Build the Skills to Fill the Leadership Gap

Effective and inspiring leadership is not just a sought-after skill in the workplace: it’s a high-demand necessity due to a growing leadership gap.  

Upwards of 10,000 Baby Boomers reach retirement age every day, taking decades of leadership and management knowledge with them when they leave the workforce. This leaves GenXers and Millennials (who are rapidly becoming the majority of the labor force) to fill those roles. However, a majority of Millennials, 91 percent according to BrandonHall, don’t plan on staying with organizations long enough to work up to senior leadership roles. In addition, 63 percent indicate that they lack leadership development. 

Because of this shift in roles, BrandonHall research found that 77 percent of organizations overall are currently experiencing a leadership gap. However, that talent shortage has also opened up virtually endless opportunities for those who wish to gain the skills to guide their organizations into the future with vision.

To best handle the leadership gap, it is important to seek out:

• Training on motivation skills to get the best results from your team through effective leadership
• Training on behaviors that lead successful change
• Networking opportunities to learn best practices from colleagues

Whether you’re a seasoned manager or new to a leadership role, gaining the skills to navigate transitions in the workplace and provide leadership is imperative to meeting employee and organization objectives. 

The Center for Professional Development at the University of Denver provides quality, accessible professional education designed to develop new skills and refresh existing proficiencies for career advancement. For more information on available and upcoming courses, visit professional.du.edu. For additional news and updates, follow the Center for Professional Development on Facebook.