“The ultimate purpose of leadership development is to deliver strategy over the longer term. Fit-forpurpose leadership development needs to be thoroughly grounded in business strategy, and based on a robust analysis of needs. It also needs to be designed in line with how adults learn, which primarily means learning from experience rather than in the classroom.”
Leadership Development – is it fit for purpose? CRF Report, May 2015 Gillian Pillans Research Director Corporate Research Forum Tel: 0207 470 7104 Mobile: 07799 133593 E-mail: Gillian@crforum.co.uk www.crforum.co.uk @C_R_Forum
Spend is increasing but results are unsatisfactory
Spend is increasing but results are unsatisfactory
The context for leaders is getting harder
V U C A Volatile
Uncertain
Complex
Ambiguous
VUCA-ready leaders need to be ‌
Resilient
Systems thinkers
Intellectually agile and curious
Good communicators
Comfortable with ambiguity
Interpersonally savvy
Networkers
V U C A
Volatile Selfaware
Uncertain
Complex
Ambiguous Adaptable
Confident in leading through uncertainty
Collaborative Innovators
How adults learn
Design development to reflect how adults learn • It takes years to achieve mastery • You need to practice – there have to be opportunities to try out new skills • You have to reflect on what you’ve learned • Content needs to be relevant to your job • Learning happens through others – mentors, colleagues, managers • You need to be ready to learn • Learning needs to reflect how the brain works • You need to start early – identify high potential leaders early in their career
Clean fish or clean tank?
Getting a better outcome for your spend
• You need a whole-organisation process to identify strategically relevant experiences and match people to them
Getting a better outcome for your spend
• You need an organisation process to identify relevant experiences and match people to them • Supportive organisation culture
Setting the context for leadership development
“I very much see it as my personal responsibility to take on the development of future leaders. I don’t hand this off to anyone else – it’s a key accountability I will be judged on.” Andy Street, Managing Director, John Lewis
Getting a better outcome for your spend
• You need an organisation process to identify relevant experiences and match people to them • Supportive organisation culture • Help people learn from their experiences
Getting a better outcome for your spend
• You need an organisation process to identify relevant experiences and match people to them • Supportive organisation culture • Help people learn from their experiences • A few risks will have to be taken • You may need to accept a performance dip, or build some slack in the system
Getting a better outcome for your spend
• You need an organisation process to identify relevant experiences and match people to them • Supportive organisation culture • Help people learn from their experiences • A few risks will have to be taken • You may need to accept a performance dip, or build some slack in the system • It’s not just the organisation’s responsibility individuals need to be given the tools to manage their own careers
Final thoughts – fit-for-purpose leadership development • Strategy and leadership development need to be interlocked • Learning leadership is not just about theories – it needs to be rooted in practice and experience • Think about evaluation all the way through, not just at the end • It’s about getting the approach right, not spending more money
“The ability to grow future leaders is a key element of success for organisations.”
Leadership Development – is it fit for purpose? CRF Report, May 2015
Gillian Pillans Research Director Corporate Research Forum Tel: 0207 470 7104 Mobile: 07799 133593 E-mail: Gillian@crforum.co.uk www.crforum.co.uk @C_R_Forum
Gillian Pillans Research Director Corporate Research Forum Tel: 0207 470 7104 Mobile: 07799 133593 E-mail: Gillian@crforum.co.uk www.crforum.co.uk @C_R_Forum