Virgin Atlantic is often held up as a model for all things entrepreneurial. But rapid growth can create problems, and, in Virgin's case the problem was a management team that might not be able to respond to juicy new challenges.

The solution? Send the managers, all 120 of them, to a development program. You can read the details in an article in Personnel Today.

Let me be clear. Virgin did not create what I think is a good model for a management development program. They didn't go deep enough in the organization. They didn't set up a permanent program.

What Virgin did was respond to a particular challenge: attempting to assure 120 of the managers of this 9000 person company were able to implement the company's programs and hit performance targets. Here's what I like about what they did.

They trained all of the managers they were concerned about. There was no selecting of the best or of those most in need of help. Everybody will go.

The training involves pre-program evaluation and coaching. The formal program concluded with the participants preparing development plans. It was followed by plans for putting the learning to work on the job. Very few companies are willing to do training this comprehensive or pay attention to actual on-the-job performance following the training.

Very few companies spend as much money as Virgin, once you get away from the C-Suite. According to Andy Cross, head of learning and development at Virgin Atlantic, the cost per head is about U$10,000.

Results so far look good. The percentage of management positions filled from within is markedly higher. 360-degree appraisals show that managers' direct reports say their performance has improved.

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