Many companies think of leadership development programs as a cost center or, at best, an investment in their talent. Our clients think of it as a revenue source. Examples include-
- A new trading desk that captured millions of dollars in revenues previously being handed to competitors
- A new way for emerging markets retailers to reach ex-pats and expand internationally
- A way for large consumer products companies to collect cash from small retailers via mobile banking
- A new method for pricing a product that made it highly competitive without reducing margins
- An internal application that radically reduced the time and effort required to match rapidly changing inventory with customer profiles
High-potential employees see opportunities but typically lack the perspective, the skills, or the organizational knowledge to get from idea to reality. We help them build those capabilities while they deliver tangible results.
The difference between our programs and other innovation training is the difference between participants saying “I’ve learned some good techniques I’d like to try out” and saying “My team did it, that product is ours, and I could do it again.” Learning through success gives top talent the challenge and the reward they need. As one client said “innovation is about believing that it can be done.” From their experience, participants take that belief back to their day jobs – they become innovation leaders.
How we do it
Successful results depend on two things: creating the right environment and providing teams appropriate and timely support. Our clients find that our total focus on these two factors makes the difference.
We design a custom program that reflects your current and future business, your corporate strategy, and your culture, and meets your talent development goals. Typically we manage comprehensive multi-year programs in which we handle everything from participant selection to collaborative technology to coaching to follow-up with program alumni. But our engagements can also be limited to any specific aspect, such as how to select participants.
We focus on the skills that have proven to be most critical and most difficult to learn except from experience:
