Management and Leadership development - for experienced, middle and senior managers

"Learning how to lead in challenging times and building leadership into the organisation's DNA is a way of future-proofing the organisation. Building communities of leaders is the best way of stimulating the changeability organisations are going to need"
Linda Holbeche, Director of Research and Policy, CIPD

The very nature of leadership is changing. Rank, position and title do not attain the discretionary effort that often makes the difference between fulfilling a task and delighting a customer. People in leadership roles need to utilise a broad range of styles and respond flexibly to changing strategies, cultures and the explosion of technology. They seldom fail through a lack of technical skills and knowledge, more through an inability to manage the intangible elements of their role and the effect this has on them and their resultant performance.

Sujansky cites six classic leadership mistakes: lack of trust; failure to shape and share a vision; unclear expectations; setting bad examples; taking success for granted; and failure to retain top talent. The leadership paradox is that strong leaders are needed, but they can't command change in employees - unless employees want to follow them.

As leaders become ever more stretched focussing on organisational goals, objectives and targets they also need to address the key people issues. Leaders need to be able to develop the appropriate climate that fosters performance and brings people pride and purpose. Ignoring these issues or handling them in an outdated or inappropriate fashion is unlikely to build sustainable success and nurture and develop key talent for the future.

How do we develop leaders?

We believe our leadership development activities need to meet each client organisations' specific needs, given their current business climate and situation. We provide each participant with the opportunity to take stock of their personal strengths and areas for development using 360-degree feedback tools, and encourage them to fully utilise their existing strengths as well as making key amendments. Crucially though we believe they need to think differently about their role and their abilities if they are to act differently. We broaden their thinking regarding what is achievable and their personal capabilities to fulfil this, to increase their responsiveness and monitor their success over a number of months, where it really counts - in the workplace.

Included in our work in this field are leadership development programmes specifically designed and delivered for

• experienced EMEA managers in a global visioncare business
• a leading vibrant travel organisation
• an engineering based organisation looking to make the transition from the most successful in its field in the UK, to a 'world class' player. A developmental programme was created for 60 senior and middle managers lasting twelve months.
• a merging organisation, where the leaders needed to develop a more empowering style and bring sites together collaboratively
• an organisation in the electronics industry looking to utilise self managed learning in it's drive for increased performance and capability
• an insurer looking to kick start leadership development for hundreds of people

Options for experienced managers

• Leadership development programme
• Emotional Intelligence - a leadership differentiator
• Leading Change
• Coaching for leaders
• Leading for Optimum Performance
• Leading teams
• Influence and persuasion

Tools

As part of our work with senior or experienced managers we often utilise psychometric tools including Myers Briggs Steps 1 & 2, Emotional Competence Inventory, Inventory of Leadership styles, FIRO B, MSCEIT, the cfa influence 360 feedback tool, or in-house competency models.

Case Study

Click here to view a case study