LCP LCP LCP
Skip to content

The Institute for Corporate Productivity recently completed a case study about Ford Motor Company’s Global Executive Leadership Program.

 
The research correlates the design practices and methodology approach with the impact on leaders. It highlights their creative and effective use of business simulations.

In their words:

Fewer than 20% of companies use live simulations to develop leaders, and only about 12% use virtual simulations. However, about one in four market-leading firms take Ford’s blended approach, a method strongly correlated to market performance and organizational learning effectiveness.

The power of business simulations as an effective way to build insight, skills and relationships has been proven time and again.
  • Simulations by design enable participants to practice and deepen new skills.

  • However, simulation experiences also help shift participants’ mindset and perspective about their role, about company strategy, about the decisions that they face. (One R&D scientist after taking on the role of a business unit lead in a simulation commented, “I realized how little time leadership has to focus on the deep details of R&D. We think we’re the most important function, but we’re one of many.”)

  • Simulation experiences also create a network of new relationships for leaders. There is no better way to network than to tackle a business challenge together. A simulation experience accelerates relationship development in teams of leaders—who in a few hours in the classroom build invaluable connections that enable knowledge sharing, networking and business progress back on the job.

The business value from a simulation experience can be significant, but as Ford’s experience suggests, it can be even better.


Extending the experience can take many forms and approaches. Some companies focus on reinforcing the content: sending a ‘drip campaign” of curated content that prompts leaders every few weeks or months to remember the insights offered in the program. Some companies focus on reinforcing the connection: creating a LinkedIn group of participants to share news, knowledge and find each other quickly. Some companies expand the network created in a learning program by bringing together multiple cohorts for alumni events.

 

Sustain Learning

Here are the five elements that we suggest when we help our clients sustain learning:
  1. Keep it simple: only a few big ideas or a single request per contact.

  2. Make it useful and actionable in any time zone in any time window: leaders will be more responsive to learning reinforcement that they can fit into their schedule rather than vice-versa

  3. Periodically ask for a simple response: it will help gauge interest and sustain involvement

  4. Reinforce the community: give leaders a way to see the insights and participation of others, but get creative with the design to keep it doable.

  5. Give leaders the opportunity to “opt-out”—they will have more engagement if they have more control. Few will use the option, but those that do, will be more positive.

Sustaining and deepening learning back on the job is very individual, but systemic prompts and reinforcement can provide a tremendous nudge.

 

Amanda Young HIckman co-founded Insight Experience, a Boston-based firm delivering contextually rich, immersive business simulations and learning experiences to accelerate and integrate leadership, business acumen and strategy execution.

Subscribe to Our Blog

Let's Talk

We'd love to hear about your leadership development goals.

Leave Comment

Recent Posts

Leveraging Decision Data for Organizational Excellence-featured-image
Leveraging Decision Data for Organizational Excellence
Click to view Leveraging Decision Data for Organizational Excellence

How does your organization quantify leadership effectiveness beyond subjective self-assessment reports and...

Category:-  Featured , Business Simulation , Leadership

Learn More Click to view blog post
Leadership Illuminated: A Q&A with Women Shaping the Future-featured-image
Leadership Illuminated: A Q&A with Women Shaping the Future
Click to view Leadership Illuminated: A Q&A with Women Shaping the Future

Four years ago, just before heading back to work after the birth of my second child, I spoke to my close...

Category:-  Featured , Leadership

Learn More Click to view blog post
Digital Handshakes: Embracing Virtual Networking-featured-image
Digital Handshakes: Embracing Virtual Networking
Click to view Digital Handshakes: Embracing Virtual Networking

In today's evolving professional landscape, virtual networking has become vital for corporate leaders looking...

Category:-  Featured , Leadership

Learn More Click to view blog post
Your Guide to Bringing Strategic Leadership to Life, Part 2-featured-image
Your Guide to Bringing Strategic Leadership to Life, Part 2
Click to view Your Guide to Bringing Strategic Leadership to Life, Part 2

Back in September, in a blog post titled "Your Guide to Bringing Strategic Leadership to Life," I explored...

Category:-  Featured , Business Simulation

Learn More Click to view blog post
New Offerings to Help Your Leaders Succeed-featured-image
New Offerings to Help Your Leaders Succeed
Click to view New Offerings to Help Your Leaders Succeed

At Insight Experience, we believe in the constant evolution of our offerings to meet our clients'...

Category:-  Featured , Leadership

Learn More Click to view blog post
Lead from Your Feet: The Leadership Benefits of Taking a Walk-featured-image
Lead from Your Feet: The Leadership Benefits of Taking a Walk
Click to view Lead from Your Feet: The Leadership Benefits of Taking a Walk

Recently, a member of my team asked if they could sign off a bit early to go for a bike ride, “now that it...

Category:-  Featured , Leadership

Learn More Click to view blog post
Insightful Ideas: 2023 Flashes of Understanding-featured-image
Insightful Ideas: 2023 Flashes of Understanding
Click to view Insightful Ideas: 2023 Flashes of Understanding

A few weeks ago, a colleague sent me this (delightfully) cryptic message via Slack: "Today's NYT crossword...

Category:-  Featured , Leadership

Learn More Click to view blog post
Winter Wisdom: Reframing Leadership in the Quiet of the Season-featured-image
Winter Wisdom: Reframing Leadership in the Quiet of the Season
Click to view Winter Wisdom: Reframing Leadership in the Quiet of the Season

Note: This is the second blog post in our Season of Leadership series. Look for one about summer here, and...

Category:-  Featured , Leadership

Learn More Click to view blog post
Why Giving Tuesday Matters-featured-image
Why Giving Tuesday Matters
Click to view Why Giving Tuesday Matters

Today marks the National Day of Giving, more commonly known as Giving Tuesday, which was initiated in 2012 by...

Category:-  Featured , Leadership

Learn More Click to view blog post
Leadership Express Sims: Interactive Learning in a 2-4 Hour Format-featured-image
Leadership Express Sims: Interactive Learning in a 2-4 Hour Format
Click to view Leadership Express Sims: Interactive Learning in a 2-4 Hour Format

Business simulations bring complex ideas to life. Simulations enable adult learning because they engage...

Category:-  Featured , Business Simulation , Leadership

Learn More Click to view blog post