Let’s be honest: “Leadership Development” has become the corporate equivalent of a kale smoothie — everyone swears by it, few actually enjoy it, and most can’t tell if it’s making any real difference.
Every year, companies pour millions into leadership development programs that come packaged in sleek PDFs, four-quadrant models, and awkward trust falls in offsite workshops. We spend on leadership development. We save by lowballing coaching fees. But do we invest in leadership?
Let’s unpack that.
1. Spending ≠ Impact
Spending on leadership development is like buying gym equipment and assuming you’re fit now. Money was spent. Something impressive was delivered. But where’s the change?
You can buy the fanciest programs, bring in big-name speakers, and still end up with leaders who manage like they’re stuck in 2005. Why? Because spending is a transaction. Investment is transformation.
2. Saving on Leadership = Short-Term Brilliance, Long-Term Regret
Yes, cutting leadership development fees might make your quarterly financials look like a Wall Street dream. But what about when your best manager leaves because no one developed them beyond middle management? Or when your next-gen leader completely fumbles their promotion because they were never taught how to lead others — only projects?
Short-term savings lead to long-term vacancies (and awkward LinkedIn job posts).
3. The Real Move: Investing in Leadership
And here’s the pivot: Leadership isn’t a luxury. It’s infrastructure.
Investing doesn’t always mean more money. It means intentionality. It means building a culture where leadership is everyone’s business — not just the CXO’s, the ‘HiPo’ darlings, or whoever scored high on last year’s potential matrix.
We don’t need another champagne-budget leadership retreat for the chosen few while the rest of the organization fends off burnout and micromanagement with a free L&D e-course.
4. Leadership Is a Pipeline, Not a Pedestal
Ever heard of Drotter’s Leadership Pipeline? Whether you think it’s scientific gospel or corporate folklore, it makes one thing clear: leadership is a journey — from leading self, to leading others, to leading enterprise.
Why then do we throw all our budget at the top, expecting the base to magically catch up?
Let’s flip that.
- Invest in the first-time supervisor. They’re shaping culture daily.
- Support the mid-level manager. They’re translating vision into action.
- Equip senior leaders to unlearn. (Yes, unlearn. We’ve all met that exec still leading like it’s Y2K.)
5. Conclusion: Rethink the Spend
Spending on leadership is easy. Investing? That takes guts, patience, and a shift in mindset.
Stop hoarding leadership development like it’s a VIP lounge. Democratize it. Embed it. Make it a way of working, not a box to tick.
Because when everyone is seen as capable of leadership, everyone becomes responsible for it.
And that? That’s when the business starts to lead itself.
