Bridging the Leadership Gap: Developing High-Potential Talent through Pro Bono Service

Leadership meets pro bono

How can companies use pro bono service to accelerate the development of top talent and bridge the leadership gap?

You asked, and Taproot responded by exploring this important topic in a recent webinar with ACCP, featuring findings from the field and a case study on GlaxoSmithKline’s innovative approach to developing leaders.

Miss the conversation? We have you covered. We’ve compiled top takeaways to help you develop a game plan for integrating pro bono into your company’s leadership development strategy.

Three key takeaways

Takeaway #1: Leadership isn’t what it used to be. Demographic and market shifts have created an evolved work environment that requires leaders to employ a different set of competencies. Pro bono develops cognitive, emotional and behavioral competencies that are critical to building future leadership capacity and bridging the leadership gap.

Takeaway #2: Traditional approaches to leadership development aren’t enough. Learning and Development approaches are shifting from static, classroom-based techniques to context-based experiential learning. Pro bono allows leaders to apply their expertise in new ways, while encouraging experimentation and practice with new behaviors.

Takeaway #3: Take time to develop a game plan to guide your approach. This is key to ensuring that your pro bono initiative has both social and organizational impact. Structure your approach around three key phases:

• Phase 1: Setting the Strategy — Engage the right CSR and Learning and Development stakeholders and align on key objectives. Don’t forget to start with the end in mind: define key metrics for success at the individual and organizational levels.
• Phase 2: Designing the Framework — Pro bono comes in many shapes and sizes, so dream big. Determine the right model for your company and define your target audience, key program components, and optimal timing and program duration. Remember: Learning is a process, not an event.
• Phase 3: Implementing the Program — Walk before you run. Consider piloting your program before scaling and partner with a third-party evaluator to measure success.

Ready to get serious about using pro bono to develop the next generation of leaders at your company? Here’s one quick way to continue the conversation and bridge the leadership gap. Taproot has partnered with the Corporate Executive Board (CEB), a leading member-based advisory company, to move this important dialogue forward. On October 24, Taproot and CEB will be hosting a half-day workshop on the role of pro bono service in leadership development. If you are interested in attending, contact the Advisory Services team: advisory@taprootfoundation.org. We look forward to continuing the conversation with you!

Learn more about what pro bono can do for your company.