Creating inspirational leadership at Cheltenham & Gloucester : Program generates enthusiasm and energy in the business

Purpose – Describes how an inspirational‐leadership program for senior managers at Cheltenham & Gloucester, one of the UK's largest mortgage lenders, is generating enthusiasm and energy within the business and helping the managers to get the best out of their teams, using more than just basic management techniques. Design/methodology/approach – Is based on information gathered during interviews with C&G's director of HR and senior HR manager. Findings – Reveals how the program, designed in close collaboration with development specialist Roffey Park, features six “forums”, which run over a 12‐month period, with each forum lasting one or two days. Recounts how the first five forums cover leadership and the leader's role during change, driving improvement, winning commitment (including the leader's use of communication), getting results and enhancing team effectiveness, while the final forum is a presentation by the participants on the results of a workplace assignment, undertaken as part of the learning. Describes the benefits that C&G has obtained by running the program. Practical implications – Shows that one of the key benefits of the program is that it brings together top managers from different parts of the organization, since organizers deliberately mix and match the cohort groups and ensure that the participants stay together for the whole program. Originality/value – Provides plenty to interest senior HR specialists who are keen to use senior management development to boost motivation and improve teamwork in their organizations.