Making Executive Development Pay

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Identify objectives. Some executives use development engagements to find their extra gear. Others realize that the leadership qualities that propelled them to their current role are not the same ones they now need to thrive or to get to the next level. Still others seek development opportunities to work on competencies that they have not managed to fully leverage. Identifying what you want to achieve will help you manage the engagement more effectively.

Don't swallow the ocean. Narrow your scope. Selecting one to three areas of focus is most productive but can be very difficult for talented and ambitious individuals to accept. If that's your case, identify short-term and long-term development priorities. Tackling too much at once can be a recipe for failure.

Accept perceptions as development reality. When it's time in the process to receive feedback, remember that human beings reflexively resist critical feedback—particularly when that feedback contradicts the ways highly talented individuals view themselves. Resist the tendency to reach for examples that disprove perceptions of your leadership style (e.g., "not a team player") with which you disagree.

Focus on credibility and flexibility. When evaluating executive development firms or professionals, remember that credibility and flexibility are two important selection criteria. Do you feel that an individual or firm possesses the appropriate expertise to help you achieve your objectives? Given that executive development professionals deploy a wide range of methodologies and that executive time is limited, flexibility and responsiveness are crucial. Evaluate the extent to which a coach or development professional is willing and able to meet your unique needs and schedule.

Consider alternatives. If the time or price is not right to engage external professionals, seek out less resource-intensive alternatives. First, sit down with a mentor or a human resources executive you respect and take inventory of areas where improvement will help you and the organization. Second, select projects, task forces, or other opportunities whose rigors will fortify the areas you have targeted for improvement; if the opportunities create discomfort, your selection is on the mark. Third, periodically check in with your mentor or "internal coach." Use that individual as a sounding board to assess your progress, discuss challenges, and identify additional developmental opportunities.

Above all, be present. Once the development experience begins, executives should put down their BlackBerrys and focus on the task at hand. Development work, whether it involves a brief telephone call or an intense in-person session, requires a leader's full attention and active participation. Successful executive development engagements require active recipients. This means that leaders should take responsibility for facilitating the scheduling process, developing agenda items for each meeting, and drafting their own development plan (with the coach's input and feedback).

An executive's time is valuable. Investing that time wisely in the right development experiences can deliver great value to the individual and the organization.

Laurie B. Moret, PhD, is a senior client partner with Korn/Ferry International and is a member of the firm's Leadership Development Solutions Practice. Dr. Moret specializes in leader and team development, executive coaching, and competency modeling and assessment. Dee Gaeddert, PhD, is a senior vice-president of Korn/Ferry company LeaderSource, a leadership development and executive coaching consultancy. Dr. Gaeddert leads business development and operations functions. She specializes in building effective customer and interpersonal relationships.