Spending on training and development is on the increase again. But, this TED talk by Roselinde Torres forces you to consider the question: are you investing in the right kinds of leadership programmes?
Rather than helping, traditional development practices can actually lull you into a false sense of security. Organisations that are considered great for leaders due to their investment in training and development, all too often fall foul of industry shifts they never saw coming. They become comfortable relying on what has made them successful in the past and assume this success will continue if they keep doing the things they’ve always done best.
Successful leadership in the 21st Century is about preparing yourself for the possibilities of tomorrow. How can you do this?
- Anticipate change. Look to your life not your business model for signals of change. Your business model should be built in response to your anticipation of change. Great leaders look outwards not inwards.
- Maintain a diverse network. Whilst your old boy networks may have served you well to get where you are today, they are not necessarily the best source of new ideas. Developing relationships with people who are very different to you will allow you to spot patterns of change on a bigger scale and identify more creative solutions. Finding shared goals will also support connection and cooperation across your network.
- Be courageous enough to abandon the past. Leaders that are prepared to take risks and dare to be different will find themselves better prepared for the future. This could even be one route to diversifying your network as naysayers within your network are replaced by people from outside your network prepared to take the courageous leap with you.
So if you want leaders within your organisation that are ready to solve tomorrow’s problems, perhaps it’s time to look for new ideas rather than simply re-instigating that development programme you had to postpone due to cost saving.
