Paul Surridge offers his top tips on how to maximise the ROI of leadership programmes.
1) Examine the research. Leadership programmes should be evidence-based, rather than off the shelf. Which intervention programmes lead to sustainable behavioural change?
2) Learn from others. Be proactive and approach non-competing organisations that have driven positive leadership behavioural changes. Find out what has been successful for them and how you might apply (not copy) it to your organisation.
3) It’s a personal journey. It is the leadership development programmes, especially at the senior level, that allow for individual development and reflection, that will have the biggest impact.
4) Recognise the value of coaching. The benefits of coactive coaching happens over time, enabling the individual to learn from past mistakes and therefore make better judgements in the future.
5) Start development sooner. Readying your high potentials for future executive roles needs to happen early in their career – not when they are in leadership positions. By then, it’s too late.
6) Establish clear values. The leadership behaviours you want need to be aligned to rewards, performance management and selection – they must be embedded internally and externally.
7) Drive collaboration. Leadership programmes ought to be built around collective rather than independent decision-making. Senior executives need to enforce and facilitate this team ethic.
And finally, make sure you assess for organisational values, using proven psychometric models, I recommend Hogan’s Motives, Values, Preferences Inventory (MVPI).
Paul Surridge is managing partner at Target Leadership Consulting www.targetleadership.co.uk
First published in the People Management newsletter.