Yesterday we considered the importance of a Leadership Development Program for every organization. The key takeaway from the article is that we should focus on "first who, then what."

Today, let's think about the content of an LDP. What is the proper curriculum for training leaders? A broad guideline for program content should focus on core competencies, character, and time management.

Every organization will have an approach to these topics based on their culture. Training should be specific rather than theoretical. Classrooms and seminars are the places to deliver broad-based "leaders should" training. The LDP should be designed to create effective leaders within the host organization.

Five tips for content development of your LDP:

1. Who are the model leaders within the organization? Make sure that candidates for leadership spend time with the right people. Think in terms of months rather than meetings.

Effective leadership transfers through modeling.

2. Does the candidate have knowledge of the inner workings of every department in the organization? Create a rotation cycle in the LDP. Decide how much time a trainee should spend in each department. Think months over minutes.

Leadership training is not a spectator sport.

3. Does your company have a required reading list? (Send an email to [email protected] if you would like to see my personal list.) Your LDP should engage trainees through reading.

Leaders are readers.

4. Do you have a formal Human Resource training program? Be sure to include formal HR training in the LDP. Leaders need to understand the legal ramifications of every word they speak and every action they take. Recruiting, selecting and hiring are key functions of a leader that require specific training in legal matters.

Leaders know the law.

5. Does your organization have weekly training events? Trainees should cycle through the delivery of key training seminars. The future leader must develop advanced speaking skills, and a best practice is to train the trainer through active teaching.

Leaders must show and tell.

The Leadership Development Program should produce future leaders who know, "this is how we do things here." But on a much grander scale, the leader must be encouraged to improve skills as a writer, speaker, and thinker. Strategic thinking is the lifeblood of leadership.

Leadership training is a process, not an event.

"Jesus went throughout all Galilee teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all sorts of diseases among the people" (Matt. 4:23).

Dr. Steve Greene is the publisher and executive vice president of the media group at Charisma Media and executive producer of the Charisma Podcast Network. His book, Love Leads: The Spiritual Connection Between Your Relationships and Productivity, is now available.

Leaders, Dr. Greene wants to help you understand the spiritual connection between relationships and productivity. Read his new blog, here.

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