How do b-schools teach leadership and strategy?

Source: QS TopMBA Applicant Survey 2008

Business schools establish international reputations around core specializations and it will come as no surprise that several of the worldas most famous MBA courses have a very strong reputation among recruiters actively searching for MBAs with highly advances skills in Strategy and Leadership. The QS TopMBA Global Recruitersa Top 100 Business Schools, which ranks MBA programs according to the responses of 500 of the worldas leading international MBA recruiters across 18 industries, establishes a clear precedent for what is important to them and which schools are providing the strongest graduates in those fields.

These are the current top ten schools for strategy and leadership specializations (US unless stated):

* Schools ranked by QS TopMBA Global Recruitersa Top 100 Business Schools 2007

Recruiters are ideally placed to quantify what business schools should be providing their MBA students in order to satisfy recruiter needs in the workplace. So what are business schools teaching with regard to strategy and leadership and what exactly makes the best programs in each specialization the best?

Strategy a looking inside and outside

aGraduates need to have the ability to assess the external environments they are operating in, as well as understanding the internal strengths and weaknesses of their organisations,a says David Bach, Associate Dean of MBA programs at IE Business School in Madrid. aThose that do this well, and can find and seize the opportunities outlined in these processes, are highly prized and will add value to any organisation they work for.a-

Because of its importance, Bach says: aStrategic management underpins much of our program. Students undertake core classes which focus on the core skills and processes related to constructing and refining company strategy. Advanced modules look at the implementation and management of strategic plans, as well as differentiating strategies for different markets and industries.a

For Janet Shaner, Director of MBA Marketing at IMD in Switzerland, strategy is a key skill: aStrategy for companies and corporations is formulated and executed in an increasingly changing environment influenced by political, technological, economic, global, competitive and social forces. Managers must strive to understand these interacting forces and develop successful and sustainable competitive and cooperative strategies.a

At IMD, strategy is a major constituent of their building block courses. Shaner continues: aWe focus on how the participant, in the position of a general manager, can enhance and sustain performance by making sound strategic decisions at the business unit level and making robust judgments in the face of significant uncertainty, risk, information scarcity, and complexity.a

Leadership a judgement, courage, integrity

For some schools, the distinction between strategy and leadership is less defined. Strategic Leadership is one of the required courses at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and examines the fundamental issues of general management and leadership within an organization. John Smith of Stanford says: aStudents will learn about setting an organization’s strategic direction, aligning structure to implement strategy, and leading individuals within the firm. They will master concepts, frameworks, and tools to assess an industry and a firm’s competitive environment, and to craft alternatives. They will study the interplay among formal structure, informal networks, and culture in shaping organizational performance. By integrating leadership theory, the lessons of practical application, and a studentsa own experience, they will develop skills and capabilities essential to leading others and gain a better understanding of their own leadership preferences, strengths, and weaknesses.a

For David Bach, Associate Dean of MBA programs at IE Business School in Madrid, aGood leadership attributes and skills are critical to the success of any venture, be it launching a start-up or managing a team/project for a multinational. The ability to communicate a vision and motivate those around you will stand you in good stead in whatever type of organisation you work ina. At IE leadership is taught by experience: aDeveloping leadership attributes and skills requires a high degree of experiential learning. We aim to provide participants with cutting edge theories of leadership, whilst through our Accelerate (Soft Skills) program we encourage them to put them into practice.a

Susan Ashford is Associate Dean for Leadership Programming and the Executive MBA Program at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. aOur program teaches skills and allows students to nurture and further develop skills they already possess, but it also puts them in situations and gives experiences that allow them to develop better judgment, to exercise their courage, and to influence others with integrity.a

aThe school places high priority of the development of studentsa leadership judgment and capabilities along with their analytic skills,a says Ashford. aWe develop leaders by getting them out of the classroom and into situations that test their skills and require them to hone and develop their skills further.a

Part of the Ross Schoolas flexible program includes a aLeadership Crisis Challengea. This places students in the role of top decision-makers in a real-time crisis and puts them in front of faculty and journalists to test their communication skills and judgement. Shelly Madan took part in this: aI developed an understanding of the key elements necessary for the success of a companyas senior leadership and ultimately for that of a company itself. We worked on key leadership skills, including those needed to think on your feet and present to a diverse public audience under pressure.”

At Chicago GSB all full-time MBA students take their Leadership Effectiveness and Development (LEAD) program in their first quarter. aLEAD builds self-awareness by engaging students in highly-interactive leadership activities,a says Tonya Fuhs Wallah, the program director. aThese range from team dynamics and conflict management to presentation skills. The program culminates in the annual Leadership Challenge in which 80 students, selected by their peers, compete in a case competition judged by GSB alumni.a Mukani Moyo who is on the course says: aLeadership seems to be this murky thing, but LEAD equipped us with a science for understanding it. We could literally assess, look at, touch, hold and get a feel for what we can do to improve and get to the next level.a

Source: topmba.com