Think the 70/20/10 principles apply only to senior leaders? Think again because frontline and mid-level managers are the people who translate strategy into execution.
-By Dave Desouza

Mid-level managers like directors are the “managers of managers,” while frontline supervisors are the “managers of execution.” Calling both mid-level leaders, this is the tier where executive strategies are translated into action for organizational success. Given the rapid pace of change in the global business market and technology, strategy executers are discovering they no longer have the knowledge, tools or skills to deliver business solutions in the new environment.

By incorporating 70/20/10 principles and development best practices, designed for today’s complex challenges, to create a learning journey for mid-level leaders, organizations can ensure better strategy execution and goal alignment from top to bottom.

Mid-Level Decision-Making Goes Enterprise Wide
One of the consequences of changing technology, cost-cutting and globalization is the emergence of leaner, flatter and more cross-functional organizations.

To succeed in the new business model, mid-level leaders require very different leadership skills and tools than those used in the past. As strategy executers, middle managers must assume more enterprise-wide decision-making rather than being limited to the department or function level context. They need proficiency in talent management, producing measurable results that flow to the bottom line, solving complex problems and managing the organizational culture.

Investing in the development of mid-level leaders is a strategy for business sustainability, and the development process must fit the context. For example, mid-level managers need strategic developmental assignments that are cross-functional to develop an enterprise perspective.

The learning process should view mid-level development as a strategic process which changes focus and approach. Generic training is replaced with development programs and experiences specific to the new roles. The implication is that the learning and development function, whether centralized or not, becomes more than the deliverer of canned programs and takes ownership of the 70/20/10 principles to create a learning journey for decision-makers.

The 70/20/10 model applies to all firm sizes, and its basic premise is that better leadership development involves more than formal training. The 70/20/10 model says that 70 percent of learning should occur through informal, experience-based on-the-job training. This kind of learning includes stretch assignments, project work, job rotations, participation on teams, conversations, and completion of assigned job responsibilities. Twenty percent is through coaching; mentoring; interactions with others like peers, subordinates and senior leaders; social networking; and professional networks. Ten percent of development is delivered through formal learning like workshops, e-learning or virtual programs, and external courses.

Framework of Principles
One of the most important aspects of the 70/20/10 model is that the development process for mid-level and frontline managers is designed to identify talent for succession planning or advancement so the learning journey can be customized. Talent reviews become development opportunities and are conducted at enterprise levels rather than at business unit levels. In turn, the mid-level managers learn to identify and mentor potential talent within their areas of responsibility, utilizing their own enterprise-wide perspective.

Incorporating mid-level leader participation in their own development process is a key strategy for achieving talent management goals. This can be challenging because mid-level leaders have not typically been involved in development planning because a separate corporate function assumed responsibility. They must learn to carve out time and give appropriate reflection to the development process.

The 70/20/10 approach to mid-level and frontline leader development is applied in a variety of ways. McKinsey & Company, a consulting company, created Capability Centers to deliver customized experiential learning opportunities in realistic work settings to companies in a variety of industries. Participants learn to collaborate to solve problems while tackling real-time challenges. If classroom training is used, it is not a sit-and-listen event. The classroom events involve activities like role playing, networking and team participation. A number of businesses of all sizes and across industries are utilizing the 70/20/10 framework, including American Express, KPMG, Walmart, Coca-Cola and Oracle.

The 70/20/10 model is actually a framework of principles and not a set-in-stone approach. It is applied in different ways. Some companies may use a 50/30/20 approach. Google’s 70/20/10 model for innovation says 70 percent of time should be spent on core competency, 20 percent on working on peripheral but related projects, and 10 percent to learning new skills. The numbers are not targets. They are guides.

However, some principles apply no matter how the numbers break down. One is relationship building. Senior leaders need to mentor mid-level leaders, sharing knowledge and experience and reinforcing the organization’s culture. Mid-level managers also need to develop relationships across the enterprise because this is a powerful means of developing an enterprise-wide perspective. This is accomplished in a number of ways that include online project teams, workshops that mix enterprise-wide employees, and group coaching sessions.

Unique Experiential Learning
In the workplace, experiential learning is not generic. It is designed to build specific competencies and capabilities through unique assignments that incorporate various types of job assignments. Mid-level and frontline leaders work on special projects, initiate new innovations, tackle specific problems, and participate on cross-unit teams that include top-level managers who also serve as mentors.

The experiential learning builds mid-level talent capabilities and exposes participants to new career paths. Learning leads to hard business results, which is different from traditional performance evaluations that considered learning progression alone as an end result.

Coupled with 70/20/10 development is assessment, necessary for identifying development needs and creating personal development plans. Some companies let employees self-assess using a software program which identifies gaps or needs.

There is no consistent set of measurements used yet with different companies developing different metrics. However, some of the metrics used include promotions and moves among mid-level leaders, business impacts associated with learning initiatives, feedback from coaches and mentors, and job performance as related to desired competences.

As organizations develop learning journeys for mid-level managers and frontline supervisors, approaches continue to evolve. It is easy to see that 70/20/10 principles allow a lot of room for flexibility in development processes. The one overriding and consistent belief is that mid-level and frontline leaders must develop the right strategic skills, knowledge and competencies if a business is to succeed in today’s complex environment.

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