How do you identify future top leaders capable of advancing the company amidst fierce international competition?
Which of the internal talents is best suited to lead business units in a global context?
How can you ensure that leadership development yields a return on investment for the company?
Aker Solutions‘ answer was a leadership program where “Return on Investment” (ROI) was the central theme throughout an entire year of training.
Aker Solutions competes in a highly competitive global market. The company has undergone significant changes in a short time period, with the pursuit of new business opportunities being integral to its DNA. The ability of leaders to assess which prospects will be profitable and strategically important to pursue in the future is crucial.
When Aker Solutions set out to develop an internal leadership program, they had a clear starting point: from selection to conclusion, “Return on Investment” (ROI) was the focus. At the end of the program, each leader was expected to present a specific proposal indicating potential ROI for Aker Solutions.
The aim was to stimulate each leader's ability to integrate a development perspective with profitability as a premise, both in strategic decisions and daily operations.
To create a comprehensive program, Aker Solutions engaged various field experts. Specifique was tasked with creating pedagogical consistency and developing specific tools.
Together with Aker Solutions and other learning experts, we developed an integrated approach. The program combined individual reflection, peer guidance, coaching, and group learning to ensure a diverse use of pedagogical tools.
Flexibility and adaptability were key, with methods adjusted along the way to meet emerging needs. Some elements persisted throughout the program to provide continuity. The use of visual tools, such as Dialogue Mats, was crucial for repetition and creating mental reminders – functioning as visual cues that make it easier to connect different parts of the program cohesively.
Aker Solutions conducted several rounds of the program, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback. The internal competition was intense. As the company garnered numerous concrete suggestions for future developmental projects, both large and small, each leadership talent became acutely aware of the expectations and demands a top executive must meet. For some participants, the conclusion was that they did not aspire to an international top-tier leadership position. For the company, the talent program ensured that those poised to become future leaders were genuinely prepared and motivated for the task.
A commonality between everyone who went through the one-year program was an increased awareness and competence about what was – and remains – Aker Solutions’ primary competitive edge and the leadership principles upon which the company’s success is founded.
