Reflections on Executive Education: The User and Provider's Perspectives

Companies are increasingly recognizing executive education as a crucial tool for developing their managers. The underlying assumption is that it can improve managerial decision making, by creating and transmitting knowledge, which in turn has a positive impact on company performance. Since knowledge and capability developed in-house might not avoid the natural evolutionary rigidities of organizations, external pressures for strategic orientation and change may make it necessary to incorporate outsiders' views. Thus, collaboration with outsiders such as business schools, consultants, coaches and trainers has the clear potential to impact organizational performance. As cognitive biases can impede the formation of new perspectives in decision making, the use of outsiders can help mitigate people's tendency to seek information that confirms their own preconceptions. By acting as catalysts, outsiders may serve as agents of change; moreover, if well managed, such partnering can provide value.