Development centres

Client Challenge

Davis Associates were hired by our client, a global leader in the technology industry, as there was an organisational need to improve the processes for assessing the potential for growth in individuals and future leaders within the organisation.  Our role was to also help these high potential individuals to identify, then tackle any development needs so that they are best placed to achieve their potential.

Our Solution

We developed a range of business simulation exercises to draw out critical behavioural competencies from the company’s leadership competency framework.  These included competencies such as, “Strategic Perspective, Achieving Results, Decision-making Capability, Leading & Influencing ad Personal Effectiveness.”

These were combined with a range of online psychometric tests and assessments to gain further insights into the delegates’ natural styles and future potential.

There is strong evidence that multiple assessment procedures provide sound input on which to base decisions about individual development and organisational needs.

Whilst the development centre provided incredibly useful information on high potential employees for succession planning the main focus was on the delegates themselves.  The centre was not simply designed to put delegates in a ‘pass/fail’ situation.  It was run in an atmosphere of integrity and respect for the individuals and their managers were reminded of their on-going responsibilities in this regard.  Delegates were asked to act naturally with the emphasis being placed on developing their self-awareness.  It gave them the opportunity to display their strengths to senior members of the organisation as well as to be assessed and then provided with feedback and executive coaching by our expert Business Psychologists.

Results

Our development centres helped the company to gain greater clarity for succession planning by considering various facets in people that they may not have been able to observe in their daily work.  It proved to be very motivational to those involved, actively demonstrating that the organisation was taking a positive interest in their future.  It also them the opportunity to gain useful insights into their existing strengths and development needs, in their pursuit of improved effectiveness and career advancement.