Why Leadership Development is Important to Organizations

We live in arguably the most exciting, fast-paced, and challenging business environment in history. Without skilled, insightful leadership, it is also one of the most cautionary. Leadership development is critical for meeting the challenges of a disruptive global marketplace.

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed firsthand how quickly and decisively change can sweep the globe. Adjusting to the realities of change demands competent, ethical, and clear-headed leadership.

For?Paul Slaggert, Associate Director of Business Development for Executive Education at the Kelley School of Business, the pandemic provided a?clear lesson?on why leadership development is vital for organizations.

“The need to train and develop people for management and leadership roles is more important than ever,” he says. The vulnerabilities of a systemic?leadership skills gap?“intensified with the pandemic.”

Now is the time for professionals and businesses to invest in leadership training.

Developing Leadership for Business and Career Success

The most successful athletes and musicians don’t reach the heights of their potential on talent alone. What makes them great is striving to be better, honing their skills, and mastering their craft. The same is true of leaders.

The scope of a leader’s influence informs everything from day-to-day practical workplace and project management to world-class visionary change.

From improving the bottom line to creating a proactive strategy for an uncertain future, leadership development benefits every facet of an organization’s operation.

• The bottom line: Competent leaders improve financial performance by creating value and putting their customers first. Satisfied customers open opportunities for new lines of revenue.
• Attracting and retaining talent: Effective leaders understand that their value comes from nurturing?those they lead. Attracting and?retaining top talent?is a hallmark of leadership development and the engine of effective organizations.
• Strategy, culture, and execution: Competent leaders are empathetic, strategic thinkers. A holistic, visionary strategy drives an organization’s mission and creates an inclusive, productive, and supportive company culture.
• Navigating change: Leading through change is perhaps the central characteristic of great leaders. Leadership development provides the competence, flexibility, and critical thinking required to guide organizations through?disruptive change.

Leadership Development at the Kelley School of Business

The Kelley School of Business is laser-focused on leadership development. Executive education certificate programs range from business essentials to specialized training project management, inclusive leadership, and more.

The flexible online or in-residence programs allow working professionals an opportunity to develop their leadership skills, advance their careers, and increase their value.

Motivated professionals can advance their careers, build new skills, and become better leaders through various?impactful certificate programs?at the Kelley School of Business.

Spotlight of the next executive education certificate:

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Take a deep dive in diversity and inclusion with the?Inclusive Leadership Certificate and Digital Badge. The online program is for new and experienced leaders looking to understand the theory and gain skills in workforce diversity leadership.

The course makes the business and personal case for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Participants are guided through a self-reflective process helping to identify their strengths and weaknesses in inclusive leadership.

Closing the Leadership Development Gap

Investing in leadership training is how professionals and the?organizations they lead?thrive, survive, and flourish.

“What keeps me up at night,” says Mr. Slaggert, “is that not enough organizations are making these crucial investments in their short and long-term success.”

Slaggert stresses the importance and opportunities for individuals and organizations in leadership development. “What keeps me optimistic is how we provide people with the ability to become better leaders.”