The Problem
A billion-dollar research and development firm recognized a leadership skills gap in how first-line leaders are provided training and resources. Despite hiring and building an exceptional pipeline of technical experts, they identified an opportunity to empower leaders who were transitioning from leading as individual contributors and subject-matter experts in their fields to becoming leaders of people. Although the organization’s HR and leadership teams were providing training programs in the operational/logistic aspects of management, senior leadership had received feedback from across the organization that their first-line leaders needed stronger training and development in the people-management skills required to influence, communicate, and manage change effectively. Leadership at the organization also recognized that in today’s post-COVID world, skills such as managing uncertainty, navigating complexities, collaborating with agility and innovation, and building talent were becoming even more critical at all levels of the organization.
The Solution
The organization and talent development team worked with The RBL Group to build a custom leadership academy based on evidence-based practices for first-line leaders across the organization. Drawing on the RBL Leadership Code® research, we worked with their senior leadership team to identify the key differentiating leadership behaviors that drive success for this organization. We held focus groups with their first-line, mid-level, and senior leaders to understand how those differentiating behaviors translate across leadership levels. We also worked with their senior leadership team to identify key gap areas in their current development practices. We co-created with their leadership team a 12-module, nine-month leadership program to address current first-line leadership needs and build proficiency in the skills that differentiate successful leaders at their organization.
The Outcome
Within 12 months of launching the academy design team, more than 100 first-line leaders from across the organization successfully completed the inaugural program. Based on feedback from the focus groups, the program was designed for small cohorts to meet for short, half-day modules that could be delivered every 2-3 weeks across a longer timeline to both ensure more sustainable impact and so that these critical first-line leaders were not away from their teams for too long. By separating the technical/operational management training for their first-line leaders from their leadership skills development program, first-line leaders were able to work on building sustainable leadership skills to help them improve their problem-solving, communication and change-management skills. Our RBL consultant team built a comprehensive facilitator’s guide for the organization and worked with the organization’s program trainers to ensure their capability in successfully delivering the program internally.
The RBL Group’s results-focused leadership development approach facilitated hands-on application to their role accountabilities in today’s post-COVID environment, and many participants expressed appreciation for being able to immediately apply learning concepts and see impact across their teams. The program additionally stimulated cross-organization networking and collaboration for first-line leaders across functions and business units.
Building on the successful first-line leader development program has helped create stronger overall awareness in leaders across the organization of the benefit and opportunity to build strong leadership skills. The organization plans to roll this out to all managers after 6 months in their first managerial role (and for all those still within their first 5 years of management). The leadership academy has helped set the organization’s next generation of leaders on a strong, future-forward leadership development path building the key critical skills that will help them be successful.
To learn more about RBL's Leadership Code® Research Initiative or our leadership transformation solutions, contact us.