Accelerated leadership development in South Africa

Abstract

South African leaders who can deal with the complexities of the global and local economic challenges are scarce. Thus individuals with high potential are targeted for appropriate exposure to accelerate or "fast-track" their development. The present study aims to contribute to the knowledge base of accelerated leadership development in South Africa by investigating the reasons, programme design, content, training methods and programme effectiveness, as well as guidelines for programme development. The research method used is qualitative, comprising personal and group interviews, supplemented with document studies. The research was conducted at Vodacom, Gold Fields and Anglo Platinum. The study indicated factors that detract from the effectiveness of accelerated leadership development programmes, e.g. resistance at middle management level and the negative impact of outside appointments. Guidelines for effective programme design were determined and included commitment from top management, selection of candidates, management of expectations, and effective retention strategies.