Leadership development – can there be a return on investment?

Abstract

Purpose of this paper

The purpose of this paper is to examine if it is possible to assess the return on investment (ROI) in developing leadership skills.

Design/methodology/approach

The article discusses the various aspects of business that leaders have to get right and therefore areas that lend themselves to assessment. The article first of all looks at seven major areas of responsibility and value creation in an organization with accountability lying with various leaders and their teams. The article then looks at five alternative assessments on leadership investment value, before concluding.

Findings

The paper finds that it is possible to measure ROI on investment in leadership skills, if measured against various criteria that leaders have to get right in business.

Practical implications

The article suggests ways that businesses can measure ROI on investment in leadership skills.

Originality/value

This paper is useful for any business looking to invest in leadership skills in the future.

Citation

Archer, S. (2013), "Leadership development – can there be a return on investment?", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 27 No. 3, pp. 18-21. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777281311315865