Executive Education Archives - IESE Standout

Your career isn’t ending. It’s evolving

IESE Standout — Thu, 07 May 2026 13:19:06 +0000

Suddenly you find yourself faced with the challenge of pursuing another role and writing a whole new chapter in your working life. For many professionals, such a transition to second, or even third, career does not arrive according to a convenient timeline.

It may emerge gradually, as the trajectory that once defined your working life begins to plateau. Or it may be imposed abruptly – through restructuring, redundancy, or market disruption – demanding urgent and decisive action.

In either case, the challenge is the same: you need to take charge of the situation so that you can maintain momentum and keep forging ahead in your career. While some trepidation is natural, it shouldn’t be the defining response. At any stage, a professional pivot can be a powerful opportunity for reinvention and personal growth.

The question is not whether reinvention is possible – but how you can shape the change in your circumstances in profitable and fulfilling ways. The truth is that those who approach this moment with clarity and intent can unlock exciting and unexpected avenues for growth and a renewed sense of purpose.

Reframing your situation

According to Manuel Alonso Puig, who leads IESE Business School’s New Professional Horizons (NHP) program for seasoned executives in Spain, the key to navigating a career shift lies in adopting a structured and intentional approach.

“You need to determine your true professional value at this moment,” he explains, “and craft a value proposition that clearly sets you apart.”

This requires a shift in mindset. Rather than viewing a career change as a disruption, professionals can reframe it as a strategic transition – one that aligns their accumulated experience with emerging opportunities.

A changing world of work

Today’s professionals are navigating career decisions against the backdrop of profound shifts in the global labor market.

Technological advances – particularly in generative AI – are expected to drive productivity gains, while simultaneously raising questions about job displacement and evolving skill requirements. At the same time, demographic trends are reshaping the workforce: people are living longer, healthier lives, even as aging populations place new demands on labor markets.

These changes are extending the length – and complexity – of careers. The traditional linear trajectory is giving way to more dynamic, multi-stage professional lives, where reinvention is not the exception but the norm. In this context, the ability to adapt is key.

The NHP program at IESE encourages senior professionals to reflect on the following key dimensions as they translate years of experience into new opportunities:

How to align their professional experience and strengths with new career horizons.
What skills and tools are needed to reshape their working lives in line with evolving values and interests.
How to refine leadership and management capabilities for new contexts.
How to leverage networks, mentors, and institutional resources to uncover opportunities.

For many participants, this process leads back into executive roles. For others, it opens doors to consulting, investing, entrepreneurship, or interim management positions – roles that often capitalize on deep expertise while offering greater flexibility and autonomy.

“The time you spend at work is a very large part of your life,” says Yolanda De Gregorio Velazquez, who recently transitioned into a debt advisory role at a corporate finance firm in Barcelona after completing the program. “You have to be brave and seek work that truly fulfils you.”

Building a structured path forward

While a late-stage career re-set presents its own challenges, the truth is that people constantly need to review their professional paths to take account of fresh opportunities.

As part of its mission to support its former students at different stages of their professional journey, IESE offers tools to help them identify job openings or craft a strategic plan to achieve their long-term career goals.

The Professional Transition Program, for example, helps IESE alumni at any stage of their career to explore new opportunities via a series of “bootcamps” that guide them through the different steps of their exploration of a new role:

Discover your path: Participants begin by identifying their interests, values, motivations, and strengths to define a clear sense of purpose.
Build your brand: With greater self-awareness, they can then develop a compelling personal narrative with the help of career coaches and mentors.
Go to market: The final stage focuses on execution: refining the job search strategy, strengthening networking efforts, and preparing to communicate effectively in interviews and professional interactions.

“The people who lead it are really passionate about it, and you really feel that want you to succeed,” Pavel Veselov, who holds an Executive MBA from IESE, says of the PTP course, which he recently completed.

Courage, clarity, and opportunity

There is no denying that changing career direction can be challenging. It requires courage, careful planning, and often a willingness to step outside one’s comfort zone. Yet the potential rewards are significant: more meaningful work, greater alignment with personal values, and, in many cases, improved work–life balance.

Eugeni Brotóns offers a compelling example. After stepping down as global marketing director at the Spanish beverage firm González Byass in 2023, he chose to reassess his professional path. Following his participation in IESE’s NHP program, he transitioned into consulting and now advises firms including the Rioja-based winemaker Marqués del Atrio.

“The course really made me look inside myself,” Eugeni reflects, “and ask what, at this stage of my life, I truly wanted to do.”

Here are some of his tips for anyone looking to try something new in their career:

Take care of your network: Make sure to nurture your professional contacts long before you start considering a new career path.
Stay positive: Never forget that when one professional door closes, others open.
Be receptive to help and advice: “Allow yourself to let others enrich you with their experience,” says Eugeni.

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Senior talent: tips for making the last stage in your career the best it can be

IESE Standout — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 11:34:13 +0000

It is often said that everyone wants to live longer, but no-one wants to be old. In the business world, as in life, the passage of time inevitably has an effect on all of us. And when we enter the so-called senior stage – from ages 50 to 69 – a series of contradictions appears, which can be hard to manage.

On the one hand, we have lots of knowledge and experience, which gives us a unique perspective and more opportunities to add value and enjoy our work. On the other hand, it is also a time when tiredness and saturation can begin to take their toll after a long career. Furthermore, although this is often the era of recognition, and achieving roles that have greater responsibility and a greater impact, it is a relatively short era. Retirement is approaching, and the generational changeover is really beginning to rear its head.

In spite of all this, the dream of being useful to society can be difficult to shake. Some studies confirm that 75% of senior talent would like to keep working after retirement age. Other data show that, since 2008, senior employment is growing in all European countries, and that the majority of EU member states have more senior workers with higher education qualifications than with basic education – which is essential for avoiding unemployment in this stage.

But, are we prepared to continue working in this last phase of our careers at any cost? According to an IESE study, the answer is categorically no. There are at least three deciding factors that lead us to remain committed to our profession beyond the age of 50:

Feeling that we are adding value.
Receiving recognition for our labor.
Having a dream for the work we are doing.

Although the vast majority of the population is in salaried employment nowadays, continuing to work throughout the senior stage will involve, in many cases, being prepared to adapt to significant changes: whether that be devoting oneself to a different type of work, seeking employment in another company, being an entrepreneur, or even choosing to pursue unremunerated collaborations.

In any case, having a suitable plan is key to extending and relaunching the working lives of senior talent, even before retirement age. However, according to the same IESE survey, 75% of professionals do not know what steps to take, or are not adequately preparing for this next phase.

Debunking the myths that present the greatest obstacles in the senior stage

One of the greatest difficulties when it comes to entering the senior stage is how best to question and eliminate the prejudices that shape the general opinion on age that exists in companies. Perspectives which are widely accepted, and which reduce options and hinder the expectations of those who want to continue progressing after the age of 50. The most common are:

Retirement age. This seems to be an obligation, and even an aspiration for many workers, but for many others, it is not. It is simply a reference point.
Technological changes. This does not mean expecting older people to be experts in the latest applications and technologies, but with appropriate training, they can adapt very well.
Idea of happiness. It is a concept that has been widely debated throughout history, but for many people, happiness is more closely linked to making a contribution than to leisure or rest.
Reinventing oneself. You must not be afraid to transform yourself if you want to enter the senior stage with your best foot forward. Inertia will lead directly to retirement.

In this sense, the IESE professor Guido Stein makes the case that the vitality, satisfaction and motivation of the talent is not dependent on age, but rather on how we arrived at that age. And he states that, nowadays, “in general, we arrive at retirement age in better health than ever”. Therefore, some studies maintain that we should redefine our vision of aging and chronological age, as statistically, in countries like Japan, people who are 75 years old now have the same physical and mental capabilities as someone who was 65 two decades ago.

How to relaunch a senior professional’s career

In an analysis of the importance acquired by senior employees in organizations, the consultancy firm Bain examined how the interests and needs of workers evolve over the years, identifying the two profiles that are most dominant within senior talent, based on their motivations and priorities. We are talking about:

Artisans. Professionals whose main focus is their passion for mastering their trade. They want to do work that interests them, and they value autonomy above all.
Benefactors. Employees who identify with the idea of service. They feel rewarded when they see their actions having a positive impact on the lives of others.

According to the IESE professor José Ramón Pin, the long process of preparing for the senior stage should start with a step that is tricky, realistic and sometimes painful: considering your position, your identity and your role in the company, and in the world of work. “We need to honestly ask ourselves who we are, who we want to be, and who we can be in this new phase. In order to do so, it is necessary to take a strong step forward, with an emotional reset which convinces us that we can adapt to another professional life that will make us feel fulfilled”, points out Pin. For the professor, a good adaptation process should include these three points:

Being aware. Reconsidering what and who we want to be. Because, most likely, in a few years, we won’t want to, or we won’t be able to, continue doing the same old thing we had been doing. In seniority, there is continuity, but also a break. In some ways, it’s like starting over again.
Taking one step forward. Embracing the future with hope and energy. It is not enough to let yourself be carried along until you suddenly find yourself at retirement age. The future senior has been working on this since before the age of 50, hoping to be in good shape for at least 20 more years.
Designing a detailed plan. Tracing a route that connects our current location with where we want to be in the next 10 to 15 years. In order to move forward with this plan, we will probably need to extend our network of contacts, get training in specific areas, or negotiate the reorientation of our career with the company.

But the responsibility is not only in the hands of the professionals themselves. Companies also have a fundamental role to play when it comes to facilitating the transition of talent into the senior stage. Among other measures, organizations can apply the following:

Strategies for retaining and recruiting senior professionals: identifying what motivates them, according to their different profiles, and what positions they can occupy within the company.
Refresher programs: so that the senior employees’ skills respond to the needs of the business for the next 10-15 years.
Plans that are adapted to the strengths and priorities of the senior talent: with personalized suggestions. BMW, for example, offers senior employees part time roles guiding young people in their careers.

Compromise, planning, strategy, adapting, mentality, training… There are many other elements that are required in order to successfully overcome the challenges that confront both senior talent, as part of their transition, and the organizations that don’t want to lose the value that these workers provide. The IESE program Relanzamiento del talento sénior: nuevos horizontes profesionales helps senior leaders and professionals keep moving forward along their career path at a time where they have optimal experience and knowledge.

Senior talent management according to ATOS

The way older people adapt to new technologies does not depend on their age as much as it does on the willingness of professionals and companies to design and implement training and refresher programs. There have already been some success cases.

In 2021, ATOS, the global technology company, launched a program to close the skills gaps for the 21,000 of its workers who were over 50 years old. Since then, it is the employees themselves who need to find out what gaps they have and choose the courses and certifications they need to refresh their skills. ATOS also invites them to participate in training programs as teachers.

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How much time should an executive invest in training?

IESE Standout — Fri, 26 May 2023 14:50:51 +0000

Good handling of the management agenda is paramount to lead any company towards great success.

And within this planning, investment in training should be a fundamental part of the weekly distribution of CEOs’ tasks in order to achieve the proposed goals. And even more so in a world that, in the coming years, will take a considerable turn towards the automation of many tasks that today are still done by people.

Some studies suggest that managers should devote at least 5% of their time to training and learning. In concrete terms, this could mean around 100 hours per year, which is equivalent to two hours per week. Other studies recommend doubling this figure for maximum results.

It is worth noting that training does not necessarily have to be face-to-face or during working hours. We are also talking about books, podcasts, online conferences, and blogs such as StandOut or IESE’s Insight portal. These formats are much more adaptable to different needs and schedules while simultaneously being extremely relevant and completely focused on the professional and personal development of the manager.

Where does a CEO find the time for training?

To be a good leader, it is important to know how to delegate and motivate the team so that it can function autonomously and execute the planned strategy efficiently. It is precisely thanks to this type of intelligent team management that top managers and CEOs can focus on other tasks such as training, which in turn will allow them to gain more time in the long run and learn how to develop new strategies that successfully adapt to different business paradigms.

In fact, if we consider that a manager should spend an average of 30% of his or her time defining the strategy and the remaining 70% implementing it, training should be included in this first 30%.

Other tips for investing more time in management training

The list of benefits of continuous learning is long, but the reality is that day-to-day business often takes over the manager’s agenda and, because it is not considered urgent, training is often put on the back burner.

Here, we share some additional tips that can help senior managers set aside more time for training:

1. Set clear objectives for growth in key areas

For example, if you set a goal to improve communication or leadership skills, it will be easier to seek out and justify the need for specific management training in those areas.

2. Include training in your agenda

Including management training in the weekly or monthly agenda and establishing a set schedule can help ensure that sufficient time is devoted to this activity.

3. Attend events where you can continue to learn

Participating in conferences, seminars and workshops can be an excellent way to continue to progress as a leader by gaining new ideas and expert perspectives.

4. Integrate training into the company culture

Encouraging continuous learning as a key element of the company culture also helps motivate the entire organization to invest more time in training. This makes it easier to get more resources to help employees develop their skills and knowledge.

5. Boost networking

Humans learn more, both in quantity and quality when we interact with each other. Therefore, a fundamental factor to ensure the continuous evolution of the executive is to have access to specialized networking groups: a place where top-level business leaders can create positive and lasting relationships with other CEOs, collaborators or stakeholders.

In IESE’s Executive Education programs you will find different types of training with formats carefully designed to adapt to the complicated agenda of executives, at any stage of their development by focusing on the areas in which they need to improve.

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When does your team need special training?

IESE Standout — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 07:24:39 +0000

Business innovation never rests. Competition never lets up. And as recent crises have taught us, seismic disruptions can emerge out of the blue. For these reasons, executives and entrepreneurs must continue learning in order to stay on top.

When to pursue an Executive education custom program for your company

When is the right moment for executives like you to pursue an executive education custom program for your company? Given today’s lighting quick pace of technological change and business strategy innovation, executive training opportunities abound. Here are a few instances that call for them:

1. When technology is disrupting your industry

For years, technological advances have been changing how companies do business in a wide range of sectors. Even successful organizations can struggle to adapt. But adapt they must, whether they’re media conglomerates, educational institutions, investment banks or healthcare providers. The stakes are high: leading market research firm International Data Corporation expects 65% of global GDP to be generated by digitalized organizations in 2023.

Have your company’s previous successes discouraged it from thinking outside the box and finding modern solutions? Custom programs help you navigate a business landscape in constant flux and use technological advances to your advantage.

2. When a business reorganization is necessary

The aforementioned technological innovations, among others, require new business models, organizational structures and forms of teamwork. Even after the pandemic, managers should continue to hone their expertise at managing virtual teams, and executives should strive to become even more adept at multicultural negotiations.

A hallmark of executive education programs is training participants in how to communicate and collaborate so that new ideas can flourish and rigid workplace structures can stop being obstacles for agility.

3. When your company needs to think more globally

Today’s multinational conglomerates can span 100+ affiliate companies spread across all corners of the world. That, plus all manner of technological innovations, will increasingly behoove executives like you to bridge geographic and cultural divides that can come in the form of language barriers, varying inflation rates and distinct social mores, among many others.

A wide range of custom programs exists with the goal of shaping current and future business leaders to embrace diversity and reap its many benefits as working across borders—in-person and virtually—becomes more and more common.

4. When teamwork and talent retention need improvement

Encouraging loyalty in your employees is not an easy task, especially among younger workers inclined toward greater career mobility and reinvention. The American analytics firm Gallup, for instance, recently reported that 21% of millennials switched jobs within the past year, a rate three times that of older generations.

A custom program can help you pinpoint strategic actions in terms of respectful treatment, clear and transparent communication, good compensation and trust, all of which will keep employee morale high and bolster productivity and workforce allegiance.

5. When the time comes for succession planning

No matter your company’s size or track record of success, it must have talented employees ready to move into leadership positions when the current occupants leave. But how can you identify and nurture the top executives of tomorrow? And how can you prepare yourself for what is a time-consuming (generally lasting at least five years) and, especially in the case of family businesses, potentially tense process?

Executive Education training will help you underscore the importance of proactive planning, timely communication and succession strategy integration so that a change at the top of your business doesn’t affect its bottom line.

IESE Business School develops your leaders to deliver the change you need. Ranked #1 in the world, our custom programs target your specific business needs and build rock-solid alignment around your strategic goals.

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What is the return on investment of an MBA or Executive Education Program?

IESE Standout — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 10:37:36 +0000

There’s no need for us to remind you that today’s environment is ever changing, volatile, complex… There are more than enough adjectives to describe how your career is not a straight path without obstacles. You also know that at this point in your career, you need to renew yourself, face new challenges, learn about trends or network and get training in an area you’re unfamiliar with.

However, you are asking yourself:

Why do I “have” to do it?
What will I get out of it?
Will I recover the time and money invested… which is by no means small?

For many people, the cost of higher education programs is a deterrent. If you’re wondering about ROI (Return on Investment), don’t miss the explanation on how to measure the ROI of a business school education program. But we’ll tell you in advance that this is not just about money.

The ROI of an MBA or executive education program: beyond the numbers

The return on investment of business school education programs cannot be measured solely in financial terms. The benefits are not exclusively limited to the professional sphere, but also encompass personal growth and development.

It goes without saying that knowing when you’ll recover the investment or how your position will improve are aspects you’ll have to consider, but they’re not the only ones. So, what are the other aspects?

Better professional qualifications

The content of an executive education program revolves around business case studies to improve decision making. This immersion in the real world of business significantly increases students’ professional training.

Improved employability

Doing an MBA or management program at a top school delivers a differential value that opens doors to employability and professional stability. MBA profiles are among the most sought-after by organizations, which is why their unemployment rate is very low.

Higher compensation

Financial compensation grows in parallel with the level of training. Professionals who have an MBA degree hold more senior roles in companies, which is why they earn a higher salary. Did you know that, according to some studies, this salary increase is around 30%?

Soft skills

Theoretical and practical knowledge are cornerstones of an MBA program, but the soft skills that are acquired—making you a better leader—are no less so. These skills train students to lead teams, make strategic decisions, drive organizational change and enhance commitment to achieving objectives.

High-value networking

Networking is another reason, particularly if you’re a recent graduate or job seeker. Over the course of the program, you’ll interact with people with different professional profiles and management positions, which may give rise to business opportunities or career moves.

Entrepreneurship training

If it’s your intention to start a business, an MBA will provide you with solid theoretical and practical knowledge that will help you succeed. What’s more, you’ll get to meet other people with whom you can share experiences and business ideas.

ROC: Return on Career

What you really need to measure is the ROC (Return on Career) when considering executive education. This the advice given by Jordi Utgés, Executive Director of National Executive Programs at IESE Business School.

The reason? Every step of your career should be geared towards adapting to change. In the current economic environment, the ability to reinvent yourself is absolutely essential.

After a few years, the financial investment will be forgotten, but the impact on your professional career will remain forever. The better your flexibility, training and ability to anticipate, the greater your chances of success are in the professional world.

The best thing to do is to take a broad view of things and assess how executive education will have an impact on your career in the long term. Think about it: in 10 or 12 years’ time, you’ll no longer remember the investment you made in your MBA, but you’ll definitely be aware of the benefits it has had and continues to have on your professional career.

In short: although you also need to assess it, the most important thing is not the ROI, but the ROC.

Studying for an MBA at IESE is a tool for achieving professional success and improving the skills that will help you achieve your life goals.

The IESE executive education programs offer this long-term perspective, a multidisciplinary education and content of the highest quality. It’s the best choice if you want to boost your professional career, and not only to earn a higher salary.

Read the article Why get an MBA today?

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Changing sectors mid-career? Yes, it’s possible

IESE Standout — Fri, 07 May 2021 12:53:11 +0000

Have you been feeling stuck for a long time, like you’ve reached the height of where you can aspire already? You want to take a step in another direction, take on new challenges, but you wonder whether after 15 or 20 years working, it’s too late to reinvent yourself. Changing sectors at this time sounds intimidating, but nothing is further from the truth. Keep reading our tips on how to embark on a brand new professional adventure.

Changing careers. From crisis to opportunity

Changing careers in adulthood can seem like a leap into a void. Not surprisingly, you’ve spent half your life making decisions in a certain direction. However, you’re not the same person you were when you were 18 years old just starting out on your professional journey. So, don’t worry; feeling you need a change is not at all strange. And don’t forget: whatever the new path you embark down, experience is your ally. No one can take away what you’ve already done and built on.

Reflect

First of all, you have to determine just how exactly you want to reinvent yourself.

Maybe you want to take advantage of all that accumulated experience to turn it into something new and make it profitable, maintaining and enhancing the part you liked the most about your former career. Or perhaps you’re looking for something more disruptive, a new profession, in response to feelings of a frustrated vocation you never explored or some special skill you cultivated over the years. In any case, nobody starts a process of reinventing themselves professionally aiming to wind up in a job they don’t like. This process indisputably implies having the conviction that it will be for the better.

Analyze yourself and analyze the market

Analyze your strengths and weaknesses as a professional. If you think about the work you’ve done up until now, you’ll be able to identify the type of tasks that you’re best at, those that are a struggle for you, and also, those that you liked the most and the least. Also analyze your profile: competencies, skills, personality, values and interests. Your experience and knowledge have strong value.

When you’ve defined your profile and the type of work you want to do, start researching where you can exercise this new role. This way, you’ll be sure to balance your aspirations with the market demand, keeping in mind that nowadays many sectors are enriched by “external personnel”, which give them more diverse teams, and yield more innovative results. Fundamental skills such as the ability to influence, communicate and problem solve are transferable to any industry.

Work on your personal brand and seek help

Take care of your personal brand. What makes you different and how you can communicate this to the world is, without a doubt, the first thing you should work on. And don’t be fooled: it takes time, strategy and dedication. Professional networks like LinkedIn are a great showcase to make yourself known, but you should always bet on content that adds value and differentiates you. Also, consider hiring a coach to provide you with advice and objectivity, help you develop your virtues and minimize your weaker points.

Know all the benefits of executive coaching.

Expand your network and start selling yourself

It’s very important that you also identify who’s going to accompany you and facilitate this career transformation that you long for. First of all, take advantage of all those relationships that you have established throughout your career and think about how they can help you achieve your new goal. But above all, plan how you’re going to interact with those new people and companies in the sector you want to break into: sign up for events, connect with new contacts via LinkedIn, interact with them… Networking, both personal and virtual, is essential to get closer to the sector you’re looking to transition into. Read 5 tips for networking in times of crisis.

Learn what you need to know

Yes, maybe you need to go back to the classroom. No professional reinvention can happen without a significant investment in your training.

Whether you’re aiming to reuse all your experience in the sector you’re coming from or jump from scratch into a new profession, you’ll need to update your knowledge. But what to study? You can choose to do a general management programs like the PMD or the AMP, which help you develop your business vision and your managerial skills. Perhaps you need to acquire new technological knowledge or, if you’re considering entrepreneurship, you’ll also have to work on a slew of soft skills (communication, leadership, persuasion, problem solving…).

At IESE, there’s a wide range of programs to help you develop as a manager or an entrepreneur. They’ll help you successfully change in whatever new direction you chose to take.

The triple jump in your career: when a job switch means changing everything.

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How to become a CEO

IESE Standout — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 09:09:25 +0000

The executive roles of the C-suite are the target destinations for ambitious business leaders, and the position of CEO is the ultimate prize for many. A recent study of 965 global CEOs by Heidrick found a diverse pathway to become a CEO, but something a majority of the CEOs had in common was advanced degrees.

Paths to become CEO

The modern CEO

Heidrick’s study found that companies hiring externally favored other CEOs, ready to tackle the challenges of global business in a pandemic. Internally, division leaders were favored, particularly COOs. But these more traditional paths only accounted for 20% of CEOs. The rest followed a diverse range of paths, with companies valuing a wider range of backgrounds, skills and levels of experience.

“Though CEOs expect to rely ever more on their teams, boards are also increasingly seeking diversity of experience and thought in the CEOs themselves,” says the report. So how do you ensure your CEO strategy will secure you the top role?

Set your CEO agenda

To ensure you’re on the right track, you need to plan like a CEO and get into the mindset. Create your own CEO agenda and consider what you want to accomplish with it. What are your goals? How will you judge at year’s end if you were successful in reaching them? Are you heading in the right, proactive direction toward success?

A Global CEO Program can help potential CEOs better grasp the knowledge, mindset, skills and capabilities needed to lead companies to the next level of excellence.

Plan your succession

Heidrick’s 2020 CEO report found that companies are increasingly developing internal successors as CEOs. In today’s extraordinary business conditions, companies are bringing in potential CEOs at one or two positions below CEO level to allow executives to immerse themselves in the business culture.

This gives companies a range of candidates to choose from, so it’s essential that you are strongly aligned with the company’s vision if your goal is to emerge as the natural successor to the CEO.

“The case for a functional CEO is strongest when his or her expertise is core to a company’s critical business challenges,” say Michael Birshan, Thomas Meakin and Kurt Strovink from global strategy and corporate finance firm McKinsey. “Organizations in the midst of a major digital transformation might benefit from a CTO in the top spot, and a CMO-turned-CEO could be just what the doctor ordered for a company rethinking its brand portfolio.”

Look to the future, not the past

In a somewhat prescient survey of 800 global executives in 2013, leaders suggested that an increasingly disruptive environment makes past performance an unreliable indicator of future CEO success. “The great majority see their companies’ ability to effectively identify and nurture great future leaders being significantly hampered by an increasingly complex business landscape,” the report correctly projected.

More important than past performance, they overwhelmingly agreed, is identifying the personal traits that indicate leadership potential.

Executive education programs, such as an Advanced Management Program, exposes you to the latest trends, ideas and concepts shaping global business and gives you the knowledge, insight and mindset you need to drive and sustain competitive advantage to become great leader.

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Executive education online, face-to-face or blended: Which is the best option?

IESE Standout — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 16:40:14 +0000

You’re sure that you need to continue your training as an executive to better face new management challenges and to expand your strategic vision. But once you’ve chosen your program amidst the near-countless options the market has to offer, you’re faced with a new dilemma: the program is offered online, face-to-face and in a blended format. How do you choose the one that best suits your needs?

In this article, we’ll review the defining characteristics of the different formats that are offered, as well as the reasons for opting for one or the other based on your needs and personal circumstances.

100% online programs, for very “virtual” executives

You’ve likely experienced it before: you commit to an activity outside of work two days a week, but then scheduling problems always come up. A trip here, an unexpected meeting there… You have the hours to dedicate to studying, but you can’t make it to the physical campus.

To help managers in this situation, top-tier business schools have launched a series of entirely online programs.

Unlike the online courses that came out more than a decade ago, online management programs are now a dynamic and highly effective reality. Thanks to new technologies and innovative methodologies, they combine very effective tools for self-learning and sophisticated options for interaction with other participants.

One of the most common obstacles when it comes to doing an online program is “virtual fatigue”, and the risk of discontinuing the program because you’re on your own. At schools such as IESE, the content and methodology have been adapted into microformats with dynamization techniques and games, virtual networking spaces and personalized accompaniment from a tutor, who monitors and helps the participant from the beginning to the end of the program. A good example of this are the online Focused Programs, short and very intense training programs focused on one aspect or competence that the manager needs to develop in a short period of time.

There are two types of online programs:

Live online programs

They are based on synchronous sessions with the professor, in which you can interact in real time with the rest of the participants. They usually last between 3 and 4 weeks and require a dedication of about 8 hours a week (2-3 hours live twice a week and 5 hours of individual work on your own).

Asynchronous online programs

They are designed to allow you to learn at your desired pace with a combination of exercises, video recordings, readings, and some synchronous sessions with the professor. They have an average duration of between 7 and 9 weeks and require individual work of about 6 to 8 hours per week.

The main advantage of 100% online programs is the enormous amount of flexibility they offer, since they allow the user to learn at their own pace and from anywhere. In addition, they are highly practical and include exercises that can be applied immediately in real company projects, with the full support and feedback of tutors, professors and classmates.

Unlike online courses that emerged more than a decade ago, online management programs are now a dynamic and highly effective reality.

Face-to-face courses, whatever the circumstance may be

In recent times, managers have been able to experience first-hand that having the opportunity to meet face-to-face and discuss certain matters face-to-face is optimal for business management. The same is true with executive training: sharing time and space adds to the flow of information and nuances that cannot occur in virtual environments. Seeing people face-to-face helps build trust and camaraderie, so that personal ties become stronger.

Traditionally, executive training has been done using face-to-face formats, in which participants interact and debate in the classroom and in teamwork spaces. This shared physical presence greatly facilitates the exchange of points of view and the discussion of real situations.

Another one of the great advantages when it comes face-to-face courses is the ease with which you meet other executives and, consequently, expand your network.

The entirely face-to-face programs for executives usually last between 6 and 18 months, and involve a weekly dedication of at least one full day of classes (8 to 10 hours), plus 8 to 10 more hours of individual work.

Life has become “blended”, and so has your training

Beyond what’s happened as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, executives’ lives are increasingly moving towards a mix of face-to-face and virtual situations. Videoconferencing – today Zoom or Teams – has become such a part of our daily lives that it is very common for meetings between people who are in the same building to end up happening online.

And it’s no surprise! These tools help us to share materials and ideas and, in addition, allow us to extend the meetings to participants who are not physically in the same place. But most importantly, they represent a significant way to save time. Online meetings tend to run shorter than face-to-face meetings and, because they’re integrated into our agendas and don’t require travel, they minimize delays, which means greater efficiency and productivity.

In this hybrid context in which our companies and lives now move, blended programs like the PDD Flexible combine synchronous distance training with shorter and more intensive classroom modules.

Given that today many managers have to group the hours they have available for their formation into the same timeframe – on weekends or during intensive weeks, so as not to be frequently absent from their jobs-, blended training programs are designed to maximize the time spent on campus with activities that can only be carried out face-to-face, while during the online modules, participants optimize their time without having to travel, which makes balancing their professional and family tasks easier.

On the other hand, for international participants, these programs represent significant travel savings and, in addition, synchronous activities can be easily adapted to any time zone around the world, virtually sending a professor to Chile, Singapore, Vienna or Kenya

Blended programs tend to take a little longer than face-to-face programs, since there are a fewer number of concentrated teaching hours by day. Thus, the workload of a blended program ranges between 4 and 5 hours per week of live online classes, in addition to between 6 and 8 hours of self-study.

In short, the blended format combines the best of the online world and the advantages of having face-to-face occasions for developing personal relationships.

“Managers ask us for more and more flexibility, to be able to fit training into their agendas and to make the balance between their professional and family life easier.”

Yolanda Serra, Director of International Executive Programs at IESE.

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The time for flexible training is here

In recent times, business schools have diversified their program portfolios to offer training solutions that adapt to executives’ needs for flexibility, whatever their personal situations may be.

Whether due to scheduling issues, because the school is too far from your home or your company, or due to exceptional situations such as the coronavirus crisis, there are times when participating face-to-face in an executive course is too complicated.

Fortunately, schools such as IESE have incorporated technologies into their facilities such as hybrid classrooms, which allow managers who cannot attend face-to-face to follow their classes live, virtually interacting with total fluidity with other participants who are physically present in the classroom.

The post Executive education online, face-to-face or blended: Which is the best option? appeared first on IESE Standout.

Main differences between EMBA and PMD programs

IESE Standout — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 15:34:54 +0000

When you’ve gained a certain degree of experience in the world of business management, there comes a time when you have to decide if you want to go even further. If you find yourself at this point in your career, congratulations! Because you’re one step away from embarking on a process that has the potential to change your life. However, that first step may be the hardest of all.

Even if you’ve already decided to take your career to the next level and to aspire to positions of greater responsibility through executive training (https://executiveeducation.iese.edu/es/), choosing the right program at this point in your career is no simple task.

Becoming the leader you want to be is going to require resources and a lot of effort, two ingredients that may be in short supply right now in your day-to-day life, and at a time when you’re likely also dealing with important personal and professional commitments.

Correctly choosing the right executive training program which best fits your reality is essential to achieving your objectives and developing yourself as a leader capable of positive and tangible impact. To make this selection process a little easier, in this article we want to help you better differentiate the two most in-demand programs by executives like you: the Executive MBA (EMBA) and the Program for Management Development (PMD).

An Executive MBA or PMD: Learn to differentiate the two most in-demand programs by executives like yourself

Age and professional experience

Although age and professional experience are not determining factors when choosing between the two programs, they can be useful as starting points.

The most frequent EMBA profile is a 32-year-old professional with a minimum of five years of experience in positions of responsibility, an optimal level of English and a high analytical capacity demonstrable through their GMAT test score. On the other hand, the typical PMD participant is usually 39-years-old and also has five years of experience, but in team management.

However, bear in mind that these data are only statistics and that each classroom is made up of very different profiles and realities that enrich the quality of both types of programs. This in mind, your specific age and years of experience should serve as orientative factors rather than impediments. It is important to note that the EMBA – being an accredited MBA program – has a more exhaustive admission process. In the PMD, on the other hand, the personal interview is the most determining factor when it comes to being admitted to the program.

The EMBA offers an intense journey of personal and professional transformation that trains you to take on any challenge that arises in the corporate realm.

Program content and structure

In the words of a recent participant who is very familiar with both programs, a quite graphic way to understand what you’ll learn and, above all, the implications of these learnings are that “the PMD is like facing a half marathon and the EMBA, a full marathon.”

As such, both prepare you to make decisions from a general management standpoint, both offer you new skills to master decision-making, and both programs boost the development of your leadership. Both will cause you to grow through the challenges posed and the dedication required. And, in addition, with both programs, you’re free to balance your courses with your current job and apply what you’re learning in the classroom immediately, since classes are concentrated on the weekends and during intensive weeks. But it’s not the same to commit to managerial training for six months as it is for 18.

In this sense, in a relatively short period of time, the PMD covers eight key leadership competencies to accelerate your trajectory towards top management through interaction, discussion of real cases and simulations. Considering that the participants usually arrive with significant experience leading teams, such a compressed format is made the most of, bringing out the best of every participant from day one.

Meanwhile, the EMBA is an intense and long journey of personal and professional transformation that prepares you to take on any corporate challenge. Over the course of nearly two years, with 300 cases, three international weeks, exams, simulations and 1,500 hours of individual and team work, you will deeply refine your knowledge of the main areas of business management, decision-making, your global vision of business and the skills of well-rounded and efficient leaders.

As we said at the beginning, both programs will get you into shape, the only difference is that the PMD will leave you as sweaty as a short but very intense race, and the EMBA with leave you with a muscular soreness that will last you a few more weeks.

The PMD covers eight key leadership competencies in a relatively short period of time to accelerate your track to top management.

Your personal situation

Undoubtedly, where you are in life and your aspirations should be the definitive parameters for making the final decision to pursue a Program for Management Development or an Executive MBA. Once you’ve looked over the figures and details of each program, it’s worth asking yourself with all honesty which of the two better fits your unique situation right now, which one will you be able to enjoy more, and which one will you get more out of. In short, which program can you afford in terms of time and resources, and which one will help you reach your professional goals and expectations.

Although each candidate is different, those who opt for the Executive MBA usually have it very clear that they want to live the full experience of an MBA program or they want to add an MBA degree to their CVs. Either because it’s something they’ve always wanted to do, because they aspire to positions that require the qualification, because they dream of creating their own company or because they’re looking for new opportunities at an international level.

In the case of the PMD, on the other hand, we’re talking (in general) about participants who are looking to take a professional leap, who already have strong professional profiles but who want to go one step further, who are aware of their own limitations when it comes to better managing their own company or to aspiring to positions of greater responsibility and who are excited about the idea of receiving formation in a business school like IESE, but who don’t necessarily need an official degree. These people see a program such as the PMD as a more affordable option that also guarantees them a very rigorous learning experience in all business-related aspects and the impetus they’re lacking to continue progressing in their career and to get out of an area they’re too familiar with.

Don’t doubt it, executive training is worth it

During these uncertain times we’re living, nobody can guarantee you anything. So it’s normal that you continue to have doubts, even after you’ve enrolled in the program you’ve chosen. Will it be as good as I have been told? Will I get that position that I keep thinking about? Will I get the investment back? Will I be able to keep my business alive and strong?

We can’t answer all these unknowns. But we can say that executive training is worth it, and that the economic cost is almost the last factor that you should be thinking about right now. First off, because of the multiple financing options that exist and, secondly, because of the enormous chances you have of increasing your income after the program. But above all, because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that can take you much further than you imagine, and because it constitutes the most solid foundation for you to be able to improve the world we live in as a leader.

Where you are in life and your aspirations should be the definitive factors to finally decide to pursue a PMD or an EMBA.

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What is the case method?

IESE Standout — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 14:05:57 +0000

The case method is a teaching methodology based on the study and discussion of real business cases intended to help managers like you improve your decision-making skills. The method, established in 1921 by Harvard Business School, ultimately teaches you the art of managing uncertainty.

The case method is the art of managing uncertainty.

Chris Christensen, Harvard Business School Professor

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And what is the most important thing for you to do as a manager in uncertain situations? Make decisions. After all, you’re responsible for taking the initiative on finding the proper solution to a specific problem.

There are two types of problems you’ll face while making business decisions. There are those that can be solved objectively through a set process or equation and that require a single correct response. Then there are others that can be solved in a variety of ways. It’s the second type of problem that usually falls to you, the executive, to fix.

Can you learn this type of decision-making capability? Yes. In fact, that is precisely the goal of the case method: learning to respond to what are called “non-operational” problems in the business world. This methodology places you and your classmates in the role of manager when identifying the problems discussed in each case and seeking answers to problems. Crucially, it also prizes dynamic interaction between a diverse group of participants

4 reasons why the case method is the best learning methodology

1. Real world experience

The case method is the methodology that best reflects the realities you face as a manager. It helps you identify symptoms and grapple with problems that appear without obvious solutions. The goal is that the judicious decisions you make in a classroom setting will enable you to make them in the professional world.

2. Calibrated conversation

The case method allows you to learn through the discussion of previously prepared cases. Many of these cases will have been prepared by your professors and are based on their own business experiences.

3. An expansive view

The challenges posed by the cases presented to you will not have a single solution. It’s precisely that range of possible solutions, which you’ll discuss in-depth with your classmates, that makes the method such a valuable experience. With the case method, you’ll constantly learn from the insights and opinions of your fellow participants and the professor.

4. Cross-functional preparation

The case method will refine your management knowledge in ways that can be applied to a wide range of departments in your company, including finances, operations and human resources. At the same time, it will offer you a global vision of the repercussions your decisions may have on the organization.

Learn how the IESE case method works.

If you’re a prospective MBA student interested in learning more about the case method, consider attending an IESE Open Day for an in-person experience of the methodology. IESE’s Executive Education programs also offer you training tailored to whichever step along your career path you find yourself on, wherever you find yourself and whatever the challenges ahead.

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