How HR’s investment in upskilling leaders!
Upskilling leaders and managers is a critical process that contributes to the success of organisations in today's fast-paced, complex, and rapidly changing business environment. The continuous learning and development of leaders and managers enable them to adapt to changing global contexts, enhance organisational performance, and develop employees' skills (Armstrong, 2012).
Theoretical Model
Human resource management practice (Armstrong, 2012) shows several theoretical models can be used to guide the upskilling of leaders and managers. One such model is the Competency-Based Model, which is focused on identifying and developing specific (1)Knowledge, (2)Skills, and (3)Attitudes competencies that are critical for effective leadership and management.
Competency Model Of Training
Another model is the Transformational Leadership Model, which emphasizes the development of leaders who can inspire and motivate employees towards achieving organisational goals (Gilis, 2016).
The Situational Leadership Model is also useful in upskilling leaders and managers, as it helps them to adjust their leadership style to match the situation they are facing through
(1) directing, (2) coaching, (3) supporting, and (4) delegating (Lancefield and Rangen, 2021)
Principles and Practices
As per (Huang and Van de Vooren, 2020), to upskill leaders and managers, organisations can implement various principles and practices. One such practice is coaching, which involves the provision of personalised feedback and guidance to leaders and managers. This helps them to identify their strengths and weaknesses, as well as areas that require development. Another practice is training and development programs, which are designed to enhance the knowledge, skills, and competencies of leaders and managers. Leadership and management development programs can be delivered through a variety of methods, including online training, virtual reality training, classroom training, on-the-job training, and mentoring.
The table below shows some competencies that are important for effective leadership and management.
Competency | Definition |
Strategic thinking | The ability to think and plan strategically, and to align organizational goals with vision and mission |
Problem-solving | The ability to identify and solve problems, and to make effective decisions |
Interpersonal skills | The ability to communicate effectively, build relationships, and work collaboratively |
Change management | The ability to manage and lead change initiatives, and to adapt to change |
Emotional intelligence | The ability to understand and manage one's own emotions, and to understand and empathize with others |
Team management | The ability to manage and lead teams, and to build a high-performing team |
Source: Adapted from Boyatzis model
Conclusion:
The upskilling of leaders and managers is essential for organizational success as well as help retain employees in a global context. The use of theoretical models, principles, and practices can guide organizations in developing the skills and competencies of their leaders and managers.
References:
Al Ariss, A., Cascio, W. F., and Paauwe, J. (2019) Talent management: Current theories and future research directions. Journal of World Business, 54(3), 357-369
Huang, X., and Van de Vooren, D. (2020) Developing global leaders: A literature review. Journal of Management Development, 39(3), 263-276.
Armstrong M., (2012) Human Resource Management Practice. 10th edition, Kogan Page, London, and Philadelphia
Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., and Wright, P. M. (2017). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. McGraw-Hill Education.
Gilis, S. (2016). The Most Important Leadership Competencies, According to Leaders Around the World. Harvard Business Press.[Online]. Available from:
https://hbr.org/2016/03/the-most-important-leadership-competencies-according-to-leaders-around-the-world [Accessed on March 12, 2023]
Lancefield, D., and Rangen, C., (2021). 4 Actions Transformational Leaders Take, Harvard Business Press.[Online]. Available from:
https://hbr.org/2021/05/4-actions-transformational-leaders-take [Accessed on March 12, 2023]
Another interesting article. Lot of information available about HR investment in upskilling lesders and managers. Learned new things. Very interesting.
ReplyDeleteHR investment on development of leaders leads inspire and motivate employees towards achieving organisational goals (Gilis, 2016). It is a positive attitude on both employees and the organisation
DeleteI think thats a excellent article. Good information and ideas for the leaders . Keep it up 👍
ReplyDeleteWhat if upskilling leaders and managers are not available in an organisations in today's rapidly changing business environment. (Orbes, 2016) shows continuously tracking on the development for the health of the business
DeleteContinuous learning and development of leaders and managers helps them adapt to changing global contexts, improve organizational performance, and develop employee skills.
ReplyDeleteYou have studied this well and added many important points to this article. well done .
An article on HBR (Dicit, 2023) shows learning and development add values on the employee retention and organisational's values.
DeleteInvesting in upskilling leaders can have a significant impact on an organization's success. HR's investment, in leadership development, can result in improved leadership skills, innovation growth, competitive advantage, and succession planning too. Well done.
ReplyDeleteContinuous learning and development of leaders and managers enable them to adapt to changing global contexts, enhance organisational performance, and develop employees' skills (Armstrong, 2012)
DeleteNicely have explained on the leadership models and described how HR investment is valuable for the upskilling leaders. Nice Work!.
ReplyDeleteUpskilling of leaders and managers is essential for organisational success as well as help retain employees in a global context and HR plays a leadership role on organisational's values.
DeleteWell explained article Anushka !
ReplyDeleteAttending workshops and seminars, as well as utilizing internet resources, are two ways for leaders and managers to improve their skills. Companies should provide training in new technology and establish a mentorship program. It is also critical to promote information sharing within teams and make data-driven decisions based on employee feedback.