualifications for an effective manager. Examples include decision-making skills, communication skills, conflict management and a willingness to innovate. An internationally active industrial group has supported its managers in successfully leading transformations and motivating employees through change by providing targeted training in the area of change management.
Practical methods for supporting managers
One of the most effective approaches to leadership development is coaching. In the automotive sector, renowned companies use systemic coaching to strengthen managers in their role within the organisational structure and to master complex challenges. Creative techniques such as visualisation help to open up new perspectives. An example from the IT sector shows that goal-oriented coaching based on the GROW model enables managers to formulate clear goals and develop realisable strategies so that projects can be driven forward in a targeted manner.
Mentoring ideally complements coaching. In the pharmaceutical industry, there are established programmes in which experienced managers pass on their knowledge and accompany younger colleagues on their way. Reverse mentoring programmes are also becoming increasingly important, for example in media companies, where younger managers impart digital and cultural skills in order to strengthen the entire management level.
BEST PRACTICE with one customer (name hidden due to NDA contract) A large service company accompanied its junior managers through systematic 360-degree feedback and then implemented individual coaching plans. This combination helped to identify specific development potential and work on it in a practical way. The managers reported a significant improvement in their communication and decision-making skills within six months.
Continuing education: Structured learning formats for sustainable development
In addition to customised coaching, structured seminars and workshops are important pillars of management development. Insurance companies, for example, offer regular training courses focussing on topics such as compliance and ethical leadership. Technology companies use online courses to impart knowledge regardless of time and location, thus creating synergies with traditional face-to-face events. Large corporations in the consumer goods industry are also increasingly focussing on blended learning formats that combine classroom and digital elements to further develop a wide range of leadership skills.
It is important that such formats are not seen as a one-off event, but as part of a continuous learning process. In the construction industry, it has been shown that employees often apply what they have learnt directly in their day-to-day project work following further training, thereby realising efficiency gains.
Leadership development: Impulses from practice
Practice shows that managers often want to work on topics such as conflict resolution, time management and employee motivation. In the healthcare sector, clients often report the challenge of combining different needs in a team while at the same time complying with legal requirements. A medium-sized company from the mechanical engineering sector, on the other hand, relies on consistent feedback management to strengthen managers' ability to reflect and improve their handling of complex decision-making situations. Another example from the aviation industry shows how structured rotation programmes not only broaden professional understanding, but also strengthen networking within the company.
Another impulse from KIROI Step 9 is the linking of competence building with individual development plans. This supports managers in systematically documenting their learning progress and working on their development areas in a targeted manner. Especially in dynamic markets such as the financial services sector, this methodology helps to keep pace with the variety of new challenges.
My analysis
Leadership development through the development of competences is proving to be an essential success factor for companies. The targeted combination of coaching, mentoring, seminars and practical learning phases promotes sustainable and individualised development. Managers benefit from increased self-confidence, improved communication skills and greater flexibility in dealing with change processes. In this way, leadership development not only supports the personal development of individual managers, but also makes a significant contribution to the stability and innovative strength of entire organisations.
Further links from the text above:
How can leadership development succeed? - Methods, ...
Coaching methods for day-to-day management
Leadership development: Methods & practical tips
Leadership development: methods and concepts
Leadership development: The guide for HR
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