Results of survey conducted with 100 Canadian business leaders regarding the reluctance of senior leaders to develop the next generation of leaders.

1. Why Leaders Won’t
Share
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The implications for leadership development
continuity
White paper and infographic available at www.bm2b.ca 1

2. The Issue
By 2020, there will be five (5) generational cohorts in the
workplace, fifty percent (50%) of the boomer cohort will
have retired from full time employment yet less than
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twenty percent (20%) of our organizations will have
developed strategies about how to address this situation.
Unfortunately, the math does not work.
From Why Leaders Won’t Share: Implications for Leadership Development Continuity report
authored by Donna Stevenson and Faye Wales, 2012.
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3. Today (%)
40
40
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25 30
20
5
0
Traditionalists
Boomers
Gen X
Gen Y
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4. 60
40
20
0
1
22
20
50
7
2020 (%)
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4

5. The Challenge?
Expertise and knowledge drain as boomers exit
from the workforce.
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How do we ensure current senior leaders are
developing the next generation of leaders?
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6. The Solution
Keep the expertise by transferring the knowledge
and skills.
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Make leadership development continuity a key
part of the company culture.
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7. Leadership Development
Continuity
1. Senior leaders assume accountability and responsibility for
developing the next generation of leaders.
2. Senior leaders know how to coach and mentor potential leaders.
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3. Identification of potential leaders is integral to the culture and an
ongoing process.
4. Building a leadership legacy is encouraged and celebrated so
senior and future leaders are recognized and rewarded for
participating in the leadership development continuity process.
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8. 0
10
20
30
50
60
40
Do not enjoy mentoring or coaching
If they share their knowledge, afraid
they will no longer be required
They believe no one needs their
knowledge
Not interested in giving their
knowledge away
knowledge, skills and expertise to future leaders
Other
Reasons why senior leaders will not transfer their
Concerns of Senior Leaders
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9. 0
10
20
30
40
50
70
80
60
Organization sees skills transfer as a
priority
They will receive reward/recognition
for doing it
Skills transfer part of retirement
planning
They get satisfaction from teaching
others
and expertise to future leaders
Reverse mentoring in place
Other
Reasons why senior leaders will transfer their knowledge, skills
Motivators for Senior Leaders
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10. Future Leaders’ Needs
‘GenY have an insatiable need for development as well as a
high requirement for coaching and mentoring. Early in their
careers, compensation and benefits are important along
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with learning and development.’
From a report titled GenerationY: Inside Out by S. Honore & Dr. Schofiled, Ashbridge Business School
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11. What to do?
• Skills transfer must be a priority – put in place a knowledge
transfer process – a leadership legacy process
• Assure senior leaders about continuity of employment and
value associated with their longevity
• Recognize, celebrate and reward leadership knowledge
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transfer
• Train senior leaders how to coach and mentor future leaders
• Implement socio-technical mentoring
• Offer retirement planning (lifestyle and financial) to senior
leaders
• Provide future leaders with access to professional learning and
development opportunities and career advancement. 11

12. What is the cost of ‘lost knowledge’?
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Conduct a risk assessment
• Do your homework, identify what will be lost
and effect on the business and bottom line
• compare the costs to the benefits of
implementing a leadership legacy process
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13. This is your ‘Demographic gift’ -
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OPEN IT!
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14. Why Leaders Won’t
BM2B - Matching Talent to Need
Share
The implications for leadership development
continuity
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