The drip method of corporate leader development, which involves giving leaders small tasks followed by reflection questions, can lead to sustained behavioral change and development.
There is a need for more robust and unbiased measurement methods to assess collective development in organizations and align development strategies with overall organizational objectives.
Deep dives
The Drip Method of Corporate Leader Development
One of the key insights from the podcast is the concept of the drip method of corporate leader development. This approach involves giving leaders small tasks or actions to complete on the job, followed by reflection questions. The tasks are designed to be challenging and require interaction with others, and the reflection questions encourage learning and growth. The program operates on a weekly cadence, with participants engaging in these tasks and discussions with small learning groups. The results have shown that this approach can lead to sustained behavioral change and development, even after the program ends.
Challenges in Measuring Collective Development
The podcast episode also dives into the challenge of measuring collective development in organizations. While there is a lot of interest in understanding how organizations and teams develop and evolve, current assessment methods are limited. Content matching, which involves comparing observed behaviors to predefined descriptions, can be biased and dependent on individual perspectives. Jimmy Parker's research on measuring collective development using surveys and anchor-based questions revealed the difficulty in isolating individual perspectives from collective perspectives. Overall, there is a need for further research to develop more robust and unbiased measurement methods in this area.
The Need for Integrated Development Strategy
Another key point discussed in the podcast is the importance of aligning development strategies with overall organizational objectives. Many organizations invest in leadership development without necessarily assessing the impact or effectiveness of such programs. This suggests a lack of integration between development activities and the broader organizational strategy. The podcast highlights the need for organizations to view development as an enabler of business strategy, ensuring that it aligns with the organization's mission and goals. By doing so, development efforts can become more meaningful and impactful.
Lessons from Helicopter Pilot Training
The conversation also touches upon the lessons that can be learned from helicopter pilot training. In military contexts, there is a stronger focus on results, measurement, and accountability compared to corporate leadership development. This approach emphasizes the importance of tracking impact and ensuring that investments in development deliver the desired outcomes. By adopting a similar mindset in corporate settings, organizations can better integrate development efforts into their operational strategies and assess their effectiveness to drive meaningful change.
Dr. Jimmy Parker advises executives leading unprecedented transformations in large organizations. He has led over 100 transformation initiatives in multiple Fortune 50 companies and several industries (technology, healthcare, energy, retail, and the public sector). In his 30 years of transformation work, his innovative techniques have minimized the time, cost, and effort required to create true transformation that sticks. A lifelong student of the craft, he has studied over 5,000 titles on transforming leaders, teams, and entire organizations. Jimmy is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, served 11 years as a Marine Corps pilot, and led agile software teams before earning a masters in organizational development and Ph.D. in developmental psychology applied to org transformation.
Quotes From Jimmy's Chapter
"We’re ultimately trying to change leadership behavior. And if you want behavior change that sticks, you often have to change the mindsets that drive that behavior: whether those mindsets are outdated leadership paradigms, unrealistic expectations about yourself or others, or just plain false assumptions."
"The weekly Do-Discuss-Document cycle: Do a bite-sized developmental activity on the job, discuss it in your peer group that week, and document key insights and lessons learned."
This “knowing-doing gap,” or the difficulty us humans seem to have in actually doing what we know we should, both frustrated and fascinated me.
The views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are important views to be aware of. Nothing can replace your own research and exploration.
About The International Leadership Association (ILA)
The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in the study, practice, and teaching of leadership.
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