How leaders really develop
Learn about the research that originated the 702010 framework of development and what it truly says
Understand how challenging assignments drive experiential learning
Use the ‘CCL Experience Explorer’ to uncover your most important developmental experiences and their key lessons
The CCL history …
The mission of CCL: Mission
To advance the understanding, practice and development of leadership for the benefit of society worldwide.
Original question from Lessons of Experience research
The outcome of the question above generated 5 categories of top developmental events. Only three of those are now in the 70:20:10 model. Here were the original figures:Event Category
Frequency (percentage of all events)
Challenging assignments
55.8 %
Hardships
17.4 %
Other people
18.0 %
Coursework
6.2 %
Personal Life Events
2.6 %
If you cut the categories 'personal life events' and 'hardships', the others recalculate pretty close to the rounded numbers of the 70:20:10 model. Challenging assignments than gets 69.8% and becomes 'experience', other people recalculates at 22.5% and coursework at 7.7%.One reason for cutting the categories of personal life events and adversaries is that organisations would not provide for these, they just 'happen'. When they do happen, they have profound developmental impact on leaders. I think one of the best things the 70:20:10 model does, is it breaks open development from just looking at courses. Just know that the original research went also further than the current 3 categories, so if you want to see the big picture you need to also factor in the developmental events that 'just happen' rather than being provided for.
Not just any course … relevant ones (applicable to your context/situation/role)
Not just any ‘others’ … key relationships (eg in leadership – the manager)
Not just any experience … challenging / out of comfort zone
The model (not law or recipe) is intuitive and catchy and states that roughly we learn 70% from experience, 20% through others and 10% via courses.The model is often traced back to research done at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), and has since started a life on its own. I've seen organisations using 70/20/10 sensibly, and I've seen organisations turning it into a dogma or a justification of budget cuts. I've seen questions on the validity (as a rule of thumb: always be suspicious with models that have rounded figures), I've read people arguing the numbers don't matter, and I've seen it pop up in the discussions on social learning.
L&D: historically … focus on 10, then 20, now also 70.
(eg courses – informal learning – performance support)
Important to stress that joint responsibility L&D, business, the learner, the providers…
10:
20:
70: eg also wearables
Free download on : http://insights.ccl.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/GroomingTopLeaders.pdf
Open the Experience Explorer box at your table.
Spread out into two separate piles the 52 blue (experience) cards and the orange (lesson) cards.
Each person now select 1 or 2 cards that describe very memorable experiences you have had that have shaped your approach leadership.
At your tables share the story of one of your very memorable experiences and the key lesson or lessons you drew from the experience – the pile of yellow cards can serve to remind you of each lesson learned
(if time permits) What do you notice about the lessons you learned?
Debrief:
What are your reactions and feelings to this activity?
What did you notice about the stories you shared and heard?
What similarities, differences other observations?