Strategic Human Resource Leadership Development Journey: Leadership Development in a Phygital Context

In March 2023, the founders of the Strategic Human Resource Leadership Journey were reviewing the program’s great success across India since its launch in 2004. The initiative was intended to develop and prepare India’s HR leaders for the future. With a strategic business focus, it instilled enduring personal and professional transformations in the program’s participants. However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 induced unprecedented changes for the program and across the world. The result was a shift toward a mix of physical and digital offerings, referred to as a “phygital” context. The program’s architects recognized that there was a compelling need to modify the design of the initiative. In 2021–22, they offered a three-phase hybrid model that aimed to capture the best of both the physical and digital formats. However, participants lamented the lack of emotional connection and opportunities to develop deep relationships. How could the program leverage the new technology of the “phygital” world but sustain the emotional quality of the in-person residential format?

This case is designed for courses on organizational behaviour and HR management at the MBA and executive management levels. It could be used in a module on understanding innovative aspects of training and development functions. It is also suitable for specialization electives on leadership development and change management, or as part of sessions on the future of work. The case provides an appropriate context to reimagine a leadership development intervention that would retain the best physical mode, while leveraging the advantages of the virtual world. After completion of this case, students will be able to accomplish the following objectives:<br><br><ul><li>Understand the success factors of an effective leadership development initiative in two formats—residential and hybrid.</li><li>Examine the value creation of a hybrid design approach as a leadership development initiative.</li><li>Learn how to design an effective leadership development initiative that integrates the best physical and digital features to adapt to a new normal characterized by a phygital context.</li></ul>

• Leadership Development, Phygital, Hybrid