…So why do so few businesses invest in management + leadership development 🤯
A high-performing team is essential for smashing your ambitious targets.
But unlocking your company’s full potential requires more than just recruiting the right people — it requires exceptional leadership.
Join us as we explore why you should be investing in your people leaders and unpack the impact that great leadership has on your entire business.
When it comes to success, all roads lead back to your people — and high-performing people can't exist without high-performing leaders.
So, as your company evolves, the heartbeat of your success lies in the hands of your people leaders — the ultimate driving force behind performance and engagement. Making it baffling how so few businesses prioritise their growth and development.
The cost of inaction can be hard to spot. That’s your people debt. By not investing in your leaders you effectively embrace an inconsistent leadership model that limits innovation, creates silos in your organisation, increases the risk of an underperforming team and heightens the chances of people leaving your business!
Choosing not to address leadership challenges today, whether you're aware of them or not, is gambling with the future of your company. Those insidious challenges may seem small now - as your business grows, they do too.
So, investing in a community of high-performing, highly aligned leaders, as early as possible in your journey can set the stage for your future success.
Having partnered with more than 150 businesses worldwide on leadership development, we know first-hand how effective management goes far beyond the experience of a direct report, to impact the growth rate of an entire business.
So, let’s get stuck in…
The impact of poor leadership
The chances are, you’ve had a bad manager in your career. What did you do about it? We can probably guess…
That’s because it’s no secret that:
A bad leader = poor performance
Poor performance = loss of innovation and growth
A loss of innovation and growth = disengaged employees
And eventually disengaged employees = former employees.
For many, it’s not a question of skills. Take your leadership team for example. They’re unique — and so is their skillset. But if they’re working things out for themselves, it’s fairly safe to assume that leadership across the business won’t be consistent.
Often, this means that leaders in a growing business act as a group of individuals, rather than working as a team.
From your perspective, an inconsistent approach to leadership makes managing performance harder than it needs to be.
That’s because, without a coherent leadership framework above it, you’ll find it hard to diagnose the issues plaguing an underperforming team. Is it an individual team member? Is it the leader? Is it a problem with the processes? Is it the culture? Who knows.
Having a consistent leadership model can make it easier to narrow down on the root causes of unproductivity, and take action to fix them.
Plus, with high staff turnover rates, you’ll not only struggle to get things done, but you’ll be paying through the nose to recruit every couple of months.
Don’t just take our word for it. Over half (53%) of people looking to change jobs say their manager is the reason. And when you consider that the cost of an employee's departure can range from 50-250% of their annual salary, the stakes are high.
The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) estimates that as many as 8 in 10 managers in the UK lack formal training in leadership. So, something’s gone wrong here.
That’s because, without training, when people move into leadership roles they either inherit the behaviours they’ve liked in previous managers, try to avoid the characteristics of those they didn’t like, or worse still, they perform like they think a leader should. And more often than not… that’s not what a good leader actually is.
Whichever route they take, taking a moment to pause and invest in your leaders creates the bedrock of a unified, coherent leadership approach that not only engages your leaders, but cultivates high-performing people and teams.
Growing businesses must recognise that investing in leadership development is no different to developing their products and services. It’s not just nice to have. It’s essential for cultivating a positive work environment and driving long-term success.
What makes a good leader?
Effective leadership isn't just about making decisions – it's about inspiring and empowering your team to do the same.
A top-notch leader needs to be a master motivator, an agile thinker, and a clear communicator, ready to make speedy, and sound decisions at the drop of a hat.
A good leader must be:
- Personable and approachable: Leaders need to be able to build strong relationships with their team, be empathetic to their concerns, celebrate their successes, and foster a culture of trust.
- Inspirational and motivational: Keeping your team engaged, motivated and aligned to the business mission is crucial for reaching ambitious goals. Being able to rally the troops behind your vision, strategy and mission through crystal-clear communication can make a world of difference to the results they produce.
- Innovative and adaptable: Effective leaders are brave. They proactively seek opportunities for growth and improvement within the organisation, while being cool-headed during periods of change, and able to change tact as needed.
- Decisive and clear: The ability to analyse complex situations, weigh options, and make informed decisions is crucial for effective leadership. When a call needs to be made, the team looks to their leader.
- Nurturing and supporting: A good leader can recognise and develop the skills and potential of team members, to not only improve their job satisfaction, but create pathways for you to build a talent pool for the future of your business.
- Accountable and authentic: Leaders who take ownership of their actions and uphold their values inspire trust and respect among team members. Decisions are made based on logic and strategy, rather than politics.
Investing in leadership development
While some leadership skills may come naturally – proper training can still refine, hone, and improve them.
As Anthony Palmer, Director of Policy at CMI, told the Guardian, "In any skilled area of modern work, you would expect people to receive at least minimal training. You want your plumbers to be trained, you want your cybersecurity people to be trained – well, the same is true of managers."
It’s not just their teams who want their managers to step up… it’s the managers themselves. Research from DDI shows that nearly three-quarters (72%) of leaders report burnout by the end of the working day, as they feel the strain of their role.
But leadership training can create a community of leaders within your organisation. It removes silos, and turns a group of individuals into a well-functioning unit.
Beyond the benefits of them singing from the same hymn sheet, this serves to build awareness and validation of challenges, increase transparency, open connections, foster co-mentoring opportunities and ultimately benefit ways of working. While each one will benefit from the combination of their shared knowledge and experience.
Investing in leadership development:
- Drives business growth: Clued-up leaders can make better strategic decisions, meaning your business is primed to seize any opportunities that come your way.
- Benefits innovation: Well-developed leaders know when and how to allow their teams to think creatively, take calculated risks, and turn ideas into tangible results.
- Fosters high-performing teams: Leaders who have mastered communication skills can increase motivation, engagement, all-round productivity, and morale.
- Helps successfully navigate change: An adaptable leader can navigate change at speed, inspiring confidence, resilience, and agility within their teams, ensuring the business stays on course through choppy waters.
- Builds a strong culture: Leaders shape culture through their actions and behaviours, creating a positive, inclusive environment that attracts top talent, promotes collaboration, and enhances employee well-being.
- Creates buy-in like never before: Your leaders will relish the investment in them. Plus, with an investment of as little as 2% of their working week, giving them the time to hold the mirror up to self-reflect can work wonders for their self-development.
- Improves collaboration: Chances are your marketing leader and your tech leader don’t spend enough time in a room together. By embracing leadership training you can foster co-mentoring opportunities, cross-pollination of ideas and create relationships that extend beyond aligning their approach to leadership.
How leadership development boosts employee engagement
According to the CMI, only a quarter of people think that their manager is highly effective, with only a third feeling motivated in their job as a result.
Fortunately, investing in leadership development presents a meaningful way to address these challenges head-on.
Here's how leadership development can transform employee engagement:
- Creating a positive work environment: Empower your leaders with the tools to foster open communication, building a culture of trust where team members feel valued and eager to contribute.
- Strengthening relationships: Equip your leaders with the skills to forge strong connections with their teams, whether through one-on-one meetings, team-building events, or everyday interactions, you can promote a sense of belonging and camaraderie.
- Resolving conflicts: When trained in conflict resolution techniques, your leaders can address disputes promptly and constructively, minimising disruptions and bringing harmony to your workplace.
- Adding meaning to their work: By helping leaders to inspire their teams, you create buy-in. When they’re on the same journey as you, you’ll be able to get to your destination faster.
How leadership development drives performance
Research from PwC suggests that companies which invest in training their people leaders are more profitable and record 5x more lucrative returns on the stock market.
The ROI of leadership development can be massive, with leaders gaining essential skills to yield long-term growth for your business.
Here’s how leadership development can improve results:
- Making strategic decisions: Leaders with strong decision-making skills are ready to lead the way, set clear goals, and provide more actionable feedback. This means the team has a clearer understanding of what they need to do, and a better chance of achieving it.
- Promoting innovation: Training can improve innovation by encouraging leaders to think creatively, take calculated risks, and explore new ideas. Leaders trained in innovative thinking can inspire their teams to embrace change, experiment with new approaches, and continuously improve the way things are done.
- Communicating with purpose: The right training builds confidence, and arms leaders with the communication skills needed to share the company’s vision, goals, and expectations to their teams. As motivation increases, results tend to follow.
- Managing change: Preparing leaders in a scaling business on how best to navigate organisational change can ensure smooth transitions, minimise resistance, and leave no stone unturned as the company undergoes change.
How we approach leadership development
At Foundation Partners, we offer a dedicated Management + Leadership development programme for leaders looking to elevate their skills (our incredible sister company Unleashed deliver this - they’re part of our group).
Whether conducted remotely or in-person, the programme is fully interactive, employing rapid learning techniques to equip leaders with the tools they need to lead high-performing teams.
The programme is:
- Bespoke: Choose from a variety of pre-designed sessions to tailor your development to the specific challenges you face.
- Intimate: With a maximum of 10 participants, we foster peer-to-peer learning and accountability.
- Evidence-based: Our workshops focus on skill development, confidence building, and behavioural change, and come with a hub of valuable resources.
What’s covered:
- Building your self-awareness + identifying your strengths
- Growing your influencing + communication skills
- How to build a winning team
- Establishing trust + effective delegation
- Developing others, providing coaching + offering feedback
Final thoughts
To sum up, investing in leadership development isn't just a smart business move – it's essential for long-term profitability.
By helping leaders find the skills they need to inspire, communicate, and adapt, you can make a real impact on the performance of your business,
Our bespoke and evidence-based programme ensures that leaders receive personalised training that’s laser-focused on their needs and sets them on the course to success.
Together, let's build a brighter future through effective leadership development.
Get in touch to find out how we can help.