6 Reasons to Invest in Leadership Development Online

No matter how good we are, we can be better. This is the main reason to invest in leadership training. True leaders never want to stagnate and will always appreciate the opportunity to become more, so they can do more. The wonderful aspect of this leadership need is that this feeds the continuous improvement loop that excellent leaders thrive on. With each new insight, development of competence, and capacity, leaders will strive increasingly harder to stretch themselves and others to achieve ever higher standards of achievement. The investment in leadership development from this perspective is always exponential.

We cannot assume that leaders have a clear understanding of their role and the expected contribution in a dynamic and ever-changing global world. New perspectives and demands are the order of the day; without leadership development, even the most talented leaders risk being disadvantaged. Leadership development online ensures that everything a leader needs to excel at is covered in a manner that takes cognisance of all of the new world of work challenges.

If ever we needed reasons to invest in leadership development beyond these common-sense objectives, we should consider the following:

• Leaders set the pace in organisations. The quicker they develop, the more likely others are to follow suit in all aspects of organisational life. Their thinking, behaviour, and perspectives shape others within the organisation as role models and direction givers. If diversity and inclusion are important deliverables, inclusive leadership training, for example, will be an essential underpinning to frame future performance.

• Leaders must be continually focused on optimising individuals, groups, and interactions. To successfully master this aspect of their role, leaders must have high levels of awareness and understanding of all aspects of human functioning. Being attuned to what is happening at the conscious and subconscious levels is equally important. Training on unconscious bias will provide more empathy and comprehension as to why certain behaviour and attitudes exist and persist. More importantly, advice and guidance can be given to overcome barriers.

• Leaders make sense of chaos and turbulence and are tasked with ensuring adaptive responses by all. With leadership development, online leaders are exposed to the latest thinking and solutions as scenarios unfold globally. Napoleon Bonaparte said it best when he stated: “A leader is a dealer in hope”. They must, through leadership training, learn that inspiration and motivation are the elements that provide the lifeblood of high-performing organisations. When leaders say we can and will, others follow the trusted leader with faith.

• Leaders must be situationally astute and continually change their approach to suit whatever arises. Inclusive leadership training particularly alerts leaders to the fact that no situations and people are ever the same. As such, continual assessment and reassessment are vital. Openness to input and feedback will strengthen a leader’s ability and confidence to make the right choices. The more comfortable leaders become with doing things differently often, for the right reasons, the more likely the best results will be forthcoming.

• Sharing and caring will ensure leaders leave a truly valued legacy. When we look at “what is inclusive leadership”, this is really what it is all about. Leaders are taught to give of themselves unselfishly in service to others so that they are lifted up and allowed to manifest their greatest potential. Leadership training propels leaders to see this as their mission and purpose. The ultimate goal becomes the empowerment of others beyond the self.

• Leadership development online goes beyond ensuring that the leaders that participate receive knowledge pertinent to their roles’ performance. It goes beyond work-related matters and touches the essence of leadership, which is a deeper understanding of the worth of individual souls as they evolve within a just and equitable environment to be created and sustained by noble leaders. With the right emphasis on leadership training, leaders will continuously seek to unleash their own spirits and those of all they encounter. This orientation is the real wisdom of progressive leadership. Everyone wins.