How the classroom shapes the boardroom

Executives need new skills and ongoing learning to adapt to the rapidly changing world

With the ongoing challenges of a rapidly evolving business landscape, executives and managers are finding themselves under increasing pressure to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and strategies in their field. As the business world also becomes increasingly competitive and complex, keeping pace with local industry developments and global best practice is critical. From short courses to advanced degrees, executive education is critical for professional development and career advancement, structured around learning opportunities specific to the changing business landscape and the specific needs of today’s business leaders. 

Vivien Katzav is the co-founder and COO of management training and consultancy Blanchard South Africa and has been involved in talent management for the past 23 years — from recruitment to succession planning, performance management and leadership development: “No matter how smart a leader is, or what existing qualifications they have, the world and its people are changing, and it is impossible to achieve success without adapting to that. A true leader is one who is at ease with the strategic and operational aspects of their job.” 

Leadership is a dynamic skill set 

These aspects, however, are not the same today as they were a decade ago, or even the same as they were before the global Covid-19 pandemic just three years ago. Katzav says one of the big trends in management training — the ability to engage comfortably on issues about mental health — was heavily shaped by this. “This has previously been a taboo topic for executives, but for the past few years we have been bombarded with life-and-death issues,” she explains. “From the Covid pandemic to the war in Ukraine and natural disasters at an unprecedented scale, there is no turning back as we face the fact that we are dealing with people first, and that we are not immortal.” 

She says society has suffered a collective trauma, and this needs to be acknowledged and addressed in the workplace. “We are people first; we need to be connected and form a community to deliver results,” she says. “We need purpose, common goals, a system in which to operate, and compassion for each other — and we need leaders who are able to foster that in the people around them.” 

Changing workplace practices and attitudes

Another challenge for modern business leaders is dealing with the lasting impact that the pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns have had on workplace culture and organisational operations: “During the work-from-home days of Covid, many employees experienced a better work-life balance. The widespread consensus among people who worked remotely during this time was that working from home was efficient, effective and conducive to the creation of balance in their lives.” 

What does this shift mean for business leaders? “Executives, managers and supervisors need to engage and learn, and update their mindset and their skill set to accommodate these changes,” Katzav explains. “The old norm has changed on every level and we cannot go back. We also cannot go forward without addressing how these changes play out within our organisations.” 

She says executives need new skills and ongoing learning to adapt to a BANI world: brittle, anxious, non-linear and incomprehensible. “Executives need to navigate this shifting landscape and grow their agility to embrace new ways of working through and with people to ensure that they still get the job done.”

Command-and-control is no longer fit-for-purpose. “As trainers and educators, we need to engage with leaders and equip and encourage them to know themselves and their purpose, to be curious, to suspend judgement, to listen, to have clarity on their goals and what ‘good’ looks like, to be clever communicators, to embrace their own shadows fearlessly, to show vulnerability and to have clear boundaries, so they can be servant leaders to their employees. These are the leaders that we need if we want to witness goal achievement and legacy creation within every aspect of the workplace and at every level of the organisation.” 

The skills that will set you apart 

She says when hiring or promoting, there are certain key features that set some people apart: “We look for candidates who demonstrate learning agility, presence, ability to communicate and to listen and respond,” she says. “We ask whether they can be strategic, how they approach problem solving, whether they innovate and take ownership, and whether they can speak their truth and inspire others to buy into that.” 

Fortunately, she says, these skills can be taught, and this is where executive education has immense value: “In our dynamic South African context, we need leaders and managers who are knowledgeable, trustworthy, innovative, agile, ethical, grounded, practical, authentic AND deliver results. Ordinary folk with the correct mindset and skill set can deliver extraordinary results. Leadership is teachable, and it is the key to addressing the major societal ills like poverty, inequality and unemployment.” 

She says executive education programmes tailored to address talent acquisition and talent retention are increasingly important. “The cost of a wrong hire has a huge impact on your business, your clients, your reputation and your sustainable success,” she explains. “Business leaders need to actively invest in ongoing learning to hire the right person for the job, better deal with employees, manage their own self-care and inspire others. They need to onboard employees into their culture and philosophy, and how to direct and support people situationally.” 

Develop within the organisation

Investing in executive education can play an important role in talent retention by providing professional development for employees and demonstrating a commitment to their growth and career advancement. It can build a culture of learning and increase employee happiness and job satisfaction, and increase the likelihood that employees will remain with the company in the long run. 

Katzav says companies cannot expect to hire “perfect” candidates who immediately step into a position with all the relevant skills and competencies; instead, businesses must invest in developing the leaders they need: “Hire for attitude and train for skills: this has always been my mantra when hiring or being consulted on the recruitment process. Qualifications are important, but we also need to look beyond them to understand the core of the person, the values that drive them and the purpose they seek to fulfil.”

If businesses need to hire for attitude and train for skill, then it comes as no surprise that business schools and executive education programmes must adapt to changing attitudes and evolving skills needs. “Training needs to be immersive and practical, and need to foster a burning platform for leaders to be the champions for change within their teams, their organisations and society,” she explains.

Keep the end goal in mind

When deciding on the right fit, she says prospective students should pursue a programme that will show a return on investment, though this return might look different from one person to the next: “Executive education shapes company culture and company culture is something that starts at the top. Executives need to invest in themselves so that they can know, teach and coach the company culture, consistently, deliberately, patiently and successfully. This requires resilience, diligence and discipline — all skills that can be taught.” 

Training, coaching and personal development programmes can help leaders to show up more authentically, and better understand the organisational and societal ecosystem that they operate within. It can help managers and supervisors engage with the theory behind the company values and visions, and incorporate them into their interactions and operations. 

This can also be a powerful tool in promoting corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles. By providing leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary to create more sustainable and responsible organisations, the field of executive education can help to build a more equitable, resilient, and successful future for businesses and society. 

Jamaine Krige

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Adaptive, agile, forward-thinking and future-focused

Private higher education institutions (PHEI) are uniquely positioned to deliver dynamic, relevant, cutting-edge executive education and business management learning that addresses the fast-changing business landscape and emerging and evolving needs of industries and professionals. This, according to Dr Jannie Zaaiman, is why they remain a popular choice and important players in the fields of graduate, postgraduate and continuous learning and development. 

Zaaiman is the Chairperson of South Africa Private Education (SAPHE), a voluntary association of private higher education providers committed to improving the country’s post-school landscape. He says PHEIs are the fastest growing segment of higher education systems globally, and are emerging as major players in the South African and sub-Saharan African educational space, offering greater and more diverse access to students, many of whom cannot be accommodated by overburdened public institutions: “Of particular value is the niche nature of some of the private institution’s offerings, as well as the smaller, more engaged classes.”

Lifelong learning critical to future-proofed success

In a world undergoing rapid change, TSIBA Business School CEO Dr Rudi Kimmie says that investing in ongoing learning is one way for professionals to “future-proof” themselves. “Ongoing learning keeps one connected to a changing world through reflection and constant upskilling and reskilling,” he explains. “Lifelong learning is no longer a luxury; it’s imperative to remain relevant in a hugely competitive world.”  

Kimmie says professionals are increasingly turning to executive and business education programmes to remain relevant, competent and competitive in a fast-changing world, and many are seeking out private institutions because of their receptiveness to change: “Private higher education is often more agile and better able to service emerging or evolving needs. PHEIs are more entrepreneurial and responsive to learner needs and market relevance. It’s not surprising that many mega-companies like Google are establishing their own campuses to run bespoke courses that address their unique contexts.” 

Zaaiman says these institutions are also smaller than their public counterparts and are therefore less subject to cumbersome bureaucracy, which allows for a faster, more agile approach: “Our private institutions also maintain a much closer relationship with industry and professional bodies through internships, certifications, consultation, masterclasses and project support to identify trends, and operationalise such trends in the curriculum.” 

Professor HB Kloppers, CEO of Da Vinci Business School, agrees. He says both public and private higher education institutions play a key role in the transformation of the way executive and business education is structured and facilitated, and both are essential to promoting lifelong learning: “Private institutions, however, are more attuned to sound business principles and practices and have more flexible structures and resources than public institutions, which allow them to be more responsive to the changing demands of the business world.” He says private institutions also leverage close connections with the business world, exposing students to valuable networking opportunities and free access to industry experts.

Adapting to changes as they emerge

South African industry leaders increasingly require new ways of thinking, empowerment, transformation and learning to stay abreast. Executives also have to prepare to deal with the intended and unintended consequences of automation and mechanisation, including the impact on human resources: “That means that organisational resilience, innovation, sustainability and client engagement are key trends that business schools need to address, because these are challenges faced by most business enterprises. Many PHEIs are investing in these through skills acquisition, research or aligning their course offerings accordingly.” 

Dr Ronel Blom, Academic Dean of Regent Business School, one of SAPHEs member organisations, says that while postgraduate programmes like the Master of Business Administration (MBA degree) remain popular, the Covid-19 pandemic changed the way students approach learning: “We saw much more of an investment in short, succinct courses that could address specific skills and knowledge gaps, and a higher demand for online courses. In addition, more business executives required ‘just-in-time’ learning to stay abreast of the latest developments in theory and practice related to fields like finance, human resources, management, information technology and the economy at large. These are offered as short, non-credit bearing learning programmes, workshops or masterclasses.” 

She says executive education is an overarching term that encompasses a variety of offerings that are tailored and suited to specific needs and contexts: “We should not be offering this in a format that straight-jackets innovation.”

Advice for prospective students

When choosing a programme or course, Zaaiman says it is important to remember that education doesn’t exist in a vacuum; it must respond to particular needs.  “Business leaders should have a clear idea of what they want to address and what resources they can commit to this — studying requires time, effort, financial investment and due diligence. Prospective students should do the necessary research into the plethora of courses available, and make use of the advisors at the various institutions to help guide their decision-making.” 

The consensus is that students should seek out programmes that support complex problem-solving with real-world relevance, and that offer sound theoretical knowledge, coupled with the practical application of these theories and trends. “Also, look for an institution that embraces and prioritises the promise and potential of technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), and that empowers its students to leverage these capabilities for business, management and leadership,” adds Blom. “In short, look for forward-thinking and future-focused programmes and providers.”