Leadership Acceleration Program (LAP) Guide

1. Program Introduction & Benefits

The Leadership Acceleration Program (LAP) is a structured, six-month coaching program designed to fast-track high-potential employees into leadership roles. Anchored in proven leadership development models, it employs a blended 70-20-10 learning architecture, integrating systemic executive coaching with practical, on-the-job application. The program is built on frameworks like GROW, CLEAR, and Assessment-Challenge-Support (ACS) to drive measurable behavior change and strategic impact.

Strategic Benefits for Employees:

• Accelerated Readiness: Systematically bridges the gap between high-potential identification and leadership role readiness through targeted stretch assignments and coaching.
• Enhanced Self-Awareness & Agency: Utilizes assessments and reflective coaching to build emotional intelligence, a growth mindset, and a strong leadership identity.
• Practical Skill Mastery: Moves beyond theory to develop core leadership competencies—such as giving feedback, delegating, and influencing stakeholders—through deliberate practice in real work contexts.
• Expanded Organizational Network: Provides structured exposure to sponsors, stakeholders, and peers, enhancing visibility and building critical relationships for future leadership success.
• Tangible Career Currency: Results in a portfolio of demonstrated impact (projects, improved 360° ratings) and a clear "Way Forward" plan, directly supporting promotion and role expansion.

2. Program Expansion Strategy

Analysis: The primary program is a Coaching Program. While coaching provides expert-guided development and accountability, a supplemental Mentorship layer would significantly enhance outcomes by adding role-modeling, organizational navigation, and career sponsorship.

Proposed Supplemental Mentorship Layer:

• Value Addition: Mentorship complements expert coaching by providing context-specific organizational wisdom. Mentors can offer insights into company culture, political dynamics, and unspoken career paths, which are critical for high-potentials preparing for leadership. This creates a powerful support system: Coaches develop capability, while Mentors illuminate context and provide sponsorship.
• Implementation Note: Pair each participant with a senior leader (not their direct manager) as a mentor. Structure this as a lightweight addition: three scheduled conversations over the six months (aligned with key milestones) focused on career narrative, stakeholder navigation, and organizational influence. Provide mentors with a simple conversation guide based on the CLEAR model to ensure productive dialogues.

3. Implementation Roadmap

Launch Phase (Pre-Program to Month 1)

1. Stakeholder Alignment: Secure executive sponsorship and align with HR/Talent on participant selection criteria.
2. Participant & Coach Selection: Identify high-potential employees via talent review. Vet and assign certified external or internal coaches.
3. Kick-off & Contracting: Conduct program launch session. Facilitate initial CLEAR-model contracting sessions between participants, their coaches, and their direct managers.
4. Baseline Assessment: Administer 360° or multi-rater assessments to establish a development baseline (ACS Framework: Assessment phase).

Tracking & Operations (Months 1-6)

1. Rhythm of Coaching: Establish a cadence of bi-weekly 1:1 coaching sessions (shifting from CLEAR to GROW/ACS models).
2. Cohort Learning: Schedule monthly cohort workshops aligned with the four content modules.
3. Manager Engagement: Provide managers with quarterly update guides and involve them in defining on-the-job stretch assignments (70% of learning).
4. Progress Documentation: Use a central platform (see Approved Tools) for participants to log coaching conversations, project updates, and reflections.

Success Measurement

Quantitative KPIs:

• Participant: ≥90% program completion rate; average improvement of +1.0 point on 5-point scale in targeted 360° competencies; 100% completion of a capstone business impact project.
• Organizational: ≥40% of participants promoted or placed into expanded leadership roles within 12 months of program end; measurable ROI from participant projects (e.g., process efficiency gains ≥5%).
• Process: 100% of participants complete baseline and final assessments; coach and program satisfaction scores ≥4.5/5.

Qualitative Feedback Mechanisms:

• Mid-point and final focus groups with participants and their managers.
• Thematic analysis of participant reflection journals and final impact narratives.
• Sponsor debriefs on final project presentations.

4. Approved Tools List

• Coaching Software: Primary Tool. Essential for scheduling sessions, securely storing coaching agreements and notes, tracking goal progress, and facilitating feedback collection (e.g., 360° surveys). This is the operational core of the program.
• LMS (Learning Management System): Required. To host asynchronous learning content (readings, video briefs for each module), administer pre/post-assessments, and track completion of formal learning (the 10% component).
• Personality Test / Psychometric Tool: Highly Recommended. To be used during the Foundation phase (Module 1) to deepen self-awareness and provide a common language for coaching conversations (supports the ACS framework).
• Internal Social Network: Optional but Beneficial. To create a private cohort group for peer support, sharing resources, and celebrating milestones, fostering community and collaborative learning (the 20% peer learning component).

Justification: The Coaching Software and LMS are non-negotiable for program integrity and scalability. The Personality Test provides critical assessment data. The Internal Social Network supports peer learning but can be initially managed via existing company channels if necessary.

5. Resource & Content Library

Training Content for Coaches:

• Guide: "Integrating ACS, GROW, and CLEAR in a 6-Month Engagement"
• Article/Video: "Systemic Coaching: Helping Leaders See the Organizational Field"
• Toolkit: Questions for coaching on specific challenges: Delegation, Strategic Thinking, Managing Upwards.
• Guide: "Measuring Behavioral Shift: From Observation to Evidence"

Training Content for Coachees (Participants):

• Video Series: "The Leader's Mindset: Shifting from Contributor to Coach"
• Interactive Guide: "Creating Your Leadership Development Plan (Using GROW)"
• Workbook: "Stakeholder Mapping & Influence Planning"
• Template: "Business Impact Project Charter"
• Reflection Journal Prompts: Aligned with each program module.
• Article: "Giving & Receiving Feedforward"