Amitabh Sharma
Features Coordinator

Change is the only constant, it is said. With rapid technological growth and global economies changing the way business is done, more and more executives are taking time off to go back to school. More so, it is becoming a growing trend for companies to send their managers for an executive development (ED) programme.

This growing phenomenon is attracting attention. While most managers and human resource professionals agree the trend for sending executives is to enhance their skills set, they also are looking into the returns that such programmes have.

Benefits
Managers point out that there is no quantifiable system to evaluate the returns to an organisation or an individual in an executive development programme, some say that the benefits are qualitative than quantitative for an organisation.

The organisation benefits in the long run, experts say, when deciding on sending their managers for such programmes. Some of the benefits can be:

• Succession planning: An executive who has displayed exceptional skills, interest and overall performance over a period of time within the organisation can be identified as a future leader, and can be sent to an appropriate programme and which management feels will help him/her further add to qualifications required for the future position. The fact that this acts as an incentive/ reward for the executive further enhances its value.



• Cross cultural, multi-national advantage: An ED programme acts as a great medium for company executives to interact with people from other countries, cultures and get insights into their work methodologies, philosophies, knowledge, etc., which can become big assets for the company's future plans.



• Focused problem-solving: Highly specialised, functional development programmes can be good platforms for company executives to find solutions to some long-standing or messy problem that the company might be facing. It perhaps works out better than hiring an outsider as a consultant to sort out your companies issues.



• Professional networking: These programmes offer a great platform for professional networking with relevant people for company executives.

Making a choice
Senior managers say that companies that send their executives for training often have one point-selection criteria; they see the person's potential. This person is usually someone the company intends to groom and move up the leadership ladder.

ED is also used as a means of staff retention by giving them a chance to grow. Such programmes, experts feel, also help a company to justify the cost to recruit, hire, and train a new person to step into the new role.

Viable option
For most companies, senior managers say, it would be a viable option to promote someone within and rehire at the lower levels. this helps the company to retain its culture and his/her experience.

The value addition of ED programmes to a company is also debated. Some managers term this as an investment and others are of the opinion that the effectiveness of ED lies in the development of the organisation.

But other experts caution, like any investment, the pros and cons have to be weighed.

Experts explain that a person is usually singled out if there are gaps that need to be fixed. Also the person who has to be chosen should demonstrate some amount of flexibility and has to be trainable.

Important roles
Then a decision is taken whether the investment is worth making, which means if the gaps in that person's skills set can be fixed. This is a method, the managers say, to prepare that person for important roles in the company.

Any decision for sending an executive for ED is made if the company is convinced that the programme will enhance and develop the requisite skills that would be relevant in the future. The returns might not be immediate, the managers feel; the growth pattern of the individual might be flat, but his skills set is critical to be used in key decision-making roles in the future.

amitabh.sharma@gleanerjm.com