Overview
| | Neil Brennan, Managing Director, Central Highlands Water Corporation, Australia |
| The structure of the programme; the limited number of participant places, the calibre of an international faculty, the opportunity to access University of Oxford leaders in other fields outside the course programme and the informal interactions that occur over lunch and dinner, all combined to develop me as an individual, and have broadened my self awareness and leadership style. |
For Senior Managers who must deliver highly relevant strategies within today’s turbulent business climate, this intensive programme examines the current challenges facing organisations and develops robust strategies required for competitive advantage and sustainability over the next 12 months, 5 years and beyond. Greater understanding of key business functions gives greater insight into examining and building synergies within participant organisations, and participants develop high impact approaches to tackle challenges head on. Reflecting upon the leadership capabilities demanded from today’s Senior Executives, participants complete pre-programme assessments to determine strengths and areas for development, which in turn, are enhanced using a highly customised approach.
You should consider this programme if you want a highly personal development experience, and you are ready to take on higher level responsibilities, deal with the unlimited consequences of today's economic recession and implement sustainable business models.
In 2009, the Oxford Advanced Management and Leadership Programme (OAMLP) has been re-designed to deliver transformational development in just 21 days. Programme Director, Dr Lalit Johri, explains why...
'Today, executives are bringing an ‘ever wider’ and ‘more urgent’ range of issues to the programme, for that reason a good curriculum must be in a state of continuous evolution and change. But not just in content, in this economic climate we must consider fee and structure too. The aim of the new three week format is to make the OAMLP more accessible to Senior Managers who deal closely with the pressures of today, particularly those of leadership in the 21st Century, and want to focus on the next level of intensive development required in their career.
How is the new programme structured?
The OAMLP consists of three interconnected one-week modules. The first module will continue to answer real-time questions: what is really driving this world, and why is there so much chaos and madness in it? It will address the fundamental concerns executives have including the impact of the financial crisis; how to deal with complexity; challenge of climate change; how to interpret the future; how long to plan (six months, a year, more?); how to make necessary investments required in the face of uncertainty.
These questions are always at the forefront of participants’ minds given the current situation. It is not just that we are experiencing a recession but that we have reached a tipping point where the traditionally rich countries are going to have to find a new equilibrium with developing economies. The OAMLP model has faculty facilitating discussions on this subject, but it also has participants from both regions debating first hand experiences, this gives us much deeper insight into the issues presented.
And modules two and three?
The second module focuses on key organisational functions and issues, including the key issue of talent management - how to capture, get the best out of and groom the ‘bright stars’ of tomorrow. International mobility is now a given and is a strong strategic consideration in the running any organisation.
The third module is the most personal for participants: how and whom should I lead? Pre-programme assessments will provide a mirror to ones leadership strengths and areas for development. We will consider who should be our leadership role-models; should it be someone like Jack Welch or more like Barack Obama? We look at a range of leadership styles, review management use of media and assess how decisions can be made.
These questions transcend matters of personal leadership style. They encompass a whole range of issues to do with people, organisation, regulation and strategy and direction and whether our focus should be on the short- or the long-term.
How is the programme participant-focused?
Everyone must have a proper visualisation of the interrelated challenges we are facing. In a connected world we are not alone. From the point of view of the individual participant, it will focus on the issues of ‘your global challenges and insights’, ‘your organisational challenges and choices’ and, finally, ‘your leadership journey - past, present and future’.
How has the range of participants changed over the years?
The make-up of our participants has changed markedly. We are getting more participants from lesser known countries, and social organisations such as Oxfam, are more strongly represented than before.
In the re-launch we shall continue to strengthen the international and institutional diversity of the participants. In essence, we want to make the programme a mini-version of the United Nations engaging in Oxford UN-style debates on key issues, for instance the complex question of corporate social responsibility.
How do you see your own role as programme director?
To be the director of a programme like the OAMLP you must consider every detail. People are observing and listening to you all the time. You are always ‘on’, from eight in the morning to twelve at night, constantly challenging them and engaging them in dialogue.
My own style? I try to focus on everything and everyone and on participants’ individual needs – professionally and emotionally and whether expressed or unexpressed. I have to keep tabs on their day-to-day experience of the programme – but without in any way infringing their autonomy and the dynamics of their own learning journey. A key challenge is to keep the whole group together. Bonding the group together is one of my main concerns. I try to have the same close relationship with everybody.
You’ve created quite a diverse learning journey, can you explain more?
Well, we will be diversifying the cases we use in order to include more material on Asia and Africa and we will also be diversifying learning activities beyond traditional lectures and syndicate groups. We have designed some very creative exercises that really create a ‘glue’ to bring the group together. To extend and refresh them, participants on the last programme engaged in some very effective reflection activities that included fishing, painting, yoga and archery! There will be more ‘Concept Cafes’ which will explore participants’ ‘journeys’, role models, inspirational stories and how they see their role in society. In all of these ways, participants will be able to focus more on their own personal development and challenges.
How will participants benefit from this programme?
Participants will benefit at several levels. They will leave with a better understanding of their organisation, the challenges they face within it and the surrounding environment, and commitment to focused action plans for continued development. The personal tutorial element, I should add, is still a firm fixture within the programme, and as before, contact with tutors after the programme will be strongly encouraged.
I have been delighted to see that Alumni from this programme have typically repositioned themselves within the organisation, gained instant promotions and have developed working sustainable strategies to navigate their changing global business landscape. Each story is a successful testament to this type of development process.
OAMLP is not built on a bullet-point approach, it embraces the true Oxford philosophy of learning. It is about new ideas and insights, questions, sharing thoughts about and around an issue and immersing oneself within a holistic experience. Participants on the last programme said they experienced a big personal change in themselves which is core to their development here in Oxford - and the beginning of their learning journey.
If you would like to join our October 2009 session of this programme, please email caroline.williams@sbs.ox.ac.uk for more information or download an application form from this site and send it to amlp@sbs.ox.ac.uk
I invite Senior Executives from all sectors to explore further details of the OAMLP and I look forward to hearing from them.
Lalit Johri
Programme Director
Besides his engagement with Oxford, he is Professor of International Business at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) where he teaches on the PhD and DBA programmes. He was also the founder director of the Executive MBA programme. Prior to joining the AIT, he was full professor at Delhi University, India. Lalit has designed and conducted customised programmes for Vivendi Group, Ansell Worldwide, EADS, UNIDO, International Labour Organisation, SIDA, Royal Thai Government and state-owned enterprises in several Asian countries.
He holds an MSc in Physics and a Masters and PhD in Business Administration. He is on the editorial board of the International Journal of Emerging Markets and the Production and Operations Management Society Chronicle. Recipient of several fellowships, in 1998 he was selected as Aspen Scholar by the Aspen Institute, Washington, USA for outstanding professional accomplishments and public contributions
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