HSBC Global Next Generation Leadership Programme

In 2007, HSBC recognised that its future leaders would need a greater understanding of sustainability, more effective cross-cultural skills, and more effective leadership styles than traditional learning approaches could offer if the business was to thrive in their hands.

Grasping the challenge of developing a world class experience for their global talent, they partnered with Future Considerations and LEAD to create a truly transformational programme for their brightest and best.

Challenge

We were asked to create a ‘learn through doing’ experience  which would give leaders genuine ‘edge of comfort zone’ experiences that they could translate into every day work. The design needed to enable HSBC’s best people to lead high performing teams on real projects, work across cultures, and use breakthrough innovation tools to deliver systemic changes for local communities as well as generate value for different parts of the HSBC business.

Approach

Together, we developed a 6-month long, 3 phase programme which included a field challenge working with a local not-for-profit entities in developing countries, a business project delivering strategically aligned global objectives and a final presentation to the bank’s global leadership. Each phase is supported by 1 to 1 coaching, team action learning calls, and senior business sponsor support

Each programme develops 6 or 7 teams of 12-15 people in separate field and business challenges.

Delivery & Outcomes

• 10 programmes run 2007 through 2015.
• Over 700 participants.
• Over 60 field challenges delivered to communities in Brazil, India, Argentina, Indonesia & Mexico. Over 60 business projects delivered across the business.
• An estimated 150% ROI for the programme.
• Significantly higher rate of internal promotion amongst alumni than non-NGDP alumni.

“There is a clear need to refocus behaviour on meeting customers and stakeholders’ needs to restore trust into the financial industry. Culture change interventions like the NGDP that I designed with Future Considerations really do shift culture and we will be investing more in these types of program. The NGDP provided us with a view about what it takes to create a high-performing organization and culture and how working collaboratively with our customers and our communities is a winning formula. This learning is being used to inform our global culture change program, where we focus on fundamental human values like mutual respect and trust to create responsible leaders that respond to the responsibilities of organizations in society. When we are collaborating between our employees, customers and communities we can truly fulfil our purpose ‘to enable businesses to thrive and economies to prosper, helping people fulfil their hopes and dreams and realize their ambitions’ which is hugely exciting.”

Vanessa Bateson, Global Head of Leadership, HSBC