with enthusiasm, ambition, new ideas and technical expertise. So how will they avoid making the same mistakes I made?
Current thinking points towards emotional intelligence as an answer. At Dove Nest, we provide Balfour Beatty, one of the UK’s leading construction companies, with their graduate development programme. Our comprehensive development programme helps their graduates avoid the type of mistake I made in my early career by placing emotional intelligence and leadership at its core.
“During the 2-year programme, our graduates develop their skills in a number of different areas including leadership, management and communications, stakeholder engagement and business awareness, as well as technical skills and training they would undertake as part of their role.” – Sandra Crowe, Emerging Talent Specialist at Balfour Beatty
The underlying philosophy of EQ (emotional intelligence) is to start with oneself. Understanding one’s own emotions is the foundation upon which the skills of emotional intelligence can be developed. However, in the programme, Balfour Beatty take EQ beyond that of a simple management skill, such as learning how to delegate, or how to make decisions. Although these skills are useful, they are often deployed when and where the situation demands. In contrast EQ is something that constantly informs and influences behaviour, relationships and interactions. Something that I would have been very grateful to know during my first team building session.
The Balfour Beatty programme is demanding, challenging and rewarding in equal measure. Speaking to one of their graduates, we asked them ‘what were your expectations coming into the programme?’
“I expected to increase my self- awareness, learning what I am good at and not so good at. To take me out of my comfort zone, to test myself and improve.” – Nathan, Balfour Beatty graduate
The programme certainly puts graduates through their paces. Graduates are exposed to both the theory and practice
of leadership and management. By the end of the programme, graduates can expect to come away equipped with skills in: managing their profile, creating a positive impression, the characteristics and behaviours of leadership, emotional intelligence, influencing, working with and managing others.
The programme needs to be this challenging. My own personal example is testimony to how easy it is to create the wrong impression, engender resentment and damage both one’s personal profile and working relationships. In all likelihood, new graduates in Balfour Beatty will face similar challenges. Imagine a newly appointed graduate, highly technically skilled, but perhaps lacking in the softer skills of management. The graduate has to work alongside colleagues and subcontractors from a variety of backgrounds. How well will the long-serving contractor relate to being given advice on how to do the job, by someone potentially 20 years younger than them?
Through the experience of the programme, graduates become equipped with the knowledge, understanding and skills to communicate with, influence and motivate others. Nathan’s experience reflects this.
“Giving feedback to people was something I found very difficult. By the end of the programme I found it much easier and I am more confident in giving feedback.” – Nathan, Balfour Beatty graduate
Nathan’s experience is an example of how equipping graduates with emotional intelligence brings greater effectiveness to them as a potential leader, and echoes the current management thinking.
“A high EQ helps individuals to communicate better, reduce their anxiety and stress, defuse conflicts, improve relationships, empathize with others, and effectively overcome life’s challenges”. World of Psychology website - Paula Durlofsky, PhD
It is to Balfour Beatty’s credit that they place such importance on this aspect of management, putting the theory into
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practice, translating it into practical skills for their graduates.
Balfour Beatty have recognised the potential gap between technical skills and the skills needed to work effectively with other people. It is their belief that equipping their graduate talent with an understanding of how to work with and lead other people is essential. Acquiring these skills not only benefits their effectiveness in their new roles, but also ear-marks them as having the right skills and behaviours for future positions.
So, what has been Balfour Beatty’s experience of the programme, and what does the rest of the organisation think about it?
“Feedback from the business has been very positive on the Graduate Development Programme so far and we’re looking forward to having more business input in the future development of the programme to ensure it is fit for purpose and supports our future talent to be the best they can be in their chosen career area.” – Sandra Crowe, Emerging Talent Specialist Balfour Beatty
Returning to my own story of early career failure, if I’d had access to a programme like that of Balfour Beatty, then there is a good chance the outcome would have been different. What can be said with more certainty is that adding emotional intelligence awareness and skills to an already technically skilled graduate will benefit both the individual and the organisation.
“Our programme stretches and supports graduates on their development journey towards an exciting and rewarding career with Balfour Beatty.” – Sandra Crowe, Emerging Talent Specialist Balfour Beatty
Dove Nest Group have provided Balfour Beatty with graduate development programmes since 2014. Since then almost 200 participants have successfully graduated the programme. Dove Nest specialise in talent development and leadership behaviour, by combining experiential learning with occupational psychology.
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