SoLEAD for Tech Program: a journey of growth & innovation
People are at the centre of Sogeti’s strategy. While they are focusing on people development across the organisation, their focus to build Technology leaders led to a community called the Sogeti Lead Technologists. These are employees who are core specialists in their domain or technology including architects.
Deepa Bhulescarr, Head of Talent Management
Deepa Bhulescarr, Head of Talent Management and owner of the SoLEAD for Tech Program: “Become your best is Sogeti’s people promise. Sogeti empowers their employees to explore, innovate and progress towards becoming their best, providing a clear view on how they can shape their career and own their growth. The goal is to uplift and empower them. Not just in their professional journey but also as individuals. By doing so they can bring their full potential to everything they do.”
To fast-track the growth of future tech leaders, Sogeti launched SoLEAD for Tech. It’s an empowering journey of skill-building, certifications, leadership development, and real-world exposure.
The program is based on the underlying core belief that sustainable high-performance stems from personal well-being. While most tech leadership initiatives focus on the business side, the holistic, human dimension is often underrepresented. And that’s exactly where SoLEAD for Tech makes the difference by focussing on, amongst others, personal growth, (self)leadership, company strategy & dynamics, partnerships, innovation, and strategic client conversations.
Deepa: “We designed the SoLEAD for Tech Program with the objective to accelerate the development of technology leaders. COURIUS co-designed and delivers the program with us.”
Frank Wammes, Group COO Sogeti: “COURIUS offers a distinctive approach, placing strong emphasis on leading organizations from a position of personal strength and fostering individual growth in that context. A key element of their methodology is helping participants understand organizational dynamics and recognize their role within them. Through creative and interactive exercises, often brought with humour, participants are encouraged to gain these insights through direct experience. The ‘Zombie Walk’, for example, is a game in which all participants are seated while a ‘zombie’ tries to occupy the one empty chair. The other participants must prevent this in a certain way. However, at first they typically react from panic: people instinctively jump up without coordination or communication, resulting in stress and failure. As the exercise progresses, participants learn the value of pausing, observing, and responding with intention rather than reflex. This helps them to better understand their environment and recognize how their own actions can influence others and getting the outcome as well. In short: observe first, then act strategically. And this was just one of many powerful exercises and insights the program offers.”
Frank Wammes, Group COO Sogeti
Deepa: “As part of the evaluation process, we reflect with each participant and their manager on the key learnings, what they would like to do differently and the impact they would like to make within the business. All report noticeable changes in behaviours, and wanting to do more.” Frank adds: “We also talk to the business managers. The feedback is consistent: participants take on more responsibility, act more proactively, and step outside their comfort zones. Although many are not in formal leadership roles but work more content-focused, they are now making a greater impact.”
Frank Wammes, Group COO Sogeti
Frank: “This shift is particularly significant for tech professionals, who often have a different personality than management consultants. A lot of them are introverted, reflective thinkers who operate primarily from their head. One of the core challenges we address is how to align the head and the heart. A Dutch tech consultant, for example, shared that he now meditates before every important meeting. Similarly, some participants from Mumbai, who were initially reserved during the sessions, gradually found the confidence to open up and engage more deeply.”
Frank: “My biggest eye-opener was that the level of introversion among our Tech specialists is even higher than I had anticipated. And that their capabilities exceed our expectations. However, they often underestimate the role they can play in driving impact. Making them aware of this, is crucial to fully leveraging the potential within our organization and achieving even greater results together. During a mini workshop, for example, we explored how our company really operates and why our management takes certain decisions. In reality, our business is heavily driven by analysts. Their insights often guide decisions at the corporate level. Simply explaining the organizational dynamics, the internal power structures, and the influence the participants already have, helps them to no longer feel powerless and creates greater understanding.”
Deepa Bhulescarr, Head of Talent Management
Deepa: “From the participants who completed the program in the last 3 years, we see the development of technology leaders. A number of them have taken on larger roles, seen promotions and had the opportunity to work on innovation projects. Overall, we see that the program is slowly bringing a change. We notice people start working differently. For example, on how they manage their responsibilities and tasks and how they communicate with colleagues and customers. It makes me proud to see the transformation in participants after they complete the program. To see them using the lessons from the program in a way that is helping them progress in their careers and creating business impact.”
Frank: “I am proud to see the smiles on participants’ faces when they share what they have learned. And the strong connections they build with each other throughout the program. It creates a community, with many participants expressing they want to stay in touch with their peers.”
Deepa Bhulescarr, Head of Talent Management
Deepa: “Our collaboration with COURIUS is wonderful. I like the fact that we can be open and honest with each other, even if we do not agree. We do not hesitate to discuss how to make things better together. In the realization and execution of the program, COURIUS brings deep expertise and multiple ideas on how to achieve the desired objectives. They ask questions that make you think about what you should do or find other creative ways to stimulate you to reflect on yourself.”
Every year, part of the program is changed and attuned to actual market demands and organizational developments. For example, the first run of the program in 2021 was focussed on getting people to understand our data strategy and the capabilities of it. During the latest run, the focus shifted towards the opportunities and threats of AI, how it is going to help make Sogeti stronger and which actions Sogeti need to take to support their market strategy. Deepa: “And even during the course of the program, the accents can shift based on the needs of the participants.”
Deepa Bhulescarr, Head of Talent Management
Frank: “The program is now in its third year and continues to evolve. This year, we introduced a company challenge, where participants work in teams on a real business issue faced by management, in an area where their insights are genuinely valued. The outcomes were both creative and actionable. We will further enhance the program to increase its value for both participants and the organization. In addition, we plan to broaden access to the program, extending it to other key areas such as Sales and Delivery.”
Deepa: “At Sogeti, with the projects, the aim was to get ideas on how to solve real business issues. This provided the participants with a platform to develop in areas they may not have worked on, network with teams and leaders while ideating on new ways of doing things. For one of the projects, we received an effective solution which we are now implementing in the business.”
Sogeti is a leading technology provider and part of Capgemini. Their agile local teams work on leveraging emerging trends and technologies to swiftly identify, develop, and deliver cutting-edge solutions. With quality at their core, they live and breathe technology to help organizations reach their full potential.
Would you like to foster leadership within your organization and turn it into lasting high performance? By developing personal growth, creating deeper understanding of company strategy and dynamics, and elevating strategic client conversations? Contact us for an exploratory conversation and tell us more about the challenges within your organization.
