How to cultivate leadership?
To identify and cultivate potential leaders in Saudi Arabia, organisations must adopt a comprehensive approach that employs diverse assessment tools such as 360-degree feedback, psychometrics, achievement records, and leadership assignment projects, ensuring alignment with business strategy and KPIs; explains Imad Ghazzawi, Chief People Officer Group Executive Director, People at Tiqmo.
Ghazzawi explains that developmental programs should be tailored to groups and individuals, combining a shared foundational curriculum with customised support to address unique strengths and areas for improvement. Whether it is mentorship or coaching, both elements remain crucial, significantly enhancing the ROI of training programs.
He argues, future leadership will demand adaptability to technological advancements but also ensuring a dynamic, people-centric approaches in the workdplace.
What are the strategies you would recommend to identify and cultivate potential leaders at organisations in the Kingdom?
This is a very important point, as we discuss the importance of having a comprehensive approach that applies all possible tools and methodologies to ensure that deep assessment of potential leaders was done through various reliable channels such as 360 development feedback, psychometrics, achievement records, leadership assignment projects.
It is very important to identify the exact target out of these initiatives whilst demonstrating their direct and indirect connection with the business strategy and KPIs.
How do you advise companies to personalise their programs?
The process must take into consideration a lot of details in related o the organisation and targeted individuals. The best programs I have been part of had two types of development journeys: one is targeting the group and another tailor made for each individual regardless of which group they belong to. In both scenarios, everyone receives a major shared message in addition to a customised support of the unique areas of strength and improvement.
How can companies in the Kingdom benefit from mentorship?
Coaching and mentoring during the process is super important as some studies show that the ROI of training programs increase by about 70% when combined with coaching or mentoring sessions.
Many organisations in Saudi Arabia showcase great examples by including coaching and mentoring advanced practices as an integral part of their leadership development programs. The bring in internal and external talents to provide the required coaching and mentoring support.
How do you anticipate the role of leadership evolving in the coming years with the rise of technological advancements and shifting global dynamics?
Due to the major challenges facing organisations today, leadership is required to transform and drive people centric initiatives.
Current data on future employment trends underscore the crucial role of HR in ensuring well-being and enhancing the employee experience.
What key skills and competencies must leaders develop to effectively navigate the complexities of a rapidly changing business landscape?
As per the independent academic institute IMD, there are eight key skills needed for leaders in 2024 which are:
Relationship building
Agility & adaptability
Innovation & creativity
Employee motivation
Decision making
Conflict management
Negotiation
Critical thinking
How will automation impact leadership roles?
AI will have a significant impact and there will be a significant increase in the need of the human side of matters especially the parts related to well being, motivation and creativity to ensure the maximum usage of AI solutions.