BLOG | Developing the Leaders of Tomorrow

In our conversations with senior leaders, at Criticaleye, we’ve seen how rising complexity and shifting business models are increasing pressure on leadership teams. Consequently, the CPO’s role in developing leadership capability should be central to organisational strategy.

A crucial first step is understanding the kind of leaders the business truly needs. This means aligning succession planning, leadership development, performance management, culture and reward structures with the organisation’s long-term objectives.

It also involves anticipating future capability needs to ensure leadership behaviours, decision-making and organisational design consistently support the strategy. As Kirsty Bashford, Chief People Officer at Delinian, explained in a recent Criticaleye article*: “[W]e have shaped a leadership programme that constantly evolves according to what’s needed: we constantly look ahead.”

Equally important is alignment with the CEO, the wider C-suite and particularly the Chair and the Board, to ensure leadership priorities and cultural expectations are consistent across the organisation.

In a Critialeye podcast, Heather Hayes, Global HRD at Lightsource bp, on her experience [said]*  of the Board’s support in developing leaders: “[T]he long term strategy and how they’re expecting that to be delivered… they help me translate that into behaviours, leadership skills and then they give me examples…”

The most effective CPOs act as strategic partners, shaping leadership conversations that connect talent, culture and business performance.

Our CPO Research illustrates why this matters. For example, 87 percent of respondents reported they were not fully confident in their leadership team’s ability to navigate uncertainty. Strengthening leadership capability and culture will be essential to closing that gap. 

Highlighting some of the skills leaders needed to be effective in the current landscape Gao Lan, CHRO at Lenovo noted: “Persistence and resilience are crucial, as leaders need to be able to handle ups and downs and stay engaged despite challenges.”
 
Creating an environement where leaders can be high-performing includes:

• A culture of continuous learning: leadership is not static; development must evolve as the context changes
• Personalised learning pathways: recognising that no two leaders develop in the same way
• Leadership accountability: embedding expectations for how leaders deliver outcomes and model values
• Board and executive alignment: ensuring leadership strategy is jointly owned, not siloed within HR
• Future readiness: building adaptability and learning agility into leadership criteria
• External perspective: bringing in outside insight to identify gaps and support development of new skills

 
Watch this video to see some more tips from people leaders on cultivating the leadership skills of tomorrow.

Criticaleye supports current and future CPOs in shaping leadership capability, building culture and aligning talent with long-term strategy. We empower executives with the skills and insights necessary to become world-class people leaders. Get in touch to find out more.

 
* Taken from Criticaleye’s People and Performance interview
* Taken from Criticaleye’s People and Performance interview
* Taken from Criticaleye’s Inspiring Leaders Podcast