| While sitting at a local coffee shop enjoying the | | | | presents a significant ability to transform top |
| company of two business colleagues, a significant | | | | leaders to be more effective in their |
| question was posed that caused time to stop for | | | | communication and more strategic in their |
| a brief moment: "Skipper, how does your | | | | execution. Regardless of circumstance, a program |
| organization measure leadership ROI in plain | | | | of this type "LeaderShapes" the whole person and |
| language for an executive to understand when | | | | takes them on their very own personal journey |
| considering hiring your team?" Wow I thought... do | | | | to explore their inner "self" while influencing others |
| I answer in my normal corporate language and | | | | to find their voice. The journey must explore the |
| attempt to impress upon that we really are good | | | | following six developmental stages: |
| at what we do? Or, maybe I throw around a few | | | | Stage 1 is the "Recruit, the good-to-great highly |
| $20 words and some leadership jargon to sound | | | | capable individual who makes productive |
| important. Either way, I must answer the question | | | | contributions through talent, knowledge, skills and |
| with an assumed definition as if I was actually | | | | good work habits. This individual is the one person |
| seasoned to field the question with absolute and | | | | in the environment that understands 'people first, |
| unquestionable resolve. "I don't know...I've never | | | | then the organization;' hence, the development |
| actually had anyone ask that question before | | | | and achievement of the desired effects within the |
| now," I replied. What a moment of agony while | | | | expected Future Picture." |
| sitting at the table with two very successful and | | | | Stage 2 is the Experienced Manager "who is |
| respected businessmen with polished academic | | | | working to establish his/her 'Leadership Signature' |
| backgrounds, including a mid 1980's graduate of | | | | to integrate their newly found skills to the |
| the Wharton School of Business, both retired and | | | | achievement of team and organizational |
| now successfully working on their next ventures. | | | | objectives (mission) and work effectively with |
| The pressure of just wanting to receive an | | | | others in a team-led environment. The |
| endorsement from either of them to a colleague | | | | Experienced Manager begins his/her growth by |
| of theirs in hopes of that person is willing to | | | | learning the constructs in the Memorandum of |
| accept a meeting from me to present our | | | | Understanding to find a voice; then, influences |
| perfected elevator pitch: "this is why you should | | | | others to find theirs." |
| use us." | | | | Stage 3 is the competent Fleet Leader who |
| The remainder of the evening and much of the | | | | "understands the criticality of employing |
| next day, I researched why and how to answer | | | | organizational behavior across environments - |
| the question in the future. With the many | | | | organizes people and resources to develop an |
| uncertainties in the "NOW" real-world that business | | | | effective strategy forward using the critical |
| is forced to coexist, this is a question that will | | | | Centers of Gravity to achieve the desired |
| most likely show its face again and again. "I must | | | | effects." |
| be better prepared to answer it with profound | | | | Stage 4 is an effective Breakthrough Executor |
| implications that will impress upon our experiential | | | | who "outlines the specific cognitive abilities that will |
| learning from the participants in our past session," | | | | be sought and cultivated by other leaders in the |
| I thought. But, the real skinny on this new found | | | | years ahead using the Five Minds for the Future: |
| dilemma that I am faced with is this: I too must | | | | the disciplined mind, the synthesizing mind, the |
| "again" reinvest in my own development and | | | | creating mind, the respectful mind, and the ethical |
| learning. | | | | mind; the leader who remains committed to a |
| It is my hopes that this article can help others | | | | vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision, |
| who might be sitting at a similar table having | | | | stimulating higher performance standards using |
| coffee in the same dilemma. In my research, I | | | | team maneuvers." |
| found that a significant high number of people | | | | Stage 5 is the Team/Project Leader who |
| "Rarely" or "Never" calculate the ROI on | | | | "employs the highest standards of customer |
| executive development. Although there are | | | | service by achieving the five disciplines of |
| several factors that lead to reasons for tracking | | | | greatness - these are the leaders who understand |
| the impact of executive development leadership | | | | maneuver warfare and the disciplines within a Five |
| and team building programs such as those | | | | Paragraph Order: SMEAC. They know an |
| delivered from our team, it is very important to | | | | extraordinary organization is one that is driven by |
| do so in plain language for others to grasp the | | | | extraordinary people who make a distinctive |
| concept of the programs intention. In answering | | | | impact and deliver superior performance over a |
| the question for our programs, I am not only | | | | long period of time - as a team unit." |
| looking to monitor the impact, I am also | | | | Stage 6 is the LeaderShaped Leader "who |
| interested in expressing a thorough examination | | | | employs organizational strategic execution tactics |
| of developmental activity along with the benefits | | | | (The OrgSx Paradigm) to permeate enduring |
| and cost to deploy across the entire organizational | | | | greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal |
| environment. | | | | humility and professional will. All successful |
| Accordingly, "conventional wisdom on any | | | | organizations have a single component in common; |
| corporate spending and/or executive | | | | they have a strategic-executor at the helm who |
| development investments need to be fully | | | | knows the disciplines of 'strategic agility' and |
| understood and ranked against other company | | | | 'flawless execution.' These leaders are described |
| projects to ensure proper allocation of scarce | | | | as being tactical in their approach, ferocious and |
| organizational resources," a remark made by | | | | fearless, yet modest with an unwavering |
| Scott Saslow, Executive Director of The Institute | | | | commitment to high standards." This is the leader |
| of Executive Development. This statement rings | | | | who knows how to win! |
| true in our current economic climate. No | | | | This program type also helps people to consider |
| organization can take a leap of faith to engage | | | | key talent management processes that drive high |
| any form of human capital training without | | | | levels of business impact: |
| knowing that their current needs are being met | | | | Performance Managemento Coaching and |
| and pains are being cared for. | | | | development drives much greater value than |
| There are a few factors that drive the need to | | | | appraisal.o Goal setting and goal-alignment drive |
| track program and developmental investments: | | | | high levels of impact. |
| - Increased accountability for all functional areas | | | | Competency Analyseso Skills-based workforce |
| within the organization, driven by initiatives such as | | | | planning and critical job analysis is imperative to |
| "Balanced Scorecard, Six Sigma, et al" and other | | | | succeed.o Competency management is a |
| process improvement programs. In areas such as | | | | foundational process to make talent management |
| training and development, which are known to | | | | work. |
| produce a mix of tangible and intangible benefits, | | | | Assessments & Recruitingo Assessment |
| there is an increased desire by senior | | | | metrics and recruiting are key strategies and |
| management to measure performance | | | | replace decentralized recruiting.o Internal sourcing |
| management outcomes and desired effects. | | | | tools drive greater value than improvements in |
| - Increased awareness by both executive | | | | external sourcing. |
| management as well as HRD professionals on the | | | | Learning & Developmento Alignment with |
| availability of tools and techniques to quantify | | | | talent gaps is biggest area of impact.o |
| impact of executive development programs. | | | | Tremendous growth in career development |
| - A visible increase in Human Resource | | | | programs. |
| Development (HRD) professionals who view their | | | | Based on interviews within our executive |
| departments as stand-alone business units | | | | education program participants at Temple |
| revenue centers and are utilizing department | | | | University since 2007, these four key elements |
| profit and loss statements as one measure of | | | | were identified, which positively had an impact on |
| performance. Increasingly, professionals from | | | | the participants and their organizations upon |
| non-HR departments have figured out the many | | | | returning to their perspective workplaces. |
| benefits of joining HR teams to bring "bottom-line" | | | | Nonetheless, the environment (culture and |
| perspective to human capital investments. | | | | organizational behavior) and the organizations |
| The following *information explains the results | | | | processes received the greatest impact with |
| from the question relating to organizations that | | | | staggering results. |
| attempt to calculate ROI on executive | | | | Regardless of ROI, it is important to understand |
| development: | | | | that no matter what measures are placed on the |
| 10% - Always: Each program is evaluated | | | | program itself, or what name the initiative goes |
| independently, | | | | under (team-based improvement effort, |
| 7% - Frequently: Most of our programs are | | | | continuous improvement, total quality |
| evaluated, | | | | management, lean manufacturing, Human Sigma, |
| 15% - Sometimes: As appropriate, we will | | | | or self-directed work teams) you must strive to |
| evaluate some of our programs, | | | | improve results for internal and external |
| 21% - Rarely: Only a small number of programs | | | | customers. Few organizations and leaders, |
| are evaluated, and | | | | however, are totally pleased with the results their |
| 46% - Never: We never measure ROI for | | | | team improvement efforts produce because of |
| leadership development. | | | | the limited shelf life and excitement the program |
| *From "Leadership Development: Challenges | | | | itself warrants upon completion (how often are |
| & Best Practices," execsight.com | | | | the materials from the visiting program "never" |
| benchmarks. | | | | shared with others and, in most cases, only |
| Business Benefits and ROI Assumptions for an | | | | become a part of the office library never to be |
| Executive Leadership and Organizational Behavior | | | | looked at again?). |
| Program | | | | Additionally, we have a "best practices" table of |
| The business world has quickly realized that their | | | | information that outlines how to examine, |
| very best people, leaders and organizational | | | | measure and outline ROI in Executive Leadership |
| specialists, are the greatest asset. Taking that | | | | and Organizational Behavior Programs like the |
| potential and developing it is highly desirable. | | | | type mentioned above and LeaderShapes the |
| Developing an Executive Leadership and | | | | whole individual. No more will I have to agonize on |
| Organizational Behavior Program that focuses on | | | | the original question posed that sparked me |
| team building and strategic execution offers a | | | | writing this article. The factors that drive positive |
| stimulus to initiate and maintain the behavioral and | | | | impact & ROI for executive style leadership |
| emotional relationships necessary to develop | | | | programs lie in the hands of the participants going |
| leadership traits at every level of an organization. | | | | through it and their response to the instruction |
| A program with this type of disciplined focus and | | | | upon entering back into the workplace. |
| dedicated perspective provides to participants an | | | | So, measuring ROI begins in the decision and |
| overall ability to navigate through six prospective | | | | selection process of the individuals chosen to |
| steps or phases to ensure they follow the right | | | | attend. Everything else is a culmination of |
| path for the greatest individual benefit - achieve | | | | everyone doing their part to ensure successful |
| Personal Proficiency - while attaining a greater | | | | outcomes within the desired effects in the end. |
| level of Professional Mastery. This program type | | | | |