Leadership Training to Build Better Business (Otmar Varela Commentary)

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Employees are undoubtedly every company’s most important asset. They impact nearly everything, from profitability and productivity to customer satisfaction and overall branding. Without a team of quality, highly skilled people, businesses simply cannot function properly.

Even so, more than 50% of organizations across the globe say they have difficulty retaining some of their most valued employees, who are, coincidentally, usually the ones who are themselves being conditioned to lead.

If a company’s ability to compete relies on its employees and the caliber of their work, the question employers must ask themselves is: “How can we attract top talent, set them up for success and make sure they want to stay?”

U.S. organizations spend nearly $100 billion each year on training, according to a 2024 report by Training magazine. But they don’t always feel that they got a good return on their investment, especially if they can’t see improvements right off the bat.

But tailor-made leadership development programs differ from other types of training opportunities. Leadership development focuses on cultivating the skills and behaviors needed for effective leadership, and is designed from the ground up to address specific pressure points. This style of training is an essential part of the solution, going beyond the norm to design plans that support the needs of every participant, as opposed to more generic programs.

The most effective leadership development teams believe that every industry, organization and relationship is unique. They work to understand the different dynamics of the organization and elevate the interpersonal skills of the strongest members of its team. These teams also know how integral emotional intelligence and adaptability are to leadership, and that soft skills can help leaders better handle tough conversations, inspire employees and drive progress.

Equally important, leadership development teams provide continuous feedback. They don’t view leadership training as a one-stop shop, but instead as an evolving process that can adapt to goal shifts and employee growth. This approach, which we take at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Leadership Academy, helps ensure the provided strategies stay relevant.

Starting with an on-site visit and in-depth exploration of the company, our academy team identifies organizational objectives, needs and any hidden skills gaps, and then uses that data to develop a fully customizable plan within the organization’s budget and needs.

This program has propelled many Arkansas-based companies forward since its launch in 2021.

Leadership development increases a business’s likelihood of success in myriad ways, leading to improvements in employee engagement and retention, financial performance and overall business outcomes. As the pressure to upskill rises across the country, it’s important to invest in structured, targeted programs to build more resilient workforces and stay competitive in the job market.

Innovation is contagious, and it starts with companies that are passionate about the work they do and employees who are equally committed to seeing the organization succeed. Quality leadership training can help small startups and major corporations reach their objectives and foster lasting growth. It just takes the right tools, resources and experienced minds to guide you along the way.

Professor Otmar Varela helped launch UA Little Rock’s Leadership Academy as a unit in May 2021. Since then, he and his team have worked with many Arkansas businesses.