Career Steps

Canterbury District Health Board

The background

The Canterbury DHB is the second largest DHB in the country, by both geographical area and population size, and has been identified as one of a handful of high performing health systems in the world. In order to ensure the health system remained a world leader, the CDHB committed to investing heavily in the resources that enable their success - The People.

What we did for the CDHB

Career Steps were asked to:

Assess all the General Managers’ (direct reports to the CEO) potential and development areas. The process included behavioural interviewing, 360 reference checking, cognitive and personality testing.
Design Development Centres for people leaders reporting to the GMs who had been identified as future potential. The Centres created an opportunity for individuals to obtain specific developmental feedback in relation to the organisation’s key competencies

The Development Centres were delivered with the involvement of the General Managers. Individuals completed pre-assessments, had behavioural interviews, delivered a presentation and completed various evaluated exercises.

This process enabled the SLT to add rigour to the succession planning process and the data informed and fed into workforce planning for the following five years.

The results

The results were two-fold:

Firstly, the CEO had a clear understanding of his General Managers’ capabilities and potential. From this information he was able to assist and support the growth and development of his Senior Leadership Team. All participants worked with the consultants to develop individual development plans.

Secondly, the Development Centres were used to assess the potential of identified ‘high potential’ individuals. All participants were offered coaching to assist in the writing of their Professional Development Plans.

“ Just a note to thank you for yesterday’s 1:1 feedback session. All of what you said yesterday was spot on! I have taken away heaps of useful pointers to improve myself not just for now but looking forward into the future even towards retirement.

It was the first time I ever had such a 1:1 session and I truly appreciated and enjoyed our time together. It is indeed reassuring to hear from an independent party that I do have the right qualities that in my view are transferrable and would be appreciated in any organisation. In my role, I very seldom receive compliments and affirmation and you truly made my day! ”

- PARTICIPANT