Secrets to Effective Leadership Development

Does this sound familiar?
“I’d love to invest more in leadership development, but don’t have the time or budget.” 

You’re not alone. When you’re wearing multiple hats and focused on running operations smoothly, developing your leaders can feel like a “someday” task. But here’s the truth: delaying leadership development costs you more in the long run – through poor performance, high turnover, and missed opportunities. 

The good news? Growing your leaders doesn’t have to break the bank or drain your time. 

Let’s Talk About the 70:20:10 Rule 

This proven model of adult learning shows that effective development doesn’t come from training alone. In fact, on average: 

• 70% of learning happens on the job 

• 20% happens through coaching and mentoring 

• Only 10% comes from formal training 

So, while traditional training has its place, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. The real magic happens when you deploy a range of development activities, that aren’t time consuming or costly to initiate. 

3 Affordable Ways to Start Developing Your Leaders Now 

1. Make Development Part of the Day Job (70%)
   Encourage team leads to:

• Take on new short projects or cross functional initiatives outside their comfort zone and present back their leadership learnings to you or the leadership team.  

• Shadow peers or more senior leaders such as yourself to build on development gaps e.g. have them attend a strategic planning meeting 

• Act in a role to cover leave or fill a temporary gap that you know will help their development (Warning: it’s important to also reduce other existing workload) 

2. Tap into Peer Learning and Mentoring (20%)
   Mentoring builds connections and shared growth amongst your leaders. Try:

• Formally pairing new team leads with experienced ones for regular check-ins for at least 6 months 

• Creating monthly “leadership huddles” to share wins, challenges, and lessons around a particular leadership capability area e.g. lesson in delegating effectives 

• Seek out external mentoring programs – industry peak bodies and associations offer free and low-cost options.   

3. Invest Smart in Bite-Sized, Flexible Training (10%)
   Most leaders in small and medium businesses don’t have a full day to step away from their desk, and even when training is available, they often feel guilty for taking time out. Try making it more manageable: 

• Set clear expectations: Let your leaders know it’s okay to prioritise their development. Even allocating just 2 – 4 hours a month to formal learning can make a real difference. 

• Be flexible with how learning happens: This could include free webinars, curated TED Talks, or short videos. Encourage a follow-up discussion or presentation to reinforce key takeaways. 

• Choose programs designed for busy people: Look for leadership programs that offer shorter sessions (2 hours or less) spread over time. This makes learning more digestible and easier to fit into the flow of work. 

Bottom Line

Leadership development doesn’t need to be another overwhelming expense or time drain. With the right mindset, and the right support resources, you can build strong, confident leaders from within. 

Your people are your edge. Let’s make their growth part of your everyday success. 

Still struggling to find affordable, flexible leadership training?

At Impact HR, our Leading with Impact program is designed specifically for small and medium businesses with busy leaders who want practical development without the overwhelm. 

• Affordable monthly subscription 

• Over 20 bite-sized (1-hour) leadership training sessions 

• Join live or catch up at a time that suits your schedule 

• 180 leadership capabilities surveys to help leaders identify development gaps 

Leadership growth that fits your budget and your calendar.