Workshop-Monica Goodale-Lessons from the Leadership Development Frontline

Lessons from the Leadership Development Frontline: A Case

Study

Monica Goodale, Ed.D.May 2014

The Leadership Ladder

22The Leadership Ladder

Program Goal

The pilot program’s goal:Provide recognition and development to key employees while preparing them for future growth and advancement opportunities. This will be accomplished by increasing participant’s exposure to cross-functional, organizational, business and leadership issues.


Operating Assumptions

• Effective leadership at all levels is critical to an organization’s continued success

• Leadership qualities can be developed in a variety of formal and informal ways

• The ROI of a leadership development program cannot be directly measured


Design of the Pilot

The design of the program included some of the best in current thinking on leadership development practices, including:

- Shorter segments spaced over a longer period

- Forming a cross-functional, multi-level cohort

- Involvement of business leaders as teachers

- Using technology to minimize travel expenses and to drive more innovative approaches to building relationships across the company nationally

- Running a pilot program – allowing feedback, learning and flexibility throughout is key

- Aligning elements of content with existing organizational values (Success Factors) helped ground the program


Participant Selection

• Pilot Participants were selected by a Senior Team

• They included representatives from a variety of departments interested in participating in a pilot

• During the year-long pilot 2 participants left the organization, and 5 participants took on promotions or new responsibilities


Program ContentTopics included:- Effective Management- Leadership- Critical Thinking- Behavioral Styles- Understanding Business &

Financials- Learning & Development- Customer Service- Accountability

-Organizational Improvement-Ethics & Integrity -Building Partnerships-Influencing Skills-Collaboration-Coaching-Playing To Strengths-Professional Branding

Examples of Speakers & GuestsSpeakers & guests included:

- CEO

- CFO

- Sr VP of HR

- CAO

- CU/WO

- CIO

Additionally:Functional VP’sBranch Managers

External Guests: Subject Matter ExpertsConsultants“Alumni”


The Service Component

• One component of the program was that the participants identify and solve a real work issue by: articulating a method, creating a project plan, and using a data collection process – including interviews internally and externally. Project teams received coaching from sr. leaders during their work together.

• 2 projects emerged

• Projects were presented to a group of senior leaders during the last meeting of the program.


Sample Investment

• ~ $50,000 for 15 participants over the course of the year long program (travel, books, materials)

• Technology was used to minimize travel costs over the course of the program

• Project work – impact still TBD

• Value-added experience: broadened connections across the enterprise

• See separate research by Bersin & Associates (2012), ASTD, ISPI, etc. on trends for “leadership spend”


Feedback on Program

• Broader goals of the program:– Recognition & development

– Greater exposure to cross-functional, organizational, business, and leadership issues

• Broader themes emerging in the feedback: – Cross-functional exposure was valuable

– Building working relationships was made easier

– Creating time to think beyond the day-to-day

– Exposure to senior executives appreciated


Plus Deltas Mid-ProgramFeedback collected from the group:

• Over all the technology was successful – features to improve interactivity and engagement (chat, polling, raise hands features) worked well and participants adapted to format quickly

• Meeting design learning for us: create maximum opportunities for interaction and discussion; consider overall shorter meeting time

• “I definitely enjoyed the presentation by X and took 2 ½ pages of notes that I will be able to use and refer back to.”

• “I’m used to being on calls for 2-4 hours at a time. Sometimes it’s hard to shut out distractions like people sending me emails, but I’m used to having to block them out.”


Plus Deltas Near End of ProgramNear the end of the program 1:1 calls were made to all participants to collect feedback on the program – pluses here (representative comments):• “Gave me time to think outside of the box,” “…forced me out of the everyday,” “I never would

have met some of these people or leaders otherwise”

• “Much easier to pick up the phone and discuss work now,” “I feel I have more resources to go to now”

• “Loved doing meetings via Webex – saved so much time over traveling and being away from my desk (and family).”

• “I know that any program is dependent on me as a participant to shape the program and get the most out of it.”

• “Flattered,” “honored to be included”

• “Sr. executive visits & exposure – great!”


Plus Deltas Near End of Program continued

Deltas: • Broader themes:

– Time to participate effectively – More face time– Logistics of technology / meetings / being part of a pilot

• Despite the high rate of technology adoption across the group, they still wanted more face time as a group; “…more face time in the program up front and then the calls are better afterwards.”

• “I didn’t always give my best effort because of work distractions – so the program didn’t get the best from me.”

• “Long Webex meetings were hard – but mostly due to my self-discipline issues.”


Feedback Specifically on the Service Component

At the mid-point, we collected feedback on the project work (representative comments):

• “Ask execs to come up with the project and then we work on that.”

• “Asking for our ideas for projects is better.”

• “The value to the company is building us as leaders, not as project-doers.”

• “We can all do projects on our own, save this time for leadership development.”


Thoughts from Pilot Group on Future Program

We asked participants if they felt this program should be run again at some point in the future:• “Yes – it’s worth it!”

• “I would be interested in playing a part in a future program”

• “Anything like this that focuses on leadership and cross-functional communication is worth doing”

• “Dump the project part, keep the leader focus”


Summary & Recommendations

• The program was judged by participants as positive and worthwhile.

• Project work resulted in 2 projects that are informing business processes into the future.

• Alumni activities will be scheduled into the first half of 2014.

• Managers of participants need to continue to provide coaching and mentoring.

Workshop-Monica Goodale-Lessons from the Leadership Development Frontline

Leadership & Management

Transcript of Workshop-Monica Goodale-Lessons from the Leadership Development Frontline