The boards and top teams of major organisations need developing just as much as the workforce, yet few recognise the need.
This was the warning made to senior HR managers by Nigel Povah, managing director of A&DC Consultants, at a seminar on building top teams last week.
Povah said top team development was very rare and he acknowledged the difficulties this presented for HR in trying to introduce continuing development down the line.
Four key reasons were given for the failure of top teams to take their own development seriously:
• A belief or arrogance that there is little to learn or develop.
• Resistance due to fear of losing control or feeling vulnerable.
• Possible resentment of external interference.
• Difficulties of getting the board or top table together for this explicit purpose.
Povah said, “We need leaders who are visionary, who are charismatic communicators, inspirational role models, drivers of transformational change and have an ability to unlock potential through empowerment.”
He added that the top team has to learn and grow because it is exposed to continuous change and churn and needs to be fully equipped for the role.
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