YQ2015 Issue 09

Leading Difference

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In this edition...04 Dive in! Natalie Livings and Sharon

Wilkenfeld on how to make the most of a diverse talent pool.

Friction, faction and frenemies. How do you turn personal tensions into great teams? Jürgen Hell and Katie Johnman do the alchemy.

Asia uncovered. Stacy Richardson on the cultural differences that shape the world’s most populous region.

Company, know thyself. What do your employees actually want from your organisation? Aoife Kilduff has the answers.

Curiouser and curiouser. Meghan Craig on the power of seeing the world through a different lens.

On the Couch. Nivea’s smooth operator, Alex Reindler, on how things run down Mexico way.

Present and correct. The past is a foreign country. So why, asks Paul Ballman, do we keep revisiting it?

Ch ch ch changes... Everyone agrees that diversity is good for business. But real change is slow in coming, argues Eric Pliner.

Cast off your corsets! Rachel Short delves deep into the ‘Downton effect’ on women in companies.

Taking care of Steady Eddie. Don’t ignore the ‘dependable deliverers’ at the heart of your organisation, urges Gurprriet Singh.

X and Y. Men and women are wired to lead differently, argues Ambica Saxena. It’s time companies embraced the yin and the yang.

CQ rules OK. But what exactly is cultural intelligence, and how does it make us better leaders? Dr Lu Shannon sheds some light.

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Editor: Rob MorrisConsultant editor: Jane Lewis Assistant editors: Meghan Craig & Donald MinnickProduction executive: Nicola Graham Graphic design: Simon Fincham Additional support: Fiona Page

Feedback: please send feedback including ideas for future articles to yq@ysc.com

Subscribe: for a complimentary subscription to YQ, please register your details at www.ysc.com/yq

Spotlight. Joanna Bleau and Kate Guthrie shine the light on an innovative sponsorship programme at Lloyds Banking Group.

Regional perspectives. Our regular panel of commentators from around the world dare to be a little different.

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At YSC our mission is to release the power of people. We do this by combining industry leading psychological insight with a thorough understanding of our clients’ business needs. We work with clients across their entire talent lifecycles including: recruitment, induction, development, the identification of potential, internal selection, role change, measurement and departure. Our key client offerings include 1:1 assessment, team development, executive coaching, organisational consulting and the measurement of change.

About us...

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Welcome to YQ

Vive la différence!In this edition of YQ, Leading Difference, we aim to share thought provoking and insightful ideas, data, and case studies that bring to life some of the challenges you face – and offer some solutions. We are excited about some key developments at YSC in the area of thought leadership, and our readers will notice a few changes in this, our ninth edition of YQ.

First, we have organised the issue into three sections. Thought Leadership includes position pieces and unique perspectives on various topics relating to gender, culture, and generation. Our Insights & Analytics section, meanwhile, provides more data-based and research-supported insights into hot topics. A third section, Ideas in Action, contains case studies and illustrations that bring our thinking to life.

Second, we have sought more contribution from external thought leaders and partners. Dr. Lu Shannon, a scholar and Professor at London Business School summarises her research on cultural intelligence (CQ). We have also put Alex Reindler, General Manager of Nivea Mexico, On the Couch to learn from his fascinating breadth of experience leading and living in various countries. Meanwhile, Joanna Bleau, Director of YSC Scotland, has collaborated with Kate Guthrie of Lloyds Banking Group to give an overview of a jointly designed and delivered women’s leadership development programme.

Our aim is to build our practice and our capability so that we both live our values and continue to contribute meaningfully to our

by Rob Morris

clients and communities. With that in mind, we are excited to welcome Carmel Pelunsky back to YSC. As well as serving on the executive team as Managing Director of the Australia and New Zealand business, Carmel will be the Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion.

One of the most enriching aspects of working at YSC is our contact with leaders from around the world. In my own practice this past year, I have worked closely with 25 different leaders across the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Americas, Europe, and the United Kingdom. Almost 70% of my coaching, team development, and leadership profiling has been with people who are ‘different’ to me – whether in terms of gender, sexual orientation, nationality, culture, or generation.

To quote my first boss: “That’s interesting, but not unique.” Indeed, it’s the new normal for leaders frequently navigating their own cross-cultural journeys while leading increasingly diverse and dispersed teams. In conducting a study on change leadership, I found that 31% of senior managers reported managing multinational teams. An important finding was that most adapt their styles and behaviours when they change contexts, but nonetheless experience different results in their impact. A likely reason is that we are still in the early stages of learning how to lead difference. We hope this issue furthers the dialogue and our understanding of this complex topic, yet we know there is still so much to learn.

Rob Morris, Head of Thought Leadership for YSC T: +1 (0)212 661 9888 / rob.morris@ysc.com

Which decade are you

leading in?

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My work advising senior leaders around the world involves getting close to individuals in Asian emerging markets one week and in the American Midwest the next. Clients often ask about cultural differences in leadership style. What does Asian leadership look like? How will the way a South American gives direction vary to that of a South African? These questions are important: styles do vary internationally and it isn’t always right to impose the Head Office’s version of good leadership. But there is another significant factor affecting leadership style which is as strong, or potentially stronger, than national culture – ‘when’.

When I began my career in the 1980s, the leadership style in England was distinctly male, hierarchical, command and control. The bosses had their own dining room and it would be a foolish worker who approached them in any way other than through the chain of command. I had, however, joined at an interesting time. My company had been bought by a progressive North American firm which was embracing Japanese leadership approaches; a new wave of empowerment and self-managed teams was on the horizon. My traditional English colleagues rejected these new ideas,

protesting that the parent company was being culturally insensitive and didn’t understand how things worked in England. “You just don’t get us, this stuff will never work here.”

Of course, they were wrong. Looking back decades later, it is clear that the leadership style deployed in England has profoundly changed. Not exactly in the way my company had wanted, but still in an unrecognisable way to what had gone before. Perhaps there was nothing intrinsically English about the old style after all. Maybe something else was going on.

When it comes to exploring cultural styles, we’re all obsessed with ‘where’, when perhaps we should be thinking about ‘when’, argues Paul Ballman. Generation trumps national culture.

by Paul Ballman

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Of GIs and soccer hooligans Exploring cultural difference is nothing new. People have always loved to figure out, classify and label others – partly in an effort to master what makes those threatening and alien foreigners tick. Sometimes these stereotypes are disparaging, sometimes appreciative and sympathetic; but, inevitably, they simplify. When you look around your own country and see the rich diversity of people and personalities, values and preferences, it seems laughable that we ever believe we can put whole other nations and cultures in neat boxes of homogeneity.

Yet still we try – it gives us a sense of control in an uncertain world.

That’s not to say it isn’t worthwhile seeking to understand the countries in which we do business. Rather, that we need to exercise some caution. A popular document on the web is the guidance given to American GIs stationed in England during WWII. Some of the observations could have been written today: the English still rarely talk to strangers on public transport. Others, though, speak of a bygone era. The GIs were told (amazingly) that English soccer fans were so polite that it was considered bad form to yell out critical comments during a game. So where did those soccer hooligans of the 1970s spring from?

What strikes me most is how much of the advice speaks directly to the immediate context of wartime England. The people those GIs encountered had endured years of war, were limited by rationing and poorly paid. These were the cultural nuances behind the social minefields the GIs were being urged to avoid. The current context trumped enduring culture.

The past is a foreign country… Perhaps we should obsess less about enduring cultural differences and increase our sensitivity to what is happening now in the lives of those we lead. The nature

of leadership is ever-changing – not necessarily because of changes brought about by leaders, but because of the evolving power, values and needs of those they direct. Today’s ‘followers’ are nothing like those of yesteryear. As the novelist L. P. Hartley famously observed in The Go-Between: ‘The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.’

Over the centuries, there have been huge changes in the relationship between those in power and those who provide labour, deriving in no small part from increasing freedoms. The earliest models of slavery and indentured servitude saw those in power treat workers as their possessions; and, even when freedoms were subsequently won, business owners still wielded the great balance of power. Although the most extreme abuses of liberty were gone, child labour and other forms of exploitation remained rife, with both the law and economic power still firmly in the hands of the men who led.

Progressive reforms and the rise of organised labour unions led to great improvements to working life. But for the best part of the 20th century, the financial disparity between rich and poor continued: you still needed your employer much more than they seemed to need you. The command and control style of management that I first encountered was the tail end

“ Good leadership is situational and must be defined as that set of behaviours that attracts followership in the here and now

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of a period characterised by a high degree of compliance from workers, who were managed rather than led.

One of the great accelerators of the power shift in recent years has been the changing social contract within companies. The quid pro quo for the death of the ‘job for life’ is the emergence of new, cross-organisational careers – opening up new choices. Organisations have consequently needed to pay much more attention to attracting and retaining talent, and the way people are led has changed accordingly. It turns out that those with real talent and choice don’t like being directed. They know they can go out and find successful and fulfilling lives, indebted to no boss. Hence the importance now placed on creating a meaningful and purposeful values-oriented workplace to attract, inspire and motivate such talent.

When followers become leaders The way people have had to lead and manage others has changed extraordinarily. But the momentum hasn’t been driven by the choices of leaders, or held back by national cultures. It has been determined by the new freedoms and powers of those they lead.

Good leadership is situational and must be defined as that set of behaviours that attracts followership in the here and now. That has big implications for the lens through which we assess the differences we encounter around the world. A particular leadership culture in any given country may well be contextual – and, as such, is likely to change.

Rather than asking what type of leadership style is best in Vietnam, Brazil or Norway, therefore, I would advise clients to explore more immediate and salient questions. What is happening now in that country, its economy and my industry? What are the hopes, dreams and aspirations of those

individuals I lead? How is followership changing – and, therefore, what leadership style might be needed in future?

This takes a good deal more effort: what is right today will be wrong tomorrow. But it is surely preferable to subscribing to the dangerously cosy notion that we can study some static model of a national leadership style and achieve instant success.

More sources of cultural variation... In this article, I have mainly discussed relative power and the march of time as being as great an influence on leadership as conventional cultural comparison. But there are many other sources of difference that might give national culture a run for its money.

• Life Stage – Just as whole societies change over time, so do individual people. The concerns I had at 20 are markedly different to those I am developing as I approach 50. My ambition, values, commitment, relationship to my organisation and colleagues have all shifted. The best way to lead me has also changed. As a leader, being aware of the ‘Life Stage’ of those I lead is as important as knowing their country of origin.

• Generation – In the western world, we love to compare our Baby Boomers with Gen X and Millennials. While these labels may not translate globally, they do speak to a theme. The era in which we had our formative years may shape us for life.

• Within country variation – In the preface to Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw writes: ‘It is impossible for an Englishman to open his mouth without making some other Englishman hate or despise him.’ Indeed, tensions and differences within countries can feel stark – and any attempt to lump a whole nation together is likely to end in tears. As a young man I loved Garrison Keillor’s tales of Lake Wobegon, which highlighted that city dwellers around the world define themselves by their difference to their country cousins and vice versa. Understanding followers’ local identity will resonate well with them.

• Popular culture – The most immediate and salient culture reference points for many people come from a global popular cultural mix. Our role models and ambitions may find their home a long way from our own shores.

• Industry, company, function – Can you spot a retailer from a banker, or a sales professional from an actuary? Understanding why your followers have chosen your industry/company/department will tell you more about their personality, attitude and drivers than any number of history books about their nation.

Paul Ballman is a Managing Director, based in YSC’s London office. T: +44 (0)20 7520 5555 / paul.ballman@ysc.com.

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Companies have pulled out all the stops to promote diversity and the business case is inarguable. Why then has so little changed, asks Eric Pliner, and what can be done to remedy it?

For nearly two decades, we’ve heard it repeatedly: diversity in leadership is good for business. It makes for a more engaged and committed workforce, throws open opportunities and ensures greater variation in how we think and solve problems. It even promotes better financial performance.

These ideas have been championed from within organisations via initiatives from personally-committed leaders, through the umbrella efforts of employee-led groups and through formal diversity and inclusion programmes. They’ve also been supported by external research, which suggests that collectively, our thinking about diversity is on the right track.

• Companies with three or more women in senior management functions score more highly on nine dimensions of company excellence (McKinsey, 2012)1, and financial measures excel at those Fortune 500 companies with more women on their boards of directors (Catalyst, 2007) 2.

• Identity diversity (that is, a mix of people with different racial, gender, economic, sexual, ability, religious, and other identities) is directly correlated with cognitive diversity, and cognitive diversity is a key predictor of richer and more sustainable solutions to complex problems (Page, 2007) 3.

by Eric Pliner

Walking the Talk

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business’), or an ethical framework (‘it’s the just and fair thing to do’). What we’ve also learned, however, is that the biggest driver of change for women in the workplace is a personal connection to opportunities for women. In the case of many senior male leaders, the key change emanates from parenting a daughter for whom they desire a greater span of opportunity than that available to women of their own generation.

The continued challenge of inertia in the diversification agenda, therefore, begs two questions:

First, what do we do with the business and ethical case when the key driver of change is actually personal experience and narrative? And second, what are the assumptions behind our thinking about diversity in leadership? Exploring these assumptions helps reveal what stops us from promoting more people of a wider range of identities and backgrounds into senior leadership roles, even – or especially – when we say we want to.

Unpacking assumptions On the first point, opportunity is driven not by abandoning the business case in favour of personal stories, but by better integrating the two. Businesses that truly desire change should take a page from the books of successful social justice campaigns. They need to articulate the context and build a case for a desired vision of change – and then build empathy, by sharing a wide range of narratives that illustrate the personal impact of change, and of inaction.

Our assumptions about the implementation of a diversification agenda typically originate with the best intent, and are often completely logical. For instance, when we say that we can’t assign an individual a leadership role because we don’t want to set him up to fail, the underlying

• There’s little correlation between a group’s collective intelligence and the IQs of its individual members, but if a group includes more women, its collective intelligence rises – until that group becomes all women, at which point it behaves more like a group of all men (Woolley and Malone, 2011)4. The group’s gender diversity is one of the key drivers of its collective intelligence.

Organisations across industries and sectors globally have responded to these findings by making a priority of diverse leadership and articulating repeatedly, both publicly and privately, the seriousness with which they take the commitment.

Initiatives have included everything from establishing goals for representation in recruitment and at different levels of leadership, to reviewing policies and workplace procedures for inclusiveness.

Companies have tried to address unconscious biases and to accelerate pipelines of qualified talent from underrepresented groups. They have embraced personal leadership and sponsorship from executive team members, heard external advocacy for employees and communities from marginalised groups, and dedicated roles and resources to meaningfully address regional and global diversity agendas.... and more.

In case that wasn’t enough – and it isn’t – an entire cottage industry has crept up around the recognition of such commitment, with awards and honours from a host of organisations and publications, including: the Association of Diversity Councils, Diversity MBA Magazine, Working Mother magazine’s annual list of Best Companies, and many others.

Yet despite the clear business case and a sincere – and publicly stated – commitment, most organisations have yet to make the deep and sustainable impact on the composition of senior leadership that they truly desire. Indeed, the number and percentage of women and people of colour continues to decrease significantly at each progressive leadership level in most organisations, with the least representation in the C-suite and on boards of directors.

Why has so little changed? If we’ve made the clear and inarguable business case and we’ve made the commitment, why has so little actually changed, especially for leaders at the top?

Simply put, it’s because the business case is not enough.

YSC’s own research about gender diversity in leadership (Cracking the Code) shows that the overwhelming majority of organisational communications about gender fall into one of two categories: the business case (‘gender diversity is good for

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assumption is that he just might fail. And behind that idea is the further assumption that we just might allow that person to fail, rather than make a collective commitment, as an organisation, to provide him with all of the necessary resources, support, ideas, and team members to ensure he succeeds.

Here’s another example. If a leadership team has only ten members, the suggestion that at least 30% of the team ought to be women means losing some of the men who expected to take those roles. When these men are our close friends and colleagues, often of many years, this might be a tough message to swallow. But behind that idea may be the assumption that we are better off losing the women than three male counterparts; or that those women will be content with their current trajectories, since they haven’t been explicitly groomed for or promised those roles.

To unpack our assumptions, we need to understand their basis by exploring every possible reason AGAINST implementing the idea in our statements. Then, we need to explore the thoughts and feelings underlying these assumptions.

To do so meaningfully, we must explicitly consider: what are all of the things that could go wrong if we implemented our articulated diversity agenda? If we follow what we say we want to prioritise, what is

the risk for each of us? For our teams? For our leaders of all different identities? For our businesses? By considering these risks, we are able to float some of the assumptions and feelings that underpin our ideas – and get to the heart of how they might drive our responses to a diversification agenda in ways that unwittingly undermine it.

Consider: what are the assumptions behind our ideas about promoting women, people of colour, or LGBT people into senior leadership roles? What parts of these assumptions do we know to be true, and what do we need to challenge in greater depth? What about our beliefs, behaviours, or organisational culture might reinforce these assumptions? What could work against them? And what are the implications for the business as a whole?

We begin the journey towards meaningful organisational change when we integrate the business case and our personal narratives, and when we use that integration to help unpack the thinking, both conscious and unconscious, that forms the basis of our individual and organisational decision-making. Combining our assumptions with these personal explorations enables us to consider what we might do to align our business case, our commitments, and our genuine desire for the best possible leadership for our businesses.

Point by point• The business and ethical arguments

for diversity are clear. Yet the key driver of change is actually personal experience and narrative.

• Opportunity is driven not by abandoning the business case in favour of personal stories, but by better integrating the two.

• To that end, companies need to articulate the context and build a case for a desired vision of change – and then build empathy, by sharing a wide range of narratives that illustrate the personal impact of change, and of inaction.

• Assumptions are the great enemy of change: they need to be explored and possibly challenged. Companies should ask: What about our beliefs, behaviours, or organisational culture that might reinforce these assumptions? What could work against them? And what are the implications for the business as a whole?

For further reading:1McKinsey & Company: Women Matter 2012, Making the Breakthrough. Accessed at: http://www.mckinsey.com/features/women_matter. 2Catalyst, 2012. Carter, Nancy M. et al. The Bottom Line: Corporate Performance and Women’s Representation on Boards. Accessed at: http://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/bottom-line-corporate-performance-and-womens-representation-boards. 3Page, Scott E. Princeton, 2007. The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies. 4Wooley, Anita and Thomas Malone. ‘What Makes a Team Smarter? More Women.’ Accessed at: http://hbr.org/2011/06/defend-your-research-what-makes-a-team-smarter-more-women/ar/1. 4

To unpack our assumptions, we need to understand their basis by exploring every possible reason AGAINST implementing the idea in our statements. Then, we need to explore the thoughts and feelings underlying these assumptions.

“Eric Pliner is Managing Director & Head of YSC US & Canada, based in YSC’s New York office. T: +1 212 661 9888 / eric.pliner@ysc.com.

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After writing a broadly upbeat YQ article in 2010 predicting an upturn in demand for female corporate leadership, a YQ dedicated in 2015 to diversity and difference prompted me to re-evaluate my previously bullish mindset. Results on the ground can feel at best incremental and at worst elusive, but there has been progress. In the UK, there has been a noticeable shift of attitude towards gender diversity in the boardroom. The tipping-point of 30% female representation is increasingly seen as a ‘need-to-have’,

rather than a ‘nice-to-have’ strategic goal that has focused attention on the gender balance at different stages within corporate executive pipelines. The war for talent has an added kick now that diversity is in the mix.

Interestingly, the business case for change – i.e. demonstrable economic benefits that co-occur with gender diverse leadership (causality remains tricky to prove conclusively) – is being overtaken by broader societal norms that are contextualising and shaping corporate strategy. Becoming more

aware of these ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors should help all would-be change agents to reframe the agenda for gender parity and accelerate the pace of change.

It took some time to decide on an appropriate illustration for a diverse YQ readership. But love it as iconic storytelling or loathe it as soft nationalism, three types of pressure for change are brought to life in Britain’s favourite Sunday night TV-viewing, Downton Abbey.

The key plot mechanism revolves around the socio-historical period effects of wholesale adjustment following WWI, including universal suffrage. A secondary plot device revolves around the mismatches in social expectation between one generation and another. These cohort effects are often observed in a pithy put-down by the Dowager Countess on the habits of the younger generation within the Crawley household. Finally, more subtle plot shifts occur through the evolution of individual characters as they acquire life experience. Each episode prompts us to reflect on these lifecycle effects: for instance, Lady Mary’s shifting criteria for selecting her second husband.

Each of these three time-derived sources of differences in attitudes and behaviours – period, cohort and lifecycle – have a distinct bearing on the career progression of women in companies.

‘Period effects’ – broad patterns of behavioural change across societyWomen’s economic and political participation is on the up. Although women fare differently from one part of the world, from one country and from one district to another, the global trend is emergent but clear. The Nordic economies have led the field in showing how it is possible for both parents to combine work and family – enabling high female employment, more equitable distribution of labour at work and at home, and better

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The economic case for promoting women is strong, but it’s being overtaken by broader societal shifts, argues Rachel Short. Here she explains, with a little help from Downton Abbey, why it pays to keep an eye on the past, present and future to really understand the levers of change.

Women at the top – the Downton effect by Rachel Short

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work-life balance for both sexes. In some cases, this has revived flagging fertility rates, helping to allay longer term concerns about an aging population. The macro-economic implications of women’s increasing participation are shaping the backdrop for global and local organisational strategy and success.

Women’s lives are no longer defined by their fertility. Globally, birth rates are dropping and increasing numbers of women are combining care-giving with bread-winning. In the UK, the gap in employment rates for women with and without children has narrowed - 66.5% of mothers vs 67.3% of women without children are in paid employment. 44% of mothers with dependent children under the age of 18 are in full-time employment. And domestic arrangements are diversifying, with dual career couples on the up. In the US, 57.5% of married parents describe themselves as dual-career. UK employment rates are higher for mothers living with a partner than for single mothers (71.8% vs 55.4%), but an increasing proportion of mothers are their family’s main breadwinner. 40% of all US households with children under the age of 18 have mothers who are either the sole or primary source of family income. These female breadwinners are made up of two very different groups: 5.1 million (37%) are married mothers, who earn a higher income than their husbands, and 8.6 million (63%) are single mothers. Organisations have been slow to respond to this social shift, with too many still operating under an increasingly outdated assumption that career-oriented working mothers are the exception rather than the norm.

Education is preparing women for a knowledge economy. In several countries, women now make up more than 50% of university graduates entering the workforce. In Europe, 40% of young women complete tertiary education compared with 32% of men. In the US, 60% of bachelor degree holders are female. In the UK, the majority of graduates with 1st and 2:1 degree

classifications are female. The biggest shift has occurred in the Arab States, East Asia and the Pacific where parity has now been achieved in the numbers of men and women in higher education. Yet gender imbalances emerge as students engage with the political structures within academia. In virtually all countries, men still outstrip women in research posts, accounting for 56% of all PhD graduates and 71% of researchers.

Women are spending more. The oft-cited figure of 85% of consumer purchasing decisions being controlled or influenced by women is difficult to verify, as both genders tend to rate themselves equally highly in terms of their personal control of the family purse/wallet. Still, women represent a bigger emerging market than China and India combined. Globally, they control about $20 trillion in annual consumer spending and that figure could climb as high as $28 trillion in the next five years. Women are equally influential in B2B market dynamics, boosting the client experience and revenue generation. The involvement of women in business development has been shown to lead to more exploration and insight into client needs, deeper collaboration, and both optimisation and maximisation of client solutions. Relatively few organisations appear to have cottoned on to the benefits of putting more women into direct market-facing roles.

Women’s online activity is shaping market dynamics and demand. Technology has opened up and democratised the global market-place. Instant online reactions to brands, products and services are shifting the balance of power from corporations to individuals. As early as 2000, women overtook men in internet usage. They now account for 58% of all total online spending. In 2013, 74% of women used social networking sites compared with 62% of men. 78% of women in the US go online for product information before making a purchase. Women are significantly more likely to share their likes and interests via Facebook than men. Digitalisation is increasingly seen as a source of competitive advantage for many of our clients. Yet the interplay between gender and a digitalised market strategy is relatively under-researched. We see CIOs really valuing their scarce functional female talent. CMOs and Strategy Directors are slightly behind the curve in comparison.

So what do these ‘period effects’ mean for efforts to diversify organisational leadership? ‘Reflecting the communities in which we operate’ is a stock phrase in Annual Reports. But a clearer understanding of the gravitational pull of women on market dynamics may be a stronger force for pulling more women through the middle of the executive pipeline. Far-sighted marketing and sales teams should be leaning in alongside their HR colleagues

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“ Unlike the Earl of Grantham, who has struggled to understand that his wife seeks personal freedoms that go far beyond casting off her corsets, these champions for change come directly from the heart of the (still predominantly male) corporate aristocracy.

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to provide a gender lens on what is needed here and now. Even the most conservative elements at Downton Abbey have responded to the rise of women’s purchasing power. After a persistent lobbying campaign by his daughters, the Earl of Grantham has reluctantly purchased and installed a wireless set in the library.

‘Cohort effects’ – attitudinal differences between one generation and the nextProgress in health provision, increased life expectancy and deferred retirement mean organisations may now employ up to five discrete generations concurrently. Much has been written already about generational differences. Adding a gender lens can sharpen organisational responses to their resourcing challenges.

The WWII Generation (born up to 1946). Not all but some WWIIers have opted to work beyond a contractually anticipated retirement date. Age-related stereotypes abound, but cognitive research shows that age does not necessarily entail inability to learn. Indeed, WWIIers’ combination of corporate memory, emotional maturity, and desire to pass on their insights mean they are often a source of wisdom. Socially active and prominent female WWIIers are inspiring role models for their capacity to remain relevant in a rapidly changing world – the writers Maya Angelou and Diana Athill, for example, or the political economist Elinor Ostrom, or fashion icon Vivienne Westwood. These trailblazers radiate authenticity and comfort in their own skin, providing a direct point of reference for millennial women. But arguably, it is the WWII male-powerbrokers who are having the most influence on corporate attitudes towards gender diversification (see lifecycle effects below).

The Baby Boomer Generation (born between 1946 and 1965). Likely to occupy most senior management positions, Baby Boomers’

attitudes towards gender diversity are mixed and dependent on personal experiences that are close to home. Very senior female Baby Boomer leaders have tended to succeed professionally by outperforming their male peers throughout their careers, without necessarily redefining ‘the rules of the game’. Women like US Fed chair, Janet Yellen, and IMF chief, Christine Lagarde, have both worked hard to ensure that their personal success in breaking through the glass ceiling is used to good effect in encouraging other women. But, iconic as they are, the narrative attached to these Baby Boomer superwomen reinforces commonly held beliefs that existing corporate systems and structures are fundamentally meritocratic, rather than demonstrating that only superwomen actually make it to the top. Challenges to the myth of meritocracy are particularly unwelcome to the majority of power-broking Baby Boomers, who feel that the current system works, so why change it. This is perhaps the least engaged and best placed generation to deliver more gender diversity within organisations.

Generation X (born between 1966 and 1980). Populating several layers of management, Gen Xers are usually familiar with the practical challenges of managing multi-skilled, intergenerational, often geographically dispersed and virtual teams. Gender diversity is usually just one

facet of their role complexity. Female Gen Xers will not necessarily want to replicate their Baby Boomer role models’ career strategy of outperforming. Female leaders like Facebook’s COO, Sheryl Sandberg, and the moving force behind the 30% Club, Helena Morrissey, are aware of the need to encourage other women to engage early on in life-planning and career-building activity so that the numbers of women at each rank create a more collectively inclusive and adaptive environment for women and men. Female Gen Xers want role models (both male and female) who are professionally empathetic and personally accessible but they want to craft their own narratives rather than copy someone else’s recipe for success. Organisations that help them to do just that are likely to hold on to (or re-attract) experienced mid-career female Gen Xers.

Millennial aka Generation Y (born between 1981 and 2000). The disproportional representation of female achievers in higher education is quickly eroded on entry into a tough labour market – gender gaps emerge early on with women taking lower starting salaries for jobs of lower value. Millennials are traditionally seen as enjoying a variety of challenges: embracing emerging technologies, and seeking meaningful work. Who they work with is as important as where they work and what they do. For many Millennial women, diversity is implicit

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in their concept of work and life, and they feel untouched personally by any gender bias. Yet recent research has shown that high-flying Millennial women are likely to undershoot their aspirations and feel less satisfied than their male counterparts with their achievements. Employers’ provisions to support blended lifestyles, such as agile working, shared parental leave, and career breaks are attractive propositions to both male and female Millennials.

So what do these ‘cohort effects’ tell us about enabling more women to get to the top? Well, a ‘one-size fits all’ approach to change interventions doesn’t reflect reality. Women’s experience differs as much from one generation to another, as it does with men’s overall. Expecting senior women to shoulder responsibility for accelerating change for other women is unrealistic and doomed to failure. Intersecting cohort differences with gender allows for more efficient interventions. Organisations will need to be much savvier in targeting efforts to attract, engage and retain top female talent of each generational cohort. The recent success of ‘returnships’ is a great example of tapping underutilised Gen X female expertise.

‘Lifecycle effects’ – changes associated with accumulation of experience through different life-stagesYSC and KPMG’s ‘Cracking the Code’ research, commissioned by the 30% Club, revealed how progression in a corporate structure differs for men and women as they go through different life and career stages. This lays down some big clues as to what works for women, and how that may vary from what works for men.

One key finding was a clear gender difference in the type of social capital that boosts career progression – particularly

in early life-stages. Women rely on 1:1 relationships purposefully designed to provide advice and support for their development – typically access to a mentor, sponsor or coach. Men, on the other hand, find their everyday interactions with friends, family and colleagues beneficial in their career-building. This formal vs informal dichotomy is particularly visible for women starting out in their careers.

The next differentiating life-stage is starting a family. This decision is a strong career inflection point that affects women’s careers more directly than men’s. Women are particularly alert to any potential career slowdown around this time. They feel the need to be promoted to ‘a place of safety’ – where they can take some ‘time out’ from their careers without loss of interest on their return. Women express both anxiety along with a strong sense of re-engagement with their careers on return from maternity leave. Since 85% of maternity returners return to the same employer, organisations seem to be missing a trick in not picking up more actively on this opportunity for psychological re-contracting.

The next key life-stage is the post-child-bearing period. Once liberated from primary responsibility for child-caring, women in their mid-to-late forties report a resurgence of focus on achieving any unfulfilled career ambitions. This contrasts with men at the

same post-child-rearing life-stage, who often express the need to find more balance and a broader purpose in their lives, possibly in response to a plateauing of their careers.

Finally, one of the biggest differentiating life-stages that appears most differentiating is for men once they adopt a post-career mindset. Several long-serving FTSE-100 chairmen have lent their political horsepower to enabling more women at the top in society generally, as well as within their own organisations. Their personal advocacy is often linked with their life-stage as fathers of adult daughters, who despite being capable, are experiencing career frustrations. This challenge to their own personal experience, accompanied by clear-sighted impartiality acquired over the course of a lengthy career allows them to push for legacy change. Unlike the Earl of Grantham, who has struggled to understand that his wife wants personal freedoms that go far beyond casting off her corsets, these champions for change come directly from the heart of the (still predominantly male) corporate aristocracy.

So what does this all mean? Well, put simply, we need to adopt diverse approaches to this societal change agenda. Although there has been much focus on policies and processes to help working women at the early stages of motherhood, there has been rather less on ‘the mid-career surge’, or the early career navigational issues.

Society will continue to evolve in response to an ever-changing global environment. It would be helpful if we became more conscious of looking forwards, as well as backwards, to sharpen our reference points in spotting change as it happens around us – and then making sure we address the underlying dynamics to best effect.

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Rachel Short is a Director based in YSC’s London office. T: +44 (0)20 7520 5555 /rachel.short@ysc.com

“ Women represent a bigger emerging market than China and India combined

“

Call it the curse of the ‘High Performer’. Companies go all out to nurture future leaders, but frequently ignore the ‘dependable deliverers’ at the heart of their organisations. It’s time this silent majority got some attention, says Gurprriet Siingh.

Sameer works hard every year. He received a ‘meets expectation’ rating twice and an ‘exceeds expectation’ once. He won an award for demonstrating efficiency. But something was still missing.

He looked around and realised that some people seem to be valued more than him. He sees them getting the pick of jobs, assignments and other developmental inputs. He sees them being mentored, coached and sponsored. He sees them receive all this attention and begins to wonder what this means for him.

He wonders why he’s never chosen. He wishes someone would explain exactly what it would take for him to be a member of ‘that Club’. But no one does. He decides to strive harder, puts his head down against the wind and moves forward with a stronger resolve, committed to making it the next year. When he doesn’t, he is none the wiser why.

The story above is a common one in organisations around the world and, as you

might guess, often ends up with people like Sameer disengaging, putting in less effort, or quitting completely. Gallup reports that 70% of US workers are either not engaged, or are actively disengaged from their jobs – a startling statistic when organisations the world over are increasing their investment in identifying, engaging and developing talented employees. Why is this happening? One reason might be that the processes intended to help – in particular, talent review processes – are actually contributing to this disengagement.

Organisations largely define their ‘talent’ as individuals considered to have future leadership potential. This is appropriate, but it creates a divide between those who may eventually lead and those who diligently deliver business as usual. For sure, the steady, dependable individual who meets expectations year-on-year and consistently delivers results may not be the future CFO or COO. But he is critical to the business. And the challenge for many companies is that these ‘dependable deliverers’ do not feel valued – in fact, they often feel differentiated against.

Aside from the obvious risk of losing these ‘High Performers’, organisations mismanaging their needs can overlook the hidden gems in their talent pool, as well as running the risk of creating a culture of exclusion.

The perils of selectionLet’s take a closer look at how this plays out. Most organisations rank individuals into something like 15% Exceeds, 50% Meets, 15% Meets -, and 15% Does Not Meet expectations. This means that the largest group – at least 50% of the population – are high performers: i.e. they meet the expectations the business sets them and achieve the vast majority of their assigned objectives. Ironically, they are also most likely to experience an attention deficit similar to Sameer’s.

by Gurprriet Siingh

Taking care of Steady Eddie

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That’s the unseen problem with differentiation: wherever a conscious selection bias exists, an unconscious rejection bias automatically kicks in too, ensuring that organisations reap the benefits of one population while inadvertently excluding another equally vital to their success.

In this instance, the organisation is appropriately seeking to identify and develop ‘High Potentials’ – a conscious selection. In an equally conscious process, it is also focusing on identifying non-performers and the disengaged: either to try and turn them round, or to facilitate their exit. The unconscious bias here is the exclusion of the ‘High Performer’. In other words, the individual who is neither underperforming nor misbehaving is surprisingly receiving little (if any) attention.

Even worse, there are biases at play in how this selection takes place. Notably, the lack of a consistent model for gauging potential. Individuals perceived to be ‘High Potential’, or those with strong sponsors (or both) generally make it onto the list. Many others fall through the gaps. This lack of clarity and consistency enhances and reinforces the feeling of bias amongst employees.

Unintended consequences From an organisational context, what is the potential impact of this unconscious rejection bias?• Disengagement? Certainly.• Attrition? Quite often.• Loss of organisational productivity?

What do you think!

In the desire to differentiate, organisations are creating processes that leave large parts of their citizenship feeling excluded. Perhaps this is because our definitions

of ‘diversity’ have become too narrow. Shackled by the desire to be inclusive in terms of, say, gender, ethnicity and age, we’ve become blind to the true meaning of the word – which is that we are all different. This holds us back from developing true tolerance and acceptance of differences in general. The challenge, then, is to acknowledge difference and balance inclusion, without creating processes that are perceived to be unfair, biased, or unidimensional.

Only connect…So how do we ensure that ‘Dependable Deliverers’ don’t feel excluded – that they understand the need for differentiation, while feeling respected and acknowledged for their own contribution? How can we convince them that their organisation is focused on investing in and enhancing their roles and skills?

A good place to start is communication. Individuals are mostly responsible, fair and rational. Appropriately engaged, they will generally support policies focused on the greater good. But it’s important to define the terms. A clearer understanding of what differentiates ‘High Performers’ from ‘High Potentials’ will enable organisations to make selection decisions with fewer biases – and ensure that all employees see the process as objective and transparent.

Secondly, extend the dialogue so that both populations – ‘Potentials’ and ‘Performers’ – know they are respected and appreciated for their contribution to corporate success and that they are interdependent on each other. Don’t fall into the trap of capturing the value of only one of these constituencies; reap the competitive advantage of investing in the development of both.

Am I against differentiation? Not really. But organisations and leaders must find

solutions that address the biases – exclusion and ‘difference’ such processes create – and understand their impact on engagement and fairness. It’s high time ‘High Performers’ were properly respected and valued by their employers.

While we wait, Sameer has just re-written his resume…

‘HiPo’ or ‘HiPer’?How to make a better job of talent differentiation 1. Differentiate between ‘High

Potentials’ and ‘High Performers’ in a way that ensures individuals know what is being measured. Be transparent, communicate the standards and be appreciative of what each group brings to the table.

2. Give ‘High Performers’ the opportunity to develop their skills and potentially move into the ‘HiPo’ pool.

3. Have developmental and career conversations with ‘High Performers’ so they can see that they are valued, have a future in the organisation, and that there’s a plan for them.

4. Think horizontal as well as vertical. While ‘HiPos’ experience significant vertical growth, ‘High Performers’ would benefit from, and find enrichment in, broad-basing their job skills.

Gurprriet Siingh is General Manager of YSC India. T: +91 22 6671 9917/8 / gurprriet.siingh@ysc.com

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Men and women have different mental wiring, explaining the wide gulf in attitudes to leadership and career advancement. Why then, asks Ambica Saxena, does an exclusively male version still prevail in many organisations? And what can be done to resolve the credibility vs visibility conundrum that often results?

I never really thought of myself as a gender activist, though some of my male colleagues might disagree. Growing up in an academically-oriented and conventional family, I was fortunate to have been pushed as much as my brother for excellence and academic achievements and, in the early years of my career, focused on proving my capability through the quality of my work – often suppressing the issues I felt as a young working woman. It wasn’t until I was asked to lead an initiative to develop a band of women leaders for a client, that I connected to my past experiences, and gave deep thought to how men and women are wired differently, and how this difference plays out in the workplace.

Louann Brizendine, in her book ‘The Female Brain’, points out that 99% of the genetic coding between men and women is the same1. Yet that tiny one percentage difference affects every single cell in

Think Leader, Think Male?

by Ambica Saxena

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our body: from the nerves that register pleasure and pain, to the neurons that transmit thought, perception, feelings and emotions. Years of medical research and experiments have shown how male and female brains have different capacities for memory, emotions, feelings, problem-solving and aggression2. The findings clearly show that:

• The male brain is a ‘lean problem solving machine’ attuned to using analytical structures to deal with the world, whereas the female brain is wired to be sensitive to surrounding feelings and emotions, and is pre-disposed to a more emotion-driven response to problems.

• The female brain is wired to be more oriented to conflict resolution, while male brain circuitry is more geared towards the amygdala – a set of neurons in the medial temporal lobe which triggers responses of fear and aggression.

This seminal work shows how widely male and female realities can differ. Indeed, brain scans demonstrate that when men and women are solving the same problem the areas triggered are completely different – which may explain why good male and female leaders get the same results using completely contrasting approaches. Yet the imagery of successful leadership in the corporate world remains distinctly male-oriented: the archetype of a good leader is one who leads from the front, speaks up directly and tackles problems head-on aggressively. The mindset is: ‘Think Leader, Think Male’.

Differences in the way men and women relate to the world also affect the way they build working relationships – the networks and alliances that support them during tough times and help lead to success. Some fundamental differences I have observed in the way men and women navigate the workplace include:

NetworkingYSC research, conducted in conjunction with KPMG and the 30% Club, points to the importance both sexes attach to relationships and networks in defining career success. Yet the way they forge these bonds differs significantly. Men tend to rely on informal support, built across a range of settings with a broad variety of people, to help them through the dynamics of a complex workplace. It seems easier for them to base networks purely on a ‘quid pro quo’ basis. They also tend to seek breadth, seemingly instinctively understanding the importance of knowing the powerful people around them. What women seem to value, on the other hand, is the power of collaborative relationships in the professional space. They are at their uninhibited best when they can have open and free-flowing conversation, building deep connections and emotional engagement with others. Building a network for the sake of using it to advance their careers seems to be an uncomfortable concept for women, causing concerns about authenticity. However, they do tend to form deeper

and stronger connections with those that they feel close to on work-related matters, ensuring a feeling of bonhomie, goodwill and genuine support.

Sponsors vs mentors Research comparing the rise of leaders has established that irrespective of gender, people with a strong sponsor in their corner are more likely to be chosen for the career-shaping ‘hot jobs’. Yet a greater percentage of men find sponsors who are willing to support them. Men seem to have a good understanding of the power dynamics at play and have no difficulty spotting and approaching a sponsor, albeit with varying degrees of finesse. Women, by contrast, tend to look for affinity and friendship before they make an approach. They think a lot about why a sponsor would take them under their wing and worry about the political overtones. Sylvia Ann Hewlett, in her well-researched book ‘(Forget a Mentor) Find a Sponsor’, suggests women seem to be over-mentored and under-sponsored3. They want to work with leaders they respect and admire, but often find these are not in a position of

We’ve begun to raise daughters more like sons... but few have the courage to raise our sons more like our daughters. – Gloria Steinem “ “

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power. This was beautifully summed up by a high-potential woman leader I was coaching who said: “I would love to find a sponsor, but I love my mentor too much.”

Career planningMen essentially look at the workplace as a competitive landscape, showing a sometimes aggressive streak in their desire to move ahead. They also seem to be more liberal in their self-assessment as leaders than women – with the confidence to put up their hand for a career move even if they feel they’re only partly ready for it. Women, however, are far more forensic in the way they assess their abilities and tend to be more risk alert. One bright young woman leader I worked with had some incisive ideas about how an upcoming industry regulation would affect her company’s revenue stream. But when her manager called her to lead a task force, she reacted like a deer caught in headlights and bolted. Despite her need for visibility, she felt under-confident and unprepared to take on the responsibility. This inherent hesitation is linked to the low margin of error that women see for themselves in organisations. The socialisation in the early parts of their career tends to be around doing their job in the best way possible and waiting to get noticed. Along with the desire to appear modest and the fear of being labelled as over confident or brazen, this can keep women from planning their career moves or grabbing opportunities.

The triumph of the averageWhen organisations overlook this fundamental difference in how men and women approach career opportunities, it gives rise to average male performers getting quicker career moves than women who wait to prove they are exceptional before being considered for promotions.

The side-effect is that women stick to narrower career paths where they can use subject matter expertise to prove their excellence, rather than taking risks and forging broader career paths and taking on commercial roles that are the feeders for senior leadership.

References1Brizendine Louann (2007) The Female Brain2Brizendine Louann (2011) The Male Brain3Ann Hewlett Sylvia (2013) (Forget a Mentor) Find a Sponsor: The New Way to Fast-Track Your Career

These factors give rise to a credibility vs. visibility conundrum for leaders. The best are those able to balance the two effectively and bring both the ’yin’ and ‘yang’ to their leadership. A crucial preliminary to that is recognising the different mental wiring of men and women and the distinct ways this plays out in the workplace.

Here are some options for organisations looking to deal with this...1. Provide early career coaching to both men and women that exposes them to the

varied career paths available to them in the organisation and the way they can shape their working lives.

2. Provide professional networking forums that expose both men and women to the right sponsors and broader networks in the organisation.

3. Educate young talent about the ‘hot jobs’ they need to take on to prepare for senior roles.

4. Account for the different ways men and women react to new career opportunities and root out any unconscious biases that may be present in the system when it comes to job rotations, promotions and talent reviews.

Women have entered the workplace as never before. The challenge now is to allow them to grow, while retaining their strengths, rather than forcing them to become clones of what we expect the right leadership archetype to be. This is the single biggest challenge of the 21st Century workplace. Sensitivity and gender intelligence are the best ways to address it.

THE CREDIBILITY VS. VISIBILITY CONUNDRUM

Ambica Saxena is a Managing Consultant, based in YSC’s Mumbai office. T: +91 22 6671 9917/8 / ambica.saxena@ysc.com

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.

Global leadership, by definition, is embedded in an inter-cultural context. Leaders have to be able to coordinate the thoughts and behaviours of different work groups and stakeholders. The pressure is on not just to understand, but to leverage competitive advantage, from this cultural diversity.

An array of organisational behaviour research over the last decade has recognised that one of the key success factors of global leadership is cultural intelligence (CQ) – defined as an individual’s capability to adapt to, and manage effectively in, culturally diverse situations.

Cultural IntelligenceCQ is multi-dimensional – featuring mental, motivational and behavioural aspects – and can be measured on a scale comparable to that used to measure IQ and EQ.

The mental dimension comprises metacognitive and cognitive elements. Psychologists characterise metacognition as the process of monitoring and adjusting one’s thoughts and strategies in a given context. Metacognitive CQ, therefore, focuses on an individual’s ability to develop cognitive strategies for social interaction in culturally diverse environments. Cognitive CQ reflects general knowledge of norms, conventions and differences.

The motivational dimension of CQ is about the energy and interest an individual brings to

learning about, and functioning in, culturally diverse situations. Motivational capacity is shaped by an intrinsic interest in cultures and the self-confidence to operate effectively within them.

The behavioural dimension of CQ is the capacity to interact with people from different backgrounds in an appropriate way, whether verbally or non-verbally. It includes being flexible about learning new behaviours and modifying old habits in a more meaningful way than simply mimicking others.

Culturally intelligent individuals dynamically update their assumptions and strategies during intercultural interactions.

Why it matters to leaders CQ influences global leadership in many ways. By using scientifically-validated measuring scales, empirical findings consistently support its unique contribution to both global leadership effectiveness and global leadership emergence.

In one study investigating the predictive factors of leadership effectiveness in both domestic and international settings, researchers found that leaders’ overall cultural intelligence predicted their cross-border leadership effectiveness, even when general intelligence (IQ), emotional intelligence (EQ) and personality traits were controlled for.

In another study, researchers attempted to determine which team members in multicultural teams were most likely to emerge as team leaders. Mental and behavioural CQ – assessed using performance-based measures and peer ratings – again best predicted leadership emergence, even after controlling for cognitive achievement, emotional intelligence and personality traits. The study concluded that individuals who had both high mental and behavioural CQ were more likely to emerge as leaders in multicultural teams.

CQ at work in companies CQ capabilities can be developed and used in many organisational functions. Research surveys on expatriation, for instance, have demonstrated that CQ is a key competence when it comes to identifying employees particularly well-suited for overseas assignments. It also helps screen out people who, while proficient in domestic settings, are unlikely to succeed in cross-cultural settings, or in jobs that require frequent and ongoing interaction with people from different cultures.

Neuroscientific studies have shown that well-designed CQ T&D exercises can induce neurological changes, such as specific mental function activations. CQ could thus be used to good advantage in the development of corporate training and self-awareness programmes. It’s also a useful means of identifying employees who could serve as supportive mentors to those starting overseas assignments.

In summary, an understanding and knowledge of CQ is the foundation for both personal self-development – and for numerous HR functions, including: corporate selection, training & development, and employee motivation, well-being and performance. If you’re an internationally-minded leader, it’s one important competence that is definitely worth checking out.

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Global Leadership and Cultural Intelligence (CQ)

We all know about IQ and EQ, but leaders who want to maximise the benefits of diversity need CQ too. Dr Lu Shannon offers some guidance.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Dr Lu Shannon is a leadership assessment and organisational development specialist.

by Dr. Lu Shannon

For a list of references, please see www.ysc.com/our-thinking

Before the relatively recent interest in ‘positive psychology’, the discipline had its roots in abnormality. Practitioners’ work was often aimed at ‘correcting’ people into standard behaviours, reflecting societies in which people were (and often still are) expected to conform to a homogenous norm. George Orwell’s acclaimed novel, ‘Animal Farm’ (1945) – which portrays the events leading up to the 1917 Russian Revolution and the Soviet era that followed – offers a satirical lens on how such a society can be taken to extremes.

Fast-forward to the current day, and YSC’s focus isn’t just on acknowledging and celebrating difference, but on leveraging it: helping leaders, teams and organisations play to their strengths.

Why bother leveraging difference?An increasing body of research suggests that encouraging difference opens up a broader range of possibilities, as well as fostering creativity and building strategic agility. The benefits of diversity thus raise exciting possibilities in an increasingly competitive and global market. Indeed, history highlights the important contributions made by those who bucked the norm: from politicians such as Martin Luther King to innovative powerhouses like Apple Inc.

Einstein famously defined insanity as ‘doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results’. Things need to be done differently to effect change.

This isn’t always easy – human beings have a powerful inbuilt resistance to change. But at YSC we challenge people to do things differently, tackle the discomfort they might feel, and thus grow and develop.

Individuals: Cultivating spikey leadershipRather than try and mould leaders into cookie cut-outs, we help individuals identify their ‘spike’ strengths – the distinctive qualities that have led to their success. An HBR study of 30,000+ leaders demonstrated

Leveraging Difference:

Natalie Livings and Sharon Wilkenfeld draw on George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ to outline how to make the most of a diverse talent pool.

Four Legs Good, Two Legs Also Good by Natalie Livings & Sharon Wilkenfeld

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that the key to making leaders indispensable is not being good at many things, but being uniquely outstanding at just a few, and developing complementary skills to bolster these1. We coach leaders around these key areas, looking to highlight and increase difference, not the dystopian ideal of ‘four legs good, two legs bad’, as expressed in ‘Animal Farm’. We aim to broaden people’s openness to possibilities and new ideas, enhancing their potential to have an impact.

Teams: More than the sum of their partsAny number of variables can make or break diverse teams: from issues of interdependence, process, and leadership style, to trust, interpersonal congruence, diversity beliefs and the distribution of information2. We bear all these factors in mind when applying our model of ‘High Performing Teams’, to enhance the impact of difference.

We ask: “What is unique about this team that sets it apart from other teams in the

...the key to making leaders indispensable is not being good at many things, but being uniquely outstanding at just a few, and developing complementary skills to bolster these.

business?” This helps to crystallise both the team’s distinctiveness, and its unity and identity – by creating a collective purpose and vision. We then explore team dynamics using psychometrics, 360s, YSC’s Relationship Model, and dialogue – building awareness and respect for different thinking styles, assumptions, values, perspectives and relational needs.

Organisations: Investing in diverse talentMarket unpredictability, demographic shifts and increasing mobility highlight the need to nurture a diverse talent pool. Research shows that firms that find and keep the right people outperform the industry average return to shareholders by around 22%3.

We work with clients to foster dialogue on core talent issues. To what extent, for instance, should an organisation build or buy capability? Should the focus be on generic high potential, or on specific technical/functional/organisational talent?

And how important is talent mobility versus stability? These questions all have implications for how organisations diversify and broaden their skill-sets.

Once a clear talent strategy has been formed, talent assessments provide insight into ‘fit’ – helping to overcome the bias of hiring in one’s own image. You don’t, after all, want all your Orwellian pigs turning into humans….

References1Zenger, J.H., Folkman, J.R., Edinger, S.K. (October 2011). Harvard Business Review. 2Guillaume, Y.R.F., Dawson, J.F., Woods, S.A., Sacramento, C.A., and West, M.A. (2013). Getting diversity at work to work: What we know and what we still don’t know. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 86, 123–141.3Michaels, E., Handfield-Jones, H., Axelrod, B. (2001). The War for Talent. Harvard Business Press.

• Spot spike strengths in yourself and others. What sets you apart from others in the organisation or in similar roles? What consistent passions underlie your career? What is one thing you can do to have a broader impact using your spike strength?

• Define your team’s distinctive purpose. Get your team to articulate their unique role in the organisation and how they can apply their different talents to achieve a common goal.

• Get clear on talent principles and talent development needs. A clear talent strategy can help your organisation to define how to build diverse skill sets, capabilities and experiences.

3 top tips for leveraging difference...

Natalie Livings is a Managing Consultant, based in YSC’s Melbourne office. T: +61 (03) 8679 4121 / natalie.livings@ysc.com. Sharon Wilkenfeld is a Senior Consultant, based in YSC’s Sydney office. T: +61 (0)2 9252 3332 / sharon.wilkenfeld@ysc.com

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The best and most effective teams are built by exploring differences, argue Jürgen Hell and Katie Johnman. Here they outline how to harness natural friction constructively – and build the trust and confidence to play to strength.

“Our CFO is as flexible as a concrete wall. And on top of that: he doesn’t care about aesthetics, he doesn’t appreciate beauty,” the lead architect and CEO of a bespoke architecture firm explained. “Honestly, we’re fighting a non-stop battle and at least once a day I think of firing him. I have to keep reminding myself that we’ve only started to make some serious profit since we took him on board. Although I’ve always been proud of our creative performance, we’ve been hanging on the cliff edge financially. That is history now, thanks to our CFO’s ruthless edge in pushing us for more cost-effective design and lean management. I even see our architects anticipating his response. In fact, this unbending CFO is stretching our creativity: we’re starting to enjoy the challenge of coupling beauty with efficiency.”

The principle of ‘playing to strength’ is widely accepted in most organisations. Indeed, most of the team development work we do at YSC focuses on getting members to understand each other’s unique capabilities, and developing team skill to compensate weaknesses. It is, however, much easier said than done.

LOVE THE ONE YOU HATE

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by Jürgen Hell & Katie Johnman

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As the example shows, you may have to pay a price to reap the rewards of a colleague’s strengths. And that’s where things can go wrong. Yes, we say, we want to play to strength and aim for an inclusive culture, building on diversity. Yet, more implicitly, we struggle to allow ‘weaknesses’ (immediately labelling them ‘development needs’). It’s a bit like saying: I love your sense of humour, as long as you don’t make jokes.

In every organisation or team, there is a natural tendency to equalise rather than diversify – often visible in job descriptions, competency frameworks and reward systems that require team members to meet the criteria of the company’s leadership model and benchmark well against it. The problem is compounded by today’s process-driven culture and drive for standardisation – many organisations expect individuals to follow procedure by the letter. But while this may drive efficiency and protect against litigation, it also stifles natural creativity.

Good old human nature is another factor: it’s only natural for leaders to think ‘my way is the best way’ (or the more extreme ‘it’s my way or the highway’). “This is all very interesting stuff, but I just wish they all made decisions like I do”, was the reaction of one UK CEO, who contracted us to work with his senior management team with the aim of building an appreciation of team diversity. At that point we knew we still had a long road ahead.

The challenge for organisations, then, is distinguishing between necessary process, and the kind that boxes people in and stops them thinking. The best-performing organisations understand that meeting standards alone will lead at best to mediocre performance. They don’t spend time on managing diversity, they act diversely – and have the courage to allow for deviations.

1. Team CompositionMeredith Belbin’s research on the success or failure of teams has become an evergreen text in the theory and understanding of team performance. Belbin and his associates1 studied real-life management teams, observing the different contributions made by individual members, and identified nine different ‘team roles’ or characters. Inevitably, these types are a simplification. But they do highlight the key principles of team role theory.

• Firstly, that the different personalities in a team often tell us much more about how it operates than its members’ technical abilities. Teams that, on paper, look technically mediocre can be very successful. Conversely, teams of brilliant experts can fail miserably.

• Secondly, that the success of a team depends on the mix of personalities and how they are allocated. Even in highly specialised groupings like surgical teams, it is the mosaic of the roles that makes the difference2. Achieving ‘the right mix’ does not imply a close harmony of personal characteristics, in which team members are the best of friends. On the contrary, it often consists of conflicting characters, with an energetic, almost explosive brew

Considered one of the all-time great soccer strikers, Romário de Souza Faria was the top-scorer in the Dutch football league in the early 1990s. But he had big attitude problems. Often ‘a bit tired’, he was frequently late for training, or didn’t show up at all – once bunking off for a fortnight at the start of a new training season to party on the beach in Copacabana. Ultimately Romário’s club, PSV, lost patience and sold him to Barcelona. There, coach Johan Cruyff took a different approach. Instead of majoring on discipline, he focused on the game – and gave back to Romário the pleasure and thrill of playing football. His training attendance became exemplary and he returned to being a top-scorer again in the Spanish league. This was one competition that his former Dutch club lost.

of different traits. The secret of success is that the team values these differences and builds on them, rather than trying to iron them out.

• Thirdly, the richness of roles within a team should reflect the environment and market in which it operates. Diversity is not always necessary per se: the ‘Wolf of Wall Street’, Jordan Belfort, proved that a sales team comprised of opportunistic go-getters could be at least temporarily successful in an opaque and ultra-competitive stock market. Yet when other factors like integrity, transparency and risk control come into play, such a monomaniac team would have to become more diverse.

• Fourthly, the way organisations recruit can have a big bearing on team success. Efforts are usually focused on finding the right person for the job. A better approach might be to find the best ‘fit’ for the team.

2. Understanding the dynamicsHow do the interpersonal differences in a team play out? When does conflict arise and what can be done to convert individual differences into higher performance? Let’s try to unravel this by means of the Spike Strength Model.

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MANAGING THE TEAM DIVA

OWL: The beauty of the model is what happens when we take a closer look at the interaction between the two. Eagle and Owl could easily end up in conflict when they are in ‘overdrive’, overplaying their respective strengths. Yet these strengths are actually highly complementary. If they can move beyond conflict, Eagle and Owl could be a hugely effective team.

3. Trust and confrontationTrust is a fundamental condition for a team to be able to work complementarily. Unless individual members trust each other they cannot ‘play to strength’ because they will not pass the ball.

The meaning of trust here is twofold. • The confidence in each other’s competence;

the belief that the other person can really do the job well;

• The confidence of working towards the same goal; the belief that we are trying to achieve the same objectives and that there are no hidden agendas.

Trust is a precious thing that takes time to develop and can be easily lost. As the Dutch saying goes: “it arrives on foot and leaves on a horse”. Simply working and spending time

We start with the core strength of a person, for which we use the term Spike.

Here we have a guy called Eagle. At his best, Eagle is passionate about his ideas and can really win others over to his point of view.

EAGLE: Yet this strength often has a downside if overplayed. In our model, we call it the ‘Pitfall’. Eagle, for instance, easily gets carried away by his enthusiasm, he may elaborate too much and become verbose.

EAGLE: The people we find most difficult to deal with are often those with totally different characteristics to our own. Thus Eagle finds it hard to relate to more reserved individuals like his colleague Owl, whose silence and apparent lack of interest really get to him. Owl is in Eagle’s ‘Allergy’ zone.

OWL: Owl, of course, has his own Spike strength, ‘Pitfall’, and ‘Allergy’ too. Appreciated for his unclouded judgment, he’s at his best when facing complex problems that call for an objective point of view. But in emotional situations, people can find him too cool and standoffish. Owl, for his part, doesn’t like others getting carried away by ideas. People should think more thoroughly before they speak!

SPIKEEngaged

SPIKEEngaged

PITFALLVerbose

SPIKEEngaged

PITFALLVerbose

ALLERGYAloof

Jürgen Hell is a Director & Head of YSC Netherlands & Katie Johnman is a Consultant, both based in YSC’s Amsterdam office. T: +31 (0)20 7585 761 / jurgen.hell@ysc.com / katie.johnman@ysc.com

SPIKEEngaged

FURTHER READING1Belbin RM. Management Teams: Why They Succeed or Fail. London: Heinemann, 1981.2Healey AN, Undre S & Vincent A. Developing Observational Measures of Performance in Surgical Teams. Quality Safety Health Care, 2004, i33–i40.

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together, through successes and crises, is the best recipe for developing it. Unfortunately, most contemporary business teams are denied ample time for this before the changes are rung again.

To speed up the development of trust, it’s helpful to make team members aware of each other’s technical capabilities, personal drivers, values and competencies. It’s important they work together to define the joint goal and how they will work together to achieve it. A major task for leaders is to facilitate this process.

Just being nice to each other isn’t enough. Sometimes the development of trust requires edgy interaction, with individuals confronting each other with contrasting styles, preferences and values. The difference between an effective and dysfunctional team is how these inherent frictions are managed. The highest-performing teams build a climate for constructive, task-related debate; weaker ones are often characterised by destructive interpersonal conflict.

What can we do to reduce the friction if someone’s contribution creeps into our ‘Allergy’ zone? The breakthrough is realising that this person possesses something we lack. Instead of saying: “act more like me” (which we tend to do in relationships), we should therefore ask ourselves how we can benefit from their approach.

EAGLE

OWL

There are more differences than similarities in the countries comprising the world’s most populous region, argues Stacy Richardson. Here she outlines how YSC is building upon established measurement models to give deeper insight into how cultural variations shape talent.

At YSC, we are often asked how the model we use to assess potential flexes across different regions. Does it work in newly emerging economies? Do we assess a ‘High-Potential’ individual in China the same way we would in Malaysia? How do we account for cultural differences, and can we rely on our broad view of Judgement, Drive and Influence in Asia?

Although these three dimensions present layers of different complexity when applied to different cultures, the core of JDI (see Figure 1 right) still applies in any context.

It is the way in which its elements manifest and present in diverse regions that will differ, and it is crucial we understand these in order to best leverage diversity.

Figure 1. Judgment, Drive, and Influence (YSC’s JDI Model of Potential), are the inherent (but developable) qualities in people which are indicative of their ability to succeed in future roles.

Researchers, writers, psychologists and sociologists (to name a few) have all been guilty of amalgamating the world’s most populous continent as if it were one homogenous nation whose people are assumed to fit a stereotypical ‘Asian’ profile, regardless of what country they call home. Studies often compare Japanese businesses with their Western counterparts and position these findings as representative of ‘The East’. But now, more than ever, it is clear there are far more differences than similarities within Asia, and these should be celebrated and capitalised upon.

The devil is in the detail – managers need a way to understand the intricacies of within-region differences. Applying YSC’s model of potential alongside Hofstede’s still seminal model of cultural dimensions gives a richer insight into what constitutes talent in different countries across Asia.

Asia Uncovered

by Stacy Richardson

INSIGHTS & ANALYTICS

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The Hofstede Model Between 1967 and 1973, Geert Hofstede, the Dutch psychologist and former IBM Personnel Manager, developed a model comprising five dimensions of cultural diversity through a rigorous analysis of hundreds of thousands of survey responses and interviews conducted in over 40 countries where IBM operated. His resulting dimensions are:

1) Power Distance (PD) – This refers to the degree to which power differentials in a society or organisation are expected and accepted by people, whether or not they have power themselves. High PD cultures are characterised by hierarchy and a paternalistic management style; low PD cultures have flatter organisational structures and a consultative management style.

2) Individualism-Collectivism (IC) – This denotes the strength of relationships between people in an organisation or community. Collectivist societies emphasise group harmony and behave according to social norms; individualist cultures value independence and self-interest above group needs.

3) Masculinity-Femininity (MF) – This indicates the extent to which a society values traditional masculine tenets. High masculine cultures tend to have distinct gender roles where males are assumed to be more assertive and reward-focused than females. In high feminine cultures, these roles are not reversed but gender lines tend to overlap and blur.

4) Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) – This relates to a group’s level of comfort with ambiguity and its ability to cope with the uncertainty of the future. Organisations with high UA tend to avoid risk, value clear structure and processes, and have a high need for planning.

5) Long Term Orientation (LTO) – This denotes the preference of a society for long-standing, or short-term, traditions and orientation. High LTO cultures tend to value family, a strong work ethic and education and have a future-orientated mentality. Low LTO cultures emphasise personal stability, protecting face and steadiness and have a static, tradition-orientated mentality.

Mingling modelsWhat does this mean for how we spot, develop and benchmark talent, whether across multinational corporations or within local enterprises? We’ve learnt that ‘High Potential’ looks different in, say, Hong Kong than it does in the UK, but in what ways? Although we know there are variations, it doesn’t mean that Judgement, Drive or Influence are on the whole, rated differently. In fact, on our 10-point scale, the differences between J, D and I in Hong Kong, China, Singapore and India are insignificant when compared to the US, UK and Australia (according to YSC individual profiling benchmark ratings, holding location and current level constant).

However, we do know that Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and YSC’s ‘Model of Potential’ overlap in many respects and, given we see stark differences across certain Asian countries in some of these dimensions. It’s important to inspect how these play out across Judgement, Drive and Influence.

Paying particular attention to Influence, which tends to be the lowest-rated of the three facets of Potential across all geographies, our collection of anecdotal data and experiential feedback presents a number of tell-tale scenarios supported by Hofstede’s cultural research.

India: survival of the fittest Concentrating on India and China – two countries of strong recent and predicted economic growth – we see differences across most facets of Influence, which help explain the variations between these countries on Hofstede’s Individualism and Long-Term Orientation scales. They also reveal some interesting insights into psychological make-up.

“Indians are emerging from a scarcity mindset; hence there is a constant drive to ‘Get in First’,” observes Gurprriet Siingh, Head of YSC India. “Even today, there are far more aspirants for premier business schools and medical and engineering colleges than there are seats, and this leads to heightened competitive orientation.”

This might lead us to think that Self-Awareness and Environmental Radar (sub-factors under Influence) are weaker in Indians. In fact, they are intensely aware of their surroundings, but perceive them through a lens of threat and competition. Individualism has become a prominent feature within the Indian organisation as employees tackle scarcity at work through a ‘survival of the fittest’ outlook.

“As a result, the focus on collaboration is dependent on ‘how it affects me’ because the drive is to ensure ‘I get what I want first’,” says Siingh. “Self–awareness and self-actualisation are limited because most of the intellectual investment is around deploying

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which manifest more subtly and gradually than in India. These differences across Drive also relate to Hofstede’s Long/Short-Term Orientation. It comes as no surprise that China has a very high LTO score: the Chinese are known to hold long negotiation processes, invest a lot of time in building relationships and prioritise sustainable results over short-term wins.

Perhaps because of the shorter timeframe of its economic growth, the focus in India, by contrast, is on faster progress towards short-term goals. There’s a real sense of delivering what is needed now, rather than legacy projects. That has implications for Self-Assurance – a subset of Drive – in both cultures. In India, it might develop through a few high-intensity, profile-raising quick successes. In China, the process is likely to be more gradual, through consistently performing above standard on less demanding projects.

Bringing a higher degree of awareness and sensitivity to the factors that influence Potential will help bring more diversity to an organisation’s pipeline of leaders.

the radar to sense the environment and take appropriate action.”

Although this scarcity mindset plays well for pragmatists in the Indian market, it could limit a talented executive in a more multi-cultural environment – or if he/she moves to a country with more collective values or an abundance mindset.

China: All for one and one for all The situation is very different in cultures where collectivism is a pillar of broader society. In Indonesia – another emergent economic giant and a predominantly Muslim nation – loyalty is paramount and overrides most other societal rules. In China, meanwhile, a focus on education and strong work ethics prevail.

The Chinese are taught from childhood the importance of respecting their immediate community. They tend to value relationships in a way that means individuals are often reluctant to put themselves forward or to criticise anyone around them – with the upshot that ‘in-groups’ often appear. Their Environmental Radar may be just as strong as in Indians, but is exhibited in just the opposite way: with self-restraint and an ‘all for one’ mind-set.

Similarly, Range of Influence presents differently, as do Aspiration, Initiative and Self-Assurance (elements of Drive)

Some steps to take What, then, does this all mean for your organisation? Asia is a continent of vast diversity and our understanding of these differences only scratches the surface. But there are some broad points we can consider when looking at Potential across different cultures.

• That understanding an individual’s culture and context interplay is vital to assessing their potential.

• That these overlaps look different in different markets. Having a framework will help you understand why, and how to tap into these variations.

• That, at an individual level, ‘High-Potentials’ must recognise that different behaviours are required of them in other countries (even if they’re unaware of Hofstede’s dimensions), and will have some understanding of how this impacts the business.

The bottom line is that combining Hofstede’s five dimensions with an objective model of potential, such as JDI, will foster deeper cultural understanding in companies – paving the way for rich discussions about bringing on talent and limiting potential bias. HR can play an important part in leading these discussions.

“There are multiple factors at play,” notes Sean Dineen, Head of YSC Hong Kong. But there are obvious wins for companies prepared to dive deeper. As he concludes: “Bringing a higher degree of awareness and sensitivity to the factors that influence Potential will help bring more diversity to an organisation’s pipeline of leaders.”

Stacy Richardson is a Research Consultant, based in YSC’s Sydney office. T: +61 (0)2 9252 3332 / stacy.richardson@ysc.com

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Diversity – yes, but also inclusivity To be successful, organisations need to embrace differences and demonstrate that they are inclusive as well as diverse. Research consistently shows that inclusive organisations are more likely to have motivated, loyal and productive employees 1.

To make the most of a diverse workforce, organisations need to listen to employees and understand their needs and motivations. People at the outset of their careers want different things than those mid-career or approaching retirement. Our recently published ‘Cracking the Code’ research has also shown that women and men have different motivations and career enablers.

Yet, in practice, organisations often don’t recognise these differences and continue to provide one-size-fits-all initiatives, with little thought as to what people actually want.

What, then, do people really want from their organisations? As part of a recent survey we asked respondents ‘What could your organisation do differently to help you achieve future career success?’ Over 1800 people from 12 sectors at all levels of business responded. We thematically analysed their responses and explored the differences by gender, age and seniority.

Support across careers

Early careerists What people at the start of working life want most from their organisation is help thinking about their future progression. To meet this need, managers should be trained to have open and honest discussions with junior staff about their career aspirations. These should include a clear outline of the options available and some help planning how to get to the next stage.

What do people really want from

their organisations? by Aoife Kilduff

Helping everyone succeed…

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INSIGHTS & ANALYTICS

A YSC survey of what people want from their organisations highlights the danger of relying on one-size-fits-all initiatives. Here Aoife Kilduff outlines the key findings and argues that motivation and productivity are the chief beneficiaries when people realise their organisations value them as individuals.

People at this early stage also want relevant professional training. They want to improve their technical skillset and would like to receive training that is recognised externally. They are committed to their personal development and this remains their first choice benefit from employers2. Their desire for personalised, accredited training along with their technological aptitude means they will respond well to online courses e.g. MOOC, Coursera. These courses allow them to pick their own relevant content, learn on their own terms, and gain verified certification.

Mid-rangers Individuals over 30, or with managerial responsibility, report they would benefit from having a mentor or a coach. At this level, people are more experienced and feel confident in their technical skills. They now want someone in addition to their line manager to support them on the next stage of their career and help them navigate the business. Formal mentoring programmes can offer individuals opportunities to experience enhanced socialisation, job satisfaction and personal learning3. Coaching offers a more targeted solution for individuals tackling particular development areas. For senior leaders where it is important to maintain objectivity and confidentiality, it is best to use external coaches. In other cases leaders in the organisation can be trained to foster high performance coaching internally.

Senior employees When people reach the later stages of their career, they become more concerned about the objectivity of the promotions process. People over 50 were more likely to claim that promotions decisions in their organisation are too political. They often report that their business sees age as a barrier and puts limits on their future potential. Organisations need to

maintain objectivity in their assessment of individuals and collect data on their performance from a broader range of independent sources. They should also test for disparate impact to ensure they are not discriminating against candidates because of their age. This will enable fairer and more successful promotion decisions to be made – based on merit rather than external factors not linked to performance.

Top 2 Requests at each levelJuniorCareer Mapping – 10% Professional Training – 9%Mid LevelProfessional Training – 10% Mentoring – 9%SeniorMentoring – 9% Embracing Diversity – 7%**N.B mostly women, only 2% senior men mentioned diversity compared to 9% senior women.

Top 2 Requests at each ageUnder 30 Professional Training – 14% Career Mapping – 11%31-40Career Mapping – 9% Mentoring – 9%41-50Mentoring – 9% Developmental Culture – 9%50+Fair Promotion Decisions – 8% Developmental Culture – 7%

The different needs of men & womenWomen are more demanding in the support they want from their organisation. Six of the ten areas that respondents thought organisations needed to do differently were mentioned more frequently by women. The top three areas that women referenced more often than men were flexible working, mentoring and diversity.

Flexible working An interesting result in our study was the fact that only women mentioned wanting more options for flexible working. Of these the majority were women with children, or those considering starting a family. Choosing to stay in the organisation after having children suggests that these women remain committed to their careers but may not be able to continue working in the same way as previously. In our ‘Cracking

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the Code’ research, we found that women benefited more from informal, individual arrangements for flexible working based on an agreement with their line manager.

These results should be interpreted with caution – as our experience of working with leaders around the world tells us – a workforce trend and not a women’s issue. The fact that no men in our sample mentioned this as an issue does raise interesting questions: Do men feel comfortable requesting flexible working? Perhaps they already feel they have access to more flexible working?

Although there has been an attempt to situate flexible working within the broader diversity agenda, it is still perceived as a women’s issue4. In a recent study, fathers reported feeling blocked from accessing flexible working because line managers considered flexibility to be irrelevant to them5. Organisations need to ensure that managers keep a check on the wellbeing of male employees, and reinforce the message that flexible working can be for everyone, not just working mothers.

Mentoring Women reported wanting a formal mentoring structure in place nearly twice as often as men. They claimed to find it difficult to locate a mentor and would benefit from being formally paired up with someone. In our ‘Cracking the Code’ research, we found that men felt most supported by their informal relationships whereas women felt more supported by formal professional relationships e.g. mentors, sponsors. This suggests that men may already be getting mentoring through informal channels, but women would prefer to do this in a more structured way. By setting up a formal mentoring programme, organisations can ensure that women are getting connected to the right people. Research has shown

that formal mentoring programmes increase women’s job satisfaction and help their career planning6.

Diversity Women are particularly passionate about embracing diversity and were three times more likely to reference it than men. They think their organisations should provide truly equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of factors like gender, ethnicity and background. Yet they see their leaders hiring clones of themselves and not recognising the value of different styles. Of particular concern was the need to see more women at senior levels. Organisations need to walk the talk and actually follow through on their commitment to embrace diversity – by tracking data on diversity, ensuring managers are well trained on D&I, and that senior leaders are taking accountability and responsibility for a diverse workforce.

The promotions process While women saw their gender as the main blocker of future success, men tended to cite the promotions process. There is a feeling that decisions are not always objective, with jobs often going to those who shout loudest or with the biggest networks. Organisations need to ensure they are reviewing people on a balance of performance and potential

and not on a ‘who they know’ basis. All promotions should be advertised internally and interview panels should include an unbiased reviewer to ensure decisions made are fair.

Developmental culture Men with managerial responsibilities also tended to cite a strong developmental culture as an important factor for success. They’d like to see personal development and growth valued more in their organisations, and to be given more time to focus on it. Women also feel this way – but to a lesser extent. Is this because they receive more support; or because they feel more able to spend time on their development? Allowing leaders to block out time for personal development would enable everyone to feel the organisation is invested in their growth.

Aoife Kilduff is a Research Consultant based in YSC’s London office. T: +44 (0)20 7520 5555 / aoife.kilduff@ysc.com

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References 1Opportunity Now (2012). Benchmarking trends analysis http://opportunitynow.bitc.org.uk/research-insight/research-articles/benchmarking-trends-analysis-20122PwC (2011). Millennials at work - Reshaping the workplace http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/managing-tomorrows-people/future-of-work/assets/reshaping-the-workplace.pdf3Chun et al. (2012). A longitudinal study of mentor and protégé outcomes in formal mentoring relationships. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 33(8), 1071-1094. 4Atkinson & Hall (2009). The Role of Gender in Varying Forms of Flexible Working. Gender, Work & Organisation, 16(6), 650-666. 5Gatrell et al (2014). Parents, Perceptions and Belonging: Exploring Flexible Working among UK Fathers and Mothers. British Journal of Management, 25, 473-487. 6Høigaard & Mathisen (2009). Benefits of formal mentoring for female leaders. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, 7(2), 64-70.

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“Curiosity might have killed the cat, but it’s an essential quality in leaders”, says Meghan Craig. You might easily find that elusive Eureka moment by exploring someone else’s world view.

It’s a common assumption that our best relationships are formed with people just like us: those who share the same views and values, and generally like the same things. But is this really the case? The trade-off for the comfort of having our world view validated by those around us is that we lose a tremendous opportunity to gain from other perspectives. Open curiosity can lead to new, innovative ways of doing things.

Philosophy has long recognised that moments of greatest insight come when we see the world from a different angle. The same is true in business. It’s only when we observe others taking a different approach to something we have done the same way for years, that we can recognise alternatives.

It has been suggested that matching clients to their therapists on demographic variables such as age, ethnicity, gender, and even life experience produces better outcomes. However, current research indicates that clients matched with therapists by gender do no better or worse than those who are not. Similarly, there seems to be no strong relationship between matching therapists and clients on age, or life experience. Indeed, in studies of sexual orientation, explicit

differences were actively sought by some gay clients, who felt that a therapist with too similar an outlook to their own wouldn’t provide the non-judgemental encounter they were seeking.

The key difference here doesn’t seem to lie so much in who the therapists are, but rather in their perceived ability to accept and understand the other person. It is now well-evidenced that the relationship and working alliance is a crucial factor to successful outcomes in therapy.

This is equally true in organisational contexts. In a review of over 800 YSC assessment reports globally, the top development theme for leaders in all regions centred on the need to develop broader networking and influencing styles. This reflects the global context in which many operate, which requires flexibility of style, an openness to different world views, and the ability to build working relationships with those from very different backgrounds.

Another closely linked development theme, prevalent across all regions, was empathy, founded on a deep appreciation of others and their realities – as well as insight into their

motivations and goals. Because it involves being able to feel what it is like ‘to be in another’s shoes’ while maintaining a sense of our own position, empathy is actually the cornerstone of leveraging difference. Effective collaboration is about bringing our own perspective to the picture while remaining open to the often quite different, but equally relevant, perspective of another.

Developing these relational skills is an important ingredient of any leader’s long term success. When you understand someone else’s position, you’re likely to boost their engagement and motivation. And, by freeing yourself of your own fixed ways of seeing the world, you will enhance your own creativity.

How best to cultivate this skill? Take a lesson from the philosopher Edmund Husserl, who made the practice of bracketing – that is, suspending our assumptions and beliefs so that we might see things for what they truly are – central to his method of understanding the essence of life.

Eyes open!by Meghan Craig

Meghan Craig is a Consultant based in YSC’s London office. T: +44 (0)20 7520 5555 / meghan.craig@ysc.com

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INSIGHTS & ANALYTICS

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Smooth Operator...Nivea champion, Alex Reindler, discusses straddling the divide between Teutonic and Latin cultures, his love-hate relationship with rules and time-keeping, and the philosophy of aftershave balm. The only thing that comes as close to perfection, he contends, is the Malbec grape.

Alexander Reindler, 45, has spent much of his working life at Beiersdorf, the 132-year old German skin care specialist whose historic brands include Nivea, Labello and Elastoplast. A marketer by profession, he is currently General Manager of the company’s Mexican offshoot with responsibility for 155 people. A serial globetrotter, with a particular focus on Latin America, Reindler ran operations out of Venezuela and Colombia, before heading east to Russia where he achieved record market share for Nivea. Prior to that, he helped mastermind the launch of Nivea Men worldwide. Having played basketball at national level in in his schooldays, Reindler is still trying to put balls through hoops as an amateur player and also enjoys cooking. His signature dish is a Colombian bombe surprise, which involves lobbing balls of meat into fires. He is married with two kids.

Alexander Reindler is coached by Steve van Zuylen, General Manager of YSC Mexico.

How has working at Beiersdorf changed the way you view the world? Does the company have a distinctive character? I was fascinated by Nivea as a student. I studied marketing and Nivea was then pioneering a new umbrella strategy of taking one brand into different categories – from skincare to deodorant and so on. Joining Beiersdorf also gave me the opportunity to follow my passion and see the world. The culture here is great: it’s all about caring, trust and courage, in line with the brand. You cannot manage a brand and have the opposite values as a company.

What has been the most significant change in the wider business environment in the last 20 years? I started at Beiersdorf in 1995 working in the global marketing function. We were still working with fax machines! The digital revolution has had a huge

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On the Couch with...Alexander Reindler General Manager

IDEAS IN ACTION

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impact on how we work and communicate, and on the business landscape generally. Twenty years ago, who saw Amazon coming? I think the biggest changes have yet to come, with the full digitisation of business and the way we shop.

Tell us about your own experiences transitioning in and out of different cultures as a leader, most recently in Mexico?It’s fascinating getting to understand the background of different cultures – the roots often lie deep in history. At the risk of generalising, it helps explain why Russians are more cautious about meeting strangers, while in Mexico, you’re welcomed almost as a friend at the first encounter. I spent years in Venezuela and Colombia so the Latin culture wasn’t new, though there are interesting differences between the countries. In Mexico, family ties are very strong, relationships are very important and people are very responsive to nuance. As a German hailing from a more direct kind of culture that was a contrast.

How did you manage the tension between adapting to a new culture and retaining a strength of purpose grounded in your own values? For me, there’s no tension. I like Latin culture a lot – it has a lighthearted quality. It feels much freer than Germany, where people deal with an aversion to uncertainty by

having a lot of rules. The perspective here is totally different – you never know what will happen tomorrow, which is why relationships are so important. I’ve been able to follow my dream of having adventures in different countries because I have a great wife who supports me. She is German, but was raised in Asia and Africa, so we live our dream together.

What sort of unique perspective do you bring to your role?I started at Beiersdorf as a trainee so I bring a long-term experience of the company. And it’s important for the

local business in Mexico that I have a strong global business background to help manage relationships internationally. I try to create an environment where people can win and flourish and, being a well-structured German, I can bring a certain discipline. I think every expatriate brings a different point of view to the discussion, challenging the way business is done. Having a helicopter view is important, but it helps if you are sensitive and have long antenna.

How do you communicate your perspective? I walk the corridor… The culture here is less email, more communication in person.

What are the most common hurdles facing leaders in your position? Any tips on how to deal with them? You need to get the right people into the business, and then do your utmost not to demotivate them. People are naturally motivated to succeed, so the key leadership challenge is engaging with them. I like the concept of authentic leadership – you make mistakes and are sometimes vulnerable, but not afraid to admit it. You can’t play a role – you have to have a genuine interest in other people; if it isn’t genuine they detect it. You can’t teach that. I once did a theatre session in a training course where you had to learn to play a certain role. I remember thinking, this is ridiculous.

Should an individual’s professional goals always be aligned to those of the organisation? How much room is there for mavericks?People are naturally more engaged if their goals and values are aligned with the company. There should be freedom – but within the framework. You don’t want the pilot of the plane to be too creative. But, if it comes to turbulence, you want him to be creative enough to deal with it.

Does a more diverse culture lead to a more entrepreneurial culture?Yes. It encourages the exchange of ideas and debate and makes space for creativity; that goes hand-in-hand with entrepreneurialism. There

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“ People are naturally more engaged if their goals and values are aligned with the company. There should be freedom – but within the framework. You don’t want the pilot of the plane to be too creative. But, if it comes to turbulence, you want him to be creative enough to deal with it.

“

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are practical considerations too. When we push into new markets or income classes we need people from that background to really understand the customer.

How does Beiersdorf develop leaders across different cultures? We have certain core values that we want used across the company. Then it depends on how the local culture stacks up. For example, in Russia you might coach people in the direction of being more team and people-oriented – it’s important to get more collaboration going on. In Mexico, that’s more of a given, and you tend to coach more on conflict management. Relationships are everything in business here and conflict is a big threat. Europeans are quite good at separating the person from the opinion. This is more mixed up generally in Latin America.

How do you deal with conflicts? By talking about it. And creating a team culture that allows conflict to be expressed in a way that everyone can see as positive. It’s not easy, it takes time and setting an example is important. I’m quite balanced, though I’ve got my red buttons – keeping calm and patient is always a challenge. I’ve found it helps to understand how different groups view time as a concept. Germans see it as a non-negotiable thing – if a meeting starts at 9.00am, it starts at 9.00am. If you meet

someone you know en route, you apologise and move on. A Latin American, however, would appreciate the importance of that encounter, and take time acknowledging it – which would justify being 15 minutes late. It’s something very nice.

What is your favourite Beiersdorf product and why? My favourite is an aftershave balm. Forty years ago, Nivea invented the first without alcohol. Alcoholic aftershaves burn like hell and make you feel very masculine. But I like the way Nivea invented a caring version. I’m always getting my friends to sample it – and everyone sticks with it.

What do you think has been the most important global marketing campaign of the past five years? I like Coca-Cola’s Open Happiness campaign. There is a digital remit to give the

content to users and stimulate dialogues and discussions. I like the way they open up and really let go. The contrast with uptight companies who want to keep control is fascinating. We’re doing similar things. Locally there’s now a Nivea channel on YouTube and a strong presence on Facebook. Public relations has completely changed. There are still journalists, but now you have 18-year-old celebrity bloggers and vloggers.

Several new multinational CEOs have come from a sales and marketing background, rather than the more traditional financial route. What’s behind this trend?The big driver is the way that consumers have taken more control over the past decade – companies have had to become more customer-focused. Marketers are ‘both brained’: they’re analytic and they’re creative. They’re religious

about return on investment, and passionate about the brand. Companies can get too caught up with beating competitors, when the important thing is winning consumer hearts. This comes naturally to marketers – we look more outside.

What is the most valuable takeaway from your coaching sessions with Steve van Zuylen?If you choose to go for coaching you need to be frank and open up. For me, that isn’t completely easy, but what I like about Steve is that it’s not so difficult with him. We talk a lot about positive psychology and how to apply that to daily life and my job. We’ve worked on my personal purpose, which has been very insightful and motivating.

Which management thinker do you rate most highly, and why? Jim Collins, particularly his books ‘Good to Great’ and ‘Built to Last’. I took a lot of concepts from

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“ It’s fascinating getting to understand the background of different cultures – the roots often lie deep in history.

“

.

them when I was coming up through the business. They’re already ten years old, but stand the test of time. I admire what he says about the leadership of different companies and how they’re managed.

Which work of fiction has made the biggest impression on you? ‘Siddhartha’ by Herman Hesse. It’s an Indian journey of self-discovery. The lesson learned is that the secret of life cannot be passed on – you have to achieve it through experience. It’s quite spiritual, but condensed and clear.

How does your children’s upbringing compare with your own?I’m from a small town in Germany and grew up very well-protected. It was too narrow, too small, which is why I wanted to go out in the world. I’ve got two boys aged eight and ten, born in Colombia and Venezuela. They go to an international school in Mexico and for them it is very normal to be studying next to Chinese, Indian or Brazilian children. I hope it will open their eyes to other views.

What, if any, lessons from playing basketball have you applied to your work? Well I’m 6 foot 7, so everyone looks up to me… But seriously, it’s a great, fast sport and the game can shift very quickly. I love team sports: you have the stars in the spotlight, but the defenders are crucial too. In

comparison, I find individual sports very boring.

Do you have a burning ambition outside work? I love travelling and I love red wine. I’d be happy living anywhere where I could grow Malbec. It’s a fantastic grape. So a vineyard in South Africa or Argentina would be great.

You’re also a cook. What’s your signature dish?An amazing dish from Colombia called Lomo al Trapo You put a tenderloin in a

kilo of salt, wrap it in a cotton cloth and then – this is the spectacular moment for visitors – throw it on the fire. You need a hammer to open the salty crust once it’s done. But it’s juicy and delicious.

How do you recover from culinary disasters? My advice would be to keep something in reserve.

What is the most important lesson life has taught you? I’d cite the Serenity Prayer. ‘Grant me the serenity to

accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.’ We had it at our wedding, but I wasn’t aware at that time just how true it is. I find myself using it on a daily basis.

Alexander Reindler spoke to Jane Lewis, YQ’s Consultant Editor.

35

“ Companies can get too caught up with beating competitors, when the important thing is winning consumer hearts.

“

The contextThe banking system has had its fair share of turbulence over the past five years and, like many of its competitors, Lloyds Banking Group has had to weather a few storms. Yet it is emerging under the leadership of António Horta-Osório with a deep commitment to becoming the UK’s ‘Best Bank for Customers’ and helping communities prosper. As one of Britain’s largest banks, Lloyds’ customer-base is as varied and diverse as the country’s population and Antonio and his leadership team are committed to attracting, retaining and developing talented colleagues who reflect the communities they serve. That means building a more diverse workforce across the group and creating a more vibrant mix of decision-makers to drive the bank’s growth.

Women hold up half the sky…Spotlight on Lloyds Banking Group

36

Lloyds Banking Group has made a public commitment to have 40% of senior roles filled by women by 2020, from a baseline figure of 27%. Here Joanna Bleau and Kate Guthrie explain how YSC is working with the bank to prepare women for senior leadership succession.

by Joanna Bleau (YSC) & Kate Guthrie (LBG)

IDEAS IN ACTION

The challengeKate Guthrie, HR Director of Culture, Capability and Engagement, and her team set about understanding the cultural enablers and inhibitors to fulfilling the Bank’s ambition. YSC’s 30% Club research, ‘Cracking the Code’, shows there is no single explanation for the limited number of women moving up from middle to senior management, and therefore no single action was going to redress the balance. Kate wanted to approach the issue with both rigour and subtlety .

The issue that Kate and her team focused on was sponsorship. Having a sponsor is a key enabler of satisfaction with career progression, yet there is a tendency for people to sponsor others like them. Thus, if the leadership population is predominantly white, male and middle-aged, this becomes self-reinforcing. Kate wanted to find a way to bring about a cultural shift amongst senior leaders and create opportunities for LBG’s most talented women.

And so the Sponsoring Leadership Programme was born. Kate ensured a systemic approach to advocacy – pairing high-quality female managers with more senior, willing male and female sponsors from across the business, and equipping both groups with the information and insight to help them buck the trend. As she observes: “Having a sponsor has been immensely helpful in my own career and I am keen to ensure that women from across Lloyds Banking Group gain similar access to help their career progression.”

The projectIn discussion with YSC, sponsorship was put to the test by establishing a small cohort whose explicit goal was to prepare a group of high-performing women leaders for a move into heavyweight leadership

roles within 18 months. The underlying aim was to help them focus on their strengths, clarify their aspirations and inform the development and growth plans that would give insight into sponsorship and self-advocacy.

The project ran from July 2013 to the end of 2014.

• The participants: A group of 26 female leaders was selected from the talent pool of high-performers in already significant roles, most of them long-serving and well-regarded by their own manager and peers.

• The sponsors: LBG selected and prepared 26 sponsors: male and female senior executives known for their ability to navigate the system, who were matched with sponsees on the basis of creating partnerships of difference – in terms of functions, business areas and gender.

• Programme sponsorship: Initial impetus was created by the overall championing of the programme by Andrew Bester, CEO of Commercial Banking at LBG. This C-suite sponsorship demonstrates how seriously LBG takes the challenge of diversifying leadership, and helped attract volunteer sponsors.

• The insight process: YSC provided an intensive developmental interview exploring early life, critical career turning points and leadership experiences. A detailed report for each participant was explored personally in a two-hour coaching session, where the bones of a development plan were constructed. A follow-up call between the participant, YSC coach and line manager connected the dots and handed the coaching relationship back to the business. A final call between the YSC consultant and the sponsor provided a further layer of insight to help support the sponsor as advocate.

• The community: LBG, working with YSC, helped to foster a sense of community between the participant and sponsor groups through a series of development events, breakfast meetings and online collaboration. The aim was to create benefits beyond the one-on-one relationships.

The resultsNot surprisingly, the results from the YSC process were mixed, reflecting some of the differences between men and women set out by the 30% Club research.

Sponsors, initially somewhat cautious, benefited from working with colleagues outside their normal boundaries. They experienced satisfaction in supporting and challenging their sponsees, promoting high-quality colleagues and influencing future hiring decisions. They started to learn about and appreciate functions

37

“ Sponsorship programmes undoubtedly reap rewards by opening up career paths, creating advocacy and ensuring the best person always gets the job.

“

established senior leaders. Helping these senior leaders address their own challenges – such as unconscious bias with hiring and developing female talent – gave the programme a much wider impact than on just its 26 participants.

Looking forwardThis project has been successful in providing sponsorship relationships to further the development of high-potential women leaders. It shows that special initiatives supporting women have value in terms of changing local dynamics and relationships – and demonstrates there are plenty of men and women equally committed to growing and supporting a more diverse workforce.

It also highlighted that such initiatives remain a small part of an extremely complex picture as LBG seeks to bring about long-term, sustainable change in the

wider goal of more closely representing the customers it serves. Sponsorship programmes will undoubtedly reap rewards by opening up career paths, creating advocacy and ensuring the best person always gets the job.

Strong female role models are an important part of Lloyds Banking Group’s approach to mobilising its female workforce, ensuring that women at all levels of the organisation can see other women succeeding. Yet Kate Guthrie is certain that the path to change will be achieved by a multi-faceted approach involving a deeper cultural focus on diversity. If LBG is to achieve the game-changing shift in gender diversity to which it aspires, YSC is advising that the demand side of the equation may offer the biggest potential. Mobilising men and women equally to create change is the big win.

As Kate sums up...

and divisions they had not previously experienced and the YSC insight process helped them get to grips with the myriad, normal career issues facing their female sponsees.

Sponsees saw the world from a different perspective through their YSC interview and their relationship with their sponsor, becoming aware of the different career paths they could access. They also had to face their own self-limiting expectations – recognising how routinely they tended to underestimate their confidence and self-select out of more senior promotion opportunities. Twelve of the 26 participants have since been promoted or moved into developmental roles to support their growth. Many are learning to advocate for themselves and push for the next level role, even without 100% capability.

A key benefit of the sponsoring leadership programme is that it also tackled the need to change mindsets among current,

Joanna Bleau is a Director based in YSC’s Edinburgh office. T: +44 (0)131 228 7940 / joanna.bleau@ysc.com. Kate Guthrie is HR Director, Culture, Capability and Engagement, Lloyds Banking Group.

The Sponsoring Leadership Programme is providing a small step in the right direction. There is so much more to be done but we are excited by the momentum this is creating. The approach is being replicated at more junior grades in the organisation, driven by some of our sponsors from the Sponsoring Leadership Programme.

“ “

38

**************International Perspectives:

Around the World: Global Perspectives on Diversity

As ever, our correspondents highlight a fascinating range of different preoccupations around the world.

39

Mexico – Mexico has seen an influx of professionals and leaders from different parts of the world and one frequently expressed observation is that “Mexicans need instructions”. I was curious to get to the root of this. It turns out that the country scores highly on both the ‘Power Distance’ and ‘Uncertainty Avoidance’ indices in Hofstede’s model of international cultural variation (see p25 for Stacy Richardson’s summary). In other words, management structures tend to be hierarchical, there’s a reluctance to take risks and a general expectation of directive, individualistic leadership. That, however, is beginning to change. A critical mass of the Mexican workforce (not only in leadership positions) is evolving towards a much more open and adventurous approach. The secret to leveraging strength from cultural difference is mutual understanding. Non-Mexican leaders could further this by communicating the meaning and implications of a lower power distance style – and inviting others to share perspectives. Mexican culture, as in Latin America more widely, finds meaning in genuine sharing.

Carmen Rodriguez is a Senior Consultant, based in Mexico City. carmen.rodriguez@ysc.com

IDEAS IN ACTION

40

International Perspectives:

Australia & NZ – The past four years of Australian politics have provided plenty of evidence of how difficult it is to lead a complex organisation, while building and maintaining an effective, diverse leadership team. The action has played out like a Roman Empire drama. To date, four prime ministers, across two parties (including Australia’s first female PM, and another who had two shots at the job) have edged their way down a very public rocky road, only to be toppled by colleagues. In February, the current PM, Tony Abbott, almost made it a fifth. This political shambles highlights some very simple leadership lessons. The capacity to forge and manage relationships with some level of authenticity is key. And so too is the ability to be an inclusive leader: finding the balance between taking input from others and leading the way. Finally, the crucial skill of being able to demonstrate quick wins, without sacrificing the longer term strategy to political or market pressures, remains as valid as ever. We keenly await a leader who can engage his or her own team over a full four-year term – and look forward to catching up with some fictional TV drama soon!

Karen Reilly is a Senior Consultant based in Sydney. karen.reilly@ysc.com

China – In China, probably the biggest challenge lies in bridging the gap between Generation Xers (those born in the 1960s-70s) and Gen Yers (1980s-90s). These two groups, comprising the bulk of today’s talent, have varied work expectations, values and perceptions. At the risk of generalising, typical Gen Y characteristics include: a sense of self-entitlement and a tendency to overestimate their own abilities; optimism, confidence and a low attention span. Digital natives, they tend to be motivated by money, rapid career movement, and early and consistent recognition and feedback – generational traits further exaggerated in China by the One Child Policy introduced in 1979. Their Gen X line managers, by contrast, typically possess an independent, sometimes cynical, mind-set. Used to fending for themselves, they tend to value freedom over money and believe good results take time. Each group can learn from the other in terms of appreciating differences in pace and technical savvy. But Gen X bosses need to find creative ways to retain their people. Regular feedback and more flexible working conditions should help.

Rhonda Gutenberg is a Managing Consultant, based in Shanghai. rhonda.gutenberg@ysc.com

North America – The healthcare industry is a growing area for YSC in North America. Having come from the UK, I’ve always been grateful for the free service offered by the National Health Service. (In fact a Washington-based international panel of experts recently named the NHS the best healthcare system when scored against quality, access and efficiency.) It’s also been interesting to see the rapid changes in the US since the passing of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare – the industry has entered a period of remarkable transformation. In particular, there is growing pressure for hospitals to be run like businesses, and for medical doctors to go beyond their technical roles and develop as healthcare leaders. In YSC North America, we hope to support and up-skill this growing population of leaders, and through this meaningful work, provide greater value to society.

Maisie Morton is a Consultant, based in New York. maisie.morton@ysc.com

International Perspectives: 41

The UK – Living in London, we are met with difference the moment we step out of our front door. The range of languages, ages, faces, fashion and music is a constant reminder of it. But there is one important difference that is less obvious and yet deeply significant in our working lives: the way we tend to appreciate and reward the extravert (as defined by the Myers Briggs Type Indicator) while overlooking the contributions of quieter colleagues. We are now increasingly aware of the value added by introverts in business decision-making – their deep thinking that takes an idea to the next level; their reflective style that means they don’t jump to conclusions; their often creative ability to work through an issue in a creative way. Much of our coaching focuses on supporting the introvert to value their own way of working and find ways to share with others. Meanwhile, we’re encouraging leaders to make more effort and time to hear their voices. Sometimes that means teaching the extraverts to be a little quieter!

Anita Kirpal is a Director, based in London. anita.kirpal@ysc.com

India – There is a lot of energy in India around gender diversity, with organisations increasingly seeing it as a business imperative rather than ‘something nice to have’. Initiatives are now driven from the top, rather than being led primarily by HR teams. In our gender intelligence interventions with clients we work with mixed groups of men and women – a practice supported by the recent ‘Cracking the Code’ research, which showed the ineffectiveness of diversity interventions that focus on ‘fixing’ women, and the need to work with an organisation’s systems to create real impact. Developing cross-cultural skills and agility remains an equally important issue for many clients: both in terms of coaching Indian business leaders to play leadership roles in their global organisations and supporting expatriate heads of business to be effective in the Indian business context. An interesting recent client conversation focused on facilitating people with physical disabilities to play meaningful roles within their organisation. Our understanding of psychological identity gives us a platform to do meaningful work in this area in the future.

Rachna Chawla is a Managing Consultant, based in Mumbai. rachna.chawla@ysc.com

South Africa – The most obvious challenge around ‘difference’ that most SA firms face today is linked to the legal and moral imperative to transform the racial profile of workforces – most relevantly to YSC, at the highest senior levels. At most of our clients, there is a prerogative to identify and develop black talent, and to attract and integrate established non-white leaders. There are numerous challenges integral to both, not least scarcity. There is also a reluctance among many established (white) managers to provide feedback and coaching. Some worry about the ‘race card’ being played; others lack the skills or inclination; some, perhaps, have less overt agendas. The biggest opportunity we have is to provide coaching and mentoring to enable new black leaders to realise their potential and achieve traction quickly. Many of these leaders have academic credentials but lack deep experience of each leadership level and the requisite transitions. The most talented are often thrust into big roles – sometimes too early.

Damien Anciano is a Managing Director, based in Cape Town. damien.anciano@ysc.com

42

Building High Performing

Teams, Assessing and Releasing

Organisational Potential, Developing

Resilience and Women’s Leadership.

For more information on any

of the above offerings and

initiatives, please contact

rob.morris@ysc.com

Inside YSCby ROB MORRIS

YSC Think Tanks... We have a history of partnering closely with our clients to address real issues. As a result, we have assembled a number of Think Tanks, including: Leadership Under Scrutiny & Ethical Leadership, Digital Leadership/Leading in a Digital Age, Accelerating Change,

Maternity Coaching - YSC’s maternity

coaches draw on deep experience in executive

and transition coaching to guide women

through this crucial career stage,

deploying our intellectual capital in the

area of Women in Leadership - and our best

practice as psychologists - to understand

what is unique about our female leaders

and their needs.

If organisations are to redress the

gender imbalance in corporate life, they

need to demonstrate that they value

the contributions of a diverse workforce

and are committed to flexible working.

Maternity coaching is an impactful way of

showing that commitment. Contact

rob.morris@ysc.com for further details.

NEW OFFERING

Carmel originally joined YSC in 2002 and led the Australian business until 2012. Carmel has extensive

knowledge and experience in diversity and inclusion. In her role as Global Head of Diversity she will help YSC

shape our unique point of view in this area. With this, we can help organisations of differing sizes and geographies

with their diversity and inclusion agendas across their entire talent pipeline. CARMEL.PELUNSKI@YSC.COM

43

YSC welcomes back Carmel PelunSki as Managing Director for ANZ and Global Head of Diversity

Cracking the Code,

Following the release of our Cracking the Code

, research

last year, which looked at myths surrounding how women get to senior leadership roles, we have been working on a number of offerings around

Women in Leadership. Work on gender diversity often reveals

broader organisational challenges and provides the platform for developing broader and more

inclusive leaders. carmel.pelunski@ysc.com

NEW YSC OFFICES...We are pleased to announce the opening of

two new YSC offices – Dubai & Toronto.

Gerard Fitzsimmons is Director &

Head of YSC Dubai, bringing significant

experience in the areas of executive

coaching, talent management and assessment,

leadership development, organisational

culture and top team effectiveness.

Mary Marcus joins YSC as a Managing Consultant & Head of YSC Canada. Mary has over 20 years experience working with organisations, developing systems and processes that help them improve effectiveness and drive business results through their people.

Email Gerard and Mary at... gerard.fitzsimmons@ysc.com mary.marcus@ysc.com

Following on from our ‘Cracking the Code’ research, we have designed the Career Navigation Survey to help organisations explore the different career experiences of their men and women. This will provide insight into how

your men and women define success, which organisational practices are most helpful in facilitating their career

progression, and where the opportunities lie for further investment to accelerate their development. If you’re

interested in finding out more, please contact our Global Head of Diversity... carmel.pelunksy@ysc.com

Career Navigation Survey

,

,

www.ysc.com© YSC Ltd. YSC is the trading name of Young Samuel Chambers (‘YSC’) Limited. Registered in England at 50 Floral Street, London, WC2E 9DA. Company Number 2402857 Printed on recycled paper

We do this by combining industry leading psychological insight with a thorough understanding of our clients’ business needs. We work with clients across their entire talent lifecycles, including: recruitment, induction, development, the identification of potential, internal selection, role change, measurement and departure. Our key client offerings include 1:1 and team assessment, executive coaching, organisational consulting and the measurement of change.

We are a global firm of business psychologists helping organisations achieve commercial success by releasing the power of their people...

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