Case Study 

Developing Leaders and Managers

More than 10 years ago Westfield recognised that leadership was an indispensable component of future business success and that a greater emphasis and focus on leadership and management development was needed across the business. The goal was identified as improving leadership capability and skills that would drive individual and business performance and give people the necessary skills to meet future business challenges. 

A leadership model was developed comprising a series of leadership and management modules that would build, develop and maintain a pipeline of skilled leaders and future managers ready to make the transition into senior leadership roles. Westfield realised that through the creation of this model its employees would see a clear career pathway to inspire them to develop and grow in their careers within the organisation. This process would also assist the Group in retaining its high potential leaders and provide the business with greater flexibility and mobility across the regions.

From a global business perspective, the advantages of adopting this model across the Group’s other operating territories in United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand are clear, following its successful implementation in Australia. 

A leadership council comprised of a committed group of senior business leaders is now the custodian of leadership and management within the business, overseeing content development and conducting an annual review of Westfield’s investment in the process. 

In 2004, based on the success profiles of established business leaders in the company, the Group developed and globally launched the Westfield Foundational Leadership Program to provide emerging leaders with the skills to effectively lead their teams to drive business results. The program was revised in 2010 to align with contemporary leadership thinking and to assist participants to understand how to become a more balanced leader. The program has run in Australia, New Zealand and United Kingdom and will soon be launched in the United States.

The Westfield Foundational Leadership Program has made a positive impact to the employees that have participated and continues to provide the business with a succession of high potential leaders who achieve results through their own teams.

In 2008 in response to a demand to increase the capability of its managers the Group developed developed and launched the Westfield Foundational Management Program in Australia. The program was updated in 2012, in alignment with contemporary management practices, to focus on improving team effectiveness by providing managers with the tools to lead high performance teams. The program has also run in the United Kingdom with plans to launch in the United States and New Zealand.

In 2008 the Group developed and launched the People Manager’s Program, specifically designed to introduce new managers them to management processes and policies. This program now runs in Australia, United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand.

Through leadership and management programs in each of its operating territories the Group has built relevant and transportable skills in its leaders that will maximise management capability, enabling employees to deliver superior results in line with broader business objectives.