Graduation Isn’t the End of Leadership Development – It’s Where the Real Work Begins!
I recently had the privilege of facilitating the graduation session for the seventh cohort of a leadership development program. Seven cohorts. Hundreds of participants. A lot of workshops, conversations, challenging questions, and moments of “aha.”
I love the energy of a graduation session. There’s a natural sense of accomplishment. People can look back and see how much they’ve learned, how their thinking has changed and, in many cases, how they’ve grown as leaders. But leadership isn’t something we complete. There isn’t a certificate we can hang on the wall that says, “Congratulations. You’re now a finished leader.” The real challenge is taking what we’ve learned and bringing it back into the everyday reality of work.
And that’s not always easy. Because then Monday morning arrives. The emails are waiting. The meetings start. Someone needs an answer. A difficult employee conversation needs to happen. A deadline is looming. The strategic priority gets bumped by an urgent operational issue. And before we know it, that great insight from three weeks ago can become a distant memory. Not because we didn’t value it. Not because we didn’t intend to use it. We’re just busy.
Most leaders I work with don’t need more things added to their already very long to-do lists. The challenge is finding ways to turn learning into small, practical changes in how they approach the work they’re already doing. This is why what happens between and after workshops is so valuable:
- conversations with managers and direct reports;
- peer mentoring;
- learning circles;
- coaching;
- action learning;
- feedback; and
- opportunities to apply new skills to real challenges.
These aren’t add-ons to leadership development. They’re what help turn learning into practice. Because ultimately, it’s not what we know that changes how we lead, it’s what we practice.
One of the things I particularly appreciated about this latest cohort was hearing participants reflect on how much they had learned from one another. They had challenged each other, shared experiences, tried new approaches and supported each other through the inevitable ups and downs of leadership. That doesn’t have to end at graduation either. If anything, I hope graduation marks the beginning of a new phase:
- continuing the conversations;
- staying curious;
- asking for feedback;
- experimenting with new approaches; and
- noticing when old habits start to creep back in.
Because leadership development isn’t about reaching a point where we have all the answers. It’s about becoming more intentional about how we lead – and continuing to learn along the way.
So, to the graduates of this, and all leadership development programs: congratulations! Celebrate what you’ve accomplished. Be proud of how far you’ve come. And then get back to work. Because graduation isn’t the end of leadership development. It’s where the real work begins!
Learn more about Kwela’s leadership development programs here.
Helen Schneiderman, Partner
helens@kwelaleadership.com
