Leadership Development Case Studies
Strategic Leadership Programme
The Permanent Secretary of this government Department wanted the Grade 7 team leader level to develop the leadership skills and capabilities needed for the future direction of the business, to work more strategically and gain increased skills and confidence in leading, managing and developing people.
BCL worked closely in partnership with the L&D team and the resulting Strategic Leadership Programme was designed to provide a learning experience that would better enable managers to take charge of their on-going development as leaders.
The programme is modular, extending over a 6 month period, featuring a high degree of attention to individual needs with confidential coaching conversations with facilitators before and during the workshops. In this it explicitly models the coaching approach that the organisation is aiming to integrate into its way of working.
It provides highly experiential learning on identified relevant frameworks and tools in two workshop modules. These are interspersed with participants taking their resulting actions to apply back in the workplace, followed by review and development of fresh thinking and ideas in smaller 'Facilitated Working Groups'. In these, managers extend and ground their learning through peer co-coaching on current individual leadership issues and challenges.
Evaluations of the programme demonstrate that participants regard the programme highly positively, with over 75% indicating that a huge increase in confidence is a major outcome.
In line with the original objectives of the programme, individual and group learning is translating into reported significant benefits to the Department, including:
improved engagement and effective relationships with partner organisations,enhanced contribution to achievement of challenging objectives,Higher levels of self awareness and self managementIncreased ability to make more conscious choices, drawing from a wider range of approaches and tools.
Executive Development Programme
We have designed and are delivering an executive development programme for high potential senior managers from across a large financial services organisation. The overall aim is to enhance their strategic thinking and execution capability and to refine their leadership style. This will help to ensure the business has a cadre of leaders capable of driving future growth.
We are working in close partnership with Board members and the head of Learning & Development on the design and delivery of this strategically important programme. Following an intensive assessment process, which tested the degree of potential and aspiration shown by the candidates, the first cohort were selected and benchmarked against similar managers in other organisations. The assessment process highlighted key development areas as being leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence widely across the business. These needs were then tested and refined through consultation with key stakeholders, prior to the detailed design of the programme. The programme aims to be stretching and challenging and to take participants' performance to new levels. The design reflects this aim.
Outcomes include:
- All six strategic projects undertaken by programmes 1 and 2 have signed-off by the ExCom and are being executed
- Savings of £292,500 have been made on consultancy spend on strategic projects
- 70% of graduates from the first 2 programmes are now in roles of greater responsibility
- 75% of EDP participants have been inspired to access coaching and training in coaching skills to further enhance their leadership capabilities.
Related pages: People Development Programmes
For further information on our Leadership Development programmes please email therese.turner@berkshire.co.uk or call a member of our team on 0118 932 3580.
