Freight brokerage England Logistics launched its New Leader Development program in 2018 with a two-fold mission:
1. To bring newly promoted, sometimes first-time leaders up to speed as quickly as possible to help support and sustain revenue- and margin-generating account managers and support staff
2. To support the need for new leaders as the company continues to grow
Career growth is one of the core values at England Logistics because it understands that, regardless of industry, it is a company focused on people. The company wins when it is focused on developing its talent, and it has found that talent stays and produces when they are focused on career advancement opportunities. One of these opportunities comes in the form of promotion to a leadership position. Growing new leaders into great leaders is at the heart of the New Leader Development program, and it has been tailored to give these new leaders a timely, in-depth, and comprehensive understanding of their new role.
Program Details
England Logistics’ senior director of Learning and Development teaches New Leader Development, a six-week intensive course filled with 25 hours of instructor-led, hands-on training covering 12 different topics, from time management to retention. Each session is focused on helping leaders meet the demands of their new role. The first week kicks off with 10 hours of training dedicated to five of the 12 topics. New Leader Development is intentionally front-loaded with training to capture new leaders’ available schedule before the demands of their role get too pressing. Following the first week, the time dedicated to training tapers down to one hour per week on weeks five and six, allowing for the training to stay fresh in the new leaders’ minds and to address any topics that may need more attention as they experience them first-hand in their new role.
Results
Since its conception, the New Leader Development program has turned out two graduating classes. All of the graduates have cited the impact this program has had on their approach to leadership in many different ways, from aligning new leaders to England Logistics’ leadership style to gaining a customizable one-on-one approach.
The biggest measurable impact this class has had is on efficiency. One new leader reported a 30 percent increase in sales volume when measuring individual KPIs (key performance indicators) between now and when he first was promoted. Another leader increased transactions processed per hour from 23 to 35. That’s a 52 percent increase in efficiency, which also has raised hiring triggers.
As England Logistics continues to promote new leaders to accommodate for its projected growth goals, the New Leader Development program will play a vital role in ensuring that leaders are prepared to deal with their new responsibilities, align with the company’s leadership style, and have the skills to motivate their employees. Timing is key when it comes to new leader development; that’s why the New Leader Development program is offered every quarter and it’s expected that each new leader will attend within three months of becoming a leader.
