Leadership development is the deliberate building of people's ability to lead. It covers individuals, teams and the wider organisation.
It matters more as AI changes work. McKinsey's State of Organizations 2026 found 72% of leaders say their organisations are not fully ready for the changes ahead.
What it includes
Programmes. Structured learning on specific skills and behaviours, from single workshops to year-long academies.
Coaching. One-to-one work with a qualified coach on a leader's own priorities.
Mentoring. A relationship where an experienced leader shares perspective and networks.
360-degree feedback. Structured feedback from a leader's manager, peers and team.
Peer learning. Coaching circles, action learning sets and shared projects.
Assessment. Evidence-based tools for personality, emotional intelligence and leadership style.
Stretch assignments. Demanding on-the-job challenges, such as leading a difficult project.
What the research says works
A 2017 meta-analysis by Lacerenza and colleagues reviewed 335 studies of leadership training. It found training improves learning, behaviour and results.
Some design choices made a clear difference. Programmes worked better when they started with a needs analysis, spread sessions over time and included practice with feedback.
Build this capability in your organisation
Growth Performance designs bespoke programmes that turn insight into measurable behaviour change.
Why programmes often fall short
Generic content. Programmes that ignore a leader's real challenges get little traction.
No practice. A single session builds knowledge briefly. Behaviour change takes weeks of practice and reflection.
No manager support. When a participant's own manager does not reinforce the learning, it fades.
No measurement. Without agreed outcomes, nobody can tell whether it worked.
How AI changes the brief
McKinsey's report says leading others now means leading oneself. Reflective leaders were far more confident their organisations could adapt: 30% against 17%.
Gallup's 2026 report found manager engagement fell to 22%. Leaders also reported more stress and loneliness than the people they lead.
Leaders now need to help people take on the change, work well with AI agents and stay ready as change keeps speeding up. Our Human Advantage Programme is built around those three conditions: Adoption, Adaptation and Acceleration.
Measuring impact
Measure four things: how relevant people found it, what they learned, what they now do differently and what changed for the business.
Behaviour and business results matter most. Agree them before the programme starts.
Try this
List your current leadership development activities. For each, ask: does it include practice over time? Does the participant's manager reinforce it? How is change measured?
To find your team's starting point on AI, take the Adoption Condition Diagnostic.