8 Steps to Custom Results
Working side-by-side with you, together we will create a powerful leadership development program that will quickly build a pipeline of strong women executives and managers for your company.
Here are the 8 key steps in Smith’s Custom Program development process:
Step 1 | Define Clear and Measurable Goals
This answers the big “why” question up front: Why are you doing this?
A team of Smith consultants meets with you to define the clear and measurable goals your company needs to achieve through development of a customized leadership program for your female executives or managers.
Step 2 | Interview Key Stakeholders
This is the critical “discovery” phase: It’s where you will uncover what your people really think, and what the real issues and opportunities are.
Smith curriculum designers and consultants interview key company stakeholders. Typically this involves interviews with crucial business executives, internal organization development and training consultants, appropriate HR representatives, and others. During this period, it is vital to identify important internal owners and champions of the program that will support it as development proceeds. During this data-gathering phase it is also important to interview prospective women candidates for the program to determine leadership development needs from their perspective.
Step 3 | Develop a Formal Business Proposal
This starts to answer the “what” and “how” questions: What could your program look like, and how might it be rolled out?
Findings from your initial meetings with us are presented back to your organization in a formal business proposal, along with suggested timelines for program design, testing and rollout.
Step 4 | Draft Preliminary Program
This is where your program blueprint is drafted: It’s where the details of the leadership training are laid out.
A preliminary course or program design is created, based on the in-depth interview process.
Step 5 | Review and Modify Program Design
This is the two-way design feedback stage: It’s where you confirm that the program design is in tight sync with your corporate culture and the goals you need to achieve.
You review the initial training design and your input is used to modify the preliminary design, and create a finished design.
Step 6 | Select Program Faculty
Once you approve the program design, program is instituted and a faculty of instructors is assembled in accordance with program components and identified learning objectives. This is where you experience the tremendous value of Smith’s flexibility to bring together a team of thought leaders to deliver on your specific needs.
Step 7 | Deliver and Evaluate Inaugural Program
This is what you have been building towards: the actual delivery of the program, as well as the opportunity for participants to provide in-program feedback.
Full program rollout proceeds within your company. During initial delivery of the program, participants will be asked to act as both participants and evaluators of the program design. Input gathered is then used to refine program components and learning objectives, based on identified needs.
Step 8 | Commit to Continuous Feedback
This is about both sides committing to continuous improvement: It’s about providing ongoing assessment and willingness to adapt to changing circumstances.
Ongoing evaluation and assessment are used to continuously refine and modify program design and content, based on your evolving needs, or the need to modify the program to meet new program goals.