Leadership Development

Leadership development prepares individuals for advancement to levels of major responsibility within the organization (chief executive officer, chief operating officer, vice president, managing [Page 876]director) and contributes to their continuous learning. As such, leadership development increases the overall competence of leaders across the organization. Preparation may begin early in a person’s career through participation in education or training programs (e.g., a several-day or weeklong program delivered at an organization’s training center, a university, or a company that specializes in leadership development programs) and initial job experiences (positions and developmental job assignments). Top managers may identify lower level managers who they believe have potential for advancement and place them in fast-track programs in which they are promoted rapidly as they move through a series of line ...