Leadership development programs

The exponential development of new technologies puts management teams under constant stress due to the uncertainty of the future, and this brings with it a real threat of “disruption”.

The leadership development programs devised by Ward Howell are integrated training programs of maximum intensity, thus enabling the mode of experimentation. They have the following objectives:

• to radically increase the speed and efficiency of interaction in the management team;
• to master and implement the best international practices of individual, organizational, and technological transformation;
• to train participants in the skills and practices of effective interaction and development of flexible self-learning teams.

The leadership development programs are designed and adjusted to the client’s unique business tasks. The configuration of the project is always formed in accordance with the context and specifics of a particular request. The environment created by the program promotes competitive participant behavior, thereby providing not only enhanced knowledge and a change of attitudes, but also motivation and an ability to reproduce it in the workplace.

Program structure

The program covers 3–4 modules, each lasting 2–4 days, and it includes inter-module work for 6–9 months (up to 325 hours of training). Each module is taught in thematic classes interconnected by a common purpose and logic, involving leading international experts and professors.

Module work:

• Interactive classes;
• Case studies;
• Sessions with speakers and experts;
• Experiential learning, video analysis, business games and simulations;
• Facilitated discussions;
• Individual and group coaching;
• Individual Development Plan and "Leadership Checklist";
• Practices of presentation, influence, and conflict resolution;
• Project work.

Inter-module work:

• Self-learning during inter-module periods: case studies;
• Project work;
• Work with experts, and study of best practices;
• Webinars and online classes;
• Individual and team diagnostics (360-degree).

Project work:

• Problem definition and choice of topic;
• Self-directed teamwork;
• Work with external and internal experts;
• Searching for and adapting global best practices;
• Experimenting with interaction formats;
• Presentation skills, storytelling;
• Presentation of intermediate results of project implementation;
• Final projects (examination).

Formats of leadership development programs

• Personality diagnosis;
• Coaching support;
• Working with professors from leading business schools;
• Meetings with experts/speakers;
• Inter-module work;
• Business games/simulations;
• Group projects;
• Business cases;
• Edutainment;
• Leadership expeditions.

Themes of the work program

Teaming

• Teaming: teamwork skills in today's world; speed, quality, and efficiency of teamwork; development of flexible self-learning teams;
• Organizational changes in the spirit of teaming: experimenting with formats and practices of interaction; development of a mechanism to deal with uncertainty;
• Teaming skills and competencies development: the ability to hear and speak out, to set and maintain high standards, to work through mistakes, to experiment and learn lessons, and "to learn faster than competitors for the benefit of the client".

Leadership development: personal change

• Emotional leader competence: managing yourself and exerting influence effectively;
• Behavioral change: habits, destructors, and development practices;
• Individual and group coaching: in-depth study of the development goal; 360-degree profile analysis; setting up the "Leader Checklist"; involving colleagues in their development;
• Personal differences and influence: MBTI/DISC;
• Group dynamics: management of hidden group mechanisms; experiential learning in teams; video analysis of exercises and reflection; in-depth personal feedback between participants.

Change management, systemic thinking, mindfulness

• Change management. Innovation and continuous improvement; synchronization of organizational, cultural, and technological transformation;
• Systemic critical thinking. Systemic analysis of the situation; searching for root causes; going beyond pattern thinking; searching for new opportunities;
• Effective negotiation, influence, and conflict management.

Digital and technological insights

• Modern trends and data culture; understanding the key drivers of business transformation and their impact on business processes and organizational structures.

Other classes available on request

• Risk management, financial analysis, business process improvement, etc.

Program results

On an individual level:

• Invention and further application of optimal formats of management decisions;
• Learning to work with new knowledge and skills;
• Focus on continuous self-development.

At a team level:

• Initiation of joint projects;
• Cross-functional interaction.

At an organizational level:

• Acceleration of decision making;
• Formation of a clear vision of the result.

At a strategic level:

• Construction of strategic interaction models;
• Application of management experimentation tools and working with risks.

Distinctive features of the integrated approach

• Transformation is achieved through synchronized work on personal, team, organizational, and technological changes;
• The changes are fixed by projects created over the course of the program;
• Programs are built on the principle of agility, enabling flexible adaptation to the client’s needs, and external and internal changes.

Ward Howell expertise

• Since 1993, Ward Howell has specialized in executive assessment, executive search, and the development of top managers and Board members for major Russian and foreign companies. We are constantly aware of effective solutions and the main challenges faced by top teams in different industries, and we are well-equipped to provide comprehensive and expert support at all stages of the talent management cycle.
• We possess deep knowledge of management practices and trends. Since 2009, our Talent Equity Institute has been conducting research on leadership and management practices: the assessment and development of top managers, corporate governance, family business, career CEOs, and succession planning.
• We adopt an independent approach to the selection of teaching staff and experts. We attract professors from the world's leading business schools (INSEAD, Harvard Business School, IMD, Yale, Cambridge, etc.), and Russian and foreign experts (scientists, entrepreneurs, and government and corporate managers) who oversee the implementation of our major and landmark projects.
• We provide solutions to current business problems. On each course, we work on specific business challenges and create the conditions to change the behavior of managers: participants understand the actual situations faced by successful managers, work with adapted materials and unique cases, practice skills in the format of business games, and then apply the acquired knowledge in practice.
• We are proficient at flexibility and experimentation. In each module, our team gathers feedback from the participants and adapts the program to the actual needs. Continuous experimentation is encouraged not only in the classroom, but also in the development and implementation of the program itself, which is primarily focused on the client's business results and the individual goals of the participants.