The following is part eleven (bonus!) of a ten part series on developing corporate leadership development programs. To review the first five, click here:

11. How will you evaluate/show return on investment?

How will organizational decision makers determine the program has been a success? This question needs to be clear from the onset if the organization wants its program to weather potentially lean times. A first step is for the committee to ask decision makers what they think. – SJA

The following is part nine of a ten part series on developing corporate leadership development programs. To review the first five, click here:

10. How will the training be delivered?

Training must be in alignment with several tenants of adult learning theory. Catering to one style of learning and one teaching methodology (only using PowerPoint) is a sure way to have people leaving feeling underwhelmed. It is crucial that the organization place trainers and individuals responsible for the education and coordination into the hands of high quality individuals who quickly connect and gain credibility with participants.

Most important, participants must feel like the information will help them in their day-to-day roles as leaders within an organization. The information must be relevant and timely. In addition, who will coordinate the program? Clarify specifics such as budget and staffing. – SJA

The following is part nine of a ten part series on developing corporate leadership development programs. To review the first five, click here:

9. How will we market the leadership development program?

Although a part of the implementation process, I highlight this crucial question on its own because communicating to your entire workforce can be a tremendous challenge. I would recommend working closely with those in marketing to craft an approach and determine which other large-scale communications have worked within the organization. – SJA

The following is part eight of a ten part series on developing corporate leadership development programs. To review the first five, click here:

8. How will the program be implemented/rolled out?

The implementation phase of building a leadership development program can be a challenge. We need to ensure that the strategy for implementation is realistic and manageable.

There are three primary ways to roll out the program: (1) The Pilot – A pilot study is one route for implementation and carries with it inherent benefits and drawbacks. One benefit is that it is relatively safe and manageable. On the downside, it takes extra time; (2) Gradual Implementation – A process of gradual implementation is another route for implementation and like “the pilot” carries with it inherent benefits and drawbacks. This approach gets more people involved quickly, but likely accentuates unforeseen “fires” that will need to worked through; (3) Full Implementation – A process of full implementation involves the entire organization. A number of people will be involved quickly but bugs and issues will also be more prevalent. – SJA

The following is part seven of a ten part series on developing corporate leadership development programs. To review the first five, click here:

7. How will we gain feedback from others in the organization?

At this point, individuals in the process need to take some time to float the draft program by others in the organization. This does not need to take a lot of time and may include feedback from three or fewer people per committee member.

Sample questions may include: (1) From your perspective, what do you see as potential challenges within our leadership development plan? (2) How should we think about implementing this program? What have you seen fail and why? (3) How should we approach marketing this program? What have you seen fail and why? (4) Does the organizational culture value what we hope to produce? If not, why? – SJA