A future skill workshop for leadership development and high potential programs
Most professional development is well-intentioned, but it often leaves people with books to read and a long list of ideas and no clear answer to a simple question: Which capability should I build next in my career (and for my organization) that will matter most for the work ahead?
This workshop uses design thinking to help leaders answer that question and take action. Participants go through a practical, human-centered process to identify one future-ready skill that matters now, define what it looks like in their role, and build a plan to develop it in a way that creates real organizational value. The workshop was originally designed as a capstone experience inside a leadership program, and it is an excellent fit for professional development programs, leadership cohorts, and high potential experiences in other organizations.
Why this workshop works so well inside leadership programs
Leadership programs often do a great job building awareness, confidence, and shared language. What they do not always produce is a focused development commitment that participants can execute immediately after the program ends.
This workshop becomes the bridge between learning and action. It helps participants translate their growth goals into a clear development priority that connects directly to the organization’s needs. This workshop can build on other sessions in the leadership, high-potential employee, or professional development program to bridge participants to action in the organization (and their own career). This workshop can also utilize career or leadership assessments to help the employee design for both their career and the organization’s needs.
The real focus: finding and developing one future-ready skill
The heart of the experience is guiding each participant to choose one future skill that sits at the intersection of:
What the organization needs more of now and into the future
Where the participant has strength, interest, and meaningful potential to grow
What will create visible value for stakeholders
Examples of future skills that frequently emerge include:
Strategic influence and stakeholder alignment
Cross-functional leadership and collaboration
Facilitation and leading high-impact working sessions
Innovative problem-solving and experimentation
AI fluency and using new tools responsibly
Adaptability and leading through ambiguity
Storytelling and executive communication
If your organization already has a leadership capability model or a set of strategic priorities, we tailor the workshop language and prompts to match it. If you want a strong framing for capability development, see Future Skills Today.
What participants create
In addition to a greater understanding of the organization, design thinking and innovation, participants leave with tangible outputs they can use immediately, including:
A clear future skill focus and why it matters for their role
A Professional Growth and Impact Plan that makes the skill practical and measurable
A simple stakeholder map and feedback plan so growth is grounded in real needs
A first set of experiments and practice opportunities to build the skill on the job
An Acorn Habit, a small next step they begin right away
A short narrative they can share with their manager to gain support and alignment
What the organization gets
Running this as a cohort experience produces value beyond individual development plans. Organizations often gain:
A clearer view of the future skill themes across the group
Stronger alignment between talent development and business strategy
Better manager conversations because participants show up with a plan
More momentum after the leadership program ends
Practical inputs for stretch assignments, mentoring, and internal mobility
Format options
This workshop can be delivered in a few proven formats depending on your program structure. This Future Skills professional development workshop goes well both virtually and in-person.
Two-part capstone format (recommended)
Session 1 focuses on reflection, exploration, and choosing the right future skill
Session 2 focuses on prototyping the plan, testing it with peers, refining it, and turning it into a clear development roadmap
One-day intensive
The full arc in a single day with faster cycles and tighter facilitation
Half-day starter sprint
A high-energy version that emphasizes clarity on the future skill and a first draft development plan
Related offerings and resources
If you want to pair future skill development with stronger facilitation capability, Facilitation and Session Design Training for Leaders often complements leadership programs well.
For more on design thinking in organizations, these pages provide context:
If adaptability is an explicit capability focus for your org, Adaptability Skills Training is a strong related option.
Bring this workshop to your leadership program
If you are building a leadership development program or high potential cohort experience and want participants to leave with a focused, future-ready development priority that maps to real organizational needs, this workshop is a practical and highly engaging way to do it.
To explore fit, format, and customization for your organization, connect with us here: Contact InnovationTraining.org