Leaders are rarely born. They often need training and development to help recognize their natural leadership skills and nurture those who need extra support. We are rarely able to just step into a position of leadership with absolutely no training.
Leadership development training should be a priority for organizations wishing to nurture their leaders of both today and tomorrow. DDI’s 2025 Global Leadership Forecast revealed that leaders with supportive work environments are:
- 10x more likely to excel in their role.
- 3x less likely to experience chronic stress.
- 2x more likely to have energy at the end of the workday.
The same report also revealed that high-potential leaders are 3.7x more likely to leave within the next year if their own manager doesn’t regularly provide opportunities for growth and development. Companies need to invest in their employees at every stage of their time together, from ensuring that onboarding addresses all of their concerns to succession planning to ensure a smooth handover and no resource or expertise drain when the leader leaves for their next role.
On the other side of the debate, leadership training can take up a great deal of time to organize, and it can easily be neglected alongside other responsibilities and priorities. A leadership development platform can and should be used to pull all learning and development into one central place where leaders can easily find the support and training they need. Let’s take a look at some of the best options for leadership development programs and platforms on the market in 2025.
What is a leadership development platform?
This style of platform or software pulls together leadership development resources into one place for employees to access. Rather than scatter learning initiatives across various databases or email threads, employees know that they can head to this one place for all of their needs.
Such a platform is designed to be accessible and engaging to use. After all, employees may not have hours of free time that they can dedicate to their training and development goals. They may have to rely on coming back to the platform in short bursts, picking up and putting down their training swiftly when the rest of their work allows it. A specific leadership platform creates this accessible space and provides support to learners to keep them motivated to continue the program.
Some of the other benefits that come from using a dedicated leadership development platform include:
Personalized learning and development
Not everyone learns the same way. Some managers have natural leadership skills, while others require more help to address their skill gaps. Individual growth and leadership style needs to be nourished, while career goals and future plans should be brought into consideration. A good leadership development program must offer personalized learning and development to its users or it cannot expect to ever meet their needs.
Scalability and consistency
Many companies operate across multiple offices that could be located in different cities, time zones, or even countries. Training needs to be consistent across all teams and locations to ensure that the same information is being relayed to everyone, regardless of their starting experience. Using a specific software also ensures that the program is easy to scale, allowing for easy rollout across multiple departments and locations.
Interactive and engaging learning experiences
No one wants to have to sit and click through an endless, boring module that ends in a stale multiple-choice quiz. Where is the fun and engagement in that? How are learners supposed to retain and execute the knowledge they learn?
Modern learning programs should include engaging features such as gamification and simulations so learners have a chance to test and apply their knowledge to scenarios in a safe and rewarding environment.
Real-time analytics
Having access to reporting tools and real-time insights is of vast importance to prove return on investment and other key metrics that senior management will want to see if support for programs is to continue. Such metrics can also provide insights into what aspect of the program is getting the most engagement. This allows for adjustments to be made to the program to give more support to over-subscribed areas, and to potentially change or slim down areas receiving little to no engagement.
Seamless integration with existing tools
No employee wants to learn how to use yet another platform in a suite of all the tools we need to learn to manage our roles today. Any leadership development tool chosen must integrate and connect with HR systems and collaboration tools for a smooth overall experience and better alignment between training and other responsibilities.
10 Best Leadership Development Platforms for 2025
How do you know which leadership development platform is right for you and your company? On the surface, many of them may even have similar features! Here are 10 of the best options you could choose in 2025.
1. MentorcliQ
So, you know that you have some high-potential employees coming through the pipeline who you know would be brilliant as mentoring program participants? Do you sit there matching each of them with the perfect mentor one by one? Of course not, let MentorcliQ’s mentoring platform take care of it all for you.
Our comprehensive approach combines advanced technology and algorithms with current best practices to help launch, manage, and scale effective mentoring and employee resource groups (ERG) programs, building inclusive and engaged workforces at every level. Don’t just take our word for it, our platform has facilitated over 3 million mentoring hours, impacting over 6.5 million users worldwide.
2. Monark
For those keen to explore what the world of AI has to offer, Monark offers interactive, practice-based learning. This can be done through 5-minute micro-lessons and AI assessments that deliver results to you in real time. Their platform is built around their unique Leadership Relationship Management (LRM) system, providing 1-on-1 support alongside nudges and support to keep moving forward and discover something new.
With organizational psychologists at the helm, this platform is a great option for teams searching for bite-sized learning rooted in scientific and behavioral understanding.
3. LEADx
Isn’t learning easier when you have a study buddy? LEADx’s AI-driven platform creates a “digital twin” for its learning leaders so they can easily identify and gain insight into their strengths and weaknesses. The platform will also create a personalized program of virtual coaching sessions and micro-learning modules to best support the learner and their overall goals.
Their system offers multiple approaches and assessments to help people establish their areas of improvement. Learners can also receive personalized ‘nudges’ to ensure they stay engaged with content.
4. LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn isn’t just a professional social networking site. The LinkedIn Learning platform offers video courses taught by industry experts with years of experience to pull from. Their library of courses stretches across business, technical, and creative skills, and can also offer certification.
Of course, the Learning platform is also seamlessly integrated with a user’s LinkedIn profile. This allows them to instantly update their profile with completed courses and certifications as soon as they are complete.
5. Hone
Want to give your learners the opportunity to tune into live sessions? Hone offers live, interactive training opportunities alongside its assessments and reports. The team behind Hone recognizes that self-paced learning isn’t always for everyone, and so aims for a more collaborative approach.
Utilizing a cohort-based learning approach means that everyone in your organization can be kept on the same track while also being encouraged to meet their own goals.
6. Mindvalley
For those wanting a more extensive learning experience beyond simply what the world of business offers, Mindvalley could be the answer you are searching for. Marketing itself as a life transformation platform, it has tailored its learning sessions into micro-coaching sessions that last no more than 20 minutes each day.
These 20-minute “Quests” are delivered by world-class instructors and can include mindfulness, meditation, and overall workplace wellness in addition to more traditional leadership development coaching.
7. Reboot.io
Reboot.io has a simple message at its heart; better humans make better leaders, and better leaders create humane organizations.
They know that entrepreneurship and organizational success can be difficult to navigate, and so have created an approach that blends practical skill development with radical self-inquiry. They can offer learning experiences for both individual growth and team development as needed.
8. Frankli
Managers and HR leaders often have to bear the load when it comes to providing feedback and uplifting team performance. Frankli is here to offer a platform that positions performance management as a true shared responsibility, giving control to managers and visibility to HR teams.
In addition to this style of management, the platform also offers the opportunity to develop personalized professional development programs that align with the organizational goals set by management. They aim is to integrate career path planning as early as possible so employees can move forward knowing where they need to make changes and gain key management skills as they advance.
9. MasterClass
For those searching for expertise from recognizable household names, try MasterClass. Every course is delivered via high-quality videos and explanations, breaking down complex subjects across business, sports, and more.
Business and leadership classes are led by people like former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss and Former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice. MasterClass at Work subscriptions also allow employees to explore the full library of classes while delivering analytics to management to support analysis and understanding.
10. LifeLabsLearning
Some learners prefer to sit down and get through their training themselves; others like an in-person workshop so they can bounce ideas off each other. LifeLabsLearning offers both, allowing managers to support their employees in the way that suits them best.
They focus on a science-backed approach focused on what they call “Tipping Point Skills®.” These are small behaviors that will drive significant impact when applied to teams and wider organizations. With an emphasis on practical knowledge and application, leaders can pick up the skills they need for success.
Why do managers need leadership development programs?
Do future leaders and managers really need development programs? Can’t they just pick up knowledge and experience on the job?
That is certainly true, but the reality is that most people do need a little support before they feel comfortable as leaders. For the greatest success, we need to develop leaders long before they are ready to take on the role. By nurturing their careers and helping them to achieve the goals and growth they set for themselves, we can create confident and competent leaders who can bring genuine success to their teams.
Some of the additional benefits of leadership development platforms can include:
Enhanced decision-making skills
Leadership development programs focus on providing leaders with the tools they need for success. Key skills like critical thinking, strategic planning, and problem-solving abilities all feed into better decision-making from the leader demonstrating them. The right training will help leaders feel more informed and capable of making important decisions under pressure.
Improved employee engagement and retention
While it is important to note that employee retention issues are not only caused by leadership, it is easier to retain talent when there is a positive working environment uplifted by a culture of strong leaders. Strong leaders motivate and praise the workers under them. They help employees to feel valued and motivated throughout the good times and the bad.
Better adaptability to change
The business landscape is always evolving, but change can be difficult for us to accept and manage. Leadership training can equip managers with the tools and resilience they need to push through the times of disruption and transformation that bring teams to greater success.
Increased innovation and performance
With leadership development comes creativity, innovation, and focused, strategic thinking. This, in turn, will drive organizational growth and competitive advantage. Leadership competencies and support will also encourage employees to take more strategic risks and feel confident in their own choices without fear of rebuttal or punishment.
Stronger succession planning
High-potential and future leaders can be identified and trained long before a leadership position opens for them. Strong succession planning reduces the disruption caused by a key team member leaving for the entire team, not just senior management, and can help smooth the onboarding of the replacement too.
Leaders can’t go it alone; they need a mentor.
Online learning and video classes may not be right for everyone. With so many leadership development solutions on the market, it can be difficult to cut through the noise and actually see what most people need for help. A mentor can prove to be a truly invaluable connection that helps an individual grow, demonstrate leadership excellence, and flourish not just as a leader but as a confident human being.
MentorcliQ’s platform provides support to mentoring programs and helps alleviate the administrative load many learning initiatives usually require. Our algorithm matches mentees with the best mentors for them, forging relationships that can help both parties reach new heights in their careers.
Why rely solely on videos and automated programs when you can engage with a real person who brings valuable experience, personalized guidance, and dedicated support? Mentoring is the answer.
Contact us today to find out more about our platform and how mentoring could transform your leadership development goals.
