Top Companies for Leaders Study

2007 Edition

Sponsored by global human resources services company Hewitt Associates, in partnership with The RBL Group, a firm dedicated to helping clients increase quality of leadership and deliver the strategic HR agenda, and FORTUNE magazine, the Global Top Companies for Leaders were selected and ranked by an esteemed panel of judges based on criteria including leadership practices, company reputation, leadership culture and values, and business performance. The 2007 list can be found in the October 1 issue of FORTUNE magazine.

When comparing the Global Top Companies with more than 530 other companies around the world, the study found one overarching characteristic that set them apart from the rest – Global Top Companies make leadership a critical part of the company’s organizational fabric. Specifically, the study found that leadership practices at Global Top Companies are an inherent part of the culture, and that developing future leaders is simply a way of operating that must be intertwined with running the business.

Five Key Areas for Global Top Companies

The Top Companies for Leaders has identified five key areas that set the Global Top Companies apart from other companies around the world:

A Focus on Growth and Globalization. Almost 70 percent of Global Top Companies cited business growth as the single most pressing challenge over the next three-to-five years, compared to approximately half (51 percent) of all other companies participating in the survey.  While there are many issues of overlapping priority, the Global Top Companies look beyond traditional boundaries to anticipate the next big wave of expansion and they actively prepare for it.  Global Top Companies ranked expansion into new markets as their second biggest challenge, followed by globalization and cost pressures as third. 

A Dedication to Developing a Global Talent Pipeline. The majority of Global Top Companies (85 percent) believe that they currently have the talent pipeline they need to be successful in the future, compared to just 42 percent of all other companies. In addition to formal assignments that stretch future leaders into new roles or new experiences, leaders at the Global Top Companies take an active and personal interest in developing and preparing the next generation of leaders through informal mentoring.

A Strategic Business Commitment to Developing Leaders. Hewitt’s research reveals that Global Top Companies passionately believe that leadership should be closely tied into their business strategies. The majority (85 percent) ensure that the selection and development of leaders is aligned with their business strategies, compared with just a third (32 percent) of all other companies. In addition, 85 percent of Global Top Companies say leadership development is a high priority to senior management in the organization, compared to just 45 percent of other companies.

A Senior-Level Commitment to Developing Leaders.  According to the study, senior leadership teams at the Global Top Companies, particularly CEOs, drive the leadership agenda, and the amount of time spent directly on leadership issues at all levels – from the Board of Directors to front line management – is significantly greater than at other companies. Eighty-five percent of senior management at Global Top Companies say they spend at least 20 percent of their time on leadership development initiatives, compared to just half (52 percent) of all other companies. 

A Clear Expectation of Desired Leadership Behaviors. At Global Top Companies, the use of leadership competencies demonstrates clarity around expectations for leaders. Most (85 percent) believe that the desired leadership behaviors are well understood at all levels of the organization, compared to just 37 percent of other companies.  These competency models are consistently applied across the organization, and expectations are reinforced through multiple mechanisms, including communications, performance management, compensation, education and high potential selection. 

Building Leadership Brand

The RBL Group's Leadership Brand Suite is designed to support efforts to create leadership that matters--to customers, to employees, and to investors.  The six steps required to create leadership brand contributed to the criteria used in identifying the 2007 Global Top Companies for Leaders and are the basis of The RBL Group's Leadership Brand Suite. 

The suite includes organizational audits, individual assessments, and development workshops for companies interested in diagnosing and building their firm Leadership Brand.

For more information on The RBL Group's Leadership services, please see our Leadership page or contact us at 801.373.4238.