BTSR guidebook ~ Training & skills self-evaluation
BBC - Leadership Essentials
| Date: | November 2007 - ongoing |
|---|---|
| Contact: | Olivia Loughnan |
| Telephone: | 020 7208 9403 |
A blended learning initiative, developing leadership capability in the BBC.
A new focus on the role of excellent management has emerged in the BBC, driven by its Creative Future strategy and in response to the external world in which the BBC operates. The Creative Future strategy encompasses the BBC´s aims to provide innovative and quality content for all its audiences and to be the most creative place to work in broadcasting. This poses many challenges and excellent leadership is needed to turn this vision into reality. Great leadership has to be developed and nurtured by organisational processes and structures if Managers are to deliver more with fewer resources, manage performance and ensure delivery of quality and value for money to their audiences.
It was recognised that we must be clear initially about the kind of Leaders we need in the BBC. The Leadership Imperatives, a definition of the behaviours, skills and values we expect from our Leaders, and the Leadership Essentials programme were designed to ensure that we are developing Leaders who will help lead the organisation now and in the future.
The aims of Leadership Essentials are to:
- Provide a clear expectation of the BBC´s collective leadership responsibilities and imperatives
- Develop essential team and business management skills
- Establish a clear line of sight between great leadership and great TV, radio and online output
- Enable participants to understand and develop their personal leadership style.
The Leadership Essentials programme was specifically designed to invest in first-time Managers and the success criteria for the programme are:
- Clear business impact
- Positive formal evaluation
- Programme highly visible, recognised and valued within the BBC
- Positive influence on relevant staff survey results.
Through a blended learning approach, it has to date (Spring 09) given 375 new Managers intensive skills development integrated with continued online and on-the-job learning. This is supported by one-to-one coaching and action learning groups. Leadership Essentials Online - an award-winning e-learning resource - is a comprehensive resource to assist Managers during and after their period of training.
Development of the Programme
We conducted a thorough training needs analysis through focus groups, reaching over 150 Managers, with input from senior stakeholders. Leadership Essentials was designed in collaboration with the Oxford Group and comprises three two-day modules approximately six weeks apart, blended with a suite of online learning, one-to-one coaching and action learning sets. Participants are also asked to attend three supplementary courses from the BBC´s training portfolio.
The face to face modules are interactive and practical, involving project activity and work with actors. Participants´ development throughout the programme is measured by their action plan, which is reviewed on an ongoing basis.
Preparatory work in the form of specially-designed online learning modules precedes each face to face module.
To provide a clear business emphasis, each participant agrees two business-related objectives with their Line Manager prior to joining Leadership Essentials. These objectives are used and developed throughout the participant´s learning to provide a common thread on which to focus the training.
In order to equip participants with a method for tracking business impact, a Learning Journal was developed for them to use throughout the programme.
Delegates are also offered the opportunity of being matched with a Coach from the BBC Coaching Network to support their work on the business objectives. The coaching programme consists of two meetings and up to three coaching sessions.
The design of Module B proved most challenging. This focused on embedding business management skills into the culture as an important objective for the BBC. In order to achieve this, the design has been continually updated and improved so that it appeals to an audience who might not at first glance see its immediate relevance to their roles in a creative industry.
Each programme comprises seventeen delegates who commit to all dates in advance, with two or three Trainers sourced from the BBC and the Oxford Group. As part of the ongoing plan, we are offering a further seventeen programmes in 2009/10.
Results
Over the last eighteen months, 375 delegates have attended the programme and feedback via end-of-programme evaluation forms has been collected from all delegates to evaluate the effectiveness of the learning. Results show:
- 91% reported the modules significantly met stated objectives
- 82% felt the learning was significantly relevant to their roles and responsibilities
- 84% regarded the learning as significantly beneficial in providing them with practical tools and techniques that can be used in their roles
- 86% reported learning points were significantly supported by examples and opportunities to practise
- 89% regarded the overall value of the learning to be significant.
Leadership Essentials has also been monitoring the effectiveness and success of the programme through the business impact questionnaire data collected:
- 79% of respondents feel their learning, skills and knowledge have improved significantly
- 79% think Leadership Essentials has made a significant contribution to their ability to deliver their role and responsibilities as a Manager
- 84% rate the overall value of Leadership Essentials to the BBC as significant.
Examples of successful outcomes:
- Changes made to BBC 5Live programmes have provoked a fantastic response from listeners, and RAJAR (audience share) figures have increased by 250,000 on the previous year, now reaching close to 2.5 million each week
- Improved coverage of Moto GP on BBC 5Live due to development of Reporter
- Managing the merger of two departments has identified savings through reducing duplication.
One delegate said:
“I feel a vast change in the way I view myself within the organisation, and how I can effect change to have the potential of savings either in real cost terms or simply in streamlining processes and increasing efficiency.”
The introduction of a quarterly LEAD (Leadership Essentials Alumni Day) has also been introduced to encourage delegates to continue their learning through guest speakers, action learning and further skills input.
Leadership Essentials continues to be a huge success with waiting lists for an increased number of programmes being offered year on year.
