Millions of dollars have been invested in leadership development programmes over the years. What results should we expect to see in our leaders and in our organisations after such training?
I have learned there is one essential ingredient to ensure learning is implemented – having accountability partners.
Many of us set leadership learning goals in isolation. We may be responding to 360-degree feedback or from encouragement from our managers. Our learning goals might be shared with our coach or the provider of a leadership programme. During the programme, we might have profound insights, keep a learning journal, and share our learning with workshop coaches and programme peers. But on returning to work, the immediate and urgent tasks take precedence over what’s important. The pressure is on: there are stakeholders to respond to, tasks to complete, and results to produce.
Our learning commitments fall into the background.
A core success ingredient of the Executive Presence programme, and in my team and individual coaching practice, is inviting leaders to establish accountability partners.
Liz and Oliver reported, “Manoj called us in around the table as his accountabilibuddies* (credit: Southpark) and said,’Tell me what you have noticed.’ He demanded we let him know how we were doing on the goals he had set.”
Leaders change their behaviours with accountability partners alongside them.
This is done by choosing people you know who want to see you succeed and who are willing to hold you accountable to produce results. Letting your accountability partners know what you want to achieve and then inviting them to give you feedback several months down the track on the impact they have noticed with your new behaviours, changes lives.