A World-Class Leadership Development Programme

A world-class leadership programme, evidenced by substantial RoI analysis.

Client: International financial services firm, headquartered in the UK

Division: Markets & International Banking (“M&IB”)

Desks: Finance, operations, risk and technology (“L&C”), Markets (sales and trading) and investment banking

Business Sponsor: Global head of talent

Summary Objective: Leadership and promote training at VP level (promote to Director)

Delivery: 18-month classroom blended (product, skill and leadership training)

Locations: US, UK, (London and Edinburgh), Hong Kong, Singapore, India

Objectives:

  • Accelerate the level of performance of emerging VP talent by focusing on innovative commercial thinking, creating successful solutions and leading transformational change, in a ‘One Business’ culture.
  • Connect front-to-back, cross-regional and functional networks that collaborate to deliver innovative business solutions and effective client service.
  • Deliver stronger candidates for Director-level promotion with enhanced team and personal leadership awareness.
  • Develop strategic perspective through extending organisational, technical, client and product knowledge.
  • Promote a mindset of taking ownership for your career and development path.

Design and Delivery

Design Methodology:

  • Built in partnership with all business stakeholders:
  • Participants, L&D and HR teams, line managers, senior leaders, clients…
  • Extensive data gathered through interviews, group discussions and surveys.
  • Allowed us to calibrate and precisely target: the right learning, at the right time, to the right people.

Delivery: Pre-module assessment and preparatory exercises including

  • Psychometric questionnaire and feedback
  • Technical awareness and professional skills self-assessment and testing
  • Business Challenge and case study preparation

Delivery: Facilitated classroom workshops

Module 1: The Client Leader (Front office)

·  Awareness and successful client leadership

·  Thinking and presenting for impact

·  Application of thinking tools to Business Challenges

·  Practical and strategic networking

·  Business opportunities in EMEA (speaker session)

·  Managing risk and responding to regulation (speaker session)

·  High performing teamwork

·  Developing a successful presentation

·  The client perspective (speaker session)

·  Business Challenge panel presentations

·  Development of client trust and feedback skills

·  Running a business (speaker sessions)

 Module 1: The Thought Leader (L&C)

·  Defining and understanding thought leadership

·  Awareness of personal style and preferences using Social Styles

·  Thinking structures and tools

·  Application of thinking tools to Business Challenges

·  Understanding impact of stress on social styles

·  Practical and strategic networking

·  Managing risk and responding to regulation (speaker session)

·  High performing teamwork

·  Developing a successful presentation

·  Running a business (speaker session)
Module 2: The Collaborative Leader (all)

·  Analysis and understanding of collaboration within the firm

·  Building networks and collaborative cultures framework

·  Personal resilience and optimism

·  Collaborative decision-making tools

·  Distributed leadership framework for  distributed  and  accountable leadership

 Module 3: The Commercial leader (all)

·  Understanding how banks and this firm specifically make money

·  Understanding clients, products, services, markets and competitors

·  Understanding and analysis of the global financial, banking, regulatory and competitive environment and the impact on the firm

·  ‘Run the Bank’ simulation

·  Exploring the role of business knowledge in effective leadership

Delivery: Post-module activities and touchpoints including:

  • 360o self and peer review (run through our online portal)
  • Business Challenge ‘check-ins’ and panel presentations
  • Learning transfer coaching sessions
  • Networking events
  • Off-boarding at the conclusion of the programme: facilitated session to reflect on accomplishments and on-going development

Results

  • Following a highly successful first iteration, the program grew annually incorporating additional service lines.
  • Full RoI analysis using Kirkpatrick Levels 1-4:
    • Participants reporting definite value:
    • 95% recognise learning multiple positive new behaviours, awareness or skills.
    • 96% consider themselves more confident in their role.
    • 89% fully agree the programme has provided definite value to the firm.
    • 93% state they have already transferred learning directly back to their desks, and those around them.
  • Specific high value wins include:
    • Better cross-border and cross-functional networking.
    • Improved leadership, communication and collaboration skills.
    • Sharper thinking and problem-solving skills.
    • Rapid personal development.
    • Higher personal commitment to the firm.
    • A wider commercial perspective enabling greater confident dealing with internal and external clients.
  • Leadership programme as a profit centre:
    • 90% of a single cohort promoted within two years.
    • Retention data is highly positive with attrition for participants running at less than half that of comparable non-participants. This in itself pays for the programme twice over.
    • The client has delivered several big wins from the Business Challenge process. This, too, pays for the programme twice over.
    • A significant contributing factor to the success and profitability of this programme is the Business Challenge element, where participants are tasked with solving genuine, strategic, cross-border, cross-functional challenges for the firm. This element alone more than pays for the programme costs, in terms of efficiency savings, risk management improvements and cost-effectiveness versus external consultants. Before any future, non-cash benefits to the firm, we delivered immediate hard cash RoI benefits of 5x investment.

“This programme is by far the best I’ve seen in 10 years in investment banking. The structure is well placed, the concepts are well delivered and placed in a good context and running it over multiple years reminds you the value of keeping the network you build active… it’s a leadership programme, not a management/people skills course.”

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