What is Leadership Development?

Leadership development constitutes various tasks and activities that develop, improve and streamline the skills of individuals towards leadership orientation. Leadership development programmes vary depending on the program depth and complexity, skills that are to be inculcated and the individuals being aimed at. Programmes also make use of extensive coaching along with prolonged mentoring in order to inculcate and hardwire suitable traits within individuals.

The outcome of a leadership development program depends on its quality, the level of training support rendered by the trainers, and the dedication and calibre with which it is understood and implemented by those who aim to benefit from it.

Leadership experts also point out differences between leadership development and leader development, the difference being the focus on collective / group leadership and individual leadership respectively. Leadership development is also a core part of succession planning, which is aimed at producing highly-motivated successors for senior roles. Leadership programs in these situations are extremely high-end, goal-oriented and have a broader focus than the general ones.