Leadership Development
Client Needs – A Midwest-based architecture firm with over 200 people in offices nationwide wanted to capture and share the vast experience and institutional knowledge of their current leadership, while also providing future leaders with the skills they would need to sustain their personal growth and that of the firm.
More than sending future leaders to general conferences, the client wanted a custom internal program designed to support and further the firm’s mission and organizational goals.
HR Advisors Group’s Solution – HR Advisors Group helped the client to build a strong program based on research. We engaged current senior leaders, potential future leaders, and the firm’s dedicated HR and Training & Development team in one-on-one interviews, small focus group discussions, and an interactive workshop to explore:
- What does it take to be successful at the firm today and in the future?
- How will changes in the industry and in the firm impact future leadership needs?
- What are the skills, knowledge and abilities that will be needed from the firm’s future leaders?
Key Activities and Learning Objectives for this Initiative – Based on insights from this research, as well as industry best practices in leadership development and the architectural field, our team designed a multi-course leadership development program. The program components support the firm’s guiding values and culture:
- Multiple learning units in dedicated on-site workshops, virtual sessions, and individual work by the participants, extending over the course of a year.
- An application process for candidates to foster engagement and commitment. The selected candidates for each series of the program stay together as a ‘class’ throughout their program duration.
- Subject matter experts from within the firm participate in the learning units, which helps to build relationships among leaders and future leaders across the firm, as well as reinforce the firm’s culture and strategic point of view.
- A group Capstone project spanning the duration of the program, intended to benefit the firm as a whole, as well as bond the participants together in strategic thinking and making decisions together as a team.
The learning objectives begin with self-reflection and understanding individual motivators, strengths, and growth opportunities, and then progress through concepts from individual leadership to strategic visioning firmwide. Overarching topics include:
- Leadership Foundation: Emotional Intelligence and leadership competencies
- Advancing Others and Creating Culture: the firm’s core business elements; communication and listening skills; coaching and mentoring; conflict management and resolution; developing and leading high-performing teams
- Transformative Leadership and Strategic Thinking: visioning, purpose alignment, and strategic planning; understanding the impact of external trends
- Discovering Opportunities: leading the workforce of the future, adopting and promoting a growth mindset, and change management
Following the design of the original program in partnership with the client’s Training & Development team, HR Advisors Group continues to update the content and customize it to each succeeding leadership class. To date, our consultant-coaches have led two consecutive series of the leadership program and proudly celebrated the graduation of over two dozen participants. Having completed the program, these leaders share a common vocabulary, toolkit, and approach that strengthens leadership across the firm and supports smooth leadership succession.