CEO: Michael Roth
Headquarters: New York, New York
Website: www.interpublic.com

IPG IDEAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM PRODUCING TOP DIVERSE TALENT

As a global leader with a longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion, Interpublic Group’s (IPG) leadership program is developing and advancing senior level high potential diverse individuals.

The Interpublic Diverse Emerging and Aspiring Leadership (IDEAL) program is successfully developing and advancing high potential, women and People of Color on the cusp of executive ranks. A novel aspect of the program is that unlike many leadership programs, IDEAL goes beyond training. It actually changes the context for success because it also changes the environments by strengthening the participants’ managers skills, creating comprehensive development plans and enhancing support through the addition of mentoring and coaching.

Relationships and Promotional Opportunity

The IDEAL program structure is based on research showing relationships are central to promotion opportunities and that career advice varies by demographic group. Under the program, protégés spend time with their managers on specific developmental and performance goals with targeted metrics. Program workshops focus on business, financial and strategic acumen, as well as on helping both the high potentials and their managers understand and navigate how diversity may impact careers and job performance.

Together the protégés and managers identify senior executives to serve as mentors to achieve identified goals and then work with these senior executives for six months. Managers receive training on performance management and diversity issues. The program is further supplemented with networking and professional development, including a Thought Leaders Series, that features top executives such as IPG’s CEO Michael Roth and Chief Strategy Officer Philippe Krakowsky addressing business issues.

As of January 2017, over 60 percent of the original protégés have been promoted. Regarding their business, strategic and financial acumen, 82 percent reported these attributes improved as a result of their participation in the program. All of the managers who participated in the program reported their working relationships were enhanced, that their performance feedback skills were strengthened and that they gained insights to help their direct reports navigate the forces that diversity can exert on careers.