Many organizations are being asked to sponsor employees for an Executive MBA. Benefits to employers include increased employee confidence, better bottom-line performance and deeper organizational knowledge. But smart organizations put a plan in place -- one that that grows employee responsibilities in tandem with his or her EMBA program. Such plans offer new and more challenging assignments, opportunities for promotion and increased remuneration. (Keep in mind that pursuing an EMBA can involve 25 to 30 hours of extra work a week.) Without a plan, employers risk losing the talent they've helped develop.

How quickly that talent begins to develop was clear to Holly Robinson-Colley, an EMBA student at Ivey who was sponsored by Bruce Power. "My confidence grew at a significant pace and courses such as Leading helped me to become a more effective leader. I became better equipped to make informed decisions." Robinson-Colley gained a much deeper understanding of Bruce Power. "I found myself speaking to senior executives within the organization not only to gain insight about their functional areas but also the company on a strategic level."

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Tags: talent management, c-suite, executive, leadership, canada

Categories: News

Determined to retain your most talented executives? Well, here's some counterintuitive advice: The best way to keep them from leaving is to prepare them to do just that.

In tough economic times like these, retention becomes less of a priority for many companies as they focus on more-immediate business concerns. But companies that neglect this issue during a downturn may be in for a nasty surprise just as things start looking up: Historically, there is a significant increase in the number of executives leaving their companies as market conditions improve and more job opportunities open up.

That's why it's crucial that companies get serious about retention now. And that means giving executives opportunities to take on greater responsibility, broaden their skills and cultivate a network of relationships with their peers. These are the things that executives we have surveyed consistently say they want most from their jobs.

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Tags: talent management, executive, recession, economic downturn, retention

Categories: News | The Economy

(The New York Times) -- This interview with Linda Hudson, president of the land and armaments group for BAE Systems, a military contractor, was conducted, edited and condensed by Adam Bryant.

Tags: leadership, executive, gender issues, recruitment

Categories: News