The Leadership Programme is not dead; it's evolving.
Aman Zaidi
Leadership & Talent Development | Organisational Development | Diversity & Inclusion | Experiential Education and Training | Business Storytelling | Executive & Career Transition Coaching | Wellbeing | TEDx speaker
This post is my response to an article that inquired, "The DEATH of the Leadership Program?" This article made some good points. There are other points that urged me to respond.
While there is some truth to what Anthony Abbatiello says, there are other claims that I'm (currently) not convinced about.
1. It's true that the classroom format is under the microscope, and it should be. I hope this also means that Executive Courses at Harvard, Sloan and the IIMs are being re-evaluated.
2. The pressures of the job mandate that learners be instructed by different people and in different settings from the ones that perpetuate their current work habits. There is value, I think, in leaders stepping away and getting some fresh perspective. Organisations are notorious for being echo chambers. Does the conversation ever really transcend "productivity & profitability"?
2.5: Safe environments create different emotions in learners than risky environments do. The latter can cause fight/flight/freeze reactions in people. Safe environments allow people to experiment. We allow people to choose the level of challenge they feel safe with. Learning is not an event. Sometimes, people like to take baby steps towards new behaviour. Can we force anyone to learn?
3. I think the jury is still out on Technology. I've spoken to kids that maintain that they PREFER access to a teacher as it allows for dialogue and interpersonal interaction. Learning is a social and an emotional event (apparently). Can technology duplicate that effectively? Is technology even trying to enhance the learning experience or is it just trying to enhance "profitability and productivity"? What is our intention of using technology in learning?
4. Noah G. Rabinowitz is right. Leadership Development is already evolving to a point where the learner is put through experiences that resemble their work challenges. Anthony is right in expecting that work and learning should be blended. Following through on the leadership development programme is critical if we want to move away from "leadership development events". Learning is habits. You cannot build a habit without following up on the experiences.
5. There is an excellent course in India called the Diploma in Experiential Education that Noah might be excited by. I attended it (and a few follow up courses) three years ago. I'd be happy to share more details.
Aman Zaidi is a consultant, facilitator and strengths evangelist. His work helps enhance human and organisational performance.
Co-Founder ? Oral Peptide Delivery | Pharmaceutical Strategy | Anya Biopharm Inc | Biofrontoer Inc. Asia | KOWSkin&Hair
7 年Vatsal Shah
Co-founder & Director at EaishMan Pharma
7 年agree. day 2 can be an overkill, especially when there is too much of indoor, class room stuff.
Leadership & Talent Development | Organisational Development | Diversity & Inclusion | Experiential Education and Training | Business Storytelling | Executive & Career Transition Coaching | Wellbeing | TEDx speaker
7 年Agree entirely with that point of view, Yoshita. I am not convinced that (current) technology's role in learning is all that it is touted to be. Gen Z is possibly more exposed to concepts and could therefore be impatient with a content download kind of workshop. However, they may still find value in a trek up a mountain kind of a leadership development programme, even if that takes 3 days. The short format is worth experimenting with but I fear that it assumes that a half day is enough for people to really understand what a behavioural concept is about. Take EI or Conflict Resolution. What can participants take away from half a day besides cognitive understanding? And will that half-day of cognitive understanding translate into to the desired behavioural change? The BIGGEST QUESTIONS, according to me are these: Who is asking for shorter duration workshops? And for what reason? Is it for the learner or is it because they want learners to spend less and less time away from "work"?
I coach leaders to transition into senior & top management roles with ease. | Executive Coach, Leadership Facilitator| CEO, A Brighter Life | Mentor for Coaches (ICF)
7 年I was in Kolkata the other day facilitating a workshop for leaders at an FMCG giant and in a conversation with the L&D person. .she remarked that technology can not replace the immersive process of human dialogue, discussion and reflection. .I tend to agree. One of the change I am seeing is the slow death of a 2 day programme. .organisations want 1 day or shorter. .more frequent capsules. . In line with the gen Z lifestyle of fast and convenient. .
Leadership & Talent Development | Organisational Development | Diversity & Inclusion | Experiential Education and Training | Business Storytelling | Executive & Career Transition Coaching | Wellbeing | TEDx speaker
7 年smita affinwalla, Anthony Abbatiello, Noah G. Rabinowitz, Vishwas Parchure, Amit Nagpal, Arun Wakhlu: For your comments. Also Laurie Frank, Professor Colin Beard, Roger Greenaway, Santhosh Babu, Bindu Vinodhan.