Leadership Training Topics: What to Include

Leadership is a skill consistently sought after by employers, highly valued for both new hires and those within the ranks aspiring to rise. Indeed, a significant 63% of executives consider leadership development one of the most important influences on the success of their organizations.

But what qualities should you look for in new and evolving leaders? And how can you help employees grow their leadership skills?

Female leader conducting a meeting with diverse business team.

Leadership training is the answer to both of these questions.

In this article, we’ll explore the key leadership training topics commonly covered in effective leadership training programs. From foundational principles of leadership to contemporary strategies for leading diverse teams in a globalized world, each topic contributes to building well-rounded and effective leaders who can inspire, motivate, and drive organizational success.

Why Leadership Training Is Important

Failing organizations are usually over-managed and under-led.
– Stephen Covey

Leadership, the ability to guide others toward goals, plays a key role for effective managers and significantly boosts an organization’s success. Not all managers naturally excel as leaders, but training can sharpen their skills, transforming good abilities into great ones.

Leadership development training equips participants with vital tips, tools, and resources to strengthen their leadership capabilities, no matter their initial level. These programs cover key leadership aspects, offer techniques for success, and enhance managers’ problem-solving skills and confidence while taking into account employee perspectives and boosting productivity.

17 Essential Leadership Training Topics Every Training Program Needs

To provide the information and education your current and future managers need to lead, we recommend the following leadership training topics:

Conflict Resolution
Workplace conflict can undermine the strongest teams, impacting productivity, deadlines, and morale. Training managers to quickly identify and resolve conflicts can save valuable time and prevent issues like personality clashes from escalating. Leaders skilled in conflict resolution improve team cooperation, boost productivity, and increase employee motivation and retention.
Dealing with Change
Changes in the workplace can trigger fear, anger, and distrust, leading to unsettled emotions and unproductive outcomes. Change management training teaches managers to understand what drives various responses to change and how to guide employees towards more positive and productive reactions.
Training sessions often explore the challenges of change, the need for resilience, the opportunities it brings, and strategies for effectively implementing new ideas for success.
Problem Solving
Problems will arise in your workplace, so problem-solving is an essential tool for managers to develop. Training that teaches managers to recognize and address problems early equips them to handle challenging situations effectively. This not only ensures operational success but also builds a safer and more confident environment for employees.
Leading Innovation
To stay relevant, competitive, and successful in today’s rapidly changing markets, every organization wants and needs an innovative workforce. Teaching managers how to lead creatively encourages a culture where employees take pride in helping to develop innovative ideas and solutions.
Virtual Leadership
With approximately 22 million U.S. adults working remotely full-time, according to the Pew Research Center, virtual leadership skills have become essential for managers. Training in this area includes enhancing communication in the absence of face-to-face interaction, maximizing the use of online tools, refining technical skills, and applying emotional intelligence to boost team collaboration and engagement.
Project Planning and Delegation
Strong project management is a key skill for managers, and effective delegation is a critical part of it. Training in project-tracking systems enables managers to monitor workers’ progress and identify areas that need attention. Additionally, this training should teach managers how to assign tasks that align with individual team members’ strengths.
Building Trust and Respect
Building employee trust is vital for organizational success, and it starts with managers. Employees who trust in the manager are more likely to respect their decisions to implement team and organizational strategies. Leadership training should concentrate on developing skills for effective communication and other techniques that help managers increase their employees’ confidence, motivation, and trust.

Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence

and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.

– Sheryl Sandberg
Coaching To Improve Performance
Coaching is a skill that enables leaders to build stronger and more meaningful relationships with their employees. It also makes team members feel recognized and valued, which can boost their job performance. Training in this area should teach managers how to empower employees, give meaningful compliments, and promote open communication.
Managing Effective Meetings
Leaders who organize and conduct effective meetings boost an organization’s productivity, focus, and efficiency. Training should provide tips on keeping meetings brief and purposeful, methods to encourage participation, and strategies for achieving successful outcomes with fewer meetings.
Motivating and Encouraging Employees
Motivation and encouragement are key to developing outstanding workforce performance and organizational success. As a first step, teach your managers how and why motivation enhances employees’ well-being and workplace morale/culture. Training should include proven motivational techniques with guidance on how to help workers reach their highest potential.
Effective Communication
Effective communication is key to building employee trust and strong working relationships. Managers who struggle with communication skills may unintentionally create barriers that lower morale and hinder team cooperation. Training should teach leaders to communicate clearly and directly, provide constructive feedback, and seek valuable team input.
Time and Energy Management

True leaders do more than demand efficient time and energy management from their teams; they provide guidance on how to achieve it. Training for managers should focus on techniques for saving time and energy that they can use themselves and then pass on to their employees.

Training sessions should cover how to set and prioritize goals, delegate effectively, reduce interruptions, and make the most of peak productivity hours. They should also offer tips on managing energy, such as encouraging regular breaks and lunch periods. Teams that are less stressed and more energized are likely to be more motivated, meet deadlines, and make fewer errors.

Management is about arranging and telling.

Leadership is about nurturing and enhancing.

– Tom Peters
Setting and Achieving Goals

Goal setting is essential across all levels of a workforce, from part-time employees to CEOs. However, many employees lack training on how to effectively set and achieve goals, which can hinder productivity, advancement, and morale.

Train your leaders to identify priority objectives, create methods to achieve them, and measure success. Encourage them to teach these skills to their employees as well.
Identifying and Cultivating Future Leaders
As part of your organization’s long-term strategy, equip current leaders with the tools they need to identify and mentor future leaders. This approach will help establish a solid foundation for sustained leadership within the workforce.
Developing Soft Skills
Soft skills like communication, creativity, and even leadership are no longer considered “bonus” traits, they are necessary skills for advancing in the workplace. Train your managers to understand what soft skills are, their role in effective leadership, and ways to develop these skills in themselves and their teams.
Giving and Receiving Feedback
Giving and receiving feedback effectively is a skill that requires practice. Providing leaders with the tools and techniques to master this process opens opportunities for enhanced learning and development.
Harnessing Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a key topic in leadership training due to its transformative impact across industries. Leaders need to understand AI’s capabilities to fully leverage it for their organization’s growth, efficiency, and innovation.

Managers can develop skills in data-driven decision-making, strategic planning, and ethical considerations by adding AI training to leadership programs. As AI becomes more common in business, leaders need to handle its complexities, manage risks, and align it with organizational goals. This makes AI an essential aspect of modern leadership development, helping leaders adapt to evolving technology and achieve long-term success in the digital era.

Help Leaders Succeed with Coaching and Follow-up

Over time, even the most motivated leaders may require a refresher on newly acquired skills to prevent reverting to less effective management behaviors.

You can assist managers in enhancing their leadership skills by offering follow-up coaching, extended training, and online resources like KnowledgeCity’s extensive library of leadership courses.

Take advantage of KnowledgeCity’s leadership training. Sign up for a free trial that includes 30,000 training videos about leadership, HR, business, finance, and more!