How to create a high-impact leadership training program

HR and people managers shape the future of their organizations. But many companies fail to offer the structured support leaders need to do their jobs well.

That lack of support has consequences. Without the right development strategy in place, businesses risk leadership gaps that slow progress and drain top talent. A good leadership training program can solve this problem, but only if it’s built or chosen with intention. 

This guide will help you do just that.

What’s a leadership training program?

A leadership training program is a structured learning experience designed to build and strengthen leadership capabilities. Its main goal is to prepare current and future leaders to guide teams and support business growth.

These programs don’t replace real-world experience. They lay the foundation, helping emerging leaders build critical skills and develop a leadership style that fits their role and organization.

How to build your leadership training program

Since every company’s needs are different, the best leadership programs aren’t bought off the shelf. They’re built in-house with tools that let you customize content and easily scale what works — tools like Workleap LMS.

Workleap LMS acts as the foundation for your leadership training program. It gives you the structure to build courses around your company’s skill gaps and professional development goals, not someone else’s template. From new manager onboarding to advanced development for senior leaders, Workleap keeps training organized and accessible from day one.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Establish your goals: What leadership capabilities matter most in your organization? Identify the key skills and outcomes your program should develop, whether that’s communication, coaching, or decision-making.
2. Map the learning journey: Think about what training looks like at different levels and design each step with participants’ goals in mind. Emerging leaders may need microlearning and frequent check-ins. Senior leaders and executive leadership might benefit more from deeper, project-based learning or peer feedback loops.
3. Design and deliver the content: Use Workleap LMS to create and assign learning materials. Mix formats (video, quizzes, docs), auto-enroll by role or team, and schedule reminders to keep learners on track.
4. Track progress and adapt: Monitor completions and assessments, then refine your approach based on outcomes and learner feedback. As your teams grow, your training will evolve with them.

How to make training for leadership work for your team

Once you’ve built the structure of your leadership training program, the next step is choosing the right content. Creating it directly in Workleap LMS is easy, but you can also supplement your content with external resources. 

Courses for leadership can take many forms, from live workshops and self-paced microlearning to full certification programs. What matters most is that the courses and resources you choose meet your leaders’ (and your business’s) needs.

As you create or select your content, make sure it’s:

• Outcome-driven: Connect each course to a business priority (like better decision-making, stronger team leadership, or building trust) so you can track its impact.
• Tailored to participants: Training needs to reflect your learners’ roles and development stage. It should help them with mindset shifts, emotional intelligence, and growing self-awareness, not just technical know-how.
• Built to scale: Leadership development isn’t one and done. Use tools that make assigning and refreshing course content easy without increasing L&D’s workload.

5 platforms for supplementary leadership development classes

Once you’ve established a leadership training program, you may want to offer additional learning opportunities, especially for topics outside your core curriculum. That’s where online classes for leadership play a supporting role.

The resources below aren’t full programs. They’re supplements — content libraries or topic refreshers you can integrate into your existing structure. These platforms offer flexible formats and proven topics that support the best leadership practices, especially when embedded into your Workleap-built program.

Content from some of the providers below is ready to upload directly into Workleap LMS using SCORM. If the platform doesn’t offer SCORM-compliant downloads, you can link or reference materials within your custom course flow.

These five platforms are a great place to find supplementary materials for your leadership training program.

1. LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning offers thousands of expert-led video courses, including a strong leadership and management content catalog. Topics range from giving feedback and managing conflict to strategic thinking and emotional intelligence.

For Workleap LMS users, LinkedIn Learning supports standard LMS integration via AICC. You can download courses or learning path packages, then upload them into Workleap. Progress (completion percentage and status) will then report back to your LMS.

Pricing: $39.99/month for individuals; custom pricing for teams

Demo: One-month free trial available

2. MIT OpenCourseWare

MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW) is an open-education initiative from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It offers free, open-access materials from MIT’s actual courses, including several on leadership, management, and organizational behavior.

While OCW doesn’t support SCORM or AICC packaging, the content works well as external reference material. Just add links to pre-work, supplementary readings, or optional enrichment modules within your Workleap-built platform.

Pricing: Free

Demo: N/A — publicly accessible

3. OpenLearn

OpenLearn offers hundreds of free online courses on various subjects, including an extensive range of leadership development modules. The platform’s leadership classes cover areas like emotional intelligence, change management, and leadership fundamentals.

Some OpenLearn courses provide a SCORM-compatible option so you can export and upload them directly into Workleap LMS. Otherwise, you can reference or link to the content within your custom course flow.

Pricing: Free

Demo: N/A — publicly accessible

4. Center for Creative Leadership

The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) is a global nonprofit organization exclusively dedicated to leadership development. They provide a research-backed suite of leadership tools, including workshop kits and digital learning modules.

Although CCL doesn’t offer SCORM downloads, its materials are designed for flexible use. HR teams can integrate readings, workshop content, or assessments into Workleap LMS as downloadable resources or linked modules.

Pricing: Contact for licensing options

Demo: N/A — requires direct inquiry

5. Skillsoft Percipio

Skillsoft’s Percipio platform offers a deep leadership and management content library, including microlearning videos, digital books, and interactive modules. 

Most Percipio content is hosted on Skillsoft servers. But if you create custom courses in SkillStudio, you can export them using Skillsoft’s Content Installer Kit. Since these modules are SCORM- or AICC-compliant, you can then upload them directly into Workleap LMS. 

Pricing: Custom pricing based on team size

Demo: Free trial with limited access

Take the lead: Build stronger leaders with Workleap

Every day, workplace leaders influence their company’s culture and business growth. But they can’t do it alone.

Workleap LMS makes it easy to design and deliver leadership training that fits your people and your goals. LMS even lets you connect training to engagement, performance, and other key employee moments within the Workleap suite.

Ready to create a seamless leadership development experience that supports long-term employee growth? Try Workleap LMS for free or request a demo today. 

FAQs

Are courses on leadership and management worth it?

Absolutely. Development courses are a proven way to boost team performance and long-term business growth. One report found that leadership training improves organizational outcomes by 25% and individual leadership behaviors by 28%. It’s also linked to stronger employee engagement and retention, not just for leaders but for the teams they manage.

What’s the difference between training and skill development?

Training is typically short-term and task-specific, while skill development is ongoing and focused on long-term growth. Both are essential — training and skill development work together to build strong, capable leaders.

What are the core leadership skills?

Effective leadership is a set of essential skills and traits that emerging leaders can learn and strengthen over time, including:

1. Intelligence: Good leaders process information quickly, think critically, and approach challenges with clarity.
2. Decision-making: They take ownership of tough calls and stay accountable for the outcomes.
3. Organization: Strong leaders prioritize effectively and keep teams aligned and focused.
4. Courage: They speak up when it counts and aren’t afraid to take bold, strategic risks.
5. Charisma: Good leaders inspire confidence and boost employee motivation by rallying others around a shared goal.
6. Integrity: They act with honesty and transparency, even when it’s hard.
7. Communication: Great leaders listen actively, speak clearly, and foster open dialogue.
8. Empathy: They understand their team’s needs and build trust through genuine connection.

What criteria should HR teams use to evaluate leadership development programs?

Start by aligning the leadership program with your organization’s strategic goals and skill gaps. Consider the following:

• Do the course objectives support your business priorities?
• Is the content tailored to your leaders’ roles and development stage?
• Does the format match your team’s learning preferences?
• Are success metrics measurable and defined upfront?
• Can the leadership program integrate with your existing systems and workflows?

A strong leadership development program should be easy to scale, not something you have to manage in isolation. Tools like Workleap LMS simplify building and maintaining that kind of program by centralizing delivery, tracking, and content management in one place. LMS integrates seamlessly with your HRIS and connects to other Workleap tools, keeping leadership development connected to the full employee experience.