Does Your Business Need An Executive Development Program?

As an expert in leadership development, I am often asked about the best time for companies to initiate programs for management development, and more specifically, how large companies should be before they start one. I wish I had a simple answer, but there is no magic number (turnover or employee -wise) to whom such a program is necessary.That CEOs of companies of all sizes need to ensure is whether they are willing to make an investment in the "bench ", the people who will lead the organization in the future. The goal of leadership development programs, after all, is not exclusive, it is to affect the pipeline of key talent by increasing the number of internal candidates who are willing to fill positions.

A critical factor in the success of any program of management development is actively supported by senior leaders of the organization. Making it a priority can be difficult to crises of the day, but the signal sent by the cancellations and postponements may affect the severity of the investment

Large organizations may have the luxury of creating leadership development programs internally, while small companies often try to send future leaders of institutions like Harvard and Duke for training. Internal programs are obviously designed for the specific needs of the company and subcontracting programs can be customized well at an additional cost.

Whatever type of management development in your company pursues its objectives should be the same:

1-Provide high-potential leaders with a broad understanding of the business, including the external environment in which it operates

2-Allow participants to make material contributions as they are formed, and not only read, but to be "busy in making"

3-Provide ongoing education that is not complicated or expensive, including activities related to the acquisition of skills and what they need to know to be prepared for senior management

All executive development programs must include a well-designed plan that combines the features and is aligned with the business strategy in the long term. Participants must learn strategic skills and behaviors that 
may be important to business success and also be exposed to projects that will help retain and maintain.

There are many ways to accomplish the objectives of a program of management development, but typical 
ingredients include:

Speakers / Faculty*

Experiential learning (ie, trips to places like Gettysburg and NASA)*

Projects of Action Learning*

*Learning from each other

Develop teamwork skills / collaborative*

360 degree feedback / Executive Coaching*

The programs vary in length some may be only one or two weeks, while others may continue for six months to a year, but in all cases it is important to have a way to measure the impact of what is learned. The return of the most valuable leadership development investment is made, as future leaders are prepared to succeed those who move to retirement or other activities

Without business priorities, you are destined to face every day in a reactive mode and go to bed wondering why you did not get anything. Sounds familiar?

This is because when you first start your business, you may receive more training as an employee or a student and as a business owner. This means that you may be used to respond to the priorities of others rather than fixing your own. Learn how to set your own business priorities, and see how the results begin to accumulate. How your business priorities get off track 

It is common for us cast our agenda out the window when we get a new application that feels urgent

For example, someone can send you an email saying they need to get something from you, so that you immediately stop doing what you're at work and working on this site.

Here's why this is a bad idea when you become a business owner: You're the captain of your own ship, instead you're just responding to requests from other people.

So here's what I recommend you do to help you better manage your time and prioritize your own projects and goals compared to others.

The first thing is to recognize that, for everyone, their priorities might feel like emergencies. Just because it is important for someone else does not mean that it is urgent for you. 

Most e -mails can bear to wait a few hours for an answer, and many can even wait days. If we talk about emails customer service, then they should get an answer as soon as possible, but you should be able to spot the difference between these e- mails and "demand" e- mails

Another great way to think about the tasks is the quadrant Steven Covey: Important / unimportant and urgent / non - urgent. There might be some important things that are not urgent, but get picked by urgent but not important issues. Always take a look at the importance of a task, not only has the urgency seemed.

How to prioritize your work

Another way to manage priorities and expectations is to focus on your work before checking e -mail. I also recommend taking the tasks of e -mails in your software project management choices, so they do not go into your inbox.The important thing is to stop using your inbox as a list of tasks you need to do. Instead, use your e- mail to communicate with people, not to generate new tasks or to distract you from your own priorities.

When it comes to setting priorities, focus on activities that promote the growth of the company in the long term or value. Then, by the high activities dollar an hour, and finally other things that must be done. If you can afford to hire some of these administrative tasks so you can focus on high-impact and high-income work, do so.If you do not set your own priorities, someone else will. Tweet This

So before you check your inbox in the morning, make sure you have a list of your priorities and tasks of the day. I 'm not saying you will not have to submit your own work to help someone, to answer questions or make a friend a favor.....What I am saying is that you should focus on your own priorities first companies, because that's what makes you money. 

A lot of times the demands and priorities of others can simply distract you from your own goals. There are certainly exceptions to this rule, but I found that many times they can simply add more work on your plate without actually drive business results.