Leadership Development
To use an old cliché, leadership development means many different things to different people, a generally well-known fact. However, fortunately, there are some central tendencies that enable consulting and training firms, as well as academic institutions and companies themselves to create and offer or pursue a well thought out process for leadership development.
Therefore, the questions should be: “what kind of leadership development does the person or team need, either to accomplish current goals on or above par, or to prepare for something partially or highly different that is coming? To what extent is the development intended to be foundational or enhancing?” And finally, “how well will the development to be pursued prepare the individual leader or team for the long haul in the organization or for top, senior executive responsibilities?” Only after these questions are answered satisfactorily, can the person or group driving the development process reach for the right combination of options and modes of delivery.
Executive leadership development is situational and very much dependent on present or projected organizational needs and challenges. At New Leaf Consulting, LLC we understand executive leadership development in the context of the present organization’s short and longer range goals, in relation to products or services, changing or expanding markets, financial capability, supply chains, quality, and research and/or legislation and regulation. Succession plans, while essential for thinking and planning ahead may fall short in such a context for a number of reasons. However, one of the primary reasons is that organizations don’t give sufficient attention to the present and anticipated scenarios, based on the factors above, and therefore are not as able as they might be otherwise in selecting successors who truly have been prepared for the mission ahead.
A professional sports franchise doesn’t select a coach based only on the record of the last three to five years, but rather on the basis of the desired record for the future. That’s where the question “who can take us there and keep on taking us there despite changes in any combination of the factors mentioned above?” comes into play. “Who can take us there, and who is ready or can be ready with help in ramping up by the time she, he, or they are needed?”
These all are added reasons why coaching, executive leadership development, as well as organization growth and change are inherently interrelated. Randy Ruppart is a development specialist who has “been there”, and can guide others in the extremely important process of integrating all three factors with the right ordering of emphasis on the weight or focus given to any one of them, at a given time. Frequently, during a long process of change and organization growth, even if it’s only in one division or segment, but lasting a year or more, the emphasis and ordering will shift, according to evolution of the progress.
Therefore, if this model appeals to you or seems to be right, potentially, for your organization and it’s present as well as emerging executive leadership, contact Randy at New Leaf Consulting, LLC for a more complete and in-depth discussion of what you or the organization is trying to accomplish or plan for and how this model might be helpful. Partnering with others, both inside and outside of the organization, is one of the most productive avenues that a person guiding or shaping executive leadership programs and processes can pursue.
