Post on 19-May-2015
description
EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT
EXCEL BOOKS
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Chapter
ANNOTATED OUTLINE10-2
Executive Development
Introduction
The basic purpose of executive development is to improve managerial performance by imparting knowledge, changing attitudes or increasing skills. Training certainly helps in improving job-related skills but when the intent is to enhance executives’ ability to handle diverse jobs and prepare them for future challenges the focus must shift to executive development.
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Executive Development
Training vs. executive development
Tra in ing
Learn specific behav iours andactions; demonstrate techniquesand processes.
Short term.
Tries to improve a specific skillre lating to a job (mostly technicaland mechanical).
Meet current requirements of ajob; aims at improving employeeperformance on a currently heldjob.
Pe rform ance app raisals , cos t-benefit analys is, pass ing testsor certification.
I t e m
Focus
Time Frame
Process
Goal
EffectivenessMeasures
D ev e lopm e n t
Understand and interpret knowledge;Develop judgement; Expand capacitiesfor varied assignments.
Long term.
Aims at improving the total personalityof an individual (largely analytical andconceptual abilities).
Meet future challenges of the job andth e in d iv id u a l ; a im s a t p r ov id in glearning opportunities designed to helpemployees grow.
Q u a l i f i e d pe o p le a v a i la b le w h enn e ed e d , p ro m o t ion f r om w i th inp o s s ib le , H R -b a s e d c o m p e t i t iv eadvantage.
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Features of executive development
It is a planned effort to improve executives’ ability to handle a variety of
assignments
It is not a one-shot deal, but a continuous, ongoing activity
It aims at improving the total personality of an executive
It aims at meeting future needs unlike training, which seeks to meet
current needs
It is a long term process, as managers take time to acquire and improve their
capabilities
It is proactive in nature as it focuses attention on the present as well as future
requirements of both the organisation and the individual
Executive Development
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Invaluable investment in the long run as it helps managers to acquire requisite knowledge, skills and abilities needed to handle complex situations in business
Enables executives to realise their own career goals and aspirations
Helps executives to step into superior positions easily
Assists executives in enhancing their people-management skills, taking a holistic view of various problems.
Importance of executive development
Executive Development
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Steps in the organisation of an executive development programme
Executive Development
Executive Development Programmes: Steps
Analysis of organisational development needs
Appraisal of present managerial capabilities
Inventory of executive talent(in terms of age, service, education, experience etc
Planning of individual development programmes
Devising appropriate development programmes
Evaluating results
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Methods/techniques
Various methods are employed to develop managerial skills and knowledge, such as:
Methods of executive development
Executive Development
1. Decision-making skills
2. Interpersonal skills
3. Job knowledge (a) On-the-job experiences(b) Coaching(c ) Understudy
4. Organisational knowledge (a) Job rotation(b) Multip le management
5. General knowledge (a) Special courses(b) Special meetings(c) Specific readings
6. Specific individual needs (a) Special projects(b) Committee assignments
(a) In-basket (b) Business game (c) Case study
(a) Role play(b) Sensitivity training(c) Behaviour Modelling
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Executive Development
In-basket: The trainee is asked to look into a number of papers such as
memoranda, reports, telephone messages that typically confront a
manager and respond appropriately.
+Trainees learn quickly, as they have to do everything within a time frame
+Creates healthy competition between participants allows them to grow
-The method is somewhat academic and removed from real life situations.
-Participants rarely respond to such imaginary situations in an enthusiastic manner
Case-study: The participant is asked to take up a simulated business
problem and take appropriate decisions.
Methods/techniques
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When the problem requires problem solving, thinking skills
The KSAs are complex and participants need time to master them
Active participation is required
The process of learning is as important as the content
Tem problem solving and interaction are possible.
Executive Development
When is a case study most appropriate?
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Merits and demerits of the case study method
Executive Development
M er its
Improves problem-solving skills of participants.
Trainees can apply theory to practical problems andlearn quickly. It is a way of learning by doing.
Trainees learn how others solve a situation in theirown unique w ay. They ge t a fee l o f how othe rsw ork at a problem and begin to apprecia te eachother’s thinking.
Case studies can provide interesting debates amongtra inees , as w e ll as exce llen t oppo r tun it ies fo rindividuals to defend their analytical and judgementalabilities.
If the case reflects a real life situation, participantstake keen interest and examine the cross-currentswith an open and inquisitive m ind.
D em er i ts
Good case studies do not orig inate easily. They arecos tly and tim e-consuming (collect data , analyse,report, summarise) exercises.
Examining historical evidence may fail to develop theanalytical and reasoning abilities of participants.
Cases, sometimes, are not sufficiently realistic to beusefu l.
Cases may contain information inappropriate to thekinds of decisions that trainees would make in a realsetting.
Indiscrim inate use of case s tudies m ay no t helpparticipants w ho are not mature enough to analyseand participate in discussions actively.
A tra inee who is not skilled in this technique canunderm ine its usefulness.
T he case s tudy m e thod have l it tle o r no th ing incomm on w ith the trainee’s w orkplace, w hich m aylim it its effectiveness.
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Be clear about learning objectives and explore possible ways to realise the objectives
Decide which objectives would be best served by the case method
Find out the available cases that might work or consider developing your own
Set up the activity – including the case material, the room and the schedule
Observe the principles that guide effective group interactions
Provide an opportunity to all trainees to participate meaningfully and try to keep the groups small.
Stop for process checks and get set to intervene when interactions go out of hand
Allow for different learning styles
Clarify the trainer's role as a facilitator
Bridge the gap between theory and practice
Executive Development
When using case studies
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Business games: It is a learning exercise representing a real-life situation where trainees compete with each other to achieve specific objectives.
Executive Development
Methods/techniques
Merits and demerits of the business game method
Business games compress time; events that takepainfully long time are made to occur in a matter ofhours .
One can learn from m istakes, take a different courseo f ac t ion by look ing a t the consequences andimprove performance.
T h ey p r om o te in c r e as e d u n d e r s ta n d in gof complex relationships among organisational units.
“They help trainees develop their problem solvingskills as well as to focus attention on planning ratherthan just putting out fires.”
Prompt feedback facilitates quick learning.
Difficult and expensive to develop and use goodbusiness games.
They are often far removed from reality. In real life,an executive may get unlim ited chances to find hisway through the jungle, depending on his mentalmake-up (instead of choosing from an imaginativelist of a lternatives).
Participants may become so engrossed in pushingo the rs to the w a ll tha t they fa i l to g ra sp theunderlying management principles being taught.
Creativity may take a back seat when unorthodoxstrategies advanced by innovative participants maynot find acceptance from others in the race.
M e r i t s D e m e r i t s
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Executive Development
Role play: This is a technique that requires the trainee to assume different identities to learn how others feel under different circumstances
+ Participants develop interpersonal skills
+ They learn by doing things actually
+ The competitive environment compels participants to listen, observe, analyse and improve their own performance by exploiting their potential fully
__lack of realism in this method comes in the way of enthusiastic participation
--not easy to duplicate the pressures and realities of actual decision making
--most trainees may not be very comfortable in role playing situations
Methods/techniques
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Executive Development
Trainer’s responsibilities in role playing situations
Ensure that members of a role playing group get along with eachother
Select and prepare the participants by introducing a specific situation
Ask participants to actually come out with potential characters
Realise that volunteers make better role players
Prepare observers by giving them specific tasks such as evaluation, feedback etc.
Guide the role play enactment over its bumps, since it is not scripted
Keep it short
Discuss the enactment and prepare bulleted points of what was learned
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Sensitivity training: This is a method of changing behaviour through unstructured group interaction. (also known as T-group training, where T stands for training)
Executive Development
Features of T-group training T-Group consists of 10-12 persons.
A leader acts as a catalyst and provides a free and open environment for discussion
There is no specified agenda
Members express their ideas, feelings and thoughts freely and openly
The focus is on behaviour rather than on duties
The aim is to achieve behaviour effectiveness in transactions with one's environment
Methods/techniques
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Benefits
Executive Development
Participants gain rich experience in getting along with people
The exclusive focus on each others' behaviour helps participants to
observe, analyse and then respond appropriately
Trainees can find out where they stand in comparison to others
The agenda less discussions encourages the participants to come out
more openly and share their opinions with others
The opportunity to take charge of the group is always inherently
present for the right candidate.
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Executive Development
Costs
Considerable time is wasted in agenda-less, direction-less discussions
T-group leaders may lack the skills to instil enthusiasm and confidence
in participants.
There is an immoral and unjustified invasion of privacy, based on false
assumptions about the nature of human relationships at work.
The interchange of opinions in an open manner may be punished by
superiors at a later stage, using some pretext or the other
T groups may actually destroy team learning and team spirit as they
encourage participants to be hostile without feeling guilty during
training.
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Executive Development
On the job experience: This is a kind of class room learning where
the trainee learns by actually doing things under the supervision of an
experienced supervisor. Such methods are highly useful for certain
groups like scientific and technical personnel
Behaviour modelling: This is an approach that demonstrates desired
behaviour and gives trainees the chance to practice and role-play
those behaviours and receive feedback.
Coaching: This is a development activity in which a supervisor plays
an active role in imparting job knowledge and skills to the trainee. For
effective coaching, a healthy and open relationship must exist between
employees and their supervisors.
Methods/techniques
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+ Trainees learn quickly by actually doing a piece of work and obtain feedback
+Where the trainer and the trainee interact in an open manner, there is tremendous scope for the trainee to grow by seeking clarifications continuously and rectifying mistakes
__ A lot depends on the interpersonal skills of the supervisor
---The learner, often, cannot develop much beyond the limits of his own supervisor
Executive Development
Merits and demerits of coaching
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Executive Development
Understudy: This is a development method wherein potential managers are given the chance to temporarily relieve an
experienced manager of part of hi job and act as his substitute during the period, giving him vital insights into the overall job that would make him the automatic choice in the succession process.
Job rotation: Moving a trainee from job to job so as to offer cross training is called job rotation. The idea behind this is to give managers the required diversified skills and a broader outlook.
Multiple management: It is a system in which permanent advisory committees of managers study problems of the company (thereby gaining first hand experience of various important aspects of business) and make recommendations to higher management.
Methods/techniques
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Executive Development
Special courses, meetings, readings: In addition to the above, managers could also benefit by attending workshops organised
by academic institutions, attending special meetings organised by various government and voluntary organisations and by reading specific articles relevant to their respective fields.
Special projects: In this method, a trainee is put on a project closely related to the objectives of the department.
Committee assignment: In this method, an adhoc committee is appointed to discuss, evaluate and offer suggestions relating to an important aspect of business.
Conferences: A conference is a meeting of people to discuss a subject of common interest. The participants exchange notes, opinions and ideas on the subject in a systematic and planner manner.
Methods/techniques
Lectures: Lectures are formal presentations on a topic by an experienced and knowledgeable person. The presentation is generally supported by discussions, case studies, audio-visual aids and film shows.
Group discussion: In this method, papers are presented by two or three trainees on a selected topic, followed by thought-provoking discussions.
Programmed instruction: This is a learner-oriented technique which presents subject matter to the trainees in small sequential steps requiring frequent responses from the
trainee and immediately offering him of their accuracy or otherwise.
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Executive Development
Methods/techniques
Selection Of A Suitable Method
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Executive Development
While choosing a specific method, the following guidelines might be kept in mind
Suitability of executive development techniques
Te chn ique Suitability
Job Rotation To develop diversified skills and broaden the outlook of an executive
U nderstudy To aid succession planning by developing the skills of juniors according to a pre-set plan
Multiple Management To assist managers in expanding their outlook and knowledge in various functional areas
Case Study To develop analytical, reasoning and problem-solving skills
Role Playing To translate theoretical knowledge into action plans and to promote good human relationsskills among trainees
Behaviour Modelling To teach inter-personnel and cognitive skills
In-basket To promote situational judgement and social sensitivity
Business Games To develop smart th inking, quick reactions, initiative, organising and leadership skills
Sensitivity Training To promote self awareness and its impact on others
C onference To improve and expand knowledge, attitudes and develop interpersonal skills
Lecture To impart conceptual knowledge to a large audience within a short span of time.