Our post Covid world has highlighted many possible advantages from changing work patterns but does work from home stop leadership development?
In a recent article published in the Harvard Business Review entitled What Leadership Development Should Look Like In The Hybrid Era by Julia Birkinshaw, Maya Gudka and Steve Marshall we find the answer.
Traditionally leadership development has been mainly “on the job” with many quoting 70% as on the job experience, 20% feedback and greater awareness and only 10% through formal training.
The article moves leadership development into the twenty first century by suggesting a more effective framework, namely:
Sensemaking
Experimenting
Self Discovery
This does not negate the on the job, experience and formal training requirements it just refocuses the development to understanding the pathways between the different types of development.
In their article the authors identified five main takeaways from their revised programs and these make a huge amount of sense to me. They are that organisations should adopt development programs that are:
Iterative – teach then engage continuously.
Embedded – embed programs into day jobs.
Experimental – break change down into manageable more accessible steps that allow individuals to experiment.
Supported – work with an experienced coach (who does not have to be physically present to add value)
Multi-mode – use several development modes (face to face, hybrid, virtual).
This approach makes a great deal of sense to me.
The answer to the question does work from home stop leadership development is almost certainly yes, but then putting someone in an office and letting them get on with it is no different.
It’s not geography that holds back development, it’s techniques and attitude. Effective techniques and attitude are more important than anything.
How will you move forward with your leaders and future leaders?
How will you convert your managers to leaders?
If you want to look at this further we have both manufacturing and service simulations to enable everyone to be more effective then please contact us for details – https://www.wellsassoc.co.uk/contact/
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