Background

A state government department was in an unenviable position: an internal survey had identified a pressing need to build leadership capabilities across the department. The department reported to 3 ministers and contained 6 portfolios with significant differences. Both across and within business units, there were diverse levels of education, skills, leadership experience, and exposure to training.

Driver

The goal for the project was to improve key metrics relating to managerial and leadership capability at all levels throughout the organisation. The Department had identified a need to establish common leadership language and behaviours throughout its workforce and that a formal learning program would begin this process.

What we did

TP3 was engaged to design, develop, deliver, and administer a program that would ensure consistency in leadership and management across 1,000 people managers while reflecting the nuances of each business unit and catering to both junior and senior managers.

The project involved:

• Consulting with a broad range of stakeholders to define a baseline of common leadership and management practices that could be applied throughout the organisation
• Conducting an organisational analysis to define the common leadership and management practices that would form the program’s curriculum
• Identified the most effective and practical method of program delivery, selecting a
  3-day, staggered approach that provided managers with practice time between session
• Developing content for the 2 baseline programs; one each for junior and senior managers, using similar concepts and terms to create a shared platform of understanding
• Consulting with representatives of the business units to adjust content to reflect their function, priorities, challenges and culture. We then designed and incorporated unit-specific case studies and scenarios into each unit’s version of the program to address their different business issues
• Delivering of the program to 1,000 managers for over 4 years
• Administering the program on behalf of the Department, including participant enrolments, venue sourcing, catering, and training logistics, and
• Regularly reporting the behavioural change metrics for each group and business unit that were captured during the program.

Business impact

Anecdotal feedback from both business unit and departmental levels confirm that the program achieved its objectives and enhanced leadership capability. The project's return on investment reporting showed a marked improvement in leadership and management across managerial levels and business units.