Leadership Training - Is It Worth It?

Written by Michael Palanski

Photo by Paul Bence

Leadership training and development programs are ubiquitous, They’re also big business as part of a $14 billion industry.  Despite the great interest, some companies are asking if it is even worth it?

Ironically, attempts to answer that question come from - wait for it! - the same organizations who provide the training.  And the answers are usually some form of, “Not exactly...except for the way we do it!”
Fortunately, we can now provide a better answer that is grounded in scientific evidence.  A recent meta-analysis published in the Journal of Applied Psychology examined results from 335 studies of leadership training.  The results were surprisingly robust, and suggested that leadership training programs can lead to:

• A 25% increase in participant learning
• A 28% increase in leadership behaviors performed on the job
• A 20% increase in overall job performance

The article also suggests some best practices for a successful training program, including:

• Conduct a pre-program needs analysis to identify desired outcomes
• Use multiple delivery methods (convey information, demonstrate, and provide practice opportunities)
• Provide multiple training sessions
• Use internal or external trainers, instead of self-administered training
• Consult with others outside of your field to ensure the program is evidence-based and practically relevant (in other words, partner up!)
• ​Provide mechanisms for feedback, but make sure those mechanisms work and are cost-effective.​

Overall, the article indicates that leadership training programs are most successful when they are carefully designed, robustly implemented, and have clear goals.