Does leadership training improve performance?
Leadership training can improve learning, workplace application and performance. Compare evidence on needs analysis, practice, spaced schedules and follow-up.
How can leadership training improve workplace performance?
Manager leadership training is clearly effective when designed properly. In a meta-analysis combining 335 independent samples, training increased not only satisfaction and learning, but also job application and organizational performance. However, the size of the effect differed depending on the design, so check what is lacking before training and create a schedule with intervals between practice.
Does leadership training actually change performance?
Educational effectiveness is often divided into four stages. It is the response to training, learning of knowledge and skills, application in the workplace, and performance of the organization and subordinates. A meta-analysis of leadership training (Lacerenza et al., 2017) and a meta-analysis of organizational training in general (Arthur et al., 2003) identified improvements at all four levels.
Effect size by training evaluation stage
| evaluation stage | what do you see | Leadership Training (2017) | Overall organizational education (2003) |
|---|---|---|---|
| reaction | Satisfaction and perceived usefulness of education | 0.63 | 0.60 |
| learning | Acquisition of knowledge and skills | 0.73 | 0.63 |
| Field application | changes in work behavior | 0.82 | 0.62 |
| performance | Performance of the organization and its subordinates | 0.72 | 0.62 |
The numbers represent how much better the educated group improved in standard deviation units. In 2003, researchers considered this to be a medium to large effect, and in 2017, researchers concluded that leadership training is more effective than previously thought. In leadership education, the effect of on-the-job application was the greatest among the four stages. This means that there has been a clear change in using what has been learned in actual work, so if you judge the success or failure of manager training solely on satisfaction, you may miss the most important change.
What design elements make leadership training more effective?
A 2017 meta-analysis compared 15 different training design and delivery methods. Here are the choices researchers supported for effectiveness:
Examples of design choices and applications supported by meta-analysis
| design elements | supported choice | Field application example |
|---|---|---|
| advance preparation | Training needs analysis | Investigate the manager's weak behavior first |
| teaching method | Mix several methods, especially practice | Role play and case discussion after lecture |
| schedule | Don't do it all at once, divide it up | Courses spaced out over several weeks instead of one day intensive |
| progress format | Face-to-face delivery; learning with others rather than alone | Course with instructor and peers |
| place | in-house | Close to the actual work environment |
| feedback | Provide feedback during training | Sharing observation results after practice |
The researchers reported that the content of the training, how it was attended, and the duration of the training also influenced its effectiveness. Additionally, training in soft skills such as interpersonal relationships and leadership led to greater performance for the organization and its subordinates. If it is difficult to change several elements at once, a needs analysis and practice are a good starting point.
What should a needs analysis look like before training?
Needs analysis is the process of finding the capabilities needed by organizations, teams, and individuals and matching them with training. The training content will be completely different depending on whether what a manager of a team with frequent turnover needs is interview skills, work distribution, or fairness in performance evaluation. Looking at member surveys, performance records, and managers' own self-diagnosis together, the problems that training needs to solve are narrowed down. When courses are designed around trending topics without a needs analysis, managers are likely to be unable to connect the training content to their own team's problems. The analysis results are also used to determine educational goals and indicators to measure effectiveness. Korea Research Institute of Business & Branding operates leadership and organizational operation training for managers and customized workshops for companies at Management education/corporate education.
What do you need to use what you have learned in your workplace?
A meta-analysis (Blume et al., 2010), which addressed the conditions under which educational effectiveness leads to practical application, synthesized 89 studies and reported that learners' cognitive ability, conscientiousness, motivation, and a supportive work environment were related to application. In particular, for skills where there is no single correct answer, such as leadership, the influence of motivation and work environment is greater than for more formal skills such as computer usage.
After training, managers must have the opportunity to try new methods and the interest of their superiors to retain what they have learned. Give application assignments within a few weeks after the training and arrange a time to review the results together. The smaller and more specific the application task, such as changing the way team meetings are conducted, the easier it is to attempt.
Can online courses alone replace leadership training?
A 2017 meta-analysis supported face-to-face delivery and formats that did not involve learners alone. Online courses have the advantage of eliminating travel time and allowing managers from multiple locations to take them together. On the other hand, role plays to practice difficult interviews are difficult to transfer to the screen, and video lectures that you listen to alone are easy to stop in the middle. Therefore, a mixed method in which concepts and theories are first learned online, and practice and feedback is conducted face-to-face is a realistic alternative. The ways to develop capabilities in relationships can be compared in In-house mentoring system and Manager exchange meeting.
At what level should the effectiveness of leadership training be measured?
Satisfaction surveys alone cannot tell whether training has changed behavior and performance. Compare the manager's behavior seen by subordinates before and after training, and set performance indicators such as the team's turnover rate or goal achievement rate. Measurements should not be taken immediately after training, but again several months later to see whether the behavior is maintained. Korea Research Institute of Business & Branding places learnability as its core value by examining implementation results and reflecting them in research and education. The institute’s publications and educational materials follow Management publications and reports.
Leadership Training Frequently asked questions
How many hours of leadership training is appropriate?
The meta-analysis reported that training duration influenced effectiveness, but did not provide a definitive answer. The design of dividing the project into several rounds rather than all at once received support.
Who is better, an in-house instructor or an external instructor?
In the study, both methods were confirmed to be effective. Choose based on whether our company's cases can be incorporated into training, or try a combination of the two methods.
Can I give the same training to new and experienced managers?
If the results of the needs analysis are different, the content should also be different. Common topics include role transitions and interviewing skills for new managers, and driving change and running an organization for experienced managers.
Would it be better to make attendance at training mandatory?
A meta-analysis reported that mode of attendance influenced effectiveness. Rather than attendance, it is more important to plan post-training application tasks and support from superiors.
References
- Journal of Applied Psychology, 「Leadership training design, delivery, and implementation: A meta-analysis」(Lacerenza, Reyes, Marlow, Joseph, Salas), 2017. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000241
- Journal of Applied Psychology, 「Effectiveness of training in organizations: A meta-analysis of design and evaluation features」(Arthur, Bennett, Edens, Bell), 2003. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.88.2.234
- Journal of Management, 「Transfer of Training: A Meta-Analytic Review」(Blume, Ford, Baldwin, Huang), 2010. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206309352880