Selecting the Program Leader

The program leader is the organization’s guide while creating a culture of continuous improvement. This person will work closely with senior management and will act their behalf when directing the organization on its journey.

This person is part project manager, part coach and mentor, part consultant, and part bulldozer. He or she is responsible for helping chart the course the organization will take, developing the skills the team will need to get there, and leading the organization down the chosen path.

The hiring of a program leader presents a special catch-22 challenge. It can be hard to commit to hiring a senior individual without a clear understanding of how the company will conduct its transformation. But without someone guiding the organization, it can be a challenge to figure out what, or who, it needs to be successful.  

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this section.

Section Details

Estimated Time for Section: 1-3(+) days. The time will vary based on the selection process used, the number of potential candidates, and the makeup of the decision making body. While the time invested may be a total of 1-3 days, there is generally a much longer lead time from when the senior leaders decide to hire a program leader until the time he or she shows up for work.

Difficulty: High. Selecting the right person for this job can be challenging, especially when there are several decision makers with competing interests. This is likely to be compounded by the pressure to get started on the transformation.

Risk: High. The right program leader will make or break an organization’s effort to develop a business management system. There is also a risk associated with lost opportunity if the program leader hiring process takes too long.

Materials Required

• No special materials are required for this section.