Leadership development is a crucial investment for any organisation. However, despite the billions spent on leadership programs annually, many companies still struggle to see a real return on that investment. 

This often stems from a few common mistakes in design, execution, and follow-up that hinder the long-term success of leadership initiatives.

At Mantle, we’ve partnered with clients across various sectors, helping them avoid these pitfalls and ensure their leadership programs are both impactful and sustainable. 

Based on our experience, here are seven of the most frequent mistakes organisations make in leadership development—and actionable steps to overcome them.

1. Not Setting Up for Success

What’s the mistake?

Not aligning leadership programs with clear outcomes and stakeholder expectations from the start.

Why it matters:

Without a well-defined vision and expected outcomes, leadership programs can quickly lose direction. The result? Poor engagement and minimal impact.

What to do about it:

Conduct a needs analysis, engage with key stakeholders early, and integrate leadership programs with business strategy to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Clear expectations and regular touchpoints for evaluation set the stage for success.

2. Not Getting the Trainee’s Brain in the Room

What’s the mistake?

Failing to engage trainees mentally and emotionally from the outset, leaving them disconnected from the learning process.

Why it matters:

Adults need to feel motivated and involved in their learning. Without this, trainees tend to disengage, leading to poor learning transfer and missed opportunities.

What to do about it:

Focus on building a leadership and growth mindset from the start. Set clear expectations and involve trainees in shaping the program. Use feedback to adapt the experience to their individual learning styles and contexts.

3. Not Bringing the Trainee’s Manager Into the Conversation

What’s the mistake?

Leadership programs that focus solely on the individual without considering the role of the manager or their involvement in the process.

Why it matters:

A manager’s support can significantly influence the success of a leadership program. Without their involvement, there’s little chance of reinforcing and applying what’s been learned.

What to do about it:

Involve managers in the learning process from day one. Make sure they understand the program’s objectives and how they can support their team members’ development.

4. Not Being Learner-Led

What’s the mistake?

Treating leadership programs as a one-size-fits-all, content-driven initiative rather than a learner-centric, flexible experience.

Why it matters:

Without an adaptable and engaging approach, participants may feel like passive recipients of knowledge rather than active contributors to their own development.

What to do about it:

Focus on facilitating learning, not just delivering content. Use interactive, real-world activities that encourage participants to apply what they’ve learned in their day-to-day work. Tailor the content to meet the specific challenges and goals of your participants.

5. Not Managing Learning Transfer

What’s the mistake?

Focusing on the learning experience itself, but failing to ensure that what’s learned actually gets applied in the workplace.

Why it matters:

Without effective learning transfer, any insights gained in a leadership program will remain theoretical and won’t lead to any meaningful change in behaviour or performance.

What to do about it:

Set clear expectations for behaviour change and provide support to help trainees integrate what they’ve learned into their daily routines. Use action-learning methods to address real challenges, making sure there’s follow-up to keep momentum going.

6. Not Evaluating the Program Properly

What’s the mistake?

Neglecting to assess the effectiveness of a leadership program, leading to wasted resources and missed opportunities for improvement.

Why it matters:

Without proper evaluation, it’s impossible to know if the program is achieving the desired outcomes or if changes are needed.

What to do about it:

Use proven evaluation frameworks like Kirkpatrick’s Levels of Evaluation or Phillips’ ROI methodology. Ensure that the program’s impact is measured against clear business outcomes and adjust based on feedback.

7. Continuous Improvement Not Built In

What’s the mistake?

Thinking that once a leadership program is piloted, it’s finished. Without ongoing reviews, leadership programs can become outdated and lose their relevance.

Why it matters:

Leadership needs evolve, and so should your program. Programs that don’t evolve quickly enough risk losing engagement, failing to meet new challenges, and becoming ineffective over time.

What to do about it:

Build in regular reviews and feedback loops, ensuring that the program is continuously refined to meet changing business needs and new leadership challenges.

At Mantle, we’ve seen firsthand how addressing these common mistakes can see the full potential of a leadership program. With our expertise in tailored leadership development, we take a neuroscience-informed approach to ensure every program we design is impactful, engaging, and results-driven. If you’re looking to transform your leadership development initiatives, let’s talk.