Transcript No Slide Title

Leadership Learning . . .
A Leap of Faith
Laurie Hillis, MA
Megatrain, Inc., Calgary
The Opening Metaphor
About A Leap of Faith …
• To quantify which learning interventions
had the most impact on individuals and
their ability to operationalize their learned
behaviours on-the-job
• To develop practical strategies to
maximize the value of learning in the
workplace at three levels: for sponsoring
organizations; for program designers,
faculty and facilitators; and for individual
learners
What’s the Point?
In simple terms… Laurie’s questions
were...
• Can leadership be taught?
• Can leadership learning be measured?
• Do people remember what they’ve learned?
• Do people apply what they’ve learned?
How is Learning Measured in Your
Organization?
• Much research and dialogue about
measuring learning…
• Share your organization’s method
of measuring the success of
learning strategies in the
workplace
• Debrief
The Research
A partnership between:
– The Alberta Treasury Branches
– Leadership Development at
The Banff Centre
– Royal Roads University MA LT Program
– Conducted with learners who had
completed a week-long residential
leadership program
– Total of 358 learners who took part in 15
training program over 6 months
4-Step Building Block Approach
Conger’s Leadership Learning Framework:
1 Conceptual overview
2 Feedback to understand their strengths/growth
areas in relation to the required skills
3 Skill building activities for teachable skills
4 Personal growth experiences
Elements of artistry, adventure and personal
risk taking
~ J. Conger, Learning to Lead, 1992
Kirkpatrick’s Model
Kirkpatrick’s four level program
evaluation framework:
–
–
–
–
Level 1:
Level 2:
Level 3:
Level 4:
Reaction
Learning
Behavior
Results
~ D. Kirkpatrick, Evaluating Training Programs, 1994
The Research Question
What interventions in a leadership
development program make a
difference to participants’ learning and
their ability to demonstrate that
learning on the job six to ten months
post-training?
Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research
(Action Research)
Quantitative Research
– written program survey
– numeric rating and qualitative open-ended questions
– 25% return ratio; gender composition was
representative 31% females and 64% males
Qualitative Research
–
–
–
–
focus groups
1:1 individual interviews
anecdotal stories, letters, e-mails and conversations
researcher’s learning journal
Survey Results
• Survey results reported impact to the
learners by:
– Program components
– Program modules
– Gender, tenure, by job position, and by
tenure in job position
0.5
0
r Supp o
rt in the
Progra
m
Smal l G
ro up In
teractio
ns
Stren gt
h Depl o
yment
Invento
ry
Ou tdoo
r Ro pes
Co urse
Learn in
g Style
s Instru
men t
Th e Ba
nff Env
ironme
nt
Th e Fa
cu lty in
the Pro
g ram
Th inkin
g Style
s In stru
ment
Th e Oth
er Lear
n ers
360O C
o mp ete
ncy Ma
p
Combin
ati on o
f So me
o f the C
ompon
Op port
en ts
un ities
to try N
ew Beh
avi ours
Person
OT J
al Learn
ing Con
tract Pr
o cess
Learn in
g Partn
ership s
Du ri ng
Pro gram
Pre-Co
u rse Pa
ckage
Fo llo w
u p Tele
ph one
Call
Learn in
g Journ
als
Sup por
t i n th e
Workpla
ce
Learn in
g Partn
ership s
After .. .
Facili ta
to
Rated Impact
Program Components
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
Program Components – By Gender
hip and
Manage
L eader
sh ip
Thinkin
g
0
ment
ATB Ca
se Stud
y
Confl ic
t Resolu
tio n an
d Neg o
tiation
Empow
ermen t
and De
legatio
n
Ecosim
Simula
ti on (La
Shang ri
In doo r
a)
Lead er
ship Ch
alleng e
/Feed b
ack
Entrepr
en eu ri a
l Attitud
e
Peak P
erforma
nce Gu
ide
Re-En tr
y Plan n
in g
Creativ
ity Even
ing with
th e Arti
sts
Leaders
Change
System
s
Rated Impact
Program Modules
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
Program Modules 6-10 Months
Post-Program
Program Modules
6-10
Month
Post
Program
Survey
Immediate
Post
Program
Evaluations
Percentage of
Increase or
Decrease
Systems Thinking
87%
82%
+5% largest
increase
Change Leadership
86%
84%
+2%
Leadership and Management
85%
82%
+3%
ATB Case Study
82%
88%
-6%
Conflict Resolution and Negotiation
81%
80%
+1%
Empowerment and Delegation
80%
84%
-4%
Ecosim Simulation (La Shangria)
78%
80%
-2%
Indoor Leadership Challenge/Feedback
77%
82%
-5%
Entrepreneurial Attitude
74%
80%
-6%
Peak Performance Guide
Re-Entry Planning
73%
73%
80%
82%
-7%
-9% largest
decrease
Creativity Evening with the Artists
67%
74%
-7%
Appreciative Inquiry Questions
ATB Learners said…
– Most Memorable Learning: identification of self /
self-knowledge, teamwork, and identification of others’
behaviour and how to interact with them
– What Made it Memorable: support and concern, self
confidence, group mix, the Banff environment,
facilitators and faculty, teamwork and learning from
others
– How Learning Translated into Leadership Behaviour:
encourage others, teamwork, manage own behaviour
and its impact, became a better listener and increased
self-confidence
Unanticipated Learning
ATB Learners said…
– 13 unanticipated themes..
– Most significant was the personal impact of the
learning, resulting in:
• being better parents; being more focused on
personal relationships; re-evaluating personal life;
Leading Toward 2000 program being the “glue”
during change; making new personal commitments;
• transformations .. “that wasn’t a course that was a
life experience… how do you explain?”
Ten Study Recommendations
For Sponsoring Organizations (5)
• Expect unanticipated individual and organizational
outcomes, be supportive with follow-up learning
• Formalize post-program organizational support
• Continue competency development and feedback
post-program
• Link past and future culture to keep the best people
in the organization
• Consider the benefits of learning off-site – reflection,
integration and networking
Ten Study Recommendations
For Program Designers, Faculty and Facilitators (4)
• Know the value of customized programs to successful
leadership development
• Carefully select the facilitators and faculty for the leadership
program’s success
• Include experiential learning, both indoor and outdoor
• Build self-awareness and self-assessment tools early into
leadership development programs
Ten Study Recommendations
For Individual Learners (1)
• Prepare yourself for transformational learning by
being open to new experiences, new competency
growth and perhaps unanticipated learning
From a Learner
“The word that I have used to describe my experience in
Banff has been ‘spiritual.’ I cannot recall a week where I
felt so totally immersed in what I was doing, and being
aware of what was going on around me. In fact, the bus
ride out of Banff, oddly enough, is memorable in that I felt
like I was letting go of the experience, wishing that it didn’t
have to end. This became my life for a week… nothing
compares to the way I became so totally engaged in the
experience of Leading Toward 2000.”
Thank you for your time and attention..
Phone
403-236-8009
Fax
403-236-9277
Mail
Laurie Hillis, MA, Megatrain Inc.
11512 Douglas Woods Rise S.E.
Calgary, AB T2Z 1Z9
or
Leadership Development at The Banff Centre
Box 1020
Banff, Alberta T1L 1H5
Email
[email protected]
Web
banffleadership.com