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Founded in 2000, the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) is an internationally accredited business school based in Johannesburg, the economic hub of South Africa.
GIBS views its people as a critical component of achieving its business strategy. After implementing various academic programs, the management team identified a potential development gap within its business support teams, including HR, Finance, Marketing, and related functions.
Following consultation with the employment equity forum, known as the “Voice of GIBS,” the need for a customized leadership program was confirmed.
The GIBS HR team explored the development of an internal Personal Leadership Program for business support staff.
To address these challenges, GIBS required a blended learning solution.
The GIBS Dean, Professor Nicola Kleyn, requested Dr. Lucy Voss Price, former Director of Custom Programs, to review the Chart Learning Solutions platform and assess its suitability.
Dr. Voss Price identified the Leadership Development Program as an appropriate internal solution for GIBS.
Chart’s Personal Leadership Program supported business staff development in several key areas:
GIBS selected Chart Learning Solutions as the preferred provider for this initiative.
The Leadership Development Program consists of 12 core competency courses delivered over 12 months.
Each course includes five units of study:
GIBS allocated three hours per week for delegates to complete learning activities. Delegates had flexibility to schedule this time according to their work commitments.
Coaches provided guidance, instructions, and deadlines for each course, ensuring timely completion.
At the end of each course, coaches assessed activities and provided feedback during Accountability Application Meetings, which also served as coaching sessions.
A key highlight occurred after the Project Management course, where delegates delivered group presentations.
Delegates presented formally to coaches and managers, pushing them beyond their comfort zones.
Despite initial anxiety, the presentations were delivered confidently and demonstrated high quality. Positive feedback from coaches resulted in increased pride, confidence, and a strong sense of achievement among participants.
The needs analysis identified three primary focus areas for the Leadership Development Program.
Focused on developing functional skills aligned with delegates’ roles, including:
Focused on improving leadership capabilities in managing others, including:
Focused on developing personal attributes required for leadership success, including:
Before the program, business support teams lacked confidence and clarity regarding their contribution to the organization.
Delegates often worked in silos with limited collaboration and did not see clear pathways to leadership roles.
The program aimed to help delegates:
Within a few months, GIBS observed significant progress toward its goals.
Delegates provided positive feedback, highlighting the effectiveness of smaller, manageable learning units.
These units enabled practical application of new behaviors and contributed to observable cultural change within the organization.
GIBS found that a blended learning approach was both effective and efficient.
Chart’s Training Accountability Platform™ (TAP) and Performance Assurance System™ (PAS) helped overcome challenges related to time, budget, and resources.
This approach enabled GIBS to deliver a high-quality program that would not have been possible through traditional classroom methods alone.
The program energized and motivated the business support team both personally and professionally.
Management expressed satisfaction with the progress and anticipated continued leadership development within the organization.
Despite economic challenges, GIBS remained confident that the program was shaping future talent aligned with strategic objectives.
The organization also reinforced its commitment to People Development by investing in high-potential employees and maintaining a stable work environment.
“Management identified a potential gap in developing our business support teams. We required a blended learning solution.”
“Chart gave us the blended online and live coaching structure we needed with its Performance Assurance System™.”
“We are encouraged by the positive influence the program has had on the delegates’ continuous learning journey.”
“The program allowed us to overcome our challenges and deliver an excellent quality program which would not have been achieved through our traditional classroom-based methods.”
GIBS required a cost-effective leadership development solution for its business support teams, facing constraints in time, budget, and internal resources.
Chart Learning Solutions delivered a blended leadership development program combining online learning, coaching, application activities, and accountability sessions.
The program enabled delegates to build confidence, improve collaboration, understand their organizational impact, and strengthen leadership capabilities.
As a result, GIBS achieved improved engagement, better time management, enhanced team effectiveness, reduced operational challenges, and increased readiness for leadership growth.
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