Leadership Development Tops HR Leaders Priorities, but Barriers Erode Confidence !
Nicolas BEHBAHANI
Global People Analytics & HR Data Leader - People & Culture | Strategical People Analytics Design
?? HR leaders have identified heir top five priorities for the next 12-18 months, with leader and manager development taking the lead.
?? This focus on developing leaders and managers has consistently been the top priority for HR leaders over the past three years.
? However, only 36% of HR leaders believe their current leadership development programs are effectively preparing leaders.
?? Seven barriers are hindering organizations’ progress towards their leadership development goals.
The two most significant obstacles, are related to measurement and strategy, according to a new interesting research published by Gartner using data ?? from 1,403 HR leaders across all major industries and over 60 countries around the world.
?The Top five HR Priorities for 2025
For 2025, HR leaders have indicated five top priorities in which their function will focus over the next 12-18 months:
1?? Leader and manager development
2?? Organizational culture
3?? Strategic workforce planning
4?? Change management
5?? HR technology
The first priority reflects the pressure on leaders and managers today to lead in an environment of constant change. To better support leaders, 76% of organizations have made significant updates to their leadership development programs in the past two years, and 56% expect to increase spending in the next two years. However, organizations are not seeing the expected results.
?Top barriers to achieve leader and manager Development
Researchers noticed that several barriers impede organizations’ progress towards their leader and manager development objectives.
In particular, 75% of respondents indicated that their managers are overwhelmed by the expanding scope of their responsibilities, and 69% reported that their leaders and managers lack the necessary skills to effectively lead change.
Of the seven barriers researchers studied, those with the greatest negative impact are:
? Not knowing how to measure the effectiveness of leadership development
? Not knowing how to adapt leadership development approaches for the future of work
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? Not effectively developing senior leaders
? Not effectively developing mid-level leaders
?Barriers Faced by Organizations Significantly Influence Confidence Levels
Researchers revealed that one-third of HR leaders report three or fewer barriers, while two thirds report between four and seven barriers.
The more barriers organizations face, the less confident they are that they can achieve Leader and Manager Development goals.
Organizations reporting four to seven barriers experience a sharp decline in confidence compared to those with three or fewer barriers, which researchers call the “barrier cliff.”
?? Researchers have outlined the following recommendations to boost confidence and increase the chances of success in leader and manager development:
?? HR leaders should first identify what barriers they face and focus efforts on mitigating those that pose the greatest threat to success.
?? Focusing on measurement and strategy initiatives as well as those that tackle multiple barriers at once will be especially effective in overcoming these challenges and avoiding the barrier cliff.
?? Bringing people together in person for networking and team-building activities as part of leadership development has a positive impact on enterprise and human leadership behaviors.
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This remarkable research published by the reputable Gartner has unveiled fascinating insights into leadership development. Recently, we reviewed another intriguing study emphasizing that building a business case for leadership development should center on the “why.” The researchers’ recommendations are truly inspiring, and with these insights, HR leaders can confidently tackle their top priority for 2025!
??Thank you Gartner researchers team for sharing these insightful findings:
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HRBP | Empowering Organizational Success Through Strategic People Management | Championing Talent Growth, Engagement & Inclusive Cultures | Employee Relations | Advocate for High-Performance Workplaces | Top HR Voice
2 个月It is enlightening to see the emphasis on leadership development as a top priority for HR leaders, yet it's concerning to note that many feel unprepared. Addressing the barriers related to measurement and strategy is crucial for us to cultivate effective leaders who can navigate the complexities of the future workplace. Nicolas BEHBAHANI
Fractional CHRO | HR Consultant | People & Culture | Change Management |Talent Management
2 个月Thanks Nicolas BEHBAHANI for an insightful article substantiated through the barriers va possibilities or priorities. Your point to Center on leadership and its effectiveness for future goals is the key takeaway
Helping Senior Leaders Achieve Work-Life Harmony | Top 30 UK Management & Leadership Creator (Favikon) | Senior Management/Business and Organisational Leadership & Culture Consultant | Manchester Native Exploring Iran
2 个月These findings are both concerning and unsurprising. Most of these barriers highlight the underlying cultural unsuitability in organisations. That would be a good starting point, as leadership development (like culture change) is seen more as an initiative than fundamental to the business. Given the speed and volume of changes coming, these are no longer nice-to-haves but urgent requirements for employee experience, satisfaction and competitive edge. On the other hand, confidence in itself is a personal development trait, where areas such as emotional intelligence can be significant in developing leaders. Thanks for sharing the thought-provoking article Nicolas BEHBAHANI.
Human Resource Professional | MBA | Coporate Recruiting Professional- ASA | Ex-Wirtgen Group,A John Deere Company
2 个月Very insightful research! While companies are focused on navigating constant change, many leaders lack the necessary skills or support to drive change effectively. The “barrier cliff” insight is telling: as organizations face increasing challenges, confidence in leadership readiness plummets sharply. A very important point is the emphasis on measurement and strategy as critical pain points. Without clear success metrics or aligning leadership programs with the future of work, organizations risk falling behind. Equally significant is the finding that 75% of managers feel overwhelmed. Leaders today are expected to juggle multiple roles—acting as change agents, people managers, strategists, and culture champions all at once. The solution involves not only developing their skills but also simplifying responsibilities through structural support, such as clear decision-making frameworks or delegating tactical tasks. To enhance impact, organizations should invest in measurement, aligning development outcomes with organizational KPIs to create programs that deliver measurable ROI. Thank you for sharing!
Industry Veteran | Exploring Future of Work | Great Manager’s Coach & Mentor
2 个月??♂? Leadership development is & should be CEO’s top agenda item, with HR leaders along with other leaders supporting it. ?? The decline in confidence signals a need to upgrade our approach from vanilla to multi-flavor leadership strategies. ???? ?? Kudos to Gartner for spotlighting these insights! & ?? Nicolas BEHBAHANI for sharing it. ?? The CEO's vision must drive this research recommendations to ensure we cultivate leaders ready for the future of work. ?? ? INTENT has to be clear. I - Identify Barriers, in line with the Business Strategy. N - Nurture Talent, with continuous learning opportunities. E - Engage All Stakeholders. N - Navigate Change driven by CEO. E - Evaluate Progress T - Tailor Strategies on the Go & Don't forget to Reward.