The practice of Leadering.

Let's not call them Leadership programs. Let's do leadering instead.

According to the Britannica Dictionary, the suffix 'ship' means the state or condition of being something (friendship), the position, status or duties or something (professorship), or someone who demonstrates skill or ability (horsemanship).

The suffix 'ship' turns the word it's applied to into a noun - the name of a person, place or thing if I recall my primary school teacher's exact words.

However, learning to be a great leader is an ongoing practice. It's something we choose to do every day - well or otherwise. So it needs a more active word in my mind.

The suffix 'ing' can denote an action or process (running). We should be practising leadering and doing Leadering Development Programs.

Now, grammarians may have some issues with my thinking and see a few holes in my argument, not the least of which is that leadering is not a word. But for me, that just makes it better.

Novelty keeps it fresh as an idea in our heads. I might laugh or get annoyed when I read it, but those emotions will help us remember it and recall the most important thing about the slightly silly not-a-word - being a leader is something you practice every day.