Mid Level Leader

Future-back thinking: The roadmap to effective leadership profiles

Future Focus: A Look Beyond with Peter Mulford and Peter Coffee

How AI is accelerating leadership development by enabling more practice

In today’s fast-paced business world, developing leaders who can navigate complexity, inspire teams, and deliver results is more critical than ever. Yet, traditional training methods often fall short in addressing the scale, personalization, and immediacy required to create lasting change. AI-powered practice bots are emerging as a transformative solution, offering leaders unparalleled opportunities to practice, grow, and improve—faster and more effectively than ever before. Feedback with precision and accessibility Feedback is the cornerstone of leadership development. However, research from Gallup reveals that only 26% of employees strongly agree that the feedback they receive improves their performance. Feedback all too often misses the mark, because it is too vague, infrequent and not relevant to the job at hand. AI practice bots address this gap by providing instant, objective, and actionable feedback through simulated conversations. Well trained practice bots, armed with leading-edge, business-specific knowledge on the critical skills needed for leaders, offer the most valuable simulated conversations, and the most accurate feedback.   These bots mimic real-world scenarios such as performance reviews, stakeholder negotiations, and high-stakes presentations. Leaders gain immediate insights into their communication style, areas for improvement, and actionable next steps—all without the need for scheduled coaching sessions.   Moreover, AI expands access to high-quality feedback across all levels of leadership. No longer confined by time, geography, or resource constraints, organizations can now equip every leader with the tools they need to grow. This scalability ensures consistent, equitable development opportunities while fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Limitless practice for deeper growth Behavioral change is built through deliberate practice, yet many traditional training programs provide limited opportunities for leaders to apply what they’ve learned. A study from the American Psychological Association (APA) highlights that repetitive, focused practice is essential for mastering new skills.   AI bots remove barriers to practice by offering leaders unlimited chances to rehearse critical conversations, test new approaches, and refine their strategies. Whether delivering constructive feedback, managing conflict, or influencing stakeholders, leaders can practice important conversations without fear of judgment or failure.   Available 24/7, these bots integrate development into daily routines, accelerating skill acquisition and embedding new behaviors. The result is not only faster growth but also greater confidence and readiness to tackle complex challenges. Amplifying human insight through AI AI bots enhance leadership development not by replacing human expertise but by amplifying it. They excel at handling repetitive, data-driven tasks such as providing feedback and tracking performance trends. However, the role of human insight—through coaching, mentorship, and relationship building—remains irreplaceable.   According to Deloitte, organizations that combine AI-powered tools with human-led learning experiences see a 33% increase in effectiveness. AI provides the structure and scalability to ensure consistent development, while human experts bring empathy, context, and nuance to guide leaders on their unique journeys.   This synergy between technology and human insight accelerates individual growth while creating a ripple effect across organizations. Leaders not only develop the skills they need to excel but also inspire their teams and drive meaningful cultural change. Transforming leadership development with AI practice bots AI practice bots enhance leadership development by: Delivering precise, personalized feedback: Instant insights empower leaders to grow faster and with greater clarity. Offering unlimited opportunities to practice: Leaders can refine critical skills anytime, embedding growth into their daily routines. Providing data-driven insights: Bots analyze performance trends across leaders within an organization to inform targeted training strategies. Scaling impactful learning: Accessible to leaders across geographies and roles, AI ensures consistent and equitable development opportunities. By enabling leaders to practice more, grow faster, and lead with confidence, AI-powered bots are transforming leadership development—one conversation at a time.   Discover how AI practice bots can enhance your leadership strategy and deliver lasting results.   Explore the AI Practice Bot Offering Here

BTS acquires Sounding Board 

P R E S S  R E L E A S E Stockholm, March 3, 2025 STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – BTS Group AB (publ), a leading global consultancy specializing in strategy execution, change, and people development, has agreed to acquire Sounding Board, a technology-based leader in scalable, high-impact coaching solutions driving transformational leadership development. “With this acquisition, BTS can leapfrog its current technology and operations with the integration of a team and platform that is considerably more productive and ready-to-scale globally than our current technology. The acquisition allows us to create and take to market a very differentiated offering and to faster expand BTS’ current USD 40 million coaching services, taking advantage of the growing USD 7 billion coaching market, and to increase our margins,” says Jessica Skon, CEO of BTS Group. Founded by Christine Tao and Lori Mazan in 2016, Sounding Board is a silicon-valley based start-up with USD 7 million in scaled coaching revenue in 2024, delivered through the company’s proprietary technology platform. With over USD 45 million in capital invested in its technology, Sounding Board has pioneered a modern, proprietary platform to fully meet a company’s scaled coaching needs. The addition of Sounding Board’s coach network will create a combined BTS network of 700 credentialled coaches with global reach. The acquisition is expected to have a slightly positive impact on EBITA in 2025 and a positive impact on both earnings and margins in 2026. Sounding Board is differentiated in the market with a unified software platform for coaching that can be utilized for both external and internal coaching and mentoring programs. With a track record of high client retention, a global network of expert coaches, and a data-driven approach to leadership transformation, Sounding Board has been taking market share with its scalable coaching solution offerings. With future support from BTS global account managers and access to BTS’ global client base, the acquisition will be a pivotal moment for both firms to continue their mission together. “Sounding Board’s innovative coaching platform, efficient and scalable operating model, combined with both firms’ global reach of world class, consistent top 5 percent coaches, is exactly what our clients have been asking for. They are tired of inconsistent coaching quality from competitors and platforms that don’t reinforce their organization’s unique strategy and culture,” concludes Katrin Mulford, BTS Partner and Global Head of Coaching. "We are joining BTS to amplify and accelerate our impact," said Christine Tao, Co-founder and CEO of Sounding Board. "BTS’s global reach, broader leader development solutions, industry-leading simulations, and AI-based coaching and practice for strategic plays and culture shifts, are exactly the additional tools clients are looking for to complement our coaching. Together, we will redefine how companies prepare their people, deliver ongoing change at scale, and develop leaders who drive transformation." “Joining forces, we will simultaneously drive growth and win market share within coaching, fortifying our reputation in making strategy personal, while also driving automation and efficiencies for our clients and in our operations as we scale. By replacing our platform with theirs, the handling of all the steps in the coaching process will become significantly more effective, from scheduling to coaching to insights and billing. It will be easier, faster, and less resource intensive to manage large programs with tens of thousands of leaders. In addition, Sounding Board’s operating model will serve as an example inside BTS as a more tech-forward way of working,” adds Jessica Skon. The acquisition includes a limited initial cash consideration as well as additional purchase price considerations paid between 2025 and 2028, provided the acquired business meets specific targets during that period. The transaction is expected to close as soon as the completion procedures have been finalized, which are expected in March. BTS's strategy for acquisitions aims to create a broader base for future organic growth while actively consolidating in a highly fragmented market. Through its acquisitions, BTS seeks to serve new and existing customers with innovative services. For more information, please contact: BTS Group AB Jessica Skon, CEO +1 (415) 203 1760 Michael Wallin, Head of investor relations michael.wallin@bts.com +46-8-58 70 70 02 +46-708-78 80 19

Empowering life sciences leaders to build a winning leadership culture after a spin-off 

Client need In the dynamic world of life sciences, innovation is the key to progress. For one global leading company, the focus wasn’t just on innovating within their labs—it was about applying the same mindset to the development of their leaders.  Emerging from a series of reorganizations and spin-offs, this forward-thinking company faced a new era. While their technical and functional expertise was unparalleled, they recognized an urgent need to equip mid-to-senior-level managers with the skills to lead in a way that unlocked their teams full potential.  The challenge was clear: build a leadership culture that transcends silos, empowers teams, and strengthens collaboration across the business. These leaders needed to be people-first and cross-functionally focused, balancing their own functional goals with the broader success of the organization.  The company set a bold goal: to transform their high-potential (Hi-Po) leadership development program into a catalyst for leaders who inspire confidence, foster engagement, and energize their teams during times of change.  Their vision was ambitious:  Create a leadership culture rooted in empowerment, where leaders multiply the intelligence and potential of their teams.  Foster a cross-functional mindset to enhance collaboration and align with broader organizational goals.  Equip leaders with the tools and confidence to stabilize and energize teams during times of uncertainty.   This wasn’t just about developing new skills—it was about creating a sustainable leadership culture that would support the company’s long-term ambitions.  Solution BTS partnered with the company to bring this vision to life by embedding the BTS Multipliers framework into the clients existing leadership development journey curriculum—a transformative approach to leadership grounded in the belief that the best leaders don’t just grow themselves; they grow others.   The Multipliers module integrated seamlessly into the company’s existing leadership journey, providing a practical, immersive experience that redefined how participants thought about leadership.  At the heart of the Multipliers philosophy is a simple but powerful idea:  Multipliers are leaders who amplify the intelligence, energy, and capability of their teams, inspiring people to give their best.  In contrast, Diminishers—often unintentionally—undercut team potential by micromanaging, controlling, or failing to trust.  Through the module, participants learned how to:  Identify their own “Accidental Diminisher” tendencies and reframe them to empower their teams.  Foster an environment where team members felt safe, supported, and encouraged to contribute their ideas.  Shift focus from “being the smartest in the room” to building a team of smart, engaged contributors.  The program delivered this transformation through:  Interactive workshops: Participants engaged in simulations and real-world scenarios, applying the concepts of Multipliers and Diminishers to their daily leadership challenges.  Peer learning opportunities: Facilitated discussions expanded networks and created spaces for shared insights and problem-solving.  Storytelling and influence-building exercises: These moments helped participants align their leadership approach with cross-functional priorities, enhancing their ability to lead collaboratively.  The Multipliers program wasn’t just a learning event—it was a transformation in mindset, empowering leaders to drive impact across their teams and the business.  Results The company’s commitment to bold, innovative leadership development delivered measurable results:  Empowered leadership: Leaders embraced their roles as Multipliers, unlocking the potential of their teams and creating an environment of trust and high performance.  Stronger collaboration: Participants developed a cross-functional mindset, breaking down silos and driving alignment across departments.  Confidence in the future: Teams emerged more engaged and equipped to tackle challenges with clarity and energy.  By the numbers:  83% of participants rated the Multipliers module as effective or very effective.  The program received an overall score of 4.2 out of 5 for its impact, with participants praising its practical and engaging design.  Participant reflections  “Learning about Multipliers and Accidental Diminishers was one of the most valuable sections of the program.”  “The Multipliers session was great—simple, memorable concepts that I could immediately apply in my role as a leader.”  “The simulation was not only fun, but it also sparked meaningful conversations and collaborative problem-solving.”  “I gained valuable insights into how I can harness the intelligence of my team and avoid unintentionally limiting their potential.” 

From compliance to confidence: Empowering Ibercaja Bank’s teams to drive smarter decisions 

Client need Ibercaja Bank, a well-established European financial institution with a strong history of serving its communities, recognized the importance of evolving its operations to meet new regulatory demands while staying true to its mission of empowering its people and supporting its customers. Balancing these priorities meant addressing the European Central Bank's (ECB) requirements for aligning asset operations with risk-adjusted return on capital (RAROC) principles—a necessary step to ensure sustainable profitability.  As a customer-focused organization, Ibercaja was committed to equipping its branch managers and client-facing professionals with the tools and knowledge to succeed in this new environment. The bank introduced a suite of resources, including a RAROC calculation tool, online learning modules, and a “pricing circuit,” to help its employees integrate RAROC into their daily decision-making processes.   However, initial feedback revealed that some employees viewed these tools as procedural burdens rather than opportunities to drive better decisions and outcomes for the bank and its customers.   This prompted Ibercaja to take a thoughtful and strategic approach to improvement, identifying key areas to ensure that its employees not only embraced RAROC but also felt confident using it to strengthen relationships with customers. The bank focused on:  Helping employees shift from transactional goals to sustainable, long-term profitability to benefit both the business and its customers.  Building awareness of how effective capital allocation could enhance financial performance and customer offerings.  Equipping branch managers and client-facing teams with the financial skills to use RAROC as a practical and empowering tool.  Encouraging a mindset that viewed RAROC not as a compliance task but as a way to deliver better outcomes for customers and the bank.  By addressing these areas, Ibercaja sought to empower its people to deliver even greater value to customers while aligning with regulatory standards—strengthening its reputation as a thoughtful and innovative financial institution.  Solution Ibercaja Bank partnered with BTS to create a practical, engaging training program that supported its branch managers and client-facing teams in navigating the complexities of the RAROC framework. The program was designed to help employees connect RAROC principles directly to their daily responsibilities, equipping them with the skills and confidence to make informed decisions that benefited both the bank and its customers.  Recognizing the diverse needs of its workforce, the training was tailored for two distinct groups:  Tool Connoisseurs: Employees already familiar with RAROC and managing complex operations, who needed advanced insights to maximize the tool’s strategic value.  Non-Tool Connoisseurs: Employees newer to RAROC, who required foundational knowledge to apply the framework effectively and with confidence.    The program was rolled out in three carefully designed phases:  Collaborative Design and Roadmap: BTS worked closely with Ibercaja’s leaders across finance, risk, marketing, and retail banking to identify the unique needs of each employee group. Together, they developed a clear roadmap with tailored goals, customized content, and a training plan aligned with the bank’s strategic priorities.  Pilot Sessions: To ensure relevance and effectiveness, the program was tested with 34 employees through pilot sessions. These sessions included interactive exercises and real-world simulations to help participants see how RAROC connected to profitability and decision-making in their roles. Participants practiced pricing decisions in realistic scenarios and provided valuable feedback to refine the final program design.  Full-Scale Rollout and Simulations: The final phase included hands-on "know-how" sessions to deepen employees’ financial understanding and help them confidently apply RAROC concepts. Tool Connoisseurs participated in one-day sessions focused on advanced applications, while Non-Tool Connoisseurs attended shorter sessions to build foundational skills. Both groups engaged in simulations and decision-making exercises that connected learning to action. Participants left each session with actionable plans to apply their new knowledge immediately in their roles.  By tailoring the training to Ibercaja’s specific needs and fostering collaboration across teams, BTS ensured the program resonated with employees and aligned seamlessly with the bank’s strategic goals.  Results The training delivered measurable and lasting impact, transforming RAROC from a regulatory requirement into a strategic asset that empowered employees to make more effective decisions:  Widespread adoption: 84% of new operations were priced using the RAROC calculator, reflecting a significant shift in behavior and mindset across the organization.  Extensive participation: Over 1,100 employees from multiple departments completed the program, promoting collaboration and a shared understanding of profitability goals.  Tangible outcomes: Participants drove more than 460 initiatives that enhanced cost-effectiveness, refined pricing strategies, and improved profit margins, strengthening the bank’s overall performance.   Feedback from participants underscored the program’s success:  Both Tool Connoisseurs and Non-Tool Connoisseurs rated the program an impressive 4.6 out of 5.  Facilitators earned strong Net Promoter Scores (NPS) of 79% and 76%, indicating high satisfaction and engagement.  Beyond individual improvements, the training fostered a culture of strategic thinking and collaboration. By equipping employees with the tools to make better decisions and align their efforts with the bank’s broader priorities, Ibercaja Bank reinforced its commitment to delivering exceptional value to both its customers and its stakeholders. This focus on profitability, efficiency, and customer satisfaction positioned the bank for continued growth and long-term success. 

Accelerating market-ready innovation at Starbucks

Client need Starbucks sought to differentiate itself in the highly competitive tea market across the Asia-Pacific region. To achieve this, Starbucks needed to foster a culture of innovation, equipping its teams with the tools and collaborative processes to create new tea concepts. Their goal was to develop innovative, market-ready ideas that could appeal to diverse customer preferences and drive brand growth. The challenge was to accelerate the ideation process while ensuring the ideas were both feasible and aligned with customer needs. Solution To address this, Starbucks partnered with BTS to design and deliver the 3-day Innovation Tea Summit. This immersive summit guided 28 Starbucks partners from 9 countries through a structured design-thinking process to co-create breakthrough tea concepts. The process included five key stages—defining intent, exploring needs, ideating, refining, and planning small-scale testing. The summit brought these stages to life through the following core activities: Customer understanding and insight gathering: Participants kicked off with a deep dive into customer behaviors, using tools like observation, interviews, and empathy exercises to uncover unmet needs. Teams created detailed customer journey maps, identifying pain points and opportunities, and refined these insights into actionable need statements. Ideation and creative prototyping: Armed with customer insights, participants engaged in creative ideation sessions, generating a large volume of ideas without judgment to maximize bold and unique solutions. These ideas were refined with feedback from peers, industry experts, and product designers. Prototyping activities brought the ideas to life, blending creativity with feasibility through sketches and live demonstrations by mixologists. Experimentation and strategic planning: Participants explored disciplined experimentation techniques to assess the feasibility and desirability of their concepts. Using collaborative brainstorming and structured feedback, they identified next steps for testing their ideas. The summit concluded with team presentations, where participants pitched their innovative concepts and discussed the roadmap for implementation. This comprehensive process ensured that every idea was customer-centered, innovative, and ready for accelerated market testing. Results The summit produced transformative results for Starbucks: Over 120 unique ideas: Participants created a diverse set of concepts designed to differentiate Starbucks in the tea market, with many ready for testing and refinement. Immediate market readiness: About 70% of the ideas were deemed feasible for testing within 6-12 months, accelerating Starbucks’ innovation timeline. Accelerated innovation: Teams left the summit equipped with practical tools and techniques to drive innovation more effectively, enabling them to validate and develop key ideas at a faster pace. Sustained engagement: Starbucks committed to ongoing collaboration between R&D and regional teams, equipping participants with a clear, repeatable innovation process to continually refine ideas and develop a pipeline of innovative products. Testimonials “We should conduct more of these if time and resources permit as this is a great way to share ideas and explore and challenge problems in the fastest and most efficient way. Good job to the organizers!” “I think this is a great workshop, I’ve learned a lot. Wish there will be this kind of workshop for other functions as well such as operations, marketing, and SCO.” “I learned that we must first start with the insight and must refrain from making assumptions that are unfounded. Focus on the need of the customer, not on the product.” The Innovation Tea Summit not only delivered a suite of exciting new tea ideas for Starbucks but also empowered participants with a repeatable innovation process. This sets the stage for sustained growth, customer-centric differentiation, and ongoing success in the competitive beverage market.

Transforming the future of work: AI’s impact on leadership and innovation

Beyond Skills to Capacity: The True Power of Executive Coaching

In this Brandon Hall Group™ Excellence at Work Podcast, Michael Rochelle, Chief Strategy Officer and Principal Analyst, engages in an insightful conversation with Pamela Fuller, Vice President at BTS and Head of Executive Coaching Center of Excellence, exploring how organizations can leverage professional coaching to drive leadership development and behavioral change. The discussion examines the evolution of coaching approaches, from traditional executive coaching to AI-supported solutions, while focusing on measuring impact and ensuring return on investment.

An emerging role of coach in learning journeys: the learning partner

In a world where complexity defines the challenges ahead, the role of the coach is undergoing a profound transformation. Traditional coaching, with its focus on individual growth, is evolving into something far more integrated and dynamic: the coach as learning partner. Unlike conventional coaching, which often operates in isolation, the learning partner approach is deeply intertwined with an organization’s broader goals and culture, driving leadership capacity, strengthening talent pipelines, and catalyzing strategic change. This shift isn’t simply about improving individual performance — it’s about reshaping how leaders and organizations learn and adapt together. The coach as learning partner doesn’t just help leaders understand themselves; they connect personal transformation to collective goals, linking individual development with the organization’s mission. As change accelerates and complexity intensifies, this partnership model prepares leaders to face the future, equipped with both the skills (horizontal development) and the expanded mindsets (vertical development) necessary to drive sustainable change. The learning partner role is, at its core, about aligning human potential with strategic purpose. It is a role designed to navigate the nuances of the modern workplace, blending coaching with insight into organizational dynamics to create leaders who aren’t just capable of adapting but can lead the organization forward with clarity and resilience. This holistic model redefines coaching, making it a strategic lever that fosters growth at both the individual and organizational levels, moving beyond traditional boundaries to empower leaders for what lies ahead.

Breaking bias with simulation-based talent strategies

Nearly 80% of organizations continue to make commitments to inclusion, despite the current political and social criticism of these efforts portrayed in the media. Yet, many of these same organizations rely on outdated talent practices that unintentionally reinforce systemic bias that can, in some cases, open the companies up to legal risks. Simulation-based assessments—immersive, job-relevant experiences—are changing that. By prioritizing objective, behavioral evaluation over abstract measures, they are unlocking opportunities for underrepresented groups while building fairer, more defensible processes. Simulation-based assessments drive two critical outcomes: Reducing bias by evaluating candidates on observable, role-specific behaviors. Minimizing legal risk by aligning with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) standards to prevent adverse impact – designed for companies to comply with laws, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964. These assessments aren’t just more inclusive—they’re a smarter, evidence-backed approach to talent development.

Navigating the future: smart cities and autonomous vehicles with Prof. Alejandro Lozano Robledo