Executive Development with Derek Draper
Derek Draper is a leadership consultant in the field of executive development.
Working through his company CDP, Derek uses psychology to help develop people. Either individually or with teams. And sometimes with whole organisations.
CDP do a lot of assessments. They write reports recommending hire/don’t hire or at least think of this. Even the people who come for an assessment, where they are going for a job or promotion love the whole experience. In fact, Derek says that CDP have 100% of the people who go through the experience love the experience.
Executive Development Assessments
Typically a CEO might bring in Derek and his team because they want to develop a particular individual. They might want a new Chief Finance Officer and they want to get it right. They do this and then the CEO thinks that that went well, and he has a good understanding with the new CFO, and this leads to wider engagements for the whole executive team to be assessed and developed.
It might be that the executives are not moving job or role, but the CEO benefits from having an in depth understanding of the team’s development. Executive coaching flows on from that. Many times, companies will separate executive coaching and executive assessor roles in the field of executive development. Nonetheless, CDP will always do a mini-assessment at the beginning of the coaching, to ensure they understand WHO you are coaching.
Team executive development, usually about internal dynamics. Sometimes teams are LESS than the sum of the parts.
CDP: cdp.consulting
What is YOUR first memory?
Graham’s first memory? Being chased by a dog. And my brother saving the day.
…but don’t tell Derek…
Why does Derek deep dive into your distant memories? To establish what is motivating your behaviours. The fundamental development area a person has is almost certainly NOT related to what has happened recently at work. Fundamental reasons go back a long way. Your character and values all stem from these early memories and experiences.
Just how much does Derek really know?
Graham’s Legal Representative says: “Graham is not an arsonist now or has been at any time in the past.”
Derek can spend an hour or so doing this deep dive. They’ve done 100s of these.
He knows quite a bit about you once you’ve told him about your career, the highlights and lowlights. University. Your options. What did you want to do?
4 or 5 strengths or development areas. The report is co-creative.
It is an intense process. The person will always see the report later. People find this useful.
IQ and EQ
Most of the analysis is done through interview. But to provide some rigour to their work, and independent objectivity, they use other tests:
- IQ
- EQ
They will provide the overwhelming evidence you need. Probably, 90% of the decision. The tests are benchmarked to about 1000 people.
He doesn’t look at the test results until half way through the assessment. Derek prefers to get his first impression of them. Usually tests align with your thinking, if it doesn’t the tests may be wrong 1 in 10 times.
Derek will refer back to the interviewee and ask them why a difference exists between his impression and the test results.
Large businesses only?
Lessons for small businesses too? Derek has worked for small and large companies.
However, his market is usually the FTSE 350. When he is called into the business to audit, they often don’t know what goes on in their businesses.
Create Space
Find Derek’s book Create Space here: https://profilebooks.com/create-space.html
Robert Peston: Derek Draper will help you take back control.
Ian King: Grab this now and get reading.
The theory behind Create Space is that we, in terms of evolution, since we emerged, there has been 1000 generations. For 999 of those the task has been to FILL SPACE. More discussion, more art etc. NOW, space has gone. We are all too busy. We are drowning. Unlike the past, we now need to create space. It is a call to people to say I will not allow people to take control.
Either I perform better AND OR I will be better at. YOU cannot though as you’re already doing too much. So Derek says stop and audit things. And then drop some things. That allows people to do more and better things.
Create Space – What it’s All About?
Contact Derek
I mentioned Derek’s lovely wife, who for many, will need no introduction. She is lovely.
Photo Credit Daily Mail. Derek Draper and Kate Garraway
