Harvard Business Publishing Releases “Leading for Results”, an Online Learning Offering That Ties Strengths-Based Leadership Development to Organizational Results

Animations, Interactive Exercises and 40+ Minutes of Video from Leadership Experts Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood Personalize the Learning Experience

BOSTON – Harvard Business Publishing, the premier source for management practices, programs and content, today announced “Leading for Results: Leveraging Your Leader Brand to Deliver Value.” This online learning course takes leaders through an engaging six-step process to develop their personal leader brands and to build action plans for how to use their leadership strengths to achieve positive results for their organizations. Leading for Results draws from concepts outlined by Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood in their books Leadership Brand: Developing Customer-Focused Leaders to Drive Performance and Build Lasting Value and the upcoming Leadership Code: Five Rules to Lead By (Harvard Business Press, January 2009).

Designed for leaders at all levels, Leading for Results is a one- to three- hour online experience that guides leaders through the process of developing their leader brand, and helps them define what they are trying to achieve and how to achieve it – for them personally and for their organization.



“Leader brands provide clarity between an individual’s unique set of capabilities and the customer expectations of that leader’s unit or organization,” said Dave Ulrich, partner and co-founder of The RBL Group (www.rbl.net) and a professor of business at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. “A limitation of existing strengths-based leadership offerings is that individual leadership development isn’t typically linked to customer expectations. In the current business climate, leadership development must go beyond the individual to yield tangible results for the organization. Leaders should build on their strengths that will strengthen others.”

Individual Action Plans Tied to Organizational Goals

To ensure that these broader results are achieved, Leading for Results culminates in the creation of an action plan leaders can use to measure progress toward identified goals. Organizations can pre-populate the interactive exercises in the course with goals and leadership attributes specific to their businesses.

Leaders are prompted throughout the course to bring others into their experience at key points – such as when they articulate their leader brand and define their goals. Adviser Guides are included for the coaches, mentors or bosses who work with these leaders to prepare them to play a constructive role in the development process.

Rich Media Brings the Experts to the Desktop

Leading for Results is an active, hands-on course with a clear path for participants. The experience includes rich animations, interactive exercises and three “virtual cohort” members moving through the process with participants. The course brings Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood of The RBL Group – two thought leaders in leadership development and results-based leadership – “up close” through 40 minutes of new video.

Hyatt Hotels and Resorts was a beta user of Leading for Results. “Our team found the program very engaging,” said Christy Sinnott, Vice President – Learning and Development, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. “The videos really personalized the whole experience and made it seem like the authors were talking right to each of us. This course is a natural continuation of our work with Leadership Brand.”

Leading for Results is currently available. It complements Harvard Business Publishing’s skill-building online courses and simulations such as Leadership Transitions, Stepping Up to Management, Negotiating for Results and What Is a Leader? Harvard Business Publishing offers hosting services or can implement the course through an organization’s learning management system. Customization options are available through Implementation Services.

For more information, including a preview of the program, visit: ww3.harvardbusiness.org/corporate/products-and-services/courses.html

About Harvard Business Publishing

Harvard Business Publishing partners with its corporate clients to understand their learning objectives and works with them to develop and implement a customized portfolio of content and services uniquely suited to their talent development strategies. In its client engagements, Harvard Business Publishing delivers thought leadership applied to real-world problems for measurable results. Its offerings are distinguished by a deep, rich well of business content from which to develop learning solutions, expertise in facilitating participant-centered learning, and access to experts on management practice worldwide. Harvard Business Publishing stands out in the marketplace because of the unique transformational learning experience it delivers for business leaders at all levels, from a company’s most senior executive to its high-potential performers. For more information, visit Harvard Business Publishing at www.harvardbusiness.org/corporate.