54. Making Leadership Development Really Work

This week, we are excited to bring leadership expert and author Kevin Eikenberry to The BizLibrary Podcast. Kevin brings two decades of experience to the forefront as we explore the differences between the theory and application of true leadership development.

Apart from remote leadership, which makes methods like "manage by walking around" obsolete, Kevin notes that not much has changed in leadership over his time as a consultant. At this point, Kevin says, the basics are well known.

What's missing from leadership training that makes it really work in the real world, is the buy-in. Leaders know the fundamentals of leadership, but don't apply them. Until they see in real terms why they need to apply those fundamentals, they may never adopt them.

Once we've created strategies to build buy-in from our leaders, there are further challenges to be solved. One of the biggest challenges facing today's leaders is the rise of dispersed and virtual workforces. In 2019, it's not uncommon for entire departments to have never met face to face. Uniting and leading these employees to success can't always be accomplished with traditional management strategies.

This presents quite a challenge to leaders because traditional leadership strategies don't always work. To overcome this challenge, Kevin recommends training employees to use communication technology to its full potential. Webcams, chat technologies, and even email can all be used to lead effectively, but face-to-face time in the form of webcam or skype meetings is crucial. 

You can listen to Kevin's podcast, "The Remarkable Leadership Podcast," where he goes in depth with other leadership experts. He also regularly presents free, HRCI and SHRM approved webinars for BizLibrary. 

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We'll see you next week!