For illustration purposes, let’s talk about two specific people management programs on which Dr. Bridges has consulted for numerous organizations. In performance management applications, Dr. Bridges works with her clients to determine how well a group of individual employees fit an ideal profile for each of their current jobs, and then develops a systematic approach to narrow specific gaps. Dr. Bridges also trains entire leadership teams on how to manage performance and counsel both high- and under-performing employees. Many of her clients also retain Dr. Bridges to coach individual executives on a just-in-time basis when these executives are about to have a difficult or complex performance discussion with an employee.
In the case of leadership development, the focus is on preparing an employee for more responsibility. Although development can enhance general professional skills, Dr. Bridges believes it is most effective—and increases shareholder value—when it is targeted to a specific role. As with other people management programs, Dr. Bridges believes that once the degree of fit between an employee’s current professional profile and the ideal profile for the position in question is determined, an individual development plan can be created. The result? A planned investment in people that is fine-tuned and relevant.
Senior executive succession planning and overall talent management projects encompass many of the same ideals. That is, assessing the fit of the current management team, developing a plan for narrowing gaps, and then implementing the plan one executive at a time through coaching and sound program design.
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