How To Conduct Leadership Training

If you have to conduct leadership training, you've already got a lot on your plate. Often, leadership training is an after-thought, even though your company likely knows that excellence in leadership is crucial to success.

Today, we have a quick checklist on how to conduct great leadership training for your teams. Then, we've got some proven ideas on how you can make your leadership training engaging and memorable. By the end of this article, you'll know just how to make leadership training not an after-thought, but the first thought in your company's success story!

Leadership Training Checklist

The Results-Centered Training Formula is a great way to conduct leadership training that not only provides information but begins to create behavioral change. This seven-step checklist will help you move leaders through that process:

1. What is the current Reality for your leaders (and employees?)
2. What is the desired Result for this training? What will your leaders know, be, or be able to do once they complete the training?
3. What Information do they need to move from the current reality to the desired result?
4. What Action steps do they need to complete to move from the current reality to the desired result?
5. What Resources do you need to provide to help your leaders implement what they've learned?
6. How can you give your leaders the opportunity to Review, Retrieve and Reflect on the new things they've learned?
7. How can you increase the Engagement of your leaders in this training? How will you reward success and encourage continuous improvement?

Training That Is Fluid

Leadership training should never be one-and-done, and it should never be the same thing every time. Similar to a workout routine, surprise your leaders with the varied content they need to build their leadership muscles.

Your leadership training should address a wide variety of topics and ensure that the management team at your business knows how to handle hard topics properly. This means if there's change ahead, your leaders may need immediate training on how to handle objections to change. If you need additional diversity in your workforce, don't just talk about it, offer training on overcoming Implicit Bias.

The fluid nature of your workplace and its issues means that to conduct great leadership training, you've got to change things up. The leadership topics you offered a year ago may not be what your leaders need today. Make sure that your topics and training are fluid and current. Don't get stuck in a rut!

Keep It Actionable

Think about the action steps your leaders need to take in order for your training to be effective. Should they take a quiz to show they understand what you've taught? Maybe they have offices and you'd like them to print and hang their own "cheat sheet" or other visible reminder of what you've covered. Other action steps can include role-play, accessing resources like online videos, even interacting with other leaders at your company in a private online group to discuss the current learning.

Whatever form the action takes, the idea needs to be that they can review what they've learned, retrieve it from their memory and relate it to their every day work. Actionable training provides opportunity for what's been taught to move from short-term memory into real habits that your leaders can use to improve.

Be Relatable

Stating how situations should be handled on paper is easy. But delving deeper so that your leaders can actually take action when needed is essential. You must conduct leadership training that is relatable and relevant to your workplace and your employees. This prepares your leaders for anything that comes their way.

Getting the point of view of leadership experts who have dealt with exactly the challenges your leaders face can be a great way to make the training relatable. An "insider" or "expert" view point provides a huge dose of credibility and makes your training seem real-world. Knowing that the guidance you're providing has worked for others will give your leaders the confidence to put it into practice. 

Keep It Interesting!

Make sure that your leaders take away thought-provoking and engaging information when you conduct leadership training! Your training should spark changes in the way that your leaders think and behave, or it's not worth providing. In order to do that, conduct leadership training that is interesting and memorable.

When your leadership training is interesting, leaders will be able to relate it to their own style. It also may avert possible issues that could arise. Interesting training also allows your leaders to see what others would do in certain scenarios. It provides your leaders with the confidence they need to handle sticky situations. When interesting, memorable training provides a path to the answer, the challenges of leadership are lessened.  

Consider the option of taking your leadership training online, where and when it’s convenient for your leaders. Online training can provide the ability to deliver powerful, actionable topics that are fresh, new and relevant every month. Online leadership training can provide action steps and reinforce ideas with expert opinions. With interactive online quizzes and printable, downloadable resources, you've got the flexibility to ensure that your leaders are as informed and prepared as they can possibly be at all times.