The document discusses American Express' approach to developing people managers. It outlines a tiered curriculum targeting different career stages from aspiring leaders to executive leaders. Various leadership development programs are described, including the Leadership Academy which is a 6-month program to groom future people leaders. The goal is to strengthen leadership skills in areas like coaching, communication, and understanding employees' career aspirations. American Express takes a blended learning approach including workshops, mentoring, assignments and assessments to enhance leadership capabilities across the organization.

1. DEVELOPING PEOPLE MANAGERS AT AMERICAN EXPRESS
17TH JAN, 2012
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2. AGENDA
 Role of a People Leader
 AXP Approach of Leadership Development
 Journey
 Program Framework for People Leader Development
– A Few Development Offerings
 Measuring Effectiveness
 Becoming A Great People Leader – Sharing the Secret Mantra
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3. THE ROLE OF A PEOPLE LEADER
SIMPLE
Keep employees
Engaged and Motivated!
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4. HOWEVER
SIMPLE
IS
THE DIFFICULT
NEW
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5. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A LEADER TODAY?
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6. 5 CORE ELEMENTS OF A PEOPLE LEADER
Coaching & Feedback
Exhibit Business & Process Knowledge and provide Coaching & Feedback
Emotional Connect
Build an Emotional Connect during critical employee touch points
Communicate
Communicate. Communicate. Communicate
Energize Team
Energize Team. Celebrate individual and team success publicly
Understand Career Aspirations
Understand Career Aspirations and provides guidance
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7. OUR APPROACH TO LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
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8. LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY AT AXP
At American Express Everyone is Considered to be a Leader. Leading is a way
of being and you don't need to have direct reports to demonstrate leadership.
Leadership is not defined by title; it is earned through competence, caring and
judgment.
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9. SEGMENTED APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENT
The 3 E’s OF DEVELOPMENT
TIERED CURRICULUM PROVIDING
EXPOSURE TARGETING & SEQUENCED
EXPERIENCE LEARNING BY CAREER STAGE
EDUCATION
Leader of
Leaders
First Level
Leader
Aspiring
Leader
A BLENDED LEARNING APPROACH TO ENABLE SUSTAINABILITY
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10. THE 3 E’S
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11. THE TIERED APPROACH
Tiered Curriculum
-------------- Aspiring Leader --------------
-------------- Executive Leader -------------
Tier 2:
Leader of Leaders
Tier 1:
First Level Leaders
Leaders of Leaders lead
other people leaders with at
Aspiring least one direct report
First Level Leaders are people
Leader
leaders with at least one
direct report
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12. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK
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13. PROGRAM FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPING PEOPLE MANAGERS
Future Leaders’ Program Strengthening Leadership Diversity Leadership
• New and Aspiring Leader • Continuing to Grow @ AXP • Grace
Curriculum
• Global Rotation Program • Pathways to
• Leadership Academy Sponsorship
• Platinum Leadership Program
• Aspire to Lead • Sponsor Effect Sessions
• Authentic Leadership
• Structured Talent Workshops • Gensquare Workshops
Enhancement program
• Executive/ Leadership Insight
• Creating Great Leaders
Website
Facilitating Careers Across Leader Segments
• Web based trainings
• Mentoring Programs
• One India Projects
• Mentoring Ring
• Leadership Tasting Panel
• Career Conversation Leader Toolkit
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14. FOCUS FOR TODAY’S SESSION
Future Leaders’ Program Strengthening Leadership Diversity Leadership
• New and Aspiring Leader • Continuing to Grow @ AXP • Grace
Curriculum
• Global Rotation Program • Pathways to
• Leadership Academy Sponsorship
• Platinum Leadership Program
• Aspire to Lead • Sponsor Effect Sessions
• Authentic Leadership
• Structured Talent Workshops • Gensquare Workshops
Enhancement program
• Executive/ Leadership Insight
• Creating Great Leaders
Website
Facilitating Careers Across Leader Segments
• Web based trainings
• Mentoring Programs
• One India Projects
• Mentoring Ring
• Leadership Tasting Panel
• Career Conversation Leader Toolkit
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15. LEADERSHIP ACADEMY – PREPARING FUTURE LEADERS
Leadership Academy :
The Program :
6 month long training intervention to groom future people leaders & create talent pipeline
Selection Procedure :
Only Hi Potential applicants basis performance rating and senior leader recommendation
Aptitude Test with cut offs benchmarked on top people leaders in the organizations
Interview Round with cross functional senior leaders, HR & OD Team
Details :
Holistic curriculum encompassing critical components of effective leadership
Development Centre : Individual Experiential Diagnostic Center using psychometric tools
Functional & Leadership knowledge/skills – Self discovery/ skill development :
Mentoring & Apprenticeship Program
Evaluation : written assessments, term end presentations, Feedback from executive coach
Measuring Success : 95% successfully posted into people leader positions
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16. STRUCTURED TALENT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM :
ENHANCING PEOPLE LEADER EDGE
IDENTIFY DEVELOP GROW
L & D Interventions
• Leadership
Development
Trainings Graduation post :
Hi Potential • Senior Leaders as
People Leaders Mentor •Project Completed 20% of Participants
• Green Belt Training
Duration: 6 Months •All Trainings to experience
Hi Complexity completed lateral/ promotional
Assignments moves.
•Performance
Visibility feedback
• Exec Project Review
• Speed Mentoring
• Talent Review
Senior Leader as Project Manager for E2E operational Excellence
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17. CONTINUING TO GROW : STRENGTHENING LEADERSHIP
12 months high touch program focusing on group & individual development to maximize learning
Personalized
Focused Internal- external leverage on
support to
Development Balance existing top talent
women Leaders
Theme 1 Theme 2 Theme 3 Theme 4
Theme
based Exec Strategic Gender Influencing
Instructor Presence Thinking Intelligence skills
Talent Assessment
Increased Learning Agility
Led Training
Web Based Development Theme Based Newsletter to share Web Based resources Assessment
Information through
Newsletter Hi touch
modules
Relationship Cluster Mentoring ( Twice in a year)
Based
Share & Learn sessions
Learning
Sponsor Effect Workshops
0-3 3-6 6-9 9-12
Mths Mths Mths Mths
AXP Internal 17

18. MEASURING EFFECTIVENESS
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19. MEASURING EFFECTIVENESS
Cross
People Leader
Team/Business
Scorecard
Moves
Annual Employee
Talent Assessment
Pulse
 The Annual Employee Pulse Survey Measures:
- Leadership – People Management - Leadership – Technical Capability
- Recommend Your leader
 Retention of team members especially hi potentials
 Employee Development & Career Advancement
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20. The Secret Mantra of a People Leader :
From Good to Great…..Power of 5
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21. EXHIBIT PROCESS KNOWLEDGE IN ALL COACHING & FEEDBACK SESSIONS
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 Be a Subject Matter Expert & Build creditability by displaying process knowledge
 Give Specific & Actionable feedback during coaching sessions : focus on ‘how to
do’ and not just ‘what to do’
 Conduct regular & timely coaching / feedback sessions
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22. BUILD AN “EMOTIONAL CONNECT” WITH YOUR TEAM MEMBER
2
 Be visible and present for their needs
 Celebrate employee’s personal occasions and professional milestones through
their journey – Birthdays, Anniversary, Confirmation, movements
 Share, Care and Be fair in a genuine & authentic manner
– Share : experiences, learnings, accomplishments, advice
– Care : for their needs , aspirations, expectations, development, morale
– Be fair : let go personal biases, support all their needs, help all learn from mistakes
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23. COMMUNICATE – COMMUNICATE – COMMUNICATE
3
 Help team members connect with the larger organization goal – provide
context, share vision, expectations , opportunities , priorities and Business
updates
 Help team members with day – day : Communicate regularly through one on
ones, huddles and declutter facts from grapevine in their minds to instill focus,
confidence & comfort
 Solicit ideas and solutions : include them in problem solving and leverage them
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24. ENERGIZE TEAM
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 Create, Sustain a healthy & positive work environment full of excitement
 Acknowledge & Recognize success : big or small
 Inculcate a team spirit that becomes the reason for them to come to work
everyday
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25. UNDERSTAND CAREER ASPIRATIONS & HELP IN FULFILLMENT
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 Help each team member in being aware of their strengths & career goals
 Link strengths, aspirations, organization needs & career guidance tools to
develop & execute robust development plans .
 Hand hold them and set them for success at every Talent display window till
they are completely “ready”.
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26. LAST THOUGHTS
‘A leader is a dealer in hope.’
- Napoleon Bonaparte
‘The role of a leader is to define reality
and to give hope.’
- Ken Chenault
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27. Questions
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28. TIPS FOR A GREAT CONVERSATION
Questions
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