How Business-Unit Leaders Evaluate Corporate Leadership Development Activities (10 Questions, Three Archetypes)

Business-unit leaders buy leadership development differently from L&D. BU leaders (we call them Business Unit Barbs) do not need adult-learning theory, program pedagogy, or behavior-change science. They need to know whether the investment moves their team’s performance inside 90 days, and whether the activity they are considering is the right one for their specific situation — because they are accountable for the number at the end of the quarter, not the NPS from the workshop.

The 10 questions below separate leadership development activities that actually move BU performance from activities that fill a training calendar. They are not framed in L&D language. They are framed in the language a BU leader uses when approving a spend — who this is for, what changes in the team as a result, how fast the change shows up, what happens if we skip it, and whether the team will still be doing the new behavior six months later without reinforcement. Run your current short-list through these questions and the decision clarifies fast.

Below are the 10 questions, organized into three BU-leader archetypes (the scaling BU, the crisis BU, the stable BU), and how Learn2 matches the right corporate leadership development activity to each archetype. Written for Business-Unit Barbs who own P&L and Learning Lisas who want to make their programs Barb-ready.

Their leadership skills must continuously be enhanced to enable them to rise up to every challenge. The better they perform, the stronger the business will be. Top companies in the world realize the importance of proper leadership, and so they regularly hold leadership development activities for their employees.

TYPES OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

It can be difficult to navigate how to choose the right training program for leaders. Here are some examples of different types of leadership development activities to consider:

HISTORICAL SIMULATIONS

Do you remember real-life stories of epic adventures and tragic calamities? If you were present in those situations, no less than in the captain’s seat, what would you do to avert the disaster? Being immersed in such challenging circumstances inspires creative thinking and mental toughness. Trainees learn to come up with solutions under time pressure and work together as a team to conquer impossible odds.

PROJECT SIMULATIONS

Hitting closer to home, here, participants are asked to implement a project that aims to change the ways in which things get done inside the company. This kind of corporate leadership development naturally triggers leader growth and business growth. To be great leaders, they must learn how to handle both the actual changes and the people’s responses. Use this type of activity to enhance foresight, problem-solving skills, and communication skills. Let Learn2 help you decide which type of program will help develop corporate leadership skills. Contact us to start the journey towards developing your corporate team leaders.