Interactive Teaching Methods in International Management: Approaches in Executive Education Schon Beechler Academic Director, Duke Corporate Education and Faculty Director, Positive Leadership Programs in Executive Education, University of Michigan

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler Experience Base MBA (Columbia Business School) EMBA (Columbia, CEIBS) Short executive education programs 1-5 days (Columbia, Duke CE) Long executive education programs 2-4 weeks (Columbia, Duke CE) Delivered in the United States, Asia and Europe to participants from over 70 countries

“The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder.” -- Ralph M. Sockman

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler Agenda Introduction The context of executive education Effective interactive methodologies Content Process Culture What about you?

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler Trends in Executive Education: Industry Globalization of the Industry Strong demand despite drop in customer base Drop in number of men Greater % with MBAs Providers Traditional universities Blended programs of open and custom programs (e.g., Columbia) Consultants E.g. Mercer Delta Consulting, McKinsey, etc. Corporate Universities Duke CE-type hybrids

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler Trends in Executive Education: Customers Training budgets Focus on preparing new executives for future leadership roles Greater integration with business strategy and other organizational initiatives Custom programs expanding with over half revenue of total Higher expectations Outcomes Customization Speed to market “War for talent” and training and development as retention strategy

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler Trends in Executive Education: Delivery Modalities Shorter programs Mixed modalities E-learning Distance Learning Blended Learning Virtual learning environments Experiential learning methods

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler Implications of Trends for Providers Strong market for training and development provides many opportunities Higher customer expectations generating need for customer focus, responsiveness, and greater customization (expensive in terms of time and money) Greater, global competition generating price pressure, higher levels of innovation, and global service standards Challenges to “traditional” university executive education model

How can we have the biggest positive impact on our participants and their organizations in the shortest time at a reasonable cost?

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler What Effective Global Managers Do Perceive, analyze, decode Accurately identify effective managerial action Possess behavioral flexibility and discipline to act appropriately Source: Allan Bird and Joyce Osland ”Global Competencies: An Introduction, In Lane, Maznevski, Mendenhall and McNett (eds)., Blackwell’s Handbook of Global Organizing, p.66.

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler Interactive Methodologies Source: Based on the work of Kegan and Mezirow. Disorienting Event Perceive, analyze, decode Accurately identify effective managerial action Possess behavioral flexibility and discipline to act appropriately Disorienting Event Disorienting Event

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler Guidelines for Using Interactive Methods Content Make the content relevant and compelling What really matters to the business and to the participants? Explicitly link experiences, frameworks and models to the business and participant’s reality Use frame-breaking and competence-enhancing experiences Research what will be frame-breaking experiences that will move participants out of their comfort zone and into their stretch zone (not panic)

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler Examples of Duke CE’s Interactive Teaching Methods Activities, games and icebreakers Short exercises allowing participants to gain insight into new concepts that encourage participants to know each other, and that reinforce key learning objectives. Assessments Reflective exercises that allow individuals, a teams, or organizations to have a clear compelling, picture of current realities, and strengths & developmental needs. Multimedia and Visual Arts Use of pictures, symbols or video to communicate content in order to engage the non-verbal, visual and kinesthetic arenas of learning. © Duke CE 2008

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler Examples of Duke CE’s Interactive Teaching Methods Simulations Activities that provide participants with a challenge which acts as a mirror for issues in individual, team and collaborative behaviors. Robust Dialogues Structured conversations that leverage the expertise of participants and invite them to engage with each other in thoughtful, often intense, dialogue around important issues. Metaphoric Learning Experiences A proprietary Duke CE learning method that uses compelling metaphors as a way to learn about business issues. The experiences are physically and mentally immersive. © Duke CE 2008

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler Interactive Methodologies Source: Based on the work of Kegan and Mezirow. Disorienting Event Feedback Reflection Practice Opportunities Perceive, analyze, decode Accurately identify effective managerial action Possess behavioral flexibility and discipline to act appropriately Disorienting Event Disorienting Event Safe Holding Environment

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler Creating a Learning Community Source: Adapted from Vogt. “Learning out of Context,” Context Process Content

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler Creating A High Performance Learning Community: A Few Building Blocks Meeting or exceeding expectations on program content and relevance Recognizing and building on commonalities and leveraging differences Building a culture to support both individual and collective objectives Recognizing that both educators and executives bring “their whole person” into the learning environment

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler PRAGMATIST Planning the next steps REFLECTOR Reviewing the experience ACTIVIST Having an experience THEORIST Concluding from the experience Using Assessments and Feedback to Understand Ourselves and Others Source: Mumford. Effective Learning, 1995 Learning Styles

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler Creating a learning culture (context) where... The invisible fabric of relationships are tended to and cared for Vulnerability and diversity are welcome Curiosity reigns Experimentation is the norm Inquiry is practiced with compassion Questions can go unresolved Adapted from Ryan. “Learning Communities,” 1995.

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler Our Quest: Principles of a Learning Community QQuestioning UUnderstanding EExperimenting SSharing TTrusting

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler Guidelines for Using Interactive Methods Process The right people need to be in the room (participants, faculty, staff) Establish clear vision and goals Establish clear roles and responsibilities Provide time for reflection and integration as well as planning and action Context Create an intentional culture Create a safe learning environment where participants can experiment with new ideas and behaviors Acknowledge and embrace the “”whole person”

August 2008Copyright Schon Beechler Guidelines for Using Interactive Methods Understand your mindset, your assumptions, your gifts and your limits Understand what your goals are for the experience Know Do Believe Understand your role, and what it requires of you “The sage on the stage” “The guide on the side” ???

Success in the classroom… Depends partly what you know. Partly what you do and entirely on who you are.