This entry was shortlisted in the 2012 Peer Award “Talent/Leadership” category

Ref: 12-006

Champions League Orientation
enabling new leaders to perform on the leadership stage

Overview
The Champions League Orientation transforms our managers into leaders – able to ‘perform’ on the leadership stage. This radical self facilitated process is supported by a diverse team including a theatre director, a visual messaging expert, and opera singers! It replaced a 1 week induction for new Vice Presidents (our top 1%) that was high on PowerPoint but low on involvement and excitement. We now focus on ‘being unexpected’ using a Collaborative Learning Platform combined with a 3 day residential event at our university. We advertise this as an event like nothing you have attended before – and it is!

Impact
Impact is very high with stunning feedback. The last 2 events scored over 4.5 out of 5. Word has spread throughout our 120,000 strong global group that CLO is highly effective, very different and a ‘must attend’ for new VPs. All with reduced days away from the workplace, and lower overall cost. Participants talk about being out of their comfort zone, challenged by the ‘unexpected’ and the ambiguity we build in. They enjoy the atypical learning environment and working with the most senior executives. A fitting way to signify achieving VP status and to help with the ‘step up’ required.

Innovation
We use an on-line Collaborative Learning Platform before and after the event, but also very actively during the residential session. Focussing on capturing images and videos, it is the focal point for the whole process. We innovate the use of ‘unexpected performers’ with opera singers and a juggler on our list! Every residential session is different to maintain the ‘unexpected’ theme – some participants found themselves in the chateau kitchens for their welcome dinner! We provide an expert support team, but no facilitator. We don’t ask participants to ignore the day-job – we acknowledge it and build it into the process.

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Insight
The pilot scored 3.9 out of 5 and was seen as ‘different’. But not the radical change and significant impact sought. We were still facilitating too much, and not relying on the Collaborative Learning Platform. We now do not use a facilitator at all – just a support team of experts to be called upon by participants. We also needed to better prepare the support team who were challenged by short notice requests. We now realise that if we tell VPs they own the event, and can shape it as they wish, then difficult and unexpected short notice requests will result!

Inspiration
We have built ‘the unexpected’ and ambiguity into our process – it really works, has significant impact on our people, and feedback is excellent. It is both virtual and reality with an event at a ‘wow’ location. We have used technology and social networking effectively but combined it with real people – performers with amazing skills. We believe this is a great combination. This is very different, very effective, and enables our new leaders to step up to enable Capgemini to perform in the Champions League of business. Leadership is a performance and we enable our people to perform effectively.

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The Speaker

[frame style=”modern” image_path=”http://thepeerawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/2012-capgemini-crossley.jpg” link_to_page=”” target=”” description=”” size=”four_col_large”] Andy Crossey is Group Talent Management Director for the global Capgemini group of 120,000 people all over the world. He is a senior HR professional with very wide range of talent and development experience gained in multiple organisations over the last 30 years.