Explore why global organizations struggle with internal leadership, the value of leadership development, and how language training can help.
Did you know that according to Development Dimensions International (DDI), “Only 40% of leaders reported their company to have high-quality leaders”?
This is quite hard to imagine, yet this is the reality of leadership development today. Having strong leadership is necessary for any business or organization to thrive. Leaders can guide members and steer them toward overall business goals and vision.
Given this, leadership training is a must within any organization. However, it isn’t all that easy. One article states, “Chief learning officers find that traditional programs no longer adequately prepare executives for the challenges they face today and those they will face tomorrow.” So how can you prepare your officers and managers to lead teams?
Continue reading to learn why global organizations struggle to develop internal leadership and why investing in leadership development via language training solves this problem.
Understanding the Problem: Why Leadership Training Fails
Most organizations understand how important leadership development is to growth and success. Despite having dedicated budgets, organizations worldwide experience challenges in leadership development. According to a LinkedIn article, over 50% of Millennials believe their leadership skills aren’t being fully developed. On the other hand, only 10% of CEOs think leadership development initiatives have an impact on their companies.
Many factors contribute to why leadership training fails. One of the causes is relying too much on traditional, “one size fits all” solutions. In fact, Walter Orechwa—owner and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Projections, Inc.—says in one article, “Leadership training is often one-directional and outdated, relying more on common ‘best practices’ than specific strategies.” This type of training often fails to target areas of improvement specific to the individual or organization, reducing long-term effectiveness.
Limiting training to select individuals is the second factor. Because of the hefty costs of leadership development programs, organizations tend to only offer this type of training to those in higher positions, like managers. However, this limitation causes employees to feel excluded and disengaged, affecting their loyalty.
Perhaps the most interesting factor is that those who underwent training don’t get to implement what they learned. A Harvard Business Review article points out that when organizations’ systems don’t allow for change or a safe space to discuss it, well-trained employees may struggle to apply their skills at their jobs. Eventually, they get discouraged and begin reverting to their ways prior to training, leaving little room for change.
These factors, along with many more, cause leadership development programs to fail.
Building Effective Leadership through Language Training
Despite obstacles, global companies should continue to invest in leadership development, especially if they want effective leaders. In a Forbes article, Will Gaines says, “Since growing as a leader is a never-ending process, employers and leaders must create and maintain cultures where learning is encouraged and celebrated.”
Generic leadership training methods, such as those not targeted to employees’ needs, no longer work. So exploring better alternatives to leadership development is vital in the long run. One interesting method that you may have yet to consider is language training.
Although language training focuses on improving one’s fluency in a specific language, it offers other benefits that you might be surprised by. Here are some of the advantages of investing in language training as a means of leadership development:
Improving Communication
Language training helps leaders build vital communication skills. By being able to communicate effectively, they can convey their thoughts to their audience. Language training also helps one expand their vocabulary, build their confidence in speaking, and teach them how to condense ideas in much simpler terms. This is important because it helps ensure everyone understands and is working towards the same goal.
Providing and receiving feedback
As a leader, one must be able to provide feedback to their team. According to a LinkedIn article, “Feedback should be a staple in every leader’s toolkit and practised continuously. All feedback, positive or negative, is a crucial ingredient in the pursuit of success.” This is because feedback allows one to guide their employees and show that they care for them, which develops trust.
Likewise, the ability to accept that feedback, especially as a manager, shows others how a leader is just as willing to listen and grow from what others have to say. Here’s an example: Think of a hotel. If a hotel’s leader clearly understands their client’s needs and concerns, the leader can improve the hotel’s services and offers to help better satisfy them. Not only does this leave a positive impression on the client, but it also lets the hotel gain a better reputation and customer loyalty.
Overall, the ability to give and receive feedback allows leaders to drive change within the organization for the better. It also helps build trust and openness, which are crucial for creating a safe space where employees can learn and grow. This makes it a skill that organizations should focus on developing within their employees while also being one that can be easily built with language training.
Promoting collaboration
Every leader needs a strong team. Without a united team, organizations will find success harder to achieve, especially when it comes to large-scale projects. As a result, leaders should learn how to “encourage teamwork and collaboration, inspire team members to contribute their best work and motivate colleagues to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks.” But to do this, effective communication becomes a necessity.
Through communication, leaders can encourage and improve collaboration within the organization. Clear communication allows teams to understand each other and exchange ideas and instructions. Not only that, but according to People Development Magazine, communicating effectively makes it easier for a person to build connections. All of this combined allows employees and leaders to work together seamlessly.
Going Beyond Language in Leadership Development
It’s clear that language training is effective in developing leadership within organizations, no matter the size and structure. Employees—no matter their role or position—should be given a chance to grow and become the confident leaders they need to lead teams successfully.
When looking for a language training solution, consider a platform that offers convenience. Your employees may also benefit from practicing what they’ve learned through Conversation Classes, giving them the confidence they need to communicate their ideas.
Given this, why not look for a solution that meets your organization’s needs?
Partner up with goFLUENT! Trusted by over 2,000 clients worldwide, goFLUENT is an expert language training and assessment solutions provider. With its eLearning platform, Language Academy, employees gain access to thousands of industry-relevant resources to help them grow and develop the skills they need.
So let goFLUENT help you unlock and maximize the leadership potential of your employees today!
