Executive Development Program: Leading into the Future
Develop critical business foundations and leadership skills with a curriculum inspired by Columbia’s MBA curriculum.
The business world is changing faster than ever. Ensure that you and your organization keep up, thrive, and have the tools necessary to take on the future. New York City is where businesses of all sectors come to accelerate and shape the future of their organizations, break preconceived notions, and become exposed to new ideas and unexpected challenges every day. It energizes people, inspires ideas, and influences the future. And Columbia Business School harnesses all of this knowledge to inform, transform, and empower executives.
The Fundamentals + The Future
Columbia Business School’s Executive Development Program: Leading into the Future first provides a
solid foundation on the fundamentals of business– economics, strategy, finance, marketing, operations, and
leadership. Then it provides a deeper understanding of essential trends that may dramatically change how
business is conducted in the future including the future of finance (e.g. bitcoin, cryptocurrency), managing
a future workforce, reflecting on technology strategy, artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and analytics. The
program also helps uncover the opportunities or obstacles these future trends present for you and your
business through:
• Interactive and immersive sessions featuring in-depth and research-led analysis taught by faculty who
are world-leaders in their field and at the forefront of future trends
• Senior, highly experienced executive coaches that maximize leadership learning
• Building a network of peers from different sectors, cultures, and countries who can provide diverse
perspectives and insights
• Hearing from and having access to expert practitioners that Columbia Business School is able to access
because of our unique networks and location in New York City
• Acquiring leadership skills that allow you to make a difference with every person you interact with
• Providing the tools needed to effectively navigate and engage in this complex world
• Immediately being able to use the knowledge you gain to influence and shape the future of your organization
*Numbers in this section are based on program evaluations from Executive Development Program participants in 2015 and 2016
Upon completion, participants earn the Certificate in Management, granting the following Columbia Business School benefits:
- 15 percent tuition benefit on programs lasting up to seven days, for you and up to two colleagues each year
- Subscriptions to the School’s publications
Participants also earn 13 days towards a Certificate in Business Excellence. Participants may use their 15 percent tuition benefit toward the remaining five days of programming required to complete the certificate. Learn more.
Online and In-Person Modules with Personalized Executive Coaching
Four modules over 4 months – a combination of live online and in-person sessions supplemented with personalized executive coaching
Constituting the foundation of the program, these critical tools will help you understand your current leadership strengths and weaknesses, identify your opportunities for growth, and develop your future leadership agenda.
- Leadership Evaluation & Feedback. Before arriving at the program, participants complete a 360-degree feedback instrument. During the program, participants review their 360 report with experienced coaches who can help identify existing strengths and opportunities for improvement.
- Learning Styles. Participants begin the program by looking at how preferences for various learning styles impact the learning process. By evaluating their own preferences and those of their colleagues, participants begin to develop a cohesive and effective learning community.
- Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and Derailers. Participants explore and apply various elements of Emotional Intelligence as they develop a better awareness of self and a better understanding of the needs of others. Particular attention is given to “derailers,” those personal and professional attributes that start out as strengths but can become weaknesses if not properly managed.
- Leadership Credo. The leadership credo exercise provides participants with an opportunity to inventory their personal beliefs about leadership and assess what will make their organization a success. Elective Leadership Communications sessions help participants develop their skills in public speaking and presentations.
- Personal Cases. During the two-week program, participants work in teams on personal cases that provide an opportunity to apply and integrate their knowledge of strategy, leadership, marketing, operations, and finance. Plenary discussions and team presentations during the program showcase thought leadership in action. After receiving feedback about their case from peers and faculty, each participant develops a Personal Action Plan to implement these ideas when they return to their organization.
- Individual Development Plans. During the second week of the program, after receiving their 360 feedback, each participant creates a personalized plan that will serve as a guide for his or her continued learning and development.
- Tomorrow, Today. This capstone session at the end of the program explores what the world will look like in the not-so-distant future. Drawing on all of their learnings from the program, participants consider ideas and opportunities that can be accessed right now.
Strategic Leadership Sessions
Through a series of strategic leadership sessions, including those listed below, you will learn actionable skills so you can return to your organization ready to realize your return on your investment.
- Systems Thinking. Your work and the work of others is embedded in an interconnected framework that constitutes a complex whole. Understanding how your activities influence others and impact the greater good becomes a key to your leadership success.
- Networks and Social Capital. Program participants consider the power of personal and organizational networks as a tool for leading and managing in organizations. A self-assessment instrument permits each participant to evaluate the reach and magnitude of their own network. Strategies for creating, developing, and leveraging network ties are also explored.
- Building Coalitions. Getting things done in organizations often requires working across boundaries or in an environment where lines of authority are blurred or non-existent. You’ll explore how to identify and evaluate various constituencies in your organization including their power and attitudes. You’ll leave the program able to build coalitions that ensure the success of your strategic initiatives that require cooperation across your organization.
- Conflict, Negotiations, and Persuasion. Working effectively with others within and across organizations requires a cutting edge capacity to gain their support. We’ll consider various approaches to managing conflict, building consensus, and persuading others. Self-assessment instruments help you identify your current approach to conflict and consider how you can expand your repertoire to use other approaches when needed.
- Essence of Decisions. We often think of decision making as rational and predictable. We’ll explore the politics and (sometimes irrational) process of making strategic decisions. Simulation exercises help participants understand how they can use these learnings to navigate through the complexity of decision-making in their own organizations.
- Creating a Culture of Performance. Too often, an enterprise’s vision and values become empty slogans that do not inform in any way the daily activities of the organization. In this session, participants consider how to align individual performance goals, feedback, and evaluations with an organization's vision and mission to ensure everyone is moving forward together, successfully.
- Global Perspectives and Challenges. With few exceptions, the continued success of your products or services will be directly impacted by developments around the world. As an experienced leader, you’ll be expected to understand and adapt to a constantly changing global environment. During the program, participants survey the business and political landscape over the next 25 years and explore how power shifts and other dynamics will impact their work.
- Leading Change. In the contemporary business environment, the only thing constant is change. As a capstone to their learning, EDP participants consider the dynamics of change and how to lead individuals and organizations through a constructive and effective change process.
Business-Critical Skills
Critical for any leader is a sound understanding of cross-disciplinary functions. Inspired by Columbia Business School’s world-renowned MBA program, the following is a selection of the sessions during the program that will provide you with a greater understanding of the whole picture.
- Strategy and Innovation. Program participants review the theory and practice of strategic thinking as they develop their capacity to analyze market and competitive forces to create winning propositions for their organizations. Application exercises help participants develop their own new ideas about next level strategic initiatives for their organizations.
- Marketing and Advertising. Participants explore various frameworks and concepts in marketing and consider how advertising plays an integral role in an organization's overall brand management.
- Finance and Accounting. Recognizing that sound financial analysis is critical to the success of any enterprise, participants develop their capacities to use financial data to assess business performance and ensure sufficient cash to meet the organization's needs.
- Operations. Recognizing that a firm’s day-to-day activities must be aligned with its overall strategy, program participants learn about various aspects of operations, including logistics and supply chain management. Case studies illustrate how a firm can leverage its capacities across the organization and around the world to create innovative and cost-effective operations.
Sample Agenda
For more information on the program schedule download the sample agenda or contact Alberto Cruz, assistant director of Learning Solutions, at +1 212-854-6037 or ac2508@gsb.columbia.edu.
Another great part of the program was the networking aspect. It gave me an appreciation for different industries, different ways of doing things, different opinions on matters. That was very valuable to me. I’ve stayed in touch with a number of participants, to the point where I’ve visited them overseas and they’ve come to see me in Australia. One of the participants and I even decided to meet again at Columbia Business School to complete our Certificate in Business Excellence together.
The Executive Development Program is designed for mid- to upper-level executives across disciplines and industries who lead a functional, country, or unit role. The program is ideal for executives who seek to further their leadership development because they are on the path to a broader role that requires leading outside their areas of education and expertise.
| Years of Management Experience | % |
|---|---|
| 20+ | 3 |
| 16-20 | 5 |
| 11-15 | 22 |
| 6-10 | 35 |
| 1-5 | 35 |
| Years of Management Experience | % |
|---|---|
| Africa | 7 |
| Asia | 38 |
| Europe | 7 |
| Middle East | 8 |
| N. America | 29 |
| Oceana | 3 |
| S. America | 9 |
Upon completion of this program, you will earn credits towards a Certificate with select alumni and tuition benefits.
This program is suitable for mid- to upper-level executives across disciplines and industries who lead a functional, country, or unit role.