Deliberate practice holds profound implications for skill development in many domains. Whether it's getting better at skiing or mastering other skills like leadership and communication skills, the principles remain the same. With each deliberate repetition, new neural pathways are forged, and long-term memory retention is enhanced, paving the way for non-conscious and more effortless performance.

Regardless of industry, fantastic leadership communication is vital for organizational success. Deliberate practice of these critical communication skills within realistic scenarios tailored to the job role and individual will get leaders to perform better sooner and with measurable results. Remember the adage “practice makes progress” and keep reading for examples of practice scenarios specific to specialized leader segments, including sales, supply chain and corporate.

The bottom line: to effectively use High-Impact Questions, you must do your homework. Understand your client's business, their industry, and the challenges they face. Combined with the High-Impact Question formula, this knowledge will enable you to craft questions that resonate, challenge, and engage.

Bottom line: the key to effective leadership training isn't just about completing training - it's about building relevant knowledge, bridging to application with practice, and supporting retention… all within a supportive eco-system.

Seven Compelling Reasons to Incorporate Deliberate Practice into Manager Skill Development Programs

Understanding the Four Crucial Skills to Develop and Why They Are Critical to Manager Success

Which skills are chronically underperformed and how to close those gaps

One of the important lessons of 2020 is that organizations that deliver effective changes quickly will continue to have a competitive advantage. I had the pleasure of hosting several virtual roundtable discussions throughout 2020 that focused on how organizations were adapting their Leadership Development strategy to address the immediate needs forced on them by the Covid-19 pandemic as well as social change driven by Black Lives Matter and the Me-Too movement. Several themes emerged from the discussions.

Today, our attention is demanded by the screens that we work and play on, advertising designed to prey on our deepest fears and dreams, and of course, the important things like family, friends, walking the dog – you know, reality. Combine this well-crafted assault on our attention and our obligations to reality it’s no wonder that when you see the data on the meager effectiveness of traditional L&D programs, they are typically the first to have their budgets questioned.