The Great Manager Digest

Leadership Lens

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The university wanted to provide a clear and objective structure for career advancement / progression and encourage self-directed learning leading to development of skills and competencies across levels. The university also wanted to Identify and develop behavioral and functional competency framework linked to the career pathways and Identify development programs tailored to employees and organizational needs.

PB adopted the following process to design Career Development Pathway:

 Developed ‘Career Management Policy’ to provide guidelines on career movement and linkages to other processes like performance management, succession planning etc.

A leading University in South East Asia

Greater than 80% of the Senior Leadership positions were occupied by expats in a S.E. Asian country headquarters of a global consulting corporation. PB was approached by this organization to help them build and nurture local leadership in their country. The objective was to identify prospective talent for the leadership pipeline and prepare them to take on key senior management roles as a part of their Succession Plan. The entire intervention was targeted within an 18-month timeframe.

A Development Centre was conducted for all local employees who were next in line to take over key leadership positions from a sizeable population of Senior Management expats in their country.

Individual Development Plans (IDPs) for the afore-mentioned target group were created through IDP workshops based on the improvement areas of participants uncovered in the DC.

The effectiveness of the LDP was corroborated by the fact that more than 60% of the target population was designated as key future position holders of the Leadership pipeline.

Global Consulting Outsourcing Corporation

The bank was typically sending their officers on assignment to the back office operations. PB was engaged to build system to help the bank assess their managers and identify the High Potentials through a scientific assessment system. The objective was have a clear system of assessment for their managers for promotion.

PB did a data gathering and analysis initiative and finalized the Leadership competency framework for the leaders of the back office operations. Thereafter, the various roles were profiled on the competencies required for each position/role.

Through development centers, the potential employees were assessed in development/assessment centers to decide the employees capable of moving into higher roles.

Alongside, a functional competency framework for both data and voice was finalized.

Using the results of the assessment/development centre, a succession planning system was put in place. The functional framework was used more at member levels to assist in hiring the right profiles to help in selecting the right person and thus improve the hit rate.

Talent Management case study

The back office operations of one of the largest banks in the world

Given the organization’s growth rate and aggressive expansion plans, it wanted to take key ‘Talent related decisions’, namely - create and build succession and leadership pipeline. The firm wished to groom selected internal pool of leaders & impart skills to man critical positions across functions. To accomplish this, the organization cast the net wide, and

In the ‘pre-work’ phase, PB got an understanding of the current and future business needs through structured interviews with the leadership team. We reviewed the existing competency framework, post which, it was fine-tuned for the subsequent assessment process. We also identified other ‘High potential’ characteristics, apart from the standard set of competencies that was required. 

In the ‘profiling phase’, both online and face-to-face assessments using competency-specific customized tools were administered.

Post the profiling phase, an overall organization Talent Inventory and 9-box matrix was provided to the HR Team. The top quartile of high-potential managers was identified.

In participation with the leadership team, a talent review workshop was conducted wherein each participant was discussed in detail and specific talent actions (role change, additional responsibilities etc.) were identified for each participant.

The participants were subsequently enrolled into an extended leadership development journey in order to groom them for the next level of responsibilities.

A large HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Cooling) Manufacturer hey

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The role of the manager has become increasingly complex and demanding in today's rapidly evolving business landscape. As organizations flatten their structures and managers take on larger teams, the responsibilities placed upon them have escalated significantly. According to a research, the average manager's number of direct reports has increased by a staggering 2.8 times over the last six years alone.

Amidst this mounting pressure, a startling reality emerges: nearly half of managers are at risk of failure, The implications of this statistic are far-reaching, as employees reporting to managers at risk of failure are 91% less likely to be high performers, three times more likely to seek employment elsewhere, and four times more likely to under perform on customer satisfaction and innovation goals.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, the primary predictors of manager failure do not stem from a lack of technical skills, coaching ineffectiveness, or an inability to prioritize. Instead, research has identified four key factors that heighten the risk of manager failure

To address these critical predictors of manager failure, organizations must take proactive measures. Research suggests that by effectively addressing these four factors, the risk of manager failure can be reduced from 48% to as little as 5%.

As the manager's role becomes increasingly unmanageable in the face of organizational complexity and diverse employee needs, a proactive approach to addressing the risk of manager failure is paramount. By acknowledging and addressing the root causes of managerial struggles, organizations can cultivate a more empowered, aligned, and productive workforce, equipped to navigate the challenges of the modern business landscape.

Proactively Managing the Growing Threat of Managerial Failure

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As managers, we're often torn between the competing priorities of achieving results and fostering an engaged, motivated team. Conventional wisdom says you can't have it both ways - a hard-driving results focus comes at the expense of interpersonal connections. However, a study reveals that the most effective leaders are those who excel at both driving performance and engaging their people.

What sets these well-rounded leaders apart?  Identified are the six "behavioral bridges" that enable top leaders to drive performance through people:

1. Communicating a clear strategy and direction

4. Exhibiting high integrity to inspire trust

6. Remaining coachable and open to feedback

These findings align with the holistic approach we take in our Certified Program for Leadership (CPLP). Through this exclusive 4-month certification, co-developed with IIM Bangalore, participants enhance their management prowess across multiple dimensions.

The program starts by establishing a clear foundation through our R-OPTI™ Model for Managerial Effectiveness. Guided by this model, participants learn to set a compelling organizational vision while inspiring commitment in their teams.

Complementing this results-focused skillset, CPLP also hones "softer" leadership capabilities through workshops on emotional intelligence, coaching others, managing conflicts and more. These modules equip managers with techniques to build trust, motivate individuals and develop their direct reports - behaviors identified as hallmarks of well-rounded leaders.

The program's blended format of workshops, group coaching, peer learning and applied projects ensures that participants don't just learn concepts, but practice integrating results and people skills. As one past participant shared, "The skills learned here will help me throughout my career to analyze my capabilities and understand how to create a high-performing team."

In today's experience economy, employees want more than just a paycheck - they seek meaning, growth and camaraderie at work. By developing managers who harmonize a focus on results with a commitment to enriching their people's experience, CPLP empowers organizations to drive sustainable, engaged performance. The path to becoming a top 13% leader is a challenging one, but the rewards make it worthwhile.