Leadership Enablement: A Strategic Imperative, Not Another Training Program 

Editor's note: Posts published on From the Workplace are written by outside contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view or opinion of SHRM.

Today’s leaders are navigating complexity their predecessors never imagined — yet we’re supporting them the same way we did a decade ago. A training session here, a coaching conversation there. What we call “development” is often reactive and surface-level. What’s missing is enablement — the infrastructure, alignment, and systems leaders need to succeed in their roles. 

But leadership development without enablement is like giving someone a map without a compass. Leadership enablement isn’t about piling on content — it’s about equipping leaders with the right tools, systems, and conditions to succeed within the complexity of their environment. It requires a strategic approach, tailored to the organization's operating model, leadership maturity, and long-term ambition. 

According to Deloitte’s 2024 Global Human Capital Trends report, leaders today are expected to deliver not just business outcomes, but human ones. This dual responsibility demands a deeper level of support than traditional training can offer. Enablement builds the leadership infrastructure needed to thrive in ambiguous, high-stakes environments — and it does so by connecting development to real business needs. 

Here are four strategic areas where leadership enablement becomes a true performance driver. 

Executive Onboarding That Goes Beyond Orientation 

For senior leaders, onboarding must go beyond process walkthroughs and policy briefings. The focus should be on strategic immersion — understanding the unspoken norms, cultural dynamics, and leadership expectations that shape decision-making. 

A Forbes article published in November 2024 emphasizes the importance of clarity around expectations, access to cross-functional knowledge, cultural assimilation, and early wins. When onboarding is treated as a strategic investment — not a checklist — it accelerates contribution, builds trust, and reduces the risk of early derailment. 

Leadership as Co-Architects of Culture 

The most effective culture transformations happen when leaders shape the system — rather than adapt to it. When executive teams co-create the organization’s mission, vision, values, and behavioral expectations, the result is alignment with ownership. These principles stop being theoretical and start driving real decisions and daily behavior. 

Embedding Feedback and Strategy into Daily Leadership Practice 

Too often, performance conversations feel disconnected from reality. Enabling leaders to translate enterprise priorities into team objectives — and coach toward those outcomes — bridges that gap. 

This isn’t just a matter of telling leaders to give better feedback; it’s about providing the right tools, resources, and coaching to help them do it well. From structured templates and training to real-time support and peer learning, these resources elevate confidence and consistency. 

Just as importantly, organizations need to ensure the right technology is in place — whether that’s integrated performance management systems, AI-powered feedback platforms, or dashboards that connect goals to business outcomes. Tools and technology are not optional; they are enablers that turn intent into action. 

Technology as a Scalable Coaching Engine 

Leadership development has entered a new era. According to Deloitte’s 2024 State of Generative AI report, 66% of leaders expect generative AI (GenAI) to fundamentally transform their industries within three years. Forward-looking organizations are already using AI-powered tools for personalized coaching, predictive leadership analytics, and just-in-time insights that help leaders course-correct in real time. 

Technology isn’t replacing development — it’s scaling and personalizing it with precision. When paired with sound human judgment and clear strategy, these tools allow organizations to meet leaders where they are, address gaps as they emerge, and elevate performance in ways that were previously resource prohibitive. 

Leadership enablement isn’t a luxury — it’s a strategic necessity. In a world where leaders are expected to drive both business results and human outcomes, simply offering training or certifications isn't enough.  

That’s not to say training and coaching aren’t important. Training has its place. So does coaching. However, organizations must create the right conditions, provide the right tools, and build the right systems that empower leaders to succeed. When done well, leadership enablement becomes more than a development initiative—it becomes a force multiplier for culture, performance, and sustainable growth. 

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Dina Roshdy, group head of HR at Gulf Cryo, has over 17 years of experience across the HR spectrum and holds a master’s in strategic HR management and Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology.