The Challenge: Reinventing a Tech Giant
In the late 1990s, Hewlett-Packard (HP) faced a flattening growth curve, slow decision-making, and a lack of organizational alignment. To reinvigorate the company, new CEO Carly Fiorina initiated a "Reinvent HP" campaign. An internal survey confirmed that employees understood the need for change, specifically calling for faster decision-making, greater accountability, and a stronger customer focus.
In response, HP's Workforce Development group designed and implemented "Dynamic Leadership," an intensive development program to equip 8,000 managers worldwide with the skills needed to drive change and execute strategy effectively.
Program Design: Focusing on High-Impact Skills
The program was designed to be global in scope and deliver substantive results within its first year. To achieve this, it focused on two key areas:
- Accelerating High-Performance Collaboration and Alignment: Using shared views of value and new communication techniques to align on purpose and resolve issues quickly.
- Executing with Accountability: Employing rapid decision-making processes, designing clear accountability for actions, and creating a cycle of learning and adjustment.
HP partnered with external experts from Conversant Solutions, LLC to co-create the curriculum, which was refined through rapid prototyping. The final design consisted of an intensive two-day, in-person workshop followed by a nine-week, on-the-job application period. Topics included:
- Business mapping for context
- Conversation models for alignment
- Rapid decision-making frameworks (including RACI)
- Methods for authentically raising and resolving issues
Global Implementation and On-the-Job Support
The program was rolled out to over 8,000 managers in over 50 countries within the first year. To ensure relevance and quality, sessions were co-facilitated by an external expert and an internal HP line leader. This blended approach allowed the program to scale quickly while grounding it in current business realities.
On-the-Job Support with Friday5s®
A critical component was the post-course follow-through system, which research has shown directly correlates with increased leadership effectiveness. HP used a web-based tool called Friday5s® to ensure participants applied their new skills. At the end of the workshop, each manager set two application objectives, which were shared with their own manager to foster support and accountability.
For nine weeks, the Friday5s® system prompted participants to report on their progress, share lessons learned, and receive feedback from peers and coaches, effectively bridging the gap between learning and doing.
Measuring Success: A Multi-Layered Evaluation
HP implemented a rigorous three-part evaluation process to measure the program's impact and calculate its return on investment.
- Immediate Post-Program Evaluations: Anonymous feedback on content and presenters was collected after each session, leading to continuous improvements in materials and facilitator coaching.
- Thematic Analysis of Follow-Through: By analyzing the goals set in the Friday5s® system, HP confirmed that participants were focusing on the intended high-impact areas: improved alignment, effective conversations, and accelerated decision-making.
- Three-Month Financial Impact Analysis: To quantify the business results, HP surveyed participants three months post-program. They were asked to provide specific, documented examples of value created, such as hours saved, new revenue, or costs avoided.
Results: A 15x Return on Investment
The evaluation produced clear evidence of the program's value:
- High Application Rate: 94% of participants reported using the tools and methods within the first three months.
- Significant Financial ROI: The median value per single reported application was $3,800. On an annual basis, the program delivered a return on investment 15 times its cost.
- Organizational Impact: The immediate benefits were primarily from time saved in decision-making and gaining alignment. The program also provided a common language and framework that proved valuable during the concurrent HP-Compaq merger.
Conclusion
The Dynamic Leadership program at HP demonstrates that a well-designed learning initiative with strong senior support can produce significant, measurable results. Its success was driven by a practical focus on clear business needs, a well-managed global rollout, rigorous follow-through to ensure on-the-job application, and a multi-layered evaluation process to prove its financial and organizational worth.