Leadership Development
Intentional processes to build leadership capabilities through experiences, relationships, and education.
Also known as: Leader development, Leadership training, Leadership learning
Category: Leadership & Management
Tags: leadership, development, learning, careers, capability-building
Explanation
Leadership development refers to the systematic activities designed to enhance individuals' leadership capabilities. The 70-20-10 model suggests learning comes from: challenging assignments (70%), relationships like mentoring and coaching (20%), and formal education (10%). Effective development combines all three. Key approaches include: stretch assignments (roles beyond current capability), action learning (solving real problems while learning), executive coaching, leadership programs, mentoring, job rotations, and feedback mechanisms. Development should target: self-awareness, strategic thinking, leading change, developing others, and specific organizational needs. Challenges include: measuring development ROI, transferring learning to practice, and sustaining behavior change. Research shows development works best when: integrated with real work, supported by organizational culture, and reinforced over time. For knowledge workers, leadership development is increasingly important because: technical expertise alone isn't sufficient for advancement, and leadership is increasingly distributed.
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