Olympic Goals

Want to develop leaders with a winning mindset? Magali Dolo, EMEA Head of Leadership & Management Development at Insight identifies some lessons from sport.

Leadership development is one of the most important and challenging aspects of HR practice. In fact, according to DDI’s Global Leadership Forecast, developing the next generation of leaders is the top challenge for 55% of CEOs. 

However, leadership development shouldn’t just have to start at the top. A survey by Zippia shows that 83% of organisations believe it’s important to develop leaders at every level of the company. Yet, the same research reveals that only 5% of businesses have put this into practice. 

Those not investing in developing leaders are likely to see a leadership skills gap in their organisation. Flair HR found that 80% of companies have noticed this issue, with millennials being largely affected by the lack of leadership training. This has led to higher failure rates for newly promoted or hired leaders, with 50% to 70% failing within the first 18 months, according to the same research from Flair HR. 

This can ultimately lead to an increase in recruitment costs due to the need to replace either the leader, or team members who may become disengaged due to difficulty connecting with the culture, vision, and environment that has been created.

On the other hand, businesses that do invest in training and developing leaders at all levels of the organisation can gain a competitive advantage against their counterparts. When done well, companies can earn an average of 147% higher earnings per share when they have more skilled leaders, and the rate of engaged employees doubles, according to Gallup. 

Invest in Leadership for Success

Investing in leadership development is crucial for business success, and the benefits far outweigh the costs. Not only does it improve the performance, but it also attracts and retains talent, improves strategy and adaptability to change, it also creates a stronger sense of belonging. It seems like a no brainer really. 

However, leadership development has to be more than just a programme, or it won’t work. Not every leader can be developed in the same way; there’s no one size fits all approach, and that’s where some companies go wrong even when they do try. So, how can businesses implement effective leadership training to help drive high performance?

Elite Sport

One possible source of inspiration is the world of elite sport. Coming from a strong sporting background, for me it is obvious to see the link, as there are many similarities between business and sports coaching. High performance in athletes, especially in teams, is down to great coaching and leadership. Both in businesses and in sports, leaders and coaches must inspire and empower individuals to reach their full potential and achieve the desired results. 

In sports, leadership development is an ongoing process that includes training, mentoring, and constant feedback. Coaches identify potential leaders and provide them with opportunities to grow, fostering a culture of accountability and excellence. This ensures that when the pressure is on, every team member knows their role, is clear on how they contribute, and can step up when needed. 

Similarly, in business, developing leaders at all levels creates a resilient organisation capable of navigating challenges and seizing opportunities. Leadership isn’t confined to the C-Suite; it should exist at every level, driving innovation, efficiency, and engagement throughout the company. 

Lessons from Sport on Leadership Development: 

• Create a leadership development roadmap: 

Establish a clear, structured plan that outlines how leadership skills will be developed across all levels of the business. This roadmap should include short-term and long-term goals, tailored training programmes, and measurable outcomes. 

• Embed leadership into the culture: 

Foster an organisational culture that values and encourages leadership behaviours. Recognise and reward employees who demonstrate leadership qualities, regardless of their position. Having a good recognition program in place will make employees feel valued, highlighting that what makes a difference is ‘progress over perfection’.

• Set SMART goals and monitor progress: 

Goal setting provides direction, motivation, and focus. However, not all goals are equally effective. Specific, Motivating, Achievable, and Trackable (SMART) goals are more likely to lead to high performance than vague or unrealistic ones. They help leaders clarify their expectations, monitor progress, and adjust strategies as needed. HR can support this by providing coaching, training, and feedback. Coaching can help leaders identify their strengths and areas for improvement, as well as formulate realistic and meaningful goals. Training can help leaders acquire the knowledge and skills they need to pursue their goals. Feedback can help leaders evaluate their performance and celebrate their achievements, or re-route efforts where it may be required.

• Leverage strategies typically demonstrated by sports teams: 

Adopt practices from the sports world, such as regular performance reviews, team-cohesion exercises, and leadership rotations. These activities can help identify emerging leaders and provide them with practical leadership experience. Ensuring commonality in language and tools will reinforce this also.

• Invest in continuous learning and development: 

Offer ongoing training and development opportunities that evolve with the needs of the business and the individual. This could include workshops, online courses, and mentorship programmes. Continuous learning and development help to inspire confidence and view setbacks as opportunities to improve. In sports, governing bodies invest in the development of sports at grassroots levels to create pathways that enable players to practice their discipline at the highest levels they can perform at; in business, this translates to creating pathways either vertically for people to step into leadership positions; equally creating pathways for people to perform in an expert or project-based position as their skills and talent may be more effective this way, is becoming more and more pertinent. 

• Utilise technology and analytics: 

Use data and analytics to track the effectiveness of leadership development programmes. Identify what works, adjust the strategies as needed, and ensure that resources are being used effectively. This can enable the adjustment of plans at macro levels to influence a large population of teammates or at micro level to support precisely a niche group of teammates.

• Build self-belief and confidence: 

Self-belief and confidence are crucial for leadership. Leaders who believe in their abilities are more likely to take initiative, embrace change, and seek feedback. To build these qualities, provide opportunities for mastery experiences (challenging but achievable tasks), vicarious experiences (learning from role models), verbal persuasion (positive feedback), and managing emotional states (stress management). HR can support this by offering stretch assignments, providing mentoring, and ensuring recognition for achievements.  

There are many lessons to be learned from the world of elite sports. By adopting these strategies, businesses can transform their leadership development into actionable plans that drive and sustain success. Developing leaders at all levels isn’t just a best practice – it’s a critical component of building a resilient, adaptable, and high performing organisation. By placing people at the centre of the development programmes, companies can move away from that one size fits all mentality, create tailored roadmaps for growth, and encourage diversity of thoughts and the inclusion of diverse profiles and backgrounds.