two colleagues standing outside discussing the ways that executive development programs can help combat leadership gaps.

Your company’s leadership team might be ideal now, with well-trained managers getting things done and keeping their teams productive and engaged. But the problem lies in the future. What happens when those managers move on to other organizations, retire or continue their forward trajectory in your company? Who is primed to take over their positions? If you’re unsure of the answers to those questions, then you may have a leadership gap.

The good news is that you still have time to course-correct by enrolling your employees in a customized executive development program.

Identifying Leadership Gaps

In order to determine where the leadership gaps lie in your company, you first need to know how to identify them. A few of the most commonly used strategies include:

  • Reviewing Exit Interviews – Exit interviews are aptly named because they’re performed when employees leave their jobs to work for a different company. By reviewing what’s said in these interviews, as well as asking questions about leadership and what could be done better, you can identify those gaps.
  • Considering Recent Problems – Was there a recent problem, such as a deadline that didn’t get met or a project that failed to meet your customer’s guidelines? By looking at the issues that led to the failure, you can find out what went wrong. Many times, it had to do with leadership and the person in charge of the projects.
  • Thinking About Who Has Leadership Potential – Spend some time thinking about the people at your company who have leadership potential. If one of your managers stepped down, who would replace them? If you aren’t sure, then this is a sign that you have a leadership gap and need to train some highly qualified individuals to fill it.

Training Great Leaders

Despite the saying, great leaders are actually trained, not born. They undergo a number of different programs and courses, as well as on the job training, in order to become knowledgeable leaders who can motivate their employees and meet the company’s goals. How can you ensure that the future leaders of your company receive the training that they need? Here are a few suggestions:

  • Offer Your Workers a Chance to Go Back to School – Create a voluntary program for any employees who are interested in learning new skills. You can provide them with some tuition reimbursement or other rewards for earning a degree, gaining new skills, or completing certain programs.
  • Partner with a Local College – Find a college that offers executive development programs, like the one offered here at Dean College. These programs can be customized to meet your needs and will help you train the workers who you think would be great managers someday. Plus, they’ll be able to complete these courses in a number of ways.

Contact Dean College

Do you want to put together an executive development program in order to combat those leadership gaps? We have a number of options for you to choose from, including courses that can be taught at your location, online, and in traditional classrooms. Interested in learning more? Contact us, today.