Involving HR and learning & development specialists from a number of client organisations, Pearn Kandola recently piloted a workshop designed specifically to enhance self-awareness. This article focuses on some of the research that led to the development of this initiative and the impact of the workshop on senior managers.
The self-awareness development workshop was driven by a Pearn Kandola research panel, set up specifically to explore the most important factors in senior management development.
As a starting point, the research explored the internal and external factors that hinder or facilitate management development, both in terms of the organisation (e.g. culture, development opportunities, etc) and the individual (e.g. learning style, career anchors, motivation, etc).
Based on the initial research, the panel went on to investigate whether or not there were similarities in the values and motivations of individuals that were deemed to be making a significant positive contribution to the organisation for which they worked. The results of a large number of interviews with highly rated senior managers concluded that the strongest core values possessed by these individuals were integrity, honesty and respect for others. In addition, the research highlighted that the majority of senior managers interviewed also possessed a high level of self-awareness.