Technology

How to build a Leadership Program Tammy Hoadley Grantham University Abstract In any great business performance is always a key issue. In the following short paper we will discuss one of the key tools used in improving performance. To have a great business you need great leaders as well as a path to develop them. We will cover areas involving the steps and ideas behind a leadership development program and why the program is so beneficial. How to build a Leadership program To build a leadership program we must first understand that there is never a “cookie cutter” answer. What works for one business may not work in another. It all starts with really understanding the business. Prior to any creation it would be beneficial to gather information about the business you are consulting with. Reports available to you that would provide this type of information include; the annual report, internal business plans, prior attempt documented involving leadership development and any internal or external websites. Gathering this information should be done PRIOR to talking to upper management. Basically, do your homework! The next step would be to interview your power people. Interview the head of HR, the CEO and other key executives and thought leaders. It is important to not take no for an answer when it comes to these people because they are who you need to impress in order for the program to succeed. Often you will find that CEO’s and top Executives enjoy the idea of being involved and will take a personal interest in the program from the start. Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Ask about the business challenges, implications of the leaders, perceptions of the skills gaps, bench strength and find out what is already in place. Find out if anything has ever been tried before and if it has determine how successful it was or why it failed. As you start to develop some ideas, use this information test your assumptions and never dismiss any suggestions given to you. Than review your findings and start to develop your strategy by asking several question. Determine if the problem is a lack of talent on the senior team, middle managers or supervisors. Could it be problems with a specific function' Determine if the problem involves a lack of successors in key positions and if so, which ones. Identify if there is a growth problem and if there is a need to develop new openings. Finally you need to develop a set of expectations or rather a leadership competency model. The model will provide you will a good framework to begin to develop your program and to align existing systems (performance management, compensation, hiring, assessments…etc). Again you will need to test, get input and verify the model. Now that you are ready, this is where the “it depends” comes into play. If succession planning is a top priority, than a system will need to be put into place to help identify key positions and functions, asses performance and potential, review talent and prepare high potentials for future opportunities. If the issue is rapid growth and the need to prepare new leaders, than a new leader orientation needs to be created which would consist of formal training, mentoring and coaching and other measures to accelerate the learning curve. Another area to consider is how the programs can be built. Will the programs be internal, external or a combination of both' For new leaders it would be a good idea to build the program internally (Moseley & Dessinger 2010). For across the board missing skills it would be a good idea to go external because the program would be extensive ( www.greatleadership.com). The best example of a leadership program proven to succeed is Raytheon. Raytheon is a business that in its infancy struggled. Today Raytheon is one of the leaders in its field. Raytheon builds talent through a two-year, rotational Leadership Development Program (LDP) designed to provide challenging opportunities within the context of short-term work assignments. LDP participants receive support from a mentor, an assignment manager and program manager(s) in the quest to reach their full potential as future leaders (www.raytheon.org). A great deal of emphasis is put on the Six Sigma process (Moseley & Dessinger 2010). • Cross-functional leadership development sessions • Functional specific development sessions • Business, technology and leadership skills training • Exposure to key leaders throughout Raytheon • Video forums, online library and self-directed eLearning • Cross-business and cross-geography team projects • Opportunities for individual and group feedback • Potential to rotate across multiple disciplines • Personal LDP and career development plans Six Sigma is only one of the processes available in leadership development. Depending on the situation and expectation will often determine what process works. References Hill, C. W., & Jones, G. R. (2008). Strategic Management Theory: An Integrated Approach (9th ed.). Mason, OH: South- Western Cengage Learning Moseley, J. L., & Dessinger, J. (2010) www.greatleadership.com retrieved 4 December 2012 www.raytheon.org retrieved 4 December 2012