IDS HR Study 847, June 2007

Leadership development

• Looks at the design and delivery of structured leadership development programmes
• Examines issues such as defining leadership and identifying future leaders
• Includes detailed case studies of the leadership programmes in place at five named organisations

Leadership is vital in any organisation to provide direction, set strategy and to get the best out of employees. Different goals require different types of leaders and an increasing number of employers now use teams of leaders rather than individual figureheads to benefit from a broad range of skills and abilities at the top of an organisation. As the demands on leaders continue to grow, so the need for leadership development programmes becomes more important.

Such programmes come in all shapes and sizes, from short, focused workshops to complex courses lasting three years or more and leading to accredited Masters degrees. What they all have in common is a focus on building the specific skills and abilities defined by employers as being key to leading and motivating employees and providing strategic direction to organisations. This publication includes detailed case studies of the leadership development programmes at Network Rail, LloydsTSB - Asset Finance Division, Co-operative Financial Services, Jaguar and Land Rover, and Sainsbury's.