Leadership Trends Survey Reveals Problems on the Horizon

Written by Mary Welch Wednesday, March 03 2010

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Bonnie Hagemann, CEO of Executive Development Associates (EDA), says if corporate America is looking for future business leaders, it may have a problem. Hagemann’s Oklahoma City, Okla.-based firm works with organizations to successfully address their marketplace challenges and accelerate the execution of their business strategy.

Every two years since 1983, EDA has conducted an extensive survey on trends, growth, and the evolution of executive development. The survey reveals best practices, emerging needs, top priorities, and new approaches. And the most-recent results were unusual, Hagemann says.

The positive news is that human resources and leadership development professionals are assuming greater roles in corporate America and that their skills are welcomed and utilized, she says.

However, there are some great concerns, also. “What struck me about the results this time was the question: What competencies are your leaders lacking? I was also taken by what are the top priorities in executive development and what were the traits that were not deemed necessary or important,” she says.

The top five priorities of executive development for the next two to three years, as revealed in the survey, were:

• Increase bench strength (Think baseball).
• Accelerate development of high priorities.
• Communicate vision and strategies, and create alignment.
• Address key business issues.
• Increase cross-organization coordination.

It was telling to discover what was deemed not important for executive development for the next two to three years:

• Build awareness of new technology.
• Launch or advance a major organizational turnaround.
• Support merger and acquisitions activity.
• Develop knowledge of competitors and their strengths.
• Support and leverage diversity.