What if we thought more broadly about leadership development?

Organisations invest significantly in developing their people.

Leadership programs. Coaching. Mentoring. Workshops. Internal development programs. Executive education.

And they should.

These experiences can change how someone leads, communicates, makes decisions, manages people and contributes to an organisation.

And there’s another opportunity worth considering:

What if, alongside that development, individuals also had the opportunity to work towards a nationally recognised qualification?

Different approaches can provide different things

A great leadership development program can provide experiences that are difficult to replicate in formal education.

✓ Coaching can challenge the way someone thinks

✓ Workshops can expose people to new ideas

✓ Team-based development can change relationships and behaviours

✓ Mentoring can accelerate someone's growth through the experience of others

All of that has enormous value.

A nationally recognised VET qualification provides something different.

To successfully complete a qualification, an individual must be assessed as meeting the requirements of the nationally recognised training product.

It provides formal evidence that the individual has been assessed as competent against nationally recognised requirements.

And when the two sit alongside each other, they can create greater value for both the individual and the organisation.

Development can continue in different ways

One of the opportunities in bringing these two approaches together is continuity of development.

A leadership program, workshop or coaching experience can create an immediate and powerful impact.

For selected participants, a nationally recognised education pathway can provide an additional opportunity to continue developing over time.

Participants can develop their knowledge and skills through structured learning directly related to their work, apply that learning in the workplace, receive trainer support and feedback, and be formally assessed against nationally recognised requirements.

Where they already have relevant competency, that may be recognised through RPL. Where there are gaps, there is an opportunity for further development.

The leadership experience and the education pathway can each contribute something different to an individual's development.

What does the individual gain?

For the individual, adding a nationally recognised pathway to their broader leadership development can provide:

✓ A nationally recognised qualification or Statement of Attainment

✓ Formal recognition of demonstrated competency

✓ Additional structured learning that can deepen or broaden their capability

✓ A credential that stays with them throughout their career

✓ Evidence of their continued professional development

✓ A pathway towards further qualifications

✓ And, most importantly, the capability they developed along the way

Where an individual already has relevant skills and experience, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) may form part of their pathway.

For someone who has spent years leading people without a formal leadership qualification, that recognition can be particularly meaningful.

For an emerging leader, it can form part of the journey towards their first leadership position.

And for someone already progressing through management, it can provide another building block in their longer-term career.

There is an important benefit for employers too

From an employer's perspective, this can add another dimension to their investment in both organisational capability and the individual.

There is a difference between saying:

“We'd like you to attend this leadership program.”

and saying:

“We're investing in your development, recognising the capability you've already built, helping you develop further, and giving you the opportunity to achieve a nationally recognised qualification.”

That can have implications beyond the learning itself.

✓ It can contribute to employee recognition and morale

✓ It can support career development and succession planning

✓ It can help create clearer development pathways for emerging and existing leaders

✓ It can strengthen the employee value proposition

And it demonstrates something important to employees:

We're not only investing in what you can do for the organisation today. We're investing in where you can go tomorrow.

Not everyone needs the same pathway

This is another area where I think organisations can rethink leadership development.

Not everybody needs a Diploma.

Not everybody needs a Certificate IV.

And not everybody needs to undertake a complete qualification immediately.

For one employee, selected nationally recognised units of competency in areas such as communication, emotional intelligence or leadership may be appropriate, with a Statement of Attainment issued for units successfully completed.

For an emerging leader, a BSB40520 Certificate IV in Leadership and Management might provide the right foundation.

For an experienced manager, the BSB50420 Diploma of Leadership and Management may be more appropriate.

And for someone whose responsibilities extend beyond people leadership into broader business management, a wider business qualification pathway may make sense.

The starting point should be the person:

• Where are they now?

• Where are they heading?

• What capability do they already have?

• What do they still need to develop?

Then build the pathway around that.

It doesn't have to be either/or

Different approaches to leadership development can play different but complementary roles.

A leadership development experience can challenge someone, expose them to new thinking, build confidence, change behaviours and help them become a better leader.

Nationally recognised education can provide an additional pathway for development through structured learning, workplace application, trainer support and formal assessment, while providing a nationally recognised outcome.

Bring the two together and you can create additional value for both the individual and the organisation.

For the organisation, that can mean stronger capability and greater confidence in the competencies its people have demonstrated.

For the individual, it can mean development, recognition and a qualification they carry with them throughout their career.

Perhaps, then, the question isn't:

Leadership development or a qualification?

The more interesting question is:

How can nationally recognised education form part of a broader approach to leadership development?

At Connect Business Academy, we work with organisations to create nationally recognised leadership development pathways for current and emerging leaders.

→ Explore Leadership Development for Organisations

Andrew Sisley
CEO & Head Trainer
Connect Business Academy | RTO 46529

www.connectba.edu.au