Preparing our leaders for the future
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/14754391211186250 |
| Published date | 29 November 2011 |
| Date | 29 November 2011 |
| Pages | 5-12 |
| Author | Steve Newhall |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour |
Preparing our leaders for the future
Steve Newhall
Abstract
Purpose – Recent research released by global talent management company, DDI, shows that over the
last decade, there seems to be little real improvement in leadership quality. In the most recent Global
Leadership Forecast, only one in threeleaders reported that their quality of leadership was high and only
18 percent of HR professionals reported strong bench strength to meet future business needs. Clearly a
significant shift is required in developing our leaders if this trend is to change, so the aim of this article is
to ask: what can DDI’s 6th Global Leadership Forecast tell us about leadership effectiveness and
development?
Design/methodology/approach – The Global Leadership Forecast is a comprehensive survey of the
attitudes of leaders in relation to talent management practices, encompassing the views of more than
12,000 organizational leaders and 1,800 HR professionals from across 74 countries.
Findings – Leaders rate themselves poorly, do not possess the skills necessary for future business
success and do not have a sufficient pipeline of talent within their organization. Leadership
development, processes and practices require significant transformation if organizations are to meet the
increasingly rapid pace of business change.
Originality/value – This article provides useful and current data on the attitudes of leaders to
development and talent management as well as providing senior leaders and HR practitioners with a
useful reference for planning an effective talent management strategy.
Keywords Talent, Leadership, Succession,Training, Development, Research, Leaders,
Competitive strategy
Paper type Case study
In today’s competitive marketplace, having the right talent strategy is critical for any
organization’s success. DDI’s recent Global Leadership Forecast highlights some
important trends – most notably that our leaders lack confidence in their leadership
skills and are not necessarily equipped with the skills they believe they will need for the future
(Boatman and Wellins, 2011). Organizations are also showing weakness in their bench
strength, which begs the question – how sustainable is your organization’s leadership
capability and is it equipped for the future?
In a recent IBM study of 1,500 CEOs worldwide, more than 60 percent believed their
businesses today were more volatile, uncertain and complex than ever before (IBM
Corporation, 2010). Many of our business leaders had never experienced an economic
downturn before, certainly not on the scale seen in recent years in many western countries,
and, as a result, they had to rapidly shift their way of thinking, use different leadership skills
and demonstrate a high degree of resilience while under intense pressure.
The tide seems to be turning and it would appear that the war for talent is back on. According
to the Conference Board’s 2010 study on CEO challenges, areas such as business growth,
talent and innovation have risen to the top of the CEO agenda (Barrington, 2010). Many
organizations are also increasing their R&D spend and evidence from the Leadership
DOI 10.1108/14754391211186250 VOL. 11 NO. 1 2012, pp. 5-12, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1475-4398
j
STRATEGIC HR REVIEW
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PAGE 5
Steve Newhall is MD, DDI
UK at Stoke Poges, UK.
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