Client:

Global Fortune 500 energy and aluminum supplier

Situation:

After a major merger, the client sought to align leaders across the globe to a new strategy and to new corporate values and behaviors. The client sought an executive development process for their top 300 executives worldwide that would combine personal development with business development.

The CEO required that the program meet three criteria:

• that it be a line manager-led program (not an HR initiative)

• that it generate positive referrals that would lead to high participation rates

• that it should address real business issues

In addition, the client wanted business-oriented external facilitators who could match the diversity of the program participants in gender, age, and nationality.

Results:

To date, nearly all of the division’s top 300 leaders have participated. Participants have consistently given a high satisfaction rating across a variety of formats and facilitators (4.2 average rating on a 5-point scale).

In spite of the lack of hard ROI study data, which the client opted not to obtain, the strongest evidence of the program’s effectiveness can be seen in manager selection and strategic alignment. The program has helped leaders understand the requirements needed for achieving desired performance. Participants have frequently cited improved problem solving and communication between regions and business lines as an outcome. An additional outcome has been the improved ability to interact more effectively with colleagues from diverse backgrounds which has increased their appreciation for diversity as a business advantage.