Group mentoring by senior leaders is a key part of BT’s new leadership development programme
Liz Hall

Group mentoring by senior leaders and peer coaching are central to BT’s new global development programme for front-line leaders.

The six-month Inspirational Leadership Programme (ILP) launched last June in BT Operate is being rolled out to BT Retail, BT Global Services and operationally independent BT Openreach. Others, such as BT Wholesale, will follow.

So far, some 60 senior leaders, including board members, have mentored 600 front-line BT leaders. Another 500 people leaders are set to go through next year. ILP has already been delivered in some parts of Europe and Asia-Pacific.

BT Group designed the programme with Leornian Consulting after roadshows signalled a need for line managers to be more empowered, said Glenn Roberts, HR programme leader for leadership development and manager of ILP at BT Operate.

“We needed to change the way people lead, empowering them so they feel they can personally contribute to customer service. It’s profoundly different to what has gone on before,” he said. Traditionally, BT has been hierarchical but BT Operate has “refreshingly been able to break through the barriers.”

More than 90 per cent of participants have rated the course as six or seven on a seven-point scale for learning effectiveness, job impact and business results. The ILP programme includes a two-day residential workshop on self-awareness; situational leadership; spheres of personal influence; coaching for performance and action learning.

Groups meet monthly with their mentor for six months for peer coaching and to embed learning in a real business context. Mentors share best practice and Leornian delivers master-classes every two months. enquiries@leornianconsulting.co.uk; www.leornianconsulting.co.uk

Volume 4, Issue 2