There is a pressing need for qualified leaders in the many Indian businesses which are rapidly going global. But can leadership talent be developed as quickly as it is needed? This book proposes that a leader development curriculum can accelerate the maturation of leadership talent at all levels of an organization. But the “curriculum” does not have to be pursued only in classrooms and through educational programs and training. Work experiences, not coursework, present the foremost learning opportunity for managers aiming to become effective leaders. The critical questions are: Which experiences matter? How can learning from these experiences be maximized? This book will assist managers at all stages of their career to understand the fundamentals of how business leaders develop. Early and mid-life managers need a roadmap to steer their careers towards the echelons of executive leadership. Senior managers need to know how to cultivate leadership talent among entry and mid-level managers. This content will speak to all managers at a time when many must navigate through the fiery potential of explosive business growth and the dampening impact of world-wide financial turmoil. Young managers launching their careers today realize that the work climate for Indian professionals has changed dramatically. Just a decade ago, graduates from the best universities and colleges wanted steady life-time employment, for example, in well-known Indian companies, the government, or in the practice of medicine or law. Or they left India to pursue life-long lucrative appointments in foreign countries. This is no longer true. Career advancement is now the name of the game. College graduates and early-career professionals expect to change jobs and locations every few years. Career paths are becoming less linear and predictable because work opportunities in various sectors both within and outside India are proliferating. This generation of managers is learning that they must steer the course of their own work life and career and this book gives them the knowledge to do so. Senior managers at the zenith of their careers will also benefit. India is host to a ferocious war for talent. Domestic and international companies recruit and compete for talent on the same campuses. Young professionals are primed to seize the most favorable employment opportunities and continue to switch jobs even after they have gained employment in a reputable company. Under these circumstances, the insights provided by this book can help executive leaders articulate a philosophy and approach to nurturing leadership talent, thereby attracting and retaining top talent.
Book Details:
- Author: Meena Surie Wilson
- ISBN: 9780470825686
- Year Published: 2010
- Pages: 224
- BISAC: BUS071000, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS/Leadership
About the Book and Topic:
There is a pressing need for qualified leaders in the many Indian businesses which are rapidly going global. But can leadership talent be developed as quickly as it is needed? This book proposes that a leader development curriculum can accelerate the maturation of leadership talent at all levels of an organization. But the “curriculum” does not have to be pursued only in classrooms and through educational programs and training. Work experiences, not coursework, present the foremost learning opportunity for managers aiming to become effective leaders. The critical questions are: Which experiences matter? How can learning from these experiences be maximized? This book will assist managers at all stages of their career to understand the fundamentals of how business leaders develop. Early and mid-life managers need a roadmap to steer their careers towards the echelons of executive leadership. Senior managers need to know how to cultivate leadership talent among entry and mid-level managers. This content will speak to all managers at a time when many must navigate through the fiery potential of explosive business growth and the dampening impact of world-wide financial turmoil. Young managers launching their careers today realize that the work climate for Indian professionals has changed dramatically. Just a decade ago, graduates from the best universities and colleges wanted steady life-time employment, for example, in well-known Indian companies, the government, or in the practice of medicine or law. Or they left India to pursue life-long lucrative appointments in foreign countries. This is no longer true. Career advancement is now the name of the game. College graduates and early-career professionals expect to change jobs and locations every few years. Career paths are becoming less linear and predictable because work opportunities in various sectors both within and outside India are proliferating. This generation of managers is learning that they must steer the course of their own work life and career and this book gives them the knowledge to do so. Senior managers at the zenith of their careers will also benefit. India is host to a ferocious war for talent. Domestic and international companies recruit and compete for talent on the same campuses. Young professionals are primed to seize the most favorable employment opportunities and continue to switch jobs even after they have gained employment in a reputable company. Under these circumstances, the insights provided by this book can help executive leaders articulate a philosophy and approach to nurturing leadership talent, thereby attracting and retaining top talent.
This research captures the developmental experiences and leadership lessons learned by 71 senior Indian executives from eight large established multinational companies of Indian origin. Given that on-the-job-experiences are the medium through which crucial lessons of leadership are learned, all managers and HR executives working in India need to know which experiences matter, what are the foremost lessons learned, and how this learning occurs. In the mid-80s, researchers at the Center of Creative Leadership (CCL) used the critical-event methodology to undertake a series of major studies. This methodology has proved to have enduring value for studying learning and development among diverse populations of leaders. In 2006, in collaboration with the Tata Management Training Center in Pune, India, the Lessons of Experience India project was launched. The objective was to obtain critical insights about how to accelerate leader talent development in Indian global business organizations. The most relevant and applicable insights from this study are the topic of this publication.
– CCL are recognized as the world leaders in leadership studies. – Wiley enjoys an excellent and well established relationship with CCL through the Jossey Bass leadership series – Additional credibility by association with the Tata Group, one of Indias largest conglomerates with a global foot print and an excellent reputation in India for business ethics and corporate values – Excellent opportunities to promote the book through the Jossey Bass marketing group.
About the Author
About Meena Wilson Meena Wilson, Ph.D. is currently Senior Enterprise Associate with the Center for Creative Leadership-Asia and is based in Jamshedpur, India. Meena has just completed a three-year assignment in Singapore as Research Director, Asia Pacific Leadership. In this role, she was responsible for the start-up of a sustainable Research, Innovation and Product Development-APAC group unit to advance leadership and leadership development knowledge in the Asian context. Meena is also on the team of the Centers Design and Evaluation group in Greensboro, North Carolina. Previously, as Interim Managing Director, CCL-Asia, and Director, Asia-Pacific Relations, Meena completed special assignments in Singapore where she effectively worked to heighten CCL presence in the region. She completed the launch of the CCL-Asia office in Singapore in July 2003. She was responsible for working with a cross-functional, cross-campus team to open up the new office; develop networks, and explore alliances with international partners. While working on the Centers Singapore initiative, she also completed collaborative research with the Singapore Economic Development Board, studying their leadership and leadership development practices. Meena joined the Center for Creative Leadership in 1992 as a Research Associate. Her research has focused on cross-cultural managerial effectiveness and intercultural value differences. A published author, her credits include chapters on Foundations of Responsible Leadership: From Self-Insight to Integrity and Altruism in Handbook of Responsible Leadership and Governance in Global Business (Edward Elgar, 2005); Effective Cross-Cultural Leadership: Tips And Techniques For Developing Capacity in Crossing Cultures: Insights from Master Teachers (Routledge, 2004); and Leading Across Cultures: Five Vital Capabilities, which appeared in The Organization of the Future (Jossey-Bass, 1998). Meena is also lead author of International Success: Selecting, Developing, and Supporting Expatriate Managers (CCL, 1998) and Managing across Cultures: a Learning Framework (CCL, 1996). In addition, Meena facilitates assessment, feedback, and coaching modules included in several CCL programs and contributes to the design and delivery of conference modules and workshops. A native of India and a former resident of Alaska, her previous work experiences include educational policy analysis for the state of Alaska, program development for public schools in Anchorage, AK, and project work at the Xavier Labor Relations Institute in Jamshedpur, India. Meena completed her undergraduate studies at Mills College in Oakland, CA. and holds a M.S. degree from Syracuse University in television-radio journalism and a Ph.D. in adult and organizational development from UNC-Chapel Hill. About The Center for Creative Leadership The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) is a top-ranked global provider of executive education with the mission of advancing the understanding, practice, and development of leadership for the benefit of society worldwide. Founded in Greensboro in 1970 as a non-profit educational institution, the Center helps clients worldwide cultivate creative leadership the capacity to achieve more than imagined by thinking and acting beyond boundaries through an array of programs, products and services. Ranked among the top providers of executive education by Business Week and the Financial Times, CCL today is one of the largest institutions in the world focusing on leadership. In addition to its headquarters in Greensboro, NC, there are campuses in Colorado Springs, CO; San Diego, CA; Brussels, Belgium; and Singapore. CCL also maintains relationships with 40 network associates and their partners in the U.S. and abroad. Each year our programs reach more than 27,000 leaders and several thousand organizations worldwide. The Center also serves as a clearinghouse for ideas on leadership and creativity. We regularly convene conferences and colloquia by scholars and practitioners, and our staff members are frequent presenters at international conferences. We derive our funding primarily from tuition, sales of products and publications, royalties, and fees for service. The Center seeks grants and donations from corporations, foundations, and individuals in support of its educational mission. Additional information can be obtained from the Centers website: www.ccl.org. A Harvard Business School case study is available upon request.