Helping You Build a Leaderful Organisation®
The Options:
A
Comparison of Approaches to Developing Leaders & Managers
Gail Broady
The Corporate Soul
Consulting & Coaching Director
A number
of different approaches have been taken to management development in Australia
and abroad. Such approaches can be differentiated on the basis of how design
and content are determined, who manages them, where they occur, and their
design elements (especially levers for change, development and learning).
to assist you in deciding on the approach that might best suit you.
| Off
the Job Training: |
1.
Sponsored University based Post-Graduate Management Study(Graduate Certificate/Diploma
course in Management, MBA and Executive-MBA Programs)
|
Limited Networking and
benchmarking outside the organisation across sectors
Challenges to thinking and values (especially assumptions, personal theories, role perceptions and belief systems) Exposure to Research and
Best Practice - nationally & abroad Development of Critical,
Disciplined, Independent, Informed and Analytic Thinking
|
Reduced
organisational commitment Increased
dissatisfaction with current workplace/management Slow
development over years May
not result in any change in on-the-job behaviour or practice Managers
may not see the applicability to their workplace May
have no opportunity to apply on the job May not address current needs of organisation or work team Little
or no strategic alignment between the educational institution, the manager
and the workplace Relies
on manager commitment to complete Demanding
on home/family life Limited
appeal ie to those more academically inclined May
be limited personal and skill development May
be too academic - depending on provider selected |
| 2.
Sector specific modified & partially customised Management Programs
based on MBA Curricula (eg Public Sector Executive Development Program) |
Limited Networking and
benchmarking outside the organisation but within the sector Challenges to thinking
and values (especially to assumptions, personal theories and belief
systems) Exposure to Research and
Best Practice nationally & abroad Development of thinking
skills and discipline |
Considerable
off-the-job time Increased
dissatisfaction with current workplace/management Managers
may not see the applicability
to their workplace Limited
strategic alignment between university and the workplace Possible
lack of alignment between manager needs/program design May
be limited personal/skill change/ development / opportunity to apply May
not address current needs of organisation or work team May
be too academic depending on provider selected Relies
on manager commitment to complete Demanding
on home/family life Limited
appeal ie to those more academically inclined May
be limited personal and skill development |
|
| 3. In House modified & partially customised Management Programs based on/aligned with MBA Curricula | Very limited networking
& benchmarking within the organisation Some challenges to thinking
and values Some exposure to Research
and Best Practice based on case studies Focused professional management
development Strategic alignment of
program and organisational aims |
Considerable
time off-the-job Increased
dissatisfaction with current workplace/management May
not result in any change in on-the-job behaviour or practice May
have little or no opportunity to apply on the job Possible
lack of alignment between manager needs and program timing/content
May
enable reinforcing of counter-strategic beliefs and values |
|
| 4. Customised In-House Management Training Programs | Networking
and team development within the organisation Challenges to thinking, values and ways of working/interacting/problem solving Focused
leadership and personal development Strategic alignment of program and organisational aims |
Considerable
time off-the-job Increased
dissatisfaction with current workplace/management May
not result in any change in on-the-job behaviour or practice May
have little or no opportunity to apply on the job Possible
lack of alignment between manager needs and program timing/content
Participants
may take the opportunity to reinforce counter-strategic beliefs and
values May
encourage fad-surfing depending on provider selected May lack depth and research/academic rigour - depending on provider selected |
|
| 5.
Customised, Adventure Based Management & Leadership Development
Programs |
Networking
and team development within the organisation Challenges
to thinking, values and ways of working/interacting/problem solving Improved
team leadership & functioning Focused leadership and
personal development Strategic alignment of program and organisational aims |
Considerable
time off-the-job Increased
dissatisfaction with current workplace/management Possible
lack of alignment between manager needs and program timing/content
Transfer
of learning may not occur Needs
of workplace teams may not be addressed Depending on provider and how this option is selected/initiated may discourage or disadvantage less macho folk & encourage an heroic leadership/crisis management culture of machismo |
|
6.
Ad Hoc attendance at short courses
|
Motivation
may be higher if as needed/wanted Immediately
applicable learning if as needed/as wanted Some
challenge to thinking, ways of operating Expanded
options |
Development
is reactive and piece-meal rather than strategic/future oriented
Motivation
low if as directed
Encourages
short-term thinking, band-aid/quick-fix solution seeking and fad surfing Mis-alignment
between individual and organisation goals
May
lead to frustration if opportunities to transfer and apply learning
on the job are not planned/supported |
|
| On-the-job
develop- ment: |
7.
Self-directed, self-managed career planning and development |
Motivation
high* Development
focused and sustained |
Mis-alignment between individual and organisational goals Succession not assured if the organisation cannot retain good people Can lead to high turnover and loss of good people Ability to attract good people limited - Erodes reputation as 'employer of choice' if this is the only option for staff |
| 8.
Jointly Planned and Managed development utilising some or all of the following
components: Performance Planning, Feedback & Development through the Performance Management System Personality, Performance and Potential Profiling/Testing 360 Degree Feedback (Facilitated/Unfacilitated) Assessment
Centres
Career Planning & Strucured
Mentoring Work Rotation, Secondments, Project Appointments |
Networking and team development both vertically and horizontally within the organisation Motivation
high Development
focused and sustained Alignment between individual and organisational goals Succession
more assured |
Organisations wanting to see quick results/turnarounds may be frustrated as results are medium to long term rather than immediate Success
depends upon sustained organisational commitment Dependent on having good people within the organisation from whom to learn If 360 Degree and other Feedback use is not facilitated, it may not be used effectively by the manager and may increase distance between managers and staff May not challenge existing values, ways of operating, thinking etc May
lose focus/ may become ad hoc unless centrally coordinated/ managed
|
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You
are the Nothing in this article constitutes advice for specific matters or issues you may be considering - so please ensure that you source appropriate, professional advice on specific matters you confront. |
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