Human Resources

Leadership Development Programme Design

Organisations invest heavily in leadership development, but many programmes fail to change behaviour. This course shows how to design leadership programmes that work: defining leadership capabilities, assessing needs, choosing experiential methods, using coaching and action learning, engaging senior sponsors and evaluating impact.

5 days Classroom or live online English

Smart Horizon Certified - Global Leadership Consultants

Take the course details with you.

Download the full standard outline: why attend, methodology, objectives, audience, competencies, the daily outline and current plans.

Download course PDF

Why attend

From knowledge to real-world impact.

Leadership programmes succeed when they are linked to real work and strategy. You will learn to design development that produces better leaders.

Workplace challenges

Professional Problems This Course Is Designed to Solve

The programme explores practical approaches to the following challenges. Results depend on how the learning is applied in your organisation.

Difficulty translating subject knowledge into practical workplace decisions.
Inconsistent approaches to the activities covered in the course outline.
Lack of a structured plan for applying and reviewing new skills.

Course methodology

How you will learn.

Programme design workshops, case studies of leading programmes, method comparisons and evaluation planning.

Course objectives

What you'll take away.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Define leadership capabilities aligned with strategy
Assess leadership development needs
Select effective development methods
Integrate coaching, mentoring and action learning
Engage sponsors and line managers
Evaluate programme impact

Target audience

Who should attend.

This course is suitable for:

Learning and development leaders
Talent managers
HR directors
Organisational development consultants
Programme designers

Target competencies

Capabilities you will build.

Participants will develop competencies in:

Programme architecture
Needs assessment
Experiential design
Stakeholder engagement
Impact evaluation

Course outline

Your learning journey.

A focused, practical outline with time to explore, apply and reflect.

Day 1Leadership Development Today

09:00–10:08What works and what fails
10:08–11:00Strategy alignment
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Strategy alignment (continued)
11:45–12:53Capability models
12:53–14:00Exercise

Day 2Needs and Audiences

09:00–10:08Leader levels
10:08–11:00Assessment tools
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Assessment tools (continued)
11:45–12:53Programme goals
12:53–14:00Workshop

Day 3Methods

09:00–10:08Experiential learning
10:08–11:00Action learning
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Action learning (continued)
11:45–12:53Coaching and mentoring
12:53–14:00Exercise

Day 4Engagement

09:00–10:08Sponsors
10:08–11:00Line manager involvement
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Line manager involvement (continued)
11:45–12:53Transfer to work
12:53–14:00Case study

Day 5Evaluation

09:00–10:08Measuring behaviour change
10:08–11:00Business impact
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Business impact (continued)
11:45–12:53Iteration
12:53–14:00Action plan

The timings provided are estimates and may vary depending on the number of participants and the discussions taking place during the sessions. They are indicative only and do not constitute a binding commitment.

Dates & venues

Find a session that works for you.

Confirmed dates accept registration requests. Tentative dates are enquiry only.

Good to know

A few things to know.

How is the course delivered?

Our classroom programmes combine facilitated discussion, case studies, exercises and reflection. The precise format will be confirmed before enrolment.

Can you deliver this programme for our team?

Yes, you can enquire about a tailored programme. Share your goals, group size and preferred dates with our learning team.

Will I receive a certificate?

Participants who complete the programme receive a Smart Horizon UK certificate of attendance. Smart Horizon UK programmes are not externally accredited and do not award a professional qualification, licence or designation. Where a course title or outline refers to a professional certification (for example, AACE International's Certified Cost Professional), the programme supports learning and preparation only; the credential itself is awarded solely by the relevant professional body under its own application and examination requirements.

What should I confirm before booking travel?

Please confirm the session, exact venue, accessibility arrangements, fees and any visa requirements with the team before arranging travel. Tentative dates are not confirmed sessions.

Keep exploring

Your next horizon awaits.

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The full course agenda and dates are available above. Use the session links in Dates & venues to choose a session. Registration and quotation forms require JavaScript; you can also contact our learning team directly.