Assess
&Evolve worked alongside TrustFord’s HR and L&D team to examine engagement surveys, exit interviews and performance data, identifying where leadership was letting colleagues down and defining good leadership in TrustFord’s own language.
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Leadership development · Case study
Growing leaders, not buying them
How TrustFord built an inclusive leadership pipeline from first-line supervisor to future board member, and translated development into retention, progression and performance.
- 3,000
- colleagues across the group
- 60+
- sites
- 10+ years
- working in partnership
The challenge
A business case for change.
TrustFord is the world’s largest dedicated Ford dealer group, with around 3,000 colleagues across more than 60 sites. In automotive retail, strong technical performers had traditionally moved into management without always receiving the preparation needed to lead people, while recruiting established leaders from outside brought high costs and uncertain cultural fit.
TrustFord wanted a more durable answer: develop and retain talent from within, widen access to leadership, prepare future board successors and bring its Purpose, Principles and Ambition to life through the behaviour of every manager.
The approach
Insight turned into everyday action.
Analyse
The evidence was mapped against TrustFord’s Purpose, Principles and Ambition. Colleague feedback, line-manager reviews and live operational challenges ensured the solution addressed causes rather than symptoms.
Act
A tiered pipeline was built: Leading E-Motions for every new manager; Future Leaders for emerging talent; Driving 4 Leadership for site leaders; and The Strategic Leader for potential board successors, supported by executive coaching.
Transfer ownership
The programmes were designed to leave capability behind. TrustFord owns and runs the strategy, graduates support those who follow, and three programmes carry Institute of Leadership approval.
The results
- 93%
- retention among programme completers
- £530k
- estimated avoided replacement costs
- 1 in 6
- internal promotions filled by programme alumni
Lasting impact
Change that stayed in the business.
Of 147 programme completers, group attrition would have predicted around 28 leavers; around 10 left. That equates to roughly 18 leaders retained and an estimated £530,000 in avoided replacement costs.
The pipeline now feeds itself: 25 of 107 Future Leaders and 10 of 40 Driving 4 Leadership graduates have been promoted. Sixty-eight per cent of locations improved colleague retention after their leader completed Future Leaders, while 63% increased their Great Place to Work engagement score. Every site leader included in the post-programme financial analysis delivered positive performance against budget.
The route into leadership is also more inclusive. Women make up 56% of the current Future Leaders cohort in a workforce that is 74% male, and demand means the programmes are booked to capacity for the next two years.
“&Evolve is a special strategic partner. It is so rewarding to see the team growing and gaining confidence with their new skills. You are making such a difference to our company.”
“Amrit gets to the heart of the company to understand the issues and push it forward. Totally supportive and personable, his calming yet firm manner makes him a dream to work with.”
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