The Want for Lifelong Learning

Leadership development has never been more urgent. Organizations of all shapes & sizes realize that to survive in today's volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment, they need leadership skills and organizational capabilities different from those that helped them succeed in the past or even land the job. There is also a growing recognition that leadership development should not be restricted to the few who are in or close to the C-suite. The proliferation of collaborative problem-solving platforms and digital `adhocracies' emphasizes individual initiatives and employees across the board are increasingly expected to make consequential decisions that align with corporate strategy and culture. It's important, therefore, that they be equipped with the relevant technical, relational, and communication skills.

The leadership development industry, however, is in a state of turmoil. The number of players offering courses to impart the hard and soft skills required of corporate managers has soared. Thus, the future executives are in frustration. Companies are seeking the communicative, interpretive, affective, and perceptual skills needed to lead coherent, proactive collaboration. But most executive education programs-designed as extensions of or substitutes for MBA programs-focus on discipline-based skill sets, such as strategy development and financial analysis, and seriously underplay important relational, communication, and affective skills.

The need of the hour, is 'Lifelong Learning'. Workplaces evolve as business realities change, requiring new breeds of leaders with relevant skills and the right mindset. Given its impact on competitiveness and profitability, leadership development has become an existential necessity for companies looking to future-proof their business. This requires leadership developments companies to offer more soft-skill based curriculum. Besides, the single biggest way to impact an organization is to focus on leadership development. There is almost no limit to the potential of an organization that recruits good people, raises them up as leaders and continually develops them.

Do let us know what you think.