Citation
(2006), "Leadership development drives “zoom-zoom at Mazda", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 38 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2006.03738aab.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Leadership development drives “zoom-zoom at Mazda
Mazda Motors UK has run a leadership-development programme for its entire management team. Designed by executive-education specialist Roffey Park, the six-day programme helped Mazda’s 30 most senior executives to enhance their personal effectiveness and to improve the capability of their teams.
Jemma MacLean, human-resource manager at Mazda Motors UK, said: “This was the first development initiative we have run for our managers. We believed that we could enhance our sales volumes and improve our corporate performance by ensuring that our team focuses its energies in the right place. The programme helped each person to develop his or her leadership style and to use strategic tools to improve his or her performance and that of others. It encouraged our top managers to apply their thinking to their work and commit to an action plan to further their development.”
Two groups of 15 managers worked through the programme, which featured modules in strategic leadership, developing individual performance and leading through personal effectiveness. Each module lasted two days. The first module ran in July 2005, the second in October and the third in January 2006.
Jemma MacLean said: “The feedback was excellent. The learning opened people’s eyes to new ways that they can benefit the business, through strategic rather than operational thinking. It is not often that our entire management team gets to spend time together outside of work. Getting them away from the office helped them to improve their working relationships and to focus on their learning.”
She said that leadership development was seen as a strategic investment at Mazda – and that it should be for any organization that is serious about innovation and growth.
She continued: “Organizations think nothing about upgrading their computers to stay up to date with the latest developments. You have to do the same with your people. We are investing time and money in making our leaders feel valued and, in turn, this is helping us to get maximum value out of them.”