Developing a future leaders programme

A proactive approach to learning was at the heart of this bespoke future leaders programme, designed to give participants the opportunity to build connections and self-reflect.

Our client, one of the world’s longest serving general insurance companies, ran a talent programme for managers who were noted as having high growth potential and talent. They wanted to support these individuals’ growth and development by providing them with the skills they would need for leadership, readying them for career progression and equipping them to step into more senior management or leadership roles. However, with changing stresses on the employees, and a new leadership model being introduced imminently, the existing programme required a rethink.

The Metrics

• 100%* of participants say they would perform better as a result of this future leaders programme. (*programme currently active: % as at 02/23)
• 9.35/10 recommendation score.

Challenges

The client wanted the programme completely redesigned, with some clearly defined objectives. It needed to provide opportunities for peer networking, connection, and discussion, which was of equal importance to the learning content. When it came to the learning experience, the programme needed a comprehensive approach to leadership, which involved upskilling managers in the full spectrum of leadership competencies, as well as personal wellbeing strategies such as resilience and time management. Most importantly, the whole programme was to be built around their “leadership success factors”- a set of principles defining what it means to be a great leader within their organisation. Accountability was a key
objective for the client, and they wanted to instil a sense of ownership for their own personal learning journey in the participants. Their managers needed to be proactive about directing and leading their own learning experience, curating the programme based on what they needed to grow. Promoting a culture of feedback and self-awareness, both within the programme and beyond, was another important objective.

Solution

With self-awareness, reflection and ownership as key objectives of this programme, we designed a 360 diagnostic for participants to complete before the programme started. This gave participants insight into the areas and skillsets they needed to work on, providing a valuable reference point for them before the events started.

Deploying a blended approach, at the client’s request, the future leaders programme was designed to be book-ended with a face-to-face kick-off and graduation event. This offers participants the chance to meet their peers and build valuable connections. Between these face-to-face events, the programme is composed of 4 virtual events, with themes around resilience, wellbeing, time management, decision-making, networking and inclusive leadership – all focused on building the organisation’s “leadership success factors”.

With learning transfer at the heart of this programme, practical learning missions between the workshops give participants opportunities to apply their learning. Each mission is debriefed at the next event giving participants an opportunity to reflect and learn from the experience. Interactive learning taps, self-led learning and resources support the learning from each event, giving participants the opportunity to take ownership of their own development and dive deeper into the areas they want to explore in more detail. Peer feedback, 1:1 sessions with their managers, and individual coaching sessions are key components of the programme to ensure a personalized experience for participants with the opportunity to build their network and get feedback and support that is specific to them.

As the future leaders programme comes to a close, participants complete post-programme diagnostic tests, giving them insight into how far they had come, what has changed, and crucially, enabling them to reflect on what their next steps should be going forward to continue their development.