Empowering Leaders of Tomorrow: Inside INSTANDA's 'Impact Your Outcome' Talent Program

This time last year, INSTANDA’s CHRO, Sara Shipley, and Head of Learning and Client Training, Hazel Spain, started exploring the creation of an inhouse talent development program with a difference. Following an enormously successful Impact Your Outcome program launch last summer, we catch up with Hazel to discover more about INSTANDA’s unique approach to talent development, and what 2023’s delegates gained from the program.

What prompted the idea for the program?

Sara and I are passionate about developing talent. After laying the foundations for a great learning environment in my first 18 months at INSTANDA – including onboarding, manager training, insurance training, a career hub, and encouraging employee learning opportunities – we decided to create an inhouse talent development program. Aptly named Impact Your Outcome, the career acceleration program coaches aspiring leaders to act and drive their career to the next level.

How is Impact Your Outcome different to other leadership programs?

Before joining INSTANDA, Sara and I had both worked in large organizations where talent programs involved choosing or nominating people to attend. We wanted to do things differently at INSTANDA. Designed to be accessible and available to all, Impact Your Outcome empowers individual employees to make that choice themselves.

Launched in June 2023, all employees were invited to apply for one of six places on the 10-week program.

How were employees selected?

We set a few parameters to make sure the selection process was fair and focused on the individual. We encouraged people to submit an application explaining why they should be chosen, what they hoped to gain from the program, and how they would commit to learning.

After that, applicants were invited to make a pitch to two members of the senior management team for a place on the program. There was no need to give a presentation; they just had to demonstrate their enthusiasm and drive by summarizing, in ten minutes, what they hoped to bring to and gain from the program.

What were the benefits of limiting the number of places?

Being our first Impact Your Outcome program, we deliberately kept the number of places to six. This was to ensure that we could give each person the right amount of individual and peer support to achieve their goals.

The program included 1-2-1 mentoring, coaching, and action learning sets, plus regular check-ins and feedback, and so keeping numbers manageable was important.

How does the learning tie into INSTANDA’s organizational objectives?

This was one of the most exciting parts about the program. We anchored the format of the group activities to INSTANDA’s strategic priorities. As a group, delegates were tasked with producing a solution to a business challenge that the company could adopt and take forward beyond the program. In choosing a priority to focus on, they were also asked to consider how their individual development needs would be met through the task.

What did those on the program learn about themselves and others?

Impact Your Outcome weaves in lots of opportunities for feedback, mentoring and coaching that are rooted to individual goals and support group collaboration. Each session provides a safe space for the individual to unpick anything holding them back, overcome challenges and build the confidence to try new strategies.

The program starts with a Korn Ferry Potential in Leadership assessment. This is a great self-assessment that identifies the traits, drivers, and key competencies of successful leaders. Each person on the program receives a detailed report and a 90-minute feedback session to help them to form and agree their three key areas for development and focus during the program.

What do participants learn from one another?

Peer support is about not being alone and realizing that other people also have fears and worries too, which creates an incredibly supportive learning environment. Coming together to focus on their chosen business challenge, delegates learned how to build trust and vulnerability to arrive at the right decisions.

The group action learning sessions were a huge success. The questions posed by delegates were answered collectively through the sharing of valuable insights and perspectives.

What did you find most satisfying about running the program?

I truly love my job. I love seeing people aspire and then achieve the progress or dream that they want. Helping people realize a greater sense of control over their careers is very satisfying.

As a coach, I believe we all have the power within ourselves to achieve whatever we want. Often the thing that gets in the way is us. Our thoughts and beliefs can stop us from taking the actions that propel us forward. It was a privilege to share this and encourage all the delegates to have that mindset.

All delegates made progress within their development areas and have taken these learnings into their plans for 2024.

What’s your fondest memory from the 2023 program?

It must be the confidence, professionalism and expertise delegates showed when they presented their proposal to our Co-Founders and Director of Finance. It was an opportunity for them to be visible, to influence and persuade, and they took that opportunity and ran with it.

The feedback they received was phenomenally good and the proposal they produced is now being implemented. That says it all really.

How will the program continue to evolve?

I am a huge advocate for continuous improvement, and following feedback from our 2023 delegates, I am hoping to introduce some formal leadership training sessions into the next program.

We haven’t quite settled on a number but depending on the volume of applications, the plan for 2024 is to increase the number of places.

What’s next for 2023’s aspiring leaders?

Support doesn’t stop once the program finishes. I’ve held 1-2-1 follow-up sessions with delegates to create personal development plans for 2024. Plus, our 2023 intake are now working on a cross-team project to implement their group proposal. I cannot wait to see the results of their efforts!