In a recent poll, four out of five Canadian CEOs said their companies will offer more training opportunities to employees over the coming years. We can only hope that senior executives such as these will not just order their underlings to go back to class, but take a few courses themselves. The higher you go on the corporate totem pole, as a rule, the less time you'll spend on management training and development. There's no reason why this should be the case. Companies today need more highly skilled, better qualified executives than ever.
Employers know it, too.
As an executive search consultant, I am often asked by major corporations to find outstanding new executives with exemplary qualifications such as these, to help lead the way in the new economy. Such talent is out there, but it's rare. And I'm struck by how few executives today are taking sufficient interest in their jobs and their future careers to invest time in the training that can help them reach this level. Or skills training, although heaven knows most of us could use some brushing up on our 'keyboarding'. The business schools at Canada's major universities offer courses lasting anywhere from three days to two weeks for working professionals, covering everything from financial analysis and strategic planning to building teams and leading change.