Client stories: Pearson

This article is filed under: leadership

Developing leaders for the future

“All our Pearson companies are rethinking their businesses in the context of growth in digital technologies and the emergence of major new markets. But are our business leaders also rethinking the way we lead our people into the future?” Specifically, Alison Young, Director for Talent and Leadership, realised that senior leaders wanted to know:

  • How well are we building the talent we need for the future?
  • What new skills and roles will we need in our workforce to build the future?
  • How well does the Pearson proposition appeal to new generations of talent and do we understand what they will need in the future?
  • How well do our leaders connect with people emotionally?

More than just managing talent

Pearson already has a well-understood framework for assessing and developing their senior leaders, but the rapid changes in technology and markets have exposed a need for both new thinking and new capabilities among their people. This is more than simply ‘managing talent’; this is about helping leaders to think through the implications of their business strategies for their future people plans.

Stanton Marris consultants worked as part of a mixed internal/external team that took on the challenge of designing an innovative development opportunity for the business leaders. The aim was to create the space and stimulus for Pearson’s business leaders to focus on the future, think differently about their talent needs and plan together how to transform their organisations and take their people with them.

When we need to get some fresh thinking and inspiration about our future needs, I invite Stanton Marris to come in and help us. In this case, it’s been quite a challenge to design a programme that connects the business strategy with the people issues. I am delighted with the result and hope that it becomes a touchstone for change in the way our business leaders think about developing the capabilities we need for the future.

Alison Young
Director for Talent and Leadership, Pearson

Building the future together

An early pilot with senior managers of The Financial Times newspaper group helped to refine the design approach and the content.

Pearson is now launching the new 2-day Leadership Masterclass as a timely and thought-provoking change intervention. It creates the context and support to leaders to stand back from the day-to-day, think back from the future and build plans and actions that will help them ensure they have the people, capabilities and skills they need to deliver the future strategy.

Contact us to find out how we can help you