New Program for Management Development: The Learning Never Stops

It’s no secret that your success tomorrow means reinventing yourself today. Learning new competencies and developing professionally are essential to thriving in our ever-changing world. But with this non-stop pace, finding the time to learn is a challenge.

Our newly remodeled Program for Management Development (PMD) for transitioning into senior management positions addresses this issue precisely. For the first time, the PMD offers participants four self-paced online modules and three residential modules over the course of six months to fit their scheduling needs. This blended combination takes participants on a General Management Journey and a subsequent Leadership Journey to help them transition into senior leadership positions with greater impact.

Innovation for Leadership Transformation

“Thanks to its blended format, the PMD enables participants to learn at their own pace and from any place. Executives will come to the classroom equipped with the essentials and tools they need to make the most of their face-to-face interactions on campus. We believe flexibility is key for executives and also cultivates a lifelong learning habit,” says Prof. Sebastian Reiche, PMD’s academic director.

The four new online modules allow participants to access classes and video conferences through our state-of-the-art virtual campus, take on self-assessment tools, consult the digital library for self-paced learning to cover knowledge gaps and participate in online discussions and receive ongoing support. One of the online modules is pre-program, allowing participants to be brought up to speed so they may start the program fully prepared.

Two Journeys, One Destination

The structure of the PMD has evolved into two journeys:  first, the General Management Journey and, subsequently, the Leadership Journey. On the first journey, participants build highly advanced management competencies. They are given a robust decision-making framework, an understanding of all the functional areas of their businesses and how they work together, a global vision of markets and megatrends, and an understanding of the role of strategy in driving success.

During the Leadership Journey, they discover a completely new understanding of what it means to lead. Participants explore the meaning of “leading oneself”, their teams and their organizations. Furthermore, they are given the tools necessary to lead diversity and they learn how to use their own competencies and networks to implement strategic decisions.

The incorporation of blended learning is a first within the realm of management programs worldwide. IESE’s push to innovate methodologies forms part of the mission of the school to offer pathways for lifelong learning.