From today’s managers to tomorrow’s leaders

The challenge

A multinational technology company, with 71,000 employees worldwide, was having trouble retaining top talent and ensuring that its leaders were equipped with the mindsets and behaviors needed to lead in the 21st Century VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) world. With the aspiration to become the No. 1 information technology company in the world, they realized that gaps existed in mindsets and skillsets across multiple levels of the enterprise.

The approach

We developed a program whose purpose was to create agile leaders who could shape the company’s future for the next 15 years. The program aimed at the top 2 percent of high potentials with certain future leadership characteristics and a willingness to lead from right where they are, rather than waiting for title and position to influence the organization positively. The program included participants from more than 40 different countries.

Our partnered solution

• We co-designed a two-year learning journey for the individual contributor and first-time manager population. The program included three five-day residential events for more than 250 participants.
• We leveraged expertise, research and thought leadership on sustainable behavioral change, adult learning, human-centered design and the neuroscience of change.
• Each participant went through a process of a 360° assessment and thorough debrief, six application coaching sessions and bridge activities in between residential events to deepen impact and apply learning within their day-to-day rhythm of business.
• We leveraged technology and other creative solutions to ensure that each and every touch point with participants was creative and meaningful.
• The program included insight on deep self-awareness, effective teaming, innovative thinking, business acumen and inclusive leadership, among other topics.

The impact

• The company reported that the mindset focus and the facilitator style of embodying what was being taught created the most powerful leadership program in many years and the first ever globally focused program.
• Sixty percent of the program participants were promoted throughout the course of their leadership journey.
• The company now embraces its people and culture as its key differentiator, rather than its technology, and has a cohort of more than 250 leaders who have the mindsets, commitment and skills to embody this new strategy.

The sessions, the learning and coaching — over time — truly transformed the way I think about working, the way I manage my team, and the way I adapt to changes. My coach opened up life-changing perspectives. The entire Axialent staff was incredible…. Today, I am more involved in team leadership, trust-building and collaborative cross-organizational activities than I imagined I would be, and I must recognize and thank the program for opening me to these.

Program participant