Excerpt from chapter 1 of Leaders as Teachers Action Guide

Evidence and Experience Suggests

There is an evolving body of evidence that suggests business, organizational, and individual value is realized when leaders serve as teachers. The following is a small sample of current research on the topic.

Results From a 2013 Leaders as Teachers Study of the Conference Board Council

In 2013, Ed Betof and Lisa Owens administered a survey to three of the Conference Board councils. These councils are comprised primarily of the senior leaders of talent, learning, organization development, and leadership development of their respective companies and organizations. Participation was voluntary.

● Widespread Use: About 90 percent of responders reported using a LAT approach for in-house leadership training programs. Additionally, nearly 30 percent use this approach for technical or business function training. About 15 percent are currently updating or expanding their LAT programs.

● LAT Program Benefits: When asked what benefits are derived from using a LAT approach the participating companies told us the following:

• 70 percent volunteered that LAT contributed in a significant way to the development of employees and emerging leaders.

• 60 percent view LAT programs as helping to strengthen organizational culture and communications.

• 50 percent said the program helped the leader-teachers develop and improve.

• 40 percent volunteered that the LAT approach is a key to driving business results and strategic alignment.

• 40 percent commented that LAT is an aid to succession planning and career development programs (Betof and Owens 2013).

Results From a 2013 Research Report Published by the Conference Board

A detailed 2013 study, The DNA of Leaders: Leadership Development Secrets, examined 19 companies that have been recognized as exemplar and top award winning organizations for their practices in developing leaders. Among their many findings was the trend that chief executives are helping to redefine notions of leadership. There has been a distinct shift away from standardized (often external, business school-centered) programs toward customized (often in-house, company-specific) programs that feature action learning as an important component and are tightly focused on non-negotiable company values. Most interviewees stressed the importance of having senior leaders heavily involved in the design and execution of their programs, and 16 of the 19 human capital survey respondents said their CEOs were highly involved in senior programs (Ray and Learmond, 2013).

Leaders as Teachers ASTD 2014 Activities:

Leaders as Teachers Action Guide—Book Signing

Tuesday, May 6, 12:00–1:00 p.m., ASTD Store

Leaders as Teachers Action Guide—Author Chat

Tuesday, May 6, 2:45–3:30 p.m., ASTD Store

Leaders as Teachers: A Powerful Lever for Growth and Change Concurrent

Tuesday, May 6, 4:00–5:00 p.m., Session TU316

To learn more or to preorder Leaders As Teachers Action Guide, visit http://www.astd.org/Publications/Books/Leaders-as-Teachers-Action-Guide.