Page 297 - The extraordinary leader

274 • The Extraordinary Leader

was over. The most effective leadership development programs in the future will
transform an event into a process that lasts a participant’s entire career.
“In lieu of a two-week session, we strongly favor the two-to-five day sessions
spaced over 18 to 24 months. Between formal sessions, other learning mechanisms
can occur. Formalized sessions are valuable because they shield participants from
their jobs. Because people are working longer hours and everyone’s pace has
quickened, there’s a need for formal protection to temporarily protect participants
from the pressures of work. However, formal sessions should be viewed as
punctuation marks, not the text.
“In the intervening times, online or telephone coaching can be useful, as are buddy
groups. In addition, a series of email messages can maintain participants’ connection.
There should be a constant review of the metrics showing results, including periodic
reminders of the commitment and the changes that were agreed to.” 3

Those paragraphs introduce a number of promising techniques:
Space learning events over time. One change that many organizations
have implemented is to space learning events to create opportunities for appli-
cation and then coming back to report, evaluate, and be reenergized.
Create buddy systems or support groups. At the conclusion of any learn-
ing event, buddy systems can be created or lunch groups established to keep
the implementation of learning moving forward by meeting on a regular basis.
Coach online or by telephone. A regularly scheduled telephone call from
someone available to discuss implementation steps or any challenges that a
participant has encountered has been shown to greatly increase the degree of
implementation.
Encourage mentorships. Similarly, someone inside the organization who
can mentor another employee performs a valuable service. By periodically
touching base, a mentor shows interest in his or her participant’s progress and
offers assistance when needed.
Initiate job discussions. A manager or supervisor who regularly provides
reminders to practice new behaviors is an asset. Evidence shows that a boss
who initiates frequent discussions about job progress and career interests pro-
duces improved employee performance and productivity.
Manage yourself. Behavioral self-management, such as entering activities
in a planner or adhering to a checklist, is the best kind of management. If
employees create mechanisms to help them remember new behaviors or to
eliminate inappropriate behaviors, that’s a more powerful tool than most