What Should Leadership Training Include?

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Effective leadership training is a cornerstone of organisational success.

As businesses evolve and teams become more diverse and remote, the demand for effective leaders who can inspire, adapt, and deliver results grows ever stronger. This blog post explores what leadership training should include to build capable, confident, and resilient leaders.

We’ll weave in practical frameworks, evidence-based approaches, and real-world examples to help organisations design programmes that actually make a difference.

Why leadership training matters

Effective leadership is not a nice-to-have; it directly influences performance, culture, and employee retention. Leadership training equips future and current leaders with the tools and skills they need to:

1. Set clear visions and align their teams around common goals.

2. Communicate with impact, empathy, and clarity.

3. Make better decisions under pressure.

4. Foster psychological safety and collaboration.

5. Develop emerging talent and succession pipelines.

A robust leadership development programme isn’t simply a one-off workshop. It’s an ongoing journey that combines learning, practice, feedback, and reflection. With the right design, leadership training becomes a competitive advantage, helping your organisation to respond to market changes, technology disruption, and evolving workforce expectations.

Core components of leadership training

1) Self-awareness and emotional intelligence

High quality leadership starts with self-awareness. Training should help leaders understand their own strengths, blind spots, values, and triggers. Techniques include:

• 360-degree feedback to gather perspectives from peers, reports, and superiors.

• Personal reflection exercises and journaling.

• Assessments that measure emotional intelligence (EI) and personality traits.

• Coaching that tailors development to the individual.

Developing EI supports better relationships, conflict management, and inclusive leadership, which are essential in diverse teams.

2) Communication and influence

Leaders must communicate with clarity, persuasion, and tact. A comprehensive leadership training programme includes:

• Public speaking, personal impact and storytelling skills.

• Active listening, powerful questioning and proactive decision-making.

• Giving and receiving feedback at all levels (including constructive criticism).

• Stakeholder management and executive presence.

• Negotiation and conflict resolution.

The aim is to enable leaders to influence without coercion and to build trust through transparency and consistency.

3) Decision-making and strategic thinking

In a fast-paced environment, leaders make complex decisions under uncertainty. Training should cover:

• Decision frameworks (e.g., bias awareness, cost-benefit analysis, scenario planning).

• Data literacy: interpreting metrics, dashboards, and evidence to inform choices.

• Strategic thinking: prioritisation, resource allocation, and long-term thinking.

• Risk assessment and mitigation planning.

Practical exercises, such as case studies and thought-provoking simulations, help leaders practice decision-making in a feedback-rich setting.

4) People management and development

Effective leaders cultivate the capabilities of others. Components to include:

• Coaching and mentoring skills.

• Performance management, feedback cultures, and objective setting (OKRs or SMART goals).

• Talent development, succession planning, and workforce planning.

• Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices.

• Remote and hybrid people management techniques.

This area ensures leaders can build high-performing teams and unlock potential across the organisation.

5) Change leadership and adaptability

Organisations continually evolve, and leaders must guide teams through change. Training should cover:

• Change management models (e.g., ADKAR, Kotter’s 8-Step Process).

• Communicating change and addressing resistance.

• Agility, resilience, and learning mindset.

• Leading through uncertainty with a calm, decisive approach.

Leaders who are comfortable with change help organisations stay relevant and resilient.

6) Ethical leadership and accountability

Trust is earned when leaders act with integrity. Include:

• Ethics and compliance awareness.

• Responsible decision-making and accountability mechanisms.

• Corporate social responsibility and sustainable leadership.

• Building a culture of psychological safety where failure is a learning opportunity.

7) Practical application and practice

Training must move beyond theory. Effective leadership training includes:

• Real-world projects aligned with business goals.

• On-the-job stretch assignments and action learning.

• Peer coaching circles and reflective practice.

• Mentoring from senior leaders and external coaches.

• Regular progression checks and adjustments based on feedback.

Formats and delivery methods

Leadership training should be accessible in multiple formats to fit different learning styles and schedules:

• Blended learning: e-learning modules complemented by in-person workshops.

• Intensive programmes for upcoming leaders and high-potential individuals.

• Coaching and mentoring programmes with experienced leaders.

• Micro-learning for just-in-time reinforcement of key skills.

• Action-learning sets where teams work on real business issues.

Technology can enhance delivery, from learning management systems that track progress to collaborative platforms for peer feedback. However, the human element, coaching, facilitation, and peer interaction, remains central.

Measuring impact and returning value

A vital aspect of any leadership training is how its impact is measured. Consider:

• Pre and post event assessments to gauge growth in competencies.

• 360-degree feedback changes over time.

• Business outcomes such as improved team engagement, productivity, retention, and performance metrics.

• Behavioural change indicators: frequency of coaching conversations, delegation quality, and decision speed.

• Return on expectation (ROE) rather than simple ROI, focusing on strategic outcomes.

Clear objectives, baseline measurements, and ongoing evaluation help ensure the programme evolves and stays relevant.

Customisation and cultural fit

Every organisation is unique.

Leadership training should reflect:

• Industry context and business strategy.

• Organisational culture and values.

• Local regulatory and compliance considerations.

• Equality, diversity and inclusion goals.

• Remote work realities and global teams.

Customisation increases relevance, engagement, and transfer of learning to the workplace.

Final thoughts

Leadership training is not a one-size-fits-all initiative but a carefully designed journey.

By combining self-awareness, communication, strategic thinking, people development, change leadership, ethical grounding, and practical application, organisations can cultivate leaders who inspire trust, deliver results, and foster a resilient culture.

When leadership training is well-planned, executed, and continuously improved, the benefits cascade through teams, projects, and the broader business strategy.

If you’re designing or refining a programme, start with clear aims, involve stakeholders across levels, and prioritise ongoing practice and feedback. The result is a sustainable pipeline of capable leaders ready to navigate the challenges of today and tomorrow.