A modern leadership training style involves encouraging business leaders to accept and value their innate strengths and capabilities and to see these things as resources to apply in the pursuit of their aspirations.
They must learn that they are much more capable than they think, and that there are many more options available to them to help them meet their goals. They can learn how to become more effective team players and realise they do not have to solve all their business problems by themselves. They learn they are more creative, more courageous and more confident than they realised, and that they can use these qualities to accelerate their success.
The latest focus in leadership training is to build on strengths. Within the programme participants create a concrete, strengths-based plan, with the majority of goals building on existing positive qualities, whilst allowing leaders to tackle their most significant business weakness. Such training always works better in a peer group, where fellow learners can bounce off each other and share new ways of thinking. This also provides a safe place for them to explore when and where they are at their best, most alive and most in flow, as well as to raise any fears, questions and concerns about personal leadership style.
The modern leadership training style acknowledges that it is important that delegates have access to additional learning materials to support their course learning. This includes regular liaison between the trainers and the HR function in the company to ensure the necessary support is continuously available to them. This access to continued support should also go online, via regular webinars. No leader operates in a vacuum and so a modern training programme must include a toolkit that leaders can take with them when they leave the course, in order for them to pass their knowledge on to their teams and continue to grow as leaders themselves.
When we began our recent leadership training course in Kampala, Uganda, we encountered a group of people who knew they were already successful with their careers and organisation but did not quite know what to expect from such an investment in their leadership capability. They wanted to have a good experience but weren’t quite sure what this would be like in practice, and did not know how exactly the course would deliver on its promises of being engaging, interactive and respectful of their starting position.
The Ugandan group left with boundless enthusiasm, confidence and the skills necessary to apply their learning back in their own workplaces. It was gratifying to see how they developed into great leaders, building on their Ugandan roots, values, culture and style. They now have the confidence to connect positively with the rest of the world from their own starting point.
The result of this modern training style is a group of satisfied, energised leaders, comfortable in their own style, with a stronger network of peers; and who continue to grow and develop as they lead others.
Duncan Mutembani is the CEO at SparkSync.
