Accelerating Succession.
Partnering with a large US organization to pinpoint and prepare the next generation of senior leaders – against a backdrop of accelerating retirements, major transformation, and rising performance demands.
3 Big Wins
1
Successors are identified based on objective data
vs. gut feel or bias. Fewer high profile leadership failures.
2
80% of today’s senior leaders
completed the program prior to stepping into the role.
3
Measurable improvements
in strategic thinking, leading transformation and influence.
The Challenge.
Our client is a much loved US institution and one of the largest in the country with revenues exceeding $90B and a workforce of over 600,000 people. Performance was not where it needed to be and the organization was under increasing scrutiny and political pressure. Leaders were often promoted based on tenure or relationships and often were not equipped for the scope, influence, visibility – and pressure of the role. The client wanted leaders to ensure they promoted the right leaders at the right time with the required support to set them up for success.
The quality of the team at O.R. Leadership has been incredible. They’ve brought valuable insights to our senior leaders, and their decade-long relationship with us means they truly understand our organization.
Our Approach.
We engaged the Executive Leadership Team and VP’s in the design of a successor assessment and development program. A design committee of leaders identified “crucible” leadership situations that differentiated exceptional performance. ORL worked with leaders to build a future-focused “day in the life” of a senior executive tailored to the organization’s strategy, culture and leadership challenges. The program involves:
- Nomination – Participants are identified through the organization’s annual leadership talent review process.
- Pre-work – 360 feedback, psychometrics, pre-reading.
- Leadership Impact Interview – A 3-hour biographical and competency-based interview with a consulting psychologist.
- Leadership Simulation – A fully customized “day in the life” leadership simulation.
- Feedback – Reports and feedback to the participant and the organization to inform readiness decisions and development.
- Development – Alignment meeting with participant, their line manager, OD leader and ORT consultant to agree on findings and development objectives.
- Coaching – Quarterly coaching over a period of 12 months to support leaders in executing their development plan. Evaluation of progress.
Promoting on experience alone left new leaders in ‘sink or swim’ situations with high failure risk. Our custom assessment center, combined with quarterly follow-up coaching, gave the organization a more objective view of senior leadership potential, and participants the support to grow into it.
The Impact.
For over a decade, this program has shaped the organization’s leadership bench. It’s now the flagship development experience (most senior leaders have been through it) and it plays a central role in selecting and preparing leaders who embody the culture of performance, engagement, and agility. It’s resulted in stronger leaders, fewer costly failures and a more resilient pipeline for the future.
Turn succession risk into strength – with a bench of ‘ready now’ leaders’. >>