Rapid technological developments present companies with immense challenges. We also need strong role models in society, for example those who can inspire and lead the "Generation Neet" (Not in Education, Employment or Training) in our volatile VUCA world. Leaders are required to continuously learn and develop in order to meet the demands of a constantly changing world of work. Of course, this also applies to other employees - but first and foremost to executives. Advanced training or upskilling is old hat. But nowadays we have completely different options.
Through targeted upskilling, not only can they close existing gaps in expertise, they can also drive forward innovative solutions and thus ensure their company's competitiveness. To achieve this, it is currently crucial that leaders master agile working methods in order to lead their teams effectively and successfully shape the digital transformation. Upskilling in itself also has a positive effect for companies - it increases the loyalty of leaders as it emphasises the value of personal and professional development. And this also has a signalling effect. By investing in advanced training for their leaders, companies can not only attract and retain talent, but also promote and exude a culture of lifelong learning.
Upskilling vs. Reskilling
Before we get started, let's briefly clarify these two terms, which are often used interchangeably.
Upskilling expands the existing skills of leaders to prepare them for new requirements and technologies. This helps them to fulfil their current roles more effectively and to develop further.
Reskilling, on the other hand, means learning completely new skills in order to move into a different role. This is particularly important when old positions become redundant due to technological advances and new tasks arise. Reskilling makes it possible to deploy employees in new areas instead of losing them.
Challenges in upskilling for executives
While this sounds fantastic in theory, it is difficult to reconcile with most leaders' schedules - a lack of time and availability is one of the most frequently cited reasons why upskilling is difficult or impossible for them. This is because executives are often heavily involved in operational tasks and have little time for further training. Instead of continuous learning and the acquisition of new skills, these things are pushed into the background. One reason for this is that traditional training formats are often not flexible enough to be integrated into the hectic working day of executives. There is therefore a clear need for modular and flexible learning opportunities that allow executives to integrate their advanced training into their daily work routine without neglecting their day-to-day tasks.
Giving executives the time is, of course, also a financial factor. Firstly, the working time itself, and secondly, high-quality training programmes can be expensive. Not all companies are prepared to make the necessary investment. This leads to a gap between those organisations that invest in developing their executives (and employees) and those that don't, which ultimately affects competitiveness. Organisations need to recognise the long-term benefits and ROI of investing in advanced training for their executives and budget accordingly. At the rate our world is transforming, there is no way around advanced training.
This already brings us to the next problem. The shelf life of, let's say, "general industry knowledge" is 5 years these days and 2.5 years for technical knowledge. After that, it is outdated. Anyone studying a STEM subject (maths, IT, natural sciences and technology) nowadays has 50% of their knowledge outdated by the time they start their studies until they graduate. And this discrepancy between the rapidly advancing requirements of the modern working world and the existing skills of executives naturally also exists in upskilling. There are considerable deficits in the current further training programmes that are specifically tailored to the needs of executives. Many programmes are outdated and no longer fit the dynamic and digital challenges that executives face today.
An additional problem is the lack of support and encouragement from the company itself. Without a culture that promotes continuous learning and development, executives often feel left alone in their efforts to upskill. What is needed here is a holistic upskilling strategy that not only includes individual training programmes, but also promotes structural and cultural changes within the company. This includes creating learning environments that support collaboration and knowledge transfer, as well as recognising and, where appropriate, rewarding training successes.
And sometimes it's down to the executives themselves - many executives have difficulty recognising the relevance and benefits of further training measures. They often lack a clear understanding of how new skills can contribute to improving their daily work or achieving the company's goals. This also leads to low motivation and participation in training programmes. To solve this problem, companies need to clearly emphasise the added value of upskilling and ensure that learning content is directly aligned with the specific challenges and goals of executives. Or encourage them to solve this challenge themselves.
Effective upskilling of executives - approaches and strategies
Having already provided some solutions to potential problems, we will now dive deep into upskilling.
To play it out effectively for executives requires a strategic approach that takes into account both the individual needs of the executive and the needs of the organisation. Here are some proven methods and approaches to make upskilling successful:
Analysing potential as a basis
A well-founded potential analysis (also known as a competency profile) links the first step to identifying the specific strengths and development needs of executives. The aim here is to discover hidden talents and strengths that can be further developed through targeted training measures. By analysing personality traits and professional skills, it is possible to determine which executives have the greatest potential for future challenges and where specific further training measures are required.
Individual upskilling programmes
Once the competence profile has been drawn up, appropriate tailor-made further training programmes are needed that are precisely matched to the executive's profile and the company's strategic goals. According to Personalwirtschaft, it is important that these programmes are flexible and modular so that they can be integrated into the executive's day-to-day work. Companies should combine different learning methods. These include online courses, workshops, mentoring and coaching in order to provide comprehensive and practical advanced training.
Promoting a learning culture
Another decisive factor for successful upskilling is the establishment of a strong learning culture within the company. Not only executives should be encouraged to continuously learn and share their knowledge. This can be promoted by creating learning environments (both digital and analogue) that support the exchange of knowledge and experience. This could include regular learning groups, slack channels and internal training sessions to promote a collaborative learning culture.
Support from management
Being appreciated is at the top of people's list, whether they are executives or employees. The support of senior management is therefore also an important building block for the success of upskilling initiatives. Executives need to feel that their advanced training is valued and encouraged. This can be achieved through regular feedback sessions, recognition and the provision of resources and time for learning activities. Clear communication about the importance and benefits of upskilling for individual career development and the overall success of the organisation lays the foundation here.
Regular evaluation and adjustment
Finally, it is important to regularly evaluate the success of the upskilling measures and adjust them if necessary. Once again, feedback meetings are useful for evaluating and continuously improving the effectiveness of upskilling. This allows organisations to react quickly to transforming requirements and ensure that executives are always upskilling in areas that are in demand.
Case Study: BASF's CORE Leadership Upskilling-Programme
BASF has provided an impressive example of effective upskilling of leaders with its CORE Leadership Upskilling Programme. This programme is part of a comprehensive strategy to promote an open and inclusive leadership culture within the company.
Objectives and structure of the CORE Leadership Upskilling Programme
The CORE Leadership Upskilling programme was designed to bring BASF's leaders together in 'cohorts' - a trusting environment where they can learn and share. These cohorts were deliberately diverse to integrate different perspectives and experiences - leading to richer discussions and more creative approaches. The main objectives of the programme include:
Promoting Diversity & Inclusion (D&I): a key element of the programme is to strengthen diversity and inclusion within the leadership team. Discussions on the CORE Leadership Values were used to promote understanding and appreciation of different perspectives.
Development of leadership competences: Through various training modules and workshops, leaders were promoted new leadership techniques and methods to help them lead their teams more effectively and achieve organisational goals.
Strengthening networking and collaboration: The cohorts enabled leaders to link networks across hierarchical levels and learn from each other. This created a culture of openness and mutual trust.
Results and effects
It is encouraging that the programme has received positive feedback from the participating leaders. According to an internal survey, 95% of participants rated the exchange within the cohorts as good, very good or excellent. In addition, 94% stated that they wanted to apply what they had learnt in their daily work and 91% found the content of the training relevant to their tasks.
A particularly notable aspect of the programme was the integration of D&I into the training content. Steffen Kudis, Senior Vice President Corporate Human Resources at BASF, emphasised that the discussions on D&I were a crucial part of the upskilling. Leaders were encouraged to have open conversations and listen to different opinions, which contributed to a more inclusive and innovative corporate culture.
BASF's CORE Leadership Upskilling Programme impressively demonstrates how a well-designed and strategically implemented upskilling programme for leaders can ensure the success and sustainability of a company. By combining diversity & inclusion, customised training content and a strong learning culture, BASF has not only strengthened the skills of its leaders, but also positively influenced the entire corporate culture.
BASF's example is intended to serve as a model for other companies that want to prepare their leaders for the challenges of the modern working world through targeted upskilling measures. Above all, it should also show that upskilling has many facets and that there are different ways of carrying out advanced training - i.e. it is not just " dull" learning, but also active interaction with employees.
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