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High-potential senior leaders programme at Cigna

Dark green flower
Participants
45

About the programme

In 2013, Cigna identified a need for a senior leadership development programme.

As well as augmenting their developmental opportunities for senior leadership, Cigna also wanted to address bench strength gaps, empower senior leaders to embrace their strengths, and to help them be more fulfilled and effective in their roles.

In response, Cigna collaborated with Impact to develop the Technology Senior Leadership Programme (TSLP).

This high-potential senior leader programme first ran in 2013. Over forty-five participants across six cohorts have now completed this two-year programme. These graduates have become highly valued and respected leaders at Cigna, with programme attendance now considered to be a prized development opportunity.

This programme was created to upskill, develop and empower high-potential senior leaders in the business.

Specific topics that the programme identifies and covers include:

  • Emotional intelligence
  • Leadership agility
  • Leading team performance
  • Influencing
  • Executive presence and brand
  • Cultural awareness and DEI
  • Resilience and wellbeing
  • Leadership action
  • Strategic leadership
  • Innovation and risk
  • Leading technology

To ensure solutions were anchored in current business contexts and future strategic challenges, Impact started off the collaboration by conducting Solution Mapping sessions with the Cigna team. This has continued with biannual stakeholder interviews, which form part of an ongoing organisational analysis and programme refresh initiative.

The solution combines a variety of experiential learning strategies, including immersive leadership challenges, executive coaching, content-specific skill sessions, and real-life work experiences where participants can learn in the flow of work, supported by managers, sponsors and mentors.

Alongside this, peer-to-peer consulting and coaching sessions provide a self-driven component of the solution, giving participants the opportunity to leverage their expertise to help each other learn, as well as develop their feedback skills.

Participants also take part in local and global market journeys. These 7–14- day experiences are designed to raise participants’ cultural awareness and sensitivity, as well as prompt reflection on their own biases and how this impacts their leadership. This also provides an opportunity for participants to give back to the community through service learning.

  • 100% of participants would recommend the programme to a colleague.
  • 100% said they would be able to apply new knowledge and skills to their day-to-day work.
  • 100% agreed they gained relevant and valuable leadership skills and knowledge from the modules.
  • 80% of the graduates who are still leaders at Cigna have progressed to higher level roles.
Testimonials
See what our customers say about us
Natasha Hepburn
Director of Technology Leadership Development
Cigna
"Due to the ever-changing technology environment, the programme has continued to evolve over the past decade. TSLP is able to adapt to the current talent needs of the organisation in a deliberate and timely manner. Remaining flexible as the industry changes, keeping alumni involved to mentor and advocate for current participants and tracking progress in measurable and actionable ways are aspects of the programme that continue to establish a track record of success."
Participant
Cigna
“The Hogan assessment was of great benefit; it opened a new set of conversations with my leader and my team that has been improving my ability to be an effective leader. I also found where I needed to change the conversation in my personal relationships as well, becoming a better spouse, parent, and friend. Overall, I’m deeply honored I had the opportunity to be a part of such a great cohort and a well-designed, thoughtful programme."