Talent Management in the current climate Brewing up ... - Ashridge

On the whole there was a high
level of energy and enthusiasm,
with participants actively seeking
out the choices they had made
and responding very positively
to the commitment, thought
and experience that had gone
into every aspect of the project,
and in particular the openness
demonstrated by Lovells, Partners
who had given their time to share
experience and know-how with
associates.
“There was also however a fair
amount of questioning of various
aspects of the process and the
offering, and it was hard therefore
to judge at the time the degree of
‘success’ of the event. I think this
was actually a positive sign – it
meant that we really had created
something genuinely creative
and challenging for participants
and for those of us attending and
contributing in various ways.”
The virtual action learning
process
After the conference, continuing
learning was supported through
the provision of virtual action
learning sets (VALS). The design
envisaged that the groups – which
had met by phone for the first time
just prior to the conference – and
had then worked quite extensively
together during the event – would
‘meet’ virtually by conference call a
further four times over a six-month
period. The aim of the VALS was
to continue the peer support and
challenge for the application of the
new learning.
During a virtual action learning
session, which would typically
last for approximately four hours,
participants in a group of five to
six would get the opportunity to
reflect on their learning and discuss
a specific issue (or preoccupation)
arising in the context of their efforts
to apply this learning while working
as a Senior Associate. The process
is an intense one of challenge and
support obliging people to reflect on
their mental models and behaviours.
The process is facilitated by an
Ashridge consultant.
In practice, it proved very
difficult for the VALS to meet
successfully, owing to the way a
legal practice works. Dates and
times put into the diary would
often have to be cancelled at short
“I learnt a lot from the
experience as well as greatly
appreciating (and enjoying) the
opportunity to meet and interact
with many of our colleagues
from other Continental Europe
and International offices;
the conference also shed light
on my own abilities and how
to develop as a lawyer and
stakeholder in the firm.”
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notice, as client demands called
lawyers away unexpectedly.
Other members persevered.
Some groups continued to meet
successfully for their allotted
four sessions. We found that
these groups did not stick to the
expected ‘rules’ of virtual action
learning as had been expected,
but in cooperation with their
facilitator developed their own
ways of working – reducing session
times from four to two hours, for
example.
Ashridge virtual action learning
pioneer Ghislaine Caulat reflects on
the experience: “In retrospect I think
that we should have offered virtual
action learning on a voluntary basis
for people wanting to deepen their
learning and develop virtual learning
networks around the organisation.
Most participants felt that they had
to say yes to this process without
really knowing what they were
embarking on.”
One year on…
The learning from the
conference has continued, both
in the Senior Associate group and
more widely across the firm. Alison
Jones recalls:
“We now have the perspective
of a year from which to look at the
impact the conference had. We
have used the learning we gained
from that programme to great
effect in our in-house development
programmes for more experienced
associates and partners. I think
there are three elements that have
been most successfully adapted
into other programmes:
• Choice: Offering a range of
electives has become a standard
part of our programmes.
• Size: The conference really
confirmed my belief that
bringing together large groups
of participants adds enormously
to the richness and energy of the
experience. This has an added
benefit to our business where
the ability to ‘cross-sell’ our
global services to clients is key to
business growth.
• Partner participation: Integrating
our more senior people into
both the design and delivery of
the programme is something
we now do routinely and it has
added immeasurably to the
credibility and effectiveness of
the programmes. It also has
the added benefit of providing
opportunities for Partners
themselves to learn alongside
their associates.
“Creating your Future has
influenced the way we design and
deliver development programmes
to our people at every level. I think
that the work we did with Ashridge
on that programme has helped us
to create a very distinctive approach
to career management and people
development in our firm.”
Overall this has been a fantastic
project to be part of – and one
marked by mutual creativity and
mutual learning throughout. We
particularly celebrate the boldness
of the Lovells’ team in embracing
such innovative working – as was
recognised in the placing of this
project in the FT and Managing
Partners awards. But above all
we acknowledge how Lovells has
joined with Ashridge Consulting in
the genuine partnership of learning
together from both the elements
of this project that worked well
and from those that have been
a challenge to us both – this
willingness to embrace uncertainty
and to learn from it as a project
moves forward, is at the heart of
genuine innovation in practice.