I think the traditional ways we go about developing leaders and managers is just fine. Over my career, I’ve met people who say a month or more in an MBA class was a significant catalyst to their career.  I went to one myself, at Darden, and spent sleepless nights on cases with great friendships forged.  Put simply, I had a great time.  Since then, I’ve seen fast and effective leadership development take place in-house and contribute quick and significant results.  Time spent earning an MBA might be the mayonnaise but it’s not the sandwich.

Ford Motor Company and Citibank knew this in the 80’s.  British Petroleum and General Electric used project based management development in the 1990’s.  I can’t say if they still use the approach as a key best practice, but each might benefit from reviving project based leadership development today.

Selecting highly visible, outcome-focused projects for management development remains attractive for several reasons.

First, it produces measureable results while requiring project team leaders and members to do their regular jobs plus add value efforts.  Three months on a task, additional to the regular job, stretches and widens a leader’s capacity.

Second, the cost / benefit is obvious.  There’s no free lunch on a project based development task. Each team member is on a pay-as-you-go journey to the end.

Third, if you’re going to make life-long friends, why not with the people you will work with now and in the future?  As you bump and grind against other functions during implementation, the people you network with will be the people you can continue to network with in the future.

Fourth, training and development can be delivered “just in time.”  I happen to think balance sheet analysis and process redesign technology becomes more meaningful if you have to use it tomorrow.  Project based development fits that bill.

Fifth, it’s a cost effective way to determine who might be a candidate for more expensive development later.  Let leaders really lead and then invest.  A frequent, pleasant surprise of project based development is that executives spot leaders that might otherwise remain hidden from view.

Finally, before you invest in people learning about organizations, require them to learn about your organization first.  Cost, speed and productivity projects will do that for you.

If you want to argue the benefits, don’t bother.  I’ve already admitted my weakness.  I simply don’t have time to repeat myself.

 

 

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