Xstrata

Need:

Aggressive growth targets coupled with an overall talent shortage in the mining and metals industry led Xstrata to build a wider, fuller leadership pipeline—fast.

Solution:

Working with DDI, Xstrata devised a talent strategy for increasing the readiness of current functional and other generalist operational leaders for executive roles within five years.  Using predetermined success criteria, Xstrata managers nominated high potential leaders who went through an in-depth, DDI Acceleration Center®.  The resulting assessment data was used by Xstrata’s talent review board to allocate resources for the individual development of the leaders and to determine which leaders would benefit from mentors and executive coaching engagements.  The data also was used to create individual development plans.  DDI coaches worked with the individual high-potential leaders and their mentors to create learning tension and accountability for development

Results:

Of the 16 high-potential leaders initially selected into the program, 12 have been promoted into executive roles and Xstrata has retained 100 percent of these highly valued leaders.