SETTING THE performers through effective communication ... · Essentials of Leadership Leaders have improved communication skills and effectively establish positive working relationships

© Development Dimensions International, Inc., MMXII. All rights reserved.

RESEARCH RESULTS–CLIENT

SETTING THE STANDARD FOR MANAGERIAL EXCELLENCE INDUSTRY

Financial Investment Organization

LOCATION(S)

Global

DDI PRODUCT USED

Interaction Management®: Exceptional Leaders

. . . Extraordinary Results® (IM: EX®)

BUSINESS NEED

Operating in more than 50 countries, the

business is committed to promoting the ethics,

education, and professional excellence in global

investment markets. To achieve this goal, the

organization recognized the importance of

developing a high standard of consistent

leadership excellence across the globe.

SOLUTION

To set the gold standard for leadership

excellence within the organization, the business

partnered with Development Dimensions

International (DDI) to design a leadership

development program. The goal of the

program is to provide leaders with the

knowledge and skills to do more than simply

manage their employees. These leaders learn

how to motivate their employees to be high-

performers through effective communication,

coaching, and decision making. Through the

leadership development program and resulting

increased leadership excellence, the

organization is poised to realize improved

employee performance as well as an overall

improvement in employee attitudes such as

satisfaction, engagement, and motivation.

These outcomes will positively impact the

business through enhanced efficiency,

productivity, and quality of services. These

improved processes and services will, in turn,

expand the organization’s customer base and

increase stakeholder satisfaction.

At the core of the leadership development

program is a customized curriculum of courses

from DDI’s Interaction Management®:

Exceptional Leaders . . . Extraordinary

Results® (IM: EX®) program suite, including:

Essentials of Leadership.

High-Impact Feedback and Listening.

Coaching.

Leading Change.

Resolving Conflict.

Leading High-Performance Teams.

Making High-Quality Decisions.

The leadership development program is

strategically aligned to support and reinforce

nine of the organization’s leadership

competencies: Strategic Vision, Ethical

Leadership, Global Perspective, Servant

Leadership, Leadership Courage, Partnership

Mindset, Effective Communication,

Stakeholder Focus, and Agility.

REALIZATION RESULTS:

The organization experienced a

35 percent increase in the

number of effective leaders,

according to trainees.

There was a 150 percent

overall improvement in the

number of trainees who seek

developmental feedback from

others, according to trainees.

As a result of the program,

more than 90 percent of

trainees report effectively

fostering trust and teamwork in

times of change.

Trainees and their observers

show that the leadership

development program

effectively reinforces the

organization’s nine leadership

competencies.

RESEARCH RESULTS BY: MIKE KEMP

CONSULTANT, CABER


2

RE

SE

AR

CH

RE

SU

LT

S—

SE

TT

ING

TH

E S

TA

ND

AR

D F

OR

MA

NA

GE

RIA

L E

XC

ELLE

NC

E

To evaluate the effectiveness of the

implementation and the impact of the

leadership development program, the

organization worked with DDI to ensure

program participants were applying their new

knowledge and skills back on the job.

RESEARCH DESIGN

DDI’s Training CheckpointSM tool was used to

determine the extent to which participants of

the leadership development program changed

their behaviors as a result of the program and

the impact of that behavior change on the

business. Training CheckpointSM is an online

survey focused on the behavioral objectives and

specific goals of the development program.

Participants and their observers (i.e., managers,

direct reports, and colleagues) received the

survey several months after the participants

completed the program. This time frame

provided participants enough opportunities to

practice implementing new concepts and skills,

yet accurately remember pre-program

behaviors. Program participants and their

observers were asked to rate the extent to

which the participants engaged in desired

behaviors before and after completing the

program. By measuring behavior change, the

transfer of learning from the training

environment to the work setting was evaluated.

In other words: did participants apply the skills they

learned in the leadership development program back on

the job?

Training CheckpointSM also measured the

outcomes of behavior change—individual,

team, and organizational improvements that

have resulted from participants applying the

skills and concepts from the program back on

the job. In addition, organizational factors

supporting the development program were

evaluated—providing insight into opportunities

to refine the program to have even more impact

on the business.

To evaluate the program, surveys were sent to

53 program participants (trainees). Of those

trainees, 34 completed the Checkpoint survey,

resulting in a 64 percent response rate across

multiple levels of leadership in more than 5

global locations and 28 departments (Figures

1, 2, and 3).

Figure 1. Percent of Trainees by Leadership Level

21%

41%

34%

4% Senior Management

Mid-level Management

Frontline Leaders

Other


3

RE

SE

AR

CH

RE

SU

LT

S—

SE

TT

ING

TH

E S

TA

ND

AR

D F

OR

MA

NA

GE

RIA

L E

XC

ELLE

NC

E

Figure 2. Percent of Trainees by Location

Figure 3. Percent of Trainees by Functional Area

Surveys were also sent to 236 observers (183

direct reports and 53 managers) of trainees. A

total of 123 direct reports and 31 managers

completed the survey, resulting in a 67 percent

response rate for direct reports and a 59

percent response rate for managers (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Percent of Observers by Relationship to Trainees

77%

11%

6% 4% 2%

Charlottesville

Hong Kong

New York

London

Remote

11%

9%

6%

6%

6%

6% 5% 4% 4%

4% 4%

3%

3%

29%

Asia Pacific Operations

Marketing & Brand Management

Security

Global Communications

IT Development

IT Operations

Product Strategy

Business Planning & Reporting

Member Services

Contact Center

Business Operations

Multimedia R&D

Web Strategy & Services

Other

Note: Other includes 15 departments with less than 2% response rate

76.9% 19.4% 3.8%

Direct Report

Manager

Other


4

RE

SE

AR

CH

RE

SU

LT

S—

SE

TT

ING

TH

E S

TA

ND

AR

D F

OR

MA

NA

GE

RIA

L E

XC

ELLE

NC

E

RESULTS

For each topic in the leadership development

program, at least three behavioral indicators

(identified as learning objectives) were

evaluated. Both trainees and observers were

asked to rate the frequency (Never or Almost

Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, or Almost

Always) with which trainees exhibited each

behavior before and after the program.

Because each of the behavioral indicators

selected was considered a critical outcome of

the program, results focused on the percentage

of trainees who displayed the behaviors “often”

or “almost always” (i.e., the percent of trainees

who frequently engaged in effective leadership

behaviors). The results of this study focus on

the percentage of trainees who were considered

effective before and after the program.

Overall Results: The Bottom Line

Nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of trainees

reported frequently displaying effective

leadership behaviors before going through the

leadership development program, a higher

percentage than is typically observed with

Training CheckpointSM studies in other

organizations (54 percent). This suggests the

organization’s leaders were more effective

before participating in the program than typical

leaders in other organizations. After attending

the program, the number of leaders who

frequently displayed these behaviors rose to 84

percent (a 35 percent overall improvement).

Leaders in other organizations around the

world showed parallel post-program results (85

percent were rated as effective after attending

DDI development programs).

Characteristic of other Training CheckpointSM

studies conducted by DDI, trainees from the

organization were more critical of their pre-

program behaviors, while observers were more

critical of post-program behaviors. Specifically,

observers reported that 56 percent of trainees

frequently displayed effective leadership

behaviors before attending the program. That

number rose to 68 percent after the program; a

20 percent overall increase in the number of

effective leaders, according to observers

(Figure 5).

Figure 5. Percent of Trainees Frequently Displaying Effective Leadership Across All Program

Courses

64.2 56.3

84.2

67.8

0

20

40

60

80

100

Trainees Observers

Per

cen

t o

f T

rain

ees

Ra

ted

"Oft

en"

or

"Alm

ost

Alw

ays

"

Pre-Program Post-Program

As Rated by:


5

RE

SE

AR

CH

RE

SU

LT

S—

SE

TT

ING

TH

E S

TA

ND

AR

D F

OR

MA

NA

GE

RIA

L E

XC

ELLE

NC

E

RESULTS BY COURSE

Results depicting trainee and observer ratings

are presented in this report by course to

highlight the most effective areas of the

leadership development program. Figure 6a

presents the frequency of effective behaviors

pre- and post-program as reported by trainees

for each course; Figure 6b presents the

frequency of effective behaviors as reported by

observers.

In terms of effectiveness after attending the

program, trainee ratings indicated that they

were most proficient in the Essentials of

Leadership (93 percent of trainees frequently

displayed effective behaviors), Making High-

Quality Decisions, and Coaching (87 percent

rated as effective in both areas). Trainees

reported the greatest improvements in

Resolving Conflict (a 73 percent overall

increase in the number of effective leaders),

High-Impact Feedback and Listening (a 70

percent increase), and Coaching (a 59 percent

increase). These three areas were also rated as

the least effective before trainees attended the

program.

Figure 6a. Percentage of Effective Leader Behaviors by Course (Trainee Perspective)

Trainees provide valuable insight into their

efforts to try new approaches and engage in

effective behaviors from the leadership

development program. Observers, on the other

hand, provide a view of how often effective

behaviors are noticed in the work environment.

According to observers, trainees are most

effective in Making High-Quality Decisions (74

percent were rated as effective), Essentials of

Leadership (73 percent effective), and Leading

High-Performance Teams (71 percent effective)

after attending the program. Similar to trainee

insights, observers reported the greatest

improvements in Coaching (a 33 percent

increase in the number of effective leaders),

Resolving Conflict (a 31 percent increase), and

Essentials of Leadership (a 21 percent

increase).

0 20 40 60 80 100

Essentials of Leadership

Making High-QualityDecisions

Coaching

Leading Change

Resolving Conflict

Leading High-Performance Teams

High-Impact Feedbackand Listening

62.6

75.2

54.4

68.7

46.9

65.5

42.3

93.3

87.2

86.5

81.4

81.3

79.9

72.0


Percent of Trainees Rated "Often" or "Almost Always"


6

RE

SE

AR

CH

RE

SU

LT

S—

SE

TT

ING

TH

E S

TA

ND

AR

D F

OR

MA

NA

GE

RIA

L E

XC

ELLE

NC

E

Figure 6b. Percentage of Effective Leader Behaviors by Course (Observer Perspective)


Leaders have improved communication

skills and effectively establish positive

working relationships as a result of the

leadership development program.

Encouragingly, both trainees and observers

reported this course to be one of the top three

in terms of effectiveness post-program. More

than 93 percent of trainees indicated that they

frequently displayed effective behaviors related

to this course after participating in the program,

while observers indicated 73 percent of trainees

to be effective. Moreover, trainees reported an

impressive 100 percent overall improvement,

essentially doubling the number who engaged

in the specific behavioral indicator: Providing

others with support without removing their

responsibility for action.

“I have used the skills to prepare for and run more

efficient meetings, move projects along quicker, and

empower others to lead efforts while providing

support. I‟ve also tried to encourage my team to try

new approaches, even when unsuccessful. They

respond well to the opportunity.”

—Program Participant

High-Impact Feedback and Listening

As a result of the leadership development

program, leaders are much more likely to

seek developmental feedback from

colleagues.

Trainees reported a 70 percent overall

improvement in behaviors related to High-

Impact Feedback and Listening, while

observers reported a 24 percent improvement.

In terms of specific behaviors, both trainees

and observers agreed that the greatest strides

were made in seeking developmental feedback

from colleagues. Trainees indicated only 18

percent frequently sought development

feedback before the program. After the

program, 46 percent reported seeking

developmental feedback, an overall increase of

150 percent.

0 20 40 60 80 100


Making High-QualityDecisions

Coaching

Leading Change

Resolving Conflict


High-Impact Feedbackand Listening

60.1

64.3

45.6

55.1

44.9

58.4

47.8

72.6

74.3

60.4

64.8

59.0

70.5

59.3




7

RE

SE

AR

CH

RE

SU

LT

S—

SE

TT

ING

TH

E S

TA

ND

AR

D F

OR

MA

NA

GE

RIA

L E

XC

ELLE

NC

E

Coaching

Leaders are able to reactively address

performance problems and proactively

encourage improvement as a result of the

program.

Trainees reported a 59 percent overall

improvement in behaviors related to the

coaching course, while observers reported a 32

percent overall improvement. Interestingly,

trainees felt they made the greatest

improvements in effectively addressing issues

of poor performance (an 80 percent increase),

while observers reported the greatest

improvements in trainees capitalizing on

opportunities to build others’ skills.

“I found that I often try to have the answers when

helping my staff resolve problems, but I‟ve really

focused on helping them come up with solutions and

asking them: „What do you think?‟ or „How would

you resolve the problem?‟. I am still a resource but

try to engage them more by helping them solve

problems or concerns.”


Leading Change

The number of leaders who can initiate

change and minimize its potentially

negative effects has substantially increased

as a result of the program.

Across all behaviors in this course, both

trainees and observers reported an 18 percent

overall increase in the number of trainees who

are effective at leading change. After the

program, more than 90 percent of trainees

indicated they were frequently working to foster

trust and teamwork during times of change.

Observers reported leaders were most effective

at listening to and addressing others’ concerns

about change after attending the program.

Resolving Conflict

Leaders are now much more likely to address

workplace conflicts before they escalate.

Of all the courses in the leadership

development program, trainees reported

making the greatest improvements in behaviors

related to Resolving Conflict (a 73 percent

overall increase in the number of effective

leaders). Specifically, only 37 percent of

trainees reported frequently engaging in the

behavior of helping others take responsibility

for resolving their own conflicts before

attending the program. After attending the

program, over 80 percent of trainees reported

frequently engaging in this behavior (an

impressive 117 percent improvement).

Observers noticed the greatest improvement (a

36 percent increase) in trainees’ abilities to

address workplace conflicts before they

escalate.

“I‟ve had to hold three difficult conversations this

year involving conflict, and the discussion planners

and other guidance from the materials helped a lot.”



Program participants and observers agree

trainees are better at leading teams with a

focus on high performance.

Trainee and observer ratings regarding the

Leading High-Performance Teams course were

greatly aligned. Trainees reported a 21 percent

overall increase in those who frequently

engaged in related behaviors, while observers

reported a 22 percent overall increase.

Additionally, both trainees and observers agreed

that trainees were most effective at the

behavior: Leading the team to accomplish

challenging goals and objectives, after attending

the program. They also agreed that trainees

made the greatest improvements in eliminating

conditions that prevent team members from

achieving high levels of performance.


8

RE

SE

AR

CH

RE

SU

LT

S—

SE

TT

ING

TH

E S

TA

ND

AR

D F

OR

MA

NA

GE

RIA

L E

XC

ELLE

NC

E

Making High-Quality Decisions

Leaders are able to involve the right people

at the right time to help make high-quality

decisions, as well as gain their support for

decisions as a result of the program.

Both trainees and their observers reported a 16

percent overall improvement in behaviors

related to Making High-Quality Decisions. In

terms of specific behaviors, both trainees and

observers agreed the greatest strides were made

in involving the right people at the right time

when making decisions. In today’s turbulent,

fast-paced business environment, leaders need

to be able to quickly size up a situation, involve

the right people, weigh the risks and rewards

for different courses of action, and then act.

Leaders now have the knowledge and skills to

help them make high-quality decisions that will

positively impact the business.

Leadership Competencies

The leadership development program

effectively reinforces the organization’s

leadership competencies.

The leadership development program is

strategically aligned with nine of the

organization’s leadership competencies: Ethical

Leadership, Global Perspective, Stakeholder

Focus, Agility, Servant Leadership, Partnership

Mindset, Effective Communication, Leadership

Courage, and Strategic Vision. During each

course, relevant leadership competencies were

discussed with regard to how the course

knowledge, skills, and materials aligned with

those competencies.

Figure 7a presents the frequency of essential

behaviors for each leadership competency pre-

and post-program as reported by trainees;

Figure 7b presents the same as reported by

observers. Before participating in the program,

73 percent of trainees reported frequently

engaging in the essential behaviors related to

the nine leadership competencies. That number

rose to 85 percent post-program (a 16 percent

overall improvement). Observers reported 66

percent of trainees frequently displayed the

essential behaviors across the leadership

competencies before attending the program.

After trainees attended the program, observers

reported an average of 75 percent of trainees

frequently displayed the leadership

competencies.

According to both trainees and observers, not

much change occurred with regard to Ethical

Leadership because trainees were already highly

effective in this area before attending the

program (85 to 94 percent frequently displaying

ethical leadership). Trainees indicated the

greatest improvements in Agility (a 31 percent

increase) while observers reported the greatest

improvements in Strategic Vision.


9

RE

SE

AR

CH

RE

SU

LT

S—

SE

TT

ING

TH

E S

TA

ND

AR

D F

OR

MA

NA

GE

RIA

L E

XC

ELLE

NC

E

Figure 7a. Percentage of Effective Behaviors by the Organization’s Leadership Competencies

(Trainee Perspective)

Figure 7b. Percentage of Effective Behaviors by the Organization’s Leadership Competencies

(Observer Perspective)

0 20 40 60 80 100

Ethical Leadership

Global Perspective

Stakeholder Focus

Agility

Servant Leadership

Partnership Mindset

Effective…

Leadership Courage

Strategic Vision

Overall

94.1

82.4

75.7

67.6

70.5

72.7

70.6

66.7

58.8

73.2

94.1

91.1

90.9

88.2

85.3

84.8

82.4

78.8

70.6

85.1



0 20 40 60 80 100

Ethical Leadership

Global Perspective

Stakeholder Focus

Agility

Servant Leadership

Partnership Mindset

Effective…

Leadership Courage

Strategic Vision

Overall

85.0

74.8

73.5

64.1

57.7

63.2

64.5

56.2

51.0

65.6

86.7

83.9

81.4

75.0

64.7

74.7

70.2

71.1

65.6

74.8




10

RE

SE

AR

CH

RE

SU

LT

S—

SE

TT

ING

TH

E S

TA

ND

AR

D F

OR

MA

NA

GE

RIA

L E

XC

ELLE

NC

E

IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM

Individual Job Performance

Trainees reported a 6 percent improvement in

their overall job performance (Figure 8) and

that over half of this improvement (52 percent)

was directly attributed to the program.

Figure 8. Improvement in Overall Job Performance (Trainee Perspective)

Observers working closely with trainees

reported their own individual productivity has

increased by an average of 30 percent over the

past 6 months. Moreover, according to

observers, 28 percent of this improvement was

influenced specifically by changes in the

behavior of trainees.

Aspects of Team Performance

Both trainees and observers reported

improvements in their work teams in regard to:

Communication Among Employees

Employee Morale

Efficiency of Operations

Employee Productivity

Trainees and observers indicated that these

improvements were a direct result of the

program. The greatest improvement reported

by both trainees and observers was in the area

of Communication Among Employees.

Trainees reported a 27 percent improvement in

communication attributable directly to the

program (Figure 9).

50

60

70

80

90

100


82.4 87.5

6.2 Percent Overall Improvement

On a scale from 0 to 100 (0 = Poor; 100 = Exceptional)


11

RE

SE

AR

CH

RE

SU

LT

S—

SE

TT

ING

TH

E S

TA

ND

AR

D F

OR

MA

NA

GE

RIA

L E

XC

ELLE

NC

E

Effectiveness Ratings (on a scale from 0 to 100)

Figure 9. Percentage of Improvement in Team Outcomes Attributed Directly to the Program

(Trainee Perspective)

ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE PROGRAM

Four aspects of the organization were evaluated

in terms of how effectively they helped support

the transfer of new knowledge and skills from

the leadership development program back on

the job. Figure 10 shows the effectiveness of

each broad factor.

Figure 10. Effectiveness of Organizational Support Factors (Trainee Perspective)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Employee Productivity in MyTeam

Efficiency of Operations in MyTeam

Employee Morale in My Team

Communication AmongEmployees in My Team

18%

18%

23%

27%

Percent of Improvement Attributed to the Management Essentials Program


12

RE

SE

AR

CH

RE

SU

LT

S—

SE

TT

ING

TH

E S

TA

ND

AR

D F

OR

MA

NA

GE

RIA

L E

XC

ELLE

NC

E

Training Relevance

Ensuring that trainees feel the content of the

development program is relevant to their work

is critical for the transfer of knowledge and

skills from the learning environment to the

work setting. If trainees feel that what they

learned was irrelevant or not applicable, they

will be far less likely to transfer those concepts

back on the job. Fortunately, training relevance

received a 94 percent effectiveness rating,

indicating that trainees feel the leadership

development program is very relevant to their

roles. Even more encouraging is the fact that

trainees in this study originated from 28

different departments within the organization.

Personal Impetus

Equally important to perceptions of training

relevance is trainee motivation to apply the

concepts and skills they have gained. A total of

94 percent of trainees indicated they were

personally motivated to apply the skills or

concepts learned in the program back on the

job, while 75 percent agreed the program has

increased their confidence toward application.

Manager Reinforcement

Reinforcement from managers of program

participants is a particularly strong catalyst for

the application of new knowledge and skills.

When managers discuss the program with

trainees and identify specific implementation

opportunities, trainees are more likely to follow

through due to an increased sense of

accountability. Managers who attended the

Supporting Leadership Development course

reported a 28 percent increase in the frequency

with which they took action to support the

development of their direct reports after

attending the course. Instilling processes to

educate and hold managers accountable for

following up with program participants is

critical. Creating specific action plans and

holding trainees more accountable for

application of new knowledge and skills would

increase the amount of positive behavior

change and the impact of the leadership

development program on the organization’s

business.

Work Environment

Support for training transfer can also come

from a work environment that helps motivate

trainees to apply their new knowledge and skills.

Employees need both time and resources to

practice and perfect new behaviors. The good

news is that more than 80 percent of trainees

reported having opportunities to apply their

new skills and having the resources needed to

apply what they learned in the leadership

development program.

As part of the leadership development

program, trainees had access to DDI’s Online

Performance and Learning tool (OPAL®) as a

resource to refresh what they learned in the

program, to identify personal areas of

improvement, and to gain tips regarding

specific situations. The majority of trainees (88

percent) indicated they had used OPAL

between 1 and 5 times. The most frequently

cited reason was for tips regarding specific

situations and to gather more information

about a topic that was addressed outside of the

leadership development program.

MKTIMRR31-0912 © Development Dimensions International, Inc., MMXII. All rights reserved.

13

CONTACT INFORMATION WORLD HEADQUARTERS 412.257.0600 E-MAIL [email protected] WWW.DDIWORLD.COM/LOCATIONS

This document was developed

by DDI’s Center for Applied

Behavioral Research (CABER).

For more information, contact

[email protected].

RE

SE

AR

CH

RE

SU

LT

S—

SE

TT

ING

TH

E S

TA

ND

AR

D F

OR

MA

NA

GE

RIA

L E

XC

ELLE

NC

E

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, this study demonstrates that the

leadership development program increased the

effectiveness of participants according to not

only program participants but to people with

whom they work closely. As a result of

substantially more leaders frequently engaging

in effective behaviors targeted in the program,

overall job performance of those leaders as well

as their colleagues has improved. Both

program participants and observers attributed

team-level outcomes directly to the leadership

development program, including

communication among employees, employee

morale, efficiency of operations, and employee

productivity.

There are sufficient organizational factors in

place to support the transfer of program

concepts and skills back on the job. However,

this study revealed that the leadership

development program could have more impact

if processes were instilled to educate and hold

managers more accountable for following up

with program participants and holding trainees

accountable for application of new knowledge

and skills.

Within less than a year after completion of the

leadership development program, both trainees

and observers are reaping the benefits in areas

such as communication, productivity, and

efficiency. Successful leaders not only improve

their own performance, but they improve the

performance of those with whom they work

closely—in all directions. The leadership

development program and its participants are

setting a high standard of managerial excellence

that will continue to positively impact not only

trainees and their colleagues but also

stakeholders and customers.

Documents

SETTING THE performers through effective communication ... · Essentials of Leadership Leaders have improved communication skills and effectively establish positive working relationships