Leaders Don’t Grow On Trees:
5 Secrets to Identifying and
Developing Leaders in the Real World
Presented by:

Darleen DeRosa, Ph.D. Managing Partner
dderosa@OnPointConsultingLLC.com | 203.533.5128
5 Steps to Identifying and Developing
Leaders in the Real World
WELCOME TO

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Talent is the multiplier. The more time
and attention you invest in it, the greater
the yield. The time you spend with your best
is, quite simply, your most productive time.
-Marcus Buckingham, author, motivational speaker

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OBJECTIVES
● Understand how to define success in leadership roles
● Learn how to spot high potential employees
● Incorporate blended learning into training
● Learn how to provide ongoing leadership development
● Understand how to measure results

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WHY Succession Management is essential
• The average employee today stays at a job less than 5 years
(U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014)
• Fewer than a third of all organizations have succession plans for
all but the top executives (Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trends 2014)
• The cost of replacing an employee can be as much as 2X annual
salary (Center for American Progress study)

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HIDDEN COSTS of Poor
Succession Management
● Time and money involved in hiring/onboarding
● Loss of productivity (may take 1-2 years for new employees to
reach full potential)
● High turnover hurts morale and job satisfaction
● Customer service errors = reputation risk

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Pitfalls to REAL-WORLD
Succession Management
● Viewed as important but not urgent
● Lack of time
● Lack of budget
● Lack of ownership (Whose job is it? Department heads? HR?
Upper management?)

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STEP 1:
Define Success

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Success Profiles:
BEYOND JOB DESCRIPTIONS
● Knowledge: What people know
● Experience: What people have done
● Competencies: What people can do
● Characteristics: Who people are

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CREATING Robust Success Profiles
● Consider your company’s strategic objectives
● Consider leaders who previously failed in key roles and look
for patterns: How could they have been better prepared?
● Seek input from leaders & exec team
● Focus on critical competencies

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HOW TO USE Success Profiles
● To shape interview questions
● To assess high-potential employees
● To develop training and development goals
● To evaluate performance
● To define success in the short and long term

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STEP 2:
Identify & Cultivate High-
Potential Employees

WHO Are Your High Potential Employees?
● 1 out of 7 employees
● Twice as valuable as other employees
● More likely to be uncertain about career path
● 55% will drop out of a development program or because they
are incorrectly identified
● 46% fail to meet objectives in new roles
(CEB Talent Management) 13

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How to Spot A HI-PO
● Look for a combination of ability, desire and commitment
● Listen to feedback from managers, coworkers and direct
reports
● Leverage objective tools that focus on future potential rather
than current performance

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How to Help A Hi-Po THRIVE
● Use assessments to put together a development plan that has
individual customized needs
● Review results with manager to engage them in process
● Provide resources and support to hi pos
● Assign them to critical roles or on-the-job experiences

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How to Help A Hi-Po THRIVE
● Pair employee with a mentor
● Provide ongoing feedback
● Communicate long-term career paths

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STEP 3:
Make Learning Engaging

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Everyone learns differently, so the best approach is a
combination of all of these, also known as blended learning.
65% are visual learners
30% are auditory
5% are kinesthetic
(University of Alabama School of Medicine, 2005)
What TYPE of Training Is Most Effective?

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What Is BLENDING LEARNING?
Learning through a variety of formats, including in-person
training, simulations and instructor-led online learning

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BENEFITS of Blended Learning
● Flexible and scalable
● Cost effective
● More engaging than a single format
● A growing trend used by 77% of U.S. companies
(The eLearning Industry’s Network)

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TIPS for Using Blended Learning
● Focus on objectives first, then technology
● Use surveys to research employee preferences
● Use online assessments
(Source: elearningindustry.com)

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TIPS for Using Blended Learning
● Make it social; create a learning community
● Ask for employee feedback
● Be willing to adapt
(Source: elearningindustry.com)

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STEP 4:
Make Learning Practical
and On The Job

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CHALLENGES to On the Job Training
● Involves a time commitment
● Requires patience
● Increases likelihood of mistakes

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MAKING THE MOST of On The Job Training
● Standardize it with a specific process
● Establish training objectives and resouces
● Determine individual’s needs and assignments that will
stretch his/her skills
● Determine when supervision is required
● View it as an investment and make it a priority

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STEP 5:
Measure Success

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TIPS for Measuring Success
● Conduct a pre- and post-training assessment
● Collect feedback from supervisors, peers and direct reports
● Evaluate leadership execution
● Appraise retention

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A Formula for MEASURING ROI
Determine how many trainees stay with the company
for a year or more
Assess total $ value of personnel costs
Determine how much you would have spent on
recruiting/training new employees

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Program Close

THANK YOU!
If you have any questions
feel free to let us know.
www.OnPointConsultingLLC.com | 203.533.5128