Leadership Development is a significant SSI service in support of our Strategic Planning and Implementation business line. Two of the most common questions that our clients ask are:

• How do we identify the best leaders and managers to create and guide the implementation of the strategic and tactical plans vital to the survival of the organization?
• How do we develop our best people as they evolve from individual contributors to leaders and managers?

SSI staff bring a significant professional background to these tasks as several have served as senior managers of organizations or as faculty members of institutions such as The Center for Creative Leadership, University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, Pennsylvania State University, Arcadia University (formerly Beaver College), University of Delaware, St. Joseph's University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Yale University School of Medicine, Villanova University, the McGill University School of Business (Canada) and local medical institutions. We have also served as faculty at in-house "Leadership and Management Institutes" within clients such as Sunoco, Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson Matthey Manufacturing, McNeil Consumer Products, Wyeth-Ayerst Pharmaceuticals and others.

Our typical approach to Leadership and Management Development is built around our customized review of current and projected managerial competencies and the effectiveness and potential utilization of existing developmental programs of the client.

We conduct:

• Assessment of existing management and leadership challenges of the organization based upon interview data, the strategic and tactical plans of the organization and existing recent employee survey data (if available).
• In-depth interviews with senior management on the current state of management/leadership given the recent history and plans of the organization.
• Individual assessments using a variety of 360-degree leadership and management style assessment tools. We use a mix of individual and team assessment instruments to maximize the validity and acceptance of outcomes. That process provides the research data that SSI staff utilize to customize the design of a Management or Leadership Development Program. This research data on individuals can also be used as a foundation for succession planning in the organization.
• A process to guide the client through the selection of internal training experts or vendors to implement the necessary developmental activities.
• Briefings to help organizations recognize the reality that significant development of managers and leaders occurs outside a "traditional classroom." We encourage the creation of a variety of other approaches such as:
  • Organizational Development Interventions
  • Mentorship Programs
  • Guided assignments for individual development
  • Improvements in performance appraisal and coaching programs
  • Simulations

The outcome is properly selected, well qualified leaders to fill current and future vacancies.

Please click here if our Leadership Development Program could make a critical difference in your organization.