Management and leadership development: making it work

Abstract

Purpose

Given the huge national and corporate investment in developing management and leadership capability, questions about the effectiveness of such development activities are valid, necessary and urgent. This paper aims to examine this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

There were 1,000 respondents consisting of matched pairs of HR managers and line managers drawn from 500 organizations. The survey was carried out using archive data collected in 1996, 2000 and 2004.

Findings

The report provides evidence demonstrating how management and leadership development works when it is: a clear organizational priority with employers taking responsibility; linked to business strategy with established processes and frameworks; designed to build relevant competences and behaviors; and focused on long‐term tenure of employees.

Research limitations/implications

This report continues the influential research series started in the mid‐1980s when the Chartered Management Institute worked with Charles Handy and others to analyze how the UK developed its managers. Studies were carried out every four years throughout the 1990s: the previous survey, “Achieving management excellence”, was carried out in 2000 and has been extensively referenced by Government, business and the media.

Practical implications

Communicate to policy makers, employers and employees that there is clear evidence that management and leadership development improves organizational performance over time. Derive the greatest benefits by implementing management and leadership development (MLD) in a coherent and strategic way. Develop the skill‐sets associated with people management, leadership, customer care and motivation/teamwork.

Originality/value

Uniquely, this report provides key evidence of the links between investment and organizational performance over an eight‐year period to managers in public and private organizations across the UK.

Citation

Cook, P. (2006), "Management and leadership development: making it work", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 38 No. 1, pp. 49-52. https://doi.org/10.1108/00197850610646052