It has been a turbulent few years for European businesses, particularly those in the startup and scaleup space. Widespread tech layoffs have meant many managers are expected to do more with less. AI and machine learning are disrupting the nature of many roles. Organizations that underwent a period of hyper-growth are adapting to a new reality where profitability is king. In this context, the role of leadership training has been elevated to help managers adapt to the pace of change. But what are the key factors L&D teams need to consider when planning their training programs? We explore 5 of the most common pitfalls for training programs in 2024.
- LACK OF ALIGNMENT WITH ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS
A frequent misstep in leadership training, as Forbes recently highlighted, stems from a disconnect between the training and the organization's overarching goals and strategies. They report that:
"Leadership training failure often stems from a lack of alignment with organizational goals and strategies."
This trend is particularly pronounced in scaleups where agile work practices and strategic flexibility are non-negotiable. In the tech space, particularly, businesses must pivot and adapt quicker than large corporates or traditional organizations. The challenge? Learning and Development programs and specifically leadership training may not have kept up the same rate of pace as the rest of the organization. Successful leadership training programs start with a Discovery process that aligns the approach to the wider business goals.
- PRIORITIZING TECHNICAL SKILLS OVER ‘SOFT SKILLS’
It is a common misconception that we can separate technical skills training from what used to be called ‘soft skills’. While ‘power skills’ has been suggested as an alternative, it is perhaps most apt to refer to skills like emotional intelligence as ‘people skills’ - given that they are often held up as an example of competencies less replicable by AI. Indeed, appreciation of people skills has been on the rise in recent years with AI casting its shadow over many of the technical skill sets. However, in many organizations, the separation between them remains. For this reason L&D teams in 2024 must move beyond the old-school separation of skills: ‘hard and soft’ skills, ‘functional and managerial’. When designing training programs we must consider the full context and equip leaders to master a range of skills, including emotional intelligence and entrepreneurial thinking.
- LACK OF REAL WORLD APPLICATION
It is a truism to say that we learn by doing. In the world of leadership training, however, it can be less than obvious how to apply the principles and practices directly to real world scenarios. The efficacy of leadership training is significantly diminished without opportunities for practical application. The Harvard Business Review underscores this point, noting the gap that often exists between theoretical knowledge and its real-world utility.
So what is the solution? Well, at Junto, we developed a learning concept with direct real-world application at its very core. One example is each program culminating in a ‘capstone project’ where participants apply the leadership skills training to a real world challenge that they’re facing. For leadership training to succeed and for learning to be sticky, it must be applied directly and promptly.
- ONE-SIZE-FITS ALL TRAINING
It is a scenario we’ve all experienced: sitting in a training that may well have a dynamic instructor, professional content and impeccable delivery but yet it doesn’t land. It doesn’t land because we - as executives - are busy and when content isn’t personalized to our own context we feel the pull of those unread Slack messages and unopened emails. Impactful training in 2024 begins with the individual contexts of the learners. Junto conducts a skills and competencies assessment of each of our participants to get a 360’ understanding of their areas for growth. Only by customizing the sessions to specific cohorts can training providers hope to deliver lasting behavioral change.
- TRAINING THAT IS OUTPACED BY INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICE
One of the major pitfalls faced by leadership training is the pace of change across many sectors and management roles. In high-growth companies operating in dynamic sectors, the curricula and training approach must be revisited frequently to ensure what is being taught matches up to the reality that executives are operating in. The MIT Sloan Management Review reported that "Leadership training must evolve alongside industry trends, or it risks becoming outdated and irrelevant."
For this reason L&D professionals must stay aligned with the business reality faced by executives and adapt their training principles appropriately.
CONCLUSION
With many scaleups facing tougher market conditions, it is more important than ever that the time spent on L&D is efficient and impactful. When executives carve out the time from busy schedules to attending leadership training, they are looking for an experience that can be directly applied to their day job. For this reason, time spent during the Discovery process and in the planning of training programs is often the time best spent. By understanding potential pitfalls, HR and L&D professionals can put in place the foundations for training programs that deliver lasting results.
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