Step 1: Define Success
In Michael’s experience, many programs have limited impact because from the beginning, no one ever defined clear, business-linked objectives for the program.
Michael works with clients to identify both observable outcomes, which are relatively easy to measure, and learning objectives which may include some less tangible, but still very important goals.
Step 2: Select the "Right" People
 While at times it is appropriate for participation in exec ed programs to be determined solely by level or business unit, often too little thought is put into who should and should not attend.
As Jim Collins said in his bestselling book Good to Great, great companies first focus on who. First, get the right people on the bus.
The focus should be on determining which participants will have the biggest impact on the results you are looking for.
Executive education programs are major investments in time, money and resources and we believe who should attend should be carefully discussed and debated.
If appropriate, clients should assess executives before the program to evaluate relevant skill and behavior gaps. Such data could help you make decisions about who should and should not participate, as well as inform Michael and the faculty about specific gaps that should be focused on during the program.
Step 3: Customize and Deliver Program
Proper customization is critical to a program’s success. While many firms offer off-the-shelf solutions, Michael firmly believes that the additional investment in customization more than pays off.
He does not approach customization as a nuisance, but as a necessity.
Methodology is a good example. He will work with you to deliver the program in a way that meets your unique learning objectives, culture and budget. With a growing network of over 150 content faculty and 100 executive coaches and facilitators, Michael is able to find the right people with the best minds to meet your needs.
For example, on the topic of innovation, he can design programs that vary in numerous ways including:
• Focus and objectives
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Innovation: Leading Organic Growth |
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Innovation: Accelerating Growth Through Managing An Entire Growth Portfolio |
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Innovation Through Creative Collaboration |
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Innovation: Building a Culture of Innovation |
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Innovation: From the Bottom Up |
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Customer Driven Innovation |
• Faculty
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Vijay Govindarajan (Professor at Dartmouth and widely regarded as a leading expert on innovation and recently hired by GE’s CEO to help them redo their innovation strategy) |
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Rita McGrath (Associate Professor at Columbia and co-author of 2 books including MarketBusters which was named one of the best business books of 2005 by Strategy + Business and was featured by Bill Gates at the 2005 Microsoft CEO Summit) |
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Fred Wiersema (Widely recognized as a world-wide leading expert on business strategyand co-author of The Discipline of Market Leaders, a New York Times bestseller and a #1 BusinessWeek bestseller) |
• Delivery methodology
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Face-to-face workshops |
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Lecture |
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Small group discussions |
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Virtually |
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Webinars/webcasts/podcasts |
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Video- Action learning projects |
• Length/sequencing
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2-5 days in a row |
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Modules over time |
He also engages clients in discussions about the appropriate role for a company’s management.
For example, true involvement (i.e., not just ceremonial) of senior officers is critical. In their book Leading the Way, Gandossy and Effron report that “When a CEO is actively involved in leadership development, the organization averages a 22 percent total return to shareholders (TRS) over a three year period. Without direct leadership from the top, the numbers drop to an astonishing negative 4 percent.”
Active involvement means teaching, learning, participating in and observing the workshops.
Step 4: Deliver On-The-Job Follow-Up
Ideally, at least as much attention and time should be paid to follow-up activities as to the workshop itself. Otherwise, your investment in the workshop may be wasted.
After all, if participants do not apply what they have learned, what good was having the workshop, even if the workshop received excellent ratings?
Michael has been using action learning projects as follow-up for over 20 years. Gandossy and Effron report that action learning is “a key component in nearly all executive education at Top Companies”.
To Michael, the goal is making a difference on the job.
Step 5: Measure Impact
Michael believes that while it is relatively easy to measure the impact on participant’s observable skills and behaviors, it is difficult to measure the impact of a program on less tangible outcomes. However, just because it is difficult to measure such things as changes in mindset or if participants are better prepared for future transformational changes in your industry, it is still important to have these types of goals and to evaluate how well these goals were met.
He works with clients to be sure to measure what is important.
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