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Executive Interviews: Interview with Amitava Chattopadhyay on Executive Development
October 2007
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By Dr. Nagendra V Chowdary
When it comes to executive
development, should companies
be proactive or should that choice
be individual dr iven? Can
executive development programs
be looked upon as a powerful
talent retention tool?
I am not sure what you mean by the
first part of this question. To answer
the second part, having a clear plan
to develop talent through executive
programs is a powerful talent
retention tool. What is the role of leadership in
executive development?
Like most aspects of an
organization, the role of leadership
is critical in this area as well.
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Does
the leadership understand the
importance of executive
development and do they value it?
Or, is it simply seen as one of those
things that firms do? How the
leadership views this, how well
they support it, how visibly they do
so, all matters hugely in the success
of the broad initiative of executive
development as well as that of
specific programs. Thus, if a CEO
takes the trouble to come to the
opening of a company specific
program to kick it off with an
opening speech or perhaps even by
attending it, affects how the
participants see the program and
thus the extent to which they engage
with it.
Many executive development
programs are structured to enhance
very broadly, the knowledge, skills
and attitudes. But we rarely come
across executive education
programs centered on inculcating in
executives a sense of belonging
the legacy they are treading and
should leave, etc. It's primarily the
software vs. hardware. The software
does not seem to attract so much
attention. Why is it that companies
do not take their executives through
a "history vision values" journey?
Companies do use executive
programs to create a sense of
belongingness and the development
of shared values. I have seen this in
many of the programs I have been
involved with. How to make development a
fundamental part of organizational
design?
This goes back to the leadership
team. How important do they see
this to be? Do they have the right
people involved in managing this?
How visible and important are the
people responsible for this activity
within the organization? What do you think is the role of
Business Schools in providing not
only the required talent but also in
equipping the managers and senior
managers in ever increasing
demands of knowledge, skills and
attitude?
As I have said, business schools
play an important and as I see it, a
growing role in this process. It has always been a case of elite
business schools (Ivey League
business schools) leading all way in
this space? Why do you think it's so
much more difficult to break this
barrier for other non elite business
schools?
First, I think you are wrong to
equate top business schools with
Ivy League business schools.
Several of the Ivy League business
schools may also be top business
schools but this is not the case for all
Ivy League business schools. More
importantly, there are several top
business schools that are not Ivy
League schools. For instance,
INSEAD is not an Ivy League school
but is a top business school. The reason why it is difficult for
new schools to break into the top
league is because at the end of the
day it depends on the faculty that
you have. There is a huge demand
for talented faculty, a limited
resource pool, and it is easier for a
top school to attract top faculty.
1.
Training and Development Case Study
2. ICMR
Case Collection
3.
Case Study Volumes
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