The success of Dubai's leadership development initiatives is influenced by the emirate's talent and performance management capabilities, revealed prominent international speakers during the inaugural session of the new "HR Management" module for participants of the Promising Leaders level of Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development (MBRCLD). The new module focused on the key aspects of HR Management and outlined the processes that are integral in optimising the performance of Dubai's human resources.
The discussions revealed that an integrated HR Management approach is required to realise Dubai's leadership development objectives, as it will help clearly define the strategic goals of the emirate and ultimately determine the knowledge, capabilities, skills and the number of people needed to mobilise the strategy. Serving as keynote speakers of the new module were Nick Holley, a world-renowned leadership development specialist and voted as one of Human Resource Magazine’s most influential thinkers in HR in 2009, and Rebecca Newton, a business psychologist and specialist in corporate education who has lectured as a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics and Harvard University.
Awadh Seghayer Al-Ketbi, MBRCLD CEO, said: "From the outset, it has been our aim to establish a system of leadership development that enables us to continuously identify strengths and weaknesses as we progress through the years. This allows us to build on strong performances and deal with underperformance accordingly with the aim of closing whatever skills gap that may exist. The new module was important in explaining the subtleties of the key processes involved in implementing a truly sustainable HR Management approach that complements our existing leadership development programs."
Kalthoom Ali Salem Al Balooshi, Head of Strategy Development, Knowledge & Human Development Authority, participant of Promising Leaders level, said: "I now understand that talent and performance management are two distinct processes that are integral in our leadership development program. It is not just about functional learning, but more about building relationships and people management. This system ensures that leaders are developed based on the right values, principles and motivations. This is really a very informative and thought-provoking new module, which has further enlightened us on the finer points of HR Management."
The inaugural session of the HR Management module was held recently at the Dubai World Trade Centre with virtual sessions to be conducted until February 2010. The new module aims to enable participants to assign goals and set development roles for others; assess and plan for elevating the performance of others; manage relationships effectively with direct reports; build skills around providing effective feedback; build their skills around conducting difficult conversations; act in a way that takes account of and leverages the value of diversity; create engagement and motivation in those they manage; develop coaching skills to develop others; and critically consider the implications of transitioning to leadership roles.
MBRCLD has been established in line with the vision and directions of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; who has underscored the critical importance of a highly competent national professional workforce to ensure the country's global sustainability.
