Leadership Skill Training

Most leading businesses invest in executive leadership training of some sort in order to prepare their star employees for promotion. My talk “Executive Presence: Four Ways to Convey Confidence and Command Respect as a Leader” is my most-requested topic for a good reason: Smart businesses know executive leadership training is critical to a strong succession plan.

Whether you need training for a sales staff in Denver or a leadership training in New York, the most in-demand program focuses on women - “The Invisible Leaders: How to Find Them and Let Them Shine.” This program will help you discover the hidden potential among those who may not yet see themselves as leaders or minimize their impact.

The training program you choose will help you prepare the next generation of leaders. Here are 10 no-nonsense commandments you should learn to save your employees from spiraling down into bad leadership training.

Commandment #1: Thou Shalt Not Pretend Thou Art All-Knowing

If you’re the HR manager in charge of sourcing a leadership training program, don’t assume you know exactly what the company needs. Speak to department managers to get their feedback on pressing issues they come across in the workplace. Talk to employees on all rungs of the corporate ladder to learn what can help them (and the firm) produce better leaders.

Commandment #2: Thou Shalt Etch Out Thine Vision

With your research done, connect the dots and figure out what type of leadership training will work best for your staff. For example, if your research uncovered that employees lack technical skills, perhaps a skill training leadership course could work, or if you found that managers lack direction and insight, a strategic planning course might be the route to go.

Commandment #3: Thou Shalt Know Your Audience

The leadership skill training course you choose must match the person who will be attending the training. For new employees, perhaps an introductory skill-based training program will suffice. For advanced executives, a course that skims the surface might prove to be too basic, resulting in a waste of their time and your money. If you need a workshop on managing stress, make sure the tips the speaker provides will be relevant to the target audience.

Commandment #4: Thou Shalt Ask About How the Course is Delivered

There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of leadership training courses available today. You can pick from online video courses to live teleconferences, webinars to seminars and small boardroom workshops to massive conference room events. If you have a small office, a corporate boardroom could work. For training top executives, one-on-one coaching or telephonic training sessions might be a good idea.

Commandment #5: Thou Shalt Not Keep Thy Questions to Thyself

Companies that say they’ll send over one of their trainers to present on a specific topic you can choose from their menu can be dicey. To maximize results, you should directly speak to the person who will be presenting and clear any questions or concerns you have. Ask if the training can be customized. Find out whether they have any questions for you, and if they don’t, be cautious.

Commandment #6: Thou Shalt Ask for References

You want to make sure you pick a management leadership training program that holds some merit. Ask the training company or leadership training coach to provide references and testimonials of previous clients. If you come across familiar names you recognize, you know they’re a safe bet.

Commandment #7: Thou Shalt Draft a Budget

You might find the perfect motivational leadership speaker only to realize that they’re way over your budget. Establishing a budget will help you filter out your options. However, one important factor to keep in mind is that being too cost-conscious might mean sacrificing the perfect training program that delivers results for a mediocre event that leaves no impact. The call is yours.

Commandment #8: Thou Shalt Know What Thou Art Getting

In your search for a leadership training coach with all the right skills, make sure you know what they plan to deliver. Are they only going to offer motivational anecdotes and stories to inspire the audience, or will they provide hands-on tools your staff can put to use right away?

Commandment #9: Thou Shalt Support the Speaker

Professional inspirational speakers usually want to learn about the company culture, your vision and what your expectations are for the training they’ll be providing. Helping them to get what they need, from interviews with managers and employees to the right lighting on stage, will ensure you get the best results possible.

Commandment #10: Thou Shalt Follow Up

Training to build leadership skills within an organization does not end when the speaker leaves. The speaker’s job is to provide powerful motivational tools and tips to help build better leaders; your job is to make sure the practices learned are implemented. Hosting sequel trainings, asking for feedback, and holding managers accountable are a few ways to follow up after the training session concludes.

Evaluating the pros and cons of hiring a motivational coach? When you choose wisely, it’s an investment that will pay itself off many times over. Follow these Ten Commandments, and your leadership training and coaching program will lead your people to the promised land of leadership excellence.

As one of the top 50 motivational coaches in the U.S., Joel Garfinkle has mastered the art of leadership training. Contact him to discuss how he can help your all-stars to realize their full potential as visionary leaders!