In our previous post, we explored the evolution of leadership development and why the one-size-fits-all approach no longer works. Today, we’re diving deeper into what makes leadership development sustainable over time: a culture of continuous learning. In the most effective organizations, leadership growth isn’t a series of isolated events or one-off training programs—it’s woven into the daily fabric of the organization. When leaders are given consistent opportunities to learn and adapt, they become better equipped to handle the complexities of today’s fast-paced business environment.

At the heart of a continuous learning culture is the understanding that leadership development should be a constant, evolving process. Leaders at all levels need ongoing opportunities to sharpen their skills, learn new ones, and reflect on their progress. But this doesn’t just happen through formal training programs. While structured learning experiences are essential, organizations must also capitalize on small, everyday moments that offer valuable learning opportunities. From mentorship sessions and peer feedback to collaborative projects and problem-solving exercises, these moments are key to reinforcing leadership development on a daily basis.

The true power of integrating continuous learning into the regular routine of leadership development lies in its adaptability. Every leader is different, and every team faces unique challenges. Programmatic Learning for Leadership supports this by providing a framework that adapts to the needs of each leader and organization. By encouraging leaders to engage in both large, structured learning programs and small, in-the-moment growth opportunities, organizations can create a leadership team that is agile, resilient, and always improving. It’s this balance between formal and informal learning that creates a truly dynamic environment for growth.

Moreover, fostering a learning culture ensures that leadership development is not just reactive but proactive. Instead of waiting for performance issues to arise, organizations can cultivate an environment where leaders are always in a state of self-improvement, preparing them for future challenges. Small, consistent learning opportunities—like peer coaching or regular feedback loops—complement larger initiatives like leadership workshops or advanced training programs. Together, they create a layered approach to development that’s constantly evolving to meet the demands of both the individual leader and the organization as a whole.

In conclusion, building a culture of continuous learning is one of the most effective ways to sustain leadership growth and success. By embedding both formal and informal learning opportunities into the everyday routine of leadership development, organizations can foster an environment where growth is ongoing, adaptable, and aligned with long-term goals. With programmatic learning, this process becomes even more effective, creating leadership teams that are not only capable but also always evolving, driving organizational success for years to come.

In today’s rapidly changing business landscape, leadership is more crucial than ever. However, the methods used to develop effective leaders have struggled to keep pace with the demands of the modern workplace. Traditional leadership development programs often rely on a one-size-fits-all approach, offering standardized training that fails to account for the unique challenges and strengths of individual leaders. As organizations strive to stay competitive, it’s becoming increasingly clear that these outdated methods no longer suffice.

The rise of personalized and programmatic learning reflects a broader shift in leadership development. Rather than treating all leaders the same, these new approaches recognize that each leader has a distinct set of skills, experiences, and aspirations. By tailoring learning paths to the specific needs of each individual, organizations can cultivate more effective, adaptable leaders who are better equipped to navigate the complexities of today’s business environment.

A key driver of this evolution is the recognition that leadership is not a static skill but a dynamic process that requires ongoing development. In the past, leaders might have attended a few workshops or completed a set training course, then returned to their roles with little follow-up. Today, however, the most successful organizations understand that leadership development must be continuous, with learning opportunities integrated into daily work life. Programmatic learning, which offers structured yet flexible development paths, ensures that leaders are constantly refining their skills and adapting to new challenges.

Moreover, the shift away from a one-size-fits-all model is also a response to the diverse needs of today’s workforce. Different industries, company cultures, and leadership styles require different approaches to development. For example, a leader in a tech startup might need to focus on innovation and agility, while a leader in a more established company might need to prioritize change management and long-term strategic thinking. By customizing leadership development programs, organizations can ensure that their leaders are prepared to meet the specific demands of their roles.

In conclusion, the evolution of leadership development reflects a broader trend toward personalization in the workplace. As businesses continue to evolve, the need for adaptable, well-rounded leaders will only grow. Programmatic learning, with its focus on individualized development paths and continuous improvement, offers a powerful solution to the limitations of traditional, one-size-fits-all programs. By embracing this approach, organizations can cultivate leaders who are not only capable of managing today’s challenges but are also prepared to drive success in the future.

In today’s competitive market, discovering innovative ways to enhance portfolio value is crucial. Our Fractional Talent Partnership Program offers a unique approach to achieving this goal by leveraging top-tier talent and strategic insights.

Our latest webinar is now live and you can watch the full version here.

Highlights:
Deal Sourcing: Discover how TalentScout and pipelining can support deal generation.
Due Diligence: Discover our Quality of Team (QoT) assessments that provide deep insights into leadership capabilities and potential.
Value Creation: Understand how a wide range of services from talent acquisition to compensation strategies and peer learning support portfolio value creation.

As new frameworks like total quality management, lean, & Six Sigma revolutionized manufacturing, and the Agile framework took technology development to the next level, so too has evolved “company operating systems” to now help manage a company’s performance, not just manufacturing or software development.

Evolution of Company Performance Management: From MBO to OKRs and EOS

Once upon a time, back in the last century, a business problem began to spur solutions. The problem? It was devilishly difficult to push out across an organization’s business goals and make them “actionable.” There were precious few techniques to measure and manage waypoints across the year other than via financial results, which were almost always “forensic” or backward-looking. Once a company’s annual budgets were established for the coming year, and quarterly forecasts created by the leadership team to estimate revenue targets and associated spending to support those revenue targets, it was left to lower-level managers to figure out the action plans, strategies, and tactics to deliver on “the budget.” Two of the earliest solutions to the operating and management problem? Creation of the MBO framework and later in the century a second often referred to with another 3-letter acronym, the BSC. Both promised to offer a bridle to help manage and steer the company’s horsepower toward financial budgets and goals using a more real-time methodology, an operating framework that promised a higher probability of actually meeting or (gulp) exceeding company targets on a more frequent and reliable basis. A bit more on each of these:

Management by Objectives (MBO): Developed by Peter Drucker in the 1950s, MBO is one of the earliest goal-setting frameworks designed to improve organizational performance through clear and agreed-upon objectives between management and employees. The focus is on setting measurable goals that are achievable, realistic, and time-bound, with regular reviews and appraisals to assess progress.

Balanced Scorecard (BSC): Developed by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton in the early 1990s, the Balanced Scorecard is a strategic planning and management system that organizations use to communicate what they are trying to accomplish, align day-to-day work with strategy, prioritize projects, products, and services, and measure and monitor progress towards strategic targets. BSC focuses on balancing financial and non-financial objectives to achieve long-term goals.

But then, as the 20th century faded into the rearview, almost as if born of a fever dream spurred by the relentless human need for progress, innovation once again triumphed in an effort to create a “2.0” solution for company performance management. The result? Two new frameworks were born, paying homage to their framework ancestors if only by the use of yet another set of 3-letter acronyms—OKRs and EOS.

Company goal-setting frameworks like OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) and EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) are designed to help organizations set clear objectives and systematically achieve them, thereby improving performance and alignment. These frameworks have evolved over time, influenced by changing business environments and the need for more dynamic and inclusive approaches to management. History Behind OKRs and EOS

OKRs: The OKR framework was initially developed by Andy Grove at Intel during the 1970s and later popularized by John Doerr, who introduced it to Google. OKRs aim to help organizations set ambitious goals with measurable results, encouraging teams and individuals to stretch beyond their comfort zones. The framework emphasizes alignment and transparency, allowing everyone in the organization to see what others are working on and how it contributes to the company’s overarching objectives.

EOS: The Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) was created by Gino Wickman and outlined in his book “Traction.” EOS is designed to help small to medium-sized businesses achieve greater operational efficiency and business success. The system focuses on six key components: Vision, People, Data, Issues, Process, and Traction, aiming to align all aspects of the business to work cohesively towards common goals. So, what of these new company operating systems and their promise, effectiveness, and impact? Well, thanks to software, these COS frameworks (company operating systems) can be deployed across all employees, not just leadership or management ranks. The individual employee often has agency (and responsibility) for their own mini set of COS deliverables. And now they can be tracked not just monthly or quarterly, but weekly, daily, or via real-time COS dashboards run by software sitting in the cloud with pleasing user interfaces that are much easier to use, interpret, and harness for course-correction. No longer was it necessary to perpetuate the past tradition of having the finance department and senior leadership as the only ones with knowledge of the performance of the business, historically measured by periodic reports called “budgets” that reported on actual versus forecast. Now sales, marketing, and more could see what is moving the needle (and what wasn’t), report out on how they’re doing against their big quarterly deliverables and goals (called “rocks” in the EOS framework), and pivot with greater and speedier agility when needed to course-correct their way to the larger corporate bogey. One last frontier remained to be crossed however in bringing these COS to life. In the vocabulary of the management consulting industry, there is more than just “process” or technology involved in hitting goals. There’s a third word in the well-worn phrase that ends with “[___ ], process & technology.” This third pillar of business success? “People” of course. Ah yes, not only is this the third pillar, but note that it’s listed first in the 3-pillar management adage. And it’s the longest pole required to hold the company’s tent up. It’s also one of the most difficult to get right. So, what does support does this third “people” pillar require? Master facilitators of course. Just like in Six Sigma where you have different “belts” akin to those awarded in the martial arts, often beginning with white and ending with black, to run a COS successfully there needs to be a black-belt equivalent with a phalanx of lower belts strategically distributed and made accountable across the organization—functionally, geographically, layer- and level-distributed from individual contributor through supervisory, managerial, and beyond.

Reach out to [email protected] if you’d like to learn more about how we can help match you with the right COS framework as well as master facilitators to help make the dream of consistent and repeatable company high performance a reality.

Introducing the Leadership User’s Manual for Your New Team

[Credits: Claire Hughes Johnson, former COO at Stripe and executive at Google, author of Scaling People, Ilad Gil, “High Growth Handbook”]

In this guide, we’ll delve into the concept of creating a “Working with Me” or User’s Guide, inspired by the insights of Claire Hughes Johnson, who developed this approach during her tenure at Google and Stripe.

The Problem & Dilemma for Newly Hired Leaders & Their Teams

Imagine this scenario: You’re either a new leader joining a company or an existing team facing a new executive. While there may be an initial meeting, it often takes weeks or even months of working closely together to truly understand how to collaborate effectively. This period is fraught with ups and downs, confusion, miscommunication, unmet expectations, and potential disappointment. Such challenges can strain relationships and hinder productivity, leaving both the individual and the company worse off.

But is there a better way?

Many leaders facing similar situations have embraced the idea of creating “User’s Manuals for Working with Me.” Let’s explore this concept further, including its origins, variations, templates, and potential pitfalls.

Background on the Genesis and History of This Concept & Tool

Claire Hughes Johnson, drawing from her experiences as a VP at Google and later as COO at Stripe, introduced the concept of a personal “working with me” guide to manage rapid team expansion. As companies like Google ballooned from 1,800 to 60,000 employees and Stripe grew from 160 to 7,000 employees, Johnson saw the need to streamline communication and expectations within her teams. Her approach aimed to eliminate guesswork in team interactions, fostering a more inclusive and productive work environment from the outset.

The guide, now a cornerstone of her book “Scaling People,” encourages both managers and new hires to outline work preferences, communication styles, and emotional approaches to work. For instance, Johnson detailed her preferred communication channels for different messages, aiming to make implicit expectations explicit and reduce workplace anxiety. By sharing insights into decision-making styles, stress responses, and individual quirks, Johnson’s guide serves as a blueprint for expectations and behaviors, facilitating smoother integration for new hires and adjustments for existing team members.

Moreover, Johnson emphasizes the importance of feedback on these guides, fostering a culture of open dialogue about strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. This feedback mechanism supports continuous improvement, retention, and a focus on human aspects amid rapid company growth.

Sample Tool Template

A sample template for the “Working with Me” guide can be found here, which can be filled in online or downloaded as a Word document for offline use.

Pitfalls to Beware of & How to Avoid

While creating a User’s Manual can be beneficial, there are pitfalls to avoid. Some view it skeptically as a means for managers to excuse bad behavior by preemptively acknowledging flaws. To mitigate these concerns, consider the following actions:

• Enhance self-awareness by engaging in personality assessments such as Hogan, DISC, Myers-Briggs, or Predictive Index.
• Seek feedback from past team members and close associates to ensure the guide accurately reflects your working style and preferences.
• Encourage bi-directional communication by inviting team members to create their own manuals, fostering mutual understanding and collaboration.
• Regularly review and update the manual to reflect changes in working style, technology, and team dynamics.

Remember, the User’s Manual isn’t a one-time endeavor but an evolving document that supports ongoing communication and collaboration within teams.