Updated Nov. 20, 2020
Leadership training, or leadership development, is defined as courses or training/educational programs whose purpose is to improve the performance of managers and personnel leaders within the organization.
The leadership training market has been one of the fastest-growing and evolving segments in the learning and development (L&D) industry over the past decade. There are numerous companies that sell leadership training products and services to supplement in-house L&D capabilities.
Topics and Audiences
According to Training Industry research, the most common leadership training topics (often called “soft skills”) offered globally include:
- Coaching
- Communication
- Negotiation
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Diversity and inclusion
- Leading innovation
- Providing feedback
- Emotional intelligence
Training often includes courses and programs for first-line supervisors, middle managers and senior executives.
The Size of the Market
Global corporate training spending has been steadily increasing over the past several years, with a total spend of $370.3 billion in 2019. The leadership training market is one of the only L&D markets that has experienced growth independent of economic trends year after year. Training Industry research estimates that in 2019, organizations around the world spent about $3.5 billion with leadership development solutions and program vendors.
For a more in-depth analysis of the leadership training market, click here to purchase the 2020 “State of the Leadership Training” report.