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Data on Does Your Company Need Better Leadership Training?
Leadership IQ surveyed 32,410 American and Canadian executives, managers and employees about dozens of aspects of leadership and organizational life. The 5 charts that follow are selected from the results of this comprehensive study.
As you read the 5 charts below, think about how your company compares. And then ask yourself if your company has an opportunity to do even more to develop leaders to address these challenges.
Chart #1: How often do your company's leaders recognize their employees for doing great work?
COMMENT: Too many leaders believe that recognizing employees for doing great work will give their employees a "big head" or swelled ego. But the reality is that people generally respond better in positive work environments and they like to have their great work recognized. Any leadership training you implement must teach leaders how to recognize and praise their employees' great accomplishments.
Chart #2: How often do your company's leaders explain their strategy & vision to their employees?
COMMENT: A leader's legacy is often driven by their vision more than any other factor. But far less than half of employees think their leader is effectively communicating their vision. And that means that a lot of brilliant strategies and innovations are just not being executed. Any leadership training you implement must teach leaders how to communicate, and build buy-in for, their vision.
Chart #3: How often do your company's leaders distinguish between high and low performers?
COMMENT: Virtually every company idealizes the notion of a meritocracy. And every high performer wants to work for a meritocracy. But leaders are not doing a great job of executing those ideals. Any leadership training you implement must teach leaders how to effectively, and candidly, differentiate between high and low performers.
Chart #4: How often do your company's leaders deliver performance reviews that are open, honest and meaningful?
COMMENT: Performance appraisals are clearly not working. More than half of employees think their performance appraisals are NOT open, honest and meaningful. And what is the point in having a process that the vast majority of people think is failing? Any leadership training you implement must teach leaders how to conduct performance appraisal conversations.
Chart #5: How often do your company's leaders take an active role in helping their employees grow and develop?
COMMENT: Why do we have leaders if not to help employees grow and develop? And yet, more than 50% of employees say their leader 'Rarely' or 'Never' helps them grow and develop. Any leadership training you implement must teach leaders how to grow and develop employees, and recognize that as a fundamental tenet of leadership in general.
