DEVELOPING SENIOR LEADERS IN A GLOBAL MANUFACTURER

The company needed to prepare its future General Managers for the challenges and complexities of the role

THE CHALLENGE

The business had a mixed experience in promoting people into critical General Manager roles. Given the complexity and pressure of the role, some had failed to perform to expectations. The CEO and leadership team wanted to be more strategic in identifying future GM’s and setting them up for success.

OUR APPROACH

  • We conducted a series of success profiling interviews and administered a survey to leaders to reach consensus on the critical factors linked to success in the General Manager role.
  • We worked with a design committee of senior leaders to create a GM leadership simulation linked to the success profile. The simulation was built around the key strategic challenges facing GM's in the business, now and in the future.
  • We developed a tiered development solution – a 1.5 day experience for future GM’s and a half-day, virtual experience for mid-level leaders who showed longer term GM potential.
  • Our team partnered with senior leaders to deliver the simulation. Leaders provided real-time, developmental feedback to participants after each simulation scenario.
  • Feedback – Participants received a report and in-depth feedback on their key strengths, development needs and experience gaps in relation to the success profile. We provided feedback to the organization on the strength of the GM bench
  • Development – Alignment meeting with manager to review the key findings and create a personalized development plan to prepare the individual for GM-level roles.

THE IMPACT

  • A consensus view on what ‘good’ looks like at the GM level. A more focused and strategic approach to GM succession planning and development.
  • A strong sense of ownership of the development program among senior leaders who partnering in the design and delivery.
  • Overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants and senior leader assessors.
  • Objective data on participants' readiness for the GM role to inform selection.
  • Targeted personal development plans and tracking of progress