TY - JOUR AB - Purpose–This paper aims to describe a leadership‐development program that is being conducted internationally with more than 500 partners at Ernst & Young.Design/methodology/approach–The paper looks at specific issues that relate to the Ernst & Young partner‐development program, including the need for leadership development at partner level, the leadership challenge of the program and the success of the initiative.Findings–The paper reveals that the partners have committed themselves to the program in a way they have never done before, client satisfaction has improved and Ernst & Young's internal people surveys are recording unprecedented levels of improvement.Practical implications–Highlights individual relationships with colleagues and clients as key leadership skills.Originality/value–The paper advances the view that being able to make successful connections internally and externally is at the heart of being a successful partner in a professional‐service firm. VL - 17 IS - 7 SN - 0967-0734 DO - 10.1108/09670730910996473 UR - https://doi.org/10.1108/09670730910996473 PY - 2009 Y1 - 2009/01/01 TI - Partners learn people skills at Ernst & Young: Nine‐month development program helps to change the organization's culture T2 - Human Resource Management International Digest PB - Emerald Group Publishing Limited SP - 5 EP - 7 Y2 - 2024/04/26 ER -