According to a new survey by business leadership consultancy DDI and the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development), British business leaders are not up to scratch - and HR teams are failing to provide the training needed to bring them up to the required standard. Only 41% of the UK HR managers surveyed rated their leadership development programmes high quality. And only 42% of the UK leaders questioned were satisfied with the training offered to them.
The report also found that just 44% of UK executives rate other leaders within their organisations as very good or excellent.
According to the HR respondents, poor leadership development in the UK can be blamed on organisations failing to hold senior managers accountable for leadership development. Other problems identified were the failure of organisations to measure the results of leadership development and hence failing to learn from mistakes, and a lack of consistency in the way programmes are deployed.
Vanessa Robinson, organisation and resourcing adviser, CIPD, says: "HR professionals have a major role to play in helping leaders and senior managers realise the pivotal role they must play in proactively supporting leadership development activities. As well as acting as role models for those on high potential programmes, they must also play key roles in identifying future leaders. A lot of effort is going into developing leaders, and a lot is going right. But this report shows that when it comes to delivering outcomes from leadership development, UK organisations could do better."
It all begs the question - why are we filling leadership positions with people who aren't up to the job?
Comments (3)
Posted by Steve Huxham | May 29, 2008 4:35 PM
The most worrying thing here is not necessarily the final question but the comment mid way through – HR is saying that poor leadership development should be blamed on organisations not holding senior managers accountable? Aside from the incendiary issue of whether HR should ever engage in the “blame game”, dare I ask what has happened to HR accountability here for an area that should fall fully within it’s remit? Where are the HR leaders willing to stand up, be counted, and insist that leadership development in their organisations be fit for purpose and directed effectively at the right people? The message here seems to be that the failings are just someone else’s problem and fault...
If that is so, it is just not good enough.
I wonder if the real outcome of this survey is to show that HR and line business leaders do not communicate and work together as effectively as they should and the HR influence is hence diminished?
Posted on May 29, 2008 16:35
Posted by Jo Ouston | June 3, 2008 9:27 AM
The DDI/CIPD research findings are not surprising. Many managers are not prepared to spend time on leadership development when so much of what is offered is superficial – too often focusing on successful sportsmen or Shakespearian characters as role models – fun but not relevant. As a result, many say that the networking is the most valuable part of the experience. There are significant differences between strategic leadership and operational management and different requirements depending on the size and complexity of organisations, as well as the sectors in which they operate. Precise specification is important.
The best HR and learning & development professionals build their credibility with top management by identifying needs more accurately and being more demanding with training providers.
Posted on June 3, 2008 09:27
Posted by Oliver Mack, Curriculum Director, Common Purpose | June 4, 2008 10:28 AM
“It's often in difficult times when we miss having stronger leaders, when opportunities are missed, or difficult decisions need to be made for the business.
When things seem good then companies often focus on the task in hand, becoming more efficient at what they currently do. They rely all too often on managers who can deal excellently with what's in front of them and manage within the boundaries and specialisation they have been trained in and have gained their credibility for.
However when it comes to dealing with unknown issues or unclear outcomes that so often lie across or in -between these areas a leader can't rely on their role specific knowledge or position of authority. It's at these times they need to look beyond that, be able to step forward in uncomfortable situations, display both curiosity and patience and be able to build coalitions across the business.
HR directors need not only to support the importance of this across a business, but to understand how this kind of leadership development works and how it can be measured. The harsh realities of leadership need to be learnt through trying, through being in difficult and uncomfortable situations with people and circumstances you are unfamiliar with”
Posted on June 4, 2008 10:28