Assessment 3: Leadership Development Proposal for Blach Construction

This report presents a leadership development proposal for Blach Construction Company, a medium-sized Australian organization with 150 employees and 10 managers. The CEO aims to foster a coaching culture and expand the business. The proposal outlines on-the-job and web-based training interventions focused on developing managers' skills in areas such as analytical thinking, communication, and team working. The report discusses learning theories like Andragogy and Kolb's Learning Cycle, and details the learning outcomes, evaluation using Kirkpatrick's model, and the transfer of learning. It also includes a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed training program. The report emphasizes the importance of training for employee retention, improved performance, and business expansion, highlighting the need for managers to effectively lead and develop their teams. The HR department is responsible for designing and implementing this training program.

Running head: ASSESSMENT 3: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL
Assessment 3: Leadership Development Proposal
Student’s name:
Name of the university:
Author’s note:

1ASSESSMENT 3: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL
Table of Contents
1. Background and Analysis of the Business Need.........................................................................3
2. Overview of the Interventions.....................................................................................................5
3. Learning Theory..........................................................................................................................8
4. Learning Outcomes of Proposed Developmental Interventions..................................................9
5. Evaluation of the Developmental Interventions........................................................................11
6. Transfer of Learning..................................................................................................................12
7. Costs and Projected Benefits.....................................................................................................13
Reference List................................................................................................................................16
Appendices......................................................................................................................................0

2ASSESSMENT 3: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL
Executive Summary
This report sheds light on the leadership development proposal for a small-sized organisation
Blach Construction Company. The CEO of the organisation believes in the fostering learning at
the work and the organisation wants to expand the business in different regions. Blach
Construction has 150 employees and ten managers. The CEO wants that the managers will be
given training as the organisation is going to develop the coaching culture. Blach Construction
organisation is going to provide training to the managers in two ways, on-the-job training and the
web-based training. The training will be provided on analytical skill, communication, employee
development, customer focus, interpersonal skill, leadership, problem solving and negotiation
and team working. Blach Construction can eliminate the issue when the managers can gain the
knowledge. The organisations can provide actual scenarios when the training procedures will
start. Exercise and tasks of the managers should be associated with objectives, learning activities
and organisational needs. New information from the course of the training agency will help the
managers to collect the information rather than building the skills. The CEO wants to develop the
coaching culture; therefore, the training programme of the organisation is set in a way so that the
managers have to take training at least four days in a week for a specific time. In this report
learning theories like Andragogy theory and Kolb's Learning Cycle theory are discussed.
Analytical skill is the ability to articulate, visualise, conceptualise and solve the uncomplicated
and complex issue. In order to solve the issue of employees; the managers must have the
analytical skill through gathering the information and completing the desired tasks. The training
will bring the outcomes of improved communication, develop the employees, be customer focus,
developed the interpersonal skill, team working and problem-solving negotiation. Kirkpatrick's
four levels of evaluation have been given in this report in order to evaluate the outcomes of the
training needs. In addition, transfer of learning has been discussed to show the transfer of
training needs in organisation focus. Lastly, costs and projected benefits of Blach Construction
Company have been given based on the training.

3ASSESSMENT 3: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL
1. Background and Analysis of the Business Need
I am newly appointed Human Resource Advisor of Blach Construction Company, a
medium-sized organisation in Australia. I am going to develop a training course for the
managers' leadership development in Blach Construction Company. Personal leadership
development plan is a strategy to develop the career, overall customer satisfaction and greater
opportunities as well as challenges. The leaders can commit specific action steps to achieve and
revaluate after regular intervals (Renz & Herman, 2016). Blach Construction Company is a
commercial builder and construction management company. Blach Construction Company has
been in the industry since 2010 and the organisation employs approximately 150; the employees
are professional. Among the employees, 10 hold the managerial roles. The CEO, Victor Grabrian
values the learning and he wants to enhance the quality and quantity of learning in the
workplace. The CEO of the organisation is firm and he is well-educated. Blach teams
consistently exceed the high expectations of the clients of industries and constructions types;
Blach works for the corporate offices, education building, medical, historic preservation and high
technology. Current revenue of the organisation is AUD 120 million. However, in the
performance of the field, Blach Construction has been doing great in the industry as within just 8
years; it is one of the fastest growing companies in the construction industry. The CEO wants to
expand the business from Melbourne to other metropolitan cities like Sydney, Perth and
Adelaide.
Blach Construction Company has been facing the issue of high employee turnover; this
means the employees are leaving the organisation despite the fact the management wants to
retain the employees. In addition, Blach Construction Company wants to expand the business in
different parts of Australia; hence, they need experienced and skilled employees. Therefore, the
organisation wants the employees to be trained and experienced. In addition, Blach Construction
Company does not have the large financial support that they could manage training for all the
employees. Therefore, the organisation is thinking to provide the training to the 10 managers and
the training would be ‘on-the-job’ training where the managers will be provided training within
the stipulated work period.

4ASSESSMENT 3: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL
In addition, the first reason for the organisation is to provide leadership training to the
managers is to retain more employees as it is expensive to lose employees. HR team needs to
recruit again the new employees and the new employees will be given training again. Blach
Construction checks the trend that 40% employees leave their position within just first year due
to poor training policies. The second reason for implementing training is to have trained
employees; therefore, managers can motivate the employees and train the employees. Trained
employees can complete the tasks on given period or it can maximise the return on investment
(ROI). Trained and experienced employees provide higher production standards (Pollock,
Jerfferson & Wick, 2015). Blach Construction Company wants to grow the clients’ base; during
the training session; the managers will be given training on communication so that the managers
can communicate better with the clients.
In addition, the CEO is aware that one-off training can result in behaviour change in the
workplace and it can develop the performance. The CEO wants the coaching skills training
courses can be designed in such a way that it can facilitate the transfer of learning and the course
will be complemented by the formation of action learning to ensure that the capabilities can be
applied to further develop the workplace. The CEO has considered alternative approach to
increase learning is the training and the CEO wants to start the ‘coaching culture'.
The CEO of Blach Construction Company wants that training course will be attended by
10 managers. The CEO is a believer of evidence-based practice; therefore, the training course
will be planned in such a way. The managers will be given training on:
 Analytical skill
 Communication
 Employee development
 Customer focus
 Interpersonal skill
 Leadership
 Problem solving and negotiation
 Team working

5ASSESSMENT 3: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL
The learning needs of the managers are identified through discussing with the managers.
In this regard, person analysis was helpful. This analysis deals with potential participants and
instructors' involvement. The managers have answered some questions about their level of
existing knowledge and subject. In addition, performance analysis has been done based on the
established standard of the managers. The performance of the managers is up to the mark
according to the CEO; therefore, training can improve the performance gap. In addition, HR
department has conducted the training and suitability analysis as it is one of the important
solutions of the training needs. Being an HR Advisor, it is important to understand the needs and
suitability of the training needs. It is important to determine the training needs that would be
effective in its usage (Brewster, 2017). Moreover, an analysis of the business needs was
conducted in order to understand the training needs of the managers so that the organisation’s
mission and goals should be taken into consideration when developing the training process is
conceived.
2. Overview of the Interventions
Training is the key feature of successful HR management and passive management is the
reason behind the strategic planning initiative goes wrong for the organisation. It is needed to
define the goal of the training initiative and HR team does not need to develop training goal
specifically for each of the managers. All the ten managers will be given the same type of
training for the first three months because the overall target of the organisation is equal for all
managers.
Step 1: Analysis of the problem
Determining the problem can help to solve the issue of the organisation (Stephens et al.,
2017). Blach Construction can eliminate the issue when the managers can gain the knowledge.
The HR department needs to understand the overall goals of the organisation are realistic and
attainable within a given timeframe. This training plan for the managers must be communicated
to the employees as giving them prior notice before implementing the training can be helpful for
the employees.
Step 2: Designing of the training programme

6ASSESSMENT 3: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL
The HR department needs to design the training programme by recognising the learning
objectives. As stated by Ford (2014), communicating the importance of employee training
programme can provide assistance for new procedures and policies. The organisations can
provide actual scenarios when the training procedures will start. The managers of Blach
Construction Company must remember what they learn and they must comprehend after the
session is over.
Step 3: Properly developing the training materials
The HR department needs to develop the training materials after identifying the process
of training is to be given. Blach Communication can use software for the training programme
and the managers can make the mistake to assume the employees’ level of competency. Exercise
and tasks of the managers should be associated with objectives, learning activities and
organisational needs. The management must develop the timeframe to complete each of the
training materials.
Step 4: Carefully implementation of training
Blach Construction can start the careful implementation of the training for the managers
as the success of managers’ training is depended on the completion and participation of the
managers. Monitoring the outcomes is very important. Transactional change is about continuing
current way of doing the work of the employees and transitional change is following the new
method (Zaitseva et al., 2015).
Proposed learning activities:
HR department can take three learning activities for the managers in Blach Construction
Company. First learning activity will be coaching as coaching is becoming popular means of
development as it can often include working one-to-one learning with the employees. According
to (Thairt et al., 2015), learners’ needs assessment is very important and this learning activity
will be helpful to set the major goal of the organisation to accomplish and developing the action
plan. Blach Construction can support the learner to develop the action plan along with providing
the support and feedback. Second learning activity will be courses; however, Blach Construction
will not send the managers to a college or universities. However, Blach Construction will arrange

7ASSESSMENT 3: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL
training from the training centre for the development of the professional, management and
personal development. New information from the course of the training agency will help the
managers to collect the information rather than building the skills. Third learning activity will be
continuous learning and this process involves in developing the skills to reflect. This process
makes able to continually think and enquire the experience and draw conclusions from the
learning. As stated by Zwick (2015), continuous learning is associated with concepts of
organisational learning and system thinking.
Nature and type of training will occur
The organisation, Blach Construction Company will use mainly two types of training,
first On-the-job training and the second one is web-based training. The on-the-job training
programme will be given to the managers from external training agency. The managers will be
given on-the-job training to improve their technical, skills, managerial and safety issues. The
managers will be given training on the analytical skill, communication improvement, employee
development, customer focus issue, interpersonal skill, leadership, problem solving and
negotiation and development of team working. In addition, the web-based learning training will
be given to the managers through website and organisational portal. The managers will be given
user ids and passwords; they can log in to the portal to access the materials from their homes.
Team training and soft skills training will be provided through online courses and training. The
online training will be given mainly after the office hours.
Action learning sets can be defined as the structured method that enables the small groups
to address the issues by working collectively and meeting regularly (Revans, 2017). The personal
development plan of the managers and leadership development of the managers within Blach
Construction can be easier with action learning sets. In course programme plan, the managers
will be given training in 8 separate areas and in the training plan; the end result of the specific
topic will be shared. The action learning of managers will be useful for the managers as it will
promote the work-based learning process. The main target of the CEO can be fulfilled through
the action learning sets as during the on-the-job training programme; the managers will be given
training based on the course subject. The external training agency will take one-to-one sessions
with the managers in order to understand their specific learning needs. This training programme
is set for the next three months in order to develop the coaching skills for the managers. The

8ASSESSMENT 3: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL
CEO wants to develop the coaching culture; therefore, the training programme of the
organisation is set in a way so that the managers have to take training at least four days in a week
for a specific time.
3. Learning Theory
Managers within Blach Construction Company need to play the role of coaches as the
organisation is expanding and the employees should be skilled and experienced. As stated by
Zaitseva et al., (2015), a successful coach can help the employees to find the solution that can
develop the performance and it will free managers to focus on their own duties.
Andragogy theory of adulating learning
Malcolm Knowles was an American educator and he first made famous the term
Andragogy and it is same as adult education. Self-concept can make a person from being
independent in personality to the self-directed human being. In addition, adult learner
experience is another element that can help an individual to accumulate growing experience to
become an increasing resource for learning. Readiness to learn has become the oriented
increasingly to the developmental tasks for the social roles of the individuals. The orientation of
learning is the person's perspective of changes from postponed application of the ideas to the
immediacy of application. The result of the orientation can make learning shift from one subject
to problem centeredness. Motivation to learn in the adults comes from the internal (Knowles,
Holton & Swanson, 2014).
As stated by Cornier & Hagman (2014), adult learning is mainly problem-centred and it
is not content-oriented. In addition, Knowles described the four principles of adult learning what
the managers of Blach Constructions must know as adults need to involve in the evaluation and
planning of the instruction. Learning activities provide experience to the employees and adults
are interested in learning subjects.
Kolb’s Learning Cycle
Kolb’s experimental learning is represented in four stages. Concrete experience is the
new experience or condition encountered. In this stage, the learners reinterpret the existing
experience. Reflective observation is about giving the particular importance for the

9ASSESSMENT 3: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL
inconsistencies between understanding and experiences (Kolb, 2014). The abstract
conceptualisation is about the reflection that rises to new medication ideas and existing abstract
concept. Active experimentation is the learning process to the world around the team to see the
results. Kolb stated about various learning styles of the learners.
 Diverging learning style can look at the matter from the different perspectives. Diverging
people are sensitive. In Blach Construction, diverging people like to watch rather than do
things.
 Assimilating learning is the logical and concise approach. Assimilating people provide
more important on practical opportunity and they have clear explanation on everything.
 Converging learning style is about solving the problems and they provide preferences on
technical tasks and less concerned about interpersonal aspects (Dixon, 2017).
 Accommodating learning style relies on logic and this type of people takes experimental
approach. This type of people likes challenges.
4. Learning Outcomes of Proposed Developmental Interventions
Learning outcomes of the training plan for the managers are as follows:
a. Smarter decision-making through analytical skill
Analytically skill is the individuals' ability to think critically and this skill will be helpful
for problem-solving. After finishing the training from the external agencies and web-based
training, the managers will be able to think analytically. After acquiring the analytical skill, the
managers of Blach Construction can take smart decision as this skill makes the employees
unbiased.
b. Improved communication
Within an organisation, managers should have the communication skill so that the
managers can express their opinion and views in front of large numbers of people or employees..
As opined by Paull, Whitsed & Girardi (2016), communication skills give benefit in all aspects
of professional life to social life. The managers of Blach Construction will have good
communication after the training process and the managers can flow the communication from
management side to the employees or vice versa.

10ASSESSMENT 3: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL
c. Managers will be able to develop the employees
Employee development can be defined as a method where the employees have to undergo
the numerous training programmes to increase skills and acquire the new skills as well. After the
training process, the managers will be able to help the employees regarding the personal
development plan of the employees.
d. Be customer focus
The managers of Blach Construction do not have just the responsibility to build the
employees and they have the role to build the loyalty of the customers through their
communication. The managers will be able to focus on customers by establishing the customer-
focused business. The managers can contribute to making the organisation customer-focus by
contributing their role to ensure the aspects of customer satisfaction first.
d. Developed interpersonal skill
As stated by Cornier & Hagman (2014), interpersonal skills are utilised by the individual
to interact with other persons in a proper way. It is the employees' ability to get along with other
employees to get the work. For a manager; it is very important to develop the interpersonal skill
as it is the role of the manager to work cohesively with the team members (Leberman &
McDonald, 2016).
f. Strong leadership quality
The CEO of Blach Construction Company wants to bring the strong leadership quality
and coaching culture within the organisation. The managers of the organisation need to develop
the strong leadership qualities in the workplace. The managers should use the most of the
proficiency in the workplace and it is very important to develop the leadership skill (Zaitseva et
al., 2015).
g. Problem solving and negotiation
Problem-solving needs two distinct qualities of the individual; the first one is about
analytical skill, creative skill and mental skill. The managers need to develop the analytical and

11ASSESSMENT 3: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL
logical skill that includes the comparing, ordering and evaluating all the conditions that the
organisation is exposed to.
h. Team working
The managers will be able to manage the team working after the training process is done.
Being a good manager means being able to manage the team members effectively through
clearly communicate the ideas to the team members. Blach Construction will be able to solve
organising and planning skills and decision-making skills.
5. Evaluation of the Developmental Interventions
Kirkpatrick's four levels:
Level 1: Reaction: First level can measure the trainees and trainees’ reaction towards the
training. The CEO wants that the training process must be a valuable experience and the CEO
also desires that the instructor must feel good about the training. Reaction of the training process
will make clear that training is received perfectly. If it helps the managers to be a good, this step
can identify the important areas of the training to be developed in future.
Level 2: Learning: The HR department can measure what the trainers learn during the training
process. The specific learning objectives are there of the training and in this stage, the HR
department will measure whether the training can lead to meet the objectives or not.
Level 3: Behaviour: In this stage, the training agencies and the HR executives evaluate how far
the trainees change their behaviour. The change must be aligned with the training they receive. It
is also important to understand the behaviour can be changed through training and the CEO of
Blach Construction wants that behaviour change towards coaching culture must be formed
(Panchenko, 2015).
Level 4: Results: In this level, the organisation analyses the final results of the training. The HR
department and the CEO determine the outcomes that organisation has determined to be good for
the business. This result must be good for the employees and good for the bottom line.
Action Learning set