Optimizing Your Leadership Pipeline

© Development Dimensions International, Inc., MMXIII. All rights reserved.1
Guidebook : Optimizing
Your Leadership Pipeline

What will drive the
success of your business?
Entering new global markets?
Launching the next blockbuster product?
Overtaking your competitors?

No matter which future course
you plot, success will rely on
flawless execution.

And flawless execution depends
on your organization’s ability to
choose and prepare the best
leaders for tomorrow.

To close this leadership
gap and have leaders in place
to drive results, you need to
optimize your pipeline.

© Development Dimensions International, Inc., MMXIII. All rights reserved.
A pipeline approach to talent
management is not a single
program or tool.
It’s a process that provides both
the right quantity and quality
of leaders—in time—to step up and
meet pressing business challenges.
6

Sounds complicated.
Right? Here are five best
practices to get you started.
7

#1
8
Begin with where
your business
is going.

#1
9
Recognize your current
and future business drivers and
design talent strategies
accordingly.

Don’t forget to scan the
external environment for volatility,
uncertainty, complexity, and
ambiguity—and map your talent
strategy accordingly!
#1

#2
11
Define leaders
who fit the profile
for success.

Once you have determined
your business drivers, you
need to define what success
looks like for each level
of leadership.
12
#2

The four factors that will
define a successful leader are:
1 Organizational knowledge
2 Experiences
3 Competencies
4 Personal attributes
#2

Future agility is key.
14
Select leaders who are able to:
• Anticipate and react to the nature and
speed of change.
• Act decisively without always having clear
direction and certainty.
• Navigate through complexity, chaos, and
confusion.
• Maintain effectiveness despite constant
surprises and a lack of predictability.
#2

#3
15
Manage leaders
in transition.

If a leader is going to
stumble on the climb up the
leadership ladder, they’re most
likely to slip when transitioning
into their new role.
#3

Whether assuming a leadership role for
the first time, taking control of a business unit,
or stepping into a top senior position, leaders
encounter significant challenges, which
can cause tremendous stress.
#3

You can help
leaders rapidly and
smoothly move
through transitions!
• Develop leaders BEFORE their next promotion.
• Clarify expectations and priorities.
• Define what success looks like.
• Support new leaders to help them cope.
#3

#4
19
Create
leadership
acceleration
pools.

#4
In an acceleration pool
approach, groups of high potentials
are fast-tracked to prepare them for
growing leadership responsibilities.

High-Potential leaders are carefully
identified as demonstrating the
strongest leadership potential.
They may move up and out of the acceleration
pool based on their performance and the
organization’s needs.
#4

#5
22
Choose the right
people to move
up the ladder.

23
Promotion decisions
should be based on actual
readiness to advance.
#5

Assessing readiness not only helps
you make accurate placement and
promotion decisions, it also pinpoints
each leader’s strengths and
development needs.
24
#5

Assessment needs to be approached
differently at each level.
25
#5
Assessment by Level
- Internet-delivery
- Shorter, more scalable experiences
- Screen-in/Screen-out decision points
- Level-specific feedback and development
- Usually based on specific
skills/competencies
- High-touch, high-fidelity
- Day-in-the-life assessment
- Data integration
- Individualized feedback and planning
- Often tied to business drivers or readiness
to assume new role/challenge
Individual
Contributor
People
Leader
Operational
Leader
Strategic
Leader

LET’S RECAP!
26

1. Begin with where your business is going.
2. Define leaders who fit the profile for success.
3. Manage leaders in transition.
4. Create leadership acceleration pools.
5. Choose the right people to move up the ladder.
Pipeline Best Practices

But wait, there’s more!
Executing a pipeline strategy can be
challenging. Here are a few tips to
get you started.

TIP1
29
A leadership pipeline cannot
be successful without full support
and buy-in at senior levels.
If they don’t buy in, who will?
Secure ownership at
the most senior levels.
(This is a necessity!)

TIP2
30
Ask yourself: How will your next
generation of leaders perform
relative to your business drivers?
Business drivers must
be at the forefront!

Leaders must be assessed and
developed to perform relative
to what your organization
needs to do to succeed
in the future!

TIP3
32
Make sure you:
1. Provide insights and a
process so they can begin
contributing quickly.
2. Get and keep them engaged.
3. Position them for current and
future success.
Onboard new hires and
new leaders effectively.

TIP4
33
The best have a strong track
record and are supported by
validated research that proves
their effectiveness.
Use assessment and
development processes
that can be adapted for
your organization.

TIP5
34
Corporate headquarters
should encourage and support
mentoring and coaching, while
empowering regional partners
to identify and employ the right
tools.
Execute talent initiatives
both globally and locally.

TIP6
35
To sustain a pipeline initiative,
pay attention to the building of:
1. sound execution plans
2. effective communication
3. clear accountability
4. skill development
5. alignment with related systems
6. success metrics
Weave in principles that
ensure success.

There you have it!
Five best practices and six tips.
36

Ready to optimize
your pipeline?
37
Pipeline experts are standing by at 800.933.4463 or
info@ddiworld.com to help make you successful.

Optimizing Your Leadership Pipeline

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