Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders, Today

It’s now been a few weeks since we hosted our panel discussion at PwC’s epic More Place offices with PwC and the Football Association of Wales, “Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders, Today” during Wales Week in London 2024. Set against the stunning views across Tower Bridge and London Tower, our panel of experts shared invaluable insights into the evolving landscape of leadership development, particularly in the context of post-pandemic, AI-impacted, hybrid work environments. Let’s delve into some key takeaways from the enlightening conversation and explore how organisations can navigate these challenges to nurture future leaders effectively.

Adapting Leadership Development to the Current Climate

Dr Barrie Kennard, Call of the Wild’s Head of Professional Practice, emphasised the importance of adapting leadership development strategies to the current era. He highlighted the pitfalls of traditional approaches, particularly the reliance on sudden promotions without adequate preparation. Barrie noted that, by “developing people into role, what we get is expert practitioners”, underlining the necessity of training individuals for leadership roles, rather than expecting them to transform over the ‘magic weekend’ from ending their previous sales role on a Friday and become a manager on a Monday.

Investing in People’s Potential

Echoing Barrie’s sentiments, other panellists stressed the significance of identifying and nurturing potential within the workforce. As Sarah Lister-Sims, MD of Hospital Innovations noted, “Our role was really looking at the potential that people had and then inspiring them and giving them the confidence and opportunity to give it a go.” This approach emphasises the importance of empowering individuals to step out of their comfort zones and embrace new opportunities, ultimately fostering a culture of growth and innovation.

The Role of Mentoring and Coaching

Mentoring and coaching emerged as pivotal tools in developing tomorrow’s leaders. Panellists highlighted the need for mentorship programmes to bring out the best in employees and help them navigate their career paths effectively. “Mentoring and coaching are so important to bring out those underlying skills,” remarked Sarah Lister-Sims – Managing Director at Hospital Innovations, emphasising the value of external perspectives in providing balanced guidance and support.

Navigating Hybrid Work Dynamics

With the advent of hybrid work arrangements, organisations face new challenges in fostering collaboration and cohesion among their teams. As Wendy Edwards, Director of People at PwC highlighted, ‘we’re expecting leaders to be leaders when they haven’t had that role model to them is a real challenge, some of which can be met through training, but a lot of it I think is still a big question as to how we do that correctly”. Intentional leadership and clear communication were identified as key factors in overcoming these hurdles. “The reasons to come into the office are to collaborate, socialise, and learn,” noted Alys Carlton, Chair of FAW, stressing the importance of creating compelling reasons for employees to engage in office-based work.

Embracing Intergenerational Collaboration To Help In Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders, Today

A recurring theme throughout the discussion on this subject of Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders, Today was the importance of bridging the gap between different generations in the workforce. As organisations strive to create inclusive environments, they must facilitate meaningful interactions and knowledge sharing across age groups. “It requires intentional leadership on the part of the organisation,” observed Alys, highlighting the need for deliberate efforts to foster intergenerational collaboration.

As organisations navigate the complexities of the post-pandemic landscape, investing in people emerges as a strategic imperative for future success. By nurturing talent, fostering mentorship and coaching, adapting to hybrid work dynamics, and embracing intergenerational collaboration, organisations can cultivate a pipeline of resilient, agile, and innovative leaders poised to thrive in tomorrow’s ever-changing world. As Barrie aptly stated, “Good leaders are practising leaders,” underscoring the importance of continuous learning and development in shaping the leaders of tomorrow.”, reflecting what we do here at Call of the Wild.

Our 2-day leadership development programme has been designed to provide your managers with the tools to lead your organisation into the future.

For more information on Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders, Today talk to Call Of The Wild Development