PSY FPX 6720 Assessment 6 Human Resources Strategic Plan for Leadership Development

Student Name

Capella University

PSY FPX 6720 Psychology of Leadership

Prof. Name:

Date

Organizational Leadership Initiatives

Introduction

This paper outlines a development program aimed at advancing the Acme Corporation’s ability to adapt to the post-pandemic “new normal.” The program seeks to leverage remote opportunities, attract talent from diverse regions, and enhance the company’s technological capabilities while expanding its global footprint. Acme Corporation has faced a higher-than-usual turnover rate, peaking at 25% in September 2021, which exceeds the average turnover rate of 18%. According to Zippia (2015), 70% of employees leave companies where they feel less engaged or connected to their work, with the primary reason for turnover being the potential for increased income.

Although compensation is a significant factor for employees, exit interviews and questionnaires revealed that 15% of Acme’s employees who voluntarily left the company cited poor job satisfaction as the primary reason. This dissatisfaction was further attributed to a lack of training, leadership support, and transparency. Gallup (2017) reports that 51% of the U.S. workforce is not engaged in their jobs, neither feeling positively nor negatively about their work or the company. Additionally, companies with low turnover rates (less than 40% annualized turnover) can achieve a 59% reduction in turnover with highly engaged teams (Gallup, 2017).

This paper will demonstrate the benefits, strategies, and practices involved in implementing a proposed leadership development program aimed at addressing the issues contributing to employee turnover. The paper will also include an evaluation method to assess the Return on Investment (ROI) for the leadership training program. The training will be designed for both in-person and virtual employees, utilizing existing online platforms to minimize costs.

Leadership Strategic Needs

The training program will include mentorship for leaders to help sustain ROI for both themselves and their employees. The organization will adopt a leader-as-teacher development model, where supervisors take direct responsibility for ensuring that their teams learn and apply the lessons provided in training (Peters et al., 2011). To implement new competencies, supervisors will conduct pre-program coaching to discuss how the new skills will be applied, followed by post-program coaching to address how employees will implement the lessons (Peters et al., 2011). Supervisors will then hold follow-up meetings to monitor progress and ensure that competencies are being effectively implemented by the team (Peters et al., 2011).

Another focus of the development program will be to improve the transfer of learning, or transfer of training. Ideally, a positive outcome of the training would involve employees and leadership applying the learned behavior to their job roles and maintaining that change over time (Sorensen, 2017). These changes are referred to as positive transfers. For example, when employees receive training on using virtual meeting software, they will apply that knowledge to their work, resulting in improved communication and collaboration between leaders and followers, ultimately enhancing job satisfaction and inclusion.

Conversely, a negative transfer of training occurs when the skills and knowledge gained during training are not utilized by the trainee (Sorensen, 2017). For instance, if leadership learns how to use the break-out session feature of virtual meeting software during training but fails to apply it during a large team meeting, the discussion may become unproductive, with team members talking over each other. In such cases, the training or its delivery method may need to be reevaluated. Effective training should be relatable and easy to implement so that participants perceive value and benefit from the information.

Leadership Development Strategies

The primary goal of our leadership training and development strategy is to cultivate strategic leaders. Strategic thinkers challenge norms, question assumptions, and encourage diverse perspectives (Shoemaker et al., 2013). Through training and mentoring, Acme’s leadership will develop the competencies and skills necessary to perform at a higher level and lead their teams effectively. Research conducted for the Global Leadership Life Inventory identified twelve key areas exhibited by outstanding leaders: envisioning, empowering, energizing, designing and controlling, rewarding and providing feedback, team building, external orientation, global mindset, tenacity, emotional intelligence, life balance, and resilience to stress (Peters et al., 2011). Mentoring will provide employees with the knowledge and experience needed to develop these critical competencies, enabling them to perform their job duties at the highest level. By fostering and mentoring employees, the organization is simultaneously nurturing the next generation of leaders and developing the desired qualities mentioned above.

Another exercise to be incorporated into leadership development is the use of drawing exercises, as outlined in a study where participants were divided into groups and instructed to draw their interpretation of a leader (Schyns et al., 2011). This method adds an emotional element to a cognitive approach, promotes group activity, and allows for more information to be captured beyond simply listing characteristics (Schyns et al., 2011). Utilizing drawings in leadership development falls under the arts-based approach to managerial development (Taylor & Ladkin, 2009). Drawing as a starting point can enhance transformational learning. As a fun and unconventional activity, drawing can reduce initial resistance from trainees and encourage a non-threatening learning environment (Schyns et al., 2011).

Evaluation

While developing and implementing a mentorship program may increase costs for the company, the benefits of effective leadership—such as better understanding of goals and more appropriate use of staff—can lead to cost savings and reduced employee turnover. One way to mitigate costs is by offering remote training opportunities, which eliminate travel expenses for employees. The drawing exercise will be used at the conclusion of the development program to gather feedback on the training process. A 360-degree evaluation will be conducted at the end of the program to identify which aspects of the training were most valuable to the trainees and which areas require improvement. This training can be delivered virtually or in person. Drawings can be created and uploaded to the chat group, allowing participants to share their work regardless of their location, whether they are working from home or in the office. When a company invests in its leadership and provides the necessary tools to foster effective managerial styles, employees are more likely to feel invested in the organization, leading to increased job satisfaction, reduced turnover, and ultimately lower costs for the company.

Training sessions should be scheduled in two- to three-hour intervals to maintain momentum and focus. After the initial training is completed, follow-up sessions will be held monthly for the next three months to collect feedback and address any issues or questions. Monthly evaluations using the 360-degree model will be conducted to assess how well leadership is implementing and sustaining the knowledge gained from the training.

Conclusion

Many companies struggle to find leadership development programs that are both cost- and time-efficient. Leaders are often underdeveloped and lack proper training on how to become effective leaders. Exceptional leadership takes time to develop and does not simply emerge when an individual steps into a leadership role. By providing current leaders with mentorship from senior leaders and equipping them with the tools to mentor their own teams as future leaders, this process can begin on the first day of employment and continue throughout an employee’s career. The 360-degree evaluation, which was developed through research, has proven to be an effective tool for measuring training outcomes and goals. Acme’s commitment to building a strong and successful company can only be realized when its leadership is fully invested in the future of all its employees.

References

Ariella, S. (2021, December). 27 US employee turnover statistics [2022]: Average employee turnover rate, industry comparisons, and trends – Zippia. Retrieved from https://www.zippia.com/advice/employee-turnover-statistics/

Boyatzis, R. E., Smith, M. L., Van Oosten, E., & Woolford, L. (2013). Developing resonant leaders through emotional intelligence, vision, and coaching. Organizational Dynamics, 42(1), 17-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2012.12.003

Gavetti, G. (2011). The new psychology of strategic leadership. Harvard Business Review, 89(7), 118-125. Retrieved from http://library.capella.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=61871184&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Inc, G. (2017). The right culture: Not just about employee satisfaction. Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/workplace/231602/right-culture-not-employee-satisfaction.aspx

Kets de Vries, M. F. R., Vrignaud, P., & Florent-Treacy, E. (2004). The global leadership life inventory: Development and psychometric properties of a 360-degree feedback instrument. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 15(3), 475-492. https://doi.org/10.1080/0958519042000181214

Nowack, K. M., & Mashihi, S. (2012). Evidence-based answers to 15 questions about leveraging 360-degree feedback. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 64(3), 157-182. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030011

Peters, L., Baum, J., & Stephens, G. (2011). Creating ROI in leadership development. Organizational Dynamics, 40(2), 104-109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2011.01.004

Schoemaker, P. J. H., Krupp, S., & Howland, S. (2013). Strategic leadership: The essential skills. Harvard Business Review, 91(1), 131-134. Retrieved from http://library.capella.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=84424206&site=ehost-live&scope=site