?? Think You’re Too Busy for Leadership Development? It's Costing You! ??

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How often have you heard (or maybe you have said), “We’re too busy to focus on leadership development right now”? "We'll do it when we have more time", "more money", "the time is right" and, and, and......

We have all seen and heard the stories of major retailers who have collapsed or significantly downsized because their leadership wasn’t prepared to pivot quickly in response to online competition, their slow transition costing them market share, and in some cases, their survival.

Or some start ups who hit a wall after rapid growth. As they scaled, they didn’t invest in developing leaders who could manage larger teams and more complex operations. The result? Internal chaos, poor decision-making, and eventual collapse. I could go on....

Many businesses place too much emphasis on what’s going on right now in the day job, on things like

• Hitting today's targets or this month’s numbers
• Keeping operations running smoothly and getting things out the door
• Firefighting immediate issues
• Being busy

It might seem practical, prioritising today’s tasks over tomorrow’s growth, but this mindset is incredibly short sighted leading to much bigger problems that are much harder and costlier to fix later on. Leadership failures do not remain simply internal business struggles, they become external ones, damaging reputation, losing clients, and missing out on market opportunities.

The 3 top excuses I have heard (and probably if I'm honest, have used myself more than once in my own leadership roles) and the top 3 consequences are listed below.

Which have you heard .....or maybe used?

The 3 most common excuses

? “We’re too busy with day-to-day operations.” This is the most common excuse and perhaps the most dangerous one. It’s easy to get caught up in the urgency of daily tasks, firefighting immediate problems, and keeping the wheels turning. But here’s the harsh truth: the day-to-day doesn't stop. By postponing leadership development, you’re choosing short-term fixes over long-term solutions. You’re choosing to react instead of proactively equipping your leaders with the skills to prevent problems before they escalate. When inevitable challenges arise. Whether it’s rapid growth, economic shifts, or internal team issues, your leaders won’t be prepared. The result? Poor decision-making, inefficiencies, and a significant cost to both time and money and wellbeing that could have been avoided with proper development. If you think you don’t have time for leadership development now, just imagine the cost of dealing with unprepared leaders and their actions down the line.

? “We can’t afford to take people out of the business right now.” This is a classic catch-22: You believe you can’t afford to invest in leadership development because it would disrupt current operations, but the reality is, you can’t afford NOT to. When leadership development is neglected, the long-term impact can be devastating. Misaligned or poorly trained leaders lead to disengaged teams, low morale, and declining productivity. Over time, these issues snowball into costly mistakes, high employee turnover, and missed opportunities. The upfront cost of leadership development pales in comparison to the compounded costs of ineffective leadership: lower revenue, loss of key talent, and a culture of disengagement. If you don’t invest now, you’ll be paying far more down the road in lost opportunities and avoidable problems.

? “We’ll look into it next quarter.” The classic “we’ll do it later” mentality may seem reasonable, after all, there are always more immediate priorities. In reality, later rarely comes. Every quarter that passes without investment in leadership development is a quarter in which leadership gaps widen. As these gaps grow, the consequences become harder to reverse. By the time you decide it’s finally time to invest, the damage could already be done, key employees may have left due to poor leadership, productivity could have taken a hit, and your competitors may have pulled ahead by investing in their own leadership talent. Pushing development to “next quarter” is often a euphemism for indefinite delay and that delay can cost you competitive advantage. Companies that make leadership development a priority now will outpace those that continue to push it to the future.

The 3 most painful and costly consequences of delaying leadership development:

?? Unprepared leaders for future challenges. In today’s fast-paced, ever-evolving business landscape, the challenges leaders face are not what they were. Yet, without leadership development, many leaders are stuck in a limbo, relying on outdated strategies and a limited skillset. When faced with rapid growth, market disruptions, or team conflicts, these leaders will hit a wall, unable to adapt or think on their feet. The result? Spiraling stress, overwhelmed teams, and eventually, costly mistakes that could have been avoided. By the time you realise your leaders are unprepared, it may be too late—the damage is already done. Competitors with future-ready leaders will soar past you, leaving your business scrambling to catch up.

?? Poor judgments and decision-making due to skill gaps. When leadership stagnates, so does decision-making. Leaders not equipped with the right tools and skills often make snap judgments and hasty, short-sighted decisions that can bring the business to its knees. Critical opportunities are missed, resources are wasted, and entire strategies fail because your leaders didn’t have the foresight or problem-solving abilities to steer the ship in the right direction. The ripple effects are huge, from lost market share to financial setbacks and damaged reputations. Skill gaps at the top create a domino effect of poor choices that can cripple your organisation. Leadership development isn’t just about learning to lead, it’s about safeguarding your company’s future.

?? High employee turnover and disengagement. Leadership isn’t just about managing the business, it’s about inspiring and engaging your people. Leaders who aren’t developed can’t foster the type of environment that motivates teams. Instead, they unknowingly drive top talent away. Frustrated employees become disengaged, their productivity plummets, and before long, they’re walking out the door, taking with them years of knowledge, experience, and potential. What’s left behind? A demoralised workforce, vacancies that are hard to fill, and the staggering costs of recruiting, onboarding and training new talent. The turnover spiral begins, and your best talent becomes someone else’s gain. All because leadership didn’t get the development it needed to engage, empower, and retain.

3 things you can do to secure your business’s future:

? Prioritise leadership development as a core business strategy. Your leaders are the backbone of your company’s success. Developing them isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s critical to driving growth, fostering resilience, and ensuring long-term sustainability. By making leadership development a strategic priority, you empower your leaders to achieve and exceed your business goals, to anticipate and navigate change, lead with clarity and purpose, and implement strategies that position your business for success. When leaders are equipped with the right skills (like vision, emotional intelligence, and adaptability) they’re not just managing the present but proactively shaping the future. The return on investment is monumental: better decision-making, stronger teams, and a business that thrives, even in uncertainty.

? Integrate leadership development into everyday operations. You don’t need to pull your leaders away from their roles for extended training programs. In fact, some of the best leadership growth happens in real-time, through the challenges they face every day. Embed development into your daily operations through coaching, mentoring, and ongoing feedback. Encourage leaders to learn on the job—by reflecting on their experiences, receiving guidance from peers or mentors, and using real-time problem-solving to grow. This approach not only accelerates their development but also aligns learning with actual business needs. When leadership development becomes a natural part of the workday, growth happens faster, more organically, and is immediately impactful.

? Create a future-ready leadership pipeline. Great leadership isn’t built overnight, it’s the result of continuous investment and cultivation. A future-ready business must have a leadership pipeline that’s ready to take on emerging challenges, lead through uncertainty, and adapt to market shifts. This means committing to long-term, ongoing leadership development at all levels. Nurture talent from within by identifying potential future leaders and providing them with opportunities to learn and grow over time. When a crisis hits, or when new opportunities arise, you’ll already have a well-prepared, adaptable team in place to take charge and lead your company forward, instead of scrambling to fill gaps. By developing a strong pipeline, you ensure your business has the leadership strength to face whatever comes next, head-on.

So the next time you hear one of these excuses, ask yourself if the cost of inaction will be far greater than the temporary inconvenience of making leadership development a priority.

Because the businesses that thrive are those that understand the importance of investing in their leaders today and embedding these solutions into business strategy, future-proofing the business for whatever challenges tomorrow brings.

Strategic reflections:

• How often do you proactively invest in your leadership team's development to stay ahead of future challenges?
• What are the potential risks your business might face if your leaders (and you) aren’t prepared to handle rapid changes or unexpected disruptions?
• Are you embedding leadership growth into daily operations, or waiting for a crisis to expose the gaps in your leadership capabilities?

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I'm Chrissie and I talk about Leadership Coaching and Development and Organisational Behavioural Analytics. I empower high achieving results driven business owners and leaders to create great employee experiences, realise their potential and grow their business?results

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