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Evaluating Leadership Development Programs

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What Is Leadership Development?

Leadership development is defined as the process of enhancing one's ability to effectively lead others. Effective leadership development enables leaders to be agile and embrace new skills in order to evolve. A successful leadership development program can cultivate resilient leaders that are capable of driving success. However, not all leadership development programs are built the same.

To choose the right program, leaders need to follow a strategic approach that aligns with your company’s needs and objectives.

How Can You Choose the Right Leadership Development Program?

The right leadership development program can help your organization nurture leaders capable of driving success. A good leadership development program will align with your organization’s goals, culture, and strategic priorities. Carefully research and evaluate the program for its potential to enhance leadership and organizational growth.

The following steps should guide your decision-making process:

  • Align with organizational strategy: The program should deliver the leadership skills required to achieve your vision and navigate future challenges. Whether your organization is focused on innovation, operational excellence, or expansion into new markets, your leadership program should cultivate the competencies that support these objectives.
  • Identify current leadership gaps and needs: Conduct an assessment to identify the gaps in your current leadership capabilities. Understanding whether your organization requires stronger decision-making, agility, emotional intelligence, or another skill will guide you to a program that meets your needs.
  • Consider the level and scope of leadership: Different leadership levels—executive, middle management, and emerging leaders—have different developmental needs. Executive leaders may require a program focused on strategic thinking and change management. Emerging leaders might need to build core skills like communication, collaboration, and resilience. Make sure the program targets the right leadership stages.
  • Look for a customizable, scalable solution: A one-size-fits-all approach is rarely effective. The best leadership programs offer flexibility and customization based on your organization’s industry, size, culture, and leadership challenges. Consider whether the program can scale as your organization grows or if you can adapt it to new trends and challenges.
  • Prioritize programs that foster diversity and inclusion: Organizations should consider leadership programs that emphasize diversity and inclusion in their design and delivery. Developing leaders who can lead diverse teams will foster an inclusive culture that drives innovation, engagement, and long-term success.
“The right leadership development program is a catalyst for elevating diversity, equity and inclusion”
  • Evaluate the program’s approach to learning: Effective leadership development goes beyond classroom learning. Programs should include a variety of learning methods: experiential learning, coaching, peer-to-peer learning, action-learning projects, and digital solutions. A blended approach—combining formal learning with hands-on experiences—helps leaders apply what they learn directly to their roles.
  • Assess the program’s track record and credibility: Review the program’s reputation, credibility, and proven outcomes. Look for case studies, testimonials, or research that demonstrate the program’s effectiveness in other organizations. A reputable program will show a history of measurable improvements in leadership performance and organizational impact.
  • Ensure continuous feedback and measurement: Leadership development doesn’t end when the program concludes. Choose a program that includes assessments and feedback mechanisms to track progress. Programs that offer pre- and post-program assessments, continuous coaching, and leadership evaluations ensure that development is lasting.
  • Engage senior leadership in the process: Obtaining buy-in from senior leaders ensures that the program is a priority and that the learning aligns with the organization’s top-level strategic direction. When senior leaders actively participate in or sponsor the program, it creates a culture that values continuous leadership growth.

Key Benefits of Choosing the Right Leadership Development Program

  • Make data-driven decisions about development and optimize development investments.
  • Demonstrate impact of programs and alignment with business objectives.
  • Identify links and gaps between development programs, application, and business results.
  • Provide data to inform training priorities within the client’s organization. 
  • Gain perspective on organization-specific influences (company culture and support, manager support, resources available to learners).
  • Make it easier to secure training budget. 
  • Show that training is an investment not an expense.

Learn how to unlock these benefits with the right leadership development program

What Are the Key Steps in Designing a Leadership Development Program?

Designing an effective leadership development program is essential to nurturing leaders who can drive organizational success. A well-designed program should address the organization’s strategic goals and its leaders’ individual needs.

Here are the key steps to follow when designing a leadership development program:

  • Align with organizational strategy and goals. Consider how leadership development will support key business goals, such as growth, innovation, or cultural transformation. A successful program should cultivate leadership capabilities that drive these strategic initiatives.
  • Conduct a leadership needs assessment. Assess the current leadership environment in your organization. Assessments can identify gaps in leadership capabilities and define the skills and behaviors that you need to develop.
  • Define leadership competencies and behaviors. Outline the key competencies and behaviors needed to drive for success. Common examples include emotional intelligence, decision-making, agility, communication, and strategic thinking.
  • Segment leaders by level and needs. Different leadership levels—such as emerging leaders, mid-level managers, and senior executives—have different needs. Segment your leaders to create customized development paths that target the specific challenges and opportunities they encounter.
  • Design a blended learning approach. The most effective leadership development programs integrate multiple learning methods to maximize impact. A blended approach may combine classroom training, e-learning, coaching, mentoring, and experiential learning opportunities like action learning projects. Varied teaching methods ensure that leaders can apply their new skills in real-world contexts and continue learning in their day-to-day roles.
  • Incorporate feedback loops. Embed assessments throughout the program to track progress and adjust the curriculum as needed. Regular feedback helps leaders gain insights into their growth areas and reinforces the importance of continuous development. Assessments ensure that participants are evolving in ways that align with your program’s goals.
  • Include coaching and mentorship. Coaches provide personalized guidance that helps leaders apply the lessons learned to their specific roles. Mentors offer long-term support and feedback, reinforcing development.
  • Tie leadership development to career progression. Link leadership development to your organization’s talent management strategy. Define how participation in the program will impact leaders’ career progression. When leaders see that development is tied to promotions, increased responsibilities, or leadership opportunities, they will be more engaged and motivated.
  • Secure senior leadership buy-in. Senior leaders should sponsor the program and participate as mentors or facilitators. This sends a strong message that leadership development is a priority and reinforces a culture of continuous learning.
  • Measure and evaluate success. Set up mechanisms to evaluate the success of your efforts. Use both quantitative and qualitative metrics—such as participant feedback, competency improvements, retention rates, and business performance indicators—to measure the program’s impact. Continuous evaluation allows for adjustments and ensures the program remains relevant and effective.

Leadership development programs can be tailored to meet diverse organizational needs, offering either standardized solutions for scalability and efficiency or fully customized approaches for a personalized and deeply aligned experience.

Standard

Proven, pre-designed, and scalable programs for a broad range of talent and specialty topics based on research and expertise.

Custom

Fully customized solutions with design for specific organizational needs; deep care is taken with materials, methods, and facilitators aligned to meet objectives.


Explore which leadership development approach is right for your organization

How Do You Measure the Success of Your Leadership Development Efforts?

Measuring the success of leadership development programs requires evaluating immediate outcomes and long-term impacts. A comprehensive evaluation strategy ensures that leadership development efforts align with organizational goals and lead to sustainable growth.

Use a multi-dimensional approach to evaluate the effectiveness of these programs—one that combines qualitative and quantitative metrics. Here are the metrics we suggest using:

  • Leadership competency growth. Pre- and post-program assessments, such as leadership skills assessments, can provide insights into how much participants have developed core competencies like emotional intelligence, decision-making, and communication. Track improvements against the specific leadership behaviors you aimed to enhance.
  • Business impact. Leadership development should drive measurable improvements in business performance. Link development to key performance indicators (KPIs) that reflect organizational goals, such as increased revenue, higher employee engagement, improved customer satisfaction, and innovation outputs. For example, successful leadership development often results in improved team performance and stronger productivity and profitability.
  • Talent retention. Effective leadership development programs reduce turnover among high-potential leaders. Measure success by tracking retention rates of leaders who have gone through the program. Additionally, assess how well-prepared these leaders are to take on critical roles, particularly in terms of the quality of the leadership pipeline. If you’re seeing an increased ability to fill senior roles internally, it’s a clear indicator of success.
  • Measure employee engagement. Great leaders inspire their teams. Leadership development success can be gauged by looking at team engagement and performance metrics. Conduct employee engagement surveys to see whether teams led by program participants show increased motivation, collaboration, and satisfaction. Improved leadership often leads to enhanced team cohesion, higher morale, and better results.
  • Career progression. Measure the number of promotions, new responsibilities, and leadership roles taken on by those who completed the program. Leadership programs that support participants in achieving career progression show that the organization is building internal leadership capacity.
  • Return on investment (ROI). Compare the cost of the leadership development program to the benefits gained. These benefits might include improved business outcomes, reduced turnover, increased productivity, and the ability to avoid external hiring costs from internal promotions.
  • Participant feedback. Conduct post-program surveys to gather insights on what participants found most valuable, where they experienced growth, and what areas could be improved. Additionally, gather input from stakeholders—such as the participants’ managers and peers—to assess whether they have observed changes in the participants’ leadership behaviors and effectiveness.
  • Measure behavior changes. A successful leadership development program results in behavioral changes visible in day-to-day leadership activities. Assess whether participants are applying the skills they’ve learned in real-world settings. Use evaluations, coaching, and feedback to track how well leaders adopt new practices and contribute to organizational culture shifts.
  • Benchmark against industry standards. Measure the effectiveness of your leadership programs by looking at external metrics, such as leadership effectiveness ratings in similar industries. This helps determine whether your leadership development efforts are competitive in your industry.

Scalable, repeatable, flexible, automated

Learn more about how Korn Ferry’s Leadership and Professional Development program measures personal, business, and organizational impact

Who Manages the Leadership Development Process?

No single entity holds sole responsibility for leadership development. It’s a collaborative effort where individuals, leaders, HR, and others all play vital roles in cultivating a strong leadership pipeline for the organization’s success. Ensuring the success of leadership development requires strategic oversight, executive commitment, and hands-on management by key stakeholders.

Here are the groups typically involved in the management of leadership development:

  • Human resources and learning and development teams: These teams design and implement the leadership development program, ensure alignment with the organization’s strategic goals, and monitor progress. They also oversee assessments, track development metrics, and manage program logistics, such as scheduling training sessions, coordinating coaching opportunities, and integrating feedback loops.
  • Senior leaders: Executives sponsor and champion the leadership development process. Their involvement is essential for securing buy-in across the organization and signaling the importance of leadership growth. Senior leaders may also participate as mentors or facilitators, sharing their experience and insights to guide development.
  • Direct managers and supervisors: Managers at all levels identify high-potential talent, support their team members’ development goals, and provide regular feedback on their progress. Managers can also reinforce the learning from development programs by integrating new skills into day-to-day work.
  • Leadership participants: Leaders undergoing development are responsible for actively managing their own growth. Participants must be proactive in seeking feedback, apply their skills, and engage fully in the process. Self-driven learning and a commitment to personal growth are keys to maximizing the program’s impact.
  • Coaches and mentors: Coaches offer personalized guidance and help leaders translate insights from assessments into actionable plans. Mentors provide long-term support, share experiences, and offer career advice. Both keep the development process on track and ensure leaders stay accountable to their goals.
  • External partners: External partners provide specialized expertise, assessments, and resources. Consultants can design customized programs, facilitate training, and provide coaching services tailored to the organization’s needs and goals.

HOW WE CAN HELP

Our leadership and professional development programs are tailored to align precisely with your specific organizational objectives and challenges. They include assessment, development, coaching, training and certification, providing integrated and scalable solutions.

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Contact us to speak with a Leadership Development expert