How can I use learning and development advisory services to design development programs for emerging leaders?

Learning and development advisory services can help you build emerging leader programs that are aligned to business needs, practical to run, and measurable. The key is to use the advisor as a design partner, not just a content provider.

How to use L&D advisory services effectively

1. Start with the leadership need, not the training topic

Ask the advisor to help you define:

• What “emerging leader” means in your organization
• Which roles or populations are in scope
• What business outcomes the program should support
• What leadership capabilities are most critical now and in the next 1–3 years

Good advisory partners will help you translate business strategy into a leadership capability model.

2. Assess current gaps

Use the advisory service to diagnose:

• Current skill gaps
• Readiness for promotion
• Common performance issues for new managers
• Differences across functions, locations, or levels

This can be done through:

• Interviews with stakeholders
• Focus groups with emerging leaders
• Surveys or 360 feedback
• Performance and promotion data review

3. Define a capability framework

Work with the advisor to create a clear framework for emerging leaders, such as:

• Self-management and resilience
• Communication and influence
• Coaching and feedback
• Decision-making
• Inclusive leadership
• Managing performance
• Leading change

This framework becomes the backbone of the development program.

4. Design a blended development experience

Advisory services can help you build a learning journey that includes:

• Formal learning sessions
• Manager-led coaching
• Peer learning groups
• Stretch assignments
• Action learning projects
• On-the-job practice
• Microlearning and just-in-time resources

Emerging leaders usually benefit most from programs that are applied, not classroom-only.

5. Tailor by audience and maturity

Not all emerging leaders are at the same stage. Advisors can help you segment the audience by:

• First-time managers
• High-potential individual contributors
• Team leads
• New managers in different business areas

Then you can adapt depth, pacing, and support accordingly.

6. Build in measurement from the start

Ask the advisory service to help define success metrics such as:

• Completion and engagement
• Confidence or skill gains
• Manager feedback
• Promotion readiness
• Retention of participants
• Team performance indicators
• Time to effectiveness for new leaders

A good program is designed with evaluation in mind, not added later.

7. Pilot and iterate

Use advisory support to:

• Run a pilot with a small group
• Gather participant and stakeholder feedback
• Refine content, delivery, and sequencing
• Scale only after proving impact

Questions to ask an L&D advisory partner

• What leadership capabilities matter most for our business strategy?
• What data should we use to identify development needs?
• How should we segment emerging leaders?
• What mix of learning methods works best for this audience?
• How do we ensure manager involvement and accountability?
• How will we measure behavior change and business impact?
• What should we pilot before scaling?

A practical process

1. Diagnose needs
2. Define target outcomes
3. Build capability framework
4. Design learning journey
5. Pilot the program
6. Measure results
7. Improve and scale

Best practice

The strongest emerging leader programs are:

• Business-led
• Behavior-focused
• Blended and experiential
• Supported by managers
• Measured for impact

If you want, I can also help you create:

• a sample emerging leader program structure,
• a needs assessment template, or
• a one-page advisory brief for stakeholders.