Describes how the engineering company Atkins created their own leadership development programme. Explains why they believe that individual focus can bring phenomenal returns
Victoria Hannon
It was questions such as “Was I considered for that role?”, “On what basis was I considered?” and “Do you know what I want to do?” that got Brian Fitzgerald, group HR development director at multinational engineering consultancy Atkins, thinking about his senior leadership team.

He realised its management development centres and leadership training were failing in one crucial aspect; they did not delve deeply into people’s values and career aspirations. None of the senior leadership development programmes Fitzgerald knew about met his needs, so he set about designing his own.

He knew he needed to give senior executives a safe environment to reflect on their future, but it had to be directly connected to the business. So he designed “Development Dialogue”, which equips senior leaders from Atkins’ diverse range of businesses with the tools to have frank, meaningful conversations with their managing director or chief executive.

Fitzgerald approached a number of consultancies he had previously worked with. He was clear about the design and knew it had to be a reflective piece focused on individual engagement. He chose Henley Management College, whose understanding of the coaching element was fundamental to the process. “Even in a company the size of Atkins, I knew we needed to design an initiative that focused on people as individuals,” he explains.

Sean Haley, managing director of Atkins Asset Management, was one of 10 individuals nominated for the programme by the group executive board. He believes he was selected because “the group needed to understand me better for the future of the business”. He adds: “My reaction was positive and I knew it was a significant investment. It was an opportunity for greater exposure and some honest conversations.”

At the crossroads

Some 30 senior leaders have now taken part in Development Dialogue. “We first selected those who needed to be urgently engaged,” Fitzgerald says. “We have now moved on a little and are thinking about people who are at a crossroads and perhaps don’t know which route to take.”

The programme starts by gathering data on the individuals. “You do some research and preparation, including psychometrics and 360-degree feedback both externally with customers and internally. This is very useful on its own,” says Haley.

Two days of group sessions about values together with individual coaching and preparation for dialogue follows at Henley. John McSheen, business development director of Atkins Highways and Transportation, especially appreciated the session on values.

“The exploration was simply but profoundly exercised,” he says. “Though we didn’t look diverse, not one of us shared the same single most important value. I now understand that the people you deal with every day come from very different value bases.”

The support from Atkins’ CEO, Keith Clarke, has been vital to the success of the programme. “Keith is there to show commitment and it is important that he is prepared to answer questions openly,” says Fitzgerald. “He really helps with the context, rather than looking back. We want this to be about presenting the future.”

As Haley says: “I think it’s always useful to see the CEO in a reasonably small group. The threat is that you might have reached a level where you could struggle to add value in the future. Keith was good at addressing the threat and that level of openness was very helpful.”

Express yourself

During the two days delegates are given guidance about the nature of conversations. Fitzgerald explains: “In conversation a boss may explore different options believing that he or she must provide a solution. This is a transactional conversation that is based on a parent-child relationship. We needed to equip people with the skills and understanding to have an adult-to-adult conversation with their CEO.”

To help them prepare, they had coaching sessions in teams of three. McSheen found this quite nerve-wracking. “It was very challenging to be coached in how to express yourself in a personal way and have someone else looking in. I learnt how to explore what was not being said, which is about 70 per cent of any conversation.”

All of this is in preparation for a conversation that the individual must have with the MD or CEO, who is also given individual guidance by Fitzgerald. They need to approach the conversation as a representative of the whole Atkins group.

McSheen notes: “I had the conversation with my MD but not [with him acting] as my MD, rather as someone on the group executive board who can influence things. He now knows who he’s got and what they want to do. He’s got a wealth of talent and the knowledge about where they want to go and what he can do for them.”

The conversation is captured in a personal development plan agreed by the individual. The agreement is fundamental, says Fitzgerald. “When we are talking about them in the business, they own the information and it reflects their thoughts. The company benefits by having a broad picture of talent and depth in the organisation,” he explains.

The right moves

One area that has been highlighted is how talent moves around the group. Early on in his five-year career with Atkins, Fitzgerald established three distinct career routes: manage the business, manage projects and be a technical guru.

“Through Development Dialogue we have learnt about the business,” he says. “We now know how individuals want to engage and this has led us to look at how people can move across and within the group.”

McSheen adds: “Where I sit is at the heart of the matter. Atkins has structures that are built vertically and I like working across the business. I wanted to know if there was an opportunity within Atkins for that kind of career path. The programme reinforced my view that it was possible.”

So what have the individuals themselves got out of the programme? “This was a very personal programme done on an individual basis,” says Haley. “It’s all about you and the business. Executive coaching, in comparison, only brings some understanding of the business. This programme is live and appropriate, and all conversations are relevant to the business you’re in.”

Although focused only on a small group of very senior executives, Haley thinks the whole organisation will benefit. “It helps to change behaviours and styles that will naturally cascade down the organisation. I will have more open and honest conversations with my line reports because I’ve been through Development Dialogue. I’m sure we’ll get a phenomenal return on investment in the years to come.”

Volume 3, Issue 6