Most chief learning officers right now are likely feeling the pressure from their CEOs: How are we helping our next generation of leaders learn? How are we getting them ready for their next steps? Who is going to be ready to step up?
The top challenge on CEOs’ minds right now is developing the next generation of leaders, according to DDI’s Global Leadership Forecast 2021. In fact, their leadership bench has never been weaker, with only 11 percent of companies reporting that they have a strong bench of leaders ready to take on next-level roles — the lowest rate in a decade.
It’s a challenge that’s made much more difficult by the current wave of mass resignations, particularly among older millennials, as well as the incredibly rapid pace of change that companies are undergoing.
In short, companies are desperate for current and emerging leaders to embrace learning and development. The problem isn’t that leaders don’t like to learn. In fact, leaders say they wish they were able to do more of it.
Rather, the challenge is time. There’s always something more pressing to do — a deadline to meet, a project to finish, a strategy to work on.
That’s why leaders are requesting personalized learning much more heavily than ever before. If they’re going to spend any time on learning, they want to dedicate the least amount of time to the activities that have the highest impact.
Start with high-impact skills
So, what skills do leaders need most to succeed in the future? According to DDI’s Global Leadership Forecast 2021, HR professionals and leaders themselves rank identifying and developing future talent as the most urgent future skill gap.
Additionally, HR professionals report that leaders desperately need to work on managing change, building digital acumen, practicing strategic thinking and influencing. But only 28 percent of leaders say they are currently being developed in these areas.
At the same time, CLOs can’t overlook some of the “bread and butter” skills that leaders depend on most. While many leaders say they’ve received some training in things like communication and emotional intelligence, they showed a crisis of confidence in these core skills during the pandemic.
Because this particular study surveyed leaders both before and as they encountered the challenges of 2020, we were able to note a drop in skill confidence as leaders were tested by multiple crises. Specifically, leaders reported 15 percent lower confidence in using empathy as issues surrounding the pandemic rose in the workplace.
At the same time, they became desperate for more resources to help them learn how to be a more effective leader. They also reported wanting to see their average of 4.4 hours per week for development increase to about 7.5 hours per week.
CLOs need to pay careful attention to maintaining this balance between building foundational skills as well as the up-and-coming skills leaders need to build for the future. Leaders are asking for support, and they’re anxious about navigating the road ahead.
Cater to leaders’ preferred modality
We all know that everyone learns a little bit differently. Some feel like traditional classroom learning offers the most impact. Others prefer shorter independent learning, like articles or podcasts. In most cases, they really want a mix, depending on the topic and what they’re trying to achieve.
But while each leader’s exact learning preferences will be as unique as their fingerprints, there are some commonalities that can guide L&D professionals.
Among the top four learning modalities leaders say they want more of, three (external coaching, assessment and formal training) speak to leaders’ desire for objectivity in their learning. Not wanting to live in an echo chamber, they want to know how their leadership skills measure up against external standards.
In addition, their preferences for coaching and developmental assignments show a strong desire to be able to apply their learning and get feedback on the job. For leaders, if the development doesn’t result in any meaningful change, then it isn’t worth their time.
Deliver insight alongside development
One of the biggest things that leadership development programs miss is providing insight alongside development, which is one of the reasons so many leaders are craving modalities like coaching and assessment.
According to DDI’s Leadership Transitions Report 2021, companies that combine high-quality assessment with development experience a major boost in bench strength. While the beginning of this article referenced that only 11 percent of companies report a strong bench, 38 percent of companies that provide both high-quality assessment and development have a strong bench of leaders ready for critical roles.
Of course, assessment is only one way to build in feedback. Leaders also report that they want more feedback and coaching from their managers. That way, they know how the skills they’re developing through their learning experiences are playing out in their personal on-the-job performance.
In short, getting leaders the development they need doesn’t end with what they learned in the classroom. The people around them also need to practice and develop powerful feedback and coaching skills to enable the leaders to apply what they’ve learned and grow in both confidence and competence.
The way to a stronger bench
For CLOs, supporting a stronger bench of leaders depends on how ready their leaders are to tackle challenges today and in the future. To ensure their leaders are ready, CLOs need to provide them with the skills they need most to succeed going forward. These leaders also require the opportunity to continually “brush up” and refine the core leadership skills they’ll always need. It’s striking this balance in leadership development that will be important for learning leaders to get right.
CLOs also need to take account of their leaders’ preferences for how they want to learn and develop. Leaders will benefit most when they get the right development alongside insights to reveal whether they’re truly applying what they’ve learned. It’s this combination that’s key for leadership development success today — and a strong leadership bench for the future.
