Recreating a global leadership programme for a virtual world
How we partnered with LEO Learning to help their global FMCG client
The challenge
A global FMCG business is a long-standing client of our partner LEO Learning, (an e-learning provider). The business wanted to transform its prestigious two-week development programme for senior marketing and sales leaders into a virtual experience. The programme aims to hit specific learning goals around the businesses unique approach to brand building. In addition, it seeks to break down silos between sales and marketing and encourage leaders to think outside of their usual disciplines to realise the full potential of the company’s brand building and commercial approach.
Our approach
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1. Learning design
We co-created a diverse and multi-layered learning journey across the two weeks to ensure the group had a rich experience. This included lots of opportunities to challenge themselves to deepen their knowledge by working with subject matter experts in the business. In addition, the cohort of 50 had multiple connection opportunities, both with the group as a whole, and in collaborative teams where they worked on a challenge to apply their knowledge.
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2. Creative platform
To create cohesion across this multi-layered journey and to engage learners and take their experience to a new dimension, we co-developed a creative platform to wrap around the whole programme. The concept of an expedition was used across all touchpoints pre and post programme and served to encourage the group to think of their learning as a journey with many routes and options.
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3. Facilitation
To support the first pilot of the programme and ensure an agile approach whereby we could iterate in real time, we also helped with facilitating. As well as running the kick-off event and specific ice-breakers and energisers across the two weeks, we also supported one of the challenge teams as they worked towards their final pitch to a panel of senior leaders.
Results
Feedback from pilot one was really positive. The results of the programme will be evaluated on an ongoing basis to understand the impact at an individual, functional and business level.
What we learned
Prestigious face-to-face learning programmes can be transformed into virtual experiences, when you:
Revisit the objectives and design to meet them, rather than trying to replicate the same solution in a different format
Approach the learning journey as an experience of many parts and distinct elements
Design for human beings with human brains and bodies that need inspiration, rest, connection, reflection and challenge
Make it competitive (in a competitive organisation), ensure the challenge is real and that the stakes are high