How to Design an Effective System for Developing Managers and Executives

By Maxine Dalton and George Hollenbeck

Managers and executives do not typically become more effective as the result of a single training program or other intervention. Rather, development requires a range of ongoing and integrated activities. Drawn from CCL's "Tools for Developing Successful Executives" program, the six-step model described in this report provides the basics for designing a system that works. The steps, each covered in its own section, range from "Find and use organizational support for creating a process" to "Define and communicate the critical role of the manager." The sections contain commonsense information about the issues to consider when designing a development system plus numerous practical examples.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Center for Creative Leadership
• Release date: Oct 1, 1996
• ISBN: 9781604916959

Book preview

Introduction

At CCL we believe that development of managers and executives depends on a combination of ability, willingness to learn, and opportunity. Frequently, not much can be done about the first two—ability or willingness to learn; so helping the person develop must focus on opportunity—providing the opportunities to learn in a way that maximizes the odds that learning, growth, and development will take place.

This report offers a model for a process of development planning that provides such opportunities. It is based on the Tools for Developing Successful Executives program, and is meant to capture its lessons and put them in usable form.

The model has six steps (each covered in its own section):

1.  Find and use organizational support for creating a process, not an event.

2.  Define the purpose of the program and behaviors to be developed.

3.  Provide feedback for target participants, giving them baseline information about their current skill level and showing them how they can improve or learn new