HBOS Discovery
- a case study
“I can personally endorse the benefits of ‘Outzone’
experiences. I have seen real lasting benefits - to
individuals, to the business and to the adoptee
organisations”
Phil Hodkinson, Group Finance Director, HBOS plc
What is HBOS Discovery?
“Development through unique experience….”
Synopsis
A programme of experiential learning assignments in the developing
world undertaken by identified talented as part of their development
Programme Overview
Initial commitment to send 5 managers as assignees in 2005/06 to India
- Nominations made through talent management process
- Programme run by Adopt a Business Ltd.
1. Nominees attend a workshop
2. Interested candidates submit an application/business case
3. Selection panel of HBOS L&D managers choose assignees
4. Assignments sourced to match selected assignees’ needs and skills
5. Assignees go through a 9-month managed learning process
incorporating a 4 week assignment with an SME or NGO in India
Organisational Purpose/ positioning
1. Talent development
2. Improving the talented employee value
proposition
3. Social responsibility
4. International/ cross cultural exposure
Target audience
Individuals, levels 3-5 (middle to early senior manager)
identified via Talent Management processes where:
– strong potential to progress
– would benefit from an experience that takes them out of
comfort zone
– prepared to work in India for a 4 – 5 week period
Particularly suited to those who are:
– expected to take on a new role within 3 – 6 months
of return
– being considered for International assignments
– expected to move to a different functional/business area in
the short/medium term
The Selected assignees
Simon, 33 - Level 4
Head of Intelligence – Mortgages
Sam, 30 - acting level 5
Acting head of Operational Security
Nicola, 30 - Level 4
Anti Money Laundering & Fraud Manager
Lisa, 35 - Level 4
Learning & Development Manager
Bill, 49 - Level 4
Manager - Customer Planning and Support
Process overview
1. Selection 5. Local Briefing 9. Advocacy
Workshops Present experience internally
Meet local consultant
Applications Write case study
Induction to culture
Panel
7. Local Debriefing 10. Coaching (3)
3. Coaching With local consultant
3-6 month follow-up
One-on-one with coach Assess long-term impact
2-way feedback process
Set learning objectives
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
2-3 months 4 weeks 6 months
4. Briefing 8. Coaching (2)
2. Matching
Assignee matched
Final checks & Debriefing 11. Alumni
Review of objectives
with assignment
Finalise itineraries
Evaluate impact Network
Initial briefing – Identify learning Meet other
visas, tickets, Create action plan assignees
health etc 6. On-Assignment Engage stakeholders Attend workshops
Working with hosts –HR, line manager Spread the word
Delivering project etc
Living with locals
Telephone assistance
Creating a learning log
Simon
Head of Business Intelligence - Mortgages, 33
Personal Objectives
Assignment
Personal Outcomes
Increase self-confidence Aravind Eye Hospital:
Find out what energises A world renowned eye All of my personal
me and use the findings to hospital with a mission to objectives were met but
help me formulate a future eradicate needless blindness not in the way I thought
career ‘direction’ Tested my business skills
Understand how I impact Tested my core values
on others Getting prior buy-in to work
is not important. Output
Demonstrate ability to
gets the buy-in
‘own, a complete project
and its outcomes’ Frustration creates
Task: learning
Help see the bigger picture Developed a strategic Assumed greater
– how organisations fit roadmap and robust responsibility upon return
together and the medium-term planning
importance of culture model in order to support a
new growth paradigm
Sam
Acting Head of Operational Security, 30
Personal Objectives
Assignment
Personal Outcomes
Be more assertive to make APD:
a real difference quickly Teaches life skills and trade Made my acting role
To recognise the to allow independent living to permanent and taken
difference made people with mental or control of my career
physical disabilities. Positively look for change
To build confidence in my
rather than complying with
style of operating
it
To fast track relationship Much more forthright in
building voicing opinions and
Give something tangible having the confidence of
and worthwhile back to the convictions
community Task: 'I thought I could' when
Develop strategy to allow approaching new and
Make current ‘acting’ role
expansion of ‘Horticulture challenging situations now
permanent
Unit’ focussing on 'I know I can'
organisational design,
capability and capacity
Nicola
Anti Money Laundering & Fraud Manager, 30
Personal Objectives
Assignment
Personal Outcomes
Get a new job at a higher LV Prasad Eye Institute:
level with a clearer focus A world renowned eye Want more responsibility
on next career move institute providing a full than my role permitted
Develop strategic range of eye-health facilities. -Negotiated job move to
capability and ability to another function in order to
delegate without being develop wider exp-erience
involved in the lower level and increase career
detail advancement options!
Adopt a more hands off
Improve influencing skills
approach to management
to get stakeholders bought
into suggestions Find time to reflect on
Task:
strategic issues
Improve experience of Undertake a strategic needs
analysis for the growth of a Place more emphasis on
managing change – cope
leading eye hospital relationships
better with ambiguity
Lisa
Learning & Development Manager, 35
Personal Objectives
Assignment
Personal Outcomes
Work on self confidence Aravind Eye Hospital:
and self esteem A world renowned eye the quality of my thinking
Develop greater self hospital with a mission to and interactions are
awareness - reflect on eradicate needless blindness broader and more
what I do, how I do it and confident
how I want to use what I An enormous sense of
do upon return being good at what I do
and what I now needed
Test capabilities in a
completely new and Moved into a new,
challenging environment stretching OD role
have worked for HBOS for Task: A definite feeling of
18 years Build leadership capability of perspective
Help see the bigger picture the organisation through
& perspective review of existing leadership
programmes and
development of a new one
Bill
Manager - Customer Planning and Support, 49
Personal Objectives
Assignment
Personal Outcomes
Deliver outside of comfort NEST
zone Manufactures affordable More comfortable dealing
Make a meaningful solar lamps which it markets with uncertainty
difference to others to the base of the economic A greater focus on what I
pyramid am trying to achieve
See bigger picture
Less focus on the detail
Improve influencing skills
More interested in people
Boost self confidence Problems seem smaller
Thrive in new role upon and more manageable
return More flexible and open to
new solutions
Task:
Carry out a strategic needs
analysis to help NEST to
grow
Cross cultural understanding
- Assignees reflections’ on Differences between UK
and India
UK India
Assertive & Open Like to please
Protective Naive
Empowerment Dictating
Say what you mean Tell a story and guess!
Get to the point fast Circuitous and indirect
Deadlines are met Are general guidelines
Focus on rules Focus on relationships
Precise, blunt and Evasive, tactful and
definitive ambiguous
Collective learning summary
- The assignees’ view
Enormous sense of achievement
Confidence and self esteem
Test of skills and realisation of transferability
New skills and new ways of working to bring
back to HBOS
New experiences and tolerance and
understanding of a different culture
Better perspective on issues and problems
Enjoyment and friendships
HBOS Benefits
- Talent Development
Five talented managers meeting their development needs
through a unique, life-changing experience
Resulting in:
Accelerated development for 5 assignees
Leading to:
Increased impact in new roles and greater personal
responsibility
“It has to be one of the most, if not the most, amazing experiences
and opportunities of my life ”
“'I thought I could' when approaching new and challenging situations
now 'I know I can’”
- Quotes from returned assignees
HBOS Benefits
- the talented employee proposition
As a result of the Programme…
c. 100 new development conversations between talent,
line managers and HR
20 talented employees attending the workshop:
– Engaged in the HBOS employee value proposition
– Understanding more about their own development needs
and the right kind of development opportunities for them
– Networked into one other for the future
14 applicants ‘feeling privileged’ about opportunity
“an unparalleled opportunity to develop personal skills and add social
value”
“a unique opportunity to springboard my career path”
- Quotes from workshop attendees
HBOS Benefits
- Corporate social responsibility
The assignments have helped to build the capacity of
organisations making a difference to the lives of people
living in poverty (see next slide)
Articles in divisional magazines relating assignees
experiences
Programme sponsor hosting a business breakfast on
Discovery for Business in the Community
Developing World Benefits
Overall rating 4.5*
Assignee’s skills met the needs of the Assignment 4.8
Assignee provided skills that were not readily available in India 3.8
Organisation has been strengthened by the Assignment 4.2
Individuals in organisation were developed by the Assignment 4
Organisation had/has the capacity to learn from the Assignment 4.5
Interaction between assignee & adoptee staff was strong 4.8
*Average response score of partner organisations involved in this initiative (Out of 5 maximum)
“I would attribute 30% of the capacity growth that we have achieved over the
past 10 years to these assignments.”
Programme director, APD – AAB long term partner
Developing World Benefits
“Extremely pleased…“Export manager hired; MIS system in place; Roles re-
aligned allowing more efficient and effective operation- Exports are up in
volume by about 25%”
Managing director, NEST
“The timeliness of assignment to organisational context was amazing. I was
just amazed how much progress we made in the first meeting - Delivered
far more than the Terms of reference”
Assignment host at Aravind
“I would attribute 30% of the capacity growth that we have achieved over the
past 10 years to these assignments.”
Programme director, APD – AAB long term partner
HBOS
- Overall Programme Outcomes
Programme has been regarded as a great success
“Its only when you really talk to the assignees face to face that you
realise the power of the experience for them – its really quite humbling”
- HBOS L&D
HBOS Discovery now featured as a programme within
new Corporate University offering
Five more places on offer to level 4 and 5 talent in
2006“I can personally endorse the benefits of ‘Outzone’ experiences. I
have seen real lasting benefits - to individuals, to the business and to
the adoptee organisations”
Phil Hodkinson, Group Finance Director, HBOS plc
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