Offering organisations help to develop leaders grow and perform at their best is a very busy market place. When we have searched the Internet, or seen exhibitors at L&D events, we have often thought “here is an organisation trying to do what we do – improve leaders’ behaviour”. Frequently the aims and intention of these programmes were similar to ours, yet on closer inspection we discovered they were quite different, they were “inside-out” whereas our leadership development programmes are “outside-in”. Often the core of what the other programmes offered was based on:
a) An assessment of personality by a self questionnaire and rationalising the reasons underpinning participants view of their behaviour, or,
b) Elucidating deeper memories and commentaries developed in childhood and relating them to internal blockers and self limiting beliefs.
Both types of programme then endeavour to help participants develop a range of strategies to internally manage any inhibitors. In other words think their way into behaving differently. Inside-out!

A previous participant on one of our programmes, Simon Dawson, who has a great deal of experience of psychology based leadership development, described the difference in this way:

“Inside-out can idealise behaviour – your truly authentic you, you at your best and that’s fine. For me life is messier than that on the outside. An outside-in approach, as I experienced with EZOZ, provided me with learning, practice and immediately reflected feedback on how I come across in different situations with different people. It embraces imperfection, its real, its practical.”

We have used many personality assessment tools. (Which people love as they accurately describe the individual in a new frame of reference with clarity of language – of course they feel accurate as you answered the questions.) We also appreciate the searching inside oneself to understand, as best we can, what is driving our default behaviours. These approaches are essential for developing insight and self-awareness. When these insights are shared thoughtfully with others e.g. in team improvement sessions, they can help build connection and mutual acceptance or appreciation of difference.

We have one problem with inside-out approaches. They rarely result in timely behavioural breakthrough or improvement.

At best, they open up a slow process to help people gain understanding of internal barriers and apply conscious cognitive effort to inhibit or reframe these barriers. A long term effort, often with little observed feedback, is required to make real progress on making behavioural shifts. There is very limited performance improvement visible for a long time. On the positive side shifts made can be deep and lasting.

At worst, personality labelling and validation can be an enabler for continued poor and disrespectful behaviour. “This presentation will be in my ‘competitive/assertive’ personality style so get over it – it’s just how I am”. No change required here then!

Outside-in puts you and your behaviour on display.  It gives precise feedback on your behavioural, in the moment impact on others. Disciplined practice of adjusted behaviours continues the precision feedback process and allows participants to decide what they can and will change. All the feedback is on observable behaviours and the impact they have – avoiding guesswork as to what is going on inside the person.

So what?
The “so what” is that although inside-out is undoubtedly of value, it is slower to make breakthroughs, expensive and can sometimes cement unhelpful behaviours.

The outside-in approach we offer is faster, less expensive and more inclusive because of this. It creates a supportive social pressure to make a positive change that is immediately observable and beneficial.

If your leadership development is not resulting in observable behaviour change and immediate performance improvement it could be time for your organisation to experiment with an outside-in approach as an addition or alternative to inside-out approaches.

Time for “outsights” not just insights.

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