084: Why Traditional Leadership Development Programs Fail to Deliver Results with Ginny Baillie

In this episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, we welcome Ginny Baillie, founder of Drum, a leadership development company in the UK. Ginny shares her journey in leadership coaching and development, explaining how her approach has evolved since 2017. Together, we explore the concept of "holding space" and why traditional leadership development programs often fail to deliver long-term results. Ginny provides insight into how leaders can foster deeper connection and trust within their teams by stepping away from prescriptive methods and embracing a more organic, space-holding approach to leadership.

Ginny Baillie is a seasoned leadership development coach who founded Drum, a company dedicated to helping leaders and teams build deeper, more authentic connections. Since 2017, Drum has focused on creating open spaces for leaders to collaborate and engage in meaningful, supportive conversations without rigid frameworks. Ginny has worked with organizations worldwide, helping leaders shift from traditional, results-driven models to approaches that prioritize trust, collaboration, and emotional intelligence.

🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways:

• The Shortcomings of Traditional Leadership Development: Ginny discusses why many traditional leadership programs, despite significant investments, fail to create lasting change. She emphasizes the importance of fostering environments where leaders can genuinely learn from one another, rather than relying on structured, step-by-step approaches.
  
  

• The Power of Holding Space: The episode introduces the concept of "holding space," which Ginny describes as a crucial leadership skill. Rather than focusing on controlling conversations or delivering top-down solutions, effective leaders learn to create environments where teams can share openly, collaborate, and co-create solutions.
  
  

• Moving Away from Prescriptive Models: Ginny highlights her shift away from prescriptive leadership models—such as three-step frameworks or ten-point plans—that often fail to address the deeper, systemic challenges within organizations. Instead, she advocates for creating spaces where leaders and their teams can connect authentically, without the pressure of fitting into predetermined models.
  
  

• Collapsing Hierarchies: We discuss the importance of flattening organizational hierarchies to foster more open and honest communication. Leaders who are able to become learners alongside their teams are better positioned to create meaningful, lasting change.
  
  

• Creating Sustainable Leadership Practices: One of Ginny's core beliefs is that leadership development should be sustainable and replicable. She shares her experience with Drum, explaining how leaders who participate in her programs are equipped to continue the work independently, fostering a culture of self-sustainability within their organizations.

We talk about:

• 00:00 Intro

• 02:38 Challenges in Traditional Leadership Programs

• 08:33 The Importance of Holding Space

• 09:27 Transitioning to New Leadership Models

• 13:44 Skills and Mindset for Modern Leaders

• 28:29 Challenges in Modern Leaders