as an educator in the marketplace and develop people in ways that didn ’ t exist even a few years ago .

That includes moulding the next generation of leaders . To this end , the consulting giant is partnering with major companies and creating new ecosystems of learning to ensure its L & D keeps up with the evolving market .

“ Everybody has the potential to be a leader ,” adds Stephan . “ But even people who are identified as strong potential leaders need development to bring those skills to the surface .

“ That ’ s why L & D programmes are important for everyone , no matter where they are in their professional journey . We believe we can help professionals develop the new skills they need at a pace that meets market demand .”

Stephan asserts that one of the more significant changes to leadership development over the past couple of decades relates to expectations around good leadership qualities and the skills with which up-and-coming leaders are being equipped .

He goes on : “ Leaders now recognise the importance of wellbeing and other soft skills .

“ We never used to talk about mental health or emotional agility , for example . Now we know how critical human development is – as opposed to just professional development – and leadership is increasingly committed to these priorities .”

L & D now a non-negotiable requirement In its recent ‘ Welcome to Generation Z ' report , Deloitte concluded that people currently entering the world of work for the first time

the number of hours of training being delivered on the future application of technologies like AI , cloud , cyber , data analytics , 5G and quantum computing

care deeply about career development , adding that first-rate L & D programmes will be essential to attracting , hiring and retaining them .

We have reached a point where L & D has become a non-negotiable requirement . Going forward , companies will struggle to attract the very best talent if they fail to offer robust , contentrich learning and development experiences .

Stephan ’ s belief is that this ethos should extend beyond younger generations to include all sections of the workforce .

“ I ’ ve always had a passion for helping people reach their full potential ,” he says . “ I also believe deeply that learning is a lifelong effort . Wherever we are on our journey , there are always new things to learn and new people to learn things from .

“ That ’ s why I ’ m so passionate about Project 120 .” businesschief . com 75