'''
The Challenge: A Call for Global Leadership at BGI
In the late 1990s, Barclays Global Investors (BGI), a leading institutional investment management firm, was expanding globally at a rapid pace. With a growing share of revenue coming from outside the U.S. and 1,900 employees across six countries, the firm's disparate, independently operating offices could not meet its business requirements. Garrett Bouton, head of Global Human Resources, noted a "cry for management training and a greater sense of clarity and common purpose." BGI needed a strategic intervention to build a cohesive global leadership culture.
Building the Business Case for a Strategic Initiative
A simple request for management training evolved into a wall-to-wall organizational development initiative. The process began with a rigorous needs assessment to define the program's objectives and secure necessary resources.
Needs Assessment
In a four-week effort, over 100 people were interviewed or participated in focus groups. The process included:
- Executive Interviews: Meetings with 25 top senior executives to understand business challenges and the management skills needed to meet them.
- Manager and Associate Meetings: Gathering perspectives from mid-level managers and associates to capture training needs and organizational issues.
The assessment revealed the need for leaders who could "think and act globally." Key development areas included:
- Working in a global organization
- Managing geographically dispersed groups
- Functioning in a constantly changing environment
- Thinking strategically
- Coaching and developing people
Program Objectives
The findings led to five core objectives for the program, named Global Leadership Essentials (GLE):
- Transform BGI into a truly global firm by aligning people across geographies and functions.
- Improve communication and connections between senior executives and managers.
- Revitalize and retain top talent by investing in their growth.
- Differentiate through a leadership culture that values people management as much as technical expertise.
- Create a common leadership vocabulary and set of practices across the world.
Gathering Resources
BGI committed significant resources to the GLE program:
- Expertise: After a thorough selection process, Personnel Decisions International (PDI) was chosen to develop and deliver the program. Facilitators were selected for their group process skills, global experience, and ability to provide one-on-one coaching.
- Time and Money: The Management Committee funded a significant budget covering international travel and the opportunity cost of having over 150 leaders out of the office for two weeks.
- Executive Sponsorship: Business executives were involved from the vendor selection stage, ensuring buy-in and sponsorship from the start. They were integral to both the design and delivery of the program.
Program Design: The Global Leadership Essentials (GLE)
The GLE program was an integrated, action-learning approach designed to build personal, people, business, and work competencies. It was governed by a set of guiding principles emphasizing participant ownership, linking training to business goals, and including all managers rather than just a select few.
Structure and Methodology
- Format: The program consisted of two four-day sessions separated by six to eight weeks for on-the-job application. Sessions were rotated between BGI's global offices (San Francisco, Tokyo, London, Sydney).
- Audience: All mid-level managers and individual contributors with leadership roles.
- Group Size: Small groups of 14-18 participants, mixed by geography and function to encourage networking.
- Teaching Methods: A blend of lectures, exercises, 360-degree feedback, job-related assignments, and direct exposure to senior executives.
Key Features and Curriculum Highlights
- Action Learning: Every element had practical business application. Participants used company-specific data (e.g., client satisfaction surveys), worked in learning teams on functional issues, and integrated insights into individual development plans.
- Multiple Assessments: A 360-degree assessment linked directly to the curriculum was a core component. This was supplemented by inventories for learning styles, decision-making, and conflict resolution to increase self-awareness.
- One-on-One Coaching: Facilitators provided individual coaching. BGI also implemented a 360-degree feedback and coaching process for its top Managing Directors to support their role as coaches.
- Executive Involvement: Senior executives presented on business challenges and their personal leadership guides. They also participated in candid Q&A panels, which became a highly valued feature for strengthening communication and trust.
- Peer Networking: The program intentionally built a global peer network through structured and informal activities, including city tours and group dinners hosted by local offices.
Evaluation and Outcomes
The GLE program demonstrably met its objectives and delivered a significant return on investment.
- Participant Reaction: Post-session surveys showed a significant increase in participants' confidence in their leadership roles. Follow-up evaluations confirmed they were actively using new skills, such as better delegation, more direct communication, and improved feedback delivery.
- Transformation to a Global Firm: A company-wide survey confirmed that employees understood and supported the firm's globalization strategy, an accomplishment the BGI chairman attributed in part to the GLE program.
- Improved Communication: The executive panels were highly successful, making senior leaders more accessible and fostering open dialogue about business and organizational challenges.
- Talent Retention: BGI's global turnover rate remained stable throughout the program's implementation.
- Creation of a Leadership Culture: By training over 50% of the target population in one year, the program created a critical mass of leaders fluent in a common set of practices and vocabulary.
Critical Success Factors
- Clear Business Alignment: The program's value was constantly reinforced by linking leadership skills directly to strategic business objectives.
- Executive Involvement: Active and visible participation from senior leaders was the most powerful feature, lending credibility and perspective.
- Action Learning: Focusing on real-world application ensured the learning was relevant and immediately useful.
- 360-Degree Feedback: Using confidential, development-focused feedback made the learning journey personally compelling for a data-driven workforce. '''
Frequently asked questions
Topics