Tech Firms Not up to Snuff on Developing Leaders

Results of the Hewitt Associates survey indicate that, while nearly nine out of 10 of the tech companies have formal leadership training programs, only a third believe existing efforts have been effective in turning out the next generations of Bill Gates executives.

According to the study, 88% of the technology companies surveyed have a defined set of qualities they look for when hiring leadership talent.

However, just 40% of these organizations use these criteria on a consistent or somewhat consistent basis when hiring leaders from outside the company, and 80% use the criteria when selecting leaders from within the organization, respondents said

Asked for their strategies to develop leaders:

• 93% mentioned internal leadership
• 87% pinpointed early identification of leaders
• 67% said cross-function experience
• 67% mentioned special team projects.

Assessing Leaders

Meanwhile, technology companies are employing a variety of methods to assess leadership behavior and ability. For example, 71% said they use manager-assessment tools, 65% mentioned 360-degree feedback, and 59% said they use self-assessments.

As for the success of these programs in determining an appropriate leader for a position, 56% of the respondents stated that they are effective and 38% said they were somewhat effective.

Hewitt’s recent Leadership Study of CEOs and HR executives representing 240 major US-based, multi-national companies included 17 of the nation’s largest technology (hardware and equipment) companies.