As organisations grapple with acquisitions, restructuring, and fast-moving markets, effective leadership development is crucial. Companies are doubling down on learning programmes and targeted upskilling to equip managers for new demands. Meanwhile, performance management is shifting toward continuous, coaching-led feedback.
Leadership thinking has changed over the years, says Erich Van Heerden, senior security analyst with insurance software and technology company Guidewire, which is the recipient of the talent attraction award. “The biggest shift happened when Covid hit,” he says. “The traditional management role changed. When you don’t have people in the office to tell what to do, that’s where the leadership component comes in. How do you manage people you don’t see five days a week or just once a month? It’s hard to manage someone you don’t see.”
Technologies like artificial intelligence are also having an impact. “People want to learn,” he points out. “But the biggest challenge for managers is how to let people explore and experiment while ensuring what they are doing is safe and secure. They also have to make sure people are happy in their jobs. When introducing new technology, you’ve got to see who’s on board with the changes and bring others on board. There is a lot more work in leadership now. Leaders have to ensure their teams are set up for success.”
Set for success
Guidewire has been with Great Place to Work since 2016 and is consistently ranked in the upper tier within its category, according to Van Heerden, who also leads the company’s Emerging Leaders Programme which is targeted at people who are new to leadership or are moving into a leadership position within the next six to 12 months.
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“It’s about developing talent and setting people up for success,” he says. “People who take part in the programme develop professionally and personally. The skills they develop are relatable for inside and outside the company. I did the course myself and I liked it so much, I took it over from Victoria Barrett who started the programme six years ago.”
The nine-month programme was developed internally in Guidewire’s Irish operation, he adds. “All of the content is sourced and curated from internal sources within Guidewire globally.”
A key element of the programme is the business case. “Participants are split up into teams and tasked with solving a real problem that the business is actively dealing with. They work on solving the problem and how the solution can be scaled. They can interview people across the organisation to get their views on it. They present the business case internally at the end. This helps them hone their leadership and other skills like working in teams, delegation, time management, project management, listening and providing feedback.”
Fundamental shift
Alan Smullen, head of people at The Doyle Collection hotel group, which is a recipient of the organisational and leadership development award, agrees that leadership has undergone a fundamental shift. “Leaders of today will struggle if they do not have a deep understanding of what truly drives organisational performance,” he says. “We have all experienced global disruption in various forms over the past number of years, and we have seen dramatic changes to workforce expectations – this has transformed the role of the leader.”
Today’s most effective leaders operate with greater people skills, transparency, resilience and adaptability, he adds. “The more traditional ‘command and control’ structures have given way to cultures that prioritise trust, empowerment, collaboration and psychological safety.”
Leadership development delivers performance benefits, Smullen continues. “It underpins every aspect of our culture, our guest experience and our long-term business success. As a people-centred, family-owned hospitality group, we recognise that great leaders create great workplaces, and great workplaces create exceptional guest experiences – which ultimately is our goal and reason for being. Development of leadership skills at The Doyle Collection is not a ‘nice to have’ - it is a strategic imperative.”
Core pillar
Leadership development is not a standalone initiative at the organisation. “It is a core pillar of our people strategy, underpinning our culture, succession planning and talent retention,” he says. “We take a blended approach, combining bespoke internal programmes alongside partnerships with respected external providers to ensure our leaders receive the highest quality learning experience.”
That investment in leadership development has delivered measurable results. “We have seen stronger retention and stability across the business with attrition rates reducing significantly year-on-year, with improved leadership capability cited as a key driver,” he says. “We have also seen improved trust scores and culture metrics, and our team members consistently mention our recognised culture of development as a reason why The Doyle Collection is a Great Place to Work.”
Some of the key Great Place to Work metrics he cites include 87 per cent of employees saying customers would rate the service they deliver as ‘excellent’; 84 per cent saying, ‘I’m proud to tell others I work here’; and 83 per cent saying, ‘I can be myself around here’.
Consistent investment
Leaders at Irish-owned mutual insurer IPB must combine technical excellence with agility, inclusivity and a strong sense of purpose, according to director of human resources Máiréad Conway. “That is why we invest consistently in leadership development; to build a cohesive community of leaders who live our values, think long-term and deliver added value for members,” she says.
IPB has participated in Great Place to Work since 2014 and has been certified for the past eight years, she points out. “Our most recent Trust Index results show an all‑question average of 78 per cent and 85 per cent agreement with the statement ‘taking everything into account, this is a Great Place to Work’. These results reflect a culture where people feel proud of our mutual, connected to our purpose and engaged in shaping what comes next.
“We have a clear vision and strategy at IPB, and this requires effective leadership,” she adds. “Beyond subject‑matter expertise, today’s leaders need emotional intelligence, cross‑functional collaboration, and the ability to lead through opportunity and uncertainty in hybrid, highly regulated contexts.”
Leadership endures
The company’s mutual identity informs its approach to leadership, she explains. “Leaders are expected to act with integrity and prudence, bring members’ voices into decisions, and measure success in long‑term outcomes rather than short‑term gains. As we celebrate 100 years, we see that values‑anchored leadership as both principled and practical.”
IPB takes a blended approach to leadership development combining bespoke internal programmes to embed IPB’s purpose, values and member‑centric culture, with those of specialist external partners who bring fresh perspective and thought leadership. “This ensures development is both culturally aligned and externally benchmarked,” says Conway.
“The outcome is a strong, cohesive leadership community equipped to lead through change, live our values and deliver long‑term value to our members and the communities we serve,” she adds. “Our centenary isn’t a finish line; it’s proof that purpose‑led leadership endures and performs.”
