Developing Successful Management & Leadership Programmes
Masterclass: “Succession Planning is Top Need for Companies”

LONDON and Reading, Berkshire, 21 May 2007 – Isobel Rimmer, Managing Director of Masterclass, one of the UK’s leading HR and training consultancies, spoke to a group of delegates about key leadership and training issues.  Her presentation took place during a one-day HR legal and training update co-hosted Masterclass and  Boyes-Turner, one of Reading’s foremost law practices.  The event, known as the HR Forum, is in its 10th year and is highly acclaimed by Reading and Thames Valley based businesses operating in local, national, and international arenas.  There are many repeat attendees, and they have exponentially increased since its inception a decade ago.

During a session about leadership training, Rimmer said organisations must think about how best to transform their star employees into skilled managers as part of their overall succession planning strategy. Masterclass helps companies understand leadership needs, identify appropriate staff to fill eventual openings, and develop pathways for them to succeed a company’s previous generation of positions – from senior engineers to directors and C-level executives.

When looking at leadership training, there are three points to take into consideration, asking very probing questions:

  1. Culture – How can we foster the kind of change that is necessary?  Do we have the right environment to enact the level of transformation needed? What do we want to accomplish – what should be the results from the training programme? Do we have a shared vision? What is the process for getting there?

 

  1. Approach – What are the development programme’s contents and structure?  Who are the stakeholders in the process? What are the key performance indicators for success? What is the business case for this kind of training?
  1. Deliverables – Do you use internal experts to develop key staff? Is it better to hire external consultants to analyse needs create bespoke career pathways? Will a hybrid approach bring into play inside knowledge and professional best practises? Should HR managers set out an accreditation programme to guide staff towards key positions?

 

“There are pros and cons when looking at taking up an internal or external programme for leadership training and succession planning,” said Rimmer. “It can be difficult to have frank discussions and set aside ranks and politics during sessions when using an internally created programme.  Whereas, bespoke programmes from external sources can provide the desired level of objectivity, but they are expensive.  However, one can take a hybrid approach, using an ‘off-the-shelf’ solution and tailor it to efficiently meet specific needs cost effectively.”

Rimmer added: “When conducting internal programmes, leverage senior staff expert status, be careful to avoid ‘initiative overload,’ and, partner with senior management to be able to gain buy-in and create the best business case for the programme.”

According to one HR Forum delegate, “I’ve attended previous HR Forum, and each time I learn something new; it’s a fabulous opportunity for me. I always learn something new about the latest in HR law and procedures and gain fresh insights about staff development. The session on leadership training provides me with a new way of thinking that I can take back to the office and share with my colleagues.”

- Ends -

Notes to Editors:

About Masterclass
Masterclass was established in 1987 by Isobel Rimmer to supply sales and marketing training programmes and recruitment services to the IT sector. By the early 1990s, this specialist area of recruitment grew to incorporate technical and business support training and recruitment to non-IT related companies in business-to-business and public sectors.

Today, Masterclass continues to be a leader in training, recruitment, and consultation with continued growth in the following sectors: Information Technology, Business-to-Business, Public / Government Organisations, Human Resources, the Hospitality Industry, and Legal sector. Masterclass has offices in Datchet, Berkshire – near Windsor and Eton – and in Basingstoke, Hampshire, that serve clients in the UK, EMEA and as far a field as Asia Pacific. 

For Interviews
Please contact Stephen Elliott at stephen.elliott@surreyhouseuk.com – 01372 460 111, or contact Masterclass directly on 01753 676 666 for more information about this programme or to interview a member of the Masterclass team.