How to Get the Best Out of Leadership Development
Foreword
There is no doubt that leadership
This strategic guide is intended to help and support
Departments in the programmes they deliver. It is drawn
development has become an
from the expertise found in the National School’s Centre
for Strategic Leadership, from a range of commissioned
increasingly important area of
enquiries into leadership development and, in particular, the
investment in today’s
work undertaken by Professor Ivan Robertson on world-class
leadership. I believe this guide will help Departments ensure
organisations.
that their leadership programmes:
n are set up for success
n reflect the best practices found in the UK and internationally
We only need to look at the UK’s Departmental Capability
n are aligned with the SCS Leadership Model, the findings
Reviews and the Senior Civil Service (SCS) Surveys to see that
of the Capability Reviews and the Professional Skills for
leadership is a subject that we value highly. But, in many
Government (PSG) agenda
important respects, we haven’t always got it right. Increasingly,
n will help to create highly effective individual and corporate
too, with the growing importance of cross-cutting imperatives
leaders.
such as global warming and obesity, we recognise that
effective individual leadership on its own simply isn’t enough.
I hope you find this strategic guide useful. I’d welcome
Corporate leadership takes a high priority if we are to tackle
your feedback and any suggestions for other leadership
these complex, modern problems and respond with collective
development topics you feel would be helpful if covered in this
leadership strength. These reasons, and others, create the
series of publications to support the work of the Civil Service.
case and place for leadership development that is focused
on local and cross-Service priorities. In many ways, leadership
development will be the answer to the challenges we face
now and going forward and therefore every effort should be
put into getting the best out of our collective investment.
David Sweeney
The National School of Government engages with some
Head of Centre for Strategic Leadership
30,000 civil servants each year and a significant proportion of
those who come through our doors are emerging or current
leaders representing the top 1% of the Civil Service – namely
Senior Civil Servants. Similarly, a great many civil servants
are also engaged in Department-led ‘in-house’ leadership
programmes that draw on a range of contributors, models,
tools and techniques. Regardless of where civil servants receive
their development, it’s important that those development
interventions deliver all they can and create the individual and
corporate leaders we demand from the Civil Service.
3
National School of Government
Introduction
The aim of this guide is to share good practice more widely
The pillars reflect the National School’s approach to the design
within the Civil Service and to help Departments get the most
and delivery of leadership development for the Senior Civil
out of their in-house leadership development. To help you
Service, that is, leadership development should:
do this, we’ve designed a Self-Assessment Inventory in Part
A, which forms part of a broader set of evaluative tools built
n be fully integrated with the overall talent management and
by the National School of Government. The Self-Assessment
career development processes across the Civil Service and
Inventory set out in this guide doesn’t go back to basics in
constituent Departments
detailing all the stages of effective learning and development
design and delivery. Nor is it concerned with where we might
n be based on a clear understanding of what good leadership
means for the SCS and the top management of the Civil
find the best providers in the market. Instead, it offers practical
Service
advice at a strategic level based around the four pillars used by
the National School for the assessment of high-quality, high-
n have the active involvement of top management in the
impact leadership development.
design, delivery and workplace support of leadership
development
The four pillars introduced in this guide focus on:
n be aligned with the goals and mission of the wider
n Design Principles
Civil Service and not focused exclusively on the needs
of individual Departments to the exclusion of the wider
n Core Curriculum
corporate agenda
n Value for Money
n be designed with cost-effectiveness, innovation and world-
n Impact and Evaluation.
class standards as goals
n be ‘corporate’, including
These take account of the high-level components of world-
class leadership development identified by Professor Ivan
- developing a leadership community among members of
Robertson in his 2004 world-class leadership report and form
the SCS
the foundation of the National School’s strategic model for
- sharing tools that evaluate and drive success in
leadership development (described in more detail on page 5).
Departments
- stimulating learning, based on cross-Departmental working
and collaboration
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MODEL
- providing a forum for leaders across the Civil Service to
experiment with new leadership skills and to learn from
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each other
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n be created and delivered in close collaboration with other
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key stakeholders who support leaders and provide learning
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and development experiences for them – ensuring that
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leadership development is a coherent and cumulative
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learning experience, not fragmented and repetitious.
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How you use the Self-Assessment Inventory is up to you. You
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may want to look at particular aspects of your leadership
development, do a comprehensive review or use it to inform
organisational readiness • individual readiness • design & delivery • transfer & embedding
future leadership development interventions. Whatever your
focus, the Self-Assessment Inventory can help you with your
initial thinking and beyond.
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How to Get the Best Out of Leadership Development
How to use the strategic guide
The guide consists of two parts
n In the organisational context, leadership development
Part A of the guide is the National School’s Self-Assessment
involves bringing together leaders to explore the systems,
Inventory, which will help you to start thinking about the
processes and business management disciplines at the
different aspects of your leadership development programmes
overall business performance level.
and how effective they are at present. The core elements
n At the systems level, leadership development focuses more
of the Self-Assessment Inventory have been designed to
on how the business is connected with delivery arms,
comprehensively cover the expectations related to achieving
partners or agents in order to deliver its services and involves
world-class standards in leadership development. The Self-
bringing together leaders with a common goal to deliver
Assessment Inventory will help you identify areas where you
improved services to the customer.
are strong as well as areas for improvement, where you may
wish to consider introducing a different approach.
The Self-Assessment Inventory has been developed with a
leadership development focus, but it can be used to support
an assessment of leader development.
Part B of the guide provides important background and
contextual information relating to Civil Service leadership
development which you will need to draw on when working
through the assessment process and/or as you consider any
A strategic model for leadership development
resulting action.
The four pillars introduced by this guide provide a robust
framework against which leadership development can be
examined. Each pillar represents a fundamental area of
A note about terminology
importance. If insufficient attention is given to any single pillar,
it’s likely that the programme being examined will have limited
Leadership development is often used as a generic term to
success. However, where each of the four pillars is in balance
cover different types of development, and a few words of
with the others and energy and time are invested to maximise
clarification may be helpful to you in thinking through the
the value of each, the result will be a strong, sustainable and
issues related to your particular programme(s). The term
impactful set of interventions.
programme is used as shorthand throughout but embraces a
variety of leadership development interventions and activities.
Design Principles
Leader development is designed to enhance the personal
development and personal effectiveness of individual
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MODEL
leaders. The goals of this type of programme are focused
on individual development. A good example of leader
development is the sort of intensive ‘all-comers’ programmes
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that may be provided by leading business schools and other
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institutions. On these programmes, executives from a range
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of organisations are brought together and given extensive
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feedback. They are introduced to new ideas and personally
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challenged, often through tools and processes such as 360°
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reporting and executive coaching.
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Leadership development is designed to enhance the
collective leadership capability of the top management
organisational readiness • individual readiness • design & delivery • transfer & embedding
in an organisation. Therefore the key goals, strategy and
culture of the organisation are very important in this kind
of development. It’s likely to involve leaders being brought
There are important design principles that govern the success
together from within the organisation and developing their
of leadership programmes. First and foremost is the need
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skills collectively with explicit reference to the constraints and
to ensure that objectives established for the programme are
opportunities present within the organisation.
clearly articulated and understood, that they are aligned
National School of Government
with the intentions of the top of the organisation and have
Value for Money
the active involvement of senior leaders, and that they are
consistent with the strategic aims of the organisation. In
addition, there should be a fit between the type of leadership
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MODEL
transformation required and the design of the programme
so that, for example, where cultural or behavioural changes
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are sought through the programme, these are matched by
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appropriately ‘deep’ and enduring interventions. Where,
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instead, leaders are invited to engage with new knowledge
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or a particular organisational agenda, the programme will
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be more susceptible to a ‘chalk and talk’ and ‘sense-making’
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design. Similarly, where leaders are encouraged to think
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more broadly, corporately and perhaps beyond their sector,
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this would be a case for building cross-Service or cross-sector
participation. The key imperative with regard to design is the
organisational readiness • individual readiness • design & delivery • transfer & embedding
need to achieve alignment and fit between all the factors and
systems that support the intended outcome.
It is a general principle in all areas of public administration
Core Curriculum
that value for money, understood as optimising economy,
efficiency and effectiveness, should apply in all instances
where services are being procured. There are few aspects of
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MODEL
leadership development where the market doesn’t have a
broad range of providers. This is true for services ranging from
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diagnostics to psychometrics and, in terms of content, from
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strategic thinking to board-level working. All of this makes
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it essential that when procuring leadership development a
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proper understanding of what the market can offer is reached
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and that ‘value for money’ decisions, incorporating full cost
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data, are based on sensible benchmarks and comparisons.
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Furthermore, to get the best input from potential providers,
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established good procurement practice principles should apply
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that include specifying, wherever possible, the requirement in
outcome rather than input terms, which will then provide a
organisational readiness • individual readiness • design & delivery • transfer & embedding
basis for the evaluation of the providers and the programme.
While it may be entirely appropriate for a range of leadership
More generally, when considering different forms of
models, frameworks and tools to be used on a given
intervention (to achieve the requirement), clear judgements
development intervention, programmes designed for Senior
should also be made about the trade-off between depth
Civil Servants and aspirants should pay attention to a core
and breadth in all interventions. As an illustration, careful
curriculum that has taken shape in the form of the SCS
judgements should be made about the costs (money) of 1:1
Leadership Model (launched in 2006), the principles applied
executive coaching in relation to the overall benefits (value)
to, and learning derived from, the Capability Reviews, the
arising for the organisation as well as the individual. Finally,
Professional Skil s for Government agenda and the broad
it’s important that the full costs of using providers is taken
leadership framework used by the National School of
into consideration, which will include the resources spent
Government. This ‘core curriculum’ helps to provide a common
by the learning and development department in specifying
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leadership agenda and a common language and facilitates the
and managing the work. These and other factors will help
interchange of SCS across Departments who have experienced
Departments secure value for money in the design and
the same curriculum. Such a core curriculum helps also to
delivery of their leadership development.
enforce the notion that members of the SCS are part of a
single community that spans across individual Departments,
helping the Civil Service to deal with cross-cutting, systemic
chal enges such as global warming and obesity.
How to Get the Best Out of Leadership Development
Impact and Evaluation
However, underneath each pillar are specific components, or
themes, that characterise world-class leadership development
as identified by Professor Ivan Robertson in an extensive survey
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MODEL
and evaluation conducted in 2004. As you look through the
Self-Assessment Inventory, you’ll see repeated the themes
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outlined below. Therefore the model offered by this guide
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is a combination of the four fundamental pillars and the
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underpinning themes identified by Professor Robertson.
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In his report on world-class leadership, Professor Robertson
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identified a framework for the key components of good
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practice in leadership development. These key components are
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described as:
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n organisational readiness
organisational readiness • individual readiness • design & delivery • transfer & embedding
n individual readiness
n development activities
Leadership development is notoriously difficult to evaluate
beyond the levels of reaction, acquired learning and, to an
n transfer and embedding.
extent, behavioural change. The greatest difficulties lie in
Professor Robertson noted that, worldwide, there is a
determining a shift in business results and in identifying
substantial amount of literature concerning leadership
causality from a given set of interventions. While it may be
practice and leadership development. Although there is no
difficult to evaluate leadership development, there are some
definitive model for leadership development, a review of the
important principles that, if applied, will raise the prospect of
literature and subsequent analysis identified many of the
the evaluation providing the evidence and assurance required
key components that are used in leadership development
to determine the success of the programme.
programmes and provided useful information on the impact
and effectiveness of some of the more widely studied
Important features of a strong evaluation framework are
practices.
the need to have established an evaluation plan along
with evaluative criteria and methodology well before the
Key components framework for leadership development
programme has started, and the value of articulating in very
clear terms the outcomes intended by the programme. The
Organisational readiness
intended outcomes identified should be agreed with and
Organisations and individuals need to be adequately prepared.
co-owned by key stakeholders, in particular the top of the
Preparedness includes high-level strategic alignment of the
organisation. A further principle that will strengthen the
goals and mission of the organisation with the goals of
evaluation is a recognition that the most compelling data will
the leadership development activities. It also includes the
come from a range of sources and methods and that those
development of realistic expectations on the part of delegates
evaluating the programme should aim to draw conclusions
and the senior management of the organisation about how
from a broad set of indicators and evidence (and that single
to gain maximum benefit from the impact of the leadership
sources of evidence should not be relied on alone).
development and what changes in culture, climate and
behaviour are desired. This phase also includes clarification
Finally, it’s important that those evaluating the programme
of the role of leadership development in individuals’ career
should have the skills to do so and should bring objectivity
development and nomination and selection processes. In
to the analysis. Consideration should therefore be given to
summary, this requires:
whether it might be appropriate to use independent, expert
and external providers for this work.
n alignment with the strategic goals of the organisation
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n clear models of leadership behaviour
‘World-Class’ Leadership Report 2004
n shared and realistic expectations for all stakeholders
The four pillars described above form the overarching
framework for a strategic analysis of leadership development
n plans for embedding and supporting new behaviours.
and the foundation of the Self-Assessment Inventory.
National School of Government
Individual readiness
Transfer and embedding
This component concerns the preparation of the individual
This component concerns the actions taken to ensure that
delegates for leadership development. It includes ensuring
development activity is properly supported and embedded
the motivation and interest of the individual and that they
– i.e. that the intended benefits are realised. It may involve
each recognise the purpose and benefits of leadership
the use of structured embedding and learning techniques,
development. In summary, this involves:
such as the creation of action learning sets, 360° feedback
or coaching and mentoring. It also covers the evaluation of
n nomination and selection processes
the effectiveness of the leadership development activities and
n prior training and development
the organisational context and support (or otherwise) that’s
available. In practice, this requires:
n an audit of current skills and personal characteristics (e.g.
360° assessment, psychometrics)
n the engagement of top management in the design and
delivery of the programme or activity
n personal career development plans.
n the modelling of leadership behaviours by top management
Development activities
n evaluation and participant feedback
This component covers the core development activities. The
core development activities may include aspects (e.g. 360°
n embedding procedures (e.g. action learning sets,
360° feedback, networking, mentoring, coaching, job
feedback processes) that take place at the participant’s normal
assignments)
work setting. The core development activities encompass a
range of assessment procedures (e.g. psychometric tools,
n career development and reward.
assessment centre technology) and development procedures
(e.g. simulations, group exercises, interpersonal skills,
To reflect the requirements of the National School’s Kite-
conceptual and technical material). The types of activity and
Marking Service from which the Self-Assessment Inventory is
content will vary depending on the focus and outcomes
taken, a slightly modified version of the key components of
required but would encompass activities such as:
good practice in leadership development has been used in
order to include value for money.
n simulations
n individual experiences
Value for Money
n live experiences (e.g. case studies)
This component is concerned with ensuring that appropriate
arrangements are in place so that leadership development
n generic material (e.g. general leadership concepts and
techniques)
activity is based on a sound financial footing. Arrangements
may include the development of agreed accounting models to
n corporate experiences (i.e. organisation-specific)
provide clear cost and revenue information, evidence to inform
delivery options, transparent procurement procedures, checks
n group experiences.
on the availability, quality and prices of similar development
A range of content themes can be explored as a part of
activities, benchmarking against best-practice guidance and
leadership development and these may include:
accessing and sharing best practice. In summary, it includes:
n financial analysis
n technical themes (e.g. finance, strategy)
n the application of underlying design principles
n interpersonal themes (e.g. conflict resolution, influencing
etc.)
n pricing and financial targets
n ‘perspective’ issues (e.g. ethics, sustainability, social
n the procurement of resources and people
responsibility, diversity)
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n competitive position
n conceptual themes (e.g. models of leadership, competency
frameworks)
n benchmarking.
n personal insight (e.g. self-awareness and development)
n the skills and experience of internal and external providers
n quality assurance procedures.
How to Get the Best Out of Leadership Development
Part A
The Self-Assessment Inventory
9
National School of Government
The Self-Assessment Inventory
Design
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Not applicable
Originally developed as part of the National School’s Kite-
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Don’t know/Not at all
Marking Service, this Self-Assessment Inventory is offered
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To a limited extent
to you as a stand-alone tool to assist you in reviewing the
effectiveness of your in-house leadership development
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To varying degrees
programmes, interventions and activities. It does this by posing
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To a large extent
a series of questions designed around the four leadership
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Fully compliant
development pillars that reflect the key components of
world-class leadership development as identified in Professor
You may, alternatively, like to use the electronic version of the
Ivan Robertson’s 2004 world-class leadership report and form
Self-Assessment Inventory format developed by the National
the foundation of the National School’s strategic model for
School, which offers a scoring system to help in differentiating
leadership development. The four pillars are:
responses and making an overall quantitative assessment of
n Design Principles
where you are against the four pillars and the world-class
leadership framework components. For more information
n Core Curriculum
about this option, visit nationalschool.gov.uk/leadership and
n Value for Money
follow the links to the Kite-Marking Service.
n Impact and Evaluation.
The more objective and rigorous you are in using the Self-
Assessment Inventory, the greater the resulting value. It’s
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MODEL
recommended that you use a qualitative and quantitative
approach to your assessment.
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This approach will help you start thinking about the different
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aspects of your leadership development programmes and
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how effective they are at present. It will help you to identify
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areas where you are strong and can point to evidence of
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good practice. The likelihood is that it will flag up areas for
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improvement where you may wish to enhance your existing
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approach or consider introducing a different approach or take
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more rigorous action to address the issues highlighted by your
assessment.
organisational readiness • individual readiness • design & delivery • transfer & embedding
To help you in completing the Self-Assessment Inventory at
Each of the four pillars addresses essential questions designed
the beginning of each table, we’ve included a reminder of
to help you get the most out of your leadership development
the issues you need to be thinking about in assessing your
and to help you to identify ‘best fit’ with your organisation’s
leadership development against each of the pillars. We’ve
strategic priorities. It does this by helping you look at what
also highlighted in yellow a number of the elements in the
you do and why, how you do it, and how effective it is in
Self-Assessment Inventory we believe are particularly critical
advancing leadership in your organisation in a way that
to the success of your leadership development and which are
contributes to service improvement.
therefore areas where we recommend you pay particularly
careful attention in your assessment.
The Self-Assessment Inventory has been designed to provide
a systematic approach to reviewing existing programmes in
Finally, leadership development is provided in a dynamic
your leadership development portfolio and to developing new
environment where change and shifting priorities are the
leadership interventions.
norm. If it is to contribute effectively to developing agile
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leaders and organisations, it must be responsive to the
changing needs of its customers, delivering consistently
higher-quality products and services. Completing the Self-
How to use the Self-Assessment Inventory
Assessment Inventory can help you to ensure that your
At its most basic, the Self-Assessment Inventory can be used
leadership development is able to meet this challenge.
as a simple paper-based tick-box system or comment sheet.
For a numbers-based approach, you could use a simple scoring
system based on the degree of compliance, for example:
How to Get the Best Out of Leadership Development
Design Principles Pillar
Issues to consider here include, for example: alignment (is there clear evidence of the close alignment of the programme with the organisational
objectives, or is it just implied?); levels of engagement (how involved are senior managers?); participant take-up rates and buy- in; line
management commitment to releasing staff and pre- and post-event activity; levels of support and planning for the embedding and transfer
of learning; accessibility and relevance of design to target audience; level of assessment, chal enge and appropriate techniques and processes;
genuine programme coherence (rather than a disconnected menu of items); quality assurance processes to support the continuing quality,
rigour, relevance and credibility of the programme; top managers (are they demonstrating the desired behaviours and reinforcing them through
performance management processes?); participant feedback arrangements; coherence of programme e.g. regarding career development.
Note: items highlighted in yellow are particularly critical.
For the purposes of the National School’s Kite-Marking Service from which the Self-Assessment Inventory is taken, the key component of good
practice in leadership development, ‘development activities’, is described as Design and delivery.
World-class leadership
Element
Checklist
Assessment
framework component
Organisational readiness
Alignment with strategic
Does the leadership
OR1
goals of organisation
programme reflect
current organisational and
Departmental plans?
Organisational readiness
Alignment with strategic
Can you explicitly map the
OR2
goals of organisation
aims and objectives from the
leadership programme on to
specific strategic goals and
the overall mission of the
organisation?
Organisational readiness
Engagement and
Is there appropriate
OR3
commitment
promotion, recognition and
resourcing of the leadership
programme by senior
management?
Organisational readiness
Plans for embedding and
Is a plan in place prior to
OR4
supporting new behaviours the commencement of the
programme for how the new
behaviours will be embedded
and supported in the
workplace?
Individual readiness
Nomination and selection
Is there a formal system in
IR1
processes
place (with clear rationale)
for nominating and selecting
appropriate participants for
the programme?
Individual readiness
Prior learning and
Are the programme
IR2
development
prerequisites clearly defined
and assessed?
Individual readiness
Career relevance
Is the relevance of the
IR3
programme clear in
terms of individual career
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progression and the desired
organisational/corporate
benefits?
National School of Government
Design Principles Pillar
Issues to consider here include, for example: alignment (is there clear evidence of the close alignment of the programme with the organisational
objectives, or is it just implied?); levels of engagement (how involved are senior managers?); participant take-up rates and buy- in; line
management commitment to releasing staff and pre- and post-event activity; levels of support and planning for the embedding and transfer
of learning; accessibility and relevance of design to target audience; level of assessment, chal enge and appropriate techniques and processes;
genuine programme coherence (rather than a disconnected menu of items); quality assurance processes to support the continuing quality,
rigour, relevance and credibility of the programme; top managers (are they demonstrating the desired behaviours and reinforcing them through
performance management processes?); participant feedback arrangements; coherence of programme e.g. regarding career development.
Note: items highlighted in yellow are particularly critical.
For the purposes of the National School’s Kite-Marking Service from which the Self-Assessment Inventory is taken, the key component of good
practice in leadership development, ‘development activities’, is described as Design and delivery.
World-class leadership
Element
Checklist
Assessment
framework component
Individual readiness
Audit of current skills
Is there a clear list of current
IR4
and characteristics and
skills, characteristics and
experience
experience that should
be audited prior to the
programme (along with
rationale)?
Individual readiness
Audit of current skills
Is there a process in place
IR5
and characteristics and
for auditing the relevant
experience
skills, characteristics and
experience and feeding back
to participants?
Individual readiness
Personal career
Do programme participants
IR6
development plan
have opportunities to discuss
with their manager the
implications of attending the
programme in terms of their
personal career development
plans?
Design and delivery
Engagement of top
Have members of top
D&D1
management in the
management been directly
design and delivery of the
involved in the design of the
programme
programme content?
Design and delivery
Engagement of top
Do members of top
D&D2
management in the
management make significant
design and delivery of the
contributions, in person, to
programme
the programme?
Design and delivery
Suitability for target
Has the programme been
D&D3
audience
designed with the target
audience clearly in mind?
Design and delivery
Application of underlying
Is the programme design
D&D4
design principles
based on an explicit and
12
agreed set of principles
for the design and delivery
of high-quality leadership
development?
How to Get the Best Out of Leadership Development
Design Principles Pillar
Issues to consider here include, for example: alignment (is there clear evidence of the close alignment of the programme with the organisational
objectives, or is it just implied?); levels of engagement (how involved are senior managers?); participant take-up rates and buy- in; line
management commitment to releasing staff and pre- and post-event activity; levels of support and planning for the embedding and transfer
of learning; accessibility and relevance of design to target audience; level of assessment, chal enge and appropriate techniques and processes;
genuine programme coherence (rather than a disconnected menu of items); quality assurance processes to support the continuing quality,
rigour, relevance and credibility of the programme; top managers (are they demonstrating the desired behaviours and reinforcing them through
performance management processes?); participant feedback arrangements; coherence of programme e.g. regarding career development.
Note: items highlighted in yellow are particularly critical.
For the purposes of the National School’s Kite-Marking Service from which the Self-Assessment Inventory is taken, the key component of good
practice in leadership development, ‘development activities’, is described as Design and delivery.
World-class leadership
Element
Checklist
Assessment
framework component
Design and delivery
Application of underlying
Is there a clear line of sight
D&D5
design principles
between the intended outcome
of the programme and the
types of intervention selected?
For example, is there a fit
between an outcome to bring
about cultural or behavioural
change and appropriately
designed ‘deep’ interventions?
Design and delivery
People and roles
Are the contributors,
D&D6
programme staff and support
team suitably qualified,
experienced and up to date
with the relevant contextual
knowledge?
Transfer and embedding
Modelling and reinforcing
Do members of top
T&E1
of leadership behaviours by management provide good
top management
models for the leadership
behaviours?
Transfer and embedding
Embedding procedures
Do participants get suitable
T&E2
(e.g. action learning
opportunities to use their skills
sets, 360° feedback,
and transfer their learning?
networking, mentoring,
coaching, job assignments)
Transfer and embedding
Embedding procedures
Are there support processes
T&E3
(e.g. action learning
and tools available to provide
sets, 360° feedback,
participants with honest and
networking, mentoring,
useful feedback to ensure they
coaching, job assignments)
utilise and further develop their
leadership skil s?
Transfer and embedding
Evaluation and delegate
Is timely feedback col ected
T&E4
feedback
from participants about the
programme and opportunities
to transfer and apply learning?
13
Transfer and embedding
Career development and
Are suitable career
T&E5
reward
development and reward
processes in place that
recognise the importance
of the learned skills, tools,
behaviours etc.?
National School of Government
Core Curriculum Pillar
Issues to consider here include, for example: the fit with organisational/corporate/other objectives (is a systematic process in place to
ensure programme design is updated to reflect organisational/corporate/other objectives?); the extent to which leadership behaviours are
appropriately rewarded; the extent to which there is a clear and shared understanding of the SCS leadership frameworks, the behaviours
required and the Departmental context; arrangements for keeping leadership models under review; opportunities for key stakeholders to have
an input into the design and development.
Note: items highlighted in yellow are particularly critical.
For the purposes of the National School’s Kite-Marking Service from which the Self-Assessment Inventory is taken, the key component of good
practice in leadership development, ‘development activities’, is described as Design and delivery.
World-class leadership
Element
Checklist
Assessment
framework component
Organisational readiness
Needs analysis (corporate
Is the leadership
OR1
and Departmental)
programme based
on organisational/
Departmental objectives
and capability
requirements?
Organisational readiness
Clear models of leadership Is the programme
OR2
behaviour – SCS Leadership developed in light of the
Model
SCS Leadership Model?
Integrity
Self-awareness
Self-confidence
Team working
Direction
Inspire with vision
Seize opportunity
Take tough decisions
Capability
Cultivate innovation
Get the best from everyone
Grow from experience
Results
Focus on impact
Challenge and improve
Engage stakeholders
Leadership qualities
4Ps – pace, passion, pride,
professionalism
Organisational readiness
Clear models of leadership Is the programme
OR3
behaviours – Professional
developed in light of the
Skills for Government
Professional Skills for
Government framework?
14
Organisational readiness
Clear models of leadership Is the programme
OR4
behaviours – Capability
developed in light of the
Review requirements
leadership behaviour
requirements identified
by the Departmental
Capability Review?
How to Get the Best Out of Leadership Development
Core Curriculum Pillar
Issues to consider here include, for example: the fit with organisational/corporate/other objectives (is a systematic process in place to
ensure programme design is updated to reflect organisational/corporate/other objectives?); the extent to which leadership behaviours are
appropriately rewarded; the extent to which there is a clear and shared understanding of the SCS leadership frameworks, the behaviours
required and the Departmental context; arrangements for keeping leadership models under review; opportunities for key stakeholders to have
an input into the design and development.
Note: items highlighted in yellow are particularly critical.
For the purposes of the National School’s Kite-Marking Service from which the Self-Assessment Inventory is taken, the key component of good
practice in leadership development, ‘development activities’, is described as Design and delivery.
World-class leadership
Element
Checklist
Assessment
framework component
Organisational readiness
Clear models of leadership Is the programme
OR5
behaviours – CSL
developed in light of
Leadership Development
the CSL Leadership
Model
Development Model,
which highlights four ways
of focusing leadership
development effort,
i.e. on self, others, the
organisation and the
system?
Self – illustrative
examples of which are:
Self-awareness
Emotional intelligence
Values/ethics
Impact
Motivation
Style
Self-care
Resilience
Others – illustrative
examples of which are:
Inspiration
Motivation
Team work
Engagement
Contingency
Diversity
Leading change (people)
Political leadership
Organisation
– illustrative examples of
which are:
Organisation design
Talent management
Knowledge management
Governance
Culture
15
Performance management
Leading change (people
and systems)
Accountabilities
Corporacy
National School of Government
Core Curriculum Pillar
Issues to consider here include, for example: the fit with organisational/corporate/other objectives (is a systematic process in place to
ensure programme design is updated to reflect organisational/corporate/other objectives?); the extent to which leadership behaviours are
appropriately rewarded; the extent to which there is a clear and shared understanding of the SCS leadership frameworks, the behaviours
required and the Departmental context; arrangements for keeping leadership models under review; opportunities for key stakeholders to have
an input into the design and development.
Note: items highlighted in yellow are particularly critical.
For the purposes of the National School’s Kite-Marking Service from which the Self-Assessment Inventory is taken, the key component of good
practice in leadership development, ‘development activities’, is described as Design and delivery.
World-class leadership
Element
Checklist
Assessment
framework component
Organisational readiness
Clear models of leadership System – illustrative
OR5 –
continued
behaviours – CSL
examples of which are:
Leadership Development
Systems thinking
Model –
continued
Networks
Building coalitions
Remote leadership
Informal power
Target construction
Political leadership
Facilitation
Conversations
Organisational readiness
Clear models of leadership Is the programme
OR6
behaviours – Department-
developed in light of
specific
widely accepted (within the
organisation) models of
leadership?
Organisational readiness
Shared and realistic
Have the key stakeholders
OR7
expectations for all
been identified?
stakeholders
Organisational readiness
Shared and realistic
Do all stakeholders have
OR8
expectations for all
a relevant understanding
stakeholders
of the programme’s aims,
objectives and desired
benefits and opportunities
to influence them?
Design and delivery
Programme and subject
Is the programme material
D&D1
content
and content developed
in light of leading-edge
thinking and subject
content best practice?
16
How to Get the Best Out of Leadership Development
Value for Money Pillar
Issues to consider here include, for example: the availability of clear cost and revenue information (how are costs calculated? do they take into
account all overheads?); arrangements for ensuring that best-value options are used in programme design and delivery; clear procurement
procedures (are they consistent with good practice?); the extent to which regular contributors and providers are reviewed to ensure quality,
relevance and contextual knowledge; the extent to which there are clear benchmarks against which the programme can be assessed; the
extent to which expertise/learning is shared for the wider benefit of the Civil Service.
Note: items highlighted in yellow are particularly critical.
*To reflect the requirements of the National School’s Kite-Marking Service from which the Self-Assessment Inventory is taken, a slightly
modified version of the key components of good practice in leadership development has been used in order to include value for money
World-class leadership
Element
Checklist
Assessment
framework component
Value for money
Financial analysis
Are clear cost and revenue data
VFM1
available, based on agreed
models?
Value for money
Financial analysis
When costing the programme,
VFM2
are overheads fully incorporated,
including the resource costs of in-
house learning and development
for staff?
Value for money
Application of underlying design
Does the programme design and
VFM3
principles
delivery offer value for money
consistent with the programme
objectives and quality standards
expected? For example:
Has explicit attention been given
to the relative costs and benefits
arising from different forms of
intervention, and in particular has
there been a sound analysis of
the organisational as well as the
individual benefits likely to arise
from each type of intervention (in
light of the costs of each)?
Value for money
Pricing and financial targets
Is the pricing for the programme
VFM4
consistent with the cost model
and at a reasonable level for the
cost base of the programme?
Value for money
Procurement of resources and
Have transparent and established
VFM5
people
procurement procedures
been followed in recruiting
contributors and other resources
to the programme?
Value for money
Procurement of resources and
To ensure that value is delivered
VFM6
people
by providers, have requirements/
specifications been expressed
to potential providers as far as
possible in outcome rather than
input terms?
17
Value for money
Competitive position
Is the cost or price of the
VFM7
programme competitive in
relation to similar offerings
elsewhere?
National School of Government
Value for Money Pillar
Issues to consider here include, for example: the availability of clear cost and revenue information (how are costs calculated? do they take into
account all overheads?); arrangements for ensuring that best-value options are used in programme design and delivery; clear procurement
procedures (are they consistent with good practice?); the extent to which regular contributors and providers are reviewed to ensure quality,
relevance and contextual knowledge; the extent to which there are clear benchmarks against which the programme can be assessed; the
extent to which expertise/learning is shared for the wider benefit of the Civil Service.
Note: items highlighted in yellow are particularly critical.
*To reflect the requirements of the National School’s Kite-Marking Service from which the Self-Assessment Inventory is taken, a slightly
modified version of the key components of good practice in leadership development has been used in order to include value for money
World-class leadership
Element
Checklist
Assessment
framework component
Value for money
Competitive position
Are external suppliers (if
VFM8
appropriate) competitively priced,
given the quality standards
expected?
Value for money
Benchmarking
Is the programme informed by
VFM9
practical and proven means to
achieve high quality standards
based on best practice?
Value for money
Benchmarking
Are there clear benchmarks
VFM10
against which the programme
can be assessed?
Value for money
Benchmarking
Does the learning and
VFM11
development function contribute
information about its own
practice or past reviews in order
to continually strengthen the
knowledge available to the wider
Civil Service?
18
How to Get the Best Out of Leadership Development
Impact and Evaluation Pillar
Issues to consider here include, for example: evidence of a well-defined impact and evaluation strategy; the extent to which impact and
evaluation feedback is reviewed, fed back to appropriate stakeholders and acted on; the availability of appropriately skilled and objective
people to conduct effective impact and evaluation assessments; the range of impact and evaluation techniques and methods; the extent to
which impact and evaluation is built into new programmes as part of their design and development.
Note: items highlighted in yellow are particularly critical.
For the purposes of the National School’s Kite-Marking Service from which the Self-Assessment Inventory is taken, the key component of good
practice in leadership development, ‘development activities’, is described as Design and delivery.
World-class leadership
Element
Checklist
Assessment
framework component
Design and delivery
Monitoring and review
At the outset of the
D&D1
processes
programme, is there a clear
statement that sets out
what will be recognised as
sufficient evidence to judge
its success or otherwise?
Design and delivery
Monitoring and review
Is the statement above (of
D&D2
processes
sufficient evidence needed
to judge the programme)
understood and agreed
by key stakeholders, in
particular, the top of the
organisation?
Design and delivery
Monitoring and review
For existing development
D&D3
processes
programmes, are suitable
review and evaluation
processes in place and
operational to ensure the
continued relevance and
quality of the programme
delivery? For example:
Does the programme
have clear objectives
and behavioural change
indicators that facilitate
evaluation?
Are data that are collected
for evaluation purposes
consistent with the
evaluation objectives?
Is there the right balance of
qualitative and quantitative
data?
Is the data ripe for
collecting? Some
programmes need a longer
period post-event than
others before behaviour
19
change can be assessed.
Do the programme staff
have the necessary skills
and experience to conduct
effective impact and
evaluation assessments?
National School of Government
Impact and Evaluation Pillar
Issues to consider here include, for example: evidence of a well-defined impact and evaluation strategy; the extent to which impact and
evaluation feedback is reviewed, fed back to appropriate stakeholders and acted on; the availability of appropriately skilled and objective
people to conduct effective impact and evaluation assessments; the range of impact and evaluation techniques and methods; the extent to
which impact and evaluation is built into new programmes as part of their design and development.
Note: items highlighted in yellow are particularly critical.
For the purposes of the National School’s Kite-Marking Service from which the Self-Assessment Inventory is taken, the key component of good
practice in leadership development, ‘development activities’, is described as Design and delivery.
World-class leadership
Element
Checklist
Assessment
framework component
Design and delivery
Monitoring and review
Do the staff undertaking
D&D3 –
continued
processes –
continued
the evaluation of the
programme have sufficient
objectivity to carry out this
role?
Is an appropriate range
of impact and evaluation
techniques employed e.g.:
questionnaires, self-report
feedback sheets, end-
of-session discussion,
individual interviews, group
interviews, action learning
activities, observation,
on-the-job observation,
feedback from line
managers/peers/colleagues,
staff satisfaction surveys,
monitoring of performance
targets, story telling etc.?
Design and delivery
Monitoring and review
Is there evidence to
D&D4
processes
demonstrate the impact of
the programme?
Design and delivery
Monitoring and review
Is the evidence of the
D&D5
processes
programme’s impact
fed back to appropriate
stakeholders to inform
future decisions about
design and options for
delivery?
20
How to Get the Best Out of Leadership Development
Impact and Evaluation Pillar
Issues to consider here include, for example: evidence of a well-defined impact and evaluation strategy; the extent to which impact and
evaluation feedback is reviewed, fed back to appropriate stakeholders and acted on; the availability of appropriately skilled and objective
people to conduct effective impact and evaluation assessments; the range of impact and evaluation techniques and methods; the extent to
which impact and evaluation is built into new programmes as part of their design and development.
Note: items highlighted in yellow are particularly critical.
For the purposes of the National School’s Kite-Marking Service from which the Self-Assessment Inventory is taken, the key component of good
practice in leadership development, ‘development activities’, is described as Design and delivery.
World-class leadership
Element
Checklist
Assessment
framework component
Design and delivery
Monitoring and review
For new development
D&D6
processes
programmes, are
appropriate review and
evaluation processes being
built into the programme
design? For example:
Does the programme
have clear objectives
and behavioural change
indicators that facilitate
evaluation?
Are data that are collected
for evaluation purposes
consistent with the
evaluation objectives?
Is there the right balance of
qualitative and quantitative
data?
Is the timeframe for data
collection appropriate?
Some programmes need
a longer period post-
event than others before
behaviour change can be
assessed.
Do the programme staff
have the necessary skills
and experience to conduct
effective impact and
evaluation assessments?
Do the staff undertaking
the evaluation of the
programme have sufficient
objectivity to carry out this
role
21
National School of Government
Impact and Evaluation Pillar
Issues to consider here include, for example: evidence of a well-defined impact and evaluation strategy; the extent to which impact and
evaluation feedback is reviewed, fed back to appropriate stakeholders and acted on; the availability of appropriately skilled and objective
people to conduct effective impact and evaluation assessments; the range of impact and evaluation techniques and methods; the extent to
which impact and evaluation is built into new programmes as part of their design and development.
Note: items highlighted in yellow are particularly critical.
For the purposes of the National School’s Kite-Marking Service from which the Self-Assessment Inventory is taken, the key component of good
practice in leadership development, ‘development activities’, is described as Design and delivery.
World-class leadership
Element
Checklist
Assessment
framework component
Design and delivery
Monitoring and review
Is an appropriate range
D&D6 –
continued
processes –
continued
of impact and evaluation
techniques being
considered and employed
e.g. questionnaires, self-
report feedback sheets,
end-of-session discussion,
individual interviews, group
interviews, action learning
activities, observation,
on-the-job observation,
feedback from line
managers/peers/colleagues,
staff satisfaction surveys,
monitoring of performance
targets, story telling etc.?
22
How to Get the Best Out of Leadership Development
Part B
Important background and contextual information
23
National School of Government
Helping to set the context
Part B of the guide offers important background and
Annex B is a reminder of the key questions used in the
contextual information relating to Civil Service leadership
Departmental Capability Reviews to test current leadership
development which you may find helpful when working
capability, the results of which Departments will need to
through the Self-Assessment Inventory and/or as you consider
address in their leadership development activity.
any resulting action.
Annex C complements the advice and guidance in the
Annex A looks at the SCS Leadership Model, including
earlier sections of the guide by offering some ideas to inform
its relationship with the Professional Skills for Government
thinking on some of the strategic design and development
framework (PSG). In practice, though there may be differences
issues around leadership development which organisations can
in the terminology for various leadership development models,
find the most challenging and which may be flagged up as
there will be a significant read across from one model to
areas for development on completion of the Self-Assessment
another. Your Department may well have used or tailored
Inventory.
other leadership development models to meet its own specific
needs and may welcome advice on how to map these models
onto the SCS Leadership Model. We therefore offer an
illustration of how the SCS Leadership Model maps onto some
other well-known leadership models that may be reflected in
leadership development programmes and activities offered by
Departments. Annex A also includes the leadership framework
used by the National School’s Centre for Strategic Leadership
and is intended to help frame discussions about the design
and coverage of leadership programmes.
24
How to Get the Best Out of Leadership Development
Annex A
The SCS Leadership Model
How do the leadership qualities relate to the rest of the
In March 2006, Sir Gus O’Donnell rolled out his new
PSG framework?
leadership model, which set out the leadership qualities
The PSG framework sets out the four dimensions that
expected of the Senior Civil Service. The model made it
should shape an individual’s professional development: the
clear that Sir Gus and his Permanent Secretary colleagues
leadership qualities of those in the SCS; core skil s such as
were expecting more of the SCS in terms of both the level
people management, programme and project management
and breadth of management and leadership capacity. The
and financial management; professional expertise – their
leadership qualities sit at the centre of the Professional Skills
job/profession-related skil s; and getting broader experience
for Government framework and articulate the expectations
outside of their individual core professional area. Key
the Civil Service has of its leaders, both individually and
management and professional skil s, expertise and experience
collectively. They focus on the three roles the Service expects
are not repeated in the leadership qualities.
leaders to play – providing
direction for the organisation,
delivering
results, and building the
capability of the
organisation to address current and future challenges.
Broader Experience
Core Skills
At its heart is the individual as leader, with the emphasis
Professional Expertis e
on
integrity:
Analysis
n the importance of leaders knowing and being true to
Strategic
P
and use of
r
P
thinking
o
r
o
B
themselves
evidence
r
f
o
e
f
e
a
s
s
s
s
d
i
i
o
o
e
n their openness to learning and using that learning
r
n
n
E
to improve their own performance and that of their
a
Comms and
a
Broader Ex
p
l
Leadership
Financial
x
l
e
E
marketing
management
p
E
r
x
e
organisation
x
i
p
r
e
p
i
n
e
e
e
c
r
r
n
t
e
t
c
i
i
e
n their ability to build relationships – with their teams, with
s
e
Programme
s
e
peers, with partners, with stakeholders – to fulfil their role
People
and project
management
management
B r o a
Core Skills
P r o f e s s
i
n their recognition that collective, collaborative and
corporate leadership across functional and organisational
t ise
boundaries will be necessary to successfully deliver the
o
n
a l
E
x
p e r
outcomes we seek.
d
e r E x
p
e r i
ence
Leadership
How do the leadership qualities relate to the 4Ps (pace,
passion, pride and professionalism)?
There are two dimensions to the relationship. Firstly, leaders
themselves are expected to demonstrate pace, passion, pride
and professionalism in the leadership they provide. Secondly,
they need to inspire those qualities in the organisation so that
everything the Service does reflects the 4Ps.
The leadership qualities recognise that individuals in the
Service will have different leadership styles, but they all have
in common the outcomes the Service is aiming to achieve and
the roles leaders are expected to play in achieving them.
25
National School of Government
Using the SCS Leadership Model to
How does the SCS Leadership Model relate to
enhance performance
other models?
The SCS Leadership Model has been integrated into the
Some Departments have developed their own leadership
performance appraisal process for all members of the SCS
models tailored to their specific needs, reflecting the language
and the Capability Review Assessment intends to take
and culture of the Department and focusing on identified gaps
account of the SCS Leadership Model in the future when
in existing leadership capabilities. In looking at their leadership
assessing Departmental leadership. As part of the design of
development design and delivery, it wil be important to make
the SCS Base Camp programme for new members of the
the links with the SCS Leadership Model, which reflects the
SCS, the National School has developed a self-assessment
broader corporate requirement, and to consider how this can
pre-event questionnaire to encourage participants to begin
be set in the particular context of an individual Department.
to think about their skills and behaviours in relation to the
SCS Leadership Model and to consider their leadership
In practice, though there may be differences in the terminology
responsibilities with regard to the culture of their organisation.
for various leadership development models, there wil be
a significant read across from one model to another. The
From a strategic perspective, the Base Camp self-assessment
important thing wil be to ensure that the appropriate links are
questionnaire is a useful tool for encouraging members of the
made in the context of the leadership development activity, the
SCS, as part of their preparation for their performance review,
context in which it is being delivered and the desired outcomes.
to begin the process of considering how they will demonstrate
the behaviours required by the model. It could also provide a
The SCS Leadership Model clearly indicates where leadership
helpful starting point for personal reflections and discussions
development for the SCS should be concentrated by focusing
between senior leaders and their direct reports. The culture of
attention on direction, capability, results and integrity. It
an organisation is something for which all leaders have a level
draws from typical contemporary models of leadership and
of responsibility and the tool can also be used to encourage
from research on leadership in successful organisations.
members of the SCS to consider the current and future culture
Although not spel ed out in detail, this Civil Service approach to
of their Department and their roles and responsibilities as
leadership can be related to typical models of leadership in the
leaders in the development of that culture.
literature (e.g. Kouzes and Posner’s five practices: inspire the
vision, chal enge the process, enable others to act, model the
This is a self-assessment tool, so its value is in the depth of
way, encourage the heart).
honest, personal reflections and self-awareness. As is the case
with all other psychometrics, this framework would be most
The approach may also be related to current research and
effective if the personal reflections were discussed with peers
thinking on the key features of successful organisations
and line managers and became the basis for further thinking
(e.g. Nohria, Joyce and Roberson’s model of clear strategy,
about individuals’ learning and development.
performance-orientated culture, flat communication structure
and flawless execution). By way of il ustration, we can see how
In a similar vein, the National School’s SCHOR 360° feedback
the SCS Leadership Model relates to the two typical models of
system has been specifically designed to reflect the new SCS
leadership in the literature, as cited above:
Leadership Model and PSG framework. It is particularly useful
in supporting stand-alone development, organisational or
Perspectives on leadership
group development activity, helping leaders focus on their
performance against the leadership requirements and ensuring
SCS
that the latter are ‘lived not laminated’.
Leadership
Kouzes and Posner
Nohria et al.
Direction
Inspire a shared vision Clear strategy
Capability
Enable others to act
Flat communication
structure
Encourage the heart
26
Performance-
orientated culture
Results
Challenge the process Flawless execution
Performance-
orientated culture
Integrity
Model the way
Flawless execution
How to Get the Best Out of Leadership Development
A leadership framework used by the National School’s
Leadership of self
Centre for Strategic Leadership
Leaders have a very important and often unusual role to play
The National School’s Centre for Strategic Leadership has
in an organisation. Some of the qualities that distinguish this
constructed a broad leadership framework which it uses when
role from others include:
considering the design of the range of programmes it runs. At
n the power that leaders possess
the simplest level, the framework can be used as a checklist to
inform the design of in-house leadership development work
n the disproportionate influence that leaders sometimes
and to guide the discussions about what needs attention.
unknowingly exert on the organisation
n the stress and loneliness associated with the role
The framework highlights the importance of four facets of
leadership – all of which serve to trigger different types and
n the diverse range of challenges and dilemmas that are
styles of leadership intervention:
faced, often on a daily basis
n the significant level of responsibility
n leadership of self (often regarded as the ‘cornerstone’ of all
leadership)
n the time-poverty that leaders experience
n leadership of others
n the blurring of work and private time
n leadership of an organisation
n the ‘amplification’ across the organisation of what leaders
do and say.
n leadership of the system.
These four facets are shown below, along with some
illustrative examples:
Self-awareness
Inspiration
Emotional intelligence
Motivation
Values/ethics
Teamwork
Impact
Engagement
Motivation
Contingency
Style
Diversity
Self-care
Leading change
Resilience
(people)
Political leadership
Organisation design
Systems thinking
Talent management
Networks
Knowledge management
Building coalitions
Governance
Remote leadership
Culture
Informal power
Performance management
Target construction
Leading change (people and systems)
Political leadership
Accountabilities
Facilitation
Corporacy
Conversations
27
National School of Government
These and other factors place a premium on the ability of
what works, and by learning from developments in the field
leaders to understand themselves, and to appreciate their
of employee engagement. Furthermore, and emphasising
impact on others, how they handle pressure, how resilient
personal skills, there are numerous diagnostics and practically-
they are, how well they communicate, how they focus their
orientated curricula that can be drawn on to increase skills in
energies, where their shortcomings lie, what their values and
managing conflict, persuading and influencing others, building
ethics are, how easily they can flex their leadership style, and
informal alliances and coalitions, spheres of influence etc.
how emotionally intelligent they are. In short, success in a role
of leadership is predicated on the ability of leaders to make
Leadership of an organisation
use of themselves as a resource over which they must have
Very different in nature to the previous two facets of the
complete mastery.
framework are the sometimes ‘technical’ responsibilities
that leaders have in building, running and transforming
From a leadership development perspective, access to this
organisations so that they can deliver the services they exist to
feature of the leadership role is relatively easily achieved
provide. The focus of this work is to master skills in leading the
through tools and techniques such as 360° reporting,
following illustrative areas:
psychometrics such as the Myers Briggs Type Inventory,
emotional intelligence diagnostics, executive coaching, action
n organisation design and structure
learning sets, mentoring arrangements, development centres
n lean processes and systems
and other interventions. Many other approaches can be used,
providing that they are used in ways that shed light on the
n talent management and succession planning
leader’s self-awareness.
n horizon scanning
Leadership of others
n knowledge management
Related to the need to understand oneself as a leader is the
n governance and board effectiveness
importance of understanding others and how they might
n performance management
be motivated, inspired, influenced and, above all, lead. Of
increasing importance in this context is the skill needed to
n business and financial planning
lead others through organisational change, which occurs with
n marketing and brand management
greater frequency year on year. Research has suggested that
more than two-thirds of major organisational change fails to
n capability building
deliver what it set out to deliver. A major cause of this is a
n information technology.
lack of success in engaging employees, securing their genuine
buy-in, enabling them to become ‘owners’ of the change and
This broad range of responsibilities will, in most instances,
delivering sustainable results.
inevitably be managed at one level by the heads of functions
in a given organisation, but there is a specific level of
Leaders therefore need to work on their skills in engagement
knowledge that is required by all leaders to exercise informed
and inspiration; in creating diversity and team spirit;
judgements over each function. Above all, though, leaders
in painting a compelling vision; in modelling desirable
need to be able to marry together and align all of the
behaviours; in creating informal coalitions; and in injecting
organisation’s functions so that they collectively drive the
pace, passion, pride and professionalism into their
organisation towards its vision and strategic objectives.
organisations.
Much of this material is taught on MBA programmes and as
From a leadership development perspective, many
subsections of other business teaching. From a leadership
methodologies similar to those used in leadership of the
development perspective, the principle means of upskilling
self will be used e.g. 360° reporting. However, because
leaders in these areas is through taught programmes, action
the literature is so rich in analyses of organisational change
learning sets, case studies, expert interventions and through
28
programmes, there are benefits to be gained from exploring
learning from other sectors, which are usually at different
case studies of other organisations, from acquainting leaders
stages of maturity in relation to all of the above. For example,
with the extensive theoretical and practical evidence on
many younger and smaller private sector companies have a lot
How to Get the Best Out of Leadership Development
to share with regard to the use of information technology and
From a leadership development perspective, much of the
lean processes. Organisations in the charitable and voluntary
effort involved is getting leaders to take a step back or to
sectors have, by their very nature, become skilled in marketing
take a ‘helicopter view’ of the operating environment. Cross-
and brand management. Larger, well-established companies
sectoral leadership development can take priority in addressing
such as oil and gas companies have become highly skilled in
this corner of the framework. Public service leaders need to
horizon scanning and scenario planning. All of these inputs
become comfortable with ambiguity and they also need help
can help leaders become as effective as they need to be in
in squaring what may be their system-focused objectives with
leading their organisations.
their political masters, who may or may not see things in the
same way. Interventions in this context become much more
Leadership of the system
facilitative, and learning and development may need to blur
with top-level strategy-forming activities and board-to-board-
Perhaps the hardest part of leadership is the task of stepping
level work.
outside of one’s organisational setting, where authority sits
comfortably with the formal role, in order to exercise influence
over the broader system within which the organisation
operates. For example, in order to orientate public service
towards the needs of citizens, organisations at different levels
of government, subject to different imperatives and hierarchies
need to work together. But it doesn’t stop here. The needs of
citizens are met by a complex web of providers that might be
found in the private sector, the third sector, local government,
at regional levels, in central government and in the plethora of
bodies that exist in between.
Leaders therefore need to apply ‘systems thinking’ to all that
they do, which involves understanding how different cogs
in the system work together (or sometimes against each
other) to bring about specific outcomes. Operating from this
perspective invites leaders to create powerful networks with
common goals. It also encourages leaders to leverage informal
power over different parts of the system and to ask other
organisations to give a high priority to activities that may not
automatically feature in their business plans and strategic
objectives. Some of this is about the interpersonal skills of
leaders, whereas in other respects, it’s about formulating
shared targets and imperatives. In all of this, leaders have to
conduct their business in an uncertain and ambiguous world.
29
National School of Government
Annex B
Departmental Capability Review Model:
L2 Ignite passion, pace and drive
leadership questions
n Are you seen as role models in the Department, inspiring
The Departmental Capability Reviews provide an assessment
the respect, trust, loyalty and confidence of superiors, peers
of capability for Departments, identifying key areas for
and staff? Do you talk, listen and act on feedback and
improvement and setting out key actions to address these
thereby demonstrate an understanding of the business?
areas. The review process explicitly focuses on the top tiers of
n Do you display passion about meeting delivery outcomes?
leadership in the Civil Service – Permanent Secretaries, boards
n
and directors. Leadership is assessed corporately, i.e. it is the
How do you engage personally with customers and staff in
leadership provided by the corporate team that is assessed,
the Department and across the system?
rather than the individual leadership capabilities possessed
n How do you maintain energy and enthusiasm? How do you
by leaders on the board and at director level. The Capability
inspire staff to be proud to work for the organisation?
Reviews have identified building leadership capability as one
of the four most challenging areas for action for the Civil
L3 Take responsibility for leading delivery and change
Service. The report, Capability Reviews Tranche 3: Findings and
n
Common Themes, notes:
Do you drive delivery by taking responsibility, welcoming
challenging feedback on performance and learning lessons
from successes and failures?
‘The importance of effective leadership has become
increasingly clear as the Capability Reviews have progressed.
n How do you role-model an effective corporate culture of
The challenges for Departments are to apply their passion,
team work within the system?
pace and direction to sustainable delivery and change; to
n Do you and the senior leadership team act as an effective
exhibit leadership that is collective, embedded and valued in
guiding coalition and initiate work across boundaries to
Departments and to disseminate this throughout Departments
achieve delivery outcomes?
to the whole Senior Civil Service and beyond.’
n Do you accept the pressing need for change? Do you
The model of capability used was designed specifically for the
demonstrate your personal commitment to that change?
Capability Reviews and is deliberately selective and designed
n How do you manage change effectively? How do you
to focus on the most crucial areas of capability – leadership,
champion and drive through that change, addressing and
strategy and delivery. The key questions used by the Capability
overcoming resistance when it occurs?
Review teams to test current leadership capability are set out
below.
n Are you open, honest, courageous and unflinching in
delivering tough messages to your Ministers and the
It is important to note that the central questions and themes
Department?
devised for the Capability Reviews pre-dated the introduction
of the SCS Leadership Model in early 2006. However, the
L4 Build capability
Capability Review principles influenced in large part the SCS
n How do you nurture talent and encourage innovation in
Leadership Model and both models serve to highlight very
order to build capacity?
similar themes, even though precise phrasing may be different
in places.
n Do you have a leadership development/promotion process
that is fair and transparent?
L1 Set direction
n How do you manage the performance of everyone
n How do you set a clear direction and articulate the vision to
by rewarding good performance and tackling poor
provide a compelling and coherent view of the future?
performance?
n How do you take difficult decisions, and do you follow them
n Do you get enthusiastically involved in identifying talent and
through?
building capability in individuals and teams?
30
n How do you generate common ownership of the vision
n Do your culture, behaviour and staff profile reflect the
among the board, the Department and delivery owners?
diversity of the customers you serve?
n How do you maintain focus when faced with crises/system
shocks? How do you balance this with the need to keep the
vision up to date when circumstances change?
How to Get the Best Out of Leadership Development
Annex C
Leadership development: some strategic design and
Top management engagement
development challenges
Recognition and support for the value of leadership
Annex C complements the rest of the guide by offering
development needs to flow from those at the very top of an
some ideas to inform thinking on the strategic design and
organisation. One of the main themes in this guide is the
development issues around leadership development that
importance of top management engagement at key points
organisations can find the most challenging and which may
in the leadership design, development and delivery process.
be flagged up as areas for development on completion of the
Consultation with Permanent Secretaries on leadership
Self-Assessment Inventory:
development shows that there is a strong commitment
among those in top management to engage with leadership
n needs analysis
development on a Civil-Service-wide basis. But organisational
n top management engagement
processes for this need to be developed and made as easy
and appealing as possible to ensure the direct and ongoing
n integrated leadership development (i.e. into a wider HR
engagement of top management in leadership development.
strategy )
Possible ways of doing this are suggested below.
n levers for learning (networking/building a leadership
community/embedding of learning etc.)
Role-modelling
n evaluating the impact of leadership development.
One of the most powerful ways of demonstrating and
encouraging widespread commitment to leadership
Needs analysis
development is for the board or top team to undergo a
leadership development programme themselves, then to tell
Effective leadership development should provide coherent
others about the experience and, very consciously, to role-
experiences, strong alignment with Departmental objectives,
model the new behaviours. This has several advantages:
a broad range of SCS leadership development activities to
meet diversity of needs and, most importantly, the strategic
n It sends a clear message to the rest of the organisation
leadership perspective. Having an effective process in place
about the value and importance placed on leadership
to identify key development needs and anticipate future
development and demonstrates that learning is an ongoing
leadership requirements is therefore a critical element in
process no matter what level you’re at in the organisation.
determining your leadership development portfolio.
n It’s a visible sign of commitment to leadership development.
The most effective way of doing this is to adopt a top-down,
n It may significantly enhance the functioning and leadership
bottom-up process. Information from likely participants,
of the board as a whole.
line managers, leadership specialists, the recent Capability
n It creates time and space for the top team to consider
Reviews, and staff attitude surveys that include questions
about leadership will provide you with useful information
- how they are leading and role-modelling and how closely
about perceived leadership development needs. However,
this is aligned with the strategic goals
these then need to be closely aligned with corporate
- what opportunities they have to demonstrate their
requirements and you will need to rigorously test programme
leadership more visibly.
content derived from bottom-up processes against corporate
requirements. This is something for which there is no strong
n It’s likely to attract interest in whatever leadership
track-record in the wider Civil Service. Though the introduction
development is being undertaken.
of the SCS Leadership Model has begun to fill the gap, more
n By seeing their leaders behaving differently, it helps
work needs to be done.
encourage different behaviours throughout the organisation
and positive attitudes towards learning.
The Self-Assessment Inventory can contribute to this process
by helping you ask the right questions about your leadership
Thereafter, involvement by al layers of leaders is
development, how it measures up against corporate
recommended, particularly if a significant cultural shift is
requirements, and its strategic relevance. The Self-Assessment
required within the organisation. To create and maintain an
31
Inventory also offers a platform for keeping this dialogue
interest in leadership development, it can be helpful for senior
active over the long term so that your leadership programmes
leaders to talk or write openly about their learning experiences,
are up to date in reflecting the strategic requirements of the
at briefings, conferences and in in-house magazines. Role-
Civil Service, as defined by the top leadership and in meeting
model ing new leadership behaviours that align with the
Departmental business requirements.
strategic goals of the organisation is critical in helping to
engage individuals in developing their leadership skil s.
National School of Government
For example, making a commitment that individuals will not
of discrete initiatives. In practice, this means that leadership
be taken off leadership development programmes for the sake
development requires full integration with corporate HR,
of business expediency is an excellent way of demonstrating
talent management and SCS career gateway processes across
the importance given to leadership development.
the Civil Service and constituent Departments. Importantly,
required leadership behaviours need to be reflected in those
Leadership champions
HR systems, such as performance management and reward
and recognition, which people regard as barometers of
Fol owing on from this, you could identify one or more
commitment in practice as well as in principle.
leadership ‘champions’, ideal y at board level, who would take
a particular interest in your leadership programme(s), perhaps
writing a personal ‘welcome letter’ to each programme. The
Performance management systems
champion would always meet programme participants before
Whatever performance management process is in use,
and after programmes and actively consider the benefits and
this should also be examined and considered as a lever to
development points of the programme from the participants’
support leadership development. So, for example, in building
and Department’s perspective. The process should be
leadership capacity, more emphasis might be placed in
designed to ensure chal enge and support from the line.
the performance management system on how results are
And it should be explicitly positioned outside the remit of HR
achieved, not just on what has been achieved, and whether
people inside the Department to underline the commitment
leadership has been role-modelled by individuals in meeting
within the line. The champion would also be given regular
their objectives. The careful use of staff attitude surveys,
opportunities to feedback views about the programmes to the
particularly indicators that provide information on how
programme teams.
leadership is being experienced by followers, may also be
used to help garner commitment and buy-in to leadership
You could identify other programme sponsorship options
development programmes. If the indicators are poor, these can
e.g. involving a number of top managers. To encourage
helpfully serve as a challenge area for leadership programmes
participation across top management, sponsorship could
to address. Keeping performance management systems under
be done on a rotating basis, with a change-over every two
review and updating as necessary will be important to support
years or so. Sponsorship would involve (a) being available to
developments in desired leadership behaviours.
speak each time the programme runs; (b) committing other
members of top management in the Department or in their
Reward and recognition alignment
own team to becoming involved in the programme; and (c)
Your leadership development approach needs to be closely
opening up their own part of the Department as a site for
aligned with whatever reward and recognition system you
case study work and visits from programme participants.
have in place so that new leadership behaviours are rewarded.
One approach could be the use of real case studies based on
leadership issues across the Civil Service. This would serve the
dual purpose of engaging top management and providing
Levers for learning
relevant cases and material for use in leadership development
Leadership development needs to be linked strongly to
programmes (see Levers for learning).
leaders’ everyday experience through the use of processes
that link new learning with workplace experience, including
Technology can be used to enhance top management
shadowing, new job experiences, coaching, mentoring and
engagement in leadership development. Examples include
case studies (based on Civil Service cases as well as those
using videoconferencing, web-based events, DVDs, CD-
from other sectors) and action learning. Case study methods
ROMS, etc. This would have the advantage of facilitating
and action learning in particular can be used to provide
top management engagement with significant numbers of
opportunities to build in scope to put something back while
people and would ensure that consistent messages are being
leaders are learning and make the experience feel more ‘real’.
delivered across the organisation.
Case studies and action learning
32
Integrated leadership development
Well-constructed case studies can be highly energising and
The value of top management engagement as described
stimulating, as, too, can action learning. And if leaders can
above shouldn’t be underestimated. It’s a critical element of
deliver a corporate challenge while improving skills, you are
effective leadership development. However, if the substantial
levering business change.
investment in leadership development in the Civil Service
in recent years is to contribute fully to building capability,
it requires a ‘joined-up thinking’ approach rather than lots
How to Get the Best Out of Leadership Development
Case studies have the advantage of offering opportunities
Everyone has a vast network of resources at their fingertips,
to develop stronger links with senior leaders in Departments,
but sometimes networks are forgotten, neglected or
fostering new partnerships, better collaborative working, and,
ignored. Sometimes this can result from unease about what
if spread across a number of Departments, can help leaders
networking is really about and a lack of the necessary skills to
understand the leader’s role in leading across complex systems
do it. But when done effectively and in the right collaborative
to tackle cross-cutting issues. Case studies can also be linked
spirit, networking can help leaders accomplish major goals
to top management sponsorship of programmes. Another
for themselves and for their organisation. Network building
option might be to develop a series of case studies based on
can make a significant contribution to building a corporate
real leadership stories from senior levels in Departments. These
culture. The active development of a group of people who
should offer positive learning opportunities and wouldn’t be
are regarded as a ‘corporate resource’ and who share key
required to be unremitting stories of success. The case studies
skills, experiences and values seen as important to the future
could be embedded into the core leadership development
of the organisation can help foster a corporate culture and
programmes, with key players in the case studies attending
contribute to the development of a strong talent pool.
when the cases are being used.
There are significant benefits to be had from cross-
Learning to learn and transferring that learning to new
Departmental and cross-sector development opportunities at
scenarios is a valuable development currency. Action learning
SCS level. People learn a great deal by working and developing
can be a particularly useful learning medium when dealing
their leadership skills with others, across Departments and
with problems or issues where no obvious solution presents
sectors, benefiting from new perspectives, insights, outlooks
itself. It offers an opportunity for personal development
and experiences. Development activity that brings leaders
and a relatively cost-effective way of encouraging self- and
together in this way helps to reinforce the development of a
cross-organisational development, with principal costs being
leadership community across the Service, to build and sustain
the individual’s time and, if a facilitator is used, their fee.
leadership networks and to foster a partnership approach.
Action learning also provides an excel ent opportunity to
work across Departments and sectors, bringing together a
Given the value of networks and the development
diverse range of skil s and experience to identify solutions
opportunities they can provide, consideration should be
to present problems and to anticipate future needs. It also
given to effective induction systems for those new to the
offers an excel ent opportunity to produce best practice and
SCS. So that they can maximise the benefits of their prior
benchmarking guidance.
experience and realise their potential within the Service,
particular attention should be paid to the needs of new
Stretch projects and innovation
entrants from other government Departments and from
outside Government, who may not have appropriate networks
The use of individual or team ‘stretch projects’, focused on
in place to get things done and who need to understand and
organisational improvement areas can provide opportunities
operate in the Whitehall culture.
for individuals to develop, apply and flex their leadership skills
while participating in a development programme. Building
into the design opportunities to identify an improvement area
Creating a coaching culture
and explore innovative solutions, with the promise that an
A significant lever for organisational learning is to create a
individual or group of leaders will be allowed a ten-minute
coaching culture, which means creating an environment where
presentation slot at the next board meeting to pitch their
people are supported in identifying and making choices rather
improvement idea, can be extremely fruitful in raising levels
than being told what to do. Non-directive coaching is a skill and
of engagement with leadership development across the
can also be a style of leadership that promotes engagement by
organisation. It can also help to create a cadre of leaders who
involving and encouraging people to contribute towards or to
feel more empowered.
solve personal and organisational chal enges.
Building networks and fostering a corporate culture
Research undertaken by the Chartered Institute of Personnel
Modern leaders are required to work across boundaries and
and Development in 2004 found that 99% of those surveyed
33
promote and demonstrate effective networking. Building
felt that coaching could deliver tangible benefits to both
networks and developing networking skills enable partnership
individuals and the organisation. Executive coaching is
approaches and knowledge management processes to operate
increasing in popularity in today’s organisations and, if
more effectively.
deployed effectively, can provide the ideal development
solution for a range of needs.
National School of Government
The responsibilities of leadership can sometimes leave
Evaluating the impact of leadership development at the
leaders feeling isolated and they can benefit from using a
organisational level
coach to help them develop their thinking and improve their
Proving that a leadership development programme has had
performance. In times of change, executive coaching can
a particular impact on organisational performance is at best
offer particularly effective support to leaders making the
tricky. But there are things you can do to create the right
transition from one role to another or to those who need to
impact and to help show the contribution of the development
unlearn old behaviours and/or learn new skills, behaviours and
programme.
attitudes. An experienced coach who can listen deeply and ask
challenging questions will enable leaders to grow and develop,
The first stage is to identify what type of success you aim to
raising their awareness and responsibility for taking action. For
achieve and how leadership can make that happen (if you
a leader to learn how to coach others, it’s often easier if they
can’t spell out the contribution of leadership, there’s no way
themselves have been expertly coached.
you can demonstrate the impact of leadership development).
This sounds obvious but it’s amazing how often major
Executive coaching varies according to need but it can involve
investments are made in development based on only the
a significant investment of time, energy and expenditure.
vaguest ideas of what successful outcomes would actually
It’s therefore likely to offer best value and deliver high
look like.
performance and organisational benefit in situations where
it is properly managed and integrated into the organisation’s
The next stage is to design the programme around all the
leadership development strategy.
criteria and needs identified – from the SCS Leadership Model
to the issues raised in the staff satisfaction survey, from
the performance management data to the organisational
Evaluating the impact of leadership development
performance targets that you expect to hit through improved
leadership. Interestingly, these very drivers also provide the
Evaluation, transfer of learning and personal impact
frameworks and benchmarks against which you can gauge
Many people attend development events without really
success.
thinking about just how much they might need to change.
Some development is about affirming existing behaviours or
Finally, there’s the challenge of how to capture the true
merely fine-tuning one’s skills. But some leaders may need
essence of success. Leadership is as much an art as a science,
to make uncomfortable changes to how they operate if they
and demonstrating impact is about accessing the deep
are to have a significant impact in their organisation. Turning
richness of the effect on the organisation, not just presenting
conceptual understanding into real changes in behaviour and
a set of statistics. In the same way, a picture paints a thousand
practice is one of the toughest challenges. You can’t assume
words, and case stories are a good way to articulate real-
that everyone can do this easily without support.
life experience about what has worked (and what hasn’t)
and why. These case stories can track individuals or cohorts
Different things work for different people. For some, a
as they apply their learning, work to make an impact and
stretching assignment helps, for others, coaching is the best
assess outcomes and consequences. Not everyone will have
option. Follow-up ‘report back’ events are also increasingly
an equal impact but the success of a leadership development
popular. By building in these activities, there is a greater
programme should be determined by how well it did what it
chance that more learning will be turned into action and, as
set out to do and the types of organisational impact – some
well as helping individuals make a personal impact, they often
unanticipated – that have been created or supported by those
provide an in-built means of evaluation.
attending the programme.
34
